CHAPTER 141: THE UNDEFEATED DUO!

The day’s matches replayed in Elysia’s mind as they parted ways. Each strike, each mistake, each moment of hesitation.

That night, unable to rest, Elysia climbed to a spot on the rooftop. The wind was cool against her face, carrying with it the scent of the city below.

The moon hung high, bathing the rooftops and streets in a silver glow. From up here, the cheers of the crowd were gone.

All that remained was the quiet hum of the city and her own thoughts.

Every victory, she reminded herself, was a lesson. Every opponent was a mirror—showing her not just her strengths, but the flaws she had yet to overcome.

Her grandfather’s voice echoed in her memory: "Strength without heart is empty. Skill without purpose is wasted."

She closed her eyes and let those words sink in. They were more than advice—they were a challenge.

The Festival of Trials was not just another event for her. It was more than a contest of skill. It was a proving ground—a chance to grow, to push herself beyond her limits.

Elysia opened her eyes and gazed at the moon once more, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword.

Next time, she vowed in silence, (I will fight every battle with more than just my blade. I will fight with strategy, with courage... and with the heart of a true warrior.)

The second day and the third day of the Festival of Trial.

The air was almost buzzing with excitement. From the towering marble walls that enclosed the battleground to the shining golden balconies high above, every seat was filled.

Nobles lounged in comfort on cushioned chairs, sipping fine drinks, their eyes locked on the matches below. Commoners leaned forward eagerly, whispering predictions to each other.

Down on the arena floor, the wide expanse of sand and stone still carried traces of earlier battles — faint footprints, broken weapons, and small patches of blood.

The dust from those clashes hung in the air, glowing faintly as the afternoon sunlight streamed through the enchanted skylight overhead.

That magical dome not only lit the arena perfectly but also shimmered with protective wards, ready to shield the crowd from any stray attacks.

The rules were brutally simple:

Win, and you advance. Lose, and you’re out, and the family gets the position of representative of the council of clan.

Fighters could enter alone or form temporary alliances, but no matter the choice, only the strong, smart, and skilled would survive to the end.

Strength could carry you far, but so could teamwork, quick thinking, and a little cunning.

One by one, the great families of the state had stepped forward to prove their might. Their fighting styles were as unique as the banners they proudly displayed: some warriors crushed their foes with sheer, overwhelming strength; others wove intricate spells that flashed and burned with deadly beauty; and a rare few blended both magic and martial arts into devastating combinations.

Yet, despite the parade of talent, two names stood out more than any other — Elysia and Edwin.

The crowd spoke of them in hushed voices or excited shouts, each match they fought only adding to their growing legend.

Whether it was Elysia’s precise, calculated movements or Edwin’s unshakable confidence and raw power, everyone knew they were more than just contenders.

Earlier Rounds

By the time the tournament reached its final stretch, Elysia and Edwin had already carved their names into the minds of everyone in the stands.

They had entered the arena five times, and five times they had walked out victorious.

But each battle had been its own trial — testing not just their strength, but their wits, trust, and ability to adapt.

Second Match – The Blackwater Cousins

The second fight was against the infamous Blackwater cousins from the Poison Valley Family.

Known throughout the eastern provinces, the cousins were twin dagger wielders who specialized in fast kills — slip in, bleed the opponent before they even knew they’d been struck, and slip out without a trace.

From the very first bell, they became shadows. Their daggers shimmered faintly in the sunlight, coated with a poison so deadly that even a scratch could end a match. They circled like wolves, their movements so quick the eye could barely follow.

Elysia adjusted her stance, her eyes tracking every twitch of their shoulders and hips, predicting where they would move before they even shifted.

She didn’t attack recklessly — instead, she let her sword carve invisible barriers in the air, sealing off their escape paths one by one.

Edwin, in contrast, was a wall of steel and force and also the strong swordsman among the family peers.

