"You didn't refuse?"
Zephyr fixed Loa with a searching gaze.
Loa couldn't possibly have missed what his comrades were thinking. For the sake of their bond, he had accepted the challenge without hesitation. He had even asked to face them all together.
That meant the entire Elite Camp!
Most of its members would never rise above the junior officer ranks after graduation, but their strength was real. Even the Vice Admirals couldn't be certain they would escape unscathed if the whole camp surrounded them.
As Loa had said, none of them could beat him one-on-one.
But enough opponents could change the outcome. Against many at once, injury was inevitable unless he used a wide-area killing move to clear the field.
Zephyr and the others had fallen silent. They watched the arena, stunned by Loa's courage and saddened by what this friendship had driven him to do.
Hansa had listened without a word until now. At last, he spoke slowly. "Ahem! Thank you, everyone. Tony, head back. The next fight belongs to Loa and me."
Tony gritted his teeth in frustration, then turned and left.
The two stood facing each other, eyes locked.
Cold air churned around Loa as thick Ice Armor formed over his body. Across from him, Hansa drew his Longsword and held it upright in both hands, its tip aimed straight at Loa.
Zephyr nodded to the referee behind him, signaling that they could begin. The referee saluted, stepped forward, and called out, "Match... one, begin!"
Hiss!
Almost before the referee finished speaking, a crescent of light appeared in the arena. Fierce Sword Energy surged from it, its sharp edge palpable even to the spectators far away.
The crescent came in a flash and vanished without a sound. An instant later, Hansa appeared before Loa, still in his