Jack of all trade and master of all

As Kael stepped onto the stage, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. His sister, Edana, whispered reassurances in his ear, but her deceptive smile only made him more nervous. The crowd seemed to be comprised of veterans, their eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity that made Kael's skin crawl.

When no one accepted the challenge, a voice rang out from the crowd. "I'll take it!" Forss, a martial artist, stepped forward with a confident grin. Edana's eyes sparkled as she beckoned him onto the stage.

"So, you want me dead?" Kael climbed the stage immediately and whispered to his sister, Edana.

"Relax," she calmed him down, her voice low and soothing. "You can do this. Trust me, most of these people here won't even get to belong to any faction at the end of their lives."

"And how did you know that?" Kael asked, his eyes scanning the crowd.

"They all have low affinity to magic," Edana explained, her voice barely audible. "And even though the factions all look different, we are connected by magic."

"I will take the challenge," Forss declared, his voice echoing through the stage.

"We got one," Edana smiled charmingly, beckoning him onto the stage. "No one. Please introduce yourselves."

"I am Forss, 20, and a martial artist," he introduced himself, his eyes fixed on Kael.

"I am Ken," Kael decided to use the name he used in his past life. "19 and a mage aspirant."

"Since there are no rules, may I propose one?" Forss asked, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.

"Please go on," Kael gave him a go-ahead, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Let there be no long-range attacks, only physical strength and close combat moves," Forss suggested, his grin growing wider.

"Isn't that to your advantage? I am no martial artist, and I can only brag about my long-range attacks," Kael pointed out, his mind racing with strategies.

"Accepted," Edana said from high up above the stage, her approval final. "What?" Kael couldn't believe his ears, but Forss had already gotten ready for an attack.

"Here I come," Forss said as he coated his arm in metal and dashed towards Kael. "Damn. Now I have to face an iron bender," Kael swore under his breath, never to follow his sister around again.

"Come," he gestured, coating his arm in flames. "If you can't break an iron, then you melt it."

The stage suddenly became a battlefield as they both collided, creating a silent and almost non-existent ripple in the air.

"You are strong, no doubt," Forss said as Kael's reaction speed could match with his. "You should have seen me when I use long-range attacks."

Kael grumbled, his mind racing with strategies. "Don't get too cocky, that was just to test your durability. Turns out you won't break if I use full force," Forss grinned, his metal arm glinting in the light.

"Bring it on," Kael was sure he could withstand anything after his torturous training with his sister.

As they exchanged blows, their movements swift and deadly, Edana watched with a keen eye, her magic at the ready.

Forss increased the density of his metal arm and coated his legs in iron, taking a stance before going for a wave kick. Kael noticed how thick his opponent's shiny legs and arm had become, coating all of himself with a blue flame before going for a sweeping kick instead.

Forss noticed this but was too late to dodge, his body tumbling down as Kael's flames engulfed him.

"Tch...if long-range attacks were allowed, I would have pierced all his body with thorny sands and rock," Kael lamented, his flames dying down.

"But it isn't," Forss said, rolling on the ground before somersaulting to his feet with an acrobatic display. "That's the only reason you can remain cocky."

Kael gritted his teeth, changing his approach. Since fire can't melt this iron, then let's create an inferno. Kael stretches his arm, then folding his palm into a fist, he voices out, "Compress." Immediately, the whole stage turned into a fiery furnace, with blue flames crackling and spitting sparks.

"What are you doing?" Forss asked, his voice laced with fear.

"Burning you in a furnace," Kael replied nonchalantly. "There was no rule prohibiting high-level spells, only long-range attacks."

"Stop!" Edana screamed from high up in the air. "Kael wins," she declared, sending water to put out the flames.

As the stage returned to normal.

........

"Good fight," two unknown individuals blended into the crowd, drawing little attention to themselves. A teenager, likely in his late twenties, sneered, "He wants to be a mage but can't even beat a martial artist without relying on a high-grade spell." He had dark, curly hair, stood about six feet tall, and sported a square chin. Beside him, a blonde female in a ponytail and casual attire defended Kael, "Give him credit, he did say he's only skilled in long-range attacks."

The teenager retorted, "That's exactly why he's pathetic. A mage should be well-rounded, a jack of all spells and master of all." With that, they disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kael to wonder about their identities and motives. "Whatever, it's not like I care," the female said, her voice fading into the distance.