Regression of the Vector Magician

Reyon's next opponent was Astra, a skilled magician who specialized in wind and fire magic. Her agility and unpredictability made her a dangerous opponent. As Reyon entered the arena, he noted her determined stance. She was clearly not underestimating him.

Dialogue & Battle: Astra raised an eyebrow when she saw Reyon, her lips curling into a smirk. "You're not what I expected, Phoenix. But I guess I'll have to teach you a lesson in control."

Reyon's eyes flickered with focus. "We'll see how much you can teach me."

Astra clapped her hands, and in an instant, a fierce windstorm swept across the arena, forcing Reyon to shield himself from the powerful gusts. He quickly formed a Vector Field that allowed him to control the air currents, redirecting the wind away from him.

"You think you can match my wind?" Astra laughed. "Let's see how you handle fire!"

With a snap of her fingers, Astra conjured a series of fireballs, hurling them toward Reyon. He raised his hand, using his Vector Shield to deflect the fireballs with ease. However, the intense heat made him sweat, and Astra took advantage of his momentary distraction by raising the heat even higher.

Reyon countered by creating a wall of fire in front of him, using £ and § to amplify his flame-based attacks. Astra's fireballs collided with the wall, but Reyon's shield absorbed the impact, and he quickly followed up with a fireball of his own.

Astra didn't back down, however. She danced around the flames, using her wind magic to blow away the fire and create blinding sandstorms that disoriented Reyon. He could feel the pressure building as the sand stung his face, but he maintained his composure. Vectors were his advantage, and he wouldn't let her take that away.

With a twist of his hand, Reyon summoned a mana push, creating a burst of magical energy that dispersed the sandstorm. Astra's face was momentarily exposed, and Reyon seized the moment. He unleashed another fireball, this time much larger than before, and it caught Astra off guard.

The explosion rocked the arena, and Astra stumbled backward. She struggled to regain her footing but found herself overpowered by Reyon's control over the mana. The fireball had taken a heavy toll on her magical reserves, and she conceded defeat.

"Well fought," Astra said, panting. She had underestimated Reyon, but now she understood his true strength.

Reyon didn't respond. He simply nodded and walked off the arena, preparing for the next round.

Final Showdown – Reyon vs. Arthur

The arena was alive with tension as Reyon stepped onto the stage for his final match before the finals of the academy tournament. His body still ached from his battle with Astra, but he was ready. This match would determine whether or not he could become the top student in the academy, and with it, gain access to the Phoenix Vault—the treasure trove of knowledge left behind by his grandfather, Leywin.

He could feel the weight of his destiny pressing on him as he faced his opponent: Arthur Brook, the second-best student at the academy and the younger brother of Alice. A light mage known for his overwhelming energy manipulation and precise, swift attacks, Arthur had been a major force to reckon with in the tournament. His reputation preceded him—no one had ever been able to defeat him in a one-on-one duel at the academy.

Arthur stood across the arena, his calm demeanor masking the intensity in his eyes. As the royal family's representative, he had been trained rigorously and honed his light magic to an exceptional level. His abilities with light were almost beyond compare, with the power to concentrate intense beams of energy and manipulate them with a precision that could target even the smallest of openings in his opponent's defense.

The announcer's voice rang out, signaling the start of the battle. "The next match is between Reyon Phoenix, the heir of the Phoenix House, and Arthur Brook, the light mage prodigy! Let the battle begin!"

Without a word, Arthur raised his hand, and a beam of light erupted from his palm, slicing through the air at Reyon with incredible speed. It was so fast that Reyon barely had time to react. But he had trained for moments like this.

Reyon's body tensed, his magic flowing through him as he quickly created a Vector Shield in front of him. The beam struck the shield with a deafening crack, causing the entire arena to shake. Reyon staggered slightly under the impact, but his shield held firm.

Arthur's lips curved into a slight smile. "Not bad, Phoenix. But you'll need more than a shield to beat me."

Reyon didn't waste time responding. He launched a counterattack, summoning a fireball in his palm. It was small but intense, packed with mana. He hurled it directly at Arthur, but Arthur reacted with blinding speed. With a flick of his wrist, he bent the light around him, twisting it into an almost invisible shield. The fireball collided with the shield, exploding in a flash of light. The flames scattered in all directions, but Arthur was already gone, moving at lightning speed.

Reyon gritted his teeth. Arthur was fast—incredibly fast. He needed to be more precise, more strategic. He couldn't just throw magic at him and hope it would land. He had to outthink Arthur, not just outfight him.

