It was already late in the afternoon, yet the academy grounds were still burning with fervor.

Ten minutes was all it took for the arena to shift. The massive space that had held the Singles duel now swelled outward, terrain resetting. Stone walls, staggered pillars, and swathes of barren ground stretched into place. Where the Singles Arena had been a duel of will, the Teams Arena now demanded coordination—ten bodies, ten beasts, one rhythm.

The crowd was already alive again, tension palpable as the announcer's voice rose:

"Ladies and gentlemen! The Team Arena semifinals begin now! First match—Team One versus Team Eleven!"

Team One marched as if they had drilled every step for months. At their front was their commander, a tall boy with short-cropped hair, his posture as rigid as a blade. At his side prowled two Ironfang Mastiffs, muscles corded with steel-threaded fur, their fangs glinting like forged weapons. Flanking them came a Scaled Lizard, hide mottled with rock and sand, its movements heavy yet deliberate. Above them glided a Metallic Swan, wings shimmering with razor-sharp feathers that glittered in the sun. Beside it slithered a Venomtail Serpent, scales black as oil, its tail barbed with dripping toxins. Rounding the force was a Tusked Boar, its hooves sparking against the ground as it pawed eagerly.

Then came Team Eleven. Aston walked at their center, Gray perched deceptively as a small kitten on his shoulder, Mirage circling quietly above. At his sides strode Marcellus, tall and broad, with his partner beast armored in crimson aura; Ivy and her rune-covered fox, her enchantments already flickering faintly at her fingertips; Brennar, tightening the runes on his construct with practiced ease; and Selene, serene as ever, her dove fluttering with gentle coos above her.

The referee raised his hand. "Match… begin!"

—

The mastiffs charged immediately, twin streaks of muscle and steel. The boar thundered after them, tusks low and gleaming. Above, the metallic swan fanned its wings, a storm of feather-blades raining down in perfect coordination. The serpent slithered into the dirt, its tail striking the ground to release venomous mist.

Team One's leader barked crisp commands: "Mastiffs—flank! Boar, center! Lizard, hold ground! Swan, suppress! Serpent, corral!"

The field became a wall of force.

"Formation drill," someone in the crowd gasped. "They're cutting off all escape angles."

Aston's team did not panic.

"Mirage—altitude. Gray, wait." His voice was steady, sharp. "Marcellus, brace the charge. Ivy, enchant Brennar's line. Selene, ready with your heals."

Mirage surged higher, her translucent wings bending the light until she vanished into the sky. Brennar's construct crouched low, plating unfolding into a barricade. Ivy traced glowing sigils across it, the barriers humming with new strength. Selene's dove fluttered overhead, blessing the group in pale healing light.

The mastiffs slammed into Marcellus's front line with explosive force. Sparks erupted as claw met steel. The boar crashed against Brennar's construct, tusks screeching. Feather-blades rained, glancing off Ivy's wards. The serpent struck, tail whipping, but Gray darted away like smoke, claws swiping to deflect its venom.

The crowd roared.

"They stopped it—!"

"No, look—the mastiffs are pressing harder!"

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Team Eleven was holding—but only just.

The metallic swan dove suddenly, wings like scythes. Mirage intercepted, releasing an Icy Gale that tore across the air, shards of frost colliding with the swan's feathers. It screeched, but recovered mid-flight, circling for another strike.

On the ground, the lizard bellowed, its claws summoning a tremor that split the field. Marcellus staggered as cracks raced toward him. The mastiffs leapt, fangs slamming into his beast's guard. Brennar's construct groaned, plating buckling as the boar forced against it with terrifying strength.

"Push them!" Team One's leader shouted. "Keep the pressure constant!"

The crowd cheered their discipline. "They're overwhelming them bit by bit!"

"Team Eleven can't keep this up."

Aston's eyes narrowed. His team was tiring. The serpent's venom mist was creeping wider, forcing them into tighter space. It wasn't random—it was control. He exhaled slowly.

The mastiffs might belong to the leader, but the serpent is the keystone of their formation.

"Gray," he whispered. "Take it out."

Gray's body shimmered. In a blink, the kitten blurred away from Team One's sight. The crowd gasped in shock, remembering whispers of the "kitten" from the rumble.

The serpent never saw him coming. Surgical Claws flashed, a line too thin to follow. The Venomtail shuddered, then collapsed, its essence flickering out.

The mist dissipated instantly. Team One's formation staggered.

"Formation broken!" someone in the stands cried.

"They lost their control beast!"

Team Eleven pressed the moment.

"Marcellus—advance!" Aston commanded. "Ivy, on him. Brennar, traps on their flank. Selene, keep the line steady!"

Marcellus roared forward, his beast hammering one mastiff aside. Ivy's sigils blazed across his arms, doubling his strikes with enchantment force. Brennar's construct spat glowing stakes that formed into jagged walls, cutting the boar's path.

Mirage dove, wings flickering as she launched Fractured Halo, sigils raining towards Aston's teammates. The metallic bird shrieked, feathers locking with ice, and crashed into the ground.

"Gray—mastiffs!" Aston snapped. The cub blurred again, claws carving perfect incisions into steel-threaded hide. One mastiff fell, the other whimpering back toward its master.

The crowd exploded with noise.

"They turned it around!"

"No—Team One isn't finished yet!"

The lizard lunged, claws raking at Brennar's construct. The boar slammed into Ivy's barrier, tusks shattering the glowing shield. Marcellus grappled the mastiff in a furious clash, teeth and claws meeting steel gauntlets.

Team One's leader screamed, desperation lacing his command. "Reform! All units, on me!"

But it was too late.

"Gray, pin the leader."

The cat leapt, obsidian claws carving lines across the commander's guard. His mastiff fell trying to defend him.

"Mirage—freeze the ground!"

The owl unleashed a storm of ice, locking the boar's hooves mid-charge.

"Brennar, collapse the trap. Ivy, seal it."

Ivy's beast shone and her runes flared—spikes converged, impaling the lizard in a cage of jagged stone and enchantment.

The metallic swan tried to recover, wings struggling against frost. Marcellus finished it with a blow, essence bursting across its frame.

The battlefield stilled.

The referee's hand shot up. "Victory—Team Eleven!"

The stands erupted, a mix of cheers and stunned cries.

"They actually beat Team One!"

"No way… that was the army team! Their formation never breaks!"

In one of the participant's chambers, Tristan leaned against his chair rail, arms crossed, watching the screen. His cheetah and serpent at his side hissed low, sensing their master's mood. Tristan's eyes narrowed, cold and calculating.

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