CHAPTER 8: THE DRAGON AND THE WOLF
The moment the announcement spread across the Main Pavilion, everyone became excited.
THE DRAGON BERSERKER.
VERSUS.
THE WOLF BERSERKER.
People throughout the Main Pavilion immediately began talking about the upcoming spar.
"Hey, did you hear about the sparring match?"
"Of course! I'm excited to see who will win!"
"It's going to be the Wolf Berserker!"
"No way. The Dragon Berserker led everyone to victory during the Battle of Utopia!"
Among the crowd, a young man crossed his arms with a confident expression.
It was Hideaki Katsu, the younger brother of Ichiro Katsu.
Hideaki: "Huh. Isn't it obvious?"
Everyone nearby looked at him.
Hideaki smirked.
Hideaki: "My brother will win."
He proudly continued.
Hideaki: "He has trained all these years while the Dragon Berserker was probably just lying around and dozing off."
A voice suddenly came from behind him.
Ray: "How naive of you."
Hideaki turned around.
Standing there was a young man with striking purple hair and matching purple eyes.
His name was Ray Morris, twenty-three years old.
He was a member of the Dragon Squad, which had once been led by Arman Alan and was now under the command of Reina Alan.
Ray was one of the most loyal members of Arman's squad.
And as a member of the Dragon Squad...
He wasn't about to let anyone disrespect his captain.
Ray stared directly at Hideaki.
Ray: "To think our captain spent the last eight years doing nothing but sleeping..."
His expression became serious.
Ray: "As his squad member, I can't simply turn a blind eye to that."
Hideaki smirked.
Hideaki: "So what are you going to do about it?"
Ray stepped closer.
Ray: "I think I need to fix that attitude of yours."
The atmosphere between them immediately became tense.
But before either of them could make another move—
Tanya: "Hey! Hey! Hey!"
A young woman stepped between them.
Tanya Agnus.
Twenty-two years old.
The younger sister of Kim Agnus and the Vice-Captain of the Tiger Squad.
Just like her brother, she had green hair and green eyes.
However, unlike Kim...
She lacked his height.
Because of her small stature and obsession with gambling on outcomes, she had earned herself a rather unusual nickname.
THE BETTING DWARF.
And throughout her entire life...
Tanya had never lost a bet.
She looked at both Ray and Hideaki with a mischievous smile.
Tanya: "Don't start a fight here."
She grinned.
Tanya: "Instead... why don't we make a bet?"
Hideaki's eyes lit up.
Hideaki: "I'm in."
Tanya turned toward Ray.
Tanya: "What about you?"
Ray sighed.
Ray: "Fine. Whatever."
A mischievous smile appeared on Tanya's face.
The battle between the Dragon and the Wolf hadn't even begun yet...
But the excitement had already taken over the Main Pavilion.
AT THE DORMITORY
Meanwhile, Lisa and her friends were still with Reina.
Lisa suddenly looked around in confusion.
Lisa: "Huh?"
She frowned.
Lisa: "Who was that? Whose voice was that earlier?"
Reina answered calmly.
Reina: "That was the Grand Master."
Lisa looked surprised.
Lisa: "But... how could we hear him from all the way here?"
Reina: "He transmitted his voice through Mana."
Sakura's eyes widened.
Sakura: "He can do that?"
Reina smiled faintly.
Reina: "There are many things the Grand Master can do that you can't even comprehend yet."
Lisa suddenly remembered the announcement.
Her eyes widened.
Lisa: "Wait..."
She turned toward Reina.
Lisa: "Does that mean my brother is going to fight the Wolf Berserker?"
Reina nodded.
Reina: "It seems so."
Lisa immediately became worried.
Lisa: "You have to stop the spar!"
Reina blinked.
Reina: "Why?"
Lisa looked completely serious.
Lisa: "My brother spent the last few years lying around like a panda!"
Reina stared at her.
Lisa: "Meanwhile, the Wolf Berserker must have trained extremely hard!"
Reina couldn't help but smile.
