Magus Supremacy - Chapter 265

Chapter 265: Didn’t you hear? You lost!
Chapter 265

“The next fight for the day is between Scarlet Trevor and Dave Walter,” Eric announced, his voice echoing through the vast, dimly lit hall. A sudden hush swept across the crowd as anticipation thickened the air.

“Dave and Scarlet?!” Raze exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief as he turned to Eric.

“What’s with the shock? Do you all think I’m weak or something?” Scarlet scoffed with a casual shrug, stepping forward toward the sparring platform. Dave followed, his expression unreadable.

‘I might be considered one of the big three among the second years… but compared to him, I’m still lacking. I have to become stronger—someone worthy of standing beside him,’ she thought, taking a stance. But suddenly, she froze.

‘Wait… what the hell?! Did I just think I wanted to stand side by side with him? I’m not in love with him or anything, so what’s with this nonsense?!’

She clutched her crimson hair, visibly distressed as if trying to pull intrusive thoughts from her mind.

‘Wait a damn minute… who the hell am I explaining this to?!’

“What’s wrong with Scarlet?” Vorden whispered, narrowing his eyes.

“Looks like a new kind of battle stance,” Vince replied, clearly confused.

“Or maybe she’s thinking about something unpleasant,” Greg offered, his gaze fixed on Scarlet’s contorted expression.

“No way. The Scarlet I know lives for battle. She’s like Grey—a complete battle maniac,” Vince retorted.

“Whatever it is, someone should tell her she looks downright embarrassing,” Gordon chuckled, watching Scarlet’s cheeks flush a bright shade of red.

‘Interesting… I’m up against her,’ Dave mused, glancing at Grey, who now had his arms crossed and eyes shut in meditation.

‘If I can’t crush that pest, then I’ll tear through his allies. I’ll break them in this assessment and again in the tournament.’

Grey, eyes closed, hummed softly in his mind. ‘Nothing new here… unless a rare or intriguing magic shows up, I’ll pass on watching the rest.’

“Let the spar begin!” Eric’s voice boomed as he sliced his hand through the air.

In a blur, Dave hurled a metal sword toward Scarlet, who was still caught in her bizarre inner monologue.

The shrill whistle of the blade snapped her back to reality. At the last second, she reacted—flames erupted from her palms, launching a barrage of fireballs that collided with the incoming sword, detonating it in a fiery explosion that kicked up a cloud of dust and metal fragments.

“Hey! What kind of coward attacks a woman while she’s distracted?!” Scarlet barked, flames now crackling furiously around her fists.

“Woman?” Dave scoffed, a cruel grin forming. “You’re a girl, damn it. Who the hell dubbed you a woman?”

Scarlet’s eye twitched. “You didn’t just say that.”

“I did. And I stand by it,” Dave replied, then snapped his fingers. In an instant, a dozen gleaming metal spears materialized and shot toward her like silver arrows.

“Fire Creation Magic!” Scarlet called. A mini dragon composed entirely of blazing fire roared to life above her.

With a burst of flame from its wings, Scarlet soared forward, weaving gracefully between the incoming spears. Overhead, the dragon unleashed a fiery barrage.

Dave swung his arm, and a massive metal shield erupted from the ground, absorbing the impact of the fireballs.

The collision sent tremors through the hall, wind gusting wildly as flames splashed off the shield like molten rain.

“Eat fire!” Scarlet cried. She darted toward the shield and slammed her flaming fists into it. The impact echoed with a metallic clang, and shockwaves rippled outward. The shield held firm—then retaliated.

Spikes of metal suddenly jutted out, forcing Scarlet to backflip away. “Fire Magic: Inferno!” she roared, summoning a blazing wall that clashed with the metal spikes, embedding them deep into the stone walls of the arena.

Dave stood coolly with a long metal sword in hand, his lips curled into a smug smirk.

“Now!” Scarlet shouted. Her dragon’s maw opened wide and unleashed a jet of searing fire.

Dave leapt high, conjuring another metal shield to block the stream. But to his horror, the fire was hotter than before.

The shield melted, and the force of the blast sent Dave crashing to the ground. He buried his sword into the floor mid-fall, grinding to a halt.

With a roar, he pulled the blade free and launched a barrage of metal spikes. Scarlet answered with a wall of fire, diverting the attack.

“Catch!” Dave yelled, flinging a spear with blistering speed. Scarlet raised her hand, fire already coiling around her palm—but pain shot through her leg.

A metal shard had struck her calf, tearing through muscle. She dropped with a gasp. The spear was still flying at her—until her dragon intercepted it, taking the hit and melting away into a burst of embers.

Scarlet gritted her teeth, trying to rise. Dave was already charging at her, sword in hand.

She launched a large fireball in a desperate attempt to repel him, but he sidestepped with a smirk. “Last-ditch effort?” he sneered.

Scarlet smiled. “Think again.”

Dave noticed too late—her eyes weren’t on him.

His instincts screamed, and he halted mid-step. Whipping around, his face collided with the fireball he had dodged earlier—now redirected with surgical precision.

He raised his sword to block, but the fireball slammed into him, melting the blade and scorching his skin. He dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

“You…” he growled, only to realize she was gone.

“Tactics,” Scarlet whispered from behind. With a light tap on his back, she stepped away.

“Scarlet Trevor wins this spar!” Eric declared.

‘I… I lost?’ Dave’s mind spiraled, flashing back to his defeats against Grey.

‘Twice… I’ve lost to that damn peasant. Me—Dave Walter, son of Captain Amir. And now, to his friend too? Am I no better than the weaklings I mock… like Vince?’ His fists trembled, nails digging into his palms.

“Dave Walter, please leave the podium,” Eric announced once more.

Dave slowly raised his head, glaring at Scarlet as she walked away.

‘I’m supposed to be the top! A big three… not some failure losing to juniors! No—this is unacceptable.’

“Dave Walter, you lost. Now leave the podium!” Eric’s voice was firmer this time.

“No… NO! I don’t accept your results!” Dave shouted, his voice raw with fury. The hall fell deathly silent.

“Breakthrough!” he roared. A shockwave of energy exploded from his body—his eyes turned pitch white, his body glowing with a soft yet unstable light.

“I HATE YOU ALL!” he screamed, slamming his hands into the ground. Jagged spikes of metal burst forth, racing toward Scarlet, one of them grazing her and drawing blood.

“I won’t accept this outcome!” Dave bellowed, appearing in a flash beside her. Scarlet’s eyes widened in alarm.

‘That’s right… a breakthrough boosts everything—speed, casting, core power…’ she realized, just as Dave’s foot swung toward her.

From the edge of his foot, a sword-like metal spike extended, cutting through the ground like butter.

Bang!

A thunderous crack split the air. Dust exploded across the arena, and a shockwave rippled through the hall. The platform shattered at its core.

As the dust cleared, a figure stood between them—his brown hair rustling in the wind, lightning dancing across his limbs. One hand blocked Dave’s strike; the other shielded Scarlet.

“Didn’t you hear?” Grey said, his voice low and deadly. “The spar is over. You lost.”