The battlefield was silent.
Both Finn and the monkey lay motionless, their bodies battered and bleeding. Their breathing was ragged, shallow… but faint twitches in their fingers showed they were still conscious. Leon, Isla, and Fanny watched in dread, their eyes locked on Finn. Fear clutched their hearts—he needed medical attention, and fast.
Mam stepped forward, raising her voice to announce, "This match—"
"Wait!" a voice cut her off.
Everyone turned. It was Fanny, her face steely and serious as she stepped forward. "Mam, look closely—Finn's fingers are still moving. He's trying to get up," she said, her voice sharp with conviction.
Mam narrowed her eyes and looked again. Indeed, Finn's fingers were twitching. "He needs medical help. He's seriously injured…" she said, hesitating. "I'll give him a few minutes. But just a few. He cannot stay in this condition long."
Fanny nodded. Her eyes didn't leave Finn.
On the battlefield, Finn clenched his jaw. He groaned as he placed his palms on the dirt, trying to push himself up. His arms trembled violently. His muscles screamed. Blood dripped from his chin. He couldn't even lift his torso fully off the ground.
On the opposite side, the monkey stirred too, also trying to stand. But both were at their limits.
Finn's mind spiraled. "I can't… I really can't move. Why can't I do it…?"
Then, like a spark in the dark, a memory surfaced—Fanny, standing in the same arena, bloodied but proud, having refused to fall. "She made it… why can't I?"
His fingers dug into the dirt. Gritting his teeth, he roared, "I won't lose!!"
He pushed again, harder this time. His torso lifted, shaking. His knees buckled but locked in place. His body screamed in agony. Every breath felt like knives in his lungs. But he didn't stop. Inch by inch, he stood.
The entire crowd watched in breathless silence.
And then—
He raised his hand. "I… win."
Mam's lips curled into a proud smile. "Winner: Finn!"
Leon and Isla jumped to their feet, cheering. Fanny, standing silently, allowed a small smile to appear. "That bastard… he actually did it."
Finn collapsed again, unconscious.
Leon rushed forward. "Finn!!" But before he could reach him, Fanny was already on the move. She intercepted Leon, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll take him to the medical room. You two stay here," she said firmly.
"What—? You sure?" Leon asked, startled.
Without answering, Fanny crouched and hoisted Finn onto her shoulders. Isla's eyes widened. "She's really carrying him like that…"
Leon blinked. "I don't know how Finn'll react when he wakes up."
Fanny didn't reply. She carried Finn off the field as if he weighed nothing.
Leon and Isla slowly returned to their seats.
Mam stepped up again. "Next match!"
A new figure stepped into the arena. Leon leaned forward. "Wait… isn't that the twin? "
Isla nodded. "Yep. He made it through the training too. Let's see what he's got."
Mam addressed the boy. "Are you ready?"
He nodded once. "Yes."
Mam began the countdown. "Three… two… one…"
A large iron door creaked open across the arena. From the shadows, a giant bird slowly emerged—its feathers black and sleek, a sharp white marble embedded in its forehead.
Leon's eyes widened. "That thing is huge!"
"And that marble… it's wind-type," Isla added.
Without hesitation, the boy slit a line across his palm and smeared it across his lips. Blue blood dripped to the ground. In one swift motion, he fired a massive water blast at the bird.
The bird soared upward with ease, dodging the attack. It flapped its wings and unleashed a massive wind gust so powerful the boy staggered backward, struggling to even remain standing. The pressure surged across the arena—students sitting far away shielded their faces as dust and wind swept through the stands.
The boy tried to fire another blast, but it dissipated mid-air, swallowed by the wind. He clenched his fists. "Dammit! I can't even aim!"
The bird hovered confidently, wings slicing the air, preparing another attack.
Then—his eyes lit up with an idea.
He created a thin, almost invisible water beam, sharp and precise. With perfect control, he shot it directly at the bird's wing.
SLASH!
The bird screeched in pain as the beam sliced into its wing. It wobbled and fell, slamming to the ground.
The boy grinned. "Gotcha, you feathery freak."
He didn't stop. He launched another water blast directly at the grounded bird. The creature cried out again.
Leon, impressed, said, "Both these brothers are monsters."
The boy's grin widened. He gathered energy for a final blow, water swirling in the air around him. "Let's end this!"
He fired the large blast—but the bird suddenly shot back into the air, dodging at the last second. Then, flapping its wings at incredible speed, it conjured a gigantic wind tornado in the middle of the arena.
The air roared.
The tornado spun furiously, reaching into the sky. The students gasped. Dust and debris whipped across the stands. Leon's eyes widened. "What the hell is that?!"
Isla could barely keep her balance. "That… that's on a whole different level."
The students screamed, some nearly falling from their seats. The tornado began to spread. Mam immediately created a massive water shield, wrapping it around the students. But even her barrier began to crack.
The boy was trapped inside the tornado.
Then—a shimmer of blue light.
Someone whispered, "That's… blue aura!"
Inside the whirlwind, the boy's eyes glowed bright blue. His aura exploded—water surged around him.
He roared, "Let me show you what I'M made of!!"
With a spin of his arms, he summoned a counter-rotating water tornado. The two twisters clashed in a violent storm of water and wind.
The arena shook.
The bird flapped frantically, trying to escape, but the water tornado sucked it in. The boy gritted his teeth and hurled the entire twister—smashing it into the wall.
The wind dispersed. The arena fell silent.
The bird lay unconscious, sprawled in rubble.
Mam stood slowly, her eyes wide with awe. "The match is over. Winner—the boy"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Leon slumped into his seat. "Goddamn. Both of those jerks are seriously something else."