As Rai opened his eyes, a shockwave rippled through the academy, sending a powerful tremor across the ground. His aura was menacing, overwhelming, and powerful. Mammoth's eyes widened, and a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead, a silent sign of the fear he now felt from the intensity of Rai’s presence.

“This is the true strength of the ordinary,” Rai said, his voice steady and calm.

The crowd fell into stunned silence. Rose's expression was one of shock, disbelief, but Gale—standing tall—had a proud grin, his eyes glowing with pride. Gale, Rai’s unwavering supporter throughout the battle, beamed with pride, knowing he had been right all along.

Rai focused his prana into his feet, propelling himself forward like a flash, faster than Mammoth’s lightning. The ground beneath him shattered in his wake. Before Mammoth could even react, Rai was inches from his face. A few seconds later, a shockwave of wind surged toward Mammoth, the result of Rai’s rapid movement creating a vacuum behind him, forcing the air to rush back in to fill the space.

Mammoth’s face twisted in disbelief as he scrambled to make a move, but before he could react, Rai pressed four fingers to Mammoth’s chest. With a swift motion, Rai delivered a one-inch punch, the force of which sent Mammoth flying back, blood spilling from his mouth.

The crowd, including Gale, Rose, and the judges—except Pragaya and Dean Harchell—watched in utter disbelief. Pragaya wore a look of quiet pride, while Harchell remained expressionless, both observing as Mammoth crashed into the edge of the arena, falling to the ground. The crowd was silent, unsure how to react, but as the shock faded, Gale’s group—those with weak magic, often overlooked and disregarded—erupted into a deafening roar. Their cheers carried the weight of their hopes and dreams, heralding the dawn of a new era. Rai stood there, radiant and powerful, like a mythical beast, his aura overwhelming and his eyes although not red, seemed so burning with intensity.

Mammoth slowly picked himself up from the rubble, muttering under his breath with desperation. "No... it can’t be. My journey can’t end here. I have too much to lose." With a furious roar, he shouted, "I have to make him payyyy!" His voice reverberated through the academy, sending a tremor of fear through the crowd. Stepping back onto the stage, he glared at Rai. "Fine, Rai. I didn’t want to kill you here, but you leave me no choice. I’m going all out, and I mean that in the most literal way. If what I do next doesn’t defeat you, then I’m done."

Pausing, Mammoth called out, "Fortify, Lightning Doomhammer!" The crowd, no longer simply shocked, began to tremble in fear. "He can’t be serious, can he?" someone whispered. "That’s an advanced technique. It shapes your mana to your personality, exponentially increasing your fighting strength." Another voice added, "I heard Sir Pragaya used that very technique to win the last Magian battle."

Mammoth’s body began to shimmer with crackling lightning, his lightning slowly transforming into gladiator-like armour that began encasing him. The power coursing through him was undeniable, and as his helmet sealed over his face, his eyes blazed a bright yellow, showcasing the raw force of his mana. In his hand, the lightning coalesced into a massive hammer, the perfect weapon for his destructive personality.

Mammoth chuckled darkly. "You hide your fear well, Rai, but I am far from done." In a dramatic motion, he swung the hammer down in front of him with menacing force, then raised his right hand to the sky, his eyes closing as he began chanting.

"I call upon you now, Jörmungandr, lend me your power in this battle!"

A ripple of dread spread through the students, their bodies stiffening as a cold chill ran down their spines. "He’s using summoning magic here in the arena," one murmured. "And it’s no ordinary summon—it's Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, one of the mythical creatures known to aid the gods."

Fear swept across the crowd like a tidal wave, leaving the students frozen in their seats, breathless.

Frost Kromus rose, his eyes sharp with concern. "We must intervene. This summon is too dangerous—it could put everyone here at risk."

But Pragaya, without a hint of doubt, gestured for him to sit. "It’s fine, Kromus. Just sit and watch the show."

"But sir, this—"

"I said, just watch," Pragaya replied, his voice firm with the weight of authority.

Just then, the skies opened, and a dark bluish serpent of unimaginable size descended.

