The academy's combat trials continued the following day, but the buzz from Fyn's unexpected victory over Viktor hadn't died down. Even as the next rounds began, students whispered about the underdog slingshot wielder and his bold declaration to defeat Rynhara.
Rynhara stretched in her room, still sore from her own match. Her scythe leaned against the wall, gleaming in the morning light. Kaelira entered with a tray of tea, some confectionarys and a mischievous smile.
"Well, good morning to the 'villainess,'" Kaelira teased, setting the tray on the table. "It seems you've got a fan."
Rynhara groaned. "Don't remind me. Fyn and his slingshot were the talk of the school last night. You'd think he invented a new form of magic or something."
Kaelira poured a cup of tea, her tone light. "He's win was truly impressive, I'll admit. You might want to take him seriously."
"I always take things seriously," Rynhara said, rolling her eyes.
Kaelira raised an eyebrow. "Right. Like when you accidentally joined that cursed club? Or when you lit the practice field on fire trying to cast your own version of 'Head Hunting Shooting Star '?"
"That was an experiment," Rynhara shot back, grabbing a piece of toast.
"Sure it was." Kaelira smirked. "Anyway, you're going to need to prepare. If Fyn makes it to the finals, you know he'll give you everything he's got. Besides your mother her highness expects you to win immaculately"
"Then I'll just have to give it more than him," Rynhara said, her eyes darkening breafly before gleaming with determination.
The first class of the day was strategy and combat theory, a subject taught by the no-nonsense Professor Aerwyn. As Rynhara walked into the lecture hall, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy.
"Did you see Viktor's match yesterday?" one student whispered.
"Yeah, but Fyn is the real story," another replied. "He's amazing. Who knew a slingshot could be so deadly?"
Rynhara's ears twitched as she took her seat, Veloria sitting beside her.
"You're popular as ever," Veloria said with a grin. "I think more than half the school is rooting for Fyn to beat you now."
"Good," Rynhara replied. "The more they underestimate and hate me, the better."
Veloria laughed. "Spoken like a true villainess."
Professor Aerwyn entered the room, silencing the chatter with a single glare. "Settle down, everyone. Today, we'll be discussing advanced team tactics, particularly how to counter unpredictable opponents."
Her gaze landed on Rynhara. "Miss Rynhara, would you care to share your thoughts on how you'd handle someone like Fyn in a duel?"
The class turned to look at her, some snickering, others genuinely curious.
Rynhara smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Simple. Keep him at range, disrupt his mobility, and force him into close combat where his slingshot is useless. Or better yet , just destroy both him and his slingshot alongside the arena with one big bang."
Aerwyn nodded. "A not so solid solid plan. We would like to avoid the total destruction of the arena if possible. Besides what if he counters with environmental manipulation or rapid repositioning?"
"Then I use my barrier magic to trap him," Rynhara said, her tone confident. "And if that doesn't work, I'll just hit him harder and power through."
The class chuckled, and even Aerwyn allowed herself a small smile. "Brute force isn't always the answer, but I suppose it's effective enough for someone of your caliber."
After class, Rynhara made her way to the training grounds to prepare for the next round. She was joined by her scythe instructor, Sir Eryndor, and her new magic tutor, Mistress Lyssandra.
"You've been drawing a lot of attention," Lyssandra said, watching as Rynhara practiced her scythe techniques. "Especially after that flashy hydra takedown."
"Let them watch," Rynhara replied, slashing through a training dummy with a single, fluid motion. "I'm not here to impress anyone. I'm here to win."
Eryndor chuckled. "A bold statement. But don't underestimate your opponents. That slingshot kid, Fyn? He's clever. I've seen his type before—scrappy, resourceful, and willing to take risks."
"Good," Rynhara said, switching to her twin fan daggers. "That just makes it more fun when I crush him."
Lyssandra raised an eyebrow. "Confidence is good. Overconfidence? Not so much. Remember, he's already defeated someone stronger than you in sheer physical power."
"Then I'll just have to prove I'm stronger in every way," Rynhara said, summoning a barrier of swirling stardust around her.
As Rynhara finished her training session, she spotted Fyn entering the grounds. He looked up, noticed her, and grinned.
"Well, if it isn't the big bad villainess herself," Fyn called out, walking over. "You training to lose gracefully, or are you planning to put up a fight?"
Rynhara smirked. "You've got a big mouth for someone who barely scraped by in his last match."
"Hey, a win's a win," Fyn replied, shrugging. "And when I beat you, it'll be the same story."
Rynhara stepped closer, her scythe gleaming in the sunlight. "You won't get that chance. If you make it to the finals, I'll make sure it's the last match you ever regret entering."
The air between them crackled with tension, both competitors refusing to back down.
Fyn finally laughed, stepping back. "I like you, Rynhara. You're a firey one that for sure. Let's see if your heat burns me out when we face off."
He turned and walked away, leaving Rynhara both irritated and intrigued.
Kaelira, who had been watching from the sidelines, approached with a grin. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Rynhara sighed, gripping her scythe tightly. "Maybe. But I'll enjoy wiping that smug look off his face even more."
As the sun set on another day of trials, the matchups for the next round were announced. Fyn had secured a spot in the semifinals, as had Rynhara.
The entire academy buzzed with anticipation for the inevitable clash between the underdog and the villainess.
Tiamora, lounging in her castle, couldn't help but laugh when she received the latest report on her daughter's exploits. "Oh, Rynhara. You're going to give me wrinkles from laughing too much."
Back in her room, Rynhara stared out the window, her scythe leaning against the wall. "Bring it on, Fyn. Let's see if you can back up that big talk."