‘A Goldcrest shows no weakness,’ Klein reminded himself as he began explaining the academy’s complexities to Harold. ‘No matter how much pressure there is.’
♢♢♢♢
“Unfortunately, I won’t get to see Luna crush Klein’s team,” Liu began gathering his things, his night bat casting fleeting shadows. “I have class and need those points to not fall behind again.”
“We’ll tell you every bloody detail,” Min promised from his horizontal position, still recovering from the cultivation session.
The bells began to toll, marking the hour of the final battle. Their deep resonance seemed to vibrate through the academy walls and their bodies.
“Ready?” Ren headed for the door, his mushrooms pulsing with anticipation.
“To see Klein humiliated? Always,” Min rose with effort, his new markings still shimmering. “Think Luna will use your trick against the roar?”
“We’ll find out soon.”
The battlefield was packed when they arrived.
Even spectators from other years with free schedules had come to watch. Klein’s brother lounged in the stands with aristocratic indifference, and even Professor Wei, who had no class today, had made time to attend.
The tension in the air was almost palpable as the teams took their positions, like static before a storm.
Luna advanced with grace, her shadow wolf barely visible as a dark silhouette at her feet, bending light around its ethereal form. Her “companions” flanked her with elegance, though there was something different in their posture today, like predators barely containing their hunting instincts.
Klein occupied the opposite field’s center, his golden lion manifesting in brilliant patterns across his skin. The mark on his jaw, where Ren had struck him, was still visible from refusing proper healing, a reminder of wounded pride.
Feng and Astor flanked him, their beasts creating an intimidating spectacle of crimson scales and bluish plates.
“The friendly tournament’s final battle,” Yang positioned himself between both teams. “Are you ready?”
Klein’s gaze toward Luna contained more than simple rivalry. There was desperation in his eyes, as if his entire future hinged on this moment.
Luna returned an icy smile, her wolf materializing more clearly for an instant. The message was clear: there would be no mercy.
“It’s like the whole academy is holding its breath,” Min whispered.
Ren nodded, his mushrooms pulsing in rhythm with his anticipation. The final spectacle was about to begin.
♢♢♢♢
Klein studied the battlefield while Yang prepared to give the signal, his mind racing through scenarios.
‘The cloud bird is key,’ he thought, mentally reviewing his strategy. ‘If they create their mist field, the wolf will have too much of an advantage. I need to paralyze them before they can establish their terrain and finish them quickly.’
Feng and Astor positioned themselves according to plan too.
Feng’s red cobra already had its acid ready, the instant Luna’s team was paralyzed by the roar, it would strike the cloud bird at its most vulnerable moment.
Astor and his rhinoceros would handle the noble girl controlling it.
Luna remained serene, almost unconcerned. Her maids maintained their elegant poses, as if this were merely a garden stroll.
Their confidence only fueled Klein’s anger.
‘That arrogance…’ Klein clenched his fists. ‘They think they can underestimate me after what happened with that rotting boy…’
“Begin!” Yang’s voice resonated across the field.
Klein didn’t waste a second. He unleashed his roar instantly, golden waves of spiritual energy crossing the air like a tsunami of light. The very ground seemed to tremble with its power.
“Now!” he shouted, certain of victory.
Feng launched his snake’s acid attack toward the cloud bird while Astor’s rhino charged at its controller. It was a perfect plan. The roar would paralyze their opponents for precious seconds, more than enough to…
Luna didn’t freeze at all.
Not just her… her entire team moved with devastating speed, as if the roar didn’t even exist.
“Impossible!” Klein stepped back, his eyes widening in horror as once again his roar failed to affect his opponents. The image of Ren falling toward him flashed through his mind for an instant.
Feng’s acid found only air, the cloud bird was already in action, mist pouring from its wings in torrents. Astor’s charge was slowed by roots erupting from the ground, the tree turtle creating barriers with supernatural speed.
“They used it!” Min watched from the stands. “I knew denying Klein’s roar was too good to ignore.”
“They’re doomed, right?” Taro leaned forward. “With the mist, victory is…”
“Luna’s team’s,” Ren completed. “Though they’ll have to take their time. We could only attack by surprise at the start but for them…”
On the field, Klein tried to reorganize his shattered strategy. Without the initial paralysis, his team had lost all positional and field advantage.
The wolf emerged from Astor’s shadow, its fangs tearing at his leg where the rhinoceros’s armor couldn’t yet manifest. It wasn’t an attack to take him out since the rules didn’t let it hurt him too much, but to slow and force his beast to retreat.
As expected, the rhinoceros returned in a sphere of light to Astor’s body immediately after his pained scream.
“Defensive formation, retract beasts!” Klein ordered while backing toward Astor, the mist already surrounding them, thick and disorienting.
Luna still gave no verbal orders. Her maids moved as one, each anticipating the others’ movements with practiced precision.
Luna’s wolf began its deadly dance, appearing and disappearing between shadows, delivering small attacks that Astor barely managed to block. Each time Klein tried to track its position, he found only more mist.
“Don’t let them separate us!” Klein tried to keep his team together, but wooden barriers kept appearing, pushing them out.
“Scared so soon?” Luna’s voice slid through the fog like frozen silk. “And we’re just getting started.”
Klein tried to track the sound’s origin, but her voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
“The voice isn’t the problem,” Feng muttered, his cobra moving nervously. “It’s that we can’t…”
“You know what they told me, Klein?” Luna interrupted, her tone carrying childish disgust with a razor’s edge. “That you’ve been going around talking about engagements and false promises. I don’t even like you!”
Klein visibly tensed. Feng and Astor exchanged confused looks.
The words struck harder than any physical attack, not because of Luna, but because of what they meant for the future hanging over his head.