CHAPTER 251: VIGILANTE IN THE ACADEMY [2]

On the arena grounds, the tension was palpable.

One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament was about to begin.

Leona stood across from Ryen, her eyes sharp, her stance steady.

Facing her was none other than the top-ranked first-year cadet of Velcrest Academy—the golden boy, the crowd favorite, Ryen himself.

The cheers were deafening, mostly for him.

But Leona didn’t flinch.

She was ranked third—not far behind him in terms of power—but when it came to reputation, there was still a noticeable gap.

Ryen had the legacy, the charm, the victories.

Leona... had something else.

Fire.

Determination.

And after her last match, people were finally beginning to notice.

Her duel against a second-year professor had ended in a draw—but that wasn’t what left the crowd speechless.

It was the speed.

The precision.

The unshakable composure of a cadet who stood her ground against someone vastly more experienced.

She had forced the academy to pay attention.

And now, she had one more hurdle.

Ryen.

If she could take him down in front of all these spectators—students, instructors, sponsors—then it would be undeniable.

Leona adjusted her gloves, her mind flashing back to a familiar voice.

"—I’ll do anything if you manage to beat Ryen. Or Leo."

Rin’s teasing tone echoed in her head.

Leona’s heart skipped a beat. A faint smile tugged at her lips.

Her pulse quickened—not from fear, but from excitement.

This wasn’t just about ranking anymore.

This was personal.

Her moment.

And she wasn’t going to let it slip away.

"Oh, Ryen~" she called out playfully, resting a hand on her hip. "I thought you’d run away after seeing what I could do earlier."

Ryen shook his head, his expression calm but serious.

"How could I?" he said. "If I ran away, I couldn’t call myself a hero. And besides..." He took a step forward, meeting her gaze with a determined smile. "I want a real match with you, Leon."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"

"We’re completely different kinds of swordsmen," he admitted. "But it’s hard to find someone who’s as dedicated to the sword as you are. I’ve watched you during training. Your techniques are sharp—clean. I’ve always wanted to face you properly. Learn from you, even."

Leona chuckled. "You’re greedy, top student. Someone like you shouldn’t be looking up to someone like me."

Then her eyes glinted with challenge.

"But since the rankings are going to shift today anyway, I’ve got no reason to turn you down."

They both stepped into the arena. The crowd buzzed, sensing the tension in the air.

"Let’s give it our all," Ryen said.

The professor’s hand dropped.

"Begin!"

Before the word had even finished echoing across the field, Leona was already in motion.

A flash of steel. A lightning-fast draw slash aimed straight for Ryen’s neck.

It was the same surprise attack she had used earlier—a near-perfect execution.

But this time, Ryen was ready.

He had seen it once before. There was no way he would fall for it again.

His initial plan was simple: surround himself with a barrier of holy sword light, block the attack, then counter immediately.

But just as the blade came within inches of his throat...

Something screamed at him.

A voice inside.

Danger.

And he trusted that instinct.

Instead of following through with his defense, Ryen twisted his body to the side at the last second. The sword grazed past his shoulder, the wind from it sharp enough to sting.

He landed lightly on his feet, sliding back a few steps. His sword was now drawn, glowing faintly with golden light.

"...You really weren’t holding back," he muttered.

Leona smirked, flipping her blade once.

"You wanted a serious match, didn’t you?"

Their swords gleamed under the arena lights.

The real duel had just begun.

The air shimmered as swordlight clashed steel.

Clang!

Ryen barely deflected Leona’s second strike, their blades locking in a spray of sparks. The force of her blow pushed him back—his boots scraped against the stone floor with a screech.

"Fast," he breathed. "Faster than before."

Leona didn’t respond with words. She pivoted on her heel and brought her sword around in a tight arc—aimed low this time, toward his legs.

Whsshh—clang!

He blocked it just in time, his blade humming with the pressure of her strike. The crowd held their breath as the two cadets moved in a blur, trading blows faster than most eyes could follow.

Tink! Clang! Swish—clang!

Ryen leapt back, flipping once mid-air to create distance. He landed with a light thud, his sword now fully aglow—light pouring from its edge like mist from a waterfall.

"I wasn’t lying," he said, panting. "I meant what I said earlier."

Leona rolled her shoulder, her expression still calm—but her eyes were burning.

