The Chosen Class had finally begun.
Across Elysium Academy, every event unfolded in its designated venue.
The archery competition, sword duels, quizzes, dancing, and drama each drew their own crowds, filling the academy with excitement.
Among them all, however, the sword duel arena attracted the largest audience.
Students, teachers, and academy staff packed the massive arena, eager to witness the battles.
This year, the first years were divided into twelve classes.
Each class had chosen one representative to compete in the sword tournament, while a senior representative would join only for the final match.
Every victory was met with thunderous applause as the crowd watched each duel with excitement.
The champion of the Chosen Class would receive a golden badge engraved with the crest of Elysium Academy.
For the children of noble families, it was considered one of the greatest honors they could earn before reaching adulthood.
"...But none of that matters to me."
Arasa walked calmly toward the arena.
*I'm neither a noble nor a student.*
*The lives of the people I love depend on this tournament.*
His steps never slowed.
Soon, he emerged from the tunnel leading into the arena.
From the opposite side, his opponent stepped out as well, followed by the warrior assigned to oversee the match.
As the two fighters entered the arena, cheers erupted from every corner of the stadium.
From within the tunnel, Heidi watched Arasa in silence, her eyes fixed on him.
"Hmm... let's see what you've got," she murmured, a faint smile forming on her lips.
The warrior stepped between the two competitors and motioned for them to approach.
"The rules are simple," he announced. "The match ends if one of you surrenders, drops your weapon, or if I determine that the fight can no longer continue."
Both fighters nodded.
"Very well..."
"Prepare yourselves."
Once again, they nodded.
The arena gradually fell silent.
Philip of Draven, the noble representative, raised his sword and pointed it toward Arasa, one eyebrow slightly raised.
"Oi... are you really a first-year?" he asked.
Arasa let out a quiet chuckle.
"What?"
"You're already scared?"
He casually raised his sword.
Philip snorted.
"You've got some nerve saying that."
"I'm only asking because I hate cheaters."
Arasa's expression hardened.
His gaze sharpened.
*What a big mouth for a kid.*
*You don't even know how this world works.*
Without another word, he lunged forward.
Slash!
His blade sliced through the air, but Philip narrowly avoided the attack.
*Don't go around lecturing people...*
*...you shitty noble parasites.*
Arasa landed lightly and turned to face Philip once more.
Philip lowered his stance, tightening his grip on his sword.
"Now it's my turn."
The instant his foot struck the ground, he charged straight at Arasa.
Arasa calmly watched him close the distance.
At the last moment, he slipped beneath Philip's arm and moved behind him, aiming for his blind spot.
Philip quickly twisted around, trying to keep Arasa in sight.
Too late.
His strike had already missed.
Arasa was already behind him.
Thud!
A clean strike landed squarely on Philip's back.
The warrior immediately stepped forward.
"Enough."
"The match is over."
The arena erupted into cheers, though a few voices complained that it had ended too quickly.
"Eh?"
"That was fast."
"It only took him two strikes."
Watching from the tunnel, Heidi blinked in surprise.
Arasa walked toward Philip and suddenly grabbed him by the hair.
"Ouch!"
"What are you doing?"
"Let go!"
"The match's already over!"
Philip struggled to break free.
"Hey!"
"Stop!" the warrior shouted as he rushed toward them.
Arasa gave Philip one firm shake before speaking.
"Listen."
"If you don't have the strength to back up your words..."
"...then don't say them at all."
He released Philip and turned away.
"Tsk."
"What's your problem?"
"I didn't even say anything."
Philip rubbed his head, glaring at Arasa's back.
Arasa glanced over his shoulder for only a brief moment before continuing toward the tunnel.
For a second...
The arena fell silent.
Then whispers began spreading through the crowd.
"That was rude..."
"Why would he do that?"
"That was completely unnecessary..."
From the tunnel, Heidi watched everything unfold, her expression growing stiff.
"...This guy is bad news."
"He holds grudges even after winning."
As Arasa stepped into the tunnel, he found Heidi waiting with her arms folded.
She had been watching him the entire time.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
"He really got to you, huh?" Heidi finally said, breaking the silence.
