Fantasia Library

Amid the dazzling red light, the jet-black activator sprang to life.

A pure white blade, forged entirely from intense heat, extended from the activator, emitting a resonant hum.

"That's Ser-Veresta?"

Julis, along with many students in the audience, fixed their gazes on the legendary Orga Lux in Aizen's hands.

But their attention quickly shifted to the weapon Arkadi brought out, leaving many surprised.

"A gun?"

"Wasn't Arkadi known for using a blade?"

"He switched weapons?"

Indeed.

Arkadi had drawn a weapon that was distinctly different from his usual choice. It was a compact gun with a short barrel, resembling a submachine gun but with a more mechanical and high-tech appearance—clearly a Lux weapon.

While some were shocked by Arkadi's choice, others quickly understood his reasoning.

"He's prepared well," Julis commented.

Even Aizen couldn't help but acknowledge this.

"So, he customized his strategy for this duel?"

Aizen narrowed his eyes.

According to the information Aizen had reviewed, Arkadi had always wielded a blade-type Lux weapon and excelled in close combat. 

But in this duel, he had abandoned his usual weapon in favor of a ranged firearm—a clear countermeasure against Aizen.

"The Four Colored Magic Swords are famous, and their abilities are no secret," Arkadi began, addressing the audience with a smug expression. "Especially Ser-Veresta. As one of Seidoukan's Orga Lux weapons, its power is widely known."

"Burning through everything it touches—that's a terrifying ability. If I stuck to a blade, I'd never dare clash directly with that sword."

Arkadi smirked, clearly enjoying the crowd's reaction.

"But as long as I avoid close combat with that sword, I don't have to worry about my weapon being destroyed."

To that end, Arkadi had specifically acquired this gun.

"This is the latest G12 Scatterbeam Rifle. Its range is exceptional, and its rapid-fire capabilities are among the best of any gun-type Lux weapon on the market."

Arkadi seemed eager to apply psychological pressure on Aizen, providing an impromptu explanation of his weapon's features.

"With this, there's no way you'll get close to me, junior."

In response, Aizen smiled faintly.

Arkadi's smugness wavered.

"Enough talk," Aizen said calmly. "Let's begin."

"Hmph." Arkadi scoffed, unwilling to back down. "Fine. Let's get started."

Both reached for the red lotus insignia pinned to their chests, pressing their hands against it.

The red lotus was the symbol of Seidoukan Academy.

In Asterisk, the student insignia served multiple purposes. It was an ID card for attendance and security systems and the key factor in determining the outcome of duels.

In every duel within Asterisk—whether casual or high-stakes battles like the Phoenix Festa—victory was decided by the state of the insignia. Destroying the opponent's insignia meant winning the match.

Each insignia underwent a special hardening process and contained advanced processing systems to facilitate duel arbitration, ensuring fairness.

As the duel commenced, the insignias on both participants' chests glowed and emitted a mechanical voice:

"Seidoukan Academy. Official Ranking Battle. Group Seven, Match Seven. Aizen versus Arkadi Fanken."

"Duel—Start!"

Above the stage, holographic displays appeared, showing the names of the two competitors. The displays spun outward like signal beacons before colliding dramatically in the center.

"Boom!"

As the sound echoed, Arkadi kicked off the ground and swiftly retreated.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The next moment, Arkadi opened fire.

The G12 Scatterbeam Rifle in his hands absorbed mana, and its green Manadyte core reacted instantaneously, condensing the mana into bullets of light that fired rapidly toward Aizen.

Since the bullets were made of mana, they required no ammunition and weren't affected by external factors like wind resistance. The resulting barrage of light bullets exceeded the speed of sound, roaring toward Aizen.

Their destructive power appeared far greater than ordinary bullets.

This was the advantage of Lux weapons.

Faced with the onslaught, Aizen realized something surprising—he could clearly perceive the trajectory of the bullets.

What would have overwhelmed a normal person seemed manageable to him now. His enhanced reflexes allowed him to dodge or even endure the attack if necessary.

Channeling his prana, Aizen moved like a gust of wind, dashing to the side. The barrage struck where he had been standing moments ago.

Lowering his center of gravity, Aizen burst forward with astonishing speed. Ignoring inertia, he weaved through the bullet storm, closing the distance between himself and Arkadi.

"…!" 

Arkadi's expression shifted as he quickly increased the gap between them.

The audience erupted in astonished murmurs.

"That speed... not bad!"

"I thought he was just a lucky Orga Lux wielder, but his physical abilities are impressive!"

"He's been hiding his strength. No unranked student should be able to move like that!"

"At this level, his speed rivals the 30th or 40th rank!"

As the crowd marveled, Aizen raced forward with Ser-Veresta in hand. The blade's pure white glow left trails of shimmering heat in its wake.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Arkadi, desperate to keep Aizen at bay, continued firing, releasing a hailstorm of bullets to track his opponent.

As the distance between them closed, Aizen could no longer evade the projectiles with ease.

But just as the bullets reached him, his sword arm moved with fluid precision.

"Clang!"

Ser-Veresta gleamed as it deflected the first incoming bullet.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

One after another, the bullets were parried or sliced apart by Ser-Veresta's blade, reverting to mana as they dissipated.

No longer dodging, Aizen advanced with a storm of precision swordsmanship, slashing through the relentless barrage.

In moments, he closed the gap between himself and Arkadi, the latter's pupils shrinking in disbelief.

"Impossible…!"

Arkadi couldn't fathom that Aizen possessed such skill.

"What sharp swordsmanship!"

It wasn't just Arkadi who was stunned. Many in the audience, including experienced fighters, wore expressions of disbelief.

If Aizen's earlier display of physical prowess had been surprising, his current mastery over his blade was utterly shocking. His speed and precision were at a level even some Page Ones couldn't match.

"Buzz!"

Ser-Veresta let out a low hum as Aizen swung it with unerring accuracy.

"Clang!"

The final bullet was effortlessly deflected. Aizen surged forward, closing the remaining distance between him and Arkadi.

"Tch…!"

Arkadi clicked his tongue in frustration and attempted to retreat.

But it was too late.

"Shing!"

With a sound like molten steel slicing through metal, Ser-Veresta's blazing blade sheared through Arkadi's rifle, cleaving it cleanly in two.

Then, without hesitation, the blade slashed toward the insignia on Arkadi's chest, cutting through the air with breathtaking speed.