The moment one cousin tried to dart past him, Edwin stepped forward, blade sweeping in a wide arc that forced them into close combat — the one place they couldn’t rely on speed.

The match ended in a burst of motion. One cousin lunged at Elysia’s side, but she sidestepped and slammed the flat of her blade against his wrist, knocking the poisoned dagger away.

The other spun toward Edwin, but his sword caught the attack and wrenched the weapon clean from the assassin’s grip.

Less than five minutes had passed.

The crowd roared their approval.

Third Match – The Montclair Giant and His Shield

Their next battle was the kind that could break lesser fighters.

The arena gates opened, and in stepped a towering giant from the Montclair family, wielding a warhammer so large it seemed like a weapon for a siege rather than a duel.

Behind him stood a barrier mage, hands already glowing with protective magic.

From the first clash, it became clear — this was going to be a war of endurance.

Every time Edwin’s blade came down, it slammed against the mage’s shimmering wall of light with a booming clang. Every time Elysia tried to slip through, the giant’s hammer came swinging like a falling boulder, forcing her back.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours.

Sweat gleamed on Edwin’s forehead, but he never slowed, his strikes relentless, testing the barrier from every angle.

Each time cracks appeared, Elysia would dart in, her sword slipping through the smallest gaps to slash at the mage’s robes or press the attack on the giant’s legs.

Finally, after a perfectly timed exchange, Edwin’s downward strike shattered the barrier entirely.

The mage stumbled backward, gasping — and in that heartbeat, Elysia was already inside their guard.

The giant raised his hammer for one last desperate swing, but she cut cleanly across the haft, the blade biting deep.

The weapon hit the ground with a dull, final thud.

Victory was theirs.

Fourth Match – The Yurei Illusionists

The fourth fight began deceptively.

Their opponents — two unassuming members of the low-ranked Yurei family — looked like they didn’t even belong in the same tournament.

No visible weapons.

No impressive armor.

Then the illusions began.

The air shimmered like heat over stone, and suddenly Elysia and Edwin were surrounded by enemies — ten, then twenty, all charging at once.

Swords swung through empty air, footsteps echoed from the wrong direction, and the sound of laughter came from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Elysia narrowed her eyes, her instincts whispering that something was off. She stopped moving entirely, ignoring the phantoms, and focused on the smallest details — the way one shadow didn’t quite match the light, the faint ripple of air around a single figure.

"Let’s count the steps," she called to Edwin.

He moved without hesitation, swinging his blade in a brutal arc — and the illusion shattered like glass, revealing one of the real Yurei crouched to strike.

From that moment, the fight turned.

With the tricks broken, the Yurei found themselves cornered.

Edwin pinned one to the arena floor with a heavy kick, while Elysia’s blade pressed against the other’s throat. The match ended in surrender.

Fifth Match – Kraven, the Lone Spear Storm

The most recent fight was against a single man — but one who fought like a whirlwind.

Kraven, a lone warrior who refused to ally with anyone, entered the arena with two gleaming spears.

As soon as the bell rang, he spun them so fast they blurred into silver rings, creating a wall of whirling steel.

Edwin couldn’t land a single strike without risking a deep wound.

Elysia tried to cast, but every attempt was deflected by the spear’s spinning reach. The crowd gasped as Edwin was forced backward, step by step.

Then Edwin made a gamble. He deliberately left a gap in his guard — an opening so tempting that Kraven lunged without thinking.

His right spear shot forward, breaking the spinning pattern.

That was all Elysia needed. Her sword flashed once, and the spear froze solid with a layer of frost that creaked under the strain.

Edwin’s follow-up strike shattered it into icy shards that scattered across the arena floor.

Kraven dropped the remaining spear, defeated.

Five matches and five wins.

They had faced speed, strength, deception, and pure aggression and overcome them all.

Now, every eye in the arena followed them.

Their record was flawless. Their momentum was unstoppable.

And their next match... would decide everything, not only their strength but also about the family.