The arena was a battleground of destruction, littered with the aftermath of magic and the echoes of fierce combat. As the second phase of the tournament began, the number of remaining students had dwindled, most either defeated by Noah's relentless clones or eliminated in savage duels. Among the few survivors were Scarlett, Noah, and Charlotte.
Charlotte's POV:
Charlotte stood at the edge of the arena, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes locked onto Scarlett. A mixture of curiosity and unease settled in her mind. "Just how much mana does this girl have?" she wondered, taking in the sight of Scarlett, who was enshrouded in a cloak of shadows. "How can she maintain them for the entire night? Do they not require mana to sustain? Could it be…" She shook her head, focusing. "It doesn't matter. Light will always overpower shadow. I will defeat her. I must defeat her."
With a steadying breath, Charlotte focused, gathering her mana into a tight, pulsing sphere in her palm. "Light Explosion!" she cried, hurling the orb toward Scarlett with all her might.
The explosion that followed was deafening, its blinding light engulfing the arena. "Did I hit her?" Charlotte squinted through the glare, waiting for any sign of her opponent.
Scarlett's POV:
Scarlett had been aware of the presence trailing her since the previous night. It had been unsettling, the feeling of being watched. Even her shadows had recoiled at the overwhelming surge of light.
"It's a light user," Scarlett thought, narrowing her eyes. "Could it be Charlotte? Or Arthur? Neither of them would attack like this, though. But whoever it is… they're not weak. That's for sure."
She steadied herself, knowing a battle was inevitable. Just as she braced for the worst, she felt it—the sudden pulse of energy heading her way. "Shadow Step!" she exclaimed, vanishing into the darkness. She reappeared a moment later behind a nearby pillar, but the explosion still rattled her senses.
BOOM!
The force of the blast sent a shockwave through her, and Scarlett felt her shadows weaken, some of them dissipating. "Did I hit her?" Charlotte's voice echoed, but Scarlett could already hear the confidence in her tone.
Scarlett steadied her breath, readying herself for the confrontation. She could see Charlotte now—a blonde girl with void-like eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips. "So it's you," Scarlett thought, meeting her gaze with cool determination.
Charlotte's POV:
Charlotte's gaze never wavered. "I didn't think she'd sense my presence. Impressive." She surveyed Scarlett carefully, noticing the slight tremor in her opponent's stance. "She's injured, but she's still a threat. I'll have to be careful."
"Why do you attack from the shadows like a coward, Charlotte?" Scarlett taunted, her voice cutting through the tension. "Why don't you come at me directly?"
Charlotte clenched her jaw. "It's my strategy," she shot back, her grip tightening around her sword. "And I'm not the one hiding in shadows."
Scarlett's eyes flashed with irritation. "Fine, then. If that's the way you want to play."
With a swift motion, Scarlett unsheathed her second dagger, its gleaming blade a promise of violence.
Scarlett's Attack:
Before Charlotte could react, Scarlett lunged, unleashing Dagger Storm—a deadly barrage of shadow-infused blades. The daggers rained down on Charlotte, who quickly raised her sword to defend herself.
CLANG!
Charlotte deflected most of the daggers, but a few slipped past her defenses, slicing through her skin and leaving shallow, burning cuts.
"Ugh!" Charlotte grunted, the sting of the shadows lashing at her. "I need to end this quickly."
Drawing from her well of mana, Charlotte activated Radiant Strike. Her sword blazed with light as she charged forward, determined to end the fight in one decisive blow.
But Scarlett anticipated the move. "Veil of Shadows!" she whispered, melding into the darkness. The next instant, she reappeared behind Charlotte, summoning a Shadow Spear and throwing it with deadly precision.
Charlotte's Defense:
Charlotte felt the shift in the air and reacted instinctively. "Divine Shield!" she called, her body surrounded by a shimmering barrier. The spear struck with a loud BOOM, but the shield absorbed the brunt of the attack, leaving only a lingering ache in Charlotte's chest.
Still on the offensive, Charlotte immediately retaliated. "Light of Purity!" she shouted, sending a cleansing wave of light toward Scarlett.
Scarlett countered with a Wind Blade, and the two forces collided with a resounding explosion, both girls staggered back from the impact.
Scarlett's Counterattack:
Scarlett didn't wait for the dust to settle. "Time to finish this." With a snap of her fingers, she summoned her Shadow Army, dark figures rising from the earth to swarm Charlotte.
Charlotte gritted her teeth and used Angelic Wings, lifting herself into the air as she dodged the shadowy onslaught. "Healing Radiance!" she chanted, channeling her mana to heal the wounds she had already sustained. But the shadows were relentless, and her energy was quickly draining.
Scarlett saw her opportunity and struck. "Shadow Dance!" she whispered, disappearing into the darkness and reappearing behind Charlotte. With uncanny precision, she landed a deep cut on Charlotte's side, the blade drawing blood.
"Ugh!" Charlotte gasped, pain radiating through her. "I won't let you win!"
Scarlett smirked, feeling the fight shifting in her favor. "You're already losing, Charlotte." She conjured a Wind Storm, whipping the air into a frenzy, the gusts amplifying the shadows around her. They closed in on Charlotte, surrounding her with the force of the storm.
Charlotte, desperate, unleashed Blinding Flash, a burst of radiant light that temporarily blinded the shadows. But it was too late. Scarlett lunged, her dagger aimed for Charlotte's heart.
The Final Strike:
"Assassin's Mark!" Scarlett shouted, marking Charlotte for death.
In a swift motion, she plunged the dagger into Charlotte's side, the darkness exploding in a final, violent burst.
BOOM!
The ground trembled as the blast reverberated through the arena. The once-vibrant battlefield was now reduced to a chaos of shadows and light.
Charlotte's Last Stand:
Charlotte collapsed to her knees, blood pooling around her. "You… you won't get away with this…" she gasped, her voice faint as her light flickered.
Scarlett stood over her, breathing heavily, victorious yet weary. "I'm just getting started." She watched as Charlotte's form began to dissipate into particles of light.
But as Scarlett believed the fight to be over, Charlotte gathered the last of her strength. "Healing Radiance!" she cried, her body enveloped in brilliant light. Though it came at great cost, the light began to mend her wounds.
Charlotte's Final Charge:
With newfound resolve, Charlotte unleashed Radiant Strike, the blade glowing brighter than ever before. She charged at Scarlett with everything she had left.
SLASH!
The sword cut through the air, striking Scarlett's left arm with blinding force. The pain shot through her like a dagger to the heart.
"No…" Scarlett muttered, stumbling back as her shadows flickered with weakness. "This can't be…"
Charlotte stood tall, blood dripping from her own wounds. "You underestimated the light," she said, her voice steady and unwavering. "And now… it's time to end this."
With one final, desperate surge, Charlotte unleashed a wave of light that enveloped Scarlett. The shadows dissipated like smoke in the sun, fading away into nothingness.
As the light consumed her, Scarlett felt herself unraveling, but she managed a final smile. "I've done my job," she whispered, her essence fading as her gaze lingered on the direction of Charlotte. "Noah… I leave the rest to you."
Charlotte's gaze shifted, and she looked over her shoulder. There, standing at the edge of the arena, two crimson eyes glared at her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.