Yuki quickly spun and tried to deliver another side swipe, only for Sawano to duck just in time as the blade whistled over her head. Seizing the moment, she pounced on her enemy. Retracting her claws and curling her fist into a fierce punch that struck Yuki's chest, sending him stumbling backward several feet.

Yuki rolled backward to regain his footing, but Sawano was relentless. With extreme focus, she charged forward again with her eyes locked on Yuki.

Yuki lunged with his rapier, thrusting sharply, but Sawano slipped passed the attack easily. Yuki decided to change his tempo, unleashing a rapid barrage of thrusts, desperate for a hit, but her speed was a blur, each thrust missing its mark.

As the final strike whistled past her, Sawano twisted to the side with speed faster than he could react and seized Yuki's sword arm, locking it in place.

With Yuki unable to move his sword, he tried to summon an icicle with his left arm, but Sawano smacked it aside in an instant, shattering the icicle, preventing any form of defense.

She twisted Yuki's arm, aiming to disarm him, causing pain to shoot through his body. Yuki gritted his teeth to stay strong for a moment. But the outcome was clear: in a contest of raw strength, he was outclassed.

After a brief struggle, Yuki's grip on his weapon gave. Sawano saw the subtle twitch of his fingers as they uncurl as they fail to grip the sword, and his weapon slipped from his grasp. Without hesitation, she ducked low and drove her elbow into his abdomen with immense force. The blow knocked the breath from his lungs, and Yuki was sent flying backward, tumbling several feet across the ground.

Yuki struggled to rise, refusing to give up. He wouldn't surrender, not yet. But Sawano was relentless, closing in fast. Thinking quickly, he summoned a wall of ice in front of him, halting her advance just in time. With a wave of his hand, Yuki resummoned his ice swords, floating them into position, and he pointed each in different directions, guarding every possible path she might approach from. But to his surprise, she charged through the middle.

Sawano, unfazed by the wall, leapt high into the air. With a powerful flying knee, she crashed into the thick ice wall. The wall shattered into debris of frozen shards. In that instant, his eyes widened. With a smooth motion of his hand, he redirected all three swords towards the center, ready to be launched.

With a thrust of his right arm, he launched them. The blades shot forward like icy missiles, converging on their target.

Sawano, seeing the incoming swords, reacted in a heartbeat. Summoned a fireball and launched it.

Fire and ice collided in the center of the arena, and the swords melted into steam from the collision.

Sawano leaped through the raging flames; her relentless passion for the hunt had begun. She emerged on the other side of the smoke. As the smoke parted, her eyes locked onto him, like prey.

Yuki spotted her emerging from the smoke. Without Hesitation, he launched an icicle towards her. Sawano, still descending from her leap, slashed through the icicle with her razor-sharp, tiger-like claws, shattering the icicle effortlessly as she closed in on him.

Yuki was out of options. Fear and despair started to set in as he watched the relentless predator descend upon him. He knew he couldn't endure many more of her blows. But even as the shadows of defeat closed in, Yuki refused to yield. He clenched his fists and was ready to stand his ground until his very last breath.

Yuki summoned an icicle, small, crude, and far beneath his skills. Desperation has reached its maximum. He lunged forward, aiming to stab

Sawano with it.

But it was too late…

Sawano, the apex predator, landed before him. Her face was that of a hunter, sharp, focused, and hungry for the chase. Her claws caught the tip of his icicle, and with the slightest pressure, it shattered like glass. In the same motion, she struck. Her fist slammed into Yuki's face with brutal force, sending the blonde-haired young hero flying backward. He hit the ground hard, landing on his back, unconscious.

The crowd erupted in cheers. It was a marvelous fight; one they would remember for the rest of their lives. The gong sounded once again, declaring Sawano the victor.

Professor Tomo stood from his seat and said, "Well done, both of you! It was a fantastic fight, worthy of the children of heroes!" his voice brimmed with pride as he continued.

Sawano glanced up at the crowd and spotted Ryuji. He sat forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped tightly over his mouth, his gaze sharp and intense.

He studied their movements with care and deep planning. Strategizing the best ways to approach her while searching relentlessly for any sign of vulnerability or weakness.

His concentration was broken after Sawano shouted, "Time for us to have our fun!"

Ryuji stood up and jumped into the arena.

