"Finally!"

Ronan grinned widely at Gray's words.

He slammed his gauntlets together, creating a burst of sparks before charging straight into the crowd ahead.

"Ronan, don't—" Selina started, but it was already too late.

BAM!

Ronan punched the first student in front of him so hard that the boy's barrier shattered like glass, sending him flying across the arena floor.

The impact created a small crater in the dirt.

"—reckless…" Selina finished, shaking her head before raising both her hands.

Water swirled around her arms, forming two large serpents that shot forward.

The water snakes coiled around enemies, binding their arms and legs before throwing them into the air.

Lyra was already beside her, golden lightning crackling around her body.

"Watch the right!" she shouted, thrusting her sword forward.

ZRAAAAP!

A blinding streak of gold cut through three students in one swing, knocking them out of the field.

Selene joined from the other side, her aura sword glowing a deep blue.

She shot through the crowd without any wasted steps, swinging her sword at every single student who tried to get close to her.

Lira moved just behind her, sword raised in a knight's guard stance. She struck down anyone who got close to Selene, covering her flank perfectly.

Gray, meanwhile, walked through the chaos like a shadow.

He didn't need to rush, and the moment anyone tried to attack him, they were gone in the blink of an eye.

"[✧Swap✧]"

A student lunged toward him, spear aimed for his chest, but suddenly, the student was standing where Gray had been a second ago, and a blade of fire meant for Gray hit him instead.

"W-what?!" the boy gasped before collapsing from the impact.

Gray reappeared a few meters away, already attacking another student without even checking if the last one had actually collapsed.

Fwip!

Clang!

One after another, students fell as Gray moved through them like a ghost, his rapier cutting through their barriers as if they were paper.

'...This is too easy for me,' he sighed inwardly.

The Gloria Academy was supposed to be filled with genius, but... they were nothing to him. He didn't even need to use his sword art.

Selina glanced at him between spells, her mouth slightly open.

"He's not even… trying hard."

"He doesn't have to," Lyra smirked faintly, though there was pride in her eyes.

Swoooop!

A fire mage screamed and shot a blazing orb toward them.

Lyra raised her sword high, golden lightning bursting out and slicing the fireball in half.

The explosion that followed sent waves of dust around, but she didn't move, she just stood still, the light of her power shining like a star in the chaos.

"Behind you!" Ronan shouted.

Selene spun instantly, blocking a sword strike aimed at Lyra.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the blades met.

Selene pushed back, twisting her wrist and kicking the attacker's leg from under him before knocking him out with a single hit from her aura-infused blade.

"Thanks," Lyra said breathlessly.

Selene nodded once before rushing towards another opponent.

Clang!

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared right in front of Lyra, causing her to frown lightly.

Maelis, Leon, and some others who weren't as well known. Instantly, the others gathered around Lyra when they saw this, knowing that both of them were quite strong.

But Gray didn't seem to notice as he kept eliminating more and more students.

"...Shit, this is going to be difficult," Selene muttered lightly.

At her words, Maelis smiled faintly, tilting her head.

"It seems that one of you at least knows your limits."

She lifted one hand, and the ground instantly cracked under everyone's feet.

THRUUUM!

A faint black aura spread out from her fingers, making the air feel heavy and suffocating. The pressure made everyone's legs tremble slightly.

"Shit— Gravity magic," Selina gasped, forcing herself to raise a water shield, but it wavered instantly under the pressure.

Leon glanced at Maelis with a small smile.

"Don't overdo it. We don't want to kill them before Gray notices."

"Oh, please," Maelis whispered with a teasing tone.

"He'll come eventually. I'll make sure he does."

"Stop talking and fight already!" Lyra gritted her teeth, lightning flickering along her arms.

Crackle!

She thrust her sword forward, lightning bursting from the blade. The golden light shot toward Maelis in a blinding arc.

But before it could reach her...

Snap!

Leon raised his finger, and space itself twisted. The lightning vanished, then reappeared behind Lyra, striking the ground near her own feet.

"What—?!" she jumped back, her eyes wide.

"You should learn how to control your aim," Leon smiled faintly.

Seeing this, Selene instantly dashed forward, her blue aura flaring as she swung her sword at Leon.

But he simply raised a hand, and her attack… passed right through him.

Her eyes widened.

"A spatial projection…?"

"Correct," Leon said coolly, reappearing behind her.

"Too slow."

BAM!

A strong kick landed on her back, sending her rolling across the dirt.

