Martial Demons Ascension

Eto's body flickered one moment still, the next a golden blur.

She vanished from her starting point and appeared high above one of the seven, balanced on a single leg mid-air, body twisted and coiled like a spring Her heel gleamed with lightning as she came crashing down, the raw weight of speed and mana behind her strike.

The boy below barely had time to react. With a guttural shout, he conjured an earthen gauntlet over his forearm, the rock encasing his hand and forearm like crude armor. He braced both arms above his head.

The impact came with a crack.

The gauntlet splintered instantly, fractures running down its length as though glass had been struck with a hammer The boy's wrist bent at a sickening angle, his eyes widening in shock and pain He screamed but his hand still closed around Eto's ankle, fueled by desperation. He yanked, dragging her down before she could rebound away.

"Now!" someone shouted.

The rest were ready.

Three flame mages roared, fire gathering in their palms, overlapping into one massive blaze that roared across the stage Two wind mages flanked them, their hands slicing outward, compressing the fire into a narrow jet stream of burning death.

The boy holding Eto gritted his teeth, refusing to let go If he burned, so be it Better than being made a fool.

The combined spell detonated against her body with a thunderous boom, flames and pressure exploding across the stage. A shockwave rippled outward, making the audience cover their eyes as smoke and ash blanketed everything in a searing haze.

Gasps erupted from the sidelines.

"They got her!"

"That had to do it—"

"No way she could take that head-on!"

The smoke cleared.

Eto stood in the center of the blast zone, unmoving.

Golden arcs still circled her body, the axis of lightning spinning faster than before Her uniform was scorched, singed at the edges, her hair whipped and loose, but her skin her stance were untouched Her eyes were cold, her breathing steady.

The boy clutching her ankle dropped to his knees, his arms hanging limp, too injured to continue The backlash of his broken wrist and burns left him shaking He didn't even resist as Eto casually reached down, grabbed his collar, and with a flick of her arm tossed him off the stage His body tumbled across the ground like a ragdoll.

The two flame mages who had poured the most mana into the attack were already on their knees, coughing up smoke, their cores strained from overexertion Eto didn't hesitate she blurred forward and with the precision of a knife, tapped their chests with her sparking hands Lightning snapped, their bodies convulsed, and she hurled them both effortlessly off the arena.

That left five.

They moved fast, panic setting in.

One wind mage surged forward, using his element to propel his steps, twin blades flashing in his hands Eto leaned aside, his strike cutting sparks off her hair She twisted her hips, her knee driving into his ribs The crack echoed, and he flew sideways like a broken doll.

The remaining four shouted in unison, coordinating desperately Two fireballs and a compressed wind blade shot toward her from different angles Eto's body pulsed, lightning exploding beneath her feet, and she slipped between them in a flicker, reappearing at the flank of another student.

Her elbow rammed into his jaw before he even saw her move Blood sprayed as he crumpled.

The last three hesitated, fear starting to eclipse anger Their bodies trembled, their spells unsteady They had thought numbers would overwhelm her but numbers meant nothing if the gap in speed and strength was this wide.

Eto tilted her head, sparks dancing across her knuckles, her expression calm but merciless.

"Too slow."

She moved again.

To the watching class, she was almost impossible to track flashes of gold, thunderclaps with every step, the dull thuds of bodies hitting the ground The three boys collapsed one after the other, spasming from precise jolts of lightning that stole the fight from their muscles without killing them.

When it was done, the arena floor was littered with groaning bodies.

Seven challengers down.

Eto stood alone at the center, golden sparks fading slowly as the axis spun down, her breathing finally heavier but her gaze sharp and unwavering.

The watching students were silent No one cheered, no one mocked They simply stared The admiration in their eyes hadn't vanished it had only grown, twisted now with fear.

Even Emmet's lips pressed into a thin, taut line. He had seen dozens of lightning mages At this age, at this stage? None could use let alone maintain Golden Axis so cleanly under the pressure of seven attackers.

And in the corner, Rinnte's gaze hadn't wavered once He had watched every step, every strike, every shift of her stance His sharp eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening around his knees.

So this is the standard she's set for herself, he thought.

Millis had been leaning back, arms crossed, a smug grin plastered across his face as Eto finished tossing the last of her opponents out of the arena Outwardly, he looked every bit the self-assured "top dog" of his group shoulders relaxed, chin high, mouth already twitching with comments he could use to spin Eto's overwhelming victory into something flattering to himself.

But inside, his chest felt tight.

Damn it… I didn't think the gap was that big.

Millis had always known Eto was talented everyone did She'd been one of the stars of the class since they first awakened. But seeing her dismantle seven students at once, barely taking a scratch? That was something else entirely He could tell from her breathing and faint sweat that she hadn't come out unscathed, but compared to her opponents, she looked untouchable.

And he realized something that made his stomach twist.

If he had been in her group instead of Rinnte, if he had stood on that stage against her today, he would have been humiliated Not just beaten destroyed.

For the first time in a long while, Millis was grateful for luck Grateful his group hadn't been hers Grateful he still had room to strut around and claim dominance.

Then he felt it.

A prickling heat crawling up the side of his neck, like someone's gaze had turned into a knife pressed to his skin.

Millis turned.

At the opposite side of the training ground, leaning casually against his blade, half-mask glinting under the light, was Rhyka. His posture was lazy, but his eyes cold, sharp, and brimming with quiet malice were locked directly on Millis.

There was no hiding it anymore No playful mockery or subtle snickers like before Rhyka's glare made his intent obvious. You're next.

Millis stiffened His smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he forced it back onto his face He clenched his jaw and looked away, but the image of Rhyka's eyes stayed burned into the back of his mind.

Damn him With no magic, he still dares…?

Millis wanted to scoff, to laugh it off like the others, but after Rhyka's earlier fights and the way he carried himself now, it was impossible Deep down, Millis knew the truth even without magic, Rhyka would not be an easy opponent His skill, his instincts, his sheer presence it was too refined He could make a joke out of weaklings, and Millis didn't want to risk being that joke.

And then another thought made his stomach twist tighter.

If he didn't step up, if he let his nerves show even for a moment Hella would step in.

She was watching from the corner of his vision, arms folded, a wicked smile tugging at her lips as her eyes darted between Eto, Rhyka, and Millis himself Millis knew her well enough to read it She wanted to throw herself into the spotlight, to prove herself, to bite into Rhyka for mocking her before.

But if Hella went up in his place… and she lost?

The humiliation would be just as much his as hers Everyone would know he let someone else fight his battles.

Millis's hands curled into fists, nails biting into his palms.

No I can't let that happen.

He forced himself to chuckle under his breath, masking the tension in his chest as he adjusted his stance His smirk spread again, but this time it felt hollow, like a mask covering the unease he couldn't shake.

Across the stage, Rhyka's smirk widened ever so slightly like he already knew exactly what Millis was thinking.