he academy buzzed with excitement as the long-awaited Dragonbane Clash tournament commenced. Students gathered in the Grand Coliseum, a massive arena built to withstand the power of incite users and dragon-born warriors alike. Banners of the competing academies lined the stone walls, and the roars of eager spectators filled the air. This was no ordinary competition—it was a test of skill, strength, and strategy.

The prize? The legendary weapon Dragonbane, a mythical incite blade wielded by only the strongest dragon slayers in history. Along with it came the prestigious S-Class Dragon Slayer title—an honor that few had ever achieved. Rion and his team knew the stakes were high.

As they stood at the edge of the battlefield, waiting for their turn, Rion clenched his fists. He could feel the energy in the air, the tension between teams, and the pressure of the competition.

“Nervous?” Rose asked, standing beside him.

Rion scoffed. “Not a chance. I’m just ready to crush whoever stands in our way.”

Yassin smirked. “That’s the spirit! But let’s not get cocky—we’re up against some powerful fighters.”

Liora placed a hand on Rion’s shoulder. “Let’s take this one battle at a time. We don’t need to rush in blindly.”

Celestia grinned. “Let’s just make sure we make it to the finals. I want that blade.”

With the team fully prepared, they turned their attention to the battlefield as the announcer’s voice echoed through the coliseum.

“First Round! TEAM DRAGON SLAYERS versus TEAM BLAZE!”

The massive crowd exploded into cheers, and magical screens projected the matchups across the coliseum. The rules were simple:

* The battle would be a best-of-three format

* The first round would be a 1v1

* The second and third rounds would be 2v2 matches

* The first team to win two battles would move on to the semifinals

Rion cracked his knuckles. This was it—the start of their journey to victory.

FIRST MATCH: 1V1 - CELESTIA VS. ROLAND

“First Match: 1v1!” the announcer roared. “Celestia versus Roland from Team Blaze!”

Celestia stepped forward, her golden aura flickering like a flame around her. She looked completely calm and confident. Across from her, Roland, a towering warrior, smirked as he slammed his fists together, generating bursts of heat. The air around him shimmered from the intensity of his fire-based incite magic.

“You’re fast, huh?” Roland said, his voice rough. “Let’s see if you can outrun fire.”

Celestia smirked. “We’ll see about that.”

The battle began with an explosion of energy. Roland charged first, unleashing a massive wave of fire that surged toward Celestia like a burning tsunami. The crowd gasped as the heat rippled through the arena.

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But Celestia was faster.

She disappeared in a flash, dodging the flames with incredible speed. With a swift spinning kick, she struck Roland’s ribs, sending him skidding backward.

Roland growled in frustration, planting his feet into the ground. He raised his hands, summoning a firestorm that engulfed the entire arena in a whirlwind of flames.

The heat was unbearable, but Celestia remained unfazed. With a deep breath, she unleashed her energy, her golden aura flaring like a blazing sun.

With one swift motion, she slashed through the firestorm, dispersing it with a devastating energy wave. The attack shattered Roland’s defenses, and before he could react, Celestia was already in front of him.

BAM!

A powerful palm strike to the chest sent Roland flying out of the ring.

“Winner: Celestia!”

The crowd erupted into cheers as Celestia stepped back with a satisfied smile. Team Dragon Slayers had secured the first victory.

SECOND MATCH: 2V2 - ROSE & KAIN VS. SYLVIA & GREG

The second battle was about synergy and strategy.

Rose and Kain stepped into the ring, facing Sylvia and Greg.

* Sylvia specialized in illusion-based incite magic, capable of creating afterimages and phantom attacks.

* Greg was a brute-force fighter, a powerhouse with enhanced physical strength and a near-unbreakable defense.

As soon as the match began, Sylvia disappeared in a blur, her illusions scattering across the battlefield. Greg charged like a raging bull, aiming straight for Kain.

“Watch out!” Rose shouted.

Kain braced himself, catching Greg’s massive punch with both arms. The force sent him sliding backward, his boots digging into the stone floor.

Meanwhile, Sylvia’s illusions surrounded Rose, attacking from all directions. Rose tried to counter, but every time she struck, her sword passed through air.

“Damn it, she’s tricky!” Rose muttered.

Greg threw another punch, but this time, Kain dodged, countering with a brutal uppercut that lifted Greg off his feet. Greg crashed into the ground, groaning in pain.

Sylvia smirked. “You’re strong, but you won’t hit what you can’t see.”

Kain growled. “Then I’ll just take you both down at once!”

With a roar, he slammed his fists together, creating a shockwave that dispersed Sylvia’s illusions.

Rose seized the opportunity. With a precise, lightning-fast strike, she cut through Sylvia’s guard and landed a direct hit, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Greg rose to his feet, preparing to charge again, but Kain was already behind him.

“This is over.”

Kain launched a devastating punch, sending Greg flying out of the ring.

“Winners: Team Dragon Slayers!”

The stadium erupted into deafening cheers. Team Dragon Slayers had won both matches, officially advancing to the semifinals.

NEXT OPPONENT: TEAM DRAGON

As the team stepped off the battlefield, Rion exhaled, feeling the weight of the tournament settle on his shoulders.

“That was too easy,” Yassin said, crossing his arms. “I expected more of a challenge.”

Rose shook her head. “Don’t get cocky. The next match won’t be as simple.”

Kain smirked. “Who are we facing next?”

Celestia turned to the tournament brackets. “Team Dragon.”

The group fell silent.

Rion’s eyes narrowed. “So… we’re facing the strongest rival team in the academy.”

Liora nodded. “And their captain is one of the most dangerous fighters in the tournament.”

Yassin’s grin widened. “Now things are getting interesting.”

As the team prepared for the semifinals, the tension grew heavier. The true battles were about to begin.

Little did we know what was ahead of us, the test of sorrow and emotion The real test… was just ahead.