The arena had never been louder.
Students filled every seat.
Even instructors had gathered to watch.
Because the next battle would decide the fifth member of Team Iren.
Above the arena, the crystal board glowed brightly.
The final names appeared.
Final Match
Lyra Valen
VS
Ronan Blazewind
The crowd exploded.
"LYRA!"
"RONAN!"
"THIS WILL BE INSANE!"
Two figures walked into the arena.
From the left entrance—
Lyra Valen
Her silver hair moved gently with the wind.
She rested her hands on the two daggers at her waist.
Her eyes were calm.
But focused.
Across from her—
Ronan Vale stepped forward.
His Flame Saber ignited softly.
FSSHHH
Small flames danced along the blade.
His gaze locked onto Lyra.
From the stands—
Riven leaned forward excitedly.
"This is the final!"
Sylven nodded.
"Both of them just finished intense battles."
Kael crossed his arms.
"Whoever wins this deserves the spot."
Iren watched silently.
His sharp eyes followed Lyra.
Back in the arena—
The referee raised his hand.
"Final match rules remain the same."
"No lethal attacks."
"Yield, knockout, or ring-out decides the winner."
A brief pause.
"Begin!"
WHOOSH
Both fighters moved instantly.
Lyra dashed forward.
Ronan raised his saber.
CLANG!
Daggers met the burning blade.
Sparks and flames scattered.
Ronan pushed forward.
His saber slashed horizontally.
FWOOSH
Lyra ducked.
She spun and countered.
SLASH!
Ronan blocked.
CLANG!
The force pushed both fighters apart.
The crowd roared.
"That was fast!"
"They're both incredible!"
Lyra moved again.
TIME SKIP
FLASH
She vanished.
Ronan's eyes sharpened.
'Behind me'
He turned instantly.
CLANG!
Her dagger struck his saber.
Ronan smirked.
"Nice trick."
He swung his flame saber.
FWOOSH!
A wave of fire burst forward.
Lyra jumped back.
BOOM
Flames exploded across the arena floor.
Heat spread through the air.
From the stands—
Riven shouted.
"Watch out!"
Sylven spoke calmly.
"Ronan's fire magic is dangerous at close range."
Kael nodded.
"And Lyra needs close range to win."
Back in the arena—
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
'He's strong…'
'Faster than Varek.'
Ronan dashed forward.
His saber blazing.
SLASH!
Lyra blocked.
CLANG!
But the flames forced her back.
Ronan continued attacking.
Strike after strike.
FWOOSH!
CLANG!
SLASH!
The arena filled with flashes of fire.
Lyra dodged and blocked desperately.
Finally—
Ronan gathered flames into his blade.
" Fire Magic."
The flames spiraled violently.
"Flame Burst!"
He swung.
FWOOOOM!!
A massive arc of fire surged toward Lyra.
The crowd gasped.
Lyra whispered softly.
"…Time Skip."
FLASH
She vanished.
The flames crashed into the arena floor.
BOOOOM!!
The explosion shook the entire arena.
Ronan looked around.
"Where—"
FLASH
Lyra appeared behind him.
SLASH!
Her dagger cut his shoulder.
Ronan staggered.
But he immediately countered.
His saber spun around.
FWOOSH!
Lyra barely jumped away.
The blade passed inches from her face.
Both fighters stopped for a moment.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat ran down their faces.
The arena floor was filled with burn marks and cracks.
Ronan smiled slightly.
"You've gotten stronger."
Lyra replied quietly.
"…I've been training."
Lyra inhaled slowly.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Let's finish this."
Ronan grinned.
"Gladly."
He rushed forward again.
Flames burst around his saber.
Lyra dashed toward him.
Both fighters moved at full speed.
CLANG!
Daggers and flame saber collided again.
Sparks exploded.
They exchanged blows rapidly.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The arena echoed with metal impacts.
Ronan swung downward.
Lyra vanished.
FLASH
She appeared beside him.
SLASH!
Another cut.
FLASH
Another attack.
FLASH
Another.
The crowd gasped.
"She's chaining Time Skip again!"
Ronan grit his teeth.
He swung wildly.
But Lyra kept disappearing and reappearing.
Her attacks became faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
Just like Iren had taught her.
Lyra continued attacking relentlessly.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Her daggers struck again and again.
Ronan kept blocking with his flame saber, but the pressure was mounting.
The crowd could barely follow the speed of their movements.
Then—
Ronan suddenly stopped retreating.
His eyes sharpened.
Flames began to surge around his body violently.
FWOOSHHHH!!
The fire grew larger and brighter.
The heat spread across the arena.
Lyra instinctively stepped back.
He's going all out…
---
Ronan clenched his saber.
Flames spiraled violently around the blade.
Then—
BOOM!
He launched forward with immense speed.
"HYAAAH!"
He swung the saber downward with tremendous strength.
A vertical strike.
---
Lyra's eyes widened.
Her foresight activated.
She saw the attack coming.
She raised both daggers upward.
CLANG!!!
The saber crashed against her blades.
The impact exploded like thunder.
BAAAM!!
The force pushed both fighters backward.
They skidded across the arena floor.
---
But neither stopped.
They rushed forward again.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Daggers and saber clashed repeatedly.
Sparks and flames scattered everywhere.
But this time—
Ronan began to dominate.
His speed had increased.
His strength had increased.
Every strike felt heavier.
Lyra was forced onto the defensive.
