Only three days had passed since their promotion.
But the world didn't wait.
At sunrise, the Association bell rang once.
Then twice.
Then three times.
A signal.
Trial by Combat had begun.
The festival grounds transformed overnight. The sky above shimmered with banners. Seekers from every nation and rank lined the colosseum seats. The Trial wasn't just for promotion—it was a global event, a proving ground for the next generation.
Dozens of Iron Seekers would clash in one-on-one duels, with Bronze rank on the line for the finalists. The world was watching.
And for Kai's team, this was the storm Elric warned them about.
The team stood near the staging platform, newly tailored cloaks fluttering with the wind.
Kai's eyes were locked on the arena. He rolled his shoulder once, focused. The pressure had returned—but he welcomed it.
Aria cracked her neck. "So this is it. Trial by Mercy. We win—we rise."
Rin's eyes narrowed, his Viatra faintly pulsing. "We lose… we fall behind."
Lila grinned. "No pressure, right?"
A loud voice echoed from the towers.
"Presenting the top combatants of the Iron Division!"
One by one, names were called.
Solene "The Zenith" Ivaris—Radiance Muti, light incarnate.
Omar "Scorchblade" Hakim—Flame Martial, a walking inferno.
Bjorn of the North Flame—Volcanic Ferro Muti.
Kieran Duskbane—The Hollow Reaper.
And finally…
"Kai Xander, Aria Flamehart, Rin Kairo, and Lila Butters—the Wild Card Team."
The crowd erupted. No longer nameless. No longer underestimated.
The spotlight was theirs.
William clapped from the stands, smirking. "Let's see what the kids can do now."
Master Elric stood beside the president of Janoah, silent, unreadable.
The matches would begin at dusk.
And the clock was already ticking.
The dorms buzzed with energy as teams broke off to strategize. Some meditated. Others sparred. Some prayed.
Kai's team retreated to the empty southern courtyard—a place with cracked tiles and a fountain long dry. They trained there when no one was watching.
"We won't get another shot at this," Aria said, stretching her arms as sparks danced along her fingertips. "This isn't survival. This is war."
Rin nodded. "Each opponent is elite. They're not going to hold back. And neither should we."
Lila cracked her knuckles. "Good. I've been waiting to punch someone without a forest trying to kill me."
Kai stood apart, silent, fists wrapped. His mind traced each movement. Every opening. Every failure.
"You alright?" Aria asked, stepping closer.
Kai didn't answer right away. Then:
"I need to win."
"You already proved yourself."
"Not to me."
Aria studied him. Her gaze softened. "Then prove it. Not for rank. Not for pride. For yourself."
A long silence passed.
Then Kai nodded.
They trained.
They drilled formations, rehearsed Muti combinations, and analyzed past battles from their enemies. Rin broke down Kieran's gravity fields. Lila practiced shifting from healing to aggression without warning. Aria learned how to shorten her Lightning Veil activations to under a second.
Kai didn't rest.
He practiced his new technique—Zen Resurgence, channeling the harmonic flow of Martial Muti to restore his body faster between clashes. The glow was faint now, but steady.
As the sun began to fall, the wind carried the scent of incense, food, and tension.
The hour approached.
The finals were coming.
And this time, they were ready.
The colosseum roared to life as the sun dipped behind the mountains.
Lanterns flickered to brilliance, casting dancing shadows over the marble arena floor. Tens of thousands of Seekers, nobles, merchants, and foreign dignitaries filled the seats, their voices blending into a storm of anticipation.
At the center platform stood Master Elric, flanked by William, General Rage, and Denzel "Starbreaker" Lamar. Lalia "The Water Demon" Butters stood nearby, arms crossed, soft-spoken as ever but eyes sharp.
Master Elric raised a single hand.
Silence.
"The Trial by Mercy begins." His voice carried not just through the arena, but through the very air. "Tonight, we witness the next generation. Tonight, iron sharpens iron."
He gestured upward.
"The Natural Embrace draws near its apex. Mutis will surge. But so will the price of using them. Only the worthy shall pass."
The crowd cheered.
Elric continued, "Finalists who endure will be promoted to Bronze Seekers. The rest—contenders, worthy of respect, but not yet ready to rise."
William grinned. "Showtime."
In the staging chambers, Kai's team stood together, staring at the reflection of the sky within the polished stone floor. The tension between them was real—but so was the bond.
