The air in Testing Arena 3 was thick with anticipation, the tension almost a living thing. Students leaned forward from the observation gallery. Teachers whispered among themselves. The energy barrier that sealed off the arena hummed with anticipation.
Instructor Lumi Oxbell stepped into the centre of the ring, flanked by assistants holding security scrolls and energy monitors. She raised her hand high.
"This will be a 1 vs 1 regulated match. No use of talents, external equipment, or any form of interference. I am the official referee."
The barrier circle activated, pulsing with protective energy, separating the spectators and tamers from the battlefield.
On one side, Ondirael—Luna—Jimmy's elegant and ethereal Water Whisp. Her coat shimmered with soft pulses of bioluminescent blue, sparks dancing near her paws. On the other, Chicnosuke, a fierce, battle-scarred canine Whisp with a lean frame, ember-lined paws, and fur streaked with soot and flame. Smoke curled off his body with each breath, and his tail flickered like a torch.
Their tamers—Jimmy and a confident red-haired boy named Raelson —stepped into their designated command zones. Jimmy stood still, pale but calm, while Raik flashed a cocky grin at the audience.
The crowd responded in mixed tones. Some students laughed mockingly, whispering doubts about the silent boy. Others shifted nervously, recognizing the two silver badges on Raelson's uniform—marking him as a double regional champion.
"That's the Flame Hound Tamer," someone whispered. "He's crushed 10 people in between 4 days." "And now he's up against… that mute boy?"
The atmosphere thickened.
Lumi raised a whistle to her lips.
FWEEET!
"Begin!"
.....................................................
The referee raised a hand, blew the whistle, and the match began with a sharp, echoing blast.
Jimmy stood still, eyes sharp and calm, his mouth silent—as always. He didn't need words.
With a swift flick of his wrist and a downward slicing motion through the air, Luna instantly understood.
She lunged forward, powerful legs coiling and springing like a bolt released from a crossbow. Her lithe body shimmered as she moved—faster than the eye could track. Her target was clear.
Across the field, Raelson shouted, "Tackle, Whisp! Meet her head-on!"
Whisp—his fierce flame-coated companion—roared and charged. The two beasts met mid-field in a brutal collision, the impact ringing through the arena like steel slamming against stone. A shockwave kicked up dust and sparks. Both were thrown backward, landing in mirrored stances, feet skidding, eyes locked with mutual respect.
But Jimmy was already moving. His hands danced in a silent language only Luna could read. One sharp spiral motion, followed by a twist of his fingers, and Luna responded without hesitation.
She reared up and released a burst—a thick, heavy mist exploded outward around her, rolling across the battlefield like storm clouds. But this wasn't a natural fog. It sparked and shimmered faintly, laced with tiny arcs of static electricity that crackled in the air.
The crowd gasped as visibility dropped—but the referee, equipped with specialized tech lenses, saw everything clearly.
Raelson's face twisted into a frown. "Boggy, can you see her? Stay sharp!"
But Whisp whined low, crouching, his ears flicking as he scanned the fog. Luna had disappeared into it—silent, deadly.
Jimmy's eyes narrowed. He raised two fingers to his temple and tapped once—a silent signal. A thought sent.
Luna moved.
Chin… chin… chin… chinnnn…
The eerie sound of her padded steps echoed inside the mist. But Whisp couldn't place it. His breath quickened. A flicker of movement—no, was that a trick of the light? A glint of fur? Nothing was clear.
Suddenly—
ZZZAAAAK!
A Thunderbolt ripped through the air, bursting out of the fog. It struck Whisp straight in the chest but no one see it clearly. He yowled in pain, body convulsing as the electricity surged through him, paralyzing his muscles.
Raelson's eyes widened. "Boggy! Push through it! Quick—Flame Discharge! Extraordinary Sense!"
With a defiant growl, Whisp ignited, heat bursting from his core. Flames rippled across his body—not as an attack, but as a purge, burning away the numbness clinging to his limbs. The mist hissed and recoiled slightly, its density weakening around him.
Then he stilled.
Eyes closed.
Breathing slowed.
He reached out with something deeper—his instincts. Sensing, not seeing. Feeling the shift in air, the energy in the ground. That was Extraordinary Sense.
