The second-round matchups were announced after the first round was completed. Knox was paired against Henry, Sara was paired against a second-year student, and Jade was paired against a third-year student.

“You’re up against Henry. I hope for the best,” Sara told Knox rather empathetically.

“In other words, I will probably be knocked out.”

“I didn’t say that!” She hurriedly retreated out of the room before he could continue the conversation.

‘I don't blame her,’ Knox thought to himself. The battle between Knox and Henry was scheduled to start, so Knox made his way to the arena. As he arrived, he saw Henry standing there with a lightning aura surrounding him. The sparks flickered off his body, and his deep blue eyes stared at Knox like a predator hunting its prey.

“So you’re the punk that beat Vito. You look quite underwhelming, to be honest.”

“What’s your point.” Knox already didn’t like the guy.

“I just wanted to warn you that I’ll wipe the floor with you.”

“Well, good luck then.”

The bell rang, and the match began. Knox charged towards Henry, throwing a punch at him. Henry dodged the punch quickly and sent a bolt of lightning at Knox. Knox managed to dodge the lightning bolt, but the force of the blast sent him flying backward.

Knox got back on his feet and charged at Henry again, this time with a swift roundhouse kick. Henry dodged the kick and sent another bolt of lightning at Knox. This time, Knox managed to block the lightning with his arms.

Henry was surprised to see Knox block the lightning bolt. He charged towards Knox, but Knox stepped aside and landed a punch on Henry's face. Henry stumbled back but quickly regained his balance and sent another bolt of lightning at Knox.

Knox continued to dodge the lightning bolts and charged towards Henry again. He landed a few punches and kicks, but they had little effect on Henry, who had a strong defense thanks to his lightning magic.

Henry was getting frustrated with Knox's martial arts skills. He decided to use a more powerful lightning spell. He charged up a massive bolt of lightning and sent it towards Knox.

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Knox knew he couldn't dodge this attack, so he decided to take it. He braced himself for impact and closed his eyes. The lightning bolt hit him directly, and Knox fell to the ground, motionless.

The referee immediately called off the match and declared Henry the winner.

*** *** ***

Sara watched as Knox got hit with a giant lightning bolt. Sara's heart sank as she watched Knox fall to the ground, motionless. Sara couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She had seen Knox take on opponents before, but this was different. The power and intensity of Henry's lightning magic had taken him down.

Sara rushed to Knox's side, her concern showing on her face. She knelt down beside him and gently shook his shoulder.

"Knox, are you okay?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Knox slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. He was breathing heavily, and his body was still twitching from the shock of the lightning bolt.

"I'm okay," he managed to say, his voice weak.

Sara let out a sigh of relief and helped Knox to his feet. She could see that the experience visibly shook him, but he was trying his best to hide it.

"Let's get you out of here," she said, putting her arm around his shoulder.

Knox nodded, and together, they made their way out of the arena. Sara could tell Knox was in much pain, but he tried his best to keep a brave face.

As they walked, Sara couldn't help but feel angry at Henry for what he had done to Knox. She knew Knox was a strong fighter, but he was no match for Henry's lightning magic. She vowed to herself that she would never let Knox face an opponent like that again.

*** *** ***

Knox was sitting on his bed, his mind consumed with disappointment. He had just been knocked out in the second round of the academy's tournament. The defeat was still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel frustrated that he had been defeated so easily.

Despite his disappointment, he knew that he couldn't have done anything to stop Henry, the self-proclaimed strongest fighter in the academy. Just the thought of Henry's name sent shivers down Knox's spine. He was a formidable opponent, and Knox knew that he would have to train harder if he wanted to beat him in the future.

Knox tried to shake off his disappointment and think positively, but it was hard. Even though he knew nobody could make him feel bad about losing, Knox couldn't help but feel let down by his performance. He replayed the fight, trying to figure out what he could have done differently. As he lay in bed, Knox knew that he would have to work harder than ever before if he wanted to become the strongest.

Even though Knox didn't make it to the third round, his friends Sara and Jade were successful and advanced to the next stage of the competition. Although Knox was disappointed with his performance, he was happy for his friends and congratulated them on their hard-earned victories. Despite his disappointment, Knox promised to be there to support Sara and Jade in their future matches. He knew that they both had the skills and determination to go far in the competition and was eager to cheer them on as they continued to compete.

On the third round day, Knox woke up early feeling excited and nervous. Although he had been knocked out of the tournament in the previous round, he was still eager to see how his friends and fellow competitors, Sara and Jade, would fare in their fight.

Knox met up with Sara and Jade outside their quarters and made their way to the arena together. Knox could feel the tension in the air, and he could tell that Sara and Jade were nervous about their upcoming fight.

They were informed that they would be fighting each other when they arrived at the arena. Knox was surprised and a little worried - he knew that Sara and Jade had formed a close bond and that it would be difficult for them to fight each other.

As they made their way towards the changing rooms, Knox could see the nerves etched on both Sara and Jade's faces. He wished them both luck.