Black snow. Apocalypse

The formless figure's voice echoed across the arena.

"Next match—Zephyr versus Dexter."

Gasps and cheers erupted as a tall, dazzling boy stepped onto the stage. His brown hair fluttered in the breeze, and every girl in the audience screamed his name.

"D-E-X-T-E-R!!"

Dexter bowed slightly, smiling like a prince. Zephyr rolled his eyes.

"Pretty boy," he muttered, stepping forward.

"Let the battle… begin!"

Without hesitation, Zephyr activated Level 3 fire arrays, surrounding Dexter in a spinning circle of flames.

Dexter raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Is that all you've got?" he said with a lazy smirk.

Before the fire closed in, Dexter blurred—his basic power, hyper speed, kicking in. He zipped behind Zephyr and summoned a water array, surrounding him in a floating sphere.

"Let's cool that temper," he whispered.

Water crashed over Zephyr. Then—a freezing spell. The orb began turning to ice.

The crowd gasped. The girls swooned.

"That's my Dexter!"

But within the ice, Zephyr's flames surged. His body radiated heat as Level 4 fire pulsed through him.

BOOM!

The ice exploded in all directions. The force sent Dexter flying, barely landing on his feet.

"Tch. Annoying pest," Zephyr said.

He flicked his fingers—telekinesis engaged.

Dexter was yanked mid-air toward him. Zephyr spun, transformed his wand into a sword, and ignited it with flames.

"Flames of Fury!"

The sword cleaved a burning arc through the air, colliding with Dexter mid-flight and launching him backward with scorch marks on his chest.

Dexter slowly stood, dusting himself off, smiling despite his wounds.

"You're gonna regret that."

With a flash, Dexter unleashed a barrage of fireballs, hurling them at Zephyr. The crowd roared.

Zephyr's eyes narrowed. He calmly raised his hand—pyrokinesis.

The fireballs twisted in mid-air and veered off course.

"Nice try."

The two charged. Blades clashed. Steel against steel. Flame against frost.

Dexter weaved in and out with hyper speed, while Zephyr countered with sharp telekinetic moves, redirecting attacks before they landed.

But then, Dexter landed a powerful ice-fire combo slash, sending Zephyr sprawling across the arena. Blood dripped from his lip.

"Still standing?" Dexter taunted.

Zephyr staggered up, breathing heavily. Half of his magic core was sealed by an ice array, limiting his power flow.

"I'm not done yet…" he muttered.

His eyes scanned the battlefield. He got an idea.

Suddenly—telekinesis snapped Dexter's wand from his grip.

"What—?!"

Dexter was shoved back by an invisible force as a fire array flared to life above his head.

WHOOSH!

Flames crashed down.

Dexter summoned a defensive tornado with Undying Breath of Wind, using wind magic to block the heat.

Zephyr grinned. His fingers twitched—he infused the wind with flames.

"Let's turn that breeze into a wildfire."

The tornado ignited turning to an inferno cyclone. Dexter screamed as fire tore through his defense, knocking him to his knees, coughing and burned.

The crowd was in stunned silence. Then—

"ZE-PHYR! ZE-PHYR!"

Dexter, panting, slowly raised his hand.

"I… yield."

The formless figure floated down.

"The winner—Zephyr the Great!"

The arena erupted in applause.

Zephyr smirked, brushing soot from his shoulder.

"That's what you get for thinking you're better."