Zeke and Samuel stood at opposite sides of the arena, each readying themselves for the impending fight. The anticipation was palpable, as they both signaled their readiness to the announcer.

In the moments before the start of the fight, Zeke utilized his spell to analyze Samuel. The list of Samuel's spells was a month old. Zeke had managed to acquire a fresh scan of his body before the start of the battle, however.

[Results of Analyze]

First name: Samuel. Mage name: None. Last name: Luftschloss. Age: 15. Gender: Male. Height: 1.73m. Real combat strength: 223.

Strength: 10 Constitution: 9 Agility: 14 Intelligence: 10

Wind magic (Greater affinity), Rank: True Mage, Engraved spell: [Levitate].

Wind magic:

[Levitate] Active

This spell allows the caster to levitate. Control and speed in the air depend on the mastery of the spell.

[Wind Blade] Active This spell allows the caster to summon blades of wind that can strike at distant targets. [Wind Steps] Active This spell allows the caster to step on air and gives a moderate boost to movement speed with each step. [Gust] Active This spell allows the caster to send out a gust of wind, when used against a target it can destabilize a target and cause it to fall.

The referee's voice boomed out, "3, 2, 1, Go!"

At the signal, Zeke sprang forward with all his might. He barreled towards Samuel with the ferocity of a thunderbolt, eager to end the fight with a decisive strike.

Samuel, who was well aware of Zeke's tactics from observing his previous battles, took to the air. The Wind Mage used the [Levitate] spell. After his feet had left the ground, he swung both arms in a downward arc. This gesture was often associated with the [Gust] spell. Sure enough, powerful currents of wind accelerated his flight. He was attempting to gain altitude and distance from his opponent as fast as possible.

Zeke pushed himself to the limits of his abilities. He used every ounce of mastery he possessed in his [Perfect Body Control]. He could feel the fibers of his muscles strain as he raced through the air toward Samuel. He was determined to end the battle with a single strike.

Samuel's eyes widened as he realized he wouldn't be able to outrun Zeke's charge. In a desperate attempt to reverse the situation, he summoned two sharp [Wind Blades] with a sweep of his arms.

If Zeke were to dodge or evade the blades, there would be no chance of catching Samuel. Not with the speed the boy ascended. It would only be a moment until he had gained enough altitude to be safely out of range.

Samuel's grimace turned to relief as his spells flew toward Zeke. The expression turned to fear, as he realized that Zeke was neither dodging nor slowing down. Zeke's eyes were fixed on his target and nothing else. He didn't even flinch as the wind blades sliced into his chest, leaving behind trails of crimson blood.

Zeke gritted his teeth and prepared to deliver a crushing blow. He swung his staff with all his might in a diagonal swipe aimed at Samuel's rib cage. His staff whistled through the air as he swung it with all his might. The look on his face was cruel and menacing, and it sent chills down Samuel's spine.

In a last-ditch effort to save himself, Samuel conjured another [Gust] from his left hand. He was hoping to adjust his position in midair. He barely managed to move his ribs out of the way of Zeke's strike and took the hit to his hip and leg instead.

Zeke's strike sent Samuel flying out of range, tumbling through the air. Though Zeke's own wounds needed attention, his eyes never left the Wind Mage. Samuel's hip and leg were bent at an unnatural angle. But for as long as he could stay aloft, he would not be overly hampered by the injury.

With a sense of frustration, Zeke landed. He was vexed by this turn of events; the fight ahead would prove more challenging now. Luckily, the arena in which they were competing was indoors. The room was only around 10 meters high, limiting Samuel's mobility.

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Samuel's terror slowly dissipated as he regained his composure. The fear in his eyes turned to anger as he surveyed the damage to his body. He sent Zeke a fiery gaze and screamed from above.

"I will make you pay for this!"

Zeke, unfazed, met Samuel's hatred-filled eyes with equal fervor. In stark contrast to the enraged Wind Mage, he had opted to remain silent.

Zeke had no time for banter. He was already formulating his next move. He was considering different strategies for taking down flying opponents. He would prefer to keep his remaining trump cards hidden, if at all possible. In the end, he settled on a tried and true method - attrition.

In their last fight, Samuel used this very strategy against him. The injuries he had sustained back then had overtaxed Zeke's core. It was much harder to heal damage than to cause it, after all. Today, things would go differently.

He cast a challenging smirk at Samuel, daring him to make a move. Standing with his arms crossed, Zeke waited, not adopting a combat stance at all.

Samuel, growing agitated by Zeke's nonchalance, started launching [Wind Blades] at him. This basic spell was a staple for low-level Wind Mages, offering speed, accuracy, and low Mana cost.

Zeke's grin widened as Samuel fell right into his trap. He didn't use any Mana. The Blood Mage merely relied on his improved agility to dodge the incoming attacks. Sometimes he had to use his staff or vambraces to deflect any that slipped past.

Samuel realized Zeke's plan after only a few exchanges. The strain of constantly casting [Levitate] while attacking had already begun to take its toll. Sweat dripped down his back as he struggled to find a solution. He couldn't damage Zeke from a distance and had to remain in the air due to his wounded leg. If he didn't come up with something, defeat seemed inevitable. Samuel ceased his assault. He floated near the ceiling as he considered his options.

