The arena cracked with noise... half mockery, half awe.

Seeing this, Miyu paused. A quiet grief brushed through her chest as she bit her lower lip, masking the feeling behind a grin. This was exactly what the stage demanded, what the crowd wanted—to see her dominate. And yet, somewhere beneath that roar of approval, guilt flickered. She didn't want to humiliate him.

Still, she had to play her part.

Eran stirred. His hand pressed against the stage floor as he pushed himself up to one knee. The faint shimmer of violet still clung to his skin, fading slowly. He lifted his gaze, and for a heartbeat, their eyes met.

A silent understanding passed between them.

He gave a faint smirk—one only Miyu could read, as if to say go on… I'll handle it.

Miyu's jaw tightened, but she nodded almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, Eran's thoughts flickered beneath that calm exterior.

My system's already advanced beyond hers… Rank III. A Grade C-level resonance. If I wanted to, I could end this in one strike, but perhaps it will eventually expose the mask within.

He knew it. And so did she.

But he stayed still masking his strength, playing the weakling just as they'd planned, while Miyu held back just enough power to keep the crowd entertained without revealing the truth.

From the stands, the voices rose again, thick with arrogance and laughter.

"Hey, you! Shitty commoner! Stand up... this isn't even a fight yet!" one boy shouted.

Another added

"Just give up! Spare yourself the embarrassment!"

A girl nearby sneered, tossing her hair. "Hmph, shut up. This is Miyu's match—our academy's finest potential. She deserves every bit of this stage. I just want to see her toy with that commoner."

The crowd's energy swelled, feeding on its own noise. But beneath it all, the quiet thread between Miyu and Eran pulsed stronger than any cheer.

"Go Miyu! Go get him! Miyu! Miyu! Miyu!"

The arena thundered with chants.

Miyu's grin wavered, her cheeks flushing deep crimson as heat rose to her face.

"Shut up," she murmured... barely audible, her voice lost beneath the roar. The crowd couldn't hear her, but Eran saw the small twitch at the corner of her lips, the faint frustration in her eyes.

With that unfocused yet determined grin, she raised her palm toward him. Her violet aura burst alive.. wild and radiant filling half the stage with light as her mana circuits flared open, glowing like runic veins across the air.

The moment she released it, a spiral of energy formed beneath Eran. The violet circuit bloomed directly behind his back, thrumming with violent resonance before detonating into a surge that sent tremors rippling through the floor.

Gasps echoed. Cheers followed.

"Y–you see that?"

"Yeah! It's the same mana as before!"

The whispers and jeers swarmed like a hive of flies, their excitement buzzing at Miyu's ears and Eran's.

Eran exhaled softly, brushing a hand across the quiet scrape of his face as his thoughts flickered sharp.

Two options now...

The first—run. Just as they all expect a "commoner" to do when faced with a noble's superior mana.

Pathetic, predictable… and perfect.

The second—unleash his true strength.

Show them all what a "commoner" can do.

Shock the nobles, break their little hierarchy in one blow.

But no. Not yet.

That wasn't the plan.

Two isn't an option. Not now. He thought.

His fingers flexed slightly, his breathing steady. The crowd saw weakness... and he made sure of it.

Just as Miyu's eyes closed, her hand clenched, and the circuit roared to life again—Eran dropped low, rolling forward in a blur. The violet wave struck the spot he'd been kneeling on a breath earlier, detonating in a crack of mana and light that rattled the air.

The floor trembled. A cloud of dust rippled outward.

Screams, laughter, cheers... it all merged into one sound, thick and chaotic.

And from the haze, Eran's silhouette reappeared—kneeling low, his hair disheveled, his smirk faint but unbroken.

The whispers wouldn't die.

"Shut that commoner up already, he's just dodging like a fly under a palm!"

"Ptth... ha! Look at him! Forfeit, rat—you're done for!"

"How long can he keep running?!"

Mocking grins rippled through the stands, their voices swelling like a cruel tide.

Beneath the arena lights, Miyu's violet circuit glimmered again... alive, pulsing, hungry. From within the glowing ring, sharp claws began to emerge, then blades, sleek and curved like strips of glass infused with raw energy. The runes around her flared brighter, sensing the nearness of their target.

Eran froze mid-step, his eyes narrowing as the air trembled behind him. The blades, five in total... rose from her circle, trembling as if sniffing for prey. Miyu's eyes remained closed, her breath steady, the faintest crease between her brows betraying focus.