"Jörmungandr, make yourself an appropriate size for this arena," Mammoth commanded.

"As you wish, master," Jörmungandr rumbled in a deep, thunderous voice.

The humongous serpent began to shrink as it slithered into the arena, coiling and settling beside Mammoth. Even after shrinking, Jörmungandr remained a monstrous sight, far larger than Mammoth himself.

"How about it, Rai? Feeling scared yet?" Mammoth sneered.

Rai, with a cold, commanding look in his eyes, exuded confidence. However, a quick glance at his legs revealed them trembling uncontrollably in comedic fashion.

The once-cheerful crowd supporting Rai, led by Gale, now looked on with growing worry. Their earlier excitement had turned into unease as they wondered how Rai would fare against such a formidable opponent.

Rose, no longer seated, gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles white as she leaned forward. Her teeth clenched as her mind flashed to the memory of the night before in the cafeteria. She recalled the moment she realized Rai didn’t see her as the Elmag’s daughter, just as Rose—a person. Her thoughts raced, and her lips parted in a silent plea: “Don’t you dare die here, Rai.”

On the battlefield, Rai stood with trembling legs, his usual composure shaken. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he struggled to form a strategy. He had spoken boldly, given hope to those who once had none, and he wasn’t about to let them down now.

On the other side of the arena, Mammoth wrestled with battles of his own. As he readied himself, a fleeting flashback surfaced—a memory of his father walking away from him, disappointment etched into his face, as Mammoth lay sprawled on the ground after a failed attempt. The image stung like a fresh wound, and Mammoth clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. “I have to teach that bastard a lesson,” he muttered under his breath, his voice a mix of determination and fury.

With a commanding roar, Mammoth pointed his finger forward. "Go, Jörmungandr! Devour him!"

The serpent coiled upward, its dark bluish scales shimmering with raw, otherworldly power. It lunged toward Rai with terrifying speed, its massive jaws ready to strike.

Rai, unwavering, clenched his fists and channeled Prana into his feet. As the serpent's shadow loomed over him, he pushed off the ground with a force that cracked the arena floor beneath him, narrowly dodging its initial attack.

The serpent twisted mid-air, unrelenting, closing the distance within moments. Its jaws opened wide, promising annihilation. Rose turned her head away, unable to bear the sight, her hands trembling as she gripped the railing. The crowd collectively held their breath, some closing their eyes, expecting the worst.

Moments passed. Silence.

Rose gulped, gathering the courage to look back at the battlefield. Her heart raced as her eyes widened in disbelief. Around her, the judges—except Pragaya, who wore a knowing, proud smile—rose from their seats, their faces frozen in awe. Even the usually stoic Dean Harchell blushed, her eyes fixed on Rai with a gaze bordering on admiration.

The crowd, hesitatingly, opened their eyes. Gasps rippled through the arena as they took in the unbelievable scene: Jörmungandr, the world serpent, its immense form coiled humbly, was bowing its head before Rai in complete submission.

Mammoth, lost for words, knelt on the ground, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Rai, with a dumbfounded and confused expression, scratched his head, trying to process what had just happened. Letting out a sigh of relief, he muttered to himself, "Well, I guess that worked out. Good thing too—because if it hadn’t, I’d be toast right about now." A sheepish grin spread across his face as he realized he’d narrowly escaped death by sheer luck.

The crowd sat in stunned silence for a moment, before erupting into cheers for Rai. This time, even some of the students who once believed their powerful eyes set them above others joined in. Of course, not everyone was pleased—students from the top clans, like Baruss, were visibly furious, their faces twisted in disbelief and anger at Rai’s survival.

Mammoth stared blankly at the ground before glancing up at the sky. A single tear rolled down his cheek. "That’s it," he murmured, his voice heavy with despair. "I have nothing left. You took my strongest trump card and made it submit to you." He clenched his fists as he whispered, "I’m sorry, Mother. I failed to keep my promise."

Turning to the judges, Mammoth began, "I forfeit—"

But before he could finish, Rai stepped forward, his voice cutting through the arena like a blade. "What do you think you’re doing?"

