Roa gave out a resigned sigh, “Overboard, right from the start...” 

In one ear and out the other, Ariene refused to listen. She found his concern confusing, as trust was a bridge she hadn’t yet established with him, or with anyone for that matter. 

As soon as Ariene stepped foot within the arena, countless ripples covered each facet of the mana curtain. Her shade emerged—a more mature countenance; longer flame-tinted hair; and an imposing air circled about her.

“Burn—Seed of Fire!” Ariene immediately unleashed her signature spell, a manifest of several burning vines, with the intent to restrict the shade within a fiery enclosure. 

The shade’s eyes flashed with a threatening gleam. Roa quickly rested his hand back atop the hilt of his blade, shuddering slightly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he muttered, watching it play out with apprehension.

–A single vermillion slash. 

The wave of Ariene’s burning vines was cut right through the middle; a swift crescent beam flew by Ariene’s side, scorching a lock of her hair, and slamming against the mana curtain behind her. 

She didn’t flinch. Ariene instantly adjusted her mind to the tune of battle.

That was twice now that her magic had been thwarted—by Roa, and now by this unknown creature. The glow of aura engulfed her sword and she took up her stance. She gripped her sword tighter as her rage soared, and swept it upwards with a powerful stroke.

A single vermillion slash—if the doppelganger could do it, then why couldn’t she?

The same crescent beam flew towards the shade: a crescent slash, or a projection of aura, as Roa would describe it. Normally, one’s spirit-tier determined the boundaries of what one could currently achieve, mana and aura both. Projection of aura especially, was a skill reserved for those at a higher boundary; yet, for someone who had learned to use it not too long ago, Ariene managed just that.

The crescent slash flew directly at the shade, but was extinguished easily by the shade’s sweeping parry. Anticipating the failed attack, Ariene leapt high in the air—when mana nor aura couldn’t cut it, then the herculean strength dormant within her slender limbs would be her reliable ally.

Ariene’s sword descended upon the shade and sparks flew wide as it was received. She followed with a swift cut from the side; she was parried again. 

The clash of steel echoed continuously from the arena, as the shade matched each of Ariene’s blows tit for tat. The training grounds fell quiet, the spectators were holding their breaths, silenced by the tremors birthed from the conflict.

However, only those who possessed a keen eye noticed that the one getting pushed back wasn’t the shade.

‘As expected. It isn’t possible to win with the defensive array in place.’ Roa could tell that Ariene's opponent was gradually getting stronger. 

The shade was feeding off of Ariene’s mana; her aura; and her spirit—growing at a rapid pace due to the constant supply of sustenance. Although it was still far from the harrowing nightmare he had to face back in the Spirit Domain, evidently, it was quickly becoming unmanageable.

“Ariene, yield your attacks!” Roa warned, but his words fell on deaf ears.

He turned nervously to the stage where the academy board members were watching, to Novreau Philitte who was keeping a close eye on the match; the aristocrat’s face appeared free of worry, having full confidence in the defensive array’s capabilities. 

Roa, however, felt alarm bells ringing in his head. The match needed to be stopped, but no one seemed to have any plans to do so. Roa quickly turned his gaze back to the arena, noticing the edge of a sword falling down the woodland princess’ head.

Ariene raised her weapon to block, but instead received a swift kick to her stomach, sending her flying towards the edge of the arena; she had fallen for a feint.

The shade took a stance, and its sword glowed a fiery vermillion. 

Ariene tried to stand, but found her limbs suddenly restricted by burning vines that had jutted out from underneath. She was startled, finding it odd how the signature spell wasn’t hers. 

Ariene raised her head with a grimace, expecting to receive a crescent slash with her body. Instead, “You! Why are you here!?” she exclaimed as there was someone that had intervened. Roa Fariche had appeared in front of her.

His eyes were trained on the shade, blade unsheathed; the red glow of aura rolled thinly down the weapon, and Roa received the shade’s crescent slash head on. 

Roa swept his blade in a circle, wincing as he experienced first-hand the heat that came along with the shade’s vermillion slash. Ariene stared dumbfounded as she saw that Roa could now use aura as well.

The vermillion slash was dispersed and Roa poised himself against a succeeding strike—the shade leapt and did exactly as Ariene had done earlier, wanting to rely on brute force. 

However, right in mid-air, the doppelganger suddenly froze and began to dissipate into a dark haze as it seemed the arena’s defensive array had finally kicked in.

‘That was impulsive of me…’ Roa thought.

The shade was gone. The situation inside the arena quickly calmed, but outside, people began to clamor. Roa wryly chuckled as inside, he felt incredibly agitated. 

A scene of Ariene losing in the Spirit Domain was fresh in his mind. His body had moved inadvertently to interfere with the match, even knowing that Ariene probably would have been safe.

“You! Commoner! What did I say!? How dare you interfere with the academy’s assessment!” A young noble’s shout came from just outside the mana curtain.

“It’s my turn.” Roa scratched his neck, unabashed while wearing his dumb smile—only adding to Novis’ vexation.

Ignoring the angered noble, Roa approached Ariene with the intent of helping her stand. Although, she stood on her own without taking his hand, then faced him with a cold stare.

“I didn’t ask for your help,” she muttered.

“Friends won’t need to ask, right?” Roa replied.

Ariene was lost for words. When faced with a flash of Roa’s dumb expression, she spun around to exit the arena. “Who agreed to be your friend!?” She said with an obvious stutter, and quickly waltzed outside of the mana curtain.