The great arena had never been louder.

After the devastating display by Team Demon, 

the tension was high. The spectators buzzed 

with energy, wondering who would rise, who 

would fall, and which team might one day stand

 in the center as champion.

The Grand Herald, Magnus, returned to the 

arena floor, his voice booming through the 

crystal orb.

> “And now! Warriors of frost and fire prepare

 to clash!

The second battle—Team Frostveil vs Team Ironclaw!”

The crowd cheered as two gates swung open

 from opposite ends of the arena.

From the northern tunnel emerged Team 

Frostveil. Cloaked in icy blue, they moved in

 perfect unison. Their breath misted in the

 summer air, frost trailing behind their boots.

 Their leader, a pale-haired woman with piercing 

silver eyes, carried a staff shaped like a frozen

 serpent.

From the southern tunnel, the ground trembled.

Team Ironclaw charged in like a rolling boulder

 of fury. Heavy plate armor, massive hammers,

 and wild war cries—they were the embodiment

 of raw power. Their leader, a towering warrior

 with a molten axe, raised it to the sky as flames 

erupted behind him.

> “Let the second match… BEGIN!”

Frost clashed against flame.

Team Frostveil summoned blizzards, conjured

 walls of ice, and struck with chilling precision—

but Team Ironclaw was relentless. They

 smashed through barriers, melted every frozen

 spell with brute firepower, and countered with 

overwhelming strength.

When the smoke settled, Frostveil lay defeated

—scorched and exhausted.

> “VICTORY TO TEAM IRONCLAW!”

The crowd roared with approval. The champions

 of steel had advanced.

---

Magnus didn’t pause for long.

> “The third match! Swift winds versus arcane

 minds!

Team Stormshade vs Team Aetherbound!”

A hum of magic filled the air.

Team Aetherbound emerged first, calm and

 scholarly. Their magic was elegant, glowing

 softly with runes and spells etched in ancient 

symbols. They hovered an inch off the ground,

 each of them focused and disciplined.

But when Team Stormshade arrived, the wind

 itself seemed to shift.

Draped in sleek armor and armed with

 lightning-fast weapons, they darted into the 

arena like a blur. One of them flipped over the

 railing and landed with a grin, to a chorus of 

cheers.

> “BEGIN!”

The battle was dazzling.

Team Aetherbound unleashed spells that bent

 time, twisted space, and summoned radiant 

beams of arcane force. But Team Stormshade 

didn’t give them a chance to complete most 

incantations. With breathtaking speed, they

 disrupted spells mid-cast and struck before

 their opponents could react.

In less than five minutes, Team Aetherbound was 

on the ground, defeated by pure agility and speed.

> “VICTORY TO TEAM STORMSHADE!”

Another thunderous applause. The arena was electric.

---

Now came the final match of the day.

> “And now, the fourth and final match—our 

rising newcomers from the hidden Dragon 

Village!

Team Drakosoul vs Team Obsidian Fang!”

A dark team emerged first.

Team Obsidian Fang, cloaked in black and red, 

had come from the undercities—fighters trained

 in the dark arts and shadow combat. Their

 leader, a lean man with blood-red tattoos,

 twirled twin daggers that glimmered with

 poison.

Then came the heroes.

From the tunnel beneath the royal box, Team 

Drakosoul stepped into the arena.

Garrin, with his enormous blade resting on his 

shoulder, waved confidently at the crowd.

Kaeli, calm and focused, walked with silent 

poise, snowflakes trailing her steps.

Lior, glowing faintly, gave a small smile to the 

crowd, his hands already radiating gentle

 healing light.

Master Tenzin stood by, composed and

 watchful.

And finally, the masked warrior—Raikuro.

Even from afar, there was something about his

 presence. The air almost tingled around him.

 His steps were quiet, but heavy with unspoken

 power.

Princess Elirya sat up straighter in her seat,

 eyes locked on the masked boy.

> “He’s the one who summoned that dragon last time ”

> “BEGIN!”

Team Obsidian Fang struck first—fast, dirty, and 

deceptive. Smoke bombs, poison daggers, 

blinding powders—they fought like assassins.

Kaeli responded with sharp waves of ice, 

freezing their feet to the ground. Garrin charged

 forward, his massive blade swinging like

 thunder, scattering their formation. But when 

one of the Obsidian members tried to blindside 

Kaeli—

Raikuro moved.

Faster than sight, he appeared between them, 

blocking the attack with the flat of his blade.

Lightning crackled from him for just a second.

That second was enough.

The opponent flew back into the wall—

unconscious.

The battle continued fiercely, but one by one,

 Team Obsidian Fang fell.

When only their captain remained, facing all 

three of Team Drakosoul’s warriors, he dropped

 his blades.

> “I forfeit.”

> “VICTORY TO TEAM DRAKOSOUL!”

The crowd was stunned… then erupted

 in celebration.

A new force had entered the arena.

From the stands, Second Prince Silas clenched

 his fists. His eyes burned into the masked figure.

---

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the

 arena’s flames lit up the sky.

The first round was over.