Mammoth froze, staring at Rai in confusion. "What?"

Rai’s eyes burned with conviction as he snapped, "I said, what do you think you’re doing? Is this all it takes for you to give up? Are you kidding me?"

Mammoth blinked, his voice faltering. "But my strongest attack—"

"Just shut the hell up!" Rai interrupted, his voice booming with authority. "Don’t you feel ashamed saying that in front of me? 'What more could I do?' Seriously? You’re asking me that—the guy who couldn’t do anything because the universe thought it’d be hilarious to make me the only one without magic?"

The arena fell silent as Rai continued, his words dripping with passion. "Even I—someone who was born with nothing—found a way to stand here and make myself known. And now you, with all that strength and talent, are ready to throw in the towel just because you lost once? That’s pathetic! Don’t you dare give up so easily—not in front of me!"

Rai’s words struck deep into Mammoth’s heart like a well-aimed arrow. Rai stepped closer, his voice unwavering. "I could tell from those eyes—and no, I’m not talking about your magic. That’s all you lot seem to care about these days. I’m talking about what’s behind those eyes." He paused, letting his words sink in. "They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and from your soul, I can tell you’re not here for yourself. From what you said, I’m guessing it’s for your mother."

Mammoth’s astonished gaze met Rai’s, his silence speaking volumes. Rai pressed on. "Do you really think your mother would forgive you if you just threw in the towel like that? If you gave up without fighting till your very last breath?"

Those words pierced through Mammoth like lightning, dragging him into memories he’d tried to bury. The promise he had made to his mother echoed in his mind: "I promise, Mom, I’ll make things right again." Tears welled in his eyes and began to fall freely, his chest heaving with raw emotion.

Rai’s tone softened but remained resolute. "So get your sorry ass off the ground, because this fight isn’t over. Not until one of us is six feet under."

Mammoth looked up, admiration shining through his tear-streaked face. Slowly, Rai extended his hand, his palm open in an unspoken gesture of camaraderie. Mammoth hesitated for a moment, then clasped Rai’s hand firmly. Rai pulled him to his feet, and the two stood face to face.

Mammoth wanted to say thank you, but the fire of the fight still burned in his chest. “I’ll save it for after,” he thought, clenching his fists as he readied himself once more.

“And now for you,” Rai said, his gaze shifting to the serpent. “I have no idea why you’re submitting to me, and honestly, I’m flattered. But if you have any respect for me, then you’ll obey your master and give it your all. That would be the greatest sign of respect you could show me.”

The serpent bowed its head in acknowledgment, a gesture of reverence toward Rai. With a respectful shake, it slithered back to Mammoth’s side, coiling protectively around him.

Up in the VIP section, Rose placed a hand over her heart. Rai’s words struck a chord deep within her, stirring a memory of her father. She recalled a moment when, as a young girl, she had declared with childlike certainty, “Daddy, I won’t let any other man even touch me unless he’s at least as great as you. I guess that means I’ll be your little girl forever.”

Her father had chuckled warmly, brushing her hair aside as he replied, “Don’t be so sure, my darling. This year in particular, I’m expecting a great man to join the academy.”

The memory replayed vividly in her mind, and a realization hit her like a gale-force wind. Rose’s gaze fell on Rai, her admiration growing with every passing second.

In the arena, the crowd was a mixture of emotions. Some were moved to tears by Rai’s conviction, while others erupted into cheers that echoed through the academy grounds. Rai’s presence had united them, if only for a moment. The judges, now seated once again, wore expressions of pride and admiration. Dean Harchell, however, stood out among them, unabashedly fawning over Rai with sparkly, star-struck eyes that seemed out of place for someone of her stature. Despite her antics, the judges collectively shared a mutual anticipation for the conclusion of what had become an extraordinary battle.

Rai turned his attention back to Mammoth. “Now then, let’s finish this battle the way real men should,” he declared with unwavering determination.

Mammoth, still clad in his electrifying armor with the hammer gripped tightly in one hand and Jörmungandr looming beside him, nodded. “Yeah. Let’s.”