The skies had barely begun to settle after Xandros's dominating performance when the atmosphere tensed again. Another confrontation was brewing. This time, it was not between overwhelming gods or invincible warriors, but something far more personal—deep-rooted, quietly simmering, and inevitable.
Ronald and Andrew stood at opposite ends of the battlefield, eyes locked, the air between them crackling with animosity.
To the casual observer, they were both rising stars—nobles of high status, with immense talent. But beneath the surface, this battle had been written in fate itself.
In the dark recesses of Ronald's mind, a chilling voice echoed:
<"Target locked: Andrew Lionheart. Chosen One detected. Drain his fate. Break his legend. Destroy his rise. Reward: Supreme Villain Token, +200 Destiny Points, +1 Time Comprehension card.">
The Destiny Villain System shimmered before his eyes as invisible notifications danced across his vision. Ronald smirked, eyes narrowing.
He was no fool. Andrew was the darling of fate—charismatic, noble-born, powerful, and blessed by the heavens. But to Ronald, he was just another "hero" destined to fall under the crushing weight of a greater villain.
Him.
At the same moment, Andrew received his own prompt:
("Alert! A dangerous variable has appeared. Defeat Ronald Shadowheart for exclusive rewards: +3 Harem Slots, Celestial Flame Upgrade, Charm Boost +200%, 1x Supreme Lover's Token.")
Andrew frowned.
He didn't know much about Ronald. The guy had always been distant, brooding—someone who lurked on the fringes of noble society like a bad rumor. But today, as their eyes met, Andrew felt it: a challenge. And his pride would not allow him to walk away.
"I don't know what your problem is," Andrew said, stepping forward, his flames beginning to flare up at his heels, "but if you think I'll go easy just because you've been a background character till now—"
Ronald chuckled. "Oh no, Andrew. I expect you to give it everything. Let's see what Heaven's favorite can really do."
They both initiated a 1 v 1 match using the devices provided by the Academy. (A/N: I forgot to add that students can choose whether they want a 1 v 1 match, to prevent meddling from other participants)
The ground quaked beneath them as both surged forward at the same time.
Andrew's body was wreathed in crimson flame, his aura bursting like a solar flare. With a roar, he conjured twin fire lances and hurled them like meteors toward Ronald.
But Ronald vanished.
A moment later, he emerged from a pool of shadows behind Andrew, hand wrapped in black mist and glowing with runes of temporal magic. He swiped at Andrew's back—time slowed in a ripple, the blow distorting space around it.
Andrew twisted just in time, blocking with a flaming gauntlet. The clash sent a blast wave rolling outward.
They disengaged, circling each other.
"Darkness and time?" Andrew scoffed, wiping soot from his cheek. "What are you, an edgelord?"
Ronald's smile was razor-sharp. "I'm your reckoning."
He raised his hand. The shadows lengthened. Time fractured.
Suddenly, there were three Ronalds, all moving slightly out of sync.
Andrew cursed and exploded upward, dodging two of the attacks, but the third clone landed a solid strike against his leg, numbing it instantly.
"Cheap trick," Andrew growled. With a snap, a fiery lotus bloomed beneath him and erupted upward in a column of divine flame. The clone disintegrated.
The battle intensified.
Andrew's flames grew hotter with every passing second, his body pulsing with the Overlord System's energy. With every move, his system fueled him more.
("Impress nearby onlookers for bonus charm. Style matters.")
Andrew roared, twisting mid-air to deliver a spinning kick engulfed in searing flame. Ronald caught it with his forearm, a protective layer of time barrier shielding him just in time.
"Show-off," Ronald muttered.
"You're just mad I've got more fans."
Ronald's eye twitched.
He snapped his fingers. The world slowed to a crawl. Andrew's flame froze mid-motion, particles of ash hovering in the air like fireflies.
"I don't need fans," Ronald whispered. "I just need you broken."
He delivered three precise strikes to Andrew's chest, neck, and ribs. Time resumed.
Andrew flew backward, crashing into a cliffside. He groaned and wiped blood from his lip.
"Alright," he said, voice hoarse. "No more Mr. Nice guy."
He rose, his aura spiraling outward like a miniature sun. Flames coalesced behind him, forming wings of pure burning essence.
He zoomed forward, each step leaving behind trails of fire. His fists became meteors, slamming Ronald with pressure and speed that cracked the surrounding terrain.
Ronald retaliated with calculated precision. Each movement was surgical, manipulating time to shift moments just slightly—redirecting fatal blows, slipping through guard openings.
They moved like legends—one a burning comet, the other a flickering ghost of time.
Observers from afar watched in awe.
Students gasped as shockwaves rippled through the forest.
Even instructors far above the battlefield activated protective wards.
Two prodigies—one of flame and pride, the other of shadow and doom—warring for supremacy.
And neither one willing to bow.
Minutes passed in furious combat.
Each blow landed, each wound traded, was personal.
"You act like you know me," Andrew spat, half his robe burned away.
Ronald stood across from him, a shadow clone dispersing at his feet. "Oh, I know more than you can imagine. And I'm going to enjoy every second of your fall."
Andrew's eyes burned with fury. "Bring it!."
"I plan to."
They launched at each other for one final clash—Ronald's arm coated in spiraling black and gold runes, time energy peaking. Andrew condensed his flames into a divine spear.
Their attacks collided—
A thunderous explosion rocked the field. Trees uprooted. Craters opened. Energy surged into the heavens.
When the dust settled, both of them were standing. Bloodied. Panting.
But still conscious.
A voice echoed from the sky:
"Battle recorded. Match inconclusive. Proceed to the finish line."