"Oh? About learning from me?"

Ryen nodded.

"Yeah. But I think it’s gonna hurt."

Boom!

He kicked off the ground with explosive force, a blast of golden light following his movement. He slashed downward—an overhead strike infused with holy energy.

Leona’s blade met his mid-swing.

CRACK—BOOM!

The shockwave rocked the arena. Dust exploded outward from their feet, sending nearby spectators stumbling back in their seats.

Leona’s boots dug trenches into the ground, but she didn’t fall.

Instead, she grinned.

"You’re holding back again," she said, her voice steady.

Ryen’s eye twitched. "I’m not—"

"Don’t lie," she cut in, twisting her blade under his and forcing him to disengage.

Ryen stumbled back, barely blocking a sudden upward thrust.

Screee—clang!

Leona didn’t give him room to breathe. She stepped in, closing the gap with inhuman sharpness.

One strike. Two. Three.

Whish! Clang! Tink!

Each slash was so clean, so practiced, that it was like watching a masterclass in swordsmanship.

But Ryen wasn’t top-ranked for nothing.

He parried the fourth strike and spun, aiming a backhand slash at her midsection.

Slash—clang!

Leona twisted, the blade barely grazing her ribs. A few strands of her hair floated down, cut mid-motion.

She stopped moving for just half a second.

Ryen didn’t press.

"You okay?" he asked.

She glanced down at the blood—just a scratch. Then looked up and said, with a smirk, "You’re still too nice."

Then she disappeared.

Fwsssh!

A step so fast it left an afterimage. Ryen’s eyes widened—but he turned, blocking just in time.

Their blades locked again.

Face to face now. Inches apart.

"Don’t go easy on me, Ryen," she whispered.

"I’m not."

She leaned in slightly. "Then prove it."

Their blades slid apart.

Then—BOOM!

The second half of the duel exploded into life.

A flurry of blows. Steel ringing like music. Feet pounding across stone. Sparks flying.

The crowd erupted, but their cheers were drowned by the sound of war.

CLANG! WHOOSH! TING! BOOM!

Leona was relentless, but so was Ryen.

She fought with calculated aggression.

He fought with disciplined passion.

Neither backed down.

And as the dust rose, as their blades clashed again with thunderous force...

...it was clear this match was no longer just about rankings.

This was a clash of two ideals.

Two swords that refused to yield.

Ryen and Leona quickly jumped apart after that last exchange of blades. Both of them were breathing hard, but it was clear who was struggling more.

Leona’s shoulders rose and fell with each sharp breath.

Sweat clung to her brow, mixing with the faint trickle of blood from a cut on her cheek. Small wounds marked her arms and legs—nothing serious, nothing fatal—but enough to show the toll the fight was taking on her.

Ryen, on the other hand, was still steady on his feet. His breaths were labored, yes—but measured.

His sword-arm remained firm, glowing faintly with holy energy that seemed to pulse with each heartbeat. Aside from a nick across his shoulder and a scuff on his cheek, he looked relatively untouched.

Leona clenched her jaw.

She knew it.

She had pushed him hard. Harder than most ever had—but it still wasn’t enough.

Not yet.

Her grip on her sword tightened.

Think. Move. Don’t stop now.

She took one step forward—her footing faltered.

Ryen noticed.

He didn’t press, not immediately.

"Leon..." he said softly, his blade lowering just an inch. "You’ve already—"

"Don’t," she cut him off, lifting her blade again. Her eyes flared with a stubborn fire. "Don’t you dare say I’ve done enough."

Ryen hesitated. Then slowly raised his sword again.

"I won’t."

The wind stirred the dust between them.

For a moment, neither moved. The crowd held its breath, watching the two cadets as if they were frozen in time.

Then Leona spoke again, her voice quieter now—but resolute.

"Just don’t hold back. Go all out."

The condition she was in now was pretty normal.... Compared to sword traning she done with her father at clan and conditions she got into after those traning sessions...This was like walk in park.

Ryen glanced at Leon across from him.

’Go all out.’

He hasn’t done it before....The only time he has gone all out was during the entrance examination of the Velcrest Academy and it was also because Kai Foster an A-rank villain attacked the academy and everyone life’s were in denger.

....And since then he hasn’t gone all out.

"Okay, I’ll go all out now."