Blazren stood tall at the center of the vast, empty training field.
Across from him, Skybrand stood silently.
"So this is the arena you picked?" Skybrand narrowed her eyes.
"Good. No buildings to worry about when I beat you."
Blazren cracked his knuckles.
"Co, Skybrand. You’re one of the oldest AA-Rank heroes."
"I want to see what makes you special."
Skybrand narrowed her eyes. Without a word, she activated [Skybrand Shift].
Wings of air and light burst from her back as she shot into the sky.
The wind shifted. Dust blew away. Her twin blades floated into her hands, ready.
"You’ll regret challenging ."
Blazren smiled and activated [Blazing Mane Shift].
His body burst into fla. His mane lit up like wildfire.
He grew slightly larger, taller. A lion-like tail of fire whipped behind him.
Skybrand hovered above.
"So this is your class, huh? Still just a big fire cat."
"We’ll see who’s still standing after this."
Skybrand vanished with a flash.
She activated [Skyline Execution], blinking behind Blazren midair, blades aid for his spine.
She was fast. Too fast for most.
But Blazren didn’t turn.
He unleashed [Scorching Roar] straight forward.
The roar wasn’t aid at her, but it didn’t have to be.
The blast of sound and heat rippled through the air in a wide arc.
Skybrand grunted as the wave hit her.
Heat slamd her body, and her feathers caught fla.
Her speed dropped. She started falling.
She blinked away instinctively—[Flashstep Reflex] activated late.
She reappeared a few ters away, panting.
"What the hell..."
Blazren stepped forward. The floor beneath him was glowing.
"You’re wondering why your trait didn’t save you?"
Skybrand wiped soot off her cheek, glaring.
"It’s because I didn’t target you."
"[Scorching Roar] hits everything in front of . Area effect. Not single-target."
"Your trait only works when soone aims directly at you."
Skybrand’s eyes narrowed. She flew upward again, trying to get distance.
Blazren dragged his claws along the floor, activating [Fla Trail Rend].
Fire lines marked his steps, crisscrossing the zone.
He circled the arena slowly, limiting Skybrand’s landing zones.
Skybrand gritted her teeth and used [Gale Rift Cutter].
A blade of wind slashed forward, cutting through flas and splitting the field.
Blazren dashed sideways using [Infernal Pounce], launching like a teor.
He crashed down a few feet from her, flas blasting outward.
Skybrand was thrown back, tumbling through the air.
She tried to blink again, but another wave of heat surged from the fla trails.
"You’re controlling the whole field," she muttered, staying airborne, watching his pattern.
Blazren smirked.
"You survive in the air. I survive in fire. But you just stepped into my terrain."
Skybrand switched tactics.
She dove low, hoping to strike fast and escape upward.
Her blade aid for Blazren’s shoulder, hoping to at least scratch through the fire.
Blazren took the hit. It barely broke his skin.
"That’s it?"
He grabbed her arm with one clawed hand and activated [Pridefla Core].
Skybrand cried out, blinking away again with [Flashstep Reflex]—this ti triggered just in ti.
She coughed mid-air, wings flickering.
"You’re not even slowing down."
Blazren grinned.
"Every hit makes angrier. [Lion’s Vengeance]."
"You hurt , I get stronger. Your blade? Just fuel."
Skybrand hovered, breathing hard.
Her armor was scorched. Her wings flickering. Her blade chipped.
Blazren stood below, flas roaring around him, claws sharp and ready.
"You wanted proof. I’m giving it."
"You wanted to fight you like a real AA-Rank hero..."
"This is what I am now. [Blazefang Sentinel]."
Skybrand floated higher, stalling for breath.
"Fine. Let’s see how long your fire lasts. Because I’m not backing down."
Blazren dragged his claws again, making another ring of fire.
The arena was almost completely covered in fla.
"Co down here, bird. Or I’ll smoke you out."
---
Neuro watched from the observation deck, arms crossed, visor glowing as it tracked every move in the arena.
Blazren’s fla trails lit the ground like cracks in a volcano.
Skybrand hovered above, wings flickering as smoke trailed from her armor.
Neuro frowned.
"I didn’t think it would go like this."
One of the younger AA-Rank heroes stood beside him, eyes wide.
"Director Blazren... he’s really winning."
Neuro didn’t answer right away. He tapped the side of his visor.
The replay of [Scorching Roar] played again—Skybrand’s feathers burning, her reflexes delayed.
"He’s not just strong. He’s adapting."
"Every move is tid. Every fla placent is calculated."
The younger hero looked confused.
"But wasn’t Blazren always strong?"
Neuro nodded slowly.
"Yes. But now he’s more than strong. He has a [Class]. And he’s using it like he’s had it for years."
He turned back to the fight.
Blazren slamd his clawed hands into the ground, activating [Fla Trail Rend] again.
More fire split across the floor, blocking Skybrand’s landing.
"He’s forcing her to stay in the air," Neuro muttered.
Skybrand blinked with [Flashstep Reflex], barely avoiding another burst of heat.
Her breathing was uneven.
She tried to spin for [Ascension Slash], but her angle was off.
She had to retreat mid-air.
Neuro clenched his jaw.
"This wasn’t supposed to happen."
"Skybrand and I— we were supposed to be unmatched among AA-Rank."
He stared at Blazren as he stood tall in the fire, claws glowing with heat, body pulsing with [Pridefla Core].
"And now he’s showing us... we’ve already fallen behind."
He didn’t say it out loud, but he knew what ca next.
If Blazren won this match, he wouldn’t just be a new AA-Rank hero.
He’d be the strongest one.
---
Blazren dragged his clawed foot across the ground.
He stood tall, breathing steadily, eyes locked on Skybrand above.
"Let’s end this, Skybrand."
Skybrand flapped her wings harder, trying to steady her form.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You think one burst of fire ans victory?"
Blazren didn’t move yet. The ground beneath him glowed red-hot.
His hands clenched, heat swirling around his arms.
"I don’t think. I know."
He leapt forward with [Infernal Pounce], fire trailing behind him like a cot.
Skybrand blinked away using [Flashstep Reflex], but the heat still caught her wings, and she winced mid-air.
Blazren landed, spun, and roared with [Scorching Roar].
The flas shook the air. Skybrand staggered back, unable to hold her altitude.
Blazren stepped through the flas toward her.
"This fight’s already mine."
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