CHAPTER 24: COMPETITION – SHADOW KING & UNDISPUTED QUEEN

Beating its wings, the Glimmer Wing Butterfly released thousands of red and green glimmers. The infamous red glimmer was known to petrify any part of the body it touched, but the more deadly one was the green glimmer, which could put its target in a dangerous illusion, one many could never escape from unless the Butterfly itself willed it.

Its dazzling wings shimmered with spectral light, casting a hypnotic glow that seemed to blur the boundary between reality and dream.

The White Wyvern flapped its vast, bat-like wings, soaring higher. With a swift U-turn, it flew out of the platform’s airspace, gliding around the arena with elegant grace that matched the ethereal sophistication of the butterfly.

Its alabaster scales caught the sun, glittering like shards of ice. Now out of range of the glimmers, the wyvern opened its fanged jaws and unleashed a frosty beam, but the Glimmer Wing responded instantly, weaving its glimmers into a radiant shield, an adaptive skill called Aegis Shield!

"That wyvern just used dragon’s breath!" a student gasped. Wyverns were known for their powerful bodies, but they lacked innate elemental abilities, that was the exclusive trait of true dragons. Seeing a wyvern wield an elemental ability as an adaptive skill meant it was on the brink of evolution.

Becoming a dragon meant becoming a summon with King or Queen Tier potential!

"Snow’s summon has learned Item Manipulation. He even made an Aegis Shield out of glimmer, and it’s durable enough to block an Ice Breath."

Lilith complimented with a surprised glint in her eyes. "No wonder you have your eyes on him as your successor." She looked at Jon.

The wyvern was naturally a master of flight, while the Glimmer Wing Butterfly relied heavily on its glimmers.

Again and again, the wyvern launched freezing beams, each blast tearing through the air with a howl of winter, but the Butterfly countered with an Aegis Shield every single time. Explosions roared in the sky, keeping everyone on their toes as frost and shimmering light clashed above the arena.

Snow’s eyes gleamed, and his summon suddenly beat its wings with fierce intensity. Instead of moving, it released a massive torrent of glimmers that spiraled into a horizontal hurricane, engulfing the wyvern in a storm of iridescent light.

The wyvern flew out seemingly unharmed, but then, to the horror of the audience, they saw it soaring higher into the sky only to dive straight downward with reckless speed. It would crash headfirst into the platform, destroying itself in the process.

Worse, as it fell, its alabaster body slowly turned grey and brittle, the red glimmers were petrifying it mid-flight.

"Isn’t Isolde going to do anything?!" heated voices erupted in the arena, but at the last moment, a glowing diagram appeared beneath the wyvern. The fully petrified beast vanished into it, recalled by its master.

Snow’s lips curled upward.

"My summon has a natural advantage over yours. Its trick factor can’t be countered by the brute force of a mere wyvern. C’mon, Isolde Pendragon, the greatest genius of our time, show me your second summon."

He waved his hand, and six javelins made of crimson glimmers materialized in the air. This was the same skill his summon used, an adaptive ability called Item Manipulation: the art of shaping physical objects from elemental or abstract concepts, such as fire swords born of flame or crystal spears forged from light.

"Snow might win this fight," some freshmen began whispering, awed by his mastery of this adaptive skill.

’I’ll show everyone that I’m better than you!’ Snow roared inwardly, charging forward. ’I will be the king that subdued you and put you in line!’

His summon floated above, releasing two more hurricanes of glimmer while Snow doubled the number of spears circling him.

Isolde lifted her right hand. A violet beam, twice the size of a grown man, blossomed above her palm. Its terrifying glow distorted the faces of everyone in the arena into masks of horror, their pupils trembling as though death itself had arrived.

Then, to their shock, the massive beam condensed, shrinking until it was no larger than a ping-pong ball. Yet the gravity around it warped violently, pulling in dust and stone fragments as though it were the sun and the debris, its orbiting planets.

All this happened in a nanosecond. She flicked it.

In that instant, violet light burst from within Snow, engulfing him in a searing sphere that collapsed smaller and smaller until it vanished into nothingness.

Snow found himself standing beside the referee outside the platform, all connections to his summon and powers cut off, forcing the Glimmer Wing Butterfly to return to his soul space. His greatest shock came when he saw the aftermath, the tiny violet sphere struck the place he had once stood.

Half the platform disappeared. The ground was hollowed out into a hundred-meter-deep crater, blackened earth streaked with violent violet energy at its core.

Snow could even hear the thunderous heartbeat of the horrified referee beside him. His own fists clenched in rage, and his bloodshot eyes locked on Isolde, who left the platform with serene grace, not even sparing him a glance.

Clap! Clap!

Snow’s burning gaze shifted to Godfrey, the only one standing and clapping, a proud smile on his lips. Snow clenched his jaw, his composed façade shattered, and stormed off the arena.

"She’s a beautiful monster," Jon said with an exhilarated smile, eyes gleaming with infatuation. But his gaze darkened when he noticed the charming smile Isolde gave Godfrey as she returned to her seat, accepting a bottle of water from him.

Seeing this, Lilith chuckled softly. "She’s rather close with that humanoid summoner."

Yuan shot her a cold glance that screamed, ’You just had to say that to his face.’

Lilith pouted.

Meanwhile, in the headmaster’s office, Sebastian turned to Evangeline. "The rules have changed. Godfrey and Dale will compete in the semifinals. Whoever wins will face Isolde for first place. The loser will be given second place."

Evangeline nodded, her eyes fixed on Godfrey and Isolde.

"If Godfrey really is a King Tier, doesn’t that mean the shadow king of Manhattan is sitting right beside its undisputed queen?" Her comment made Sebastian raise an eyebrow.

He returned to his seat, entwined his fingers, and leaned forward. "We are not certain Godfrey is a King Tier. And if he really is... it puts our school in a tough spot."

Evangeline frowned. "Why?! He’ll be one of the greatest talents the world has ever seen."

"Yes... but he’s a humanoid summoner. You know what that means."

Sebastian’s reply made Evangeline’s eyes widen.

....

A/N: I hope you enjoy this novel. Support by adding to your library and giving a power stone or two. Thank you.

I will also appreciate a review to keep me motivated.