How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 665: Light 6

What truly defined a duel between mages?

Was the victor determined by a deeper pool of mana, or perhaps by standing at a superior circle?

Who was the mightier sorcerer—and who possessed the finer skill?

The solution was far more intricate than most cared to acknowledge.

Possessing a high-tier mana heart did not inherently grant a profound understanding of magic.

While some mages spent their lives in a relentless pursuit of raw power, others focused entirely on deciphering the hidden truths of spells, intricate formulas, and the fundamental laws of the universe.

The academy itself recognized this reality.

Magic remained a subjective art.

The paths to growth were varied.

Talent often revealed itself in peculiar ways.

However, in the heat of genuine combat—where spells clashed and survival was the only goal—a single rule reigned supreme.

Casting speed.

The practitioner who could manifest their magic first was usually the one who walked away.

No matter how ruinous or elegant a spell might be, it was utterly useless if it could not be deployed in time.

A sluggish mage was a fallen mage.

It was a simple truth.

And regarding the speed of casting...

Rose occupied the absolute peak.

Whispers suggested that, with the exception of Senior Alice, not a single person in the academy could rival Rose’s activation speed—not the faculty, not the senior students, and not even the hidden prodigies spoken of in shadows.

Stacia felt her jaw clench as she made her way onto the dueling stage.

The platform was immense, fortified by layers of defensive magic that pulsed softly under the arena