Once Shirei accepted the challenge, the two moved toward the training arena, followed by the crowd, who were eagerly yearning to witness the confrontation. By mutual agreement, the Blendbreeds had decided to consider lunch over.
The tension in the air was palpable as everyone prepared to see who would prevail in that epic duel. On one side, the strongest Blendbreed around; on the other, the mysterious revelation of the moment. Marina could only admit her curiosity. She feared, however, that the same story from the lesson held together with Cragar's sons in the training arena would repeat itself.
She had to make Havel desist.
The daughter of Ien kept walking with a determined pace, separated from the group of spectators already moving to take their seats in the stands, and reached the Blendbreed.
"Hey, Havel…" she called his attention, trying to appear calm despite the tension running through her.
"Oh, hi!" Sidal's son turned around with a wide smile. "What's up, Daisy?" he answered, giving her a disinterested glance.
"Marina," the girl corrected him with a slightly irritated tone.
"Right, right," Havel nodded, pretending to remember. "So? Want an autograph?" he added, striking a pose like a celebrity.
Marina took a deep breath before answering; she had to suppress the instinct to kick him in the groin. "No, I would like you to cancel the fight," she said, staring into the boy's eyes.
Havel chuckled lightly. "Too late," he answered confidently. "The crowd wants it, so I have to please them."
Seeing the blonde's worried face, he quickly added, "Don't worry, it will just be a demonstration. Your boyfriend will return safe and sound to your arms."
Ien's daughter swallowed, trying to hold back the emotion rising in her throat. Her boyfriend. Shirei. She and Shirei, together.
She froze.
"W-we're not…" she stammered, stopping herself to find the right words.
Calm down… it was just a joke, this idiot says so many of them.
"You know what? Good luck," she finally concluded, turning away before she could blush.
Sidal's son smiled and responded with a wink. "You're saying it to the wrong person!"
That same arrogance again, Marina hated it to death. She didn't need a mirror to know she was really starting to turn red, but from anger, not embarrassment.
She returned the smile and mimicked the Blendbreed's voice, "I don't think so!"
She huffed and walked away from him. If before she had been worried that something bad might happen, now she was seriously hoping Shirei would win the fight.
Actually, I really hope he beats him to a pulp.
The training arena was illuminated by the shining sun as the two contenders prepared for the imminent battle. Many Blendbreeds were present, curious about the outcome of the duel and eager to witness a display of strength and skill. Some weren't even at the mess hall; they must have joined when they saw the large group moving toward the raised platform.
Each of them was full of expectations and wanted to see how the confrontation between the two Blendbreeds would unfold.
The sons of Lodal, god of money and gold, began taking bets, offering odds that reflected their judgment on the possible outcome.
Marina heard some of the boys calling out the odds.
There was a thirty percent chance of victory for Shirei and seventy percent for Havel according to the crowd, so betting on Cragar's son would yield a greater win. The crowd was divided between those who believed in the consolidated strength of the elite leader and those who placed their hopes in the power of the Forbidden Heir.
If he could summon the Tenebrae, maybe the stats wouldn't be so much against Ghost, Marina thought.
Ien's daughter looked up, hoping that Aena would descend from the sky to stop this useless fight. However, seeing no rosy sign in the sky to symbolize the arrival of the goddess of love, she felt her anxiety rise.
She had no choice but to cheer. Shirei would give that puffed-up Havel exactly what he deserved: a good lesson.
She decided to move closer to Ada Bonaventura and wait for the fight to begin.
Rutia's daughter called the contenders' attention. "A few rules before we begin. The fight ends when one of you hits the ground or sustains a medium-level injury."
Ada pointed to her companion. "Our healer is here, so you have nothing to worry about. Just focus on giving your best and showing your skills without turning this into a deadly duel."
The last part was directed at Havel, but the boy didn't seem to notice, as he shouted to the crowd, "So, are you ready for the show?"
The spectators erupted in cheers for the Blendbreed, chanting his name in unison.
Sidal's son then turned his focus on Shirei. "And you? Are you ready? Maybe it's time you pulled out a weapon."
Ada silenced him with a cold glare. "It's my job to ask that."
She then turned to the boy with violet eyes and said, "Do you intend to fight unarmed?"
"I'm not."
His answer didn't seem to convince them, but they couldn't stop now. "If you say so. Ready to begin?"
With a nod from Cragar's son, the Blendbreed declared the start of the duel.
The crowd of Blendbreeds held their breath, ready to see who would emerge victorious.
Havel, with his skill and reputation as a feared warrior, moved with precision, taking advantage of the initial opportunity. His intent was to land a powerful and well-aimed strike against his opponent.
His strategy was clear and simple in Marina's eyes: use his strength and combat experience to test Shirei's abilities and demonstrate his "clear" superiority.
