After her ended, Luna went to join Alex and others.
''It was a nice fight, especially that last blow right into his face. I like it.'' Alex said to her.
''Indeed, it was nicely done.'' Leon, Alex's new friend said. Ferris, Eris, and Gracier congratulated her.
Luna who was sitting on Alex's lap put on a sweet smile. After getting her fill of Alexium, Luna got up and went to sit beside Gracier.
Few minutes passed, and finally, it was time for the last match to start.
Maria and Kuina were facing each other.
They were looking at each other without saying anything and soon the signal to start the match was given. It was then Maria said,
''I don't like you.''
''Oh? What a coincidence me neither.'' Kuina replied with a smile.
''It's a good thing it's mutual. Let's begin shall we?" Maria said while she readied her two daggers.
Kuina nodded before summoning her sword, it was a red sword. The moment she summoned her sword, the temperature on the stage increased becoming extremely hot.
Boom!
As if feeling provoked extremely chilly energy was emitted from the two daggers and clashed against the heat coming from the red sword.
Outside, the audience was dumfounded, the two contestants have not started fighting yet their weapons were already clashing against each other.
''Who do you think will win?" Ferris asked.
''Hard to tell.,' Eris said, Alex was surprised as he thought she would say Kuina because they were friends and she knew how powerful the latter is.
''Alexia will win.,' Luna said sure of her assumption.
''The two are strong, in my opinion, the best will win.,' Alex said. Luna smiled not saying anything, she was not upset that Alex didn't share the same thought like her, it was understandable as he doesn't know Maria as she does.
''They begin.'' Someone said it was Leon, he didn't offer his opinion but like Alex, the best will win.
On the stage it Maria that attacked first, flicking her fingers twenty Ice arrows were created before being shot at Kuina.
In front of the incoming ice arrows Kuina showed no sign of panic, calmy she flickered her fingers and twenty flame arrows were sent crashing against the incoming fire arrows.
Boom!
An explosion occurred when the two opposite elements clashed.
Maria disappeared to reappear in front of Kuina and swung her crystal blue sword down, Kuina blocked the blow before attacking Maria with one of her tails.
As if she had expected something like this, Maria used her free hand to shoot an ice beam at the tail.
Boom!
Flame was shot out of the tip of the tail. More tails attacked Maria from different angles, Maria dodged them calmy without breaking a sweat.
''As I thought you have perfect control over your element. It almost makes one jealous.'' Kuina commented when she saw how Maria was dealing with her attacks, she controlled the cold element in the air to reduce the speed of her attacks.
'This girl is a monster. Given enough time she would able to stop time with her element like her teacher. No, I believe she will surpass her, surpass the Witch of Frozen Time.' Kuina thought.
Witch of Frozen Time is one of Freya nicknames, the Headmistress of the Imperial Magic Academy, Maria's, Sakuya, and Luna teacher.
Suddenly, Kuina jumped back, and under the astonished eyes of the crowd, a seventh tail sprouted from her back.
''No good, Kuina became serious.,' Leon announced.
Before Alex could ask Leon a question, he was surprised to find Kuina divided into twelve identical Kuina.
[Phantom Steps]
She said before the twelve Kuina attacked Maria at the same time, Maria tried defending against the twelve Kuina by trying to figure which one was the real one, unfortunately, she failed.
Bang!
Maria was sent flying back, she quickly stabilized her body before standing, she wiped the blood on the corner of her mouth, she muttered.
''Interesting movement skill. Time to taste mine.''
Before she knew it Maria appeared in front of her with her sword slashing toward her neck, when Kuina wanted to defend, herself she became aware that her movement slowed down, snorting her body emitted heat, with this, she was able to regain control of her body before slashing at Maria.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
When they were exchanging moves, Kuina's movement suddenly faltered, it was because Maria used Glaciate, some kind of eye power on her.
Using this chance Maria punched Kuina in the stomach, sending her tumbling back, she followed with a horizontal slash, however, halfway through her attack, Maria jumped back because flame erupted from Kuina and turned into a gigantic seven tails firefox.
Bang!
Maria was sent spiraling into the sky before,
Bang! Crack!
She got pummeled back onto the ground by another tail.
Silence descended upon the whole stadium. Everyone was waiting to see what will happen.
