As the dust stettled out. A light pierced through the particles.
Helion approached Arion, who stood balanced atop the giant living root…
The Lumiare Stone Sword in Helion's grip pulsed — glowing brighter, heavier, stronger with surging light energy.
"Spirit Skill: Solstice Glow!"
He raised his Solstice Edge to the sky — then in a blink, vanished into thin air.
High above, Liena flew up, her eyes blazing with focus.
"Zone Mana Enhanced: First Form — Temporal Air!"
Wind exploded violently in all directions, turning chaotic and turbulent. Arion braced himself against the sudden shift, trying to dodge, but—
BOOM!
A mud bullet slammed into his leg, courtesy of Yuri, throwing off his footing.
From above, Zezzy came hurtling downward, carried by Liena's gust. Her body spun like a spear as she launched a blazing aerial kick toward Arion—
CRACK!
Arion caught her by the leg mid-spin.
With a sharp twist, he whirled her around and slammed her downward, face-first toward the earth. But in the same heartbeat—
SWOOSH!
A wind blade screamed through the air, nearly slicing the crystal dangling from Arion's side.
He twisted midair, avoiding it narrowly. Then — with a flourish — Arion extended his arm and released a burst of wood spears in all directions.
BOOM! BOOM!
Vines and air slammed into Zezzy and Liena, flinging them back.
And just then—
Helion reappeared.
He had waited for the perfect moment.
Both he and Arion were now airborne—locked in a sky-duel.
Helion's glowing blade sliced through the air, an arc of blinding light aimed directly for Arion's side—
"Solstice glow! Imperial Slash!" Helion yelled!
But Arion, reacting in an instant, kicked upward, knocking Helion's arm just enough to redirect the strike.
KRAKOOOOOOM!!!
The redirected light slash exploded into the sky, ripping through the air like a celestial bomb.
The blast pulsed outwards, the mana pressure alone flattening clouds and warping the field below.
Arion's eyes widened slightly.
If he had landed that hit…
But there was no time to dwell.
THUMP!
He dodged again — mud bullets from Yuri flying at him in quick succession. But this time, Arion's own roots and vines surged from the ground, shielding him just in time as they wrapped tightly around him like living armor.
Arion's expression shifted.
"Enough games," he said calmly — but with weight.
A wave of pure mana burst outward from his body, shaking the terrain. A glowing green aura steamed from his limbs, flooding the air with thick energy.
He bolted forward, swift as a gale.
"Time to target the team's captain," he growled.
His eyes locked onto Zezzy, who braced herself.
"First Form: Verdant Sun Beam!"
A brilliant beam of green light surged from a nearby vine — aimed directly at her. But just in time, Yuri slammed his staff into the ground, forming a mud wall in its path.
KRAK!
The beam pierced the wall, forcing through, the pressure unbelievable.
Zezzy leapt aside — barely dodging it, her breath caught in her throat.
Helion was already in motion, rushing Arion from behind, sword glowing bright.
But Arion tilted his blade with surgical precision—
CLANG!
He disarmed Helion in a flash, his sword flying into the air.
A vine caught it mid-flight, snatching it and drifting it away like a feather in wind.
Helion stood defenseless.
Arion turned sharply and lunged a punch straight into Helion's gut, smashing through his guard.
BOOM!
Helion was sent flying — crashing into a tree, bark cracking beneath the impact. He slid to the base, coughing hard.
Yuri soared into the air, spinning his staff as he descended.
With a sharp chant, he thrust his staff at Arion — but the captain sidestepped effortlessly, swift and unreadable.
Yuri smirked.
"You're not the only one with roots."
Beneath Arion's feet, the ground bubbled into sludge.
"First Form — Mud Dragon!" Yuri roared.
A massive dragon-shaped maw of mud erupted upward from the earth, jaws open to consume Arion whole. I'm almost done.
But Arion didn't flinch.
In one motion, he summoned a thick root from the ground, lifting himself off the battlefield. As he ascended, he stepped directly onto Yuri's staff, pinning him down.
"You talk too much," Arion muttered.
The next moment, vines surged out of the ground like snakes — and in an instant, coiled around Yuri, completely binding him midair.
Arion's gaze snapped upward.
Both Liena and Zezzy hovered in the air, flying straight toward him—synchronized, sharp, and unyielding.
Liena's eyes flashed green, her vision pulsing with mystic energy.
She spun midair, blade cutting through the wind with precision.
She nearly clipped the crystal hanging from Arion's hip.
"I can read your mana flow now," she muttered.
Her Mystical Eyes were tracking his every movement—each shift in aura.
Zezzy appeared behind him in a blink—flanking from the rear.
Together, the two women launched a blinding assault.
