The sun had begun its slow descent across the sky.
Golden light stretched across the combat grounds of Aetherial Institute.
Long shadows extended across the ancient stone arenas.
The first half of combat class had finally ended.
Training sessions concluded.
Partner discussions ended.
Weapon experiments—mostly caused by a certain silver-haired student—had finally ceased.
Now came the true purpose of today's lesson.
Team battles.
Students gradually gathered around the massive central arena.
The circular combat field occupied the center of the training grounds.
Ancient protective barriers surrounded it.
Runes glowed beneath the stone floor.
Several professors and assistant instructors observed from nearby platforms.
Even students who weren't participating immediately crowded around the arena.
The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.
Excitement.
Competition.
Nervousness.
And a considerable amount of gambling.
The instructor stood at the center.
His powerful voice echoed throughout the grounds.
"Listen carefully."
Instant silence followed.
The instructor folded his arms.
"The first half was for understanding your partners."
His gaze swept across the students.
"The second half is where you prove whether that understanding was useful."
Several students immediately looked nervous.
The instructor smiled.
Unfortunately—
That smile never meant anything good.
"Team battles will proceed one match at a time."
The arena barrier activated.
Blue light rose toward the sky.
"You win by forcing surrender, disabling your opponents, knocking them out of bounds, or demonstrating overwhelming superiority."
A brief pause followed.
Then—
"Try not to destroy academy property."
The entire crowd immediately looked toward Kel.
Kel looked innocent.
Valeryn looked away.
The instructor sighed.
Deeply.
Very deeply.
Then he started calling names.
The matches began.
...
The first battle was chaotic.
Two teams of spear users charged each other immediately.
No strategy.
No planning.
Only enthusiasm.
The result lasted approximately forty-seven seconds.
The second battle lasted longer.
The third involved three accidental friendly-fire incidents.
The fourth ended when one student forgot who his actual partner was.
The fifth somehow resulted in both teams losing.
No one was entirely certain how.
The instructors stopped asking questions.
Meanwhile—
Kel and Valeryn watched quietly from the sidelines.
The pair stood together.
Valeryn's sword rested against her shoulder.
Kel held his transforming weapon in bow form.
The two observed carefully.
Analyzing.
Studying.
Evaluating.
Around them, students whispered.
Some still occasionally glanced toward the unusual pair.
Mostly because the earlier negotiation had become academy-wide entertainment.
Valeryn ignored them.
Kel wished they would stop.
Unfortunately—
Neither got what they wanted.
The noblewoman's crimson eyes followed the battles carefully.
"Aedon."
Kel looked toward her.
"Hm?"
"What do you think?"
Her gaze remained on the arena.
"About what?"
"The teams."
Kel observed the current battle.
A sword user and mage against two close-combat specialists.
Interesting.
Then he answered.
"They're focusing too much on individual victories."
Valeryn nodded immediately.
"Exactly."
The noblewoman crossed her arms.
"They keep treating the battle as two separate duels."
Her eyes narrowed.
"A team battle isn't about proving who's stronger."
"It's about creating advantages."
The statement carried certainty.
The certainty of someone trained by elite instructors since childhood.
Kel nodded.
"Most students focus on defeating opponents."
Valeryn glanced at him.
"And?"
Kel smiled slightly.
"The dangerous ones focus on helping allies win."
The noblewoman looked thoughtful.
Then slowly nodded.
For once—
She completely agreed.
The match ended shortly afterward.
Another team entered.
Then another.
Then another.
Time passed.
Eventually—
The instructor called a new pair of teams.
His voice echoed throughout the arena.
"Valeryn Darkhart."
Instant attention.
The crowd immediately became interested.
The instructor continued.
"Aedon Flinth."
Now everyone was interested.
The gossip duo.
The entertainment pair.
The team nobody expected.
The team everyone wanted to watch.
The instructor pointed toward the arena.
"Get inside."
The crowd erupted.
Excited discussions spread everywhere.
Even students who had previously shown no interest suddenly became attentive.
Meanwhile—
Kel sighed.
Valeryn smiled.
Their reactions could not have been more different.
The pair entered the arena.
Ancient runes glowed beneath their feet.
Protective barriers activated overhead.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
The crowd faded.
The world narrowed.
Combat approached.
Valeryn stepped forward.
Naturally.