On the other hand, the Blendbreed with violet eyes faced the challenge with calm.
The same as always, Marina thought with a smile.
Havel charged, brandishing his axes, but Shirei used his exceptional agility to dodge the blows, retreating each time.
Marina grimaced and involuntarily commented, "He's not trying to find an opening to counterattack…"
Ada gave her a cold smile. "He shows surprising dexterity and tactical intelligence, as well as caution. Maybe he's just scared he's not up to the challenge."
Ien's daughter shook her head. "I don't think so."
"You know him well?"
Havel leapt and swung his axes in a vertical blow, but his strike missed. Sidal's son grunted in frustration.
Marina turned her gaze back to Rutia's daughter, unsure how to respond. "I think so, he's… a friend of mine."
The tension in the air was palpable as the elite leader gave Shirei no moment of respite. He chased him relentlessly with ferocity and determination, eager to emerge victorious from a confrontation that could change the power hierarchy at Lilies Park.
The more time passed, the more his confidence wavered.
He knew he had a Forbidden Heir as an enemy, but the way Shirei moved irritated him. It was as if he had no intention of pushing forward, as if he was solely focused on testing his attacks.
Marina managed to pull her attention away from the two and asked, "Where's Darryl?"
The dark-eyed Blendbreed stayed silent for a moment, searching for the right words to answer. "He took a break. He said he would wander around the Mortal World for a while and come back if needed."
The blonde felt saddened by the answer. "Did he explain why?"
Ada shook her head. "I think it has to do with your friend's arrival, but he didn't say anything."
He always keeps things to himself, as if he had some dark past to hide, Marina complained inwardly.
"Yeah," confirmed Rutia's daughter. "Do you think he can beat Havel?"
Marina followed the girl's gaze back to Shirei. "Maybe, if he decided to get serious, we might even find out. I've never seen anyone fight like him."
And I know plenty of powerful people, she added mentally.
"Is he just a friend?" asked the dark-haired girl.
Ien's daughter turned red. "You've been here for a day. Don't you start too, please!"
"I asked to understand if your judgment is objective or influenced by emotions."
"Ah… sorry."
The two girls stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, then burst into a brief laugh, which was interrupted by Havel's battle cry.
The axes sparkled in his hands as he prepared to unleash the power of his father. It was clear that Cragar's son's evasive attitude was seriously starting to get on his nerves.
Marina didn't miss the chance and tried to interrupt the fight by saying, "You know, I don't think it's a very fair fight if Shirei is unarmed…"
Rutia's daughter raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No," the girl replied with a nervous smile.
"He has a hidden blade with him, don't try to fool me. I noticed his ring."
Marina first stared at Cragar's son's hands, then lowered her gaze and remained silent. She hadn't noticed that detail, but it was a secondary problem at the moment.
Her plan hadn't worked, so all she could do now was watch.
And now how am I supposed to stop them?
Shirei dodged to the side, avoiding yet another blow.
"Stop being a coward!"
With a shout, Havel activated Bloodthirst, an exclusive power of Sidal's sons that amplified their ferocity and strength in combat.
A blood-red aura began to seep from the Blendbreed, rising toward the sky before dissolving into the air.
It was as if the blood in his veins was leaking outward, with the sole purpose of firing up every muscle fiber in his body—an extreme response meant to crush his opponent.
The son of the god of war laughed and charged. "I'm coming for you!"
With a moment of perfect timing, just as Havel prepared to launch himself at him with his axes bared and bloodlust blazing in his eyes, Shirei activated the technique he had devised and practiced.
In an instant, a whitish wave rippled through his pale skin, making his figure tremble.
His body seemed to blur slightly, becoming ethereal and immune to the impending attack.
Havel's blades struck hard but passed through him without causing any damage.
A gasp of amazement rose from the crowd. Elaine and Ada exchanged a glance, and Marina smiled.
Havel froze, glaring at Cragar's son in fury, then charged again.
He rained a flurry of swift, targeted blows at his head.
Shirei stood still as the attacks continuously phased through him.
After just over three seconds had passed, the violet-eyed boy suddenly stepped back.
A small wound had opened on his cheek, a trail of blood painting a vertical line down his face.
"You sure got a lot of tricks, huh?" Havel grinned. "But that was just the beginning. Get ready!"
Sidal's son launched another assault, but Shirei spun aside to dodge him.
It wasn't enough, as one of the axes was already swinging toward him, aiming for his back.
Cragar's son whirled around and punched Havel's arm, effortlessly knocking the weapon away.
His opponent prepared to strike from above with his second axe, but Shirei had other plans.
Sidal's son felt a stabbing pain as the boy's kick landed squarely.
He staggered back with a grunt and inhaled sharply.
That guy was treating him like a joke.
