Noah moved silently through the arena, his clones effortlessly engaging the remaining students in battle. Detached, he watched the chaos unfold, his focus more on the outcome than the spectacle.
Then, a sharp pang of memory hit him—one of his clones had been eliminated. The flash of images burned through his mind, and his blood turned to ice as he saw Scarlett, his ally, collapsed on the ground, badly injured. Charlotte stood above her, sword raised, poised to deliver the final blow.
A fire ignited within him.
Without a second thought, he activated Flash Step, propelling himself forward with blinding speed. Circulating wind mana around his body, he darted across the arena, the world blurring into a stream of color as he closed the distance.
Time seemed to stretch as his body tore through the air, until finally, he reached the battlefield—too late. Scarlett was disintegrating before his very eyes, her form breaking apart into shimmering particles of light. She managed to offer him a faint smile, a silent message: "Leave the rest to me."
Noah's heart clenched.
"I didn't want to fight Scarlett… but this... I shouldn't have waited so long yesterday," he muttered, his words tinged with regret.
His gaze shifted to Charlotte. She stood there, sword in hand, glinting in the fading light, her expression cold and defiant.
"Are you ready to die?" Noah asked, his voice icy.
Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise and fear. "Noah—" she began, but before she could finish, he cut her off.
"Healing Bullet!" he shouted, launching a spell that struck her, instantly mending her wounds. "I don't want you to die so easily."
Charlotte, now fully healed, took a defensive stance, her eyes narrowing. "Noah, listen—"
But Noah was already in motion, his body blurring as he activated Mind Acceleration, sharpening his reflexes and perception. With a swift movement, he charged, his sword drawn, determined to finish what had begun.
The Battle Begins
Charlotte steeled herself, raising her sword to meet his charge. "Radiant Strike!" she cried, unleashing a wave of light energy aimed directly at Noah.
Noah dodged effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise. "Eclipse Blade Art: First Form—Shadow Strike!" He swung his sword, unleashing a dark, shadowy blade aimed at her.
CLANG! Their blades met with a resounding shockwave, shaking the arena. Charlotte gritted her teeth, holding her ground as she countered his relentless assault. "You don't have to do this, Noah!" she shouted, trying to reach him through the chaos.
But Noah was unmoved, his focus solely on the fight. "I'm not here to listen," he replied coldly, launching into a barrage of rapid strikes. "Gale Dance!" He spun, delivering a flurry of slashes that forced Charlotte back.
She dodged and parried, but the pressure was mounting. "Light of Purity!" she called out, unleashing a wave of cleansing light that momentarily halted Noah's advance.
BOOM! The explosion of light lit up the arena, sending ripples through the air. Spectators gasped in awe as the intensity of their clash echoed throughout the stands.
At the academy, the tension was palpable. Students crowded around the viewing screens, their eyes wide with excitement. Some cheered for Noah, while others shouted for Charlotte, the beloved princess.
Miss Elsa watched in stunned silence, unable to hide her amazement. "Is this really the same boy? He was the last to arrive; now he's one of the strongest," she murmured, astonished by Noah's transformation.
Scarlett, though fading, managed a smile. "You can do it, Noah," she whispered, her spirit still fighting alongside him.
In the front row, Layla was practically bouncing with excitement. "Go, Noah! Take her down!" she yelled, rallying the crowd to her side.
Arthur, still bitter from his own elimination, crossed his arms. "I can't believe I lost to him..." he muttered under his breath, resentment coloring his tone.
Lyra remained stoic, watching the battle with her usual indifference, her expression unreadable.
Back to the Fight
The clash between Noah and Charlotte continued with unrelenting force. Each strike carried the weight of their emotions, but Noah's relentless assault was beginning to take its toll on Charlotte.
"Astral Mirage Clones!" Noah shouted, summoning multiple duplicates of himself that surrounded Charlotte, each one poised to strike.
"Divine Shield!" Charlotte responded, raising her sword to form a protective barrier of light around her. The clones attacked simultaneously, and the arena was filled with the sound of battle—
CLANG!
BOOM!
SWOOSH!
Charlotte struggled to maintain her defense, but Noah was relentless. "Echo of Oblivion!" he unleashed, sending a dark wave of energy crashing against her shield, causing it to flicker and crack.
"Ugh!" Charlotte grunted, feeling the strain. "Noah, please! You don't have to do this!"
But Noah's resolve was unshakable. "I'm not holding back anymore!" he declared, his voice filled with icy determination. He activated Dark Cataclysm, summoning a swirling vortex of shadows that engulfed the arena, shaking the ground beneath them.
"Angelic Wings!" Charlotte cried, taking to the air in an attempt to escape the dark energy. But Noah was faster, using Flash Step to close the distance in an instant.
"Celestial Slash!" he shouted, his sword glowing with radiant energy as he swung upward, aiming to cleave through her defenses.
Charlotte barely managed to dodge, but the force of the attack sent her spiraling back toward the ground. She landed with a heavy thud, struggling to regain her footing. "I won't give up!" she cried, summoning her remaining strength. "Healing Radiance!"
Light enveloped her, mending her wounds, but Noah was already on the offensive again. "You're just delaying the inevitable!" he yelled, charging at her with unrelenting fury.
BOOM! Their blades collided once more, sparks flying from the impact as Noah pressed his advantage. His strikes were fueled by the anger and frustration he had bottled up, especially after witnessing Scarlett's fate.
"Phantom Edge!" he shouted, sending a shadowy blade slicing through the air. Charlotte managed to deflect it, but the force sent her stumbling back, panting for breath.
"You're strong, Charlotte," Noah admitted, his voice steady, but his resolve hardening. "But I won't hold back any longer."
With a roar, he summoned his ultimate attack. "Radiant Nova!" A massive orb of pure light energy formed above him, pulsating with overwhelming power. He hurled it toward Charlotte, the explosion blinding in its intensity.
KABOOM! The arena erupted in a burst of light, the shockwave sending debris flying in all directions. The spectators shielded their eyes, stunned by the sheer magnitude of the attack.
As the dust settled, Noah stood in the center of the chaos, breathing heavily. He scanned the battlefield, searching for any sign of Charlotte.
But all that remained was a faint shimmer in the air, before Charlotte's form disintegrated into countless particles of light. Her final expression was one of defiance, but also acceptance.
Noah stood alone, victorious yet hollow. The weight of the battle pressed heavily on him. This fight had not only proven his strength, but it had also severed the last of his attachments to Charlotte.
For a moment, he remained there, amidst the echoes of battle, before his own body began to disintegrate into light. As he faded, the arena fell silent.
The spectators watched in stunned awe, the reality of what had just transpired settling over them. The clash between shadows and light would be a story for the ages.
Back at the academy, the atmosphere buzzed with energy. Miss Elsa shook her head in disbelief. "What a transformation…" she muttered.
Scarlett, though fading from this world, whispered, "You did well, Noah."
Layla cheered, "He won! He really won!" while Arthur remained silent, bitterness still lingering.
Lyra simply nodded, acknowledging the outcome without a word.
The arena, once filled with the sounds of battle, now stood in solemn silence—a testament to the fierce clash that had just occurred.