Their blades slashed with skill and synergy, clashing against Arion from both sides. Steel screamed against steel as Arion blocked every attack—one sword, two opponents.
And still, he didn't look shaken.
"Didn't I already teach you?" Arion called out mid-duel.
"You're no match for me—close or long range."
He lifted a single hand skyward.
First Form: Verdant Sun Beam.
A thick vine curled up beside him, charged with energy—
A blinding beam of light exploded outward from its tip, locking onto both Liena and Zezzy as it fired.
They broke off, diving and twisting—barely avoiding the scorching light that split the air with a thunderous BOOM.
But just then—
Helion reappeared.
No weapon. Bruised, bloodied, chest heaving—but not broken.
He surged from behind, a blur of motion.
One punch.
Two— Arion weaved.
The third— dodged again.
Then—
Helion planted his hands into the ground and launched into a handstand.
With explosive force, he snapped both legs upward, landing a direct double-kick to Arion's chest.
THOOM!
Arion grunted—staggering back, caught off guard.
It was the first clean hit anyone had landed on him during the battle.
Arion grinned as he glared at Helion.
"Nice hit, Helion…"
He chuckled darkly.
"Even without a sword, you still chose to charge in… but what about this?"
Arion raised his hand again.
Another vine surged upward—thicker, brighter, charged with heavy green mana.
Helion leapt aside—
But a vine snapped around his ankle, pinning him midair.
His eyes widened.
He couldn't dodge. No sword. No shield.
The vine glowed with energy. A direct hit was inevitable.
Helion braced himself, crossing his arms.
But before the blast could land—
Liena and Zezzy dropped in front of him.
Liena raised both hands, eyes flashing green.
"Zana Mana—Enhanced First Form: Temporal Air!"
A whirlwind erupted, pushing back against the beam of mana.
Zezzy stepped forward, voice sharp.
"Mana Enforcement—First Form: Pressure Resin!"
Her blade turned a shimmering deep blue as compressed water mana wrapped tightly around it.
With a fierce swing, she blocked the oncoming beam—and countered.
A piercing beam of water shot from her extended hand, slipping through the energy and striking the hilt of Arion's sword.
The weapon wobbled—slightly dislodged—
But Arion recovered quickly, catching it in his other hand.
Only to find—Liena had already closed the distance.
She hurled a focused wind ball at his chest, blasting Arion backward across the battlefield.
He skidded, then caught his footing—unshaken, but no longer smiling.
Meanwhile—
Yuri broke free from the vines, tossing Helion's sword back to him.
The blade lit up the moment Helion caught it.
But this time…
The light was different.
It wasn't Solstice Glow.
It was something else.
Not just his sword—his entire body shimmered, wrapped in radiant light.
The ground beneath him cracked under the pressure.
Sparkling beams of mana rippled through the air.
Arion narrowed his eyes.
"Oh? Solstice Glow again?"
He tilted his head, smirking.
"Don't you know other moves?"
Inside Helion's mind, Luminox spoke.
"Helion… we have to end this. Our mana reserve's almost depleted."
"I know," Helion replied. "One more move. I'm going for the crystal."
"Are you ready to use it?"
"You've failed three times already."
"I think I've got the rhythm now."
"Then control the output and speed. I'll guide you—we'll do it together."
Helion gripped Solstice Edge tightly.
The pressure climbed.
Light erupted.
"First Form…" Helion shouted.
Arion's expression shifted—suddenly alert.
"Oh no… this is—"
In that instant—just before his body vanished into light—Helion's mind flashed back.
⸻
Days ago – Royal Training Grounds
Helion stood in the wind-beaten canyon outside the capital, panting, bruised, clutching his Solstice Edge.
Across from him stood Zeyr Chrono, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
Beside him, Loken rested, watching with idle interest.
Helion wiped sweat from his brow.
"I'm trying again."
Zeyr didn't respond. Just nodded.
Inside Helion's mind, the calm voice of Luminox echoed.
"You're forcing the output again. You can't control light, Helion. You have to become it."
Helion grit his teeth. "This time I'll get it."
He raised his sword skyward. Light began to build—pressure, brilliance, weight.
"First Form: Prism Flash!"
In a blink, he vanished.
And then—
CRASH!
A crater burst open behind the training boulders. Helion lay face-first in the dust, coughing.
Zeyr sighed.
"You're too fast. Too wild. Power without aim means nothing."
Helion sat up, frustrated. "But I can feel it. I know I'm close."
Luminox's voice calmed him gently.
"You are. But until you can steer the flash—until you trust the flow, not just the force—it'll always outrun you."
Zeyr turned away.
"Figure it out, Helion. Or when the real fight comes… you'll burn out before you land a single blow."
