"So, this is my opponent," Yu An Yan murmured as she stared at the screen displaying a certain girl's stats.

Name: Mo Bing Leng

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Role: Fighter

Rank: Intermediate Mage

Elemental Affinities: Ice, Water, Sky

"Mo Bing Leng, huh?" I chuckled. "Remind me again - what was the name of the girl Yu An Xue fought?"

"Uh… I believe it was Mo Huo Re… wait," Feng Mian paused as she and the other girls all realized.

"You don't think… they're twins as well?" Lan Xiao Su guessed.

"Most likely… and not only that, they seem to be a pair of ice and fire as well. Looks like this'll be a good show," Obsidia smirked faintly.

Yu An Yan smiled like a devil. "Well then… that's perfect. My sister won her fight… I naturally will win mine too."

"Miss Yu An Yan?" the IMF employee knocked on the door without even bothering to open it this time.

"Coming," she replied and walked over, sighing.

"Good luck!" Qing Yue exclaimed happily as Yu An Yan turned around and gave us a thumbs-up.

*****

(Yu An Yan's Perspective)

"Hmph. You are related to that Yu An Xue girl, I presume," my opponent, Mo Bing Leng, muttered, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Yeah. She's my little sister," I snickered tauntingly as we stared each other down on the arena's stage. "What about it?"

"What a coincidence… her opponent was my little sister as well."

"Oh? Is that so?" I made a fake look of surprise. "Then… I guess you won't be much stronger than your sibling, yeah?"

A vein bulged in her head as she spun around a long spear of ice materialized out of thin air, and then she pointed it at me.

"Do not underestimate me. Out of all the times my sister has challenged me to a duel, she has won none of them."

"Hm, I would say An Xue and I are pretty similar in terms of strength," I replied in a carefree tone, not even bothering to draw my weapon. "Are you and your sister just not close, or what?"

"… You are correct. My sister and I do not have the best of relationships. However… even so, if someone were to kill her, I would never forgive them until I payed back the favor hundredfold."

"So… are you saying you're going to kill me a hundred times?" I asked, playing the innocent girl.

"Unfortunately, I do not possess a Necromancy Element affinity. However, I will make you want to die a hundred times rather than suffer through the pain I am about to inflict."

"Oh, big words. Then…" I smirked deviously as I materialized my own Axe of Fire, Flaming Dance. "… You wouldn't mind if I do the same to you, would you?"

"Both sides are done talking, it seems!" the announcer shouted through the broadcast system. "Well then, the battle shall… begin!"

Mo Bing Leng made the first move. She attempted to make the best use of her range advantage, but I thwarted her plans by slamming my axe into the pole part of her spear from the side, pushing it away.

I closed the distance immediately, sending a front kick into her stomach before she could recover from the shock.

"Ngh-!" she flew backwards a short distance, landing just before she fell off the edge of the stage.

I could've finished her off right then and there, but I wanted to see just how she would struggle. Shutting arrogant people like her down was quite satisfying for me, after all.

"T-Tch…" my opponent slowly got off from the ground, forcing herself back up to her feet using her spear as a crutch as she clutched her stomach where I had kicked her in pain.

"Just one hit, and you're already half-dead?" I sighed, shrugging and shaking my head to purposely taunt her. "Do you want to admit defeat here? Don't worry, if you do, I won't hurt you anymore."

"Just because… you have one of the Six Divine Weapons… doesn't mean you've already won!" the girl shouted, seething with anger as she held her hands out in front of her and directed them towards me.

"Level Two Water Magic, Tier II - Aquasurge!"

Without even blinking, I raised one hand and put up some defense.

"Level Two Fire Magic - Wall of Flames."

A curtain of fire rose up in front of me, but the torrent of water tore through it, causing steam to evaporate into the air. My eyes widened slightly as I tried again.

"Level One Sky Magic - Wind Barrier."

This time, the water took more time to break through, but it still managed to do so in the end, even after being faced with two defensive-type spells.

"Oh… not bad," I mused as the water flew towards me and attempted to shoot me directly off the stage.

"Face your defeat! Extinguish her flames, oh water of mine!"

I smirked in a manner that Xuan Kai would be proud of. "Unfortunately…"

I brought up the Axe of Fire, Flaming Dance and covered my face as the water splashed into it.

"… You're still nowhere close to my level."

I blocked the incoming attack effortlessly. Such was the power of a strong Magic Artifact. When I moved the axe away from my face, however, Mo Bing Leng was already en route, charging towards me with her spear. My eyes widened as I quickly backed away. However, I found myself at the edge of the arena.

"Freeze the land for all of eternity - come, my spear, and turn all to an ice wasteland!" my opponent yelled as she struck the floor with her weapon.

"Frostfield!"

Cracks emerged in the ground as the platform began to freeze over. Realizing it would be dangerous if I remained on the ground any longer, I took off into the air with Flight. Mo Bing Leng, however, also had a Sky Element affinity, so she quickly followed.

Our battle on the ground had now transformed into one in the air… and that was exactly what I wanted.

Once she had fallen for the bait, I smiled and suddenly turned around, Flaming Dance in hand. I cleaved down, but her reaction speeds were quicker than I had expected as she nimbly avoided my strike.

She then attempted to strike my side with her spear, but I performed a graceful spin in mid-air to avoid it.

Then, I flew towards Mo Bing Leng at max speed, her eyes widening at the sudden burst of velocity. This time, because she had just been attacking me, she was unable to defend completely in time. While I missed her with my axe, that was fine. I grabbed her shoulder with my hand and flew downwards at max speed, attempting to crash her into the ground.

She tried resisting, but by the time she regained control and tried to stab me with her spear, I was already there.

BOOM!

I crashed her into the ground, smoke rising. I was careful not to touch the platform with my feet, since that would probably freeze me over too, making me an easy target.

So, instead, I returned to the air, preparing my final strike. As I called upon the powers laying dormant within Flaming Dance, I felt two wings emerge from my back - wings of fire and light. They helped me soar upwards even quicker as a rich conflagrated energy surrounded me. A burning light dawned my eyes as I raised my axe into the air and chanted my killing blow.

"Divine flames, born from the heavens, descend and cleanse the world of evil! May you forever burn in hell, body and soul - Purgatory Flames!"

My opponents eyes froze in fear. "N-No… this can't be happening… NO!"

I dove downwards with my axe, cleaving the entire arena in half and setting it on fire. The divine, purgatory flames of Flaming Dance easily burned away the frostfield Mo Bing Leng had created, and more.

Slowly, I stood up and walked out of the arena. The flames surrounding the edge of it made way for me, their creator I dematerialized Flaming Dance, and all the fire disappeared as well, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. Even my opponent's bones were burnt to a crisp.

Without an ounce of pity or regret in my heart, I returned to the room.

*****

(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

"Good work," I said as usual once Yu An Yan got back from her fight.

"Hm… thank you. But… where's my reward?" she smiled sinisterly and gave me a wink.

I sighed, standing up and walking over to her.

"Yes, yes… there you go."

I patted her head gently. She smiled in return, before suddenly embracing me with a flushed face.

"H-Hey! The hug wasn't included!" Qing Yue pouted, shouting in jealousy.

Yu An Yan stuck out her tongue at her playfully, to which she pursed her lips and crossed her arms in child-like anger.

"T-o-o b-a-d," she mouthed silently.

"A-Ahem! The next match is starting," Feng Mian interrupted, as Yu An Yan let me go reluctantly.

We all returned to our seats… and when we did, Yu An Xue gave her sister the cold shoulder. I chuckled softly.