Reina: "You don't need to worry."
Lisa looked at her.
Reina's expression became confident.
Reina: "There's a reason why your brother is the Dragon Berserker."
TWO HOURS LATERTHE MAIN TRAINING GROUND
The Main Training Ground was completely packed.
Members of THE ORDER had gathered from every corner of the Main Pavilion.
The enormous arena had been surrounded by spectators.
Special seats had been prepared for the Heads of the Seven Houses and the Berserkers.
At the center of those seats...
Was the seat reserved for the Grand Master.
Excitement filled the entire training ground.
Everyone was waiting for one thing.
THE DRAGON.
VERSUS.
THE WOLF.
Finally—
Two figures entered the arena.
ARMAN ALAN.
THE DRAGON BERSERKER.
And—
ICHIRO KATSU.
THE WOLF BERSERKER.
The crowd erupted.
"THEY'RE HERE!"
"THE DRAGON BERSERKER!"
"NO! THE WOLF BERSERKER WILL WIN!"
"THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!"
The Grand Master raised his hand.
Instantly, the crowd fell silent.
He looked toward both Berserkers.
Grand Master Leon: "Before we begin, there are three rules."
Arman and Ichiro listened.
Grand Master Leon: "First."
His eyes sharpened.
Grand Master Leon: "No killing."
Ichiro gave a small nod.
Arman smirked.
Grand Master Leon: "Second."
His voice became serious.
Grand Master Leon: "Limit your power as much as possible."
He looked at the arena surrounding them.
Grand Master Leon: "I don't want the barrier to break."
Ichiro scratched the back of his head.
Ichiro: "Limiting my power..."
He glanced at Arman.
Ichiro: "That might be difficult."
The Grand Master slowly turned his head toward him.
His intense gaze made Ichiro freeze.
A moment of silence passed.
Ichiro: "..."
Then he quickly smiled.
Ichiro: "I'll try my best."
Arman couldn't help but laugh.
The Grand Master continued.
Grand Master Leon: "Third."
Everyone waited.
Grand Master Leon: "You will follow these two rules."
A few people in the crowd struggled not to laugh.
Then the Grand Master's expression changed.
Grand Master Leon: "Ah."
Arman raised an eyebrow.
Grand Master Leon: "There is one more thing."
Everyone looked at him.
Grand Master Leon: "The winner of this spar..."
He paused.
"...will be granted permission to enter ELYNDRA."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Shock spread throughout the training ground.
Even the Berserkers were stunned.
Angela stood up from her seat.
Angela: "Wasn't Elyndra sealed?"
The Grand Master looked at her.
Grand Master Leon: "It was."
Kim frowned.
Kim: "Then who lifted the seal?"
The Grand Master calmly answered.
Grand Master Leon: "I did."
Everyone fell silent once again.
Even Reina, who had arrived with Lisa and her friends to watch the spar, looked shocked.
Shinji noticed everyone's reaction.
Shinji: "What is Elyndra?"
He looked around.
Shinji: "And why is everyone so shocked?"
Reina slowly turned toward him.
Reina: "I don't know everything about it."
Her expression became serious.
Reina: "But according to the stories, those who are chosen to enter Elyndra can unlock their true potential."
Lisa listened carefully.
Reina continued.
Reina: "Some say that one can even gain enlightenment after meeting Spirit Mother Elaris."
Lisa looked confused.
Lisa: "Spirit Mother?"
Reina nodded.
Reina: "It is said that Spirit Mother Elaris once traveled across all of Heaven's Light for an entire millennium."
Everyone listened silently.
Reina: "During her journey, she gained unimaginable knowledge."
Her voice became quieter.
Reina: "Eventually, she achieved enlightenment."
Sakura's eyes widened.
Reina: "And became one with Heaven's Light itself."
Lisa stared at her.
Lisa: "Then... what is Elyndra?"
Reina: "Elyndra was once Spirit Mother Elaris's homeland."
Her expression darkened.
Reina: "But it was destroyed by the Skotians."
