The battle had reached a fever pitch.

Blades of essence clashed against waves of fire and steel. The arena's shifting light painted the fractured ground in molten hues—scars of earth and flickering spirit flames marking every strike.

Mirage swooped overhead, halo gleaming, while Gray circled beneath her shadow like a phantom, claws carving arcs of obsidian energy.

Across from them, Zoom blazed through the dust, its every movement a streak of fire and fury.

Neither side held the advantage. Every gain was paid for in blood and essence.

"Push the left flank!" Aston commanded sharply. "Mirage—continue with the Fractured Halo! Marcellus, drive their tortoise into the open!"

"On it!" Marcellus roared. His wolfhound charged forward, fangs bared, slamming into the Runeshell Tortoise's barrier. Sparks and dust exploded outward.

From the rear line, Ivy's hands moved to reinforce the strike—her enchantment circle glowing faintly.

Then, suddenly… she stopped.

The circle faded.

Aston blinked. "Ivy—what are you doing?"

Her face was pale, unreadable beneath the flickering light. "I'm done," she said simply, voice trembling—not with fear, but finality. "I surrender."

The words hit like a thunderclap.

"What?" Marcellus shouted, disbelief raw in his tone.

Even Tristan's fire faltered, his brow arching in curiosity.

Before Aston could even respond, Brennar raised both hands as well, tools clattering from his belt. "Same. I'm out."

The crowd erupted in chaos—gasps, shouts, disbelief echoing across the coliseum stands.

"They… surrendered?" one spectator blurted.

"Mid-fight?!"

"Are they insane?!"

The referee's voice cut across the uproar: "Ivy Deyra and Brennar Coil—voluntary withdrawal confirmed!"

Aston's heart dropped. "You can't be serious," he muttered, eyes snapping to his teammates. "You're quitting? Now?!"

Brennar's gaze flicked to him. "'Alliances are permitted. Betrayal is not punished. Survive however you must,'" he quoted flatly. "That's what the referee told us before."

Aston froze. He remembered those words—but that was during the rumble royale about allying with other groups. They had used it as an excuse. Then he thought of a possibility.

Stolen story; please report.

"How much?" he asked quietly, voice low and shaking with anger.

Brennar's lips twitched. "...Sorry Aston."

Ivy added hesitantly. "You're clever, Aston. Be careful within the academy grounds, someone made an offer we cannot refuse."

Tristan's amused grin spread. "Well, isn't this interesting."

"Keep your mouth shut," Marcellus growled at him, stepping protectively forward. "You'll get your turn."

Ivy and Brennar walked calmly toward the edge of the field, vanishing in twin flashes of light as the teleportation runes activated. Their names dimmed from the scoreboard.

Five down to three.

Aston's fists clenched. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, but he didn't shout. Didn't rage. He simply exhaled once, steadying himself. "We adapt," he said quietly. "We always adapt."

Mirage screeched overhead, wings widening into a glowing arc as she descended. The frost ring spread across the field like shards of moonlight, slowing enemy movements, distorting vision.

Selene extended her hand, her dove flaring with golden radiance. "Healing circle—activated!"

A shimmering field of light spread across the remaining trio. Energy pulsed through their bodies, patching burns, mending shallow wounds.

Gray's fur shimmered, eyes glowing faintly brighter.

Tristan's grin hardened. "Liora—barrier up. Helena, suppress the backline!"

The Runeshell Tortoise stomped, rune lines blazing along its shell. Wards shimmered outward, blunting Mirage's debuff field. Their scout—Helena—commanded her Storm-Talon Falcon to dive, static trailing in its wake.

"Marcellus, brace!" Aston ordered.

The wolfhound snarled, leaping to meet the falcon mid-dive—its steel-shod fangs clashing against talons. The impact sent both tumbling into the dust.

Gray launched from the shadows, intercepting the cheetah before it could flank.

Fire met darkness. The shockwave cracked the ground beneath them.

"Selene, stay behind the barrier!" Aston barked.

But she never had the chance.

The Cinder-Bellied Basilisk surged from the smoke, mouth wide and glowing red-hot.

"Ember Venom—now!" Cassian shouted.

The basilisk spat a glob of molten venom—spiraling through the air toward Selene.

"Mirage!" Aston cried.

The owl pivoted, halo flaring, wings spreading to cast a prism of refraction light. The attack's trajectory bent—deflected, but not nullified. It struck the ground near Selene, erupting into a burning shockwave.

The healer screamed as fire washed across her. Her dove shrieked, wings of light curling inward before bursting into essence fragments.

"Selene Roth—eliminated."

The announcement hit like a bell toll.

Marcellus cursed under his breath, fists slamming into the dirt. "Dammit!"

"Focus!" Aston barked—but his words turned to a growl when Mirage sent him a flash of insight through their bond.

Aston looked up. Through the haze, he saw the Storm-Talon Falcon twitching midair—its wings shredded by Mirage's earlier burst—and the Gearback Gorilla collapsing, gears sputtering in failure, Marcellus's wolfhound standing over its wreckage.

"Helena Skywyr and Jorren Hilltop—eliminated!" the referee called.

Two to three.

Aston's jaw tightened. "Good. We're not done yet."

The crowd was on its feet again, roaring at the chaos, the betrayal, the exchange of losses that had turned a five-versus-five battle into a brutal war of attrition.

And above it all, Tristan stood calmly amid the dust and flickering flame, watching Aston with that same unshakable grin.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.