Arasa turned to look at her.
"Hah... can't you see?"
"I clearly won the match."
Heidi gave a small shrug.
"Oh, I know you won."
She tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk forming on her lips.
"But I couldn't help noticing..."
"...he really got under your skin."
"Must suck to win like that."
Arasa stared at her for a moment before letting out a quiet scoff.
"Oh..."
"You've got quite a mouth yourself."
Without saying another word, Heidi stepped toward him.
Once she was close enough, she lowered her voice.
"Hmm..."
"Or was he right about you?"
She slowly circled around him, never taking her eyes off his face.
"I mean..."
"Why would you get so angry over a false accusation..."
"...unless it was true?"
Arasa remained silent.
After a brief pause, he let out a quiet sigh and resumed walking toward the end of the tunnel.
"Hah..."
"If you've got something to say..."
"...just say it."
"Nah."
Heidi smiled.
"I'm just returning the favor..."
"...for getting under my skin the other day."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"Besides..."
"It wouldn't be any fun..."
"...if you got eliminated before we had the chance to fight."
Arasa stopped.
For a brief moment...
The tunnel fell silent.
Then, a quiet laugh escaped him.
"Oh..."
"You rich kids."
"The way you all think..."
"...that anything you want can be achieved..."
"It makes me want to puke."
He slowly turned to face her.
"Fine."
"Bring it on."
"And don't get eliminated before we fight."
Without waiting for her reply, he continued toward the exit.
"Don't worry about that," Heidi called after him.
"Whether you want it or not..."
"...sooner or later..."
"...we'll meet."
Arasa simply raised a hand in farewell.
He never looked back.
A few moments later, he disappeared beyond the end of the tunnel.
Alaric was dragged through the crowd by Lalanat and Elara.
His hair was a complete mess, and he was still yawning by the time they reached the arena.
Without a word, he followed behind them.
As the three stepped into the arena, Heidi was just making her entrance.
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers as both fighters walked onto the stage.
The referee stepped between them and explained the rules.
After both competitors nodded, he raised his hand.
"Begin!"
He quickly stepped aside.
Heidi tightened her grip on her wooden sword, holding it close to her face.
Her opponent from Balp Nation, Adis Draelok, made the first move.
The moment he closed the distance, he launched a relentless series of strikes from both sides.
Heidi calmly blocked every attack before pushing his blade away.
Wood clashed against wood again and again as the two exchanged blows.
The crowd watched in amazement.
"Ooh..."
"Hmm..."
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
"What is Heidi doing?"
Lalanat and Elara looked at him in surprise.
Alaric pointed toward the arena.
"I mean..."
"If she stopped blocking..."
"...she would've won already."
Elara let out a small sigh.
"It sounds simple when you say it."
"But I think she has her own plan."
She folded her arms.
"And don't compare her to yourself."
"It's not like everyone sees a fight the way you do."
The three quietly watched from the back row of the arena.
Meanwhile...
Neither fighter showed any sign of slowing down.
Heidi gradually gave ground, taking one step back after another.
Eventually, both fighters pulled away from each other.
They circled in silence, using the brief pause to catch their breath.
Neither of them made the first move.
They simply waited...
Watching for an opening.
As they continued circling one another, Heidi took a slow breath.
*Maybe while we're both catching our breath...*
*...I should attack first.*
Without another thought, she dashed forward, unleashing another series of strikes.
Adis blocked each attack before swinging back with all his strength.
Every impact forced Heidi another step backward.
*This is unreal...*
*His swings are getting heavier.*
She gritted her teeth as another strike crashed against her wooden sword.
Across from her, Adis clenched his own jaw.
*It's my first match.*
*I can't lose to a woman.*
He poured even more strength into every swing.
*A woman can't defeat a man...*
*...especially with the difference in our strength.*
His attacks grew even more aggressive, gradually driving Heidi into a corner.
"Hmm... at this rate, she'll be at an even bigger disadvantage," Lalanat muttered.
Elara nodded, her eyes never leaving the fight.
"Yeah," Alaric said as he folded his arms.
"If she keeps blocking..."
"...she'll lose."