"Selene!" Lira shouted, rushing to block a follow-up strike, but a silver-haired dagger girl appeared in front of her in a blur, moving with wind-speed precision.

CLANG!

CLANG!

Lira blocked each hit, but barely.

The wind user's speed was overwhelming, and every movement that came from her was much faster than hers.

A dagger grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Tch— you're not bad," Lira hissed.

The silver-haired girl smiled playfully.

"You're not either. But you'll lose anyway."

Behind them, Ronan roared and charged toward the halberd user.

"Bring it on, flame boy!"

Clang!

Their weapons clashed like thunder. Sparks exploded, dust flying with each hit. The halberd user laughed, his aura flaring red.

"You hit hard," he said, grinning.

"But I hit hotter!"

He spun the halberd once, the blade igniting fully, and slammed it down. A wall of fire erupted between them, forcing Ronan to jump back.

The heat scorched the ground, turning dirt into glass.

"Holy shit—" Ronan cursed, his gauntlets glowing faintly as he tried to absorb the shock.

"Ronan, left side!" Selina shouted before throwing a torrent of water in his direction, dousing part of the fire.

The archer in the back immediately responded, firing a cursed arrow into Selina's water stream.

The moment it made contact, the water turned black, the curse spreading like oil through it.

"What— poison curse?! Damn it—!" Selina's eyes widened.

The black water burst, creating a toxic mist that burned her skin. She fell to one knee, gasping.

"Hagh! D-dammit!"

"Selina!" Lyra, seeing that, screamed and rushed forward, only for Maelis to raise her hand again.

"Stay where you are," Maelis said softly.

The ground rippled like waves, and then...

CRACK!

The gravity multiplied around Lyra. The air bent, and her knees crashed into the ground from sheer pressure. She tried to move, but her limbs felt impossibly heavy.

"Gghhh—!"

"You're strong… for someone who always hides behind my brother." Maelis walked closer, speaking in a cold yet mocking voice.

"Shut up…" Lyra hissed, lightning struggling to form around her arms but failing, crushed by gravity.

Maelis crouched down slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she smiled.

"You're not even worth his time, but maybe… I'll make him come running if I hurt you enough."

That was when a soft crack echoed.

Selene reappeared, bleeding but still standing, her sword glowing bright blue.

"Don't you dare."

She swung her sword at Maelis, but Leon intercepted with a flick of his wrist, bending space around her strike so it passed harmlessly into the air.

Grip!

"Predictable," Leon said, catching her wrist mid-swing and twisting it before sending her flying again.

"Selene!" Lira yelled, slashing at the dagger girl and breaking free for a moment.

She ran toward Selene, dragging her back, but unfortunately for them, they were surrounded now.

Maelis, Leon, and their team stood calm and untouched, barely even breathing hard. Meanwhile, Gray's group was bruised, burned, and pushed back.

"Well... you guys should be proud that you've lasted more than the others," Leon chucked lightly, to which the others from his group also laughed.

"Pft!"

Ronan spat blood on the ground.

"Not… gonna happen."

"You don't have a choice!" Maelis chuckled softly, her eyes narrowing coldly.

Her power flared again, a wave of gravity rippling outward, crushing the ground into cracks.

Lyra screamed as the weight pressed down harder.

The others were barely standing now, forced onto one knee under the pressure. Even Selene's sword arm trembled violently.

Only then… did Gray finally turn his head.

He froze mid-swing, his eyes slowly locking onto the source of the chaos.

'...They lost this easily?'

Maelis smirked faintly as she met his gaze across the battlefield.

"Finally," she whispered, her tone dripping with delight.

"Big brother's watching."

Without wasting time, Gray switched positions with a small rock that was on the ground, and Maelis slowly turned her gaze towards him.

But instead of meeting her gaze, Gray simply turned around and looked at the group of five practically lying on the ground.

'...A half-mermaid that didn't even use her charming abilities. A Vessel of Five Gods who only uses one of their authorities, the inheritor of the Sun Sword Art, a water mage who awakened a high-level water spirit, and finally, the most unusual one..."

His gaze locked onto Ronan.

'Ronan V. Dravenholt... the last heir of the Dragon King Bloodline.'

He glanced at the others who were surrounding his group.

'Besides Maelis and Leon... they lost to these weaklings?'

Gray wanted to laugh.

However... why were all five of them playing the pig to eat the tiger?

It would be a simple waste of time for him to help them; however, Gray had one person in the other group that he wanted to deal with.

Leon.

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