Everyone became silent.
Reina: "After witnessing the destruction of her homeland, she created a separate space."
Reina looked toward the arena.
Reina: "She named that space after her lost homeland."
"ELYNDRA."
Lisa and her friends listened carefully.
Reina: "Then she sealed herself within it."
Lisa: "Why?"
Reina: "I don't know."
She shook her head.
Reina: "But it is said that the gates leading to Elyndra remained sealed for centuries."
Reina paused.
Reina: "And those who enter it..."
Her eyes narrowed.
Reina: "...can gain immense knowledge."
Back in the arena, Ichiro smiled.
He looked directly at Arman.
Ichiro: "Well, Alan..."
His grip tightened around his sword.
Ichiro: "Now I have even more reasons to defeat you."
Arman smirked.
Arman: "Try me."
The crowd immediately became silent.
Both Berserkers raised their hands.
Mana and Berserker Aura began gathering around them.
Then—
Their swords appeared.
Ichiro's white sword shone brightly.
Arman's pitch-black sword seemed to absorb the light around it.
Ichiro raised his blade.
Ichiro: "MIKAZUKI!"
Arman raised his own sword.
Arman: "NIGHT SLAYER!"
The two Berserkers stared at each other.
For a moment...
Everything became silent.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
They disappeared.
CLANGGGG!
Their swords collided in the middle of the arena.
A powerful gust of wind exploded outward.
The crowd covered their faces.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Each collision between their swords produced a violent shockwave.
Neither of them gave the other a chance to retreat.
Their movements became faster.
Faster.
And faster.
Until many people in the audience could barely follow them.
Suddenly—
Arman jumped backward, creating some distance.
He closed his right eye.
A strange aura gathered around him.
Arman: "ONE EYE."
Ichiro immediately recognized the technique.
His eyes widened.
Aura erupted from both of his eyes.
Ichiro: "CANCEL."
Arman's expression remained calm.
Ichiro smirked.
Ichiro: "That same old trick won't work on me anymore."
Suddenly—
SLASH!
A scratch appeared on Ichiro's cheek.
A small stream of blood ran down his face.
Ichiro froze.
Arman smirked.
Arman: "Looks like one of my clones got through."
Ichiro touched the blood on his cheek.
Then he looked at his fingers.
His expression slowly changed.
The smile disappeared.
Ichiro: "You bastard..."
A powerful aura erupted from his body.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
Ichiro: "I was taking you lightly."
He raised Mikazuki.
His eyes became sharp.
Ichiro: "But now..."
The air around him began to tremble.
Ichiro: "It's time to get serious."
A massive amount of Aura gathered around his sword.
Ichiro: "SEVEN STAR SWORD... SECOND TECHNIQUE!"
The sky above the arena seemed to darken.
Ichiro: "STAR SLAYER!"
Ichiro charged toward Arman.
At the same time, Arman raised Night Slayer.
A terrifying pressure gathered around his sword.
Arman: "ZERO STAR SWORD... THIRD TECHNIQUE!"
The ground beneath him cracked.
Arman: "GRAVITY BUSTER!"
Both Berserkers charged at each other.
The spectators' expressions changed instantly.
The other Berserkers immediately understood the danger.
Kim: "Move!"
The Berserkers surrounded the arena.
Their Auras erupted together.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive barrier formed around the stage.
Just as the barrier was completed—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
STAR SLAYER!
VERSUS!
GRAVITY BUSTER!
Their swords collided.
An enormous explosion shook the entire training ground.
The ground cracked.
The barrier trembled violently.
A thick cloud of dust and smoke covered the entire arena.
Nobody could see anything.
The crowd held its breath.
Lisa clenched her hands nervously.
Reina stared into the smoke.
Ray smiled confidently.
Hideaki gritted his teeth.
Tanya watched with excitement.
And everyone in the training ground had only one question in their minds.
THE WOLF...
The smoke slowly began to move.
OR THE DRAGON...
Two silhouettes could barely be seen within the dust.
WHO WILL WIN?