The sun rose above the academy, casting a golden glow across the land, while birds chirped merrily in the crisp morning air. Rai slowly opened his eyes, the weight of the upcoming battle heavy on his mind. Sitting cross-legged atop his bed, he closed his eyes again, his hands resting calmly in his lap. With a quiet prayer, Rai centred himself, his focus entirely on the fight ahead. This was the moment he had been working towards his entire life.

Gale, on the other hand, had already risen. He quickly got dressed and hurried out of the room, determined to ensure Rai wasn’t left behind in his preparations. But Rai remained still, meditating in silence, as if drawing strength from the universe itself. The fight would be for more than just personal glory—it was for every individual who had been dismissed as lesser simply because they weren’t born with eyes that overflowed with magic.

A short while later, Gale returned, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a plate of eggs and bread in the other. “You need to eat, Rai. Big day ahead,” he said with a grin, clearly eager for the upcoming battle.

Rai nodded and rose from the bed. His hair, spiky and black, was a little messy, but he didn’t mind. The red scarf tied loosely around his waist was a gift from his parents, symbolizing both their support and their faith in him. Donning the black vest and pants provided by them, Rai quickly scarfed down his meal, his focus unwavering.

Within minutes, both of them were ready. Gale gave Rai an encouraging nod, and the two made their way toward the academy's grand arena—The Eyes of Truth. The arena was a massive structure, shaped like a colossal eye, standing as a testament to the academy’s importance. Capable of holding over 100,000 people, it was large enough to accommodate the entire student body of 150,000. With the older years absent for various reasons, it would more than suffice for the spectacle that was about to unfold. The arena, standing proudly against the rising sun, was ready to witness a fight that would determine more than just the victor—it would decide the future of the academy.

At the entrance to the arena, Gale and Rai part ways. “Good luck, man,” says Gale as he makes his way to the spectator stands. Rai walks toward the contenders' section of the arena and sits in the waiting room. The arena is brimming with students.

“Welcome, everyone, to this grand occasion!” says a female voice through the speakers of the arena. She is the presenter. “This is a historic moment. Not only are we about to witness a Magian battle after 50 years, but today we will witness a never-before-seen moment in history. A boy with ordinary eyes and no magic whatsoever is going up against the strongest 5th-year student!” The crowd erupts into cheers. “The last victor of the Magian battle is our current headmaster, so why don’t we put our hands together to invite that legend?”

The crowd’s cheers swell to a deafening roar as Headmaster Pragay steps into view. A figure of wisdom and authority, he is a venerable man with a long, flowing white beard, his round glasses perched delicately atop his nose. Dressed in a simple cassock, every movement he makes seems to radiate both knowledge and power. Behind him walks his vice head, Frost Kromus, a stoic figure whose presence commands respect. Together, they make their way to the judges' lounge, located at the base of the arena, where they will oversee the battle and determine its outcome.

As the two of them take their seats in the lounge, it is clear that there are still three more seats left to fill.

The announcer’s voice rang out once more, “Alright folks, that’s not all! Now, let’s invite the remaining judges, the esteemed Deans of each department. First, from the Magic Department, please welcome Dean Harchell!”

A slender and graceful woman with long black hair and piercing blue eyes stepped forward. Her every movement exuded elegance as she walked to the lounge, her cheongsam flowing effortlessly with her steps. With an air of authority and poise, she took her seat among the other judges.

“Next, we have the Dean of the Combat Department, Dean Luthor.”

A young man with short, neatly combed brown hair walked out, dressed in an elegant tuxedo. His appearance was polished, but it was his aura that truly stood out—each step he took seemed to send ripples of fear and dread through the crowd. His presence alone exuded an intimidating mastery, one that only a true combat expert could carry effortlessly. Without saying a word, he took his seat, and the atmosphere seemed to grow heavier in his wake, but it did not stop the cheers.

“And finally, we have the esteemed Dean of the Magic Beasts Department, Dean Shelly.”

A young girl, appearing no older than 14, stepped forward. She wore a cute, frilly dress and skipped happily to her seat, her cheerful demeanour seemingly out of place in such a grand arena. At first glance, she might have appeared harmless, but the true extent of her power became apparent only when the crowd noticed something unusual above her.

