Chapter 80: Bad Blood
"Everyone's doing so well," Kian smirked. "Almost makes me feel like I'm being left behind. Almost… Now, what did you want with me again?"
He turned towards the shimmering, yet imposing figure that had been silently hovering above him, watching his every move.
"I am the Willpower Celestial, Valros," the figure said, descending. "I've been watching ya for a very long time, y'know, and taking care of 5 siblings? You're amazing, man!"
Kian was a bit taken aback by the spirit's high praise of him, but he took it in his stride. "I try, y'know."
"Anyways! The reason why I'm here is because I'm running low on time, and all my brothers and sisters already chose new partners, so I need to choose one as well!" Valros said cheerfully, patting Kian on the back with an ethereal arm.
"Running low on time?" Kian asked.
"So basically, because I took too long choosing a partner, I risk fading out of existence!… or something like that," Valros said cheerfully.
"That's kinda horrible, my man," Kian said. "If you want, I can direct you towards someone who might be befitting-"
"No!" Valros replied cheerfully.
"Wait, what?" Kian asked, now very puzzled. "Didn't you say you needed a partner or else you'd disappear?"
"Yes, but I have ascertained that you are the worthy one!" Valros said. "The greatest feat of willpower I have seen, in all my years of living, was you being able to take care of all of your siblings. The love, the perseverance required to do that is underestimated in the mighty feats of battle, but trust me, your efforts have not gone unnoticed."
Kian blushed slightly, something out of character for him, and chuckled sheepishly. Valros, his voice taking on a more serious tone, faced Kian.
"As I am not one for trivialities, I will let you make the contract," the celestial said. "You get to choose a condition - but choose wisely, or else I'll choose someone else!"
Kian thought for a moment, and then spoke up. "Valros, I have one thing to ask of you - the willpower to keep moving through any challenge. Give me that, and our lives are bound."
"DING DING DING! Correct, Kian!" Valros declared. A shimmering white light appeared between the two, and Valros reappeared in his familiar form - humanoid, small yet imposing at the same time.
The shimmering light between Kian and Valros grew brighter, coalescing into a form both majestic and approachable. When the glow faded, Valros's humanoid familiar form stood before him—a striking figure with silver hair that seemed to ripple like molten metal, eyes glowing a fierce, unwavering gold, and an aura of resolute strength that radiated around him like a shield. He wore a sleek, asymmetrical outfit of white and black, resembling a cross between battle armor and ceremonial robes, with intricate patterns that pulsed faintly with celestial energy. Despite his relatively small stature - being able to perch on the force mage's shoulder - Valros carried himself with an almost comical confidence, his presence somehow larger than life.
Kian squinted at the spirit, lips quirking in amusement. "You're smaller than I thought you'd be."
Valros puffed out his chest indignantly, his golden eyes narrowing. "Size doesn't matter when you've got the strongest willpower in existence!"
"Sure, sure," Kian teased, grinning. "Don't get your celestial robes in a twist."
Valros crossed his arms, his tone growing more serious as he continued. "Honestly, Kian, I hesitated when I chose you. I've never worked with a Force Magic user before. It's completely outside my experience, and when it comes to Celestial Magic, that means we're starting from square one. No shortcuts, no easy paths."
Kian's grin softened into something more earnest, his hand resting casually on the back of his neck. "That's better for me anyway. I don't want my success handed to me on a silver platter. Never have. If we're starting from scratch, that just means whatever we accomplish together will be earned."
Valros studied him for a moment, his glowing eyes narrowing slightly before a wide, toothy grin spread across his face. "I knew I made the right choice. Alright, Kian. Let's make history together."
The bond now fully sealed, Kian wasted no time heading to meet his team.
...
Team L
Yuno
Noelle Silva
En Ringard
Kian Voss
Team L was waiting in a quiet corner of the training grounds: Yuno, standing tall and stoic with his grimoire in hand; Noelle Silva, her arms crossed as she cast an annoyed glance toward En Ringard, who looked like he might keel over at any moment. The sickly mage leaned heavily against a wall, his face pale but his posture surprisingly steady.
"Kian," Yuno greeted, his voice calm but carrying a hint of curiosity. "Done with whatever you were up to?"
"Yeah, just had to sign a contract with destiny or something," Kian replied nonchalantly, drawing a raised eyebrow from Yuno and a skeptical look from Noelle. "Anyway, let's talk strategy. But first—" He turned to En, eyeing him up and down. "You doing okay there, champ? Or are you gonna pass out before we even get started?"