But…
Nothing.
Luna was gone. No vibration. No heat signature. Not a single sound.
Raelson's fists clenched. "She's still here… somewhere. Be ready."
But Whisp was already turning slowly, trying to guess the next strike. The battle wasn't over—but the fog was now a silent, crackling arena of tension.
And Jimmy? He stood tall and still, his hands already forming the next command.
The mist still hung thick in the arena, dancing with small spark.
Tiny sparks sizzled in the fog, each one snapping like a whispering threat. Though Whisp had burned away some of it with his Flame Discharge, it was returning—creeping in again like a living thing. Every breath he took buzzed faintly with static, and each movement caused a mild sting across his fur.
Whisp winced.
The Mist + Spark combo wasn't just hiding Luna—it was hurting him, slowly and constantly.
Raelson saw it too.
"Boggy! Get rid of that mist! Evaporate it!" he commanded, voice sharp.
Whisp's jaws flared with light. A burst of fire exploded from his mouth, sweeping across the ground in a wide arc. The mist hissed violently as it met the flames, evaporating in waves. Steam rolled away in all directions, creating brief clarity.
Just as the fog began to clear, Raelson's eyes widened.
"Behind!" he shouted instinctively.
Whisp's ears twitched. His muscles coiled.
He turned—
Too late.
Luna was already there. Her body crackled with charged light, leaping toward him like a phantom blade. She had used the mist not just for concealment, but for movement—trailing behind him in silence.
There was no time to dodge. No time to counter.
Whisp tried anyway. He shoved backward, his back legs digging into the ground, front paw dragging as a brake. Claws scraped across the dirt, carving long scars into the arena floor. His shoulder twisted—painful, but necessary. The thunder-charged strike missed his neck by inches, grazing instead across his side.
The impact knocked him further back.
He landed heavily, panting.
His eyes, burning now, turned to Luna—not in fear, but defiance.
She had surprised him. He wouldn't let it happen again.
From the side lines, the observing teacher—an older woman with calculating eyes—watched Jimmy's silent presence and Luna's synchronized moves.
He's good, she thought. He hasn't spoken a word, yet she responds to every motion. Good control. Excellent coordination, just only hand signs did not he only pact it tomorrow but I like it. This match should ended in 30 sec but it's keep going. more I saw, more I like it. She's aggressive, but precise. And he's defending well…
One minute has passed. Still going strong. Good.
But Raelson was not backing down.
"Boggy—Ember, now! Then Shadow Clone! Surround her!"
Whisp launched forward with fresh energy. Fire swirled in his chest and burst from his mouth—a focused Ember shot directly at Luna.
She leapt nimbly to the side, sliding across the softened battlefield as the flame missed her by a hair's breadth.
But that had only been the start.
Whisp suddenly split into six identical figures, flickering like phantoms—each a perfect copy of him. Luna's ears flicked, trying to identify the real one, but the clones had surrounded her in a tight circle.
All at once, they opened their jaws.
Six blazing Embers launched from all sides.
The flames closed in like a fiery trap—heat and pressure building fast.
From the edge of the field, Jimmy's fingers moved swiftly: two spirals, a vertical wave, and a flick to the side.
Luna's eyes sparked in understanding.
Water Curtain! Then Water Wave!
She slammed her paws into the earth. A sudden hiss echoed as water erupted from beneath her feet—a circular veil of water shot up around her like a protective dome, steam sizzling as it met the oncoming fire.
The Embers struck the curtain—
BOOM—HISSS—CRACKLE!
Some passed through, but most were doused instantly.
Then, Luna acted.
She stomped her right hind leg, hard. The ground trembled—and with it, a crescent-shaped Water Wave erupted, rising nearly 1.2 meter high. It rolled outward in a powerful sweep, crashing into the clones.
The false Whisps burst apart into fading mist and shadow. Only the real Whisp remained, crouched low, eyes narrowed.
Soaked, but still standing.
The field was now covered in steam, scorch marks, wet earth, and clawed trenches.
Jimmy stood at the edge, eyes calm but fierce, already preparing his next command with a sharp turn of his hand.
And across the arena, Raelson gave a sharp nod.
"Not bad," he muttered. "But let's see how long you can keep this up."