With Star Shine Academy's victory confirmed, the arena settled only briefly before shifting to the next matchup.
Blitz War Institute vs. Stone Gate Academy.
The contrast in styles was immediate.
Blitz War entered with their trademark aggression, pressing forward from the very first exchange, while Stone Gate held firm with a defense that was structured and unyielding. Where Blitz War sought to overwhelm with speed, Stone Gate endured, absorbing pressure and waiting for openings that rarely came.
For a time, it worked.
Two of Blitz War's contestants were eliminated in quick succession, their momentum broken just enough to stir the crowd.
The match dragged on longer than expected, each duel steadily chipping away at both sides.
But in the end, the difference showed. And eventually, resistance wasn't enough.
The announcement echoed across the stadium as the final result appeared. "Winner—Blitz War Institute!"
With that, the first round of the Knight Division came to a close.
The four massive holographic screens above the arena flickered as the results were compiled, numbers shifting before settling into place.
The standings appeared, with Crimson Bastion Academy in the lead at four points. Just behind them, Star Shine Academy and Blitz War Institute stood tied with three points each. At the bottom, Ashford Institute stood with only two points.
The gap wasn't large—but it was enough to matter.
A brief murmur spread through the crowd as the implications settled in, eyes moving between the rankings and the teams waiting below.
The announcer's voice followed soon after, steady as ever.
"Next match—Ashford Institute versus Leycross Academy! The winner will advance to the quarterfinals!"
Compared to the earlier matches, the pace was noticeably different.
Neither side rushed forward, and for a while, it felt as though both were waiting for the other to make the first real move.
"They're too careful…"
"It's dragging."
The crowd's energy dipped, conversations rising through the stands as attention began to waver.
On the field, however, the tension remained.
But matches like that rarely stayed that way for long. Bit by bit, Ashford began to edge forward, gradually turning caution into control.
"Winner—Ashford Institute!"
The announcement echoed, though the reaction was more subdued this time. It wasn't a match that stirred excitement—but it was one that mattered.
And with that, Ashford Institute managed to keep the final spot in the quarterfinals.
A brief lull followed as the arena reset, the energy shifting once more as the announcer stepped forward, her voice cutting cleanly through the rising noise.
"And now—let's move on to the Magic Division Tournament!"
The reaction was immediate.
The crowd, which had settled into a slower rhythm during the later Knight matches, surged back to life. Conversations grew louder, anticipation rising as the atmosphere sharpened once again.
For many, this was what they had been waiting for.
The nature of mage battles was different.
Where knights clashed with weapons and physical force, mages fought with flair and power far more dazzling to watch.
"That's more like it…"
"Finally, something interesting."
The announcer allowed the noise to crest before continuing.
"Today covers only the first round of matches. Tomorrow, the tournament advances into the quarterfinals and semifinals—for both the Knight and Mage Divisions."
Another wave of excitement followed, louder this time, fueled by everything still to come.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
The pairings for the Magic Division were decided soon after, the brackets unfolding across the massive holographic screens as the next phase took shape.
In the end, Star Shine Academy received a bye.
The audience reacted with surprise, a ripple of murmurs passing through the stands as the announcement settled in. Out of all the teams, it was Star Shine that had drawn the fortunate position.
But the reaction didn't last long.
"Figures…"
"They're strong anyway."
"Guess we'll see them later."
There was no real dissatisfaction, no complaints worth noting. If anything, most of the audience seemed content with it. Star Shine's reputation spoke for itself, and their absence from the first round only added to the anticipation of when they would finally appear.
With that decided, the first match of the Mage Division was called.
Stone Gate Academy vs. Leycross Academy.
The contrast in composition was immediately apparent.
Stone Gate fielded primarily earth mages, their approach grounded—literally—in defense, terrain control, and endurance.
Leycross, on the other hand, brought variety.
