Brawl

The atmosphere on the stage remained eerily silent, offering no counter to Leon's seething rage. Even King Eldran and the ethereal warriors surrounding him could only look on, their expressions a mixture of disapproval and confusion. A few of the ethereal warriors shook their heads, unable to fathom the prince's seemingly reckless decision.

However, among the crowd, a select few nodded in quiet admiration, recognizing the valor in Albert's sacrifice.

"Wasn't this the moment you'd been waiting for your entire life?" Shun muttered under his breath, incredulity coloring his tone. "Wasn't all your hard work meant to prove your worth to those who doubted you?

What were you thinking?" He turned away, unable to bear the sight of the prince's withered corpse.

Norton Es, with a weary sigh, stepped forward and cast his ethereal ability upon Albert. Slowly, the prince's withered body began to mend, restoring itself to its former state. Albert rose to his feet, but his eyes were hollow, devoid of their usual fire.

Cloudy Adaires rushed toward him, but the weight of her own guilt slowed her steps. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"Why…?" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, unconcerned about the onlookers.

Albert sighed heavily, his steps dragging as he moved toward the preparation area.

"That sword..." he began, not looking back. "It hurts more than you could ever imagine. I've felt it once, a pain so intense I'd never want you to experience it."

Leon's eyes widened in disbelief, his fury only deepening. He couldn't comprehend such a foolish reason for their defeat. But before he could lash out, Jaylen placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "It's fine. We haven't lost yet."

Some of the other students seemed to understand Albert's decision on a deeper level. Silver ducked her head, Mia's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Vito covered his face with his hands, lost once again in his memories of regret. But it was Shun who finally broke the silence.

"Was it worth it?" he asked, his voice flat, devoid of judgment.

Albert met his gaze, the determination in his eyes more intense than ever before.

"Not at all," he replied.

Shun exhaled slowly, recalling the words of Principal Lorthus:

"Choose what you believe is right and tread that path without hesitation or regret."

"So be it," Shun muttered.

Vito, still struggling with his own turmoil, finally managed to speak. "You're not like me," he said with difficulty. "I respect that…"

Albert's body trembled, and he collapsed to his knees.

"I apologize for my actions," he said, his voice barely audible. "Do with me as you will."

The audience collectively gasped, stunned at the sight of a prince kneeling before ordinary citizens. Such a display of humility was beyond anyone's expectations.

Yet Leon's gaze remained cold, his anger unyielding.

"I won't accept your apology. Nothing can make up for this."

But with a sigh, his expressions softened.

"But life has to go on, whether you like it or not, what happened in the past cannot be changed."

"Let's focus on shaping the future instead..."

"Emilia, Jaylen, Fiana, Rin, I entrust the future on you guys. Don't fail us like he did." With that, Leon buried his face in his hands, falling silent.

Emilia and Jaylen exchanged their characteristic bright smiles, undeterred by the pressure. Confident in their preparation, they were determined to turn the tide.

...

"Ryder Cliffrock," a muscular, energetic man bellowed, his voice echoing through the arena.

"Lydia Bliss," a girl followed, her quiet, bored tone contrasting sharply with Ryder's enthusiasm.

"Nate Blanc," the next boy announced, his voice steady.

"Milo Parkinson," came the final name, the boy's voice high-pitched and youthful.

"Emilia Cylus."

"Jaylen Shielram."

"Fiana Samuel."

"Rin Dreamer."

Emilia and Ryder exchanged knowing smiles, a mutual respect forming between them. Positive energy always attracted like-minded souls.

"Fourth round of the Interacademy Ethereal Combat Tournament Finals, commence!" 

Ryder roared in excitement, his muscles compressing as steam poured from every pore. Before long, his impressive muscles were no where to be seen, all that was left was a slender and wizened frame.

On the other side, a perfect duplicate of Emilia materialized, thanks to Fiana's ethereal ability. Rin used her hair to lift both Emilias skyward, ensuring their safety from the enemy's attacks in the absence of Albert's wind element.

Jaylen's aura enveloped Emilia, amplifying her power. Ryder, still brimming with excitement, launched himself into the air, deflecting incoming projectiles with his bare fists. But the barrage was relentless, and Ryder soon lost momentum, crashing back to the ground.

"Nate, that girl it is!" Ryder shouted, pointing at Emilia.

A shadow emerged behind Nate, and in an instant, a corresponding shadow appeared behind Emilia, pulling them both into another dimension.

Jaylen and Leon shared a satisfied smile—everything was proceeding according to plan.

Ryder turned to the three remaining opponents, extending his hand with a grin. "Looks like victory is ours, wouldn't you agree?"

Staring at his opponents' bright smiles, one appeared on his face too.

"I like your spirits!" Ryder charged at them with blinding speed, a storm of swords trailing in his wake.

But Jaylen's ethereal power flared, transferring the brilliant aura that had previously enveloped Emilia to himself. Rin's hair formed an impenetrable barrier against the swords, but even she couldn't stop Ryder's fearless advance.

Jaylen met Ryder's charge head-on, their fists colliding with explosive force

The material used to construst the tournament arena was a specific metal specialising in blast protection. Not even Albert's fireball in the previous round could make it fracture. 

But at this point, two men made the arena ground crack with their mortal fists.

Surprised by the unexpected strength of his opponent, Ryder's brows furrowed. "Aren't you a support?" he asked, puzzled. But after a moment of silence, his smile returned, even brighter than before. "No matter—I haven't had this much fun in ages."

In a kingdom where duels and conflicts were typically settled with weapons, two students engaging in a bare-knuckle brawl was a rare and thrilling spectacle. Every punch, every hit, was a testament to the raw power and determination of the human spirit.

The audience, and even the other contestants, watched in awe. Interrupting such a pure, unfiltered display of combat would have been unthinkable.

But as the fight wore on, both combatants began to reach their limits. Ray Scarlet, watching from the preparation area, shouted a warning. "Do something before it's too late! Victory belongs to the team that wins, not the team that shows the most courtesy!"

Milo resumed his assault, firing a barrage of sword projectiles at Rin and Fiana. Despite Ray's words, he couldn't bring himself to interfere with the fight.

Rin's hair expertly intercepted every sword, forming a protective sphere around Ryder and Jaylen, making their battle seem even more heroic.

Lydia began to sing, her voice filled with sorrow, casting a pall of negativity over the arena. Milo and Rin faltered, their faces reflecting the heavy atmosphere.

But Ryder and Jaylen remained unaffected, their spirits undimmed by the melancholic tune.

Finally, Ryder seemed to gain the upper hand, landing a powerful blow to Jaylen's face. But as Jaylen's form shattered like glass, it revealed the real Jaylen standing behind Ryder.

Jaylen's fist connected with Ryder's face, sending him flying out of the arena.

With the only strengths he had left, Jaylen bowed towards Ryder's direction. In his heart, he knew Ryder could have easily seen through the illusion, but the other boy had willingly fallen into their trap.

Despite his defeat, Ryder's swollen face was still lit up with joy.

"That was the best fight I've ever had in my life."

"I'll return the favor with the best win you've ever had in yours."