⸻
Back to Present
The words echoed in his soul—
And this time…
He didn't crash.
He cut through.
Perfect speed. Purposeful trajectory. Unstoppable will.
"First Form: PRISM FLASH!!" Helion roared.
He launched forward—like a beam of pure light tearing across the battlefield.
A radiant shockwave exploded in his wake, ripping through rocks, trees, terrain—everything in his path disintegrated.
He was too fast.
Too powerful.
An unstoppable ray of light zipping back and forth across the map in chaotic arcs.
He struck in every direction—uncontrolled, like a star breaking orbit.
Arion dodged narrowly—once, twice, again. But fatigue was setting in.
Roots shattered. Trees fell. The field exploded in bursts of light.
Zezzy, Liena, and Yuri stood frozen, eyes wide.
"He's out of control!" Liena yelled. "I don't think he can stop!"
She tried to stabilize him with her wind—but he was too fast.
Yuri's glasses glinted.
"I have an idea. All of us—let's hit him with everything we've got. Together."
They nodded.
First Form: Mud Dragon!
First Form: Pressure Resin!
First Form: Temporal Air!
A colossal barrage of attacks flew toward Arion
Heavy mud bullets, swirling with wind blades
Five pressurized beams of water
A whirling gale wrapped around it all
One united strike.
Arion smirked.
"Now this is more like it!"
He crouched, lowering his center of gravity.
Mana surged from his core—so potent the crystal on his hip cracked under the force.
"Zone Mana Enhanced Second Form!"
But he stopped.
His instincts flared.
Behind him—
Helion.
Arion's eyes widened.
Too late.
Helion had reappeared—faster than thought.
In one clean swipe—he bolted by Arion.
Then collapsed to his knees, breathless.
The light faded from his body. The battle was over. In Helions hand dangled the crystal.
Arion barely dodged the incoming triple strike, which carved a path through the trees, splitting the battlefield in its aftermath.
Silence fell.
Then—Arion laughed.
His sword disappeared into mist as he smiled at Team Crimson.
"You guys…"
He nodded.
"…did great."
"Congratulations."
"You passed."
Arion walked toward the four as the dust settled.
Yuri helped Helion to his feet, his breathing still ragged.
The crystal—once chained at Arion's hip—was now cracked and glowing faintly in Helion's palm. Suddenly, it shattered, the fragments scattering across the field like glass made of light.
Arion let out a deep laugh.
"All that mana… and you actually broke the crystal."
He kept laughing, genuinely entertained.
Team Crimson stood together, bruised and exhausted, but victorious.
Then, Arion raised one hand calmly, his palm open and facing upward.
"Spirit Skill: Verdant Rain."
A glowing green orb formed in his hand, pulsing softly. With a small toss, he launched it into the sky.
It exploded overhead—releasing a gentle rain of green light.
The droplets fell like divine mist, shimmering as they touched the ground.
Helion's wounds faded. Yuri's mana surged. Zezzy's cuts vanished. Liena's energy returned.
The team blinked in surprise as their strength came flooding back.
Helion stretched both arms. "Whoa… that feels amazing!"
Arion smiled warmly, his tone lighter now.
"My Verdant Rain doesn't just heal wounds—it restores mana too."
He rolled his shoulder and added with a grin,
"Technically… it was all your mana anyway."
They all stared at him.
"…What?" Zezzy finally said.
Arion raised a finger and winked, one eye closed.
"My Second Form—Bloom Surge—doesn't just make vines and roots."
He pointed back at the living forest behind them.
"That forest… slowly drains mana from whoever steps inside it. Just a little at a time. And then—" he tapped his chest, "—feeds it back to me."
All four of them froze.
"Wait—what!?" Liena said.
"We didn't even notice," Zezzy muttered.
Arion laughed again.
"Most people don't. Not until it's already too late."
He gave them a casual salute.
"Well done, Team Crimson. You surprised me out there."
Then he turned and began walking away, roots gently parting around his steps.
Well, shall we head back now?"
Arion turned, hands tucked behind his back, casual as ever.
"Let's see… were you the first to pass? Or the last?"
He glanced over his shoulder with a smirk.
"Or maybe… we'll find out who didn't make it at all."
Without warning—
The sky above them lit up.
Five hyper beams shot down, one for each of them. The glowing pillars hummed with energy, surrounding Team Crimson and Arion as they were pulled upward—warped from the open field and flung toward the royal stadium in streaks of radiant light.
The transition was swift.
In a flash, they were hovering above the arena again—the roar of the crowd slamming into their ears like a crashing wave.
Cheers. Applause. Chants.
The moment their feet touched the center platform, the audience erupted into thunderous celebration.
Team Crimson had returned.
And now…
the whole kingdom was watching.