"Is that all you've got?" Arthur taunted, his voice almost a whisper, but cutting through the air like a blade. "You're the heir of the Phoenix House. I expected more from you."

Reyon's eyes burned with determination. He would prove Arthur wrong.

He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the surrounding mana. He could feel it, the pulsing energy around him, the ambient mana that Arthur was using to manipulate light. Reyon's mind clicked into place. It wasn't just about fighting fire with fire—or light with light—it was about countering Arthur's light with his own control over the elements.

He snapped his eyes open. Vectors.

He raised his hand, pulling at the surrounding mana with his control, and redirected the flow to create a massive mana surge. The surrounding air warped around his hand as he focused his magic. Then, he threw the mana pulse at Arthur with incredible precision.

Arthur was quick, but Reyon had learned to think faster. The mana pulse struck the ground beneath Arthur's feet, causing a violent explosion of energy that sent Arthur sprawling backward. The crowd gasped at the force of the blast, but Arthur, to his credit, rolled with it, using his light manipulation to cushion his fall.

"That was… unexpected," Arthur said, rising to his feet with a smirk. "But it'll take more than that to make me break."

Reyon said nothing, his mind already working on his next move. Arthur was powerful—no doubt about it. But Reyon had one advantage over him: his control over magic. While Arthur's spells were fast and flashy, Reyon could manipulate the environment and redirect magic in ways that Arthur couldn't anticipate.

Arthur wasn't finished, however. He raised both hands, summoning a blinding column of light that shot toward Reyon. The beam was concentrated to the point where it could pierce through solid rock with ease. Reyon didn't hesitate. He raised his Vector Shield just in time, but the force of the light beam was immense, pushing him back several steps.

"Is that all you can do, Phoenix?" Arthur's voice rang out from across the arena. His eyes glowed with a soft, almost ethereal light. "You're strong, but you'll never surpass me. No one can. Not even the legendary Leywin could."

Reyon froze for a moment, his body suddenly cold. Arthur had just mentioned his grandfather's name. Reyon's heart skipped a beat. It was true—his grandfather, Leywin, had been one of the greatest magicians to ever live. But that only fueled Reyon's resolve.

"No one is invincible, Arthur," Reyon said, his voice steady despite the rush of emotions flooding through him. "Not even Leywin."

Arthur smirked. "We'll see about that."

Before Reyon could react, Arthur's next attack came in a burst of light rays, fired from every direction at once. The rays were so precise that they seemed to almost predict Reyon's movements, striking where he was about to be. It was a technique that no one else could replicate.

But Reyon was prepared. He raised his hand and used his Vector control to warp the incoming light beams around him, redirecting the energy into the ground beneath him. The light rays exploded on contact with the earth, but Reyon remained unharmed.

With a powerful motion, Reyon created a large mana pool, feeding it with his combined mastery of £ and §. The energy from the surrounding mana surged into the pool, amplifying his next attack. Without wasting a moment, Reyon unleashed a blazing fire vortex, powered by the dense mana he had just gathered.

The vortex grew in intensity, becoming a massive, fiery whirlwind that spiraled toward Arthur, its heat overwhelming. The light mage's eyes widened, but he quickly reacted by casting a defensive shield of light around himself. The light shield held, but Reyon's attack was relentless.

The arena vibrated with the force of the attack as the fire vortex collided with Arthur's shield. It was an explosive clash of elements—fire against light—and Reyon could feel the strain on his mana reserves. He wasn't sure how much longer he could maintain the attack, but he had to finish this. He had to prove that he could be more than just the weak Phoenix heir.

Arthur's shield began to crack under the intense pressure. "You're good, Phoenix," he said, his voice strained but still defiant. "But you won't win this fight. Not today."

Reyon's face set into a grim expression. He would win.

With one final surge of energy, Reyon pushed all his remaining mana into the vortex. The firestorm exploded in a burst of flames and light, sending a shockwave through the arena.

Arthur staggered backward, his shield shattering under the force of the attack. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, gasping for breath.

The crowd held its breath as the smoke cleared. Reyon stood victorious, his body trembling from the exertion, but his eyes burned with a fierce pride.

Arthur, though defeated, raised a hand in acknowledgment. "You won, Phoenix. You've earned it."

Reyon nodded, his chest rising and falling with every breath. He had done it. He had defeated one of the most powerful mages in the academy. But the victory felt hollow compared to the knowledge that the final challenge still lay ahead—the final duel with Alice, the person who had once been his fiancée.

The fight with Arthur was over, but Reyon knew that the real battle was yet to come.