I’m a villain within the hero’s party

The first match ended in a draw.

Next was the second match: Fen Addison vs. Kent Dixon.

Kent, who had teamed up with Jin during the first round of the trial exam, walked confidently into the arena. Fen, also from the first batch, was nowhere to be seen.

They waited five minutes.

Fen never showed up.

Professor Ava announced, "Kent Dixon wins by default."

Kent left the stage with a smug grin, his steps full of swagger.

Then came the third match: Yin Farrock vs. Royce Newfield.

Yin, the Academy's Saint Alchemist, ranked first in the trial. Royce, who ranked second, was his closest rival. This was the match everyone had been waiting for.

Both fighters entered the arena, each carrying a sword.

Professor Ava repeated the rules. The two bowed respectfully.

The signal rang. Yin charged forward like a storm.

A bluish aura flared around him, glowing with raw power. He had reached the Second Core Aura, and it showed.

CLANG!

His sword came down fast, wild, rough, and powerful.

Royce barely blocked the strike, caught off guard by Yin's sudden speed.

But Yin didn't stop.

He attacked again and again, fast, aggressive, and unrefined.

There was no technique, no style, just instinct and fury.

Unlike Claude, who trained in elegant swordplay, Yin had no formal training. He grew up fighting to survive on the streets, in prison, wherever he had to.

His swordsmanship was shaped by pain, sharpened by experience, and driven by the will to live.

Royce was no different.

Though he came from a noble family, he hadn't learned their sword style. In his household, only those who met strict standards could train in it.

So, Royce fought with what he taught himself, relying on raw talent and discipline.

Their clash was fast and fierce.

Yin's wild strikes gave him the upper hand, forcing Royce to stay on defense.

Whispers spread through the crowd:

"They may not have styles, but they could become amazing knights."

The battle dragged on.

Both fighters grew tired. Their swings slowed, their breathing grew heavy. They were evenly matched.

Finally, with one last burst of strength, Yin knocked Royce's sword aside and pointed his blade at Royce's neck.

Royce froze, then slowly raised his hand in surrender.

The match was over. Yin won.

And the crowd erupted in cheers by Yin's breathtaking victory.

Fourth Match: Melo Mistarm vs Watson Mayer

Melo ranked first during the second batch of the trial, while Watson had partnered with Royce during the trial exam.

Both fighters stepped into the arena.

Melo didn't carry any weapon, while Watson held his staff.

Professor Ava asked, "Melo, are you sure you don't want to use a weapon?"

Melo replied with a warm smile, "I don't want to seriously hurt my opponent."

Watson's face twisted as he thought to himself, "This arrogant dwarf is mocking me. How dare he."

Professor Ava repeated the rules. The two bowed respectfully.

As soon as the signal was given, Watson made the first move.

He shouted, "You'll regret insulting me, Melo. Fourth Class Spell: Whirl Spire Barrage!"

Melo tilted his head, realizing he had offended Watson.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," he replied calmly.

Watson raised his staff. The ground beneath Melo shook as five massive, sharp spires of earth shot up, aimed straight at him. The spell was combined with wind magic, causing the spires to spin wildly, increasing their speed and power.

The crowd gasped at the deadly combination.

But Melo didn't flinch.

BOOM!

The magic struck directly where he stood, kicking up a huge cloud of sand and dust. The arena trembled from the impact, and for a moment, nothing was visible.

Everyone thought Watson had won. And so, they cheered Watson.

Being hit directly by five spinning spires should cause serious damage, even with strong defensive magic.

But as the dust settled, the crowd fell silent.

Melo stood unharmed.

His robe was partially torn from the impact, but he looked calm and steady. Dust swirled around him, yet his expression hadn't changed.

Despite being only four foot eight, Melo's presence was overwhelming.

He was simply jacked; his compact frame packed with muscle.

He had blocked the entire attack with his bare arms.

Lowering his guard, he said calmly, "I told you… could you please just surrender?"

Watson, still recovering from the shock of his failed spell, looked up with wide eyes. He had poured all his mana into that attack, and Melo had brushed it off like it was nothing.

