Challenge 2

A week had passed since Prince kane announced the challenge that would pit Rami against Muller in the Arena of Fate. Although kane had only informed the elite class students, news of the match spread quickly throughout the school due to its association with the prince. Students from various grades flocked to witness this exciting confrontation.

Prince kane had reserved the arena in advance, allowing entry to the elite class students. However, as more students from advanced classes showed interest, it became impossible to deny them without causing problems. Eventually, kane agreed to allow all students to attend.

On the morning of the challenge, the arena was buzzing with excitement. The stands were filled with students from different grades, and conversations revolved around the anticipated match. Everyone was eager to see the outcome of the clash between Rami and Muller.

As the crowd gathered, discussions about bets and potential winnings increased, with talk about the odds of winning and losing.

"Muller is definitely the favorite to win, no doubt about it," said one student with a sense of gravitas, sipping drinks with friends.

His friend responded confidently, "But remember, Rami isn't an ordinary person. His entry as an unknown into the elite class proves he has something up his sleeve. I placed a small bet on Rami and don't regret it."

Another student, grinning slyly, added, "It's a great place to make some money. I heard some are betting huge amounts. If you're looking to profit, betting on Rami might be worth it."

While students debated, a group of first-year students sat in a corner of the arena, discussing their expectations for the outcome.

One student said bitterly, "What does it matter who wins anyway? The elite class always bullies us. They're despicable. We're nobility too, even if our families are of lower rank. It's infuriating how they treat us. I hope both of them get seriously injured in the match."

His peers froze at his words, exchanging worried glances. They began to distance themselves from him, knowing that his words hadn't escaped the sharp eyes in the arena.

Soon, two older individuals approached the student who had spoken. 

As they left, the other students breathed a sigh of relief. One said, "What an idiot, insulting the elite class. Doesn't he know they hate being talked about?"

Another remarked, "He seems to think no one would hear him."

A third student added, "He's really stupid. Doesn't he know that every elite class member comes from powerful families, usually heirs? How could he be alone without guards? Those guards must have heard him."

Meanwhile, the special commentator for the match began organizing things in the arena, taking his place by the ring. "Welcome everyone to the Arena of Fate!" the commentator shouted excitedly, his voice echoing across the arena. "Today, we will witness an exhilarating match between Rami and Muller. Each will test his abilities to the fullest. Let's see what unfolds!"

Both Rami and Muller stepped into the center of the arena, with all eyes on their movements. Rami wore simple combat attire reflecting his modest nature, while Muller appeared more prepared with his luxurious clothing and elaborate amulets.

When the commentator announced the start of the match, Rami and Muller moved swiftly. Muller cast his first spell, a volley of compressed water orbs, towards Rami. The orbs flew quickly like projectiles, causing small explosions upon impact. One of the orbs hit Rami in the shoulder, causing a slight bleed, but he did not collapse.

Rami observed the water orbs approaching and immediately recognized the real danger. They seemed simple, but he had experienced their pain before. Without hesitation, he summoned his fire spell "Dragon Claw" to counter them. Flames gathered in his hands rapidly, forming into fierce, dancing claws. As he slashed the fiery claws at the water orbs, the flames clashed with the water, creating thick clouds of steam, enveloping the arena in a light mist and creating an atmosphere of mystery and anticipation.

As the mist thickened, the tension increased. While Muller continued to launch water orbs through the mist, Rami used the cover to his advantage, dashing towards Muller while evading attacks. He jumped and dodged the water orbs with agility, clearly planning to attack rather than defend.

First, he neutralized the spell, which was clear and catching Muller's attention in the mist, revealing his position and making him vulnerable to attacks.

Then, with growing confidence, Rami charged towards Muller, using the thinning mist as cover. He unleashed the "Dragon Claw" spell when he sensed Muller's position, gathering fire into massive, terrifying claws. Muller jumped, trying to evade the attack, but the flames surged toward him rapidly, causing powerful explosions upon hitting the ground.

Muller attempted to defend with large water orbs, but he could not handle the intensity of the fire. The flames accelerated uncontrollably, surpassing his defenses. With each leap, Muller felt the heat closing in, and with each explosion, he retreated further.

With the commentator's enthusiastic shout, "Rami is now attacking with all his might! Muller is in a critical position and doesn't seem capable of withstanding this fierce assault!" the energy in the arena surged. The temperature seemed to rise with the heat of the battle, and the stands were filled with roaring cheers and excited shouts from the spectators. The audience was on the edge of their seats, completely absorbed in the thrilling confrontation unfolding before them.