Kuina was sitting on the Firefox commending it. Her expression changed
*Rumble* Boom!
An explosion occurred where Maria was, the ground became frozen, the temperature plummeted.
Standing on frozen ground was Maria, her clothe was rigged in different places, her head was bleeding. However, currently, none of that mattered as Maria was emitting a bone-chilling aura that could make one shiver, behind her was half materialized beautiful gigantic phoenix bird.
''Phoenix? Impossible.'' Elseria shouted as she couldn't believe was she was seeing, Freya was surprised as well.
''What is that?'' Alex asked not recognizing the Ice Phoenix.
〖Ice Phoenix〗Silveria responded.
'So does this mean Maria's Gift spirit is phoenix?' Alex asked.
〖You can say that, Twin Ice Phoenix, also known as Ice Fairies.〗Silveria explained.
'I see. A dragon, a Ice Phoenix. I wonder if there is White tiger and Black tortoise?' Alex wondered. Silveria chuckled not commenting.
Meanwhile, on the stage,
Suddenly, the half-materialized bird behind Maria vanished, no to be more accurate it entered her body. Maria's hair became white, her face became emotionless.
Kuina who was sitting on the Firefox flinched, she was feeling scared. Biting her lips she decided to gamble, with her current level it will suicidal to try spirit possession but she knew that if she doesn't gamble she would lose as the current her couldn't hope fighting equally against Maria who was now in a spirit possession state.
What Maria did just now is called Spirit Possession, only Gifts that has spirit and were special can perform spirit possession. When you use this skill you can let your weapon spirit merge with you. It's temporary, the time you can use for depends on how strong your connection with your weapon spirit is and more importantly your body, the amount of MP you possess.
''Spirit Possession,'' Kuina shouted, the Firefox disappeared and entered her body, Kuina's hair turned red, her fox tails turned into flame foxtails, there was a half-moon symbol on her forehead.
Maria and Kuina stared at each other and grinned before disappearing, the ground under their feet cracked, they appeared in the sky and exchanged hundreds of moves using their bare hands.
Nobody managed to win, they got separated, now at the edge of the platform both looked at each other.
Kuina flicked her finger muttered, ''Purgatory Flame.''
A small black small appeared, the moment it appeared the ground started melting.
The black flame was shot toward Maria, its speed was neither slow nor fast, whenever the flame passed, the ground would melt.
Clapping her hands, Maria said, ''Absolute Beginning Flame.''
A small blue flame appeared in front of her before disappearing, when it reappeared it was already in front of the black flame.
Kaboom!
A mega explosion occurred creating a blinding light.
Everyone was blinded and deafened by the flash of light and the explosion. The wind, stirring and blowing everything away. The heat mixed with cold was so intense that people were already sweating and freezing at the same time.
The explosion was so intense that casualties seemed inevitable but, thankfully, fail-safes, in the form of large glowing blue barriers, that were created to protect the crowd in case of a dangerous situation activated at full power, thereby avoiding the worst situation.
Finally, as the light abated only one question filled the mind of everyone still awake.
Who was the winner?
A gust of wind stirred the dust away, revealing the state of the platform.
Everything was blown away. Nothing was left. Only one word could describe this scene.
Apocalypse. There was a big hole on the ground where the stage was used to be.
Finally, the two fighters could be seen, one was standing while the other was half-kneeling.
It was Maria who was standing, Kuina was the one-half kneeling, she had already lost consciousness.
The result?
It was Maria's win. Even though she was gravely injured and tired she was still awake. She lifted her hand in sign of victory.
....
"Beautiful fight."
Luna murmured in happiness. She knew how much Maria trained. She was happy that Maria won.
''Indeed, a beautiful fight.'' Sakuya who just joined Alex and the others commented.
The others acquiesced.
A team of teachers moved and evacuated Maria and Kuina. They received treatment.
Half of an hour passed, Chris was standing in front of his students, not everyone was present only the winners. Alex, Gracier, Leon, Leonardo, Ferris, Artemia, Damien and Maria.
''Well done everyone. The quarterfinals will start with you eight tomorrow. The first match will be between Alexander and Leonardo.''
The moment this was announced Leonardo grinned, he couldn't wait to teach Alex a lesson, to show him the difference between the two.
Alex was happy with this news as well as he couldn't wait to thrash the so-called Hero.