En chuckled weakly, his voice soft but good-natured. "I'll manage. I've got nine younger siblings back home depending on me. If I can survive that, I can survive this."
Kian's jaw dropped. "Nine?!" He let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "Man, your parents must've—"
Whatever he was about to say next was cut off by Noelle smacking him over the head. "Don't even finish that sentence," she snapped, though her cheeks turned faintly pink.
Kian rubbed his head with a sheepish grin. "Fine, fine. But seriously, nine siblings? That's insane."
"Five is still a large number," En countered, a small, genuine smile on his face.
For a moment, the two shared a quiet understanding, a bond formed from the shared struggle of being the eldest sibling in large families.
"So, what's the plan?" Yuno asked, cutting through the moment with his usual bluntness.
"Glad you asked," Kian said, his tone suddenly shifting into something more serious. "Here's how I see it: En, you're our anchor on defense. I know you're not exactly the picture of health, but I've seen what you can do with your Mushroom Magic. If you focus on holding the line, the rest of us can handle the offensive pressure."
En nodded, his expression resolute. "Understood."
"Noelle," Kian continued, turning to her. "You're our heavy hitter. Your Water Magic has range and power, so you'll be in charge of keeping the enemy on their toes. But don't overdo it—we need you to have stamina for the whole match."
"Obviously," Noelle replied with a flip of her hair, though there was a glimmer of appreciation in her eyes.
"Yuno," Kian said, his tone softening slightly. "You're our wildcard. You've got power, precision, and speed, so I want you pushing the enemy where we need them. Force them to react to you, and we'll control the tempo of the match."
Yuno nodded, a small but confident smile tugging at his lips.
"And you?" Noelle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'll alternate," Kian replied. "I'll switch between supporting offense and shoring up defense, depending on what we need. My Force Magic is versatile enough to adapt to the flow of the match, and I trust you all to cover your roles. The key is communication. If something's not working, we pivot. No egos, no hesitation."
There was a moment of silence as the team took in his words, then Yuno smirked faintly. "Sounds good."
"I'm in," En added, his voice steady despite his frailty.
Noelle hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. But if you mess this up, Kian, I'm blaming you."
"Fair enough," Kian replied with a grin. "Now, let's go show the rest of these teams what we're made of."
As they prepared to take the field, Kian found himself glancing at Yuno. "So," he said casually, "you've got a rival too, huh? Someone you're trying to surpass?"
Yuno's expression softened slightly, a rare glimmer of emotion crossing his face. "Yeah. And you?"
"Same here," Kian replied. "Guess we'll just have to see which one of us gets there first."
Yuno chuckled, his stoicism cracking just a bit. "You're on."
"Hey! Yuno!" Bell exclaimed, tugging at the wind mage's ear, who shifted almost immediately to his stoic mask. "Why are you laughing! You never laugh at meeee!"
With that, Team L stepped onto the battlefield, Valros and Kian both having their eyes set towards one goal. Winning this match.
…
Team K
Solid Silva
Alecdora Sandler
Amaryllis Armstrong
Irina Halloway
"Individual matchups," Irina said, addressing her team. The Vice Captain of the Blue Rose was actually quite capable when not thinking about Kirsch, and her eyes gleamed resolutely as she stared each member of her team down. "They're useful, and the approach I'm going for means that you need to pick wisely."
"Who died and made you queen?" Solid sneered, but was promptly silenced by a raised hand by Irina, her cold eyes boring into the water mage's sorry skull.
"I was going to suggest you dueling your sister, as I'm almost 100% sure she'll be put on offense, but to each their own," Irina curtly stated, prompting a grumble from Solid.
"Fine, we'll hear your plan out," Solid said, folding his arms and sulking like a little child.
"Brilliant," Irina sighed. "Now, the little witch girl and Alecdora will each be matching up the force magic and wind magic users respectively. Respectfully speaking, I don't expect you to win - just stall for me to have time to face the mushroom mage and destroy the crystal, which I'm sure won't take long."
"So supportive…" Amaryllis muttered.
"Remember, the sooner we wrap up this match, the sooner I can face my darling Kirsch in the final. So don't lose," Irina said, before walking towards the portal.
Amaryllis followed silently, followed by Alecdora, who gave a muttered "yes, Lady Halloway" and followed after, and Solid took up the back position, grumbling and muttering curses under his breath.