"He's a monster," Watson thought.

It was then that Watson realized. Melo hadn't been joking at all.

He raised his staff again, determined to keep fighting.

But in the blink of an eye. Melo was gone.

Before Watson could cast another spell, Melo reappeared right in front of him, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

In a flash, he closed the distance and delivered a powerful punch straight to Watson's chest.

The force of the blow sent Watson flying backward, slamming into the arena wall and leaving a deep dent in the stone.

His staff clattered to the ground as he collapsed, unconscious.

Professor Ava stepped forward and raised her hand, "The match is over. Melo wins."

And the crowd roared in cheers.

Gabby thought to himself:

"That incredible speed… was it almost Mach 1? There's no mistaking it. He's not using mana or aura. He's awakened with divine power."

I'm not sure how many divine cores he has but even one would be enough to explain that kind of strength.

Most people misunderstand divine power. They think it's only for healing. But the God of War's divine power is different.

It grants overwhelming physical strength, speed, endurance and self-healing."

Finally, the most awaited match.

Fifth bout: Gabby Magus vs. Kael Caskore.

Gabby had something to prove. Several merchants were eager to invest in him—if he showed his worth in this match.

Gabby carried a sword, while Kael dragged a massive great axe behind him. After all, he is six feet four inches tall with muscular build.

Professor Ava repeated the rules. The two bowed respectfully, though Kael was clearly oozing hostility toward Gabby.

The signal rang, but neither fighter moved. They stared at each other, tension thick in the air.

Kael remarked, "You've grown taller, six foot? So that survival exam you attended to paid off."

Kael grinned.

"We finally clash. Too bad I'm your opponent. So please don't surrender."

Gabby replied calmly, "What are you talking about? You're cocky for someone whose mere ranked seventh."

Kael's grin faded. His eyes narrowed and replied, "Then prove you deserve that number three spot, because rankings won't matter in this fight."

With a roar, Kael lifted his great axe and swung it with surprising speed. The blade slammed into the ground where Gabby had just stood, missing him by inches.

The impact created massive cracks across the arena floor.

The crowd erupted, not with cheers, but with sadistic excitement. They wanted Gabby to lose. Some even wanted him dead.

And Kael loved every second of it.

The one-sided assault continued. Kael was on the offensive, swinging his great axe with relentless force, while Gabby stayed on the defensive, barely dodging each strike.

Kael grinned, clearly enjoying the chase, "What's wrong, you little rat? Is running all you can do?"

"Boo! Booo!"

The crowd was growing restless. Disappointed by Gabby's tactics, they began to jeer. He wasn't fighting back. Just dodging, evading, and buying time. To them, it looked like he was stalling, hoping for the match to be stopped.

Kael finally halted his attack.

"I'm done playing," he growled.

A red aura burst from his body, swirling around him.

Gabby narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "All that bravado and he's only at First Aura Core? At this point, he's not even threatening, just painfully annoying."

Kael, now boosted by his red aura, was faster and stronger. He charged at Gabby with brutal force, swinging his great axe with deadly intent. Gabby managed to dodge a few strikes, but Kael's relentless pursuit eventually cornered him.

BOOM!

With a loud snap, Kael's axe connected. Gabby was sent flying across the arena.

Professor Ava stepped forward, ready to declare Kael the winner until Gabby slowly stood back up.

He remarked, "Wait, I can still fight."

He thought to himself, "He's still dangerous. My body's more durable than a normal awakener, but I wasn't built to take hits like that. I twisted my body just in time, so the axe only struck my head. If the bevel had cleaved me, it could've been fatal."

Kael grinned.

"As expected. This is an easy fight."

He thought to himself, "I am controlling the momentum of the fight. There's no way that he could win against me."

The crowd's opinion began to shift. Some were still cheering for Kael, but others started to feel pity for Gabby and started rooting for him.

He garnered respect for tanking a direct hit from Kael's great axe and still standing, eager to fight.

Gabby took a deep breath and thought to himself, "I guess it's time to use my swordsmanship."

He finally released his green aura. It hugged close to his skin, subtle and controlled, with no wild fluctuations.