Four days later, Kara finished her training session with her uncle Magnus, the academy's director. She felt confident and determined: this time, she would not lose her rematch against Lusian. As she descended to the first floor in search of her opponent, an announcement about a ranking duel caught her attention. When she heard the name "Douglas," she rushed toward the combat arena.

  Upon arriving, she saw Caleb Douglas and Leonardo Erkham standing face-to-face, ready to begin. Leonardo, eager for this opportunity, felt nerves creeping in. Isabella and her siblings watched from the stands. This was his first general ranking match, and he wanted to make a flawless impression.

  When Instructor Josh Bell gave the signal, tension filled the arena. Leonardo raised his hands and conjured a storm spell. Dark, crackling clouds swirled above him, while his sword charged with humming bolts of pure energy. Each spark drained his mana, and he knew precision was critical—one mistake could exhaust him prematurely. With a shout of determination, he charged forward, the ground trembling under his steps, striking at Caleb with a thunderous blow that seemed to tear the very air.

  Caleb, enveloped in an aura of dark mana that rippled like living shadows, held his ground. His affinity with darkness allowed him to absorb part of the attack, but not without effort. Swiftly, he raised his sword, gleaming with a shadowy light, and clashed with Leonardo's storm. The crash echoed throughout the arena, sparks flying through the air. With a powerful shove, Caleb pushed Leonardo back several steps and delivered a brutal downward strike that Leonardo barely managed to block, the metal of their blades screaming like a war cry.

  Without hesitation, Caleb attacked again, landing a direct punch to Leonardo's face. The impact was solid and sharp; blood spurted from his nose. Relentless, Caleb unleashed a sequence of four precise strikes, each one aimed at breaking Leonardo's guard. Leonardo endured as best he could, staggering under the punishment, until he realized he had to tap into his hidden reserves.

  With a focused breath, Leonardo summoned his most powerful spell. Four electric orbs spun around him, crackling with pure energy. His mana drained rapidly, but the effect was enough to regain control of the fight for a fleeting moment. With a battle cry, he launched himself with everything he had left.

  But just as victory seemed within reach, seven dark mana orbs descended from the ceiling like malevolent meteors. Leonardo raised his swords to block them, but only managed to stop five. The remaining two struck him with force, sending him crashing to the ground. Each impact drained his mana and left residual energy burns on his skin.

  Both warriors, breathing heavily and covered in wounds, stared at each other, rivalry blazing in their eyes.

  "Imperial vermin, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" Caleb taunted, a challenging smile on his lips.

  "Lowborn blood, you dare? Let's finish this," Leonardo growled, gritting his teeth as his mana dangerously waned.

  Without further delay, Caleb launched a relentless assault. Their swords clashed in a frenzy of steel and magic. Summoning the technique Laurence had taught him, he caused spikes of dark mana to erupt from the ground, shooting toward Leonardo as Caleb continued a series of unyielding strikes. Each spike reflected his absolute control over magic, and Leonardo fell gravely injured, unable to maintain his defense.

  Just as Caleb was about to deliver the finishing blow, Master Josh intervened swiftly, raising his voice to halt the fight and declaring Caleb the victor.

  With a fatigued smile, Caleb walked past Leonardo, exhaustion marking every breath. His mana was nearly depleted, and each inhalation reminded him of how far he had pushed himself. From afar, he spotted Isabella and smiled at her; she, however, didn't even glance his way.

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  Meanwhile, Kara watched the previous battle with disdain. Caleb and Leonardo seemed weak, almost insignificant. Her gaze swept across the arena until it landed on Lusian. With a firm, determined voice, she called out:

  "Lusian!"

  Lusian turned his head, eyes cold as steel. "What do you want?"

  "I challenge you to a ranking duel!" Kara shouted, her eyes blazing with the intensity of inner fire.

  "Are you insane? Leave me alone," Lusian replied, amused and resigned. (This battle-obsessed lunatic is targeting me now?)

  "Are you afraid you can't defeat me? This time, I will destroy you," Kara declared, her mana aura glowing like a pulsing halo around her body.

  "I already defeated you once. I have nothing to prove," Lusian answered with a sarcastic smile.

  "Fine. Just remember: next time, you won't even be able to look me in the eye without remembering the beating I'll give you today," Kara said defiantly.

  Master Enzo of 3A raised his voice: "Let the ranking duel begin!"

  The arena lit up with flashes of mana. From the first instant, Kara attacked like a living storm. Her fists and feet glowed with arcane energy, each strike releasing shockwaves that vibrated through the air. Lusian barely managed to dodge, his movements measured and strategic, leaving black trails across the arena like liquid shadows.

  Kara had perfected, under her uncle Magnus's guidance, spells that enhanced her physical strength, multiplying her force and resilience. Her body radiated a golden aura of concentrated energy, each strike draining her mana. She knew she had to win quickly; otherwise, exhaustion would turn her advantage into a liability.

  Lusian, in turn, channeled his dark affinity. His sword seemed to absorb the surrounding light, and his dark aura spread like ink over the ground. He combined physical attacks with black mana spheres launched with surgical precision, forcing Kara to split her attention. Each block drained them both, but Lusian's determination kept him steady, his yellow eyes burning with cold resolve.

  In a calculated move, Lusian summoned seven dark mana spikes that erupted from the ground like shadow needles. Each spike emitted a sinister hum as it pierced the air. Kara tried to dodge and block, but one spike struck her in the right side. Still, she managed to launch a powerful strike with her sword at Lusian. He blocked it, but the force shattered two of his ribs. Kara's energy quivered under the impact, her aura flickering, weakened.

  Fueled by fury and adrenaline that magnified her strength, Kara charged with a thunderous assault. The concentrated attack generated visible shockwaves in the air. Lusian barely blocked it, but his sword broke under the force. His dark mana crackled upon contact with Kara's energy, and the arena trembled with the intensity of their abilities, dust and rock fragments lifting with each exchange.

  Lusian threw his broken sword at Kara as a decoy; she instinctively blocked it, but that brief distraction was enough. Lusian appeared before her and landed a direct punch to her abdomen, the impact echoing like a hollow drum. The blow knocked the air out of her and drained much of her remaining mana. Each movement now required titanic effort; her physical enhancement spells were consuming more than they contributed, becoming a greater risk than a help.

  Finally, when Kara could no longer sustain herself, Lusian gathered the last of his energy and channeled a decisive blow directly to her jaw. The impact rang like a whip crack. Kara flew backward, landing on the ground, gasping, her golden aura reduced to a faint flicker. For a moment, the entire arena seemed to shake from the echo of the strike, and a heavy silence fell over the spectators, who dared not breathe.

  Lusian stood upright, breathing hard, but his gaze remained firm and defiant. He stepped toward Kara with heavy, deliberate strides, determined to leave an indelible mark in her memory—one that would prevent her from challenging him again. The sound of blows reverberated across the arena, dry and relentless, each impact making the spectators flinch. No one dared speak; all watched in silent awe as Lusian's ferocity completely dominated the duel.

  Master Enzo, seeing the scene, decided to intervene immediately. With an authoritative gesture and commanding voice, he ended the combat to halt the brutality. "Enough! The duel ends here!" The arena fell silent as he declared Lusian the victor.

  Magnus approached Kara, eyes cold and calculating. "Definitely, the Douglas blood runs strong in him. Only those fools are capable of such cruelty," he remarked.

  The echo of the battle still resonated through the arena. Dust lingered in the air, and the spectators had barely caught their breath. That duel, marked by ferocity and pride, would remain etched in everyone's memory for a long time.