"Treble Lance. Stampede."

Oscar's deer anima stomped its heavy metal hooves, and red hot sparks erupted from the metal scraping. A fearsome presence enveloped the platform, emanating from the man and his deer anima, standing tall like a tenured knight, wielding deadly force. Oscar's bloodshot eyes could only be accompanied by the blood dripping from his right arm, covered by the lance.

Serena felt every hair on her stand up as her mind erupted with the feeling of impending danger. Her Prinstyct desperately tried to find Oscar's next move; his next direction became evident despite him being atop his anima because his body was still viewable, a straightforward charge to her.

Oscar saw Serena's intent to use a ton of Ein. However, it was too late; his deer anima kicked off like a speeding bullet, reaching speeds it could not before because Oscar funneled everything into it. Geysers erupted behind him as he was too fast for them to catch.

In front, a large 'Rampaging Torrent' and pair of spinning axes combined, and the waves funneled into a singular sharp point. Oscar thrust the three lances against this wave, breaking it apart with 'Shattering Wave' and the sheer sharpness of his lances. However, Serena was nowhere to be seen.

She had taken advantage of the vision obscurity of her waves and made a getaway, dragging her feet as she was tired. She glanced back, knowing Oscar was at the end of his rope, with a triumphant smile on her face. It took everything, but she finally stumped him.

But the next scene shook her to the core.

Oscar stabbed the lance in his right arm against the platform. He knew that this move was a one-and-done and that having his deer anima change direction by itself was foolhardy. But he was here to help it; he stabbed the lance with such power that it forcibly moved the deer anima to point toward another direction.

The lance shattered apart, but his deer anima was back on track. Seeing Serena try to dodge again, Oscar leaped off his deer anima, and his body flew across to Serena, who widened her eyes and tried to recall her axes. But it was too late for Serena as Oscar crashed into her, holding his fist right before her face.

"I give up." Serena stared down at Oscar's fist in front of her. His fist would slam into her before her axes would arrive, and she used everything to deter Oscar's last strike. She blushed a deep red as Oscar was on top of her, feeling the hard muscles weighing down on her.

She wished Oscar would not move, but her hopes were dashed. If only he could do this more.

"Good choice." Oscar panted, and his vision grew hazy. He got off and vomited blood off the platform.

Serena got up and patted him on the back. "It's hard to tell who the winner is. You're more beat up than I am."

"Os!" Frederick and Emily came to his side and helped him to the healing tent while Serena followed.

"Thanks." Oscar got settled on a bed.

Emily frowned. "Why didn't you use that move on me? I would love to face it head-on."

Oscar coughed while laughing. "I didn't use it against Fred because he's too slippery, and I didn't want to drain everything on one move; my defense was enough to force him to come close to doing any damage. Against you, it might have worked, but it's a last resort I would rather not use. However, Serena's attacks hurt, and she maintained her range, so I had to go for a single chance."

"Wait until my wind spells get sharper. I'll lay cuts all through your armor." Frederick grumbled, deciding to strengthen his offense.

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Serena smiled. "So I was your toughest opponent?"

"No, Emily was tougher," Oscar stated.

"Tch." Serena frowned as Emily laughed.

"In terms of raw power, Emily is stronger. But if you could keep pinning me down with geyser eruptions, I'd lose." Oscar felt tired. "I only used my last resort because you weren't coming close."

"Alright. Let Os rest. Who's your opponent?" Frederick wondered. It should be time for them to give the stone tablets to reveal their next opponents. As he thought that, the announcement came over the Pavilion, and a stone tablet appeared in Oscar's hands.

"YOUR NEXT OPPONENTS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED. THE MATCHES WILL RESUME AFTER TWO HOURS."

The booming voice of the announcer echoed across the stadium. Oscar covered his ears as it was too loud. The inhibitor was still firmly placed in his once-missing ear.

"How loud," Serena complained. "Who is your next opponent?"

