Chapter 1: The Ancient Hero is Her Failed Summon
Steam rose. Sweat dripped. The fight had gone on too long.
Two of us stood in the ring, fists clenched. Across from me: a brute with hazel hair and a body carved from stone. Both of us were gasping for breath.
"Give it up already, weakling," he sneered, blood staining his grin. "You’re just delaying your own death."
I wiped blood from my split lip. Around us, the crowd of students roared for violence.
"That so?" I smirked. "Didn’t know my enemy had the gift of prophecy."
"You’d be smarter keeping that mouth shut before I rip out your—"
"Or what? You’ll tell my secret to everyone? Go ahead."
Flames burst from his arms, licking up to his elbows.
"Bastard. I hate wasting even a second on trash like you!"
"You wanna go all in?" I grinned back, my palms glowing with light. "Then stop holding back."
We charged at each other.
One struck, the other parried. Again and again, heat and radiance flashing with every blow.