Rin adjusted his gloves. "Don't hold back. This is it."
Lila cracked her neck. "I'm gonna hit someone so hard, they'll wish they were still lost in the Cradlewood."
Aria, brushing lightning from her sleeves, glanced at Kai. "You good?"
Kai nodded, but said nothing.
The call came.
"First match: Bjorn of the North Flame vs. Omar 'Scorchblade' Hakim!"
The team moved toward the gates to watch from the stands, taking seats among their fellow contenders.
Before the gates could even fully open, a blast of heat surged from the arena.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
Omar stepped forward, shirtless, flames licking his arms, eyes burning like coals.
Bjorn followed, covered head to toe in volcanic armor, veins glowing molten red.
They met in the center.
The entire arena tensed.
The bell rang.
Omar's fists erupted, launching waves of compressed flame. Bjorn answered with a sweep of magma, melting stone into glass beneath him. Every strike was lethal, every movement a duel of martial discipline and elemental mastery.
Kai leaned forward. He could see it.
Bjorn used Ferro Muti to anchor himself, making his stance immovable.
Omar moved like fire itself—wild, unpredictable.
The match wasn't just power. It was a test of patience.
Omar circled, baiting attacks, forcing Bjorn to consume energy stabilizing his footing.
Bjorn's volcanic bursts grew sluggish.
Omar's next strike—Scorching Crescent Palm—landed clean.
The armor cracked.
Then shattered.
Bjorn roared and retaliated with Eruption Fang, a geyser of molten earth that lit the arena like dawn.
Omar flipped through the blast, landing with smoke trailing him.
He pressed forward with a flurry of Blazing Step strikes, dancing like an inferno.
Bjorn, drained and overheating, collapsed to one knee.
Omar did not hesitate.
The final strike—a calm, precise flame punch to the chest—knocked Bjorn out cold.
The bell rang.
The crowd stood as Omar raised a fist.
The first victory.
Aria whispered, "This is going to be harder than I thought."
Kai's jaw tightened.
He wasn't worried.
He was ready.
The crowd's excitement echoed even backstage.
Kai's team stood quietly in the waiting area. The glow of the arena lights leaked through the cracks of the stone doors ahead. Their next matches loomed closer.
Aria stared down at her gloved hands, lightning crackling between her fingers involuntarily.
Rin sat cross-legged, breathing slowly, his Viatra eyes dim but watchful.
Lila bounced on her heels, fists clenched. "I'm so pumped I might actually burst."
Kai leaned against the cold wall, arms crossed. His heartbeat was steady—but his mind churned.
William entered, casual as ever, munching on skewered meat. "I swear, you rookies are more intense than my entire graduating class. Relax."
Aria gave him a sharp look. "Easy for you to say."
William shrugged. "True. I'm not the one about to get my face punched in." He turned to Kai. "You, especially—try to keep your limbs attached this time."
The team snickered.
Kai allowed himself a small smirk.
William pointed with his skewer. "Don't forget, the president of Janoah is here. And Master Elric? He's really watching now. Don't die stupid."
Later, perched on the edge of the stands, the team watched the next fighters prepare.
"Next match," the announcer's voice rang, "Solene 'The Zenith' Ivaris vs. Rin Kairo of Team Wild Card!"
Kai's eyes shifted.
Rin stood, tightening his gloves.
"You ready?" Kai asked.
Rin nodded. "I'm always ready."
Aria grabbed his shoulder briefly. "Be careful."
Lila grinned. "Don't lose. I've got bets on you."
Rin smirked faintly before heading down the tunnel.
The arena floor felt heavier than usual.
Solene stood like a statue bathed in light. A radiant veil shimmered around her—pure Radiance Muti mastery.
Her eyes, golden and calm, locked onto Rin.
"You have eyes like mine," she said softly, nodding at his Viatra. "But do you have resolve?"
Rin said nothing.
The bell rang.
Solene moved first—projecting light constructs like spears and blades, each one firing toward Rin with blinding precision.
Rin activated Void Step, slipping between shadows, narrowly dodging the barrage.
He appeared behind her—palm aimed at her back.
Abyssal Gravitum: Shadow Breaker — a heavy gravitational burst distorted the air.
Solene countered instantly, a wall of light deflecting the attack, sending Rin skipping across the floor like a stone.
"She's fast," Lila whispered.
"Not just fast," William noted. "She's practiced."
Rin wiped blood from his lip and smirked.
