The bastard's blade

The dust hadn't even settled from their last clash when Dawn dashed forward again, blade humming through the air like a singing wind. Ran barely lifted his sword in time, their weapons colliding with a thunderclap that echoed through the stadium. Sparks flew. Blood sprayed — not hers.

Ran stumbled back, a shallow slash along his shoulder. His breathing was ragged, not from exhaustion, but from restraint.'Not yet. Don't lose control. Not here. Not now.'

Dawn didn't wait. Her sword spun in her grip, graceful and fluid — a dance as deadly as it was mesmerizing. Every motion was precise, honed through years of training. She was no longer holding back, and Ran could feel it in every blow.

"You're holding something back."Her voice was calm, but the steel behind it was unmistakable."If you think you can beat me while half-asleep, you're dead wrong."

Ran's eyes narrowed."I don't have the luxury of fighting pretty."

They clashed again, steel screeching as it scraped steel. Ran twisted into a slide, ducking under a horizontal slash and countering with Shadow Rush, the only technique he had mastered from the Bloodrune style. His crimson sword pulsed with dark energy as he accelerated unnaturally, vanishing for an instant.

Dawn pivoted instinctively. Her blade swung behind her in a wide arc, catching the edge of Ran's strike and deflecting it. Still, the force knocked her back a step.

Gasps echoed across the arena.

"Did he just... vanish?""I am pretty sure that's Bloodrune swordsmanship!""But he's just a commoner, isn't he?""No commoner moves like that."

Ynnefer Valmonth leaned forward from her viewing platform, eyes narrowing. Osiris Le Skyford folded his arms, expression unreadable. Beside them, Leaguer Leongribs let out a low whistle.

"He's fast. But it's not just speed. That sword — there's something wrong with it."

Leaguer Leongribs says folding his arms.

Ran steadied his breath, watching Dawn's form blur as she lunged again.'She's adapting to Shadow Rush already?'

Each strike pushed him closer to the edge — of his stamina, his will, and something darker.

'She's stronger than I thought. She's not a noble brat.'

Dawn's movements grew sharper, her attacks more aggressive. She didn't want to win — she needed to.

'I have to prove myself. I'm not here because of my family name. I'm here to stand on my own.'

Ran was on the back foot now. His counters were too slow. His reactions, dulled by pain and fatigue. Another cut across his ribs. Another across his leg.

She wasn't killing him, but she was wearing him down, piece by piece.

From the high stands, the student council president Ynnefer spoke, quiet but clear.

"He's bleeding too much. If he doesn't end this soon... he'll lose."

Leaguer Leongribs chuckled.

 "Or something interesting will happen."

And something did.

As Dawn drove her sword forward in a perfectly executed lunge — a thrust meant to finish things — Ran's instincts screamed.

Not his mind. Not his training.

Something deeper.

Older.

Darker.

A sudden pulse exploded from his chest. A deep crimson light bled from the grotesque mark seared into his flesh. The seal sizzled, and the crimson sword in his hand screamed with energy not of this world.

"VOID MAGIC: DISRUPTURE!"

The words left his lips before he realized he'd said them.

The arena shook.

Everything within ten meters of Ran warped — the air, the sound, even light itself. Dawn stumbled mid-dash as her footing twisted beneath her. Her blade veered just off-course, and Ran struck.

Not her body.

Her sword.

His void-charged blade sheared through it like paper.

A flash.

Silence.

Dawn stood frozen, sword clattering to the ground in two pieces.

A line of blood dripped from her cheek — a shallow cut.

The crimson light faded. Ran stood, panting, his sword humming with fading energy.

His eyes widened.

'No. What did I do?'

The audience had fallen dead silent. Not even whispers.

Then—

"Void magic?"

Osiris said. Surprised.

"This guy is full of surprises." 

Ynnerfer said.

Leaguer stood beside them, eyes gleaming.

"Magnificent!"

Below, Dawn stared at her broken sword in disbelief.

"I lost?"

Ran dropped to one knee, gasping for breath. The last of the void energy flickered out from his sword.

Dawn stepped forward slowly.

"You've been holding that back this whole time?"

Ran looked up at her, still kneeling.

"I didn't want to use it. I just wanted to survive."

She tilted her head, gaze intense.

"You didn't survive. You won."

Ran didn't smile. He couldn't. Not after what he felt when that power took over.

'This is what I've become?'

The announcer finally regained his voice.

"W-We have our winner... Ran! Commoner, swordsmanship class!"

No cheers. No applause.

Only stunned silence and wide eyes.

As Ran stumbled out of the arena, hands shaking, he heard the whispers starting.

"That wasn't mana."

"It was... something else."

"Void magic? That's extinct!"

Ran barely made it to the hallway when a shadow blocked his path.

Leaguer Leongribs.

"You're coming with me."

Ran blinked.

"What?"

"Principle Hallibel Borgouis wants to meet you."