…
The capital mage raised his hand, his voice ringing through the training grounds. "Team K versus Team L—Begin!"
Immediately, the field erupted into motion. En Ringard gripped his grimoire, summoning his Mushroom Magic. "Mushroom Magic: Muscle March!" A massive mushroom sprouted beneath him, but unlike any mushroom one might expect, this one had comically oversized, bulging legs covered in sinewy muscle. It flexed it's legs dramatically as En clambered up onto its broad, sturdy cap with, and he settled there comfortably, holding his team's crystal with both hands.
Kian let out a bark of laughter, eyes wide in amused disbelief. "That's awesome!" he shouted, pointing as the mushroom trotted in place with an audible thud-thud-thud. Noelle, on the other hand, visibly faltered for a moment, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle an undignified snort.
"Kian, focus!" she snapped, her face faintly red. "Stop acting like a child!"
"Can't help it—look at him!" Kian replied with a grin, gesturing dramatically to En as the mushroom marched forward with exaggerated pomp. "My man's riding a mushroom colossus with beefy legs! That's peak strategy."
En smirked quietly from atop his mushroom throne, looking surprisingly regal despite his frail appearance. "You laugh now, but trust me—I'm not going down that easily."
"Alright, team," Kian said, shaking off his laughter and turning serious again. "Let's hit them first and hit them hard. Yuno, you lead the spearhead, Noelle and I will flank. En, hold the center and don't let anyone get near that crystal."
Yuno nodded, already preparing his grimoire. "Understood."
With a sudden burst of wind, Team L launched forward in a spearhead formation, Yuno at the tip, his Wind Magic carrying him ahead like a storm-driven arrow. Kian and Noelle followed on either side, maintaining distance but ready to strike. The battlefield stretched out before them, and Kian's sharp eyes narrowed when he spotted movement from the far side.
"Wait," Yuno murmured, his sharp gaze cutting through the field. "Something's coming."
In the distance, Team O emerged—flying. Their magic combined, they soared through the air in a coordinated push, racing straight for Team L's crystal, clearly aiming to end the match quickly. "They're trying to blitz their way to victory," Yuno said evenly. "Their crystal's still at its starting point."
"Typical," Kian muttered, already forming a plan. "Noelle, prepare a barrier for defense. Yuno, keep them busy."
"On it," Yuno replied.
He raised his grimoire, and with a sharp incantation, wind exploded outward. "Wind Magic: Crescent Kamaitachi!" A massive crescent of cutting wind rocketed through the air, aimed directly at the flying Team O. The move forced Team O to scatter, throwing their formation into chaos.
"Good move," Kian said, satisfied. "But we've got company."
Irina broke into their line of sight with dangerous speed, her grimoire glowing an ominous green. "Acid Magic: Corrosive Embrace!" A wave of sizzling acid rushed forward, cutting across the field toward Team L.
"Leave it to me!" Noelle shouted, stepping forward with poise and focus. She flipped her grimoire open, and water surged to meet the acid. "Water Magic: Sea Dragon's Nest!" A serpentine wall of water coiled around them, blocking the corrosive wave just in time. The acid hissed as it collided with the barrier, steam rising from the impact.
Solid's voice rang out from the other side of the field, mocking and cruel. "Is that all you've got, Noelle? Pathetic. You'll always be the weakest Silva."
Noelle's hands tightened into fists, her expression fierce as she glared toward Solid. "I'm not the same girl you used to insult."
Before she could respond further, a heavy shadow loomed overhead. "Sand Magic: Entombing Boulder." Alecdora's voice echoed as an enormous block of compressed sand fell from the sky. It crashed into Noelle's water barrier, absorbing the water and forcing Team L to split apart to avoid being caught in the collapse.
"Scatter!" Kian shouted.
The team split—Yuno pushed forward toward Alecdora, Kian darted to the right, and Noelle repositioned herself to prepare another attack. Meanwhile, En's mushroom with its superpowered legs carried him and the crystal away from the immediate conflict, maintaining their defensive core.
Yuno landed in front of Alecdora, his expression cold but calm. Alecdora's grimoire glowed as he stared Yuno down, his jealousy simmering. "You," he spat, his voice shaking with emotion. "You're the one Captain Vangeance is so obsessed with. You think you're better than everyone else just because you've got Spirit Magic?"