Him—the elite leader. The strongest Blendbreed in Lilies Park.
He was ready to unleash all the fury bottled up inside him against Shirei, pouring all his power into a single final strike.
He no longer cared about not hurting him—someone would patch him up later, maybe even a deity—but that wasn't his concern.
He just wanted to annihilate him.
His imposing figure stood just a few meters away from the son of Cragar.
He was a Granbish, a soldier, a son of Sidal.
He was the looming threat, relentless and ready to crush any opposition in his path. A rookie was supposed to tremble and beg for mercy in his presence.
With those thoughts in mind, he charged.
Shirei remained still. His expression was calm and focused, despite his opponent's rage. Instead of answering with a direct attack, it seemed like he was assessing the situation, looking for a way to overcome the son of Sidal intelligently.
The surrounding crowd shouted, watching the crucial moment of the duel with anxiety and anticipation. The Blendbreeds began murmuring and expressing concern for the boy. Some were accusing him of showing off, but Marina knew Shirei wasn't the type to seek attention.
"Look at this guy," murmured one of the Blendbreeds disapprovingly. "He thinks he's smarter than Havel, but he's just trying to act cool now that he knows he's doomed. Forbidden Heir my ass…"
"He got too cocky after fighting that son of Tefine, but Havel is a whole different story," added another, shaking his head in disapproval. "He thinks he can handle everything on his own, but he's just putting himself in danger. What a rookie."
The words were full of skepticism and scorn as they mocked the boy's behavior.
No, thought Marina, he's using this demonstration to get familiar with his new ability.
The Blendbreed immediately turned toward her interlocutor and said, "We have to stop them."
"It doesn't matter," the girl replied confidently. "Once Havel adjusts to his rhythm, he'll still lose."
Marina shook her head. "Shirei is different."
"Is it your heart speaking, or your head?"
Both, was the first answer that came to mind, then she massaged her head and said, "My head. Listen to me," she stepped in front of the girl, "you have to stop the fight. Please."
"Don't be afraid. Havel doesn't have much self-control, but your Forbidden Heir will be fine."
"No!" the blonde replied, grabbing her arms. "Please, Ada. You don't understand…"
The daughter of Rutia began to tremble; Marina couldn't tell if it was from anger or some other unknown reason.
"Let go of my hands."
"You have to trust me! You can see through the Interworld with your powers, look at Shirei."
Marina let her go, but soon the Blendbreed froze.
The eyes of the daughter of Rutia darkened, taking on a midnight blue hue speckled with tiny lights. It was like staring at a starry sky on a summer night.
Ada flinched before returning to normal. "What… what the hell…"
Marina rushed to get between them, but it was already too late.
The axes in Havel's hands began to glow with a golden hue, almost tending toward orange.
He felt his heart pumping blood into his arms as the muscles contracted to channel the movement.
He bent his torso to the left, hiding both weapons behind his body and concentrating the energy. The mana would hit his opponent's body with such force that it would send him flying back to where he came from.
The son of Cragar had only dodged his attacks using that strange technique, but he wouldn't be able to avoid this blow. Whatever sorcery he had in mind, it would fail against sheer brute strength.
The only way not to get hurt was to face him head-on, but Havel could never lose in a contest of strength.
He smiled. Victory was his.
Shirei bent his legs and lowered his center of gravity, realizing that the unknown technique could become a problem.
The son of Cragar abandoned the idea of using the Spectral Pulse — he was still considering the right name — and summoned the Blade of Discord from the Interworld.
He darted quickly toward his opponent, who was just about to swing his weapons against him.
He had to be precise, or he would be hit.
He reached Havel at the exact moment he extended his body outward in a powerful horizontal attack.
The boy with violet eyes dropped down and covered his back with the Blade of Discord.
Havel struck, but the axes bounced off the toxic dark green blade gripped by the son of Cragar, deflecting slightly upward.
It was enough to leave him unharmed.
In a flash, Shirei pushed himself toward the son of Sidal, who, caught off guard by the unexpected maneuver, lost his balance and staggered. His attack had missed once again and shifted him to the side.
His entire abdomen was exposed; he had to find a way to protect himself.
He bent toward that side, desperately trying to shield himself with his arm, but Shirei surprised him once more.
With a fluid and rapid move, the son of Cragar veered downward and jumped.
Havel's eyes widened as he tried to pull back, but the Blendbreed with violet eyes grabbed his face with his free hand.
Time seemed to slow for a second, then the son of Sidal was slammed violently into the ground.
A momentary silence spread across the arena, broken only by the dull thud of the impact.
Marina watched the scene with her mouth agape.
With the leader pinned to the ground under his control, Shirei slowly stood up.
His gaze reached the referee of the match, who nodded.
Ada cleared her throat and declared, "T-the winner of the match is the Forbidden Heir."