Then...

Sccrwwsshhk!

The sound tore through the air, a screeching rip like steel splitting the wind.

Eran dashed forward instantly—too late. The blades launched from the violet glow in a flash of light.

He ducked, twisting to the side, but three struck true.

Scrrhk! Scrrrhk!

One carved across his shoulder, another pierced near his waistline, and the third sliced clean through his robe at the ribs before driving into the ground beside him. The remaining two lingered, vibrating, embedded deep in his back.

"Arghh—"

His voice was a rasp, the shock burning through his nerves.

Blood spread, dark and vivid against the pale blue of his academy uniform.

The crowd erupted.

"Yesss!"

"She got him!"

"Miyu! Miyu! Miyu!"

Their cheers thundered like a storm—frenzied, hungry for the sight.

Even the judges stirred, quills pausing above parchment as the sound swelled.

Eran dropped to one knee, his hand pressed to the floor, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the pain.

Heh... even without her Nexus Core, she's still this strong perhaps... not bad, Miyu.

Then he fell forward, his vision dimming for a heartbeat.

Miyu's eyes snapped open—just as the cheers reached their loudest. Her breath hitched. The sight froze her: Eran lying motionless, blood blooming through his robe, two mana blades still buried deep in his back. She gasped realizing what she had done.

"No..."

Her eyes flared violet as she clenched her fists in a rage that stretched and flexed her palms.

The air cracked.

Shhhhrrkk!

With a powerful gesture, she shattered the mana swords on his back. They crumbled like sparkling glass...

Both blades shattered at once, scattering into thousands of shimmering fragments that sparkled like crushed glass before fading into the dust.

Silence rippled, brief and heavy.

Eran stirred, turning his gaze toward her... pain flickering beneath that same calm smirk. Their eyes met across the arena, and something passed silently between them.

Miyu caught it—a subtle gesture, a quiet I'm fine. But the fury in her chest only deepened.

The crowd's chant continued, like a buzzling flies, relentless:

"Miyu! Miyu! Miyu!"

She clenched her fists tighter, her face flushed crimson with anger and shame, turning away sharply.

Even without the Nexus Core… I'm still this strong? She asked herself.

Her heart raced. She lifted her arm slightly, fingers trembling.

Then why... why can't I control it anymore?

Eran's faint smirk lingered from the ground... he already knew the answer.

Above the judges' table, Nyssa leaned slightly toward Selene, her lips curling into a quiet smile.

"Quite the match," she murmured. "Her control is remarkable, especially for her grade. She's a real noble, just as I said."

Selene twitched her lips, fighting the urge to smile. But her mind wasn't on Miyu's performance... it was on him

Her breath caught as her gaze found Eran again, his robe soaked through, blood pooling beneath him. Every cheer, every jeer from the stands struck like a knife. Her fingers curled around her quill, the tip hovering above ink.

Nyssa noticed.

"Selene? Is everything alright?" she asked softly, studying her expression.

Selene hesitated for a moment, her shoulders tightening. Then, with a forced, trembling breath, she bent forward over her notes, scribbling faintly.

"Haha, yes… I told you—she's got more than strength to control her mana," she managed, her tone barely steady.

But her eyes betrayed her, flicking once more toward Eran below.

From the arena floor, Eran lifted his head, his golden gaze meeting hers. For a heartbeat long and unbroken... their stares locked across the distance.

Selene's pulse quickened. The quill trembled in her hand.

Then Eran clenched his blood-slicked fist against the cracked ground, pushing himself upright inch by inch, his expression calm, unreadable.

The crowd broke into fresh laughter.

"Ha! Look at him.. trying to stand?!"

"He's done for already!"

"Stay down, rat!"

Their taunts echoed across the dome.

Miyu stepped forward through the noise. Each step was slow, deliberate, her violet eyes still faintly glowing as she drew closer. She could feel the crowd's hunger pressing against her back, the raw pulse of expectation—finish it.

But she couldn't. To Hell with you all, she muttered under her breath, teeth gritted in a grin.

Her chest tightened. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

Keep in control, Miyu. Don't slip...

She stopped a few paces away, the heat of his blood mist faint on the obsidian floor.

Eran lifted his head to meet her gaze—gold clashing with violet.

A long silence fell.

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