Yuno's gaze didn't waver. "If you're going to fight me, fight seriously. I don't have time for whining."
Alecdora's face twisted in anger, and his mana flared wildly. "You arrogant little—! Sand Magic: Shifting Dunes Barrage!" Waves of sand lashed toward Yuno, but Yuno was already in motion. Bell appeared at his side, her playful voice cutting through the tension. "He's so loud. Let's shut him up, Yuno!"
"No," Yuno said firmly. "I'll handle this."
Kian, meanwhile, found himself face-to-face with Amaryllis Armstrong. The poison mage stood with her arms crossed under her cloak, her violet grimoire flickering as snakes of magic coiled around her. "I apologise, Kian," she said, her monotone voice carrying a hint of irritation, "but I have to beat you here - the only way I know how. Brutally."
"No point in apologising," Kian laughed, flexing his metal hand. "Tis a battle."
Amaryllis didn't wait for him to finish. "Poison Magic: Aconite Serpent's Embrace!" A large snake of purple venom lashed out at Kian. He dodged the first strike, but the rapid succession forced him onto the defensive.
As he deflected the attacks, his metal hand suddenly stopped responding, falling limp, the
"Aw, crap," Kian muttered, realizing the energy had finally run dry. With a resigned groan, he yanked the now-useless appendage off, exposing the stump of his right arm. Amaryllis hesitated for a moment, surprised, but Kian smirked, determination blazing in his eyes.
"You think that's gonna stop me?" he said. "Guess I'll have to try something new. Force Magic: Hand of Kian!"
Kian thrust his left hand forward, and gravity surged around him, condensing mana into the shape of a massive, glowing hand. The force of the spell caused the air to ripple around him as he grinned. "This hand's a work in progress, but I'll make it count."
From atop his mushroom, En's voice rang out softly from a talking mushroom he had slyly placed on Kian's shoulder. "Nice name, Kian. Real original."
Kian blinked, then let out a bark of laughter despite himself. "Hey, it's a start!" he replied, his mana hand surging forward to clash against Amaryllis' poison snakes.
…
On the spectator podium, Lars watched the exchange with a sharp, appraising eye. "Amaryllis is letting her ego get in the way. I never knew she had it in her,"
"Hey Lars! We're still planning, y'know! Don't get distracted!" Cara said, pulling Lars by the scruff of his neck. Instead of yelling or fighting back against the Beast Magic user, however, Lars shed a solitary tear of gratitude.
"You're actually using your brains…" he sniffled, wiping his nose. "Character progression…"
Iskra appeared, tapping Lars on the shoulder lightly. "Kian Voss… Valros has chosen him to be his partner. I sense celestial mana emanating from his hand."
…
Noelle skidded to a stop, her breath steady and her water grimoire aglow, as she finally reached Team O's crystal. It shimmered under the light, set atop a stone platform, almost unguarded—almost. Solid Silva emerged from the shadows with his usual smug smirk, his grimoire floating beside him as water swirled lazily at his fingertips.
"You actually made it here?" Solid sneered, stepping in front of the crystal. His presence radiated superiority, his posture deliberate and poised. "I'm impressed, Noelle. But this is where your little streak ends. There's no way you can destroy this crystal. Weaklings like you don't deserve victory."
Noelle's lip curled in irritation, her grip on her grimoire tightening. Before she could respond, a soft voice whispered near her ear.
"Psst. Noelle."
"W-WHAT?!" she shrieked, spinning around wildly. Her eyes landed on her shoulder, where a small mushroom with a comically smug expression sprouted. "What is this?!"
The mushroom wobbled slightly, a high-pitched voice emerging from its little face. "Relax. It's me—En. I put this here for communication. You're welcome."
"En, you—! WHY?!" Noelle sputtered, flailing an arm to bat at the mushroom, which only clung tighter.
"Focus!" En's voice said firmly, though with a tinge of amusement. "Solid Silva or not, you can do this. I can't forgive him, Noelle. I can't forgive him because…" The mushroom's voice softened slightly. "…I'm an older brother, too."
Noelle froze at that. Her wide eyes darted back to Solid, who watched the exchange with visible disgust.
"Ridiculous," Solid scoffed. "You think anyone cares about the words of a weakling like you, mushroom boy? And you—Noelle—you don't stand a chance."
Solid's sneer turned vicious, and water surged from his grimoire in a torrent of precise, needle-sharp streams. "Water Magic: Barrage Needle Fountain!"