As Rami closed in on Muller, the "Dragon Claw" spell glowed with flames, pushing the fire's power to its maximum. Muller looked at the dancing flames before him, with temperatures rising to unbearable levels. He tried to use water orbs as defense once more, but the flames seeped through every side, causing his defenses to collapse.

In the end, Muller was forced to surrender, indicating he could no longer continue the fight without risking severe injury.

The commentator announced Muller's surrender, and Rami received a warm round of applause from the crowd. Rami was congratulated, while Muller withdrew from the arena, injured but not seriously harmed.

As Rami rested from exhaustion, his friend Christoph approached, looking excited and cheerful. Rami thought he was pleased with his victory.

"Well done, Rami! That was an excellent match. Let me congratulate you on your win and invite you to a meal later. I'd be happy to accompany you."

Rami nodded, and Christoph left with visible enthusiasm. Although Rami found Christoph's reaction somewhat exaggerated, considering the match was just a friendly one, he couldn't help but notice Christoph's sudden departure, as if something more important occupied his mind.

Later, Muller approached Rami, appearing tired and exhausted but maintaining a sportsmanlike smile. He said in a calm voice, "That was a tough match, Rami. You really performed well. I admit defeat and congratulate you on your well-deserved victory." He extended his hand to Rami in a sincere gesture of respect, and Rami nodded with a small smile, appreciating Muller's sportsmanship.

After Muller left and before Rami could rest, he was surprised by the arrival of Prince Kane. Despite his astonishment, Rami greeted him respectfully. Kane smiled and said, "Well done, Rami. It was an impressive match that wowed everyone. Thanks to you, I made a lot of money from the bets."

Rami looked at him in surprise and asked, "But why did you bet on me?"

Kane responded with a confident smile, "As a prince, I have enough insight. I heard you had mastered the 'Dragon Claw' spell, and I knew its power would give you an edge. So I bet on you, and I was confident of your victory. Most people bet on your loss, which increased my earnings. But surprisingly, someone else bet huge amounts on your win."

Rami asked in astonishment, "Are you saying the match was organized for betting purposes?"

Kane smiled and said, "Don't call me prince; we're classmates. Call me Kane. As for your question, betting wasn't the primary goal, but it became an aspect once the news spread through the school and took a different turn."

Rami nodded but started to think that kane was not an ordinary person and it might be wise to be cautious of him in the future. After a moment of silence, Rami felt some discomfort, realizing he hadn't gained anything from the match while kane had made money. As if kane had read his thoughts, he smiled and said, "Are you upset because I made money from your performance while you didn't win anything? Don't worry, I kept a portion of the money for you. But here in the bets, the terms require cash. If you want, I can convert it into money and send it to your account."

Kane took out a pouch of coins from his storage ring, and Rami felt an internal joy at the sight of the money. However, he quickly remembered that nobles should maintain composure. Despite his happiness, he knew he shouldn't display too much joy to avoid drawing kane's attention.

Rami said calmly, "That's fine, I'll handle it myself later."

As Rami held the pouch, he noticed kane looking at him with curiosity and asked, "Why don't you have a storage ring?"

Rami froze, realizing he hadn't considered it before and that the high cost was the reason he hadn't bought one. He quickly thought of an excuse and replied awkwardly, "Actually, when I got home last night, I found that my storage ring was missing. It seems it was stolen while I was shopping, and today was the match, so I didn't have time to buy a new one."

Kane looked at him with astonishment and mockery, then said with a laugh, "Haha, it seems the thief was just an ordinary person."

Rami recalled what he had read in books about storage rings and felt embarrassed. Typically, a ring is associated with a mage or warrior, and it is rare for it to be stolen because thieves cannot open it without killing its owner. Thus, it was clear that the thief was an ordinary person who did not know this information.

Before Rami could respond, Kane said, "Anyway, I must leave. It was nice meeting you, Rami."

As Rami watched Kane leave, the prince stopped to speak without turning around, saying, "By the way, I don't know if you've read about this, but I found an old book in the palace library that mentioned the skill 'Dragon's Claw' can only be mastered by dragons. I'm not sure what this phrase means exactly, but it might imply a great talent. If that's true, it means you're very talented, as the book compares your talent to that of a dragon."

Rami watched Kane depart, pondering the word "dragon."