The arena hummed with charged mana as the crowd quieted. Gold banners rippled overhead, signaling the beginning of the summit’s main event: the prestigious duel between the top representatives of Drakemount Academy.

  Kagami adjusted his gauntlets, breathing steadily. Beside him, Arven whispered with a grin, “She’s not holding back this time. You ready?”

  Kagami tilted his head. “I never count on holding back. Not against her.”

  Across the field, Seraphina stood calmly—silver armor etched with arcane runes shimmered around her lean frame. Her golden eyes locked with Kagami’s, and a faint, challenging smirk pyed on her lips.

  They had cshed many times in sparring halls and strategic csses. But this was the summit. Before delegates from five academies. Before the eyes of the continent.

  “Begin!”

  Seraphina’s body glowed as she activated her mana circuit. With a snap of her fingers, four magical circles bloomed behind her—fire, earth, wind, and thunder pulsing in tandem.

  “Ignis Corona. Terra Gravitas. Fulgur Tempesta. Aero Bde.”

  Spoken like a litany, the elements surged into existence—a pilr of fire, a rumbling earth spear, streaking arcs of lightning, and slicing winds coiling around her like a storm goddess.

  Kagami’s lips parted in calm incantation.

  “Earthfre Doryūdan no Jutsu.”

  His hands formed seals as he smmed them to the ground. A surge of muddy energy spiraled up, forming a roaring mud dragon that surged forward, splitting the earth and swallowing Seraphina’s elemental barrage.

  But she had anticipated him.

  With a spin, Seraphina sent a wave of lightning-infused wind outward. Kagami leapt, chakra swirling beneath his feet.

  “Aqua Tatsumaki no Jutsu: Magunamu!”

  A whirlpool of water exploded from his palm, growing with a water bullet that detonated mid-air. The spiraling torrent wrapped around Seraphina, forcing her to conjure a wall of fire and retreat midair with wind propulsion.

  Cheers rose.

  Kagami’s eyes glowed faintly crimson—his faded Sharingan flickering under stress, reading her motion.

  “Heavenstorm Tenchi Raigō.”

  He raised his hand and whispered an incantation. Thunder danced on his fingertips.

  “Raigarde Raimei Kekkai!”

  Four thunderbolts cascaded downward in perfect timing with Seraphina’s dodge—forcing her to expend a massive chunk of mana to create a defensive shell of molten earth and fme.

  “Your fusion’s better,” she muttered, sweat on her brow, “but you won’t outst me.”

  Kagami smiled. “I’m not here to outst. Just to show what I've become.”

  His twin bdes ignited in fme.

  “Bzewyrm Ryūen Ranbu!”

  Fmes burst along the edges as he darted forward. Each strike left dragon-shaped firewaves, battering Seraphina’s wind and thunder barrier.

  She skidded backward—eyes narrowing. But Kagami wasn’t done.

  “Galepeacock Senpū.”

  He swung upward—his bde unleashing a whirling peacock-shaped cyclone that smmed her into the dueling wall.

  Smoke curled. Dust settled.

  Seraphina slowly pulled herself up, bleeding mana, but with a small grin. “Three years… You’ve really surpassed even your own arrogance.”

  Kagami panted, nodding slightly. “And you’re still the most annoying opponent I’ve had.”

  The match was called—a draw. But both knew the result didn’t matter.

  This was a test. A warning. A message to the watching academies, the looming shadows, and the dark factions.

  The age of fledgling mages was over.

  Kagami of Whimwood. Seraphina of Drakemount. Two rising storms on a collision course with fate.

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