Ronald turned without a word, fading into shadow.
Andrew scoffed. "We'll finish this."
Ronald's voice lingered in the wind.
"Looking forward to it."
--- ✦ ---
Jason crouched behind a splintered marble statue, chewing on a stalk of weed he didn't need. His messy brown hair was streaked with dirt and wind, and his grin looked wildly out of place amidst the devastation of the exam grounds.
"So, this is it," he murmured, eyes twinkling behind cracked glasses. "The point in the story where Jason the Great faces off against the icy snow queen of death herself."
His system buzzed.
{Binding Target Detected: Morgana, Holy Daughter of the Celestial Sect. Grade: SSS-tier Physique. Compatibility: 86%. Binding Eligibility: VALID. Warning: Target is 2 Levels Higher. Success Rate: 71%. Initiate Binding?}
Jason snorted. "Not yet. Let's at least say hi first."
Across the battlefield, Morgana stood still as a statue, her silver-blue robes fluttering gently despite the lack of wind. Her pale skin glistened like frozen silk, and her eyes, sharp and glacial, locked onto Jason with cold precision.
"You are wasting my time," she said, voice smooth and frostbitten.
"Yeah, I get that a lot," Jason replied, standing with a flamboyant twirl. "But come on, Holy Popsicle, you're guarding the last coin I need. Be a dear and hand it over?"
Morgana raised her hand. A spear of ice surged from the earth beneath Jason, who barely leapt aside in time, the shard slicing a clean line through his shirt.
"You chose battle, then," she said. "So be it."
{System Mission: Defeat Morgana. Reward: One Random Amplified Talent + 5000 Binding Points.}
Jason cracked his knuckles. "You know, I thought you'd be taller."
Morgana moved like lightning over ice, her form blurring in a wave of chill as she closed the gap. Her palm struck toward Jason's chest, but he ducked, letting her hand whizz by his ear before twisting with unnatural flexibility to drive a fist toward her ribs.
She caught it.
The temperature plummeted. Frost spiraled up his forearm.
"Okay," he hissed. "Definitely not into hand-holding on the first date."
A blast of heat erupted from beneath his feet as his system activated his Flame Evasion talent. The frost shattered and Jason flipped backward, landing in a three-point crouch.
He grinned. "Alright. Let's dance."
Then, the field erupted into chaos.
Morgana conjured a storm of ice spears that chased Jason through a ruined forest of shattered trees and frozen waterfalls. Each spear shimmered with enchanted frost, faster than bullets. Jason weaved between them with instinctive agility, firing back small bolts of flame and gravity spheres from talents he'd bound earlier.
{Gravity Orb}
He slammed the ground with one hand. A dome of heavy gravity engulfed Morgana, just long enough for him to dash in with a flaming crescent kick aimed at her ribs.
She spun, deflecting the attack with a wall of ice, and retaliated with a sweeping frost wave. Jason threw up an energy shield, which cracked instantly, sending him skidding backward.
"You hit like a truck made of knives," he muttered.
{Initiate Binding: Target - Morgana. Progress: 63%... 72%... 100%. Success. Bound Talent: Extreme Ice Physique (Amplified x6). Binding Rebate: +7000 Binding Points.}
A surge of cold energy flushed through his veins. Jason blinked.
"...Okay, that felt illegal."
Morgana hesitated for a fraction of a second, sensing the change.
Jason smiled, a little frost forming at the corner of his mouth. "Your ice, meet my ice."
He raised his hand, and the air around him shimmered. A storm of glacial wind surged outward, more chaotic and unstable than Morgana's ever was. Spikes of jagged blue ice rained down from above like the tears of a furious storm goddess.
For the first time, Morgana's expression cracked.
"Impossible," she whispered. "That technique is forbidden... only someone of the Extreme Physique—"
Jason shot forward, cloaked in icy mist, fists laced with condensed frost fire.
Their punches collided midair. A dome of frozen light erupted from the clash, flash-freezing the terrain within a mile. The audience watching through astral screens gasped as the two silhouettes danced through a deadly ballet.
Jason was faster now, his body reinforced not just by skill, but sheer compatibility with the frost power he'd stolen. He traded blows with Morgana, his style more fluid and reactive compared to her elegant precision. They soared through the air, shattered mountains, and created rivers of steam from the heat and cold colliding.
She caught his wrist at one point and hurled him into a cliffside. Jason groaned, picked himself up, and coughed.
"Note to self: never flirt with girls who can snap glaciers in half."
Morgana descended slowly. Her breath was visible, her stamina dipping.
Jason's smirk faded slightly. "You're strong. But I'm better."
He clapped both hands together.
{Combo Activated: Frostbite Barrage + Echo Flame + Binding Overdrive. Duration: 10 seconds.}
An explosion of white flame and azure ice surged around him. Jason blurred forward, becoming a storm himself. He rained down punches, kicks, and energy strikes faster than the eye could follow, overwhelming even Morgana's absolute defense.
Her ice armor cracked.
One final frost punch to the stomach sent her flying backward. She crashed into the ground, skidding for dozens of meters before lying still.
Jason stood over her, panting.
She coughed, glaring up at him, pride unbroken.
He offered her a hand.
"Need help."
She hesitated... then accepted it.
He pulled her to her feet.
"You're not so bad for a murder popsicle," Jason said.
She gave him a strange look. "And you are not as annoying as I expected."
They stood in silence for a moment.
"So," Jason said, flashing a grin. Friends?"
She turned away. "We shall see."
He watched her leave, rubbing the back of his head.
"That's basically a yes."
--- ✦ ---
Hey guys, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Please share Power stones!!!!