Confidently.
The noblewoman positioned herself near the front.
Sword resting at her side.
Aura restrained.
Ready.
Meanwhile—
Kel moved toward the rear position.
The bow rested comfortably in his hand.
His role was obvious.
Support.
Observation.
Pressure.
The formation formed naturally.
Without discussion.
Without planning.
Without hesitation.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Across from them—
Their opponents entered the arena.
Two girls.
One possessed short silver hair.
Dual daggers rested in her hands.
Her posture was low.
Balanced.
Dangerous.
An assassin-type combatant.
Fast.
Agile.
Deadly in close range.
Beside her stood a blonde girl carrying a staff.
Mana quietly flowed around her.
Several magical rings rotated near the staff's tip.
A mage.
Support and ranged combat.
The formation mirrored Kel and Valeryn's team surprisingly well.
Close combat and ranged support.
Sword and bow.
Daggers and magic.
The crowd immediately became excited.
This would be interesting.
Very interesting.
The four students took their positions.
Silence descended.
The instructor raised one hand.
The arena barrier brightened.
Wind moved across the battlefield.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
The tension slowly built.
Then—
The hand fell.
"Begin!"
The arena exploded.
The dagger user immediately moved.
Fast.
Extremely fast.
Her body became a blur.
She rushed directly toward Valeryn.
Exactly as expected.
Meanwhile—
The mage raised her staff.
Mana gathered instantly.
Several magic circles appeared.
Kel moved.
Not toward the assassin.
Toward the mage.
Or rather—
His attention moved toward the mage.
The bowstring pulled.
An arrow appeared.
TWANG.
The projectile shot forward.
Not aimed at the mage herself.
At her spell.
The arrow struck one of the forming magic circles.
The structure destabilized instantly.
The spell collapsed.
The mage's eyes widened.
Valeryn smiled.
The battle had officially begun.
Meanwhile—
Steel collided.
CLANG!
Valeryn and the dagger user exchanged their first attack.
The impact echoed throughout the arena.
The assassin immediately retreated.
Then attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Fast.
Precise.
Aggressive.
Unfortunately—
Valeryn looked delighted.
The crimson-haired noblewoman advanced.
Pressure exploded outward.
The sword danced through the air.
Every strike carried overwhelming force.
The assassin was immediately pushed backward.
Meanwhile—
The mage finally completed another spell.
A spear of ice formed.
Then five.
Then ten.
They launched toward Valeryn.
Before they arrived—
TWANG.
TWANG.
TWANG.
Kel's arrows intercepted them.
Every projectile shattered.
Ice exploded harmlessly in midair.
The mage froze.
The crowd reacted immediately.
The support battle had become vicious.
Neither support combatant directly attacked their counterpart.
Instead—
They targeted influence.
Control.
Opportunities.
Advantages.
Kel watched the battlefield carefully.
Every movement.
Every breath.
Every spell.
Every opening.
Then another arrow flew.
This time not at a spell.
At the ground.
The arrow landed near the mage.
The blonde girl instinctively stepped sideways.
Exactly as Kel predicted.
The movement disrupted her casting rhythm.
A tiny interruption.
Nothing more.
Yet enough.
The next spell activated half a second slower.
Half a second.
A meaningless amount of time.
Normally.
Unfortunately—
Valeryn wasn't normal.
The noblewoman instantly exploited the delay.
Her sword pressure intensified.
The assassin stumbled backward.
Momentum shifted.
The crowd erupted.
Because they finally understood.
Kel wasn't supporting through damage.
He was supporting through control.
Every arrow created opportunities.
Every shot generated pressure.
Every movement influenced the battlefield.
Subtle.
Efficient.
Dangerous.
Far away beneath Scarder Lake—
Seiren observed through their connection.
"He's doing it again."
Kel remained focused.
"Manipulating the flow of battle without anyone noticing."
The goddess sounded amused.
"You always did enjoy winning indirectly."
Meanwhile—
The battle intensified.
No one backed down.
No one surrendered.
The assassin continued attacking relentlessly.
The mage continued casting.
Valeryn continued advancing.
Kel continued controlling the battlefield from the shadows.
The match was still far from over.
Yet one thing had already become clear.
The strange partnership between Aedon Flinth and Valeryn Darkhart...
Worked far better than anyone expected.
Including them.