"One hundred percent."
Elara glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Hmm..."
"I'm not sure I should trust your math."
A small smirk appeared on her face.
Alaric ignored the comment.
"She needs to stop blocking."
"She should let him miss, slip behind him, and strike his blind spot."
"What if he recovers before she gets behind him?" Elara asked.
Her gaze remained fixed on Heidi, who still couldn't find a chance to breathe beneath Adis' relentless assault.
"That's why she needs to be fast."
Both Elara and Lalanat turned to him.
Alaric kept his eyes on the arena.
"The wooden sword may be lighter than an iron one..."
"...but it still has weight."
"When someone swings with all their strength..."
"...they rely on both their own power and the weight of the sword."
He continued calmly,
"That's exactly what Adis is doing."
"Meaning?" Elara asked.
"There's a chance he'll lean too far forward."
"If Heidi lets him miss instead of helping him recover by blocking..."
"...he'll lose his balance for a moment."
Elara and Lalanat shifted their attention back to the fight.
Sure enough...
Every powerful swing pulled Adis slightly forward.
Meanwhile, Heidi continued blocking each strike, giving him just enough resistance to regain his balance.
The arena gradually fell silent.
Only the repeated crack of wooden swords echoed through the arena.
*If not now...*
*I'm going to lose.*
*I have to take the risk.*
The moment Adis swung again...
Heidi suddenly ducked beneath the attack.
His sword sliced through empty air.
Before he could react, Heidi drove a hard kick into his left leg.
Adis stumbled forward, instinctively trying to regain his balance.
Heidi didn't waste the opening.
She rolled past his side.
In one smooth motion...
She rose behind him.
Thud!
Her wooden sword struck his back cleanly.
Adis collapsed to the ground.
Before he could get back up, Heidi pointed her wooden sword at his back.
The referee rushed forward.
"That's enough!"
Hearing the referee's voice, Heidi lowered her sword and released a long, exhausted breath.
The arena erupted into thunderous applause.
Completely drained, Heidi sank to the ground where she stood.
Adis slammed his fist against the floor.
His teeth clenched tightly.
He remained there in silence.
Then...
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
*All that training...*
*All that support...*
*All the people who believed in me...*
*...and I still lost.*
His grip tightened.
*I lost...*
*...to a mere woman.*
Behind him, Heidi slowly approached.
She stopped beside him and leaned forward slightly.
"Are you okay?"
Her voice was calm, carrying nothing but genuine concern.
Hearing her, Adis quickly wiped away his tears.
Startled, he hurried to his feet.
The two exchanged a brief glance.
A small smile appeared on Heidi's face as she held out her hand.
Adis looked at it for a moment.
Without taking it...
He quietly walked past her and left the arena.
As he made his way toward the exit, whispers spread through the crowd.
"Hey... did you really lose to a girl?"
"This guy's trash."
"What a loser..."
"Losing to a woman."
Adis paused for only a moment.
He let out a quiet sigh.
Then lowered his head and continued walking.
Sweat trickled down his face.
His wooden sword hung loosely from his hand, its tip scraping softly across the ground.
"...Well."
"I guess that's fine."
Heidi slowly lowered her hand.
Then she clapped it lightly against her other palm before making her way out of the arena.
As she left, the crowd erupted into cheers once again.
Smiling, she raised a hand and waved back at them.
By the time she reached the tunnel, the smile had already faded.
She let out a heavy breath and leaned against the wall, pressing her left hand against the cold stone as she struggled to steady her breathing.
"I'm surprised."
Arasa's voice echoed through the tunnel.
A grin spread across his face as he looked down at her.
"Is that all the confidence you had earlier?"
"You barely survived that match..."
"...and you think you can beat me?"
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Heidi slowly lifted her gaze toward him.
She said nothing.
Arasa gave a small shrug and turned away.
"Well..."
"Perhaps it was my fault for expecting too much from you."
Without another glance, he began walking away.
Heidi remained where she was, silently watching him disappear deeper into the tunnel while she continued catching her breath.
On the other side of the arena, Caelin, Silvia, and Simon were preparing to leave.
"Let's go."