Noelle immediately raised her hand, conjuring her own counter. "Water Magic: Sea Dragon's Nest!"
The serpentine wall of water coiled around her, absorbing the impact, but the sheer pressure of Solid's magic forced her to grit her teeth. The weight of his attacks seemed to mock her as he advanced, his mana swirling with oppressive confidence.
"You'll never beat me, Noelle," Solid said coldly, his mana rising as his magic twisted into violent waves. "You're too weak. You'll always be pathetic."
Noelle raised her chin defiantly, eyes blazing. "You still don't get it, do you? You'll never understand what it feels like to be weak! To fail, to fall behind, and to fight your way up!"
Solid's expression darkened, his grip on his grimoire tightening. "Watch your mouth, Noelle."
"I don't need your acknowledgment anymore," Noelle said fiercely, her voice ringing with resolve. "Because I've already been acknowledged by people far more amazing than you. My squadmates… my friends… they believe in me. And I don't fear you or your thin, flimsy magic!"
Solid's mana surged, snapping like a whip around him. The pressure of his raw power intensified, water rising like a great storm at his command. "You dare speak to me that way? Fine, Noelle. I'll show you just how out of your league you are!"
The ground trembled as Solid unleashed his mana in an oppressive display, waves coiling like serpents ready to strike. His power flared so intensely that the air itself seemed to ripple.
Elsewhere, Kian staggered, his breath coming harder as his metal arm lay discarded. Amaryllis stood with her usual calm demeanor, though her brow furrowed slightly at his stubborn persistence. Her poison spells had begun to wear him down, and sweat beaded on his brow as the effects crawled through his veins.
"Poison Trap Magic: Noxious Needles," Amaryllis murmured. Spikes of venom erupted from the ground, forcing Kian to leap back, his movements slower than before.
Kian grit his teeth. "This isn't looking good." He glanced at his trembling left hand, feeling the burn of the poison eating away at him. "Gotta finish this now."
Amaryllis tilted her head, watching him closely. "Your tenacity is impressive. But it won't save you."
Kian's lips curled into a grin. "Wanna bet?"
With a burst of mana, Kian rocketed forward. Amaryllis responded instantly, summoning more poisonous spikes to halt him, but Kian sidestepped each one with wild, reckless determination. He slammed his foot into the ground, causing a shockwave that disrupted her footing. Within the blink of an eye, he c
"Force Magic: Forceful One-Inch Punch!"
The condensed force of Kian's mana surged forward in a tight, focused strike. It collided with Amaryllis' midsection before she could react, sending her flying backward. She hit the ground hard, her magic dissipating as the impact overwhelmed her.
Kian stumbled slightly, panting as the last remnants of her poison burned through his veins. He muttered through a grin, "That's for poisoning me, snake lady."
From the sidelines, Valros emerged, scratching his head lazily. "Not bad, not bad. But I'm a little disappointed you're not using any of the real power I gave you."
"We're workshopping spells!" Kian shot back, rolling his eyes.
Valros blinked as if surprised, then smirked sheepishly. "Oh, right. Forgot about that."
Kian sighed, raising his mana once more. "Time to get moving."
He activated his spell, shooting across the battlefield with blinding speed. "Force Magic: Acceleration!"
Near Team L's crystal, En's mushroom throne thundered across the field as Irina gave chase, her Acid Magic bubbling violently with every step.
"I'M SO SICK OF THIS MUSHROOM!" Irina roared, her attacks splattering harmlessly against the mushroom's absurdly muscular legs.
"Trust me, Irina, you're not the only one," Kian called as he appeared in front of her, his grin undeterred despite his exhaustion.
"Out of my way, Voss!" she snarled, acid whirling around her in deadly arcs.
Kian planted his feet, his grimoire glowing faintly. "Not happening. Celestial Force Magic: Celestial Resolve!"
A shimmering barrier of gravitational mana enveloped Kian, pulsing faintly with energy. Irina's acid rained down on him, sizzling against the barrier but failing to pierce it.
A simple spell at its core, Celestial Resolve transforms damage into defense. Every strike absorbed feeds into an abstract multiplier tied to the user's resolve. The more Kian endures, the stronger his defense grows, his willpower manifesting as an impenetrable shield. Physically, it worked by reducing all unnatural force acting against the user to near zero.