Frederick and Emily came close to take a look.

"Let's see." Oscar watched the stone tablet brighten as an image formed on its surface. He, as well as everyone else, widened their eyes in shock. Oscar almost raised his voice but managed to keep his volume low. "This must be rigged."

…….

Oscar stepped onto a platform with the worried expressions of Frederick, Emily, and Serena. His opponent also arrived at the same time. His silver hair melded with the breeze, his eyes gleamed like the sun, gold and burning, and his smile soft across his handsome face.

"It's nice to see everyone. Though, perhaps for Oscar, it's not good to see me." Charles Anholt Dragnar smiled, summoning his amphiptere anima; it thrashed its long snake tail around while unfurling its draconic wings and roaring from its dragon head. The pressure from it made Oscar and the others feel immense pressure.

Oscar frowned. When he was a Greater Apprentice, he had the advantage against Charles, but now Charles had surpassed him due to the fast progression of his Grade Eight Exolsia. Out of everyone who was an Elite Exalt in Celestina's group, he was the closest to the Middle Elite Exalt realm.

His Ein already surpassed Oscar's, and the amphiptere anima had become far stronger with the Elemental Spark of Light. Oscar resumed sparring with Charles many times after he became an Elite Exalt. Still, even with his Reis and early Prinstyct, it was not enough to break Charles, only becoming a hard nuisance to put down, which was admirable to the others, but Oscar wanted to get a stab at this prince.

"Just my luck to be matched against you," Oscar said.

"Naturally." Charles nodded. "It is folly to surrender and not in your character. However, I have an inkling you have a proposal for me." Charles stared at Oscar with interest.

"Both you and your sister seem to have a good knack for seeing through people." Oscar made a light-hearted compliment.

"As royalty, we need good eyes to discern and understand the people around us. That way, we can decide who to trust, who to keep at arm's length, and who to isolate." Charles stroked the head of his amphiptere anima. "So, your proposal?"

Oscar summoned his deer anima. Its hooves clattered on the platform. "One hit."

"One hit?" Charles pondered.

The three outside the platform remained silent as Charles and Oscar conversed.

"We will exchange a single blow with everything we have." Oscar held up one finger. "No moving around or scurrying about. No need for Prinstyct. Just an all-out attack. The loser of this exchange forfeits the match."

Charles listened until the end and sighed in response, his shoulders shrugging in the same elegant manner as Draven. "There are no merits in it for me, Oscar. Why should I follow along? You and my sister are good friends, but that doesn't mean I want to accommodate your whims in a competition." His golden eyes sharpened, emanating the same regal aura as Celestina's.

"Then how about this? I will forfeit this match regardless." Oscar pointed to himself.

"Os?" "Oscar?" "Oscar?"

Frederick, Serena, and Emily shouted out in confusion. They almost went on the platform if not for the stern look from the proctor.

The proctor wanted to stop the two from talking and get to battle, but none showed their will to fight. Furthermore, the other party was the prince, so he had to tread carefully.

"You'll forfeit anyway?" Charles raised his eye and stared blankly at Oscar. "What do you mean?"

"You know as well as I do that fighting will result in my loss. Our past spars have proven that. But I want to see what my full power can do against your full power. Just once, without tactics, Prinstyct, and other means, I want to measure our pure power." Oscar smiled.

Charles remained silent for a moment before breaking out in hearty laughter. His shoulders quivered as he clutched his stomach with tears coming out of his eyes. The dignified and reserved prince had let loose, his eyes beaming at Oscar. "Let's do it! You surprise me all the time. First beating me when we were Apprentice Exalts, and now this. I, Charles Anholt Dragnar, accept your request for a single bout."

Oscar lifted his buckler. "Thanks, Charles."

Charles took out his dual-blade, a grade-two armament with a single guard for the grip and two blades extending from both ends. His eyes flashed as Ein flowed out in silvery flames. "Receive my blow, Oscar."