A mix of elements, a wider range of casting styles—but most notably, a focus on large-scale spells. Area-of-effect magic defined their strategy, turning sections of the arena into zones of pressure rather than single points of attack.
A translucent formation barrier covered the arena, ensuring that no stray spell or lingering impact could reach the audience. Within it, the contestants stood equally protected, leaving virtually no risk of fatal harm.
By the time the final exchange ended, the result had already become clear. "Winner—Stone Gate Academy!"
The next match followed without delay.
Blitz War Institute vs. Iron Ward Academy.
This one was far more straightforward.
Blitz War's aggressive style translated cleanly into mage combat, their spells fast, direct, and relentless. Iron Ward attempted to stabilize the pace, but the pressure never let up.
With few surprises, Blitz War Institute secured the win.
Then came Crimson Bastion Academy against Ashford Institute.
Compared to the previous match, this one carried more weight.
Ashford fought carefully, their execution clean, their coordination steady—but against Crimson Bastion, it wasn't enough. The defending champions once again displayed their overwhelming strength.
The final match of the first round followed soon after.
Greyfield School vs. Dawnspire Academy.
Here, the all-girls team took control from the outset and claimed a decisive victory.
As the results settled across the screens, the first round of the Mage Division came to a close.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
When the final results were tallied, the standings shifted once more across the four massive screens, numbers rearranging as the system processed the outcomes.
Among the winning teams, one stood at the bottom.
Stone Gate Academy.
They had secured victory—but with the lowest score among those who advanced.
Which meant that they would face the bye team, Star Shine Academy.
A ripple of excitement spread through the arena almost instantly, far stronger than before. Conversations overlapped, voices rising as the matchup settled into place.
There was one specific reason the anticipation had spiked.
Alex.
Even within the larger flow of the tournament, his name had begun to circulate more with each passing day. A first-year—previously unknown—who had suddenly awakened a talent for magic and claimed first place in both the Knight and Magic newcomers divisions.
And now—
He might appear in the main Mage Division as well.
"They're not seriously going to let him compete here too, right?"
"I heard his magic talent is insanely high. That's why he's so strong."
"No way. That has to be exaggerated."
Speculation spread quickly.
Across the stands, informal betting pools had already begun to form, small groups creating their own odds on whether he would appear in the upcoming match.
Some were curious, some doubtful, and some simply wanted to see whether the rumors were true.
Either way—
Eyes were on him.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
Going back in time a little, the atmosphere inside Star Shine Academy's waiting room had been far from calm.
It wasn't loud, nor openly tense, but something about it felt off. Conversations were scarce, movements restrained, as if everyone was aware of something that didn't need to be said aloud.
All five members selected for the Mage Division were present.
And William, the Vice-Principal of the Magic Faculty, was missing.
More notably, the one who should have been standing among them was absent as well.
No explanation had been given, but none was needed. The reason was obvious enough to those in the room. The student Alex had replaced belonged to the Reginald family—William's own.
His absence wasn't accidental.
It was deliberate.
A quiet show of disapproval.
Even so, no one commented on it. No one questioned it either. Whether he was present or not made little difference to what was about to happen.
Most of their attention was elsewhere.
On Alex.
All four of the remaining members had, at some point, turned their gaze toward him. None of them spoke, yet the weight of their scrutiny was clear.
Each carried a different thought—and in at least one case, something closer to quiet skepticism.
Alex could feel it without needing to look directly.
Aurora, ever one for chaos, spoke first. "Wow, look—they're all staring at you, just like this morning."
She placed a hand beneath her chin before continuing. "But their thoughts seem different."
Alex looked at Aurora, his expression deadpan. He didn't need her commentary to know what was happening.
He could already feel it in the room.
They weren't all thinking the same thing.
Some were simply curious.
Others were plainly annoyed.
Some were measuring him, trying to understand how someone like him had ended up here.
And at least one of them had already decided he didn't belong.
Alex exhaled quietly and leaned back in his seat.