"It's over here," Caelin said, taking the lead.
"Hmm... compared to our year, this tournament has been far more unpredictable," Simon remarked as he followed behind.
The three walked in silence.
Then, without warning, Caelin came to a stop.
Simon walked straight into his back.
"Ah!"
"What's that for?"
Simon complained, fixing his messy hair.
Standing before them were Alaric, Elara, and Lalanat.
The two groups simply looked at one another.
For a brief moment...
Neither side spoke.
Students continued filing out of the arena, quietly passing between them.
Alaric stretched his shoulders before letting out a small yawn.
"You're better now?" he asked casually.
Caelin stepped toward him.
"Ah..."
"Yeah."
"I am."
He continued walking, passing by Alaric.
"I guess that's good," Alaric replied without turning around.
"I'm looking forward to meeting you again in the arena."
Caelin slowed for just a moment.
Silence lingered between them.
After a brief pause, he spoke.
"Looking at the bracket..."
"Heidi still has to win two more matches."
"Our representative only needs one victory to reach the final."
He glanced ahead.
"And after watching that match..."
"I'm not sure I should expect to face you in the final."
With that, he continued walking, Simon quietly following behind.
Elara's eyes met Silvia's.
Neither of them looked away.
"You know..." Elara said, stopping Silvia in her tracks.
Silvia slowly turned around.
"I'm impressed."
"You still recognize me."
"Hard to forget a pet," Elara replied with a faint smirk.
"Especially one that used to be obedient."
"Ah..."
"Is that so?"
A small smile appeared on Silvia's face.
"Then tell me..."
"How did it feel..."
"...to lose to your own pet?"
For just a moment...
Last year's competition flashed through Elara's mind.
The dance competition.
Standing in second place.
Just behind Silvia.
"H—"
Before Elara could speak, Silvia cut her off.
"I'm not the same little girl I was back then."
"So be careful..."
"Princess Elara."
Without waiting for a reply, Silvia turned and walked away.
Elara silently watched her leave.
"Hmm... you know her?" Alaric asked from behind.
Still watching Silvia's figure disappear into the distance, Elara answered,
"Yeah."
"So?"
Alaric blinked.
"Ehh... I was just asking."
He let out an awkward laugh.
"Whatever."
Elara turned on her heel and walked away, clearly irritated.
Alaric looked at Lalanat.
Lalanat simply shrugged.
The two exchanged a glance before quietly following after her.
As they made their way back toward the academy, Caelin noticed Arasa standing before the notice board.
He changed direction and walked over.
"Seems like you're doing fine," Caelin said.
Hearing the familiar voice, Arasa turned around.
"Oh... hey."
Caelin stopped beside him.
His eyes drifted to the tournament bracket pinned to the board.
"So..."
"You still have two matches before the final?"
"Yeah."
"But it won't be a problem."
"We'll be there."
Arasa answered without hesitation.
Caelin gave a small nod.
"That much is certain."
"The only question is who we'll face in the final."
"Not that I think they're a threat."
"I just want to know who we're fighting."
His last words sounded more like they were meant for himself.
"Oh, by the way..."
"You're still going to participate, right?" Arasa asked.
Caelin didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the bracket.
Silence settled between them.
"At first..."
"Yeah."
"I hesitated."
"Every fight is a losing game for me."
He let out a quiet breath.
"But I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."
He turned to face Arasa.
"So..."
"This time..."
"I chose myself."
"It wasn't a choice to help you."
"It was a choice to choose myself."
"If you happen to benefit from the choice I made..."
"Then take advantage of it."
"Be a parasite or whatever you want."
"I don't care."
Their eyes met.
"But don't point your sword at me."
"Because if that day comes..."
"It won't end the way you want."
Without another word, Caelin turned and walked away.
Arasa remained where he stood.
Silent.
He watched Caelin's back disappear into the distance.
Then...
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Heh..."
"Now that's almost the same sword I once faced on the battlefield."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He glanced at the tournament bracket one last time before walking away as well.
By then, the arena had nearly emptied.
Some left with tears.
Some left with smiles.
And some left carrying nothing but tomorrow's plans.