"Kael! Kael!" The arena thundered with chants as Patrick shuffled onto the stage, his knees visibly trembling under the weight of Kael's meteoric reputation. Compared to the frostfire prodigy's roaring fanbase, Patrick's sparse supporters vanished like raindrops in a storm.
Finn and Amelia lounged in the stands, their relaxed postures a stark contrast to the tension gripping the crowd. This match promised all the suspense of a predetermined execution.
Vesper silenced the cheers with a theatrical wave. "Quarterfinal Match Two: Kael versus Patrick! Begin!"
Kael instantly retreated, frostfire swirling defensively around his scepter. Experience had taught him even "weak" opponents could harbor surprises.
Patrick, however, remained rooted. The mage scratched his head, his voice trembling with sheepish awe. "S-Senior Kael, I'm not here to fight. I… I wanted to ask… how do you talk to girls?"
A beat of silence. Then laughter erupted from the audience as Vesper's amplification crystal broadcast the exchange.
Kael blinked. Finn's earlier warning resurfaced: "Patrick's the Warrior Academy's resident simpleton. Decent fighter, but his brain's stuffed with sawdust."
The prophecy fulfilled itself as Patrick bumbled on: "I'm twenty-five and… and I've never held a girl's hand. But you… you've got so many fans! Even Lady Amelia! What's your secret?"
Recognition dawned. Patrick's starry-eyed gaze mirrored Ivy's fanatical adoration—except this admirer stood armed with a battleaxe and sixth-tier aura.
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. "You forfeit a quarterfinal match… to ask that?"
Patrick nodded earnestly. "Wisdom is worth any price!"
A collective groan rose from the crowd. Ethan facepalmed in the VIP section. Amelia's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
"Fine," Kael sighed, lowering his scepter. "First lesson: Confidence. Now surrender before I incinerate yours."
Patrick beamed as though granted divine revelation. "I yield! Thank you, Senior Kael!"
Vesper's groan eclipsed the audience's jeers. "Match concluded. Kael… advances."
Thus ended the shortest quarterfinal in Martial Magic Tournament history—a duel of wits where no spells were cast, only dignity obliterated.
Patrick's face flushed crimson as he rambled, "Senior Kael, I'm your biggest supporter! I've got decent combat skills, but girls at the academy avoid me like plague rats. You've only been here a year, yet you're with Lady Amelia…"
Kael fought back a smirk. Patrick's earnest desperation bordered on tragicomedy.
"We'll discuss this after the match," Kael interjected.
"So you'll teach me?" Patrick's eyes lit up with alarming intensity.
"Sure. Now forfeit before I roast you."
"Thank you! Thank you!" Patrick practically wept with gratitude, raising both hands. "I yield! I yield!"
Vesper's groan echoed through the amplification crystals. "Contestant Patrick concedes! Kael… advances."
The crowd erupted in bewilderment. Speculations ran wild—had Kael threatened blackmail? Unleashed a secret curse? Finn cornered the victor post-match, quivering with curiosity.
"What dark magic did you whisper to make him fold? Even Ethan needs fists to win!"
Kael glanced at Amelia, who arched an eyebrow in silent amusement. "Let's call it… strategic mentorship."
Finn's jaw dropped. "You're giving love advice now? Teach me!"
"Focus on surviving Dylan first," Amelia deadpanned, steering Kael toward the exit.
As dusk fell, rumors proliferated. By morning, the taverns buzzed with tales of Kael's "undefeatable charisma techniques." Patrick became an overnight folk hero—the lovelorn warrior who'd sacrificed glory for wisdom.
Unbeknownst to the masses, Kael spent that evening scribbling nonsense from Earth's cheesy pickup manuals. Patrick received the scroll the next dawn, its contents including such gems as:
"Chapter 3: Compliment Her Hairstyle (Even If Bald)."
The legacy of Kael's "romantic mastery" would outlive his frostfire triumphs, but that's a tale for another tournament.
"Amelia, your match, along with Dylan's battle against 'Mad Demon' Andrew, is tomorrow," Kael said with a grin.
The Elite Eight battles were limited to two per day, and by tomorrow, the quarterfinal results would be finalized.
"Let's head back!" Finn suddenly chuckled. "My lovely senior is waiting for our date!" Kael noted that Finn's recent luck with the ladies had skyrocketed since making the Top Eight—he'd grown close to a senior student.
Finn left first. Kael took Amelia's hand and smiled. "How about we explore the campus?"
Amelia opened her mouth to reply but froze as a slender figure rushed to block their path—Patrick.
"Kael, that method…" Patrick pleaded, staring at Kael with puppy-dog eyes.
Kael sighed. The guy had followed them here.
"You two talk," Amelia said tactfully, staying put.
Patrick eagerly dragged Kael aside. Seeing his desperate expression, Kael realized Patrick truly struggled with social skills—a likely reason for his lack of romantic success despite his combat prowess.
"Fine. Grab your pen—I'll share the ultimate guide to wooing women!" Kael relented, having promised earlier.
Patrick eagerly handed over paper and pen.
Kael scribbled a few bold characters, then declared solemnly, "The secret's yours. Now leave me alone!"
Patrick nodded meekly, clutching the paper.
Kael seized the chance to escape, slipping away with Amelia in tow.
"Three Steps to Romance: 1. Persistence, 2. Shamelessness, 3. Persistent Shamelessness!"Patrick read aloud.
Kael stifled a laugh. This was a legendary dating strategy from his past life on Earth. Good luck, Patrick—this is as far as I'll help!
Patrick stood frozen, staring at the words… and seemed to grasp something.
Many days later, a shamelessly persistent suitor appeared outside the female dormitory of Flamecrest Academy...
Meanwhile, Kael and Amelia remained inseparable, sparring intensively. Even Finn's full efforts couldn't force Ethan to reveal his hidden cards—Ethan proved far more formidable than they'd imagined. A faint tension weighed on the pair.
While confident in facing Ethan, victory remained uncertain.
Dylan, Amelia, Ethan, and Kael stood as equals in skill. The other Elite Eight contenders—even last year's fourth-place finisher, Mad Demon Andrew—fell short of their caliber.
After training late into the night, Kael and Amelia finally left the arena.
The next day opened with Amelia's match against Eric.
For the first time during the Elite Eight battles, Kael witnessed Amelia's massive fanbase—rivaling his own in size. Her supporters included virtually every male from the Warrior Academy, many from the Mage Academy, and surprisingly, numerous female students. Kael rubbed his nose ruefully—Amelia's charm truly transcended gender.
Unbeknownst to him, as the sole female quarterfinalist, Amelia had become a beacon for the academy's women. Many hoped she'd claim the Martial-Magic Tournament's crown.
Eric, a Warrior Academy student himself, knew Amelia's reputation well. Though her seventh-tier prowess far surpassed his sixth-tier strength, he refused to concede defeat—this was the Elite Eight, after all.
"Elite Eight Match Three begins! Warrior Academy's First Beauty Amelia versus Eric!" Vesper's announcement ignited thunderous cheers. Most spectators had come specifically to admire Amelia—if they couldn't have the beauty, at least they could watch her shine.