I stepped away from the office and walked toward the railing overlooking the lower floor. A massive crowd of students was heading toward the back courtyard, all moving with way too much excitement for it to be normal break-time behavior.

Curious, I headed back down the stairs and followed the flow of students outside.

Cold air hit my face the moment I stepped through the doors.

The academy courtyard was packed.

Students surrounded the training arena almost shoulder to shoulder, forming a massive circle around it. Some stood on benches for a better view while others leaned over the railings from the upper walkways.

And there he was. Mr. Marble stood in the center of the arena with his hands behind his back.

Across from him stood two students. Eselin and Null.

"So that’s what this is about..." I muttered.

The tension between them was obvious even from here. Eselin stood upright with her blonde hair tied back neatly, one hand resting near the sword at her waist. Her expression looked calm, but the way her eyes stayed locked onto Null told a different story.

Null looked far more relaxed. One hand rested casually inside his pocket while the other rolled his weapon loosely against his shoulder.

Were they seriously about to fight each other?

"...which is why I’ll be acting as referee," Mr. Marble announced loudly enough for the entire courtyard to hear. "This practice match will be conducted with real weapons. Spells are permitted."

The crowd instantly got louder.

I walked closer to the arena, squeezing between groups of students until I found a decent spot near the front. There were so many people packed together that moving around felt like trying to walk through a damn wall.

Still... this was interesting. Null was ranked B-class. Eselin was S-class. On paper, she should destroy him.

"When I say stop, you stop immediately," Mr. Marble continued firmly. "This is not a duel to the death. Understood?"

Neither of them answered verbally, but both nodded.

"Good. Then take your positions."

The two of them slowly walked backward toward opposite ends of the arena floor.

Students around me started whispering immediately.

"This is gonna be insane."

"You think Null actually has a chance?"

"He better."

A boy standing beside me scoffed loudly.

"I hope Null beats her ass," he muttered to his friend.

"Same," the other replied. "That bitch accused us of attacking Jelda like she’s some kind of hero. She’s completely insane."

"Right?"

I glanced at them briefly but didn’t say anything.

Interesting. So the whole Jelda incident still hadn’t died down yet.

Across the arena, Eselin slowly unsheathed her sword. The polished blade reflected the pale daylight as she lowered herself into a stance without taking her eyes off Null for even a second.

Null rolled his shoulders lazily before finally pulling his own weapon free.

Unlike Eselin’s clean and elegant sword, his looked rougher. Dark metal. Wider blade. More suited for brute force than technique.

The crowd slowly quieted down. Even the students who had been yelling moments ago fell silent.

Mr. Marble raised one hand between them.

The wind passed through the courtyard softly, carrying the sound of distant leaves rustling across the stone paths.

Neither fighter moved.

Neither blinked.

Then the headmaster lowered his hand.

"Begin."

They moved at the exact same moment.

Despite carrying the heavier weapon, Null crossed the arena with terrifying speed. His boots scraped against the stone floor as he rushed straight toward Eselin, his expression cold and completely focused. Once he got close enough, he planted his right foot forward and swung his blade upward in a brutal arc aimed directly at her.

Eselin reacted instantly.

A gust of wind burst beneath her feet, lifting her into the air before the blade could reach her. Her blonde hair fluttered behind her as she flipped cleanly over him and landed several meters away with surprising grace. She touched the ground lightly, her back briefly turned toward him.

"Are you going to keep running away?" Null asked calmly as he turned to face her. "Or are we actually going to fight, Eselin?"

She ignored the provocation completely.

Instead, she slowly stretched her free hand outward.

A spark of black lightning crackled into existence inches away from her palm. The energy twisted violently, condensing into a small orb that floated above her hand. Dark electricity pulsed around it like veins spreading through the air itself.

Then the orb fired.

A bolt of lightning shot across the arena with a deafening crack.

Null raised his sword and deflected the first strike while continuing to move forward. The second bolt came immediately after, grazing past his shoulder close enough to singe part of his uniform. The third shot aimed directly at his face, forcing him to stop his momentum entirely and dodge sideways.

The crowd erupted around the arena.

"She’s serious!"

Null dropped to one knee and slammed his hand toward the ground.

The earth beneath him shifted instantly.

Stone burst upward several inches in front of him, forming a thick wall just as another lightning bolt crashed against it. The impact exploded across the surface in a burst of smoke and sparks before fading away into the air.

Once the smoke cleared, Null lowered the stone wall with a flick of his hand and casually dusted dirt off his sleeve.

"Relying on spells already," he said evenly. "How very S-class of you."

Eselin closed her palm slowly, causing the orb of lightning to disappear.

"Jealous that I have the best mana pool in the academy?" she replied.

The two of them were strangely calm for people trying to beat each other unconscious. Neither raised their voices. Neither looked nervous. Their faces barely changed at all. It almost made the fight feel more dangerous.

Null suddenly snapped his fingers.

A circle of glowing runes appeared beside him, spreading across the ground in pale blue light. Smoke rose from the center of the formation, twisting together unnaturally as the surrounding air turned colder.

Then something formed from the smoke itself.

A wolf.

Or at least something shaped like one.