Under the soft, bluish glow of the moon, the Academy's official dueling platform shimmered with magical runes carved deep into its stone base, runes that ensured fair play and contained the sheer power of even the most volatile battles.
A crowd of students buzzed around the edge of the dueling ring, some climbing onto balconies or hovering along the barriers enchanted with light mana. Excitement swirled in the air like firecrackers waiting to ignite.
"Who do you think will win?" a novice whispered to his friend, leaning in close.
"Is that even a question? Of course Neal will win. He's already level 21!"
"Yeah, he probably doesn't even need to try. Kaelen's just a healer."
"But they did fight off monsters before, you know. That counts for something."
The murmurs of the novices turned into heated debates, some mocking, others wary, and a rare few remembering the infamous forest incident.
And then the momentum shifted.
The crowd gasped.
With a flash of light the duo entered the scene like warriors entering a battlefield rather than students about to spar, Kaelen and Jered stepped into view, heads held high, pride worn like royal cloaks. They walked with measured grace and confidence that far exceeded their levels.
Moments later, older students arrived mostly level 20 or above forming a second ring around the field.
"The challengers are here," someone muttered with awe.
"Look! Even the veterans…"
"Oh stars… the teachers are here too."
One by one, several instructors arrived in silence, including Elfalene, her arms crossed, lips pursed in slight interest, and Dean Vasra, watching from the shadows. Even Tashi appeared from the upper deck, sipping tea with a look of unreadable calm.
This was no longer a schoolyard duel.
It had become an event.
---
After Kaelen and Jered had sealed the challenge that afternoon, they'd wasted no time spreading word. Flyers enchanted with glowing glyphs appeared in the mess hall. Kaelen personally whispered to every known gossip in the academy. Jered had even performed dramatic reenactments of Neal's "defeats" in front of curious students.
Fame was the bait. And Neal was the prey.
Now, the whole school had shown up to watch a show and the bait was working.
With a sudden shimmer of light, Kaelen appeared atop the platform wearing a deep black cape embroidered with silver-white threads, fluttering like he were some fallen hero from legend. He stretched out his arms wide and laughed aloud, dramatic and confident.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Come out, you worm!" he bellowed, voice booming across the field.
Like a meteor striking the ground, Neal landed on the platform with a single leap, sending a pulse of energy across the ring. He now stood face to face with Kaelen, his presence a furnace of condensed pressure.
The crowd held its breath.
Then Jered strolled out like a street performer, arms wide, face smug as ever.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" he called out. "Tonight, what you're about to witness will go down in Academy history. A duel of legends! A battle of black system Awakeners! A clash of pride, power, and payback!"
Gasps erupted. "Black system? That Kaelen?"
Jered turned dramatically toward Kaelen, his voice booming.
"Standing on the RIGHT side of the platform… KAELEN MAGLOR! The Academy's most talented divine cleric! The boy who single-handedly defeated THREE monsters in the cursed forest! The one! The healer! The myth!"
Kaelen turned toward the crowd, arms raised as if greeting an adoring crowd. With a flick of his fingers, a translucent interface glimmered above him.
System Info:
Name: Kaelen Maglor
Class: Divine Cleric (The Manifestation of Healing Itself)
All healing and buffs amplified by 500%*
Level: 3
---
The crowd collectively inhaled. A few even dropped their mana pens.
"Divine Cleric? That's a class?!"
"Five-hundred percent amplification…? That's insane for a healer!"
"But… he's still level 3. That's suicidal!"
"Lol. A caster versus a full warrior. This'll be over in seconds."
Kaelen smiled, letting the crowd marvel at his system, but behind his smirk, sweat began forming at his temples. He knew the gap. This duel wasn't just for fun. It was a gamble.
"And now," Jered continued, pointing with exaggerated flair to the other side of the platform, "on the LEFT… we have the not-so-handsome... NEAL THRODAN! The challenger of tonight's match and the man with an embarrassing undefeated losing streak against Kaelen Maglor!"
The audience burst into laughter. Even a few of the veterans chuckled.
Neal clenched his fists. Not handsome? Losing streak? The sheer slander made his eyes twitch. It was true that Kaelen had bested him in mock battles before, via tricks, words, or total humiliation, but this was different. He had changed.
"You two are dead," Neal muttered under his breath.
Not to be outdone, Neal raised his hand. A black system interface appeared above him like a crown.
--
System :
Name: Neal Throdan
Class: Solari Imperials (A Sacred Order of Warriors Blessed by the Stars)
In Combat Form: All stats increased by 200%
Level: 21
---
Silence.
Not even a breath escaped the crowd.
Even Elfalene narrowed her eyes, her lips twitching slightly. "Solari Imperials… never heard of that class before. But it's no ordinary class."
Instructor Tashi's eyes sparkled. "A fine class. Very rare. I wonder where the Academy found that item…"
Someone from the audience finally managed a whisper.
"A 200% stat increase in combat form? That's… That's stronger than the Dallas family's potion!"
"And no side effects…"
Kaelen's mouth felt dry. His earlier bravado shrank under the reality of Neal's stats. After class change, the gap between levels widened enormously, especially with high-tier classes. A level 50 normal warrior might struggle against a level 30 elite-class. But Neal… had this.
Jered leaned toward Kaelen. "Hey, are you sure about this?"
Kaelen's lips curved again. "Nope."
"Great."
And yet, neither of them backed down.
The platform lit up. Twin magical circles appeared on the ground beneath their feet. The duel was now officially recognized by the Academy's rules.
A deep, clear voice echoed from above.
"This duel is bound by the Academy's Code. But with additional conditions accepted by both sides. No skills. No items. No killing. First one to be pushed out, incapacitated, or voluntarily surrender loses. Begin on the signal."
A second later, the rune lines pulsed.
Three…
Two…
One…
"Begin!"