Kian grunted as Irina's attacks grew fiercer, but his grin never faltered. "You can hit me all you want. The more you do…" He braced himself, the shimmering shield flaring brighter. "…the harder it'll be to bring me down!"
Irina's eyes widened as her magic failed to break through. "What is this…?"
Kian's voice boomed confidently across the field. "Bring it on!"
Despite his confident demeanor never faltering, Kian clenched his fists and silently thought of Noelle. You'd better hurry up, Noelle. I've got my hands full here.
…
Yuno stood calmly as Alecdora's grimoire glowed with a golden light, another layer of sand spiraling up to encase him in a hulking suit of reinforced armor. His voice was filled with conviction, though it carried an edge of desperation. "You won't defeat me, Yuno! Without your Spirit, you're nothing! Captain Vangeance was wrong to choose you as his favorite. I'm the one who will make his dreams come true!"
Yuno's sharp eyes betrayed no reaction, his grimoire floating steadily beside him as wind gathered around his figure. He raised his hand, summoning a howling gale that tore through the battlefield with violent force.
"I don't care about your dreams or anyone else's," Yuno said, his voice calm but resolute. "I have my own goal—to become the Wizard King. That's all that matters to me."
With a flick of his hand, the wind solidified into dozens of razor-sharp crescents. "Wind Magic: Gale Slicer!" The projectiles shot forward, slamming into Alecdora's Heavy Armored Sand Guard with explosive power. Cracks spiderwebbed across the armor as Alecdora struggled to maintain his defense.
"No, impossible!" Alecdora growled, summoning more sand to reinforce his shield. "I won't lose to you!"
But Yuno's wind was relentless. With another sharp command, he unleashed a final devastating blast. "Wind Magic: Towering Tornado!" The swirling vortex obliterated Alecdora's armor, sending the sand mage hurtling backward. Alecdora crashed to the ground, his grimoire slipping from his grasp as he knelt in defeat.
Looking down at his fallen opponent, Yuno's expression remained impassive. "If you want to chase someone else's dream, that's your choice. But don't get in the way of mine."
Alecdora grit his teeth, his head bowed as the reality of his loss sank in. Yuno turned without another word, the wind dissipating as he prepared to rejoin his team.
Meanwhile, at Team L's crystal, Noelle stood face-to-face with Solid Silva. The sneer on Solid's face faltered as he stared at the water barrier that had effortlessly blocked his attack. Panic flickered in his eyes, though he quickly masked it with anger.
"Impossible," Solid muttered, his voice shaking. "There's no way someone like you could have stopped my spell."
Noelle straightened, her gaze unwavering as she stepped closer. "You've spent your whole life looking down on me," she said evenly. "Telling me I'm weak, useless, a disgrace. But you never understood. You'll never understand what it feels like to fight for every step forward."
En's voice piped up from the mushroom, calm but firm. "Focus, Noelle. Don't let him get inside your head. You've got this."
Noelle blinked, then nodded, her resolve hardening. "Right."
Solid's panic turned to fury as he raised his grimoire again. "You're nothing without your precious friends! You'll always be weak, Noelle! Let's see you stop this!" Mana flared around him as he prepared to launch another attack, his confidence brittle but burning.
But Noelle stood her ground, her voice steady and strong. "I don't need your approval, Solid. I've already been acknowledged by people far more incredible than you."
"Ridiculous!" Solid yelled. "Water Magic: Sea Serpent's Bellow!"
Solid's spell shot toward her, a spiraling torrent of water shaped into a sea serpent. But Noelle didn't flinch. Her grimoire glowed, and with a fluid motion, she summoned her spell.
"Water Magic: Sea Dragon's Roar!"
The enormous dragon-shaped torrent of water roared to life, barreling toward Solid's attack. The two spells collided in a dazzling explosion of mana, but it was clear whose power was greater. Noelle's dragon surged forward, smashing through Solid's defense and sending him sprawling.
Solid stared up at her in disbelief, his body trembling as he realized his defeat. "No... this can't be…"
Noelle stepped closer, her expression calm but firm. "I'm not weak anymore, Solid. Remember that."
With a final surge of power, the Sea Dragon crashed into Team K's crystal, shattering it into glittering fragments. The official's voice rang out across the battlefield.
"Team L is the winner!"
A/N: Sure, this was basically the same as the actual story, with a dash of Kian, but it was still so fun to write!
Muscle March is top 1 spell in all of the four kingdoms