---
WHOOSH!
Another swing.
Lyra barely dodged.
CLANG!
Another strike.
She barely blocked.
Ronan kept attacking relentlessly.
---
"Stay down!"
He swung his saber again.
This time—
A powerful vertical strike.
SMASH!!!
Lyra crossed her daggers to block.
But the impact was overwhelming.
Her grip loosened.
CLINK!
Her daggers slipped from her hands.
They flew across the arena.
Lyra was blasted backward.
SKRRRRRRT
She skidded across the stone floor.
Until—
She reached the very edge of the arena.
---
The audience gasped in shock.
Riven jumped to his feet.
"No way!"
Sylven stared in disbelief.
"Her weapons…"
Kael clenched his fists.
"She can't fight now…"
But Iren stood still.
His eyes locked on the battlefield.
---
Lyra was breathing heavily.
Her body trembled with exhaustion.
Ronan slowly pointed his burning saber at her.
"Give up."
Lyra remained silent.
Her head lowered.
Ronan stepped forward.
"Give up."
His voice grew colder.
"Or I will end this."
Lyra slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes were calm.
"Then go ahead."
---
Ronan walked toward her.
Step by step.
His saber burned brighter.
FWOOSHH
---
In the stands—
Riven whispered nervously.
"Why isn't she doing anything?"
Sylven adjusted his glasses.
"She lost her daggers."
"She can't defend herself."
Kael added quietly,
"And she's too exhausted to move."
Riven sighed.
"…I think the match is over."
---
"Quiet."
Iren's voice cut through them.
The three turned toward him.
"Just watch the match."
Riven frowned.
"Can't you see? Lyra can't dodge anymore."
"How can she win?"
Iren remained silent for a moment.
Then he said calmly,
"That's a wrong prediction."
"Never judge a match before it ends."
A pause.
Then he added—
"If you remember…"
"This happened to me too."
"In every match."
He glanced briefly at Riven.
"Even against you."
Riven fell silent.
---
Everyone looked back toward the arena.
Lyra was slowly trying to stand.
Sylven spoke quietly.
"But even if she stands…"
"She has no weapons left."
"And she's used all her techniques."
Iren replied calmly,
"Maybe."
Then he added—
"But she still has one technique left."
Everyone looked at him in shock.
---
"Look!"
Riven pointed.
"She stood up!"
Lyra was now standing on her feet.
Barely.
But standing.
---
Ronan stopped a few steps away.
Then suddenly—
He dashed forward.
"IT'S OVER!"
The entire arena held its breath.
Even the teachers leaned forward.
---
Then—
Something unbelievable happened.
Lyra moved.
WHOOSH!!
She dashed forward with incredible speed.
In the next moment—
She was standing behind Ronan.
Facing the opposite direction.
It was so fast—
Everyone thought she had teleported.
---
Ronan stopped.
Not willingly.
His body trembled.
Then—
He dropped to one knee.
THUD
His face twisted in shock.
---
The audience stared in disbelief.
"What just happened?!"
---
But Ronan forced himself up again.
He turned toward Lyra.
Preparing to attack.
---
WHOOSH!!
Lyra moved again.
She dashed past him.
Appearing behind him once more.
---
Ronan's eyes widened.
"How… is this possible…?"
He dropped to his knees again.
Breathing heavily.
---
Everyone in the stands turned toward Iren.
Sylven asked slowly,
"…Is this the technique you mentioned?"
Iren nodded.
"Yes."
---
Riven looked at Ronan.
"His face…"
"It looks like he's being hit by something."
Iren replied calmly,
"He is."
"By now…"
"Lyra has hit him twenty times."
---
Everyone gasped.
Kael asked in disbelief,
"But how?!"
Iren answered quietly.
"It's the result of her training."
Then he said the name.
"Her new technique."
"The Domain of Time."
---
The crowd erupted in shock.
Everyone turned back toward the arena.
Ronan was trying to stand again.
His body shaking.
Lyra looked at him calmly.
"Yield."
Ronan roared.
"Never!"
Lyra sighed softly.
"Then I have to finish this."
---
Ronan forced himself to stand.
But before he could even turn—
WHOOSH!!
Lyra dashed again.
Like a flash of lightning.
She appeared directly behind him.
---
This time—
Ronan collapsed.
THUD
He fell face-first onto the arena floor.
Unconscious.
---
The referee rushed forward.
After checking—
He raised his hand.
"Knockout!"
"Winner—"
"Lyra Valen!"
---
For a moment—
The entire arena was silent.
No one could believe what they had just witnessed.
Then—
The stadium exploded.
"LYRAAAAA!!"
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"THAT WAS INSANE!"
---
Riven stood frozen.
"What… just happened?"
Iren replied calmly.
"He got hit."
"Thirty punches from Lyra."
"And fell."
Sylven gasped.
"Thirty… punches?"
---
Then suddenly—
Riven jumped up cheering.
"YEAHHH!!"
"You did it Lyra!"
---
Her name echoed across the entire arena.
"LYRA!"
"LYRA!"
"LYRA!"
---
But Lyra wasn't listening.
She searched the crowd.
Looking everywhere.
Only for one person.
Iren.
---
Finally—
She found him.
Standing calmly in the stands.
Watching her.
---
Iren simply nodded.
A small smile appeared on his face.
That was enough.
Lyra smiled too.
---
The fifth member of the Team
Had finally been decided.