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I rush forward as fast as I can.

“Let’s do this.”

And deliver a punch with all my might!

“Ghuh!”

Mathias grunts in pain but manages to hold his ground.

I didn’t employ any Magical Arts for that punch, just my raw physical strength. I genuinely thought it would be enough to send him flying, but he stands firm.

“Why do you look so surprised? Did you think you were the only one getting stronger?” Mathias extends his hand, revealing five long, sharp claws that unfurl from his fingers, resembling those of a tiger. “I hope you weren’t assuming I lack close-quarters combat skills!”

He swings his claws downward, but misses.

“I guess I underestimated you, but that ends now.”

I deftly move to stand behind him. Mathias quickly pivots and swings again, but he’s too slow.

“Full Divine Wind.”

Divine Wind is a movement technique my father used. It combines a physical strength boost from Magical Arts with gravity magic to propel oneself in a specific direction, adding a burst of wind magic for extra speed. Full Divine Wind employs the full combination, sending me hurtling in a straight line. It might sound simple, but its effectiveness increases with mastery. Currently, I’m faster and stronger than ever.

Bam!

My punches now carry the added momentum, making them far more potent. Our fists collide, resulting in a cracking sound as his ice-encased hand shatters.

I dig my heels into the ground, pivoting my body in a circular motion to change direction. Mathias attempts to block, but he’s nearly helpless now. I deliver punch after punch, each one forcing the air out of his lungs.

“Ghuh!”

Mathias conjures ice walls and barriers in quick succession, but they provide scant protection.

“Hyaaaaaaaahhhhh!!”

With all my strength and speed, I punch through them. The ice wall, now spiderwebbed with cracks, shatters spectacularly. As chunks of ice scatter in all directions, Mathias leaps back.

“Shroud the night in white, Rampage Blizzard!”

He unleashes an even more potent spell, one capable of freezing me solid if it connects. But before it can, I conjure a barrier and sprint through the blizzard enveloping the arena. Powerful spells limit the caster’s movement and control, and sure enough, I find Mathias on the other side of the blizzard.

I unleash my full power in a punch that burrows deep into Mathias’ stomach, sending him sprawling and rolling on the ground. His blizzard spell ceases simultaneously.

When Olivia rises and assumes her fighting stance, a burst of magical power radiates from her, manifesting as a potent shockwave. The impact jolts my body, snapping me to full attention.

It’s not just me; the entire audience also feels the intensity.

Only Godwin laughs uproariously, reveling in the moment. He seems to be a jovial man, but he’s not wrong. I wasn’t even aware that Olivia had been concealing this much power. If this is the full extent of her abilities, can Mathias truly compete?

Soon enough, I realize that concern is unnecessary.

Olivia moves so quickly that my eyes can’t keep up, and I barely recognize when she’s launching attacks. I engage all my senses to their fullest in an attempt to follow her movements. Since she is primarily moving in straight lines and circles, I gradually manage to keep pace.

I’ve witnessed Mathias in combat before. There was the duel he initiated with Olivia during their first year, and I’ve seen him in various practice matches at the training grounds. Not to mention the time he singlehandedly defeated a pack of ogres during a field trip; it’s evident he’s formidable.

However, Olivia is leagues ahead. Maybe it’s bias because I serve her, but I doubt I’d land a single shot with my magical guns on her—much like how I previously conceded defeat against Ruri.

Even though Mathias outperforms the rest of the students, he’s far from being Olivia’s equal. That disparity is glaringly apparent now as Mathias is pushed entirely onto the defensive, unable to find an opening to counterattack.

“Umm… I apologize if this sounds rude, but shouldn’t we stop them? Mathias could get seriously injured at this rate.”

I cautiously pose the question to Godwin, who is watching intently with his arms crossed.

He responds with a broad grin, “Gahahah, I appreciate your concern, but interrupting a man while he’s fighting his strongest rival isn’t anyone’s place. Besides, I was the one who told the organizers to let this match happen!”

His explanation makes me understand that we’re mere bystanders in their rivalry; it’s not our place to decide the outcome. Mathias would only be satisfied with the conclusion of this battle if it’s seen through, even if that means getting hurt in the process.

I initially found it strange that the organizers allowed such an arbitrary match, but now I understand why they did. Godwin had a word with them and even went out of his way to ensure Olivia was present. He may appear intimidating, but it seems he’s quite the doting parent.

“Also, it looks like you’re pretty certain Olivia will win, but my son hasn’t played his trump card yet.”
“His trump card?”
“Yes, our family’s secret skill.”

Godwin smiles as he shares this, and proceeds to enlighten me about the Feullade family’s history in Seperion.

Years ago, there was a significant war, and the Feullade family was originally from a different country and known simply as ‘Feu.’ However, as Seperion expanded and absorbed their homeland, the head of the Feu family recognized their country’s downfall and surrendered. To prove his loyalty, he fought valiantly for Seperion, earning recognition and the addition of the ‘-llade’ suffix from Seperion’s language to their family name.

Seperion’s king also awarded the Feullade family a territory and a unique spell to be passed down through the generations. This secret skill bore their name, and it was—

“Transform this place into my hunting grounds! Feullade!”

Following a brief incantation, a vortex of ice and snow unfurls, giving rise to structures resembling frozen trees erupting from the ground.