A red mark burned across her cheek. Her mind blanked for a moment as she tried to understand what had just happened. She blinked rapidly, dazed, when suddenly, the sky above burned with a piercing redness as if the heavens themselves mocked her weakness following which the fragments of magic circle rained down. "You... you dare..." she muttered, but before she could finish her words, another slap came crashing down. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel•fire.net The sound was deafening,and her body bounced backward from the force. The crowd gasped in disbelief. They had never seen someone of Elara’s status treated in such a humiliating way. Ariana paused for a brief moment, her chest rising and falling as she looked back towards the stand Kael stood at the stand and showcased a faint smile on his face. He didn’t need to speak. His expression alone was a signal. Ariana’s lips curled slightly in response. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her body blurred leaving behind afterimages. Elara tried to regain her focus,but her head kept spinning, still she tried to pull up her remaining mana to cast magic. In desperation, she summoned a barrier, a shimmering shield of light to protect herself. But Ariana’s fist met the barrier. The shield shattered like fragile glass, breaking into tiny sparks. Ariana’s punch slammed directly into Elara’s face, knocking her head back violently. Before she could steady herself,another punch struck her jaw,then her torso.The force threw her off but Ariana took a step and stepped on her toes pinning her down and then slapped her. Blood spurted from her lips. The crowd erupted with gasps and murmurs. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Elara, who only moments ago stood tall and untouchable, was now being beaten mercilessly. Ariana’s fists rained down without pause. Each blow landed with a sickening force. Elara’s face began to swell,and bruises piled up over her face. Her cheekbones turned blue and black, her lips bleeding from the impact. Her nose cracked under the weight of Ariana’s fist, blood streaming down her face. Her once proud and flawless features were being crushed into something unrecognizable. The sound of bone and flesh meeting echoed again and again. The humiliation was unbearable. Elara, unable to bear any longer, screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice raw and filled with rage. "Stop! Stop! You filthy bitch! I’ll kill you! I’ll tear you apart!" Her words were wild, full of madness, but Ariana ignored every bit of it. She continued her ruthless assault. Ariana’s eyes widened as she saw Ariana expression that was cold and unflinching. The crowd stood frozen, unable to look away. Some covered their mouths in shock, others stared with wide eyes, unable to process the scene. Ariana’s fists did not slow. With every strike, Elara’s pride shattered further. Elara howled, screaming in madness and humiliation. She clawed at the ground, tried to push Ariana away, but every attempt was met with another devastating punch. "You’ll pay! You’ll regret this bitchhhh! No! Nooo!" she cried, her voice hoarse and broken. But Ariana didn’t stop. Her fists moved with deadly rhythm, fueled by resolve and the signal she had been given. She ignored Elara’s rage, ignored her madness, and ignored the whispers around them. The only thing that mattered now was making her fall completely. Then, in the midst of the chaos, something sharp cut through the air. A blade flew toward Ariana, gleaming with deadly intent. It sliced through the space between them, aiming to end her assault and pierce through her. Ariana’s senses tingled, warning her of danger, and she leapt back just in time. Even so, a wide slash grazed her shoulder, cutting deep and making her wince as pain shot through her body. She gritted her teeth, biting her lip as her eyes scanned the field, searching for the attacker until her eyes fall on spot where Elara laid a moment ago On looking around,she found a couple quite away from her.Her gaze locked onto a man clutching Elara tightly, his eyes burning with murderous intent as he glared at her. "Is this how you fight?" he growled, his voice sharp and filled with venom. "Utterly disgusting and pathetic piece of shit." Ariana opened her lips to respond, but before she could speak, a strong hand gripped her shoulder and yanked her backward. She turned quickly, her eyes widening when she saw Kael standing behind her. His cold smile stretched across his lips, and the faintest glint of danger flickered in his eyes. With a simple motion, he snapped his fingers, his voice carrying weight as he spoke. "Whom are you teaching rules here?" Kael asked, his tone calm yet cutting. "The fight only ends when one side is knocked out or accepts defeat. That woman was clinging to nonsense instead of admitting her loss." His words struck deep, silencing the crowd. Kael’s gaze shifted toward the judge, who stiffened immediately under the weight of his eyes. The man stammered nervously, his composure slipping. "Yes... yes... Sir Kael is right," the judge admitted, his voice uneven but loud enough for all to hear. Vale clenched his fists, anger flashing across his face. "You..." he began, his voice filled with fury, but Kael’s next words cut him off before he could say more. "Damn... what a clever move," Kael said slowly, his voice laced with quiet disdain. "To save a defeat, you jumped into the fray and tried to twist the match, declaring it void. A desperate trick to protect your pride." His eyes narrowed dangerously, locking onto the bruised swell rising across Elara’s face. His tone hardened. "But she is already defeated, isn’t she?" The silence that followed was heavy. Kael turned slowly, letting his gaze sweep across the gathered crowd. Every word carried weight as he straightened his back and looked toward the Emperor. He lowered his head respectfully. "Your Majesty, please judge on my behalf," Kael said firmly. The arena went still as Emperor Edward leaned forward from his seat. His eyes, calm yet stern, rested first on Ariana and then on Vale. His voice carried power, echoing across the space so there could be no doubt or question. "The first match is won by Lady Ariana," Emperor Edward declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. His gaze sharpened as it landed on Vale. "And Vale, consider this your warning. If such interference happens again from Ruther’s side, the win will go directly to Veydrin without contest."