"W-wait! What are you doing, Ryuji?!" Professor Tomo's voice echoed loudly, "There's still time before the next fight!"

Sawano's expression shifted instantly, from serious to excited, as she snapped into a fighting stance. But Ryuji didn't move toward her. He instead walked towards his fallen friend.

"Hey… Still alive? You took one hell of a beating," Ryuji said, crouching beside Yuki, but there was no response. Ryuji sighed deeply, then gently lifted his friend and began heading toward the entrance!

"Hey! Where are you going?! Come back!" Sawano called out, her voice echoing through the arena.

Ryuji stopped and turned to face her.

"Relax," he said calmly. "You and I will fight with all our might soon. But first, let me get our friend to safety. It's better if we're both at our best when the time comes."

He offered her a gentle smile as he spoke.

Sawano felt her heart skip slightly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks at the sight of the smiling, handsome young man. She gave a small nod in response.

Without another word, Ryuji turned and continued toward the entrance, carrying his friend out of the arena and toward the infirmary.

"W-with that done and dealt with, we shall now take a short break before continuing to the grand finale." The professor's voice sounded once again, "If there's anything you wish to do before the finale begins, now is the time."

His tone, though still formal, seemed to be exhausted from all the troubles of the children in this school.

Ryuji moved swiftly through the school's hallway, the unconscious blonde noble cradled gently in his arms. When he reached the infirmary, he slid the doors open without hesitation.

Inside stood Chiyo Minamoto, the school nurse and a gifted healer from the kingdom of Chiseido. Once a commoner, her immense magical talent had secured her a place among the academy's most trusted staff.

She wore a crisp white button-up shirt tucked neatly into a black skirt, paired with long stockings. A spotless white doctor's coat draped over her shoulders, lending her a calm, professional air. Ryuji froze. He had seen her once before, during a meeting with the headmaster, but now he found himself caught off guard by her beauty.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare?" the nurse asked, annoyed by his gaze.

Ryuji snapped back to reality, "Oh… I'm sorry! My friend's injured. Could you… please take care of him?" he said with a minor hesitation in his voice.

"Put him on one of the empty beds and get back to the tournament," she replied with irritation in her voice, already turning to prepare her healing supplies.

Ryuji noticed it but was unsure as to why she would be irritated.

"Maybe she's just another one of the people who dislike me because of my background," he thought to himself as he put his friend on the bed.

As Yuki's head sank into the pillow, his eyes opened wide.

"Ugh… ow," he said, wincing as the pain rushed back.

"Good morning, princess! Had a nice nap?" Ryuji teased with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, ha-ha, very funny," Yuki replied, his voice filled with sarcasm. "Sawano's still as powerful as ever."

He winced again, pressing a hand to his forehead. "My head feels like it's gonna explode…"

"Yeah," Ryuji nodded, his tone turning more serious. "I get what you meant when you described her. She's seriously strong."

"Yeah, and you're facing her next," Yuki said.

"Go on now, the arena won't wait," the nurse exclaimed. "I'll take care of Yuki."

Ryuji turned toward the exit, but before he could take a step, Yuki gently grabbed his sleeve.

"Be careful. Sawano's attacks hit like a raging bull. Your best bet is to dodge. Trying to block her will only wear you down," Yuki warned.

Ryuji gave his friend a warm smile.

"Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure to win," he said, reaching out to grip Yuki's hand, a silent sign of their bond.

The nurse's patience finally snapped, and she began shooing Ryuji away.

"This boy needs rest. Out, now," she snapped, pushing him toward the door.
 She slid it shut behind him and let out a long sigh.

"Now that he's gone, I'll use my magic to speed up your recovery. I'm sure you don't want to miss their fight, do you?" she said, a hint of an unsettling grin on her face.

Yuki stared at the nurse. Her eerie smile did not match the kind face he usually knew, and for the first time in a while, he felt a flicker of fear. But her words gave him a surge of motivation. She was right.

"D-Do what you must…" he said hesitantly.

Her eyes lit up with excitement. With a quick wave of her hand, slimy, bright blue water began to form around the young noble, covering him in gooey liquid that clung to his body. It felt icky and uncomfortable, but Yuki held his tongue and let the nurse do her work. She seemed to enjoy it a little too much.