The moment Leon's Titan's Cleave was about to strike, the air around Cedric shifted.
A deep, crushing force suddenly descended upon the battlefield, pressing down on everything. The ground beneath Cedric cracked under the sheer pressure, and Leon—mere inches away from landing his final attack—felt an invisible force slam into him mid-air.
"What—?"
His body stopped, frozen in place. His own lightning flickered, the energy dispersing as he struggled against an unseen weight pinning him down.
Cedric wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, golden eyes glowing with newfound intensity.
"You didn't think I only specialized in Ice and Holy magic, did you?"
Leon's eyes narrowed. Gravity magic?
He had heard rumors that there are seniors practicing and learning other elements apart from their main affinitys, and it seems Cedric is one of them.
And no one had ever seen Cedric use gravity magic.
Until now.
"Gravitational Bind."
With a flick of his fingers, the pressure on Leon increased tenfold. His knees buckled as the arena floor beneath him shattered from the force.
"Tch—!"
Leon gritted his teeth, attempting to force his body to move, but it felt like he was trying to lift a mountain.
Cedric's lips curled into a rare smirk.
"You're strong, Valerius. But I've fought third-years at your level before."
His staff pulsed, drawing in surrounding mana.
"Holy Lance: Judgment Spear."
A massive, golden spear crackling with divine power manifested above Cedric, glowing with terrifying intensity.
Students in the audience gasped in awe.
That's a high-tier attack!
If that landed, even Leon would be finished.
Serena Vale, watching from the sidelines, tensed.
Her hands curled into fists as she saw the immense magic Cedric had gathered.
She wasn't the only one.
Rael Thunderfang leaned forward, his usual relaxed expression gone.
"Leon… move."
*****
Leon exhaled sharply, his body fighting against the gravity weighing him down.
Damn it…!
The difference in their magic was clear. Cedric wasn't just strong—he was a genius among mages.
Leon had been relying on his divine blessings and lightning to overwhelm his opponents, but this was the first time someone had completely halted his momentum.
I need more speed.
"Divine Blessing: Lightning Overdrive!"
A surge of golden electricity erupted from his body, crackling wildly against the pressure. Sparks danced across his skin as his muscles tensed, his nerves burning with raw energy.
With a roar, he forced himself to move forward—inch by inch.
Cedric's expression turned serious.
"Drop."
The gravity tripled.
Leon's legs sank into the ground, the stone beneath his feet cratering.
His entire body screamed in protest, but his eyes remained fierce.
Move.
One step.
Another.
His lightning burned against the weight of the world itself.
Then—
"FLASH STEP!"
A blinding burst of light.
Leon vanished.
Cedric's eyes widened.
"He still—?!"
Before he could react, Leon reappeared above him—his greatsword wreathed in both fire and lightning.
"Pyroclasm Ascendancy!"
Leon's final attack descended like divine judgment itself.
Cedric barely had time to raise his staff in defense before—
BOOM!
A shockwave tore through the arena.
Dust and debris erupted into the air as the students covered their faces, the sheer impact of Leon's strike causing the entire training ground to tremble.
A moment of silence followed.
Then—everyone saw.
Cedric stood frozen—his staff split in two, a deep scorch mark cutting diagonally across his chest armor.
He trembled.
Then, with a heavy breath—
He fell to his knees.
Across from him,
Thud.
Leon staggered and collapsed.
His lightning flickered out. His body, pushed beyond its limits, refused to move.
*****
Serena vale (pov)
The moment Cedric hit the ground, the instructor overseeing the match stepped in.
"Match over!"
" It's Leon's win"
The crowd erupted.
Some cheered for Leon, amazed by his unrelenting power.
Others whispered in shock at Cedric's unexpected display of magic.
Serena, however, wasn't paying attention to any of that.
Her gaze was locked on Leon's unconscious form.
From the first time she had seen him, he asking her to join to reach the boss room of enterce exam.
He was in world of his own, strong but follish enjoying the attention around him.
For as long she had known him, she had viewed him as nothing more than another arrogant noble—a self-important fool who played the role of a hero to satisfy his own ego.
But watching him fight with everything he had, refusing to back down even when the odds were against him—for not himself.
For her.
Nobody, no connection.
Without asking, without any benefit.
It was reckless.
It was stupid.
But it was also… selfless.
Serena bit her lip.
She didn't know what to think anymore.
For the first time, she wondered—
Maybe Leon Valerius isn't the man I thought he was.
May be she was the one with closed eyes.
To Be Continued…