A massive red phoenix, its feathers glowing like flames, descended gracefully from the sky. As it neared the academy, the creature began to shrink in size until it gently landed on Dean Shelly’s lap. The sight was awe-inspiring—this seemingly innocent girl was bonded with one of the most powerful magical beasts in existence.

“With that, we now have everyone here, ready for the fight. So, let’s not waste any time and invite the contenders of the match. Remember, their futures hang in the balance. First, let us call upon the man sought after by every squad in the Elemental Knights, the strongest 5th-year student with the most promising future in the world of magic—it is none other than Mammoth Stark!”

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers as Mammoth Stark, the towering 8-foot-tall behemoth of a man, strode confidently into the arena. His fighting gear gleamed with gold accents, the yellow theme matching the raw power that emanated from him. The audience’s adoration was palpable, for they had already decided the outcome of this match in his favor. Mammoth raised a hand in greeting, acknowledging both the judges and the crowd, before taking his position in the arena with calm assurance.

“Now, the man of the moment—the oddball who initiated this entire challenge, his ordinary eyes making him an extraordinary contender for this fight—let's welcome, Rai!!!”

Rai strode out into the arena with effortless coolness, exuding confidence with every step. To his surprise, there were actually cheers in the crowd—though quiet in comparison to the overwhelming scorn directed his way, the sound still lifted his spirits. He scanned the stands, searching for the source of his support, and his eyes fell upon Gale and his low-magic comrades. They numbered in the thousands—maybe as many as two thousand—out of the hundred thousand students. Their cheers, though small in number, carried immense weight, reassuring Rai of the importance of this battle.

He walked forward, acknowledging the supporters with a nod and facing the sea of scornful eyes with an unwavering smile. His gaze turned to Mammoth Stark, the opponent who stood ready for the fight, and Rai braced himself for what was to come.

As the two stood poised for battle, the tension in the arena was palpable. Rai maintained a calm and collected posture, exuding unwavering confidence, while Mammoth radiated raw power, yellow sparks of lightning crackling around him. The crowd fell into an expectant hush, every eye locked on the contenders.

The gong rang out, its echo signaling the start of the fight. Without hesitation, Mammoth struck, unleashing a furious yellow lightning whip that coiled around Rai, binding him tightly. A smug grin spread across Mammoth’s face, confident in his quick dominance.

But his triumph was short-lived. With seemingly no effort, Rai broke free from the crackling bonds, the lightning dissipating as if it were nothing. Gasps filled the arena, followed by a swell of murmurs rippling through the crowd.

"How on earth did he do that?"
"Does he have anti-magic or something?"

Questions buzzed through the stands like wildfire, the spectators unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. Rai stood undeterred, his calm demeanour unshaken, while Mammoth’s smirk faded.

Irritated by Rai's effortless escape, Mammoth decided to escalate the fight. Sparks crackled furiously as he conjured two lightning whips, their arcs illuminating the arena with a fierce golden glow. This time, he abandoned any pretense of restraint and aimed directly to kill.

"Double Whiplash!" Mammoth roared, hurling his attack with devastating force. The twin strikes came down from above, splitting the air with a deafening crack and hurtling toward Rai like twin bolts of fury.

But Rai remained unfazed. With a swift sidestep, he dodged the attack, his movements fluid and precise. The whips slammed into the arena floor, obliterating it into three massive fragments. Dust and debris filled the air as the crowd gasped, their awe palpable.

"If Rai had been hit by that, it’d be over for him," someone muttered.
"That attack wasn’t at the speed of light, but it was easily faster than sound. And he dodged it like it was nothing," Rose thought to herself, her gaze sharp from her vantage point in the VIP stand. Her heart raced, not just from Mammoth's display of raw power but from Rai's ability to counter it with such ease.

The crowd fell into an uneasy silence. No one had expected Rai to last this long—no one except Gale, who, despite knowing Rai for only a day, seemed entirely unsurprised. He was the lone voice cheering amid a sea of shock.

As the dust from Mammoth's attack began to settle, the arena miraculously restored itself, the fractured ground knitting together seamlessly. It was none other than Dean Harchell, who mended the damage with effortless elegance, her magic exuding a calm yet commanding poise.