Meanwhile, Zeke stood still, content to run out the clock. The understanding that defeat was near had clearly dawned on Samuel. His only option now was to take a desperate risk to secure a chance of victory. He could see the moment the determination entered his opponent's eyes, ready to risk it all.

Zeke remained stoic. He did not reveal that he was anticipating this move. But inwardly he rejoiced. He had hoped Samuel wouldn't surrender and, instead, make a final effort to turn the tide of the battle.

As Samuel prepared for his strike, Zeke felt a twinge of curiosity. What could the Luftschloss noble have up his sleeve?

Samuel glided upwards in order to have enough freedom to build up speed. After reaching the apex of his ascent, he swooped down like a bird of prey. He was determined to get close enough to make it impossible for Zeke to dodge. The Wind Mage pushed his palms together as if trying to squeeze out even the last bit of air. His eyes were focused on Zeke as a malicious grin spread across his face.

Zeke could only smile at this. The movement was well-known to him, having seen it performed many times by Viola over the summer. Samuel was preparing to cast [Pressure Lance]. The spell created an almost invisible spike of pressurized air. It was capable of piercing even the toughest monsters hides. But Zeke was ready, he knew all too well how to counter this spell.

The spell's explosive power diminished with distance. Its effective range was at most three meters. Beyond that point, it would quickly start to feel like a light push rather than a devastating pierce.

The smile still on his face, he hoisted his staff over his shoulder. He pointed its dragon head toward the incoming Wind Mage. After a moment of concentration, he launched it like a javelin.

Samuel was stunned by this action. Why would any melee fighter toss their only weapon? But he had no time to think, as the staff hurtled toward him at breakneck speed. He aborted his attack, as he was still out of range.

Samuel redirected his spell to the side. He used the pushback of the pressurized air to dodge out of the way and avoid the incoming projectile. Despite this, Samuel was still smiling, seeming to have found the exchange worth it. After all, Zeke had lost his only weapon while he still had ample Mana for another attempt.

As Samuel was about to restart his attack, he suddenly felt an alarming sensation. It was as if the breath had been ripped from his lungs. Looking down, he saw a thick red rope wrapped tightly around his neck. Following the rope to its source, his eyes widened in horror as he saw Zeke hanging in midair. A sadistic grin had spread across Zeke's face. Samuel desperately tried to escape the chokehold. He fumbled around his throat, trying to loosen or sever his bindings. The rope held firm, revealing itself to be one of Zeke's [Blood Whips].

Despite his struggles, Samuel wasn't able to break free. He was even incapable of dragging the other boy higher into the air. Zeke had anchored himself midair with his [Air Step] spell, rendering him immovable.

Zeke's expression turned even more sinister as he reveled in Samuel's distress. A cruel smile twisted his usually cheerful features, and he began to use the Blood Whip to haul Samuel. At first, the movement was slow. But as Zeke swung Samuel in circles, he gathered momentum. He exerted all the force he could muster to build up speed. After one final revolution, he changed course.

With Samuel in tow, Zeke plummeted towards the earth. Then, just before impact, he pulled on the rope with all his might. The body of the Wind Mage overtook him in an instant. Like a cannonball, he hurled Samuel towards the ground, arresting his descent.

The referee attempted to intervene, but it was too late. Samuel slammed into the arena's dirt floor headfirst, creating a massive cloud of dust. Zeke landed lightly beside the impact crater, a relaxed smile on his face.

The referee hastened to the scene, clearing the billowing dust with a wave of his arm. Samuel lay crumpled on the ground, his head buried in the dirt. There didn't seem to be a single whole bone in his body. The man took swift action, calling over a healer to attend to Samuel's injuries.

He stood, giving Zeke a stern gaze, and spoke. "That move could have taken his life. What were you thinking?"

Zeke remained unfazed by the rebuke, responding coolly. "His [Pressure Lance] could have killed me too. I didn't see you stepping in then, and for good reasons. With all due respect, sir, this is the Elementium. We are probably the most elite academy for combat Mages in the world. I would appreciate it if you didn't treat this like a children's game. Some of us are fighting for our futures here."

The referee had no retort, for Zeke's point was valid. He only had a problem with Zeke's actions in the first place for a single reason. When the boy had his opponent restrained with a [Blood Whip], the match could have ended in his favor. But Zeke had other plans. He launched into his final attack before the referee could intervene.

The announcer studied Zeke for a long moment. Finally, he merely sighed and declared the victor.

"The winner is Ezekiel von Hohenheim!" His voice rang out, loud and clear.

Zeke walked back to Viola, who was waiting with a smile. She had no issue with how Zeke won the battle, as she was equally vindictive.

"Good job, Zeke!" she cheered, "With that, you should be able to enter the elimination round as first-ranked in your group."

Zeke nodded, happy to have finally evened the score with Samuel. Viola then pointed at the boy in question and added. "I think that's the end of the tournament for him. Even if an Arch Mage with life affinity were to heal him, he wouldn't be able to continue with a concussion and depleted core. His head will need time to clear."

Zeke's smile only grew wider at this declaration. He had feared that his win over Samuel would be meaningless in the end. The Wind Mage could have just taken the second spot to advance. Viola's words cleared up his final regrets about the fight.