Life and Death Arenas of the Academy

In one of the battle arenas.

The stadium was packed to the brim with several academy students and even staff members.

The news of the life and death battle between the two prodigies had surprisingly spread rather quickly.

Kailen and the other leaders, alongside the members of the Sword Tribunal Society, had gathered in one spot in the bleachers to support Lian Yu.

Chatter chatter—

"So it's true?"

"The vice president of the Sword Tribunal Society is gonna have a life and death duel with Farrell Reaverson!"

"Farrell Reaverson? That noble from Atlantis?"

"There's no way I'm gonna miss this show. I heard the latter insulted his girlfriend, Anaya, and said that if he deserved her, he should show up in the life and death arena to protect her honor."

"Obviously the man's pride was bruised, and he couldn't tolerate the slander of his woman in public so he has to show up."

"Beautiful women have always been the reason why men will always be at each other's throats. Happened with Troy, and is happening now."

"Why are so many student bigshots here?"

"Even the student council president and some prodigious fellows showed up."

Anaya was currently staring into the arena with a somehow worried expression on her face.

What if because of her something happened to him?

What if he didn't survive?

"Don't worry, he's gonna be fine." Miranda and Everlong held her hand comfortingly, easing some of her worries.

She nodded gratefully towards the two of them.

Under the several gazes of numerous individuals, directed towards the two standing at opposite ends of the arena with ominous glares, an AI referee explained the rules.

"The rules are simple. The battle ends when one of you dies, or the one who overpowers the other party decides to spare the loser's life.

Anyone that tries to intervene will pay the price for that. Let the countdown begin. As this is a life and death battle, nothing done in the arena can be considered foul play."

The AI referee disappeared from the arena.

"You know," Farrell started talking, his annoying face shining with otherworldly maliciousness.

"I've always waited for the day where I can show Anaya and the whole world that I'm the only one deserving of her. In a—"

Before he even finished talking Lian Yu cut him off, his voice chillingly cold.

"Save your trash talk for the afterlife."

Farrell grimaced, then assumed a battle disposition.

A silver-colored armor shimmering with runes adorned his figure.

"I need to be careful. This guy won't be easy to deal with. He may be a rank 1 intermediate stage ascendant-level lifeform like me, but he specializes in using rune inscribed artifacts to amplify his power, and this rune armor he's wearing is the strongest of those artifacts according to the intel about him, amplifying his power alongside his usage of the water affinity. He plans on going all out. I need to go all out from the start."

A new saber—a replacement for the one Kailen had put out of business during their fight—materialized into Lian Yu's hands, his demeanor shifting into that of an unsheathed sword.

The wind howled around him, dormant saber intent slumbering in the wind like a hungry sea creature awaiting the arrival of prey before it acts.

As for Farrell, the expression of disdain for Lian Yu did not leave his face.

Anaya is mine, and no one else can have her.

He mused inwardly, as water suddenly snaked around his figure.

The moment the water came into contact with his armor, Lian Yu felt a lethal threat pulsing from the fellow.

The effect of the rune armor. It amplifies the power of his affinity.

Under Lian Yu's and the gazes of several onlookers, a condensed sword made of water shimmered to life in Farrell's hands.

Then, he moved. His movement—extremely fast.

So fast.

Lian Yu muttered as he shot towards the approaching opponent, the wind howling around him and amplifying his speed to extreme heights.

The duo clashed in a relentless exchange of cataclysmic proportions.

The sound of swords clanging resounded and reverberated outwards repeatedly, their movements akin to phantoms darting throughout the arena.

Protective arrays flickered to life, a prophylactic aimed at shielding the audience from their exchange, just in case it could cause any harm to anyone.

The duo were equally locked in power.

No one had the upper hand.

Sword met sword.

Lethal, aimed at claiming the other's life.

Each clash led to terrifying vibrations snaking through their arms, their bodies, their innards shaking slightly—a testament of the power backing each attack.

As they were both locked in a battle of equal power—

Suddenly,

Wind coated saber , already shimmering with saber intent.

The winds in the atmosphere also howled, and from them, uncondensed sword intent poured down on Lian Yu's opponent like a rain of swords—sharp, lethal.

Farrell felt a heavy weight bear down on him, one he knew aimed at claiming his life.

The sword intent pierced through his armor like needles, his innards screaming in protest against the unimaginable pain.

Quickly—

He grimaced angrily, as water flickered to life, enveloping him completely, adorning his figure.

The sword intent clashing with the water armor, now enveloping his armor in addition, experienced resistance, their effects against their master's opponent dwindling completely.

"It's time to end this."

He bellowed, separating himself from his opponent—the bastard who dared to try to kill him with a sneak attack.

Farrell started inscribing some runes in the air at an extremely fast speed.

Everyone, especially runesmiths watching the battle, couldn't help but be awed at the speed of his actions.

He was creating a rune.

His eyes became almost lifeless at the instant, as if all the spiritual power was being sucked out of him.

Clearly, that was his final attack against Lian Yu—one that would kill his opponent if he wasn't careful.

This took a while to recount, but it happened in a split moment.

Lian Yu knew that he also had to use his most powerful attack in his arsenal.

The battle had reached its final stage.