Both combatants regained their footing, their gazes locked. Mammoth’s eyes burned with frustration.

"That’s enough messing around," Mammoth growled. "You’ve had your fun—now it ends."

He raised a single finger toward the sky, manipulating the moisture in the air. Dark storm clouds, pulsing with yellow lightning, gathered ominously above the arena. With a dramatic sweep of his hand, Mammoth brought his finger down, shouting, "Primordial Judgment!"

A colossal bolt of lightning streaked down from the heavens, aimed directly at Rai.

Rai, calm and collected, stood his ground. With one hand casually tucked into his pocket, he raised his left hand to the sky. In an instant, the enormous lightning bolt dissipated into nothingness, leaving the crowd stunned into silence once more.

"How is that even possible?" Mammoth muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. The crowd erupted into murmurs, a chaotic chorus of shock and speculation filling the arena.

"That attack was powerful enough to bring down a Primordial Golem," Mammoth continued, his tone turning defensive as he glared at Rai. "That’s why it’s named after it. Even I—someone stronger than most—had to pour so much of my energy into creating it. And yet, you just casually deflect and dissipate it like it’s nothing. There’s no way this is legit!"

He clenched his fists, sparks of yellow lightning crackling around him as his frustration mounted. "So tell me, Rai—what are you hiding?"

The crowd buzzed with murmurs, their anticipation and curiosity mounting. Many nodded in agreement with Mammoth’s accusation, their voices rising in shared disbelief.

“I once saw Mammoth destroy a mountain because he mis-aimed this attack! And that was less than half as strong as his Primordial Judgement! one student exclaimed, his tone laced with awe.

“You’re right! Even as a 4th-year during last year’s Four Great Elemental Academy Tourney, he faced 8th and 9th-years head-on and made it to the round of sixteen! another chimed in.

The voices grew louder, filled with both admiration and unease.

“He’s no weakling. In fact, of all the students here, no one—not even Rose—could hope to defeat him.”

The weight of Mammoth’s reputation hung heavily over the arena, yet all eyes were fixed on Rai, the boy who had defied every expectation so far.

“Prana,” Pragay declared loudly, his voice resonating across the arena. “Rai is using Prana. It is an ancient technique, long forgotten, dismissed as inferior to Mana—the magical energy channeled through our eyes.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Pragay continued, his tone laced with both amazement and intrigue.

“Yet it seems Rai has taken this lost technique to an entirely new height. What was once considered inferior, he has forged into something equal to Mana—if not greater.”

The students and spectators exchanged bewildered glances, murmurs breaking out like ripples in water. Pragay, however, wasn’t finished.

“Although,” he added with a knowing chuckle, “how Rai managed to learn such an ancient art and evolve it to this level is... a mystery.”

His words carried a subtle undertone, a hint that he knew far more than he was revealing. It was a nuance lost on the crowd, too stunned by the revelation, but Frost Kromus narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. He had caught it, and his calculating mind began to turn.

With a dumbfounded look on his face, Rai yelled in comedic frustration, “Hey, old man, mind your own business! You’re stealing my thunder here! I was about to reveal it and look all cool, so Rose would fall for me!”

He then glanced up at Rose and winked, fully expecting her to be impressed.

But instead of blushing, Rose looked at him with utter disgust. Rai’s confidence evaporated, and he crumpled to the floor, defeated by her cold response.

Frost Kromus stood up, fury in his eyes as he shouted at Rai, “You insolent brat! How dare you address the headmaster like that? I’ll have you—”

Before he could finish, Headmaster Pragaya calmly pulled him back down with a chuckle, saying, “Oh, haha, it’s quite alright, Kromus. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen such an interesting character like him.”

“Continue the fight, it’s getting interesting now,” Pragaya added with a smile, his tone filled with amusement.

Rai sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly in mock resignation. “Well, what can you do? Guess there’s no need to be mysterious anymore,” he said with a smirk. “Alright, Mammoth, you wanna see what true strength is?”

With that, Rai tucked his arms in, his closed fists mimicking martial arts stances. He took a deep breath, and in an instant, the air around him began to whip into a frenzy, almost like a storm. A faint silver aura began to radiate from his body, growing steadily stronger.