His Viatra flared—shifting into its Second Stage. The iconic crimson rings spun within his eyes.
Kai's eyes widened. "He's pushing it this early?"
Rin vanished.
Abyssal Chain Bind—chains of living shadow wrapped Solene's arm mid-strike.
Solene didn't panic.
She whispered, "Radiant Baptism."
An eruption of light blew the shadows away, knocking Rin airborne.
Before he could recover, she was above him.
Celestial Halo Strike — a hammer of condensed radiance smashed Rin into the floor.
Dust and energy flooded the colosseum.
Kai clenched his fists. "Rin…!"
But as the dust cleared, Rin was on one knee, panting, bleeding, yet smiling.
Rin exhaled. "Good… I hate easy fights."
Solene's calm eyes narrowed.
The crowd held its breath as Rin rose from the crater, wiping the blood trailing from his mouth.
Solene hovered slightly above the ground, a faint halo circling her like a crown. Her posture never wavered—composed, elegant, yet deadly.
Rin flexed his fingers. His Viatra eyes spun faster.
Aria whispered, "That's his Second Stage. He's risking it early."
Lila leaned forward, wide-eyed. "Look at him."
Kai nodded silently, noticing how the air around Rin distorted—the gravitational pull thickening with each breath.
Solene flicked her wrist, launching radiant shards like arrows. Rin sidestepped, but the shards followed, tracking his every move.
Rin gritted his teeth. "Then I'll stop them all."
Abyssal Gravitum: Gravity Shell — the air warped, forming a sphere of compressed gravity around him. The radiant shards struck but slowed mid-air, crumbling like glass against the invisible field.
The crowd gasped.
Solene raised a brow. "Impressive."
Rin blurred forward, fists cloaked in abyssal shadows, gravity swirling at his knuckles.
Martial Muti: Phantom Palm — his strike pushed her back, forcing her radiant veil to flicker.
She retaliated.
Radiance Muti: Dawnpiercer — a beam of condensed light fired point-blank.
Rin couldn't dodge.
The impact blew him across the battlefield, slamming him against the colosseum wall.
Kai stood up from the bench. "Rin!"
Rin staggered back to his feet, panting. His Viatra spun wildly, struggling to maintain clarity.
William, watching above, clenched his jaw. "Don't lose yourself, kid."
Rin closed his eyes briefly.
Then, with trembling hands, unlocked it—
Viatra Stage Two: Hollow Bloom.
His eyes turned black with crimson rings glowing violently. The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Solene's expression changed for the first time. "You've tamed the Hollow Path."
Rin's aura swelled, pulling in the surrounding light and shadow.
Abyssal Gravitum: Eclipse Pulse — Rin slammed his foot down, sending a gravitational wave outward. Solene's light wavered as she barely formed a defense.
Rin blurred in.
Martial-Abyss Hybrid: Phantom Fang Strike — combining martial precision and gravitational collapse into a concentrated fist.
He hit her chestplate directly.
A crack.
Solene was thrown backward, skidding across the stone, radiant fragments scattering like stardust.
The arena was silent.
Even Master Elric leaned forward.
Solene, coughing, stood again.
She smiled. "At last."
Her body glowed brighter than ever before.
Radiance Muti: Zenith Ascendance — her form enveloped in golden light, wings of aura expanding from her back.
Rin's breathing slowed.
His Viatra pulsed.
This would be the final clash.
Meanwhile, backstage, Kai clenched his fists.
He could feel it too.
The next blow would decide everything.
And Rin, battered and barely standing, looked ready to meet it head-on.
The arena shuddered under the weight of Rin and Solene's auras.
Golden wings stretched wide behind Solene as her body became a beacon of pure Radiance Muti. Every feather shimmered like polished crystal, bending the very light of the stadium.
Rin stood bloodied, breathing heavily, but unwavering. His Viatra spun like a blood-red spiral—ominous and relentless.
From the stands, even hardened Seekers leaned forward, captivated.
Kai's heart pounded. He had sparred with Rin countless times, but this was beyond anything he had seen.
Solene's wings flared.
Radiance Muti: Celestial Spearfall — hundreds of radiant lances rained down.
Rin gritted his teeth and unleashed Abyssal Gravitum: Blackwell — collapsing the air around him into a singularity, swallowing the incoming lances like a void.
But Solene wasn't finished.
She soared through the falling light, closing the distance. Her aura pulsed violently.
Radiance Martial Hybrid: Heavenbreaker Kick — a devastating crescent strike sent Rin flying, blood spraying from his mouth.
The audience gasped.
Rin crashed into the arena wall but caught himself, forcing his feet to land.
He wiped his mouth, eyes burning.
"Not enough."
His Viatra pulsed harder, dark tendrils weaving from his aura.
Hollow Bloom: Phantom Garden — shadowy flowers bloomed across the arena, roots gripping the stone and weaving into an intricate battlefield.
Solene blinked. "You made a domain?"
Rin smirked. "I adapted."
The roots pulsed, dragging gravity towards Rin and slowing Solene mid-flight.
In a blur, Rin appeared above her.
Martial-Abyss Hybrid: Phantom Fang Barrage — fists rained down, each strike heavier than the last as gravitational pulses amplified them.
Solene struggled, blocking blow after blow.
But Rin's stamina was fading.
The Hollow Bloom's toll was beginning to show—his eyes strained, vision blurred.
Solene gritted her teeth and roared.
Radiance Muti: Zenith Rebirth — an explosion of light eradicated the garden, blowing Rin backward.
The two stood across from each other, swaying.
Solene's wings flickered.
Rin's Viatra dimmed.
Both clenched their fists.
Final Exchange.
Solene charged, her entire body alight.
Rin pushed through the pain, channeling everything into one last strike.
They collided.
Silence.
Then—a shockwave split the sky, tearing the clouds apart. The arena's upper walls cracked.
Both fell.
The referee rushed in.
The silence was unbearable.
He checked them both.
"…Winner—Solene Ivaris!"
The crowd erupted.
Kai closed his eyes.
Rin lay unconscious, but smiling.
Even in defeat—he had fought like a legend.
Backstage, Master Elric stood, arms crossed. "He pushed beyond what was expected."
William chuckled. "Stubborn little phantom."
Elric smirked. "I wonder who taught him that."
The medics rushed to Rin's side, carefully carrying him away.
Kai, Aria, and Lila waited silently near the entrance of the infirmary hall, each replaying the fight in their minds.
Lila wiped her eyes. "He almost had her…"
Kai's fists were tight. "He pushed beyond his limits. He made sure everyone knows his name now."
Aria crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "He's still breathing. That's a win in my book."
William approached, casually leaning against the doorframe. "Rin's tough. He'll wake up in a day or two. Maybe sooner if Lila nags him enough."
Lila sniffed. "I'll nag him back to life."
They shared a quiet laugh, the tension breaking for just a moment.
Master Elric stepped beside them. "Kai. You're up next."
Kai's eyes widened.
Aria blinked. "Already?"
William nodded. "No rest for the prodigy."
Kai took a slow breath. He could still feel the exhaustion clinging to his muscles from training and from the past trials—but he nodded.
"I'm ready."
Back at the arena, the stands were full again, the atmosphere buzzing.
Master Elric stood before the crowd. "The next semifinal will begin shortly."
He stepped aside.
The screens around the arena displayed the match:
Kai Xander vs. Omar 'Scorchblade' Hakim
A collective murmur passed through the crowd.
Kai exhaled.
Omar stood across the platform, flexing his fingers. His skin emitted faint smoke, and his flame aura crackled wildly. His confidence was sharp.
"You're the monk kid," Omar called. "The one everyone's whispering about."
Kai gave no reply.
Omar grinned. "Don't go silent on me now. I like opponents who scream."
The bell rang.
Omar's foot slammed into the ground, igniting the entire left half of the arena.
Kai moved without hesitation—
Martial Muti: Mirage Step — his body blurred, weaving through the inferno.
Omar's strikes were wide, explosive, heating the arena like a furnace.
Kai closed the distance, ducked under a flame-coated punch, and countered.
Martial-Aura Technique: Lotus Palm Breaker — the force sent Omar skidding.
The crowd roared.
Omar laughed. "Oh, you're gonna make this fun."
He roared.
Flame Martial Muti: Scorchblade Form — his arms ignited, forming swords of living fire.
Kai's eyes narrowed. He activated Zen Resurgence, restoring focus and steadying his Muti flow.
The battle was only beginning.
Master Elric leaned forward.
William crossed his arms. "Time to see if the kid's really ready."
The entire colosseum waited with bated breath.
And Kai?
Kai smiled faintly.
He wasn't planning to lose.