Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The First Clash of the Ranking Storm
The arena had gone quieter than expected.
Not silent — because thousands of students were still watching — but quieter in a very specific way.
People were paying attention now.
The first exchange between Aether and his opponent had revealed sothing unusual.
This wasn’t a normal academy match.
Most participants tried to end their battles quickly to show dominance, but Aether was doing the opposite.
He was studying.
And that made the audience uneasy.
Across the platform, the muscular student narrowed his eyes.
His na was Darek, a third-year student known for brute force combat. His Stonebreaker Rhino had crushed many opponents during previous academy trials.
But right now...
He felt like he was being tested.
"You’re mocking ," Darek said.
Aether shook his head calmly.
"No. I’m understanding you."
The words irritated Darek even more.
Behind him, the Stonebreaker Rhino slamd its massive foot into the ground. Cracks spread across the stone platform as dust rose into the air.
The beast’s armor-like skin reflected the arena lights.
It was built for defense and unstoppable charges.
Most students struggled to even damage it.
But Aether remained still.
The Fire Pup’s flas flickered brighter, sensing the growing tension.
Then—
Darek pointed forward.
"Charge!"
The Stonebreaker Rhino roared and launched forward again, this ti faster than before.
The ground shook.
Students in the stands leaned forward.
This ti, the attack was not just a simple rush.
The rhino lowered its head and its horn began glowing faintly with earthen energy.
An impact skill.
Aether noticed it instantly.
"So he’s not just brute force," Aether thought.
The Fire Pup moved.
But instead of dodging wide like before, it stepped forward.
That surprised everyone.
Even Darek.
"What is he doing?"
The rhino closed the distance in seconds.
Just before impact—
Aether spoke softly.
"Now."
The Fire Pup released a circular burst of fla across the ground.
Not aid at the rhino.
But at the platform surface.
The flas spread under the beast’s feet.
And suddenly—
The rhino’s charge slowed.
The heated stone created instability, disrupting its balance.
The massive beast slid slightly to the side.
The crowd gasped.
Aether’s eyes sharpened.
"So that’s the weakness," he thought.
Heavy beasts depended on stability.
And the Fire Pup had just turned the battlefield against it.
Darek realized it too late.
"Stabilize!"
The rhino roared and slamd its feet down to regain control.
But the mont it stopped—
The Fire Pup struck.
A narrow stream of concentrated fla shot forward and hit the rhino’s shoulder.
The impact wasn’t huge.
But it was precise.
The audience reacted imdiately.
"He targeted a joint!"
"Smart move!"
But Darek wasn’t finished.
"Earth Guard!"
The rhino’s body glowed as a layer of rocky armor ford across its surface.
The flas weakened.
Aether watched carefully.
"Defense skill confird," he thought.
He was gathering information.
Across the arena, in the observation seats reserved for higher-ranking students, Riven folded his arms.
Now he was certain.
"This guy is dangerous."
Not because of raw strength.
But because of how he fought.
---
Back on the platform, Darek’s frustration was rising.
"You’re analyzing
during a match?"
Aether answered honestly.
"Yes."
That single word caused laughter among so students in the stands.
But Darek was furious.
"You think you’re superior?!"
He raised his arm.
"Rhino — Full Charge!"
The Stonebreaker Rhino roared louder than before.
This ti, its entire body was covered in dense stone armor.
The ground beneath it cracked as it prepared to sprint.
Even instructors watching nearby started paying attention.
This attack could decide the match.
Aether sensed the change in energy imdiately.
"This one is serious," he thought.
The Fire Pup also understood.
Its flas deepened into a darker orange.
Then—
The rhino moved.
Faster than before.
Much faster.
The platform trembled violently as the beast charged straight toward Aether himself, not just the Fire Pup.
Gasps erupted across the arena.
"He’s targeting the tar!"
"That’s risky!"
But academy rules allowed it — as long as it wasn’t lethal.
Liora clenched her fists from the side of the arena.
"Aether..."
But Aether did not move imdiately.
His mind was racing.
Calculating distance.
Speed.
Timing.
Then he whispered,
"Phase Two."
The Fire Pup’s flas suddenly condensed around its body.
Instead of spreading wide, the fire beca sharp and controlled.
The beast dashed forward.
Directly toward the charging rhino.
The crowd stood up.
"They’re colliding!"
Darek smirked.
"You’re finished!"
But just before impact—
The Fire Pup jumped.
Not upward.
Sideways.
At the sa mont, Aether stepped to the side with precise timing.
The rhino rushed past them.
But Aether wasn’t done.
"Turn!"
The Fire Pup spun mid-air and released a concentrated fla burst onto the rhino’s back.
The impact caused sparks and fragnts of stone armor to break.
For the first ti—
The Stonebreaker Rhino stumbled.
The audience erupted.
"That actually worked!"
"Impossible!"
But Darek gritted his teeth.
"Not enough!"
The rhino regained its balance and slamd its tail into the ground, sending a shockwave across the platform.
Dust exploded into the air.
Visibility dropped.
Aether narrowed his eyes.
"He’s trying to control the field now."
Inside the dust cloud, the rhino’s glowing eyes appeared.
Then—
It charged again.
But this ti, the direction was unpredictable.
Even the Fire Pup hesitated slightly.
Darek shouted,
"Corner them!"
The rhino used its massive body to block escape routes across the platform, pushing Aether toward the edge.
So students realized the strategy.
"He’s trapping him!"
"He’s forcing Aether into a direct clash!"
The arena tension skyrocketed.
Aether stepped back slowly, analyzing the situation.
"Good strategy," he admitted quietly.
Darek laughed.
"Now you understand!"
The rhino prepared its strongest charge yet.
Energy gathered around its horn.
The stone armor thickened.
This was no longer just a test.
It was becoming a real battle.
From the stands, several faction representatives had begun watching closely.
Because Aether...
Was showing sothing rare.
Not just strength.
But control under pressure.
And that made him valuable.
Or dangerous.
anwhile, Aether looked down at the Fire Pup.
The small beast looked back confidently.
Flas dancing calmly despite the tension.
Aether smiled slightly.
"Ready?"
The Fire Pup barked once.
Aether then whispered sothing only the beast could hear.
A new tactic.
A riskier one.
Across the arena, Riven leaned forward slightly.
"Now we’ll see," he muttered.
The rhino roared.
Darek shouted,
"Finish it!"
The beast launched forward with overwhelming power.
The entire arena shook.
But this ti—
Aether did not dodge.
Instead...
He stepped forward.
The audience gasped.
"What is he doing?!"
Even Liora’s eyes widened.
The Fire Pup’s flas suddenly expanded into a blazing aura.
Aether’s voice echoed calmly across the platform.
"Let’s end the first phase of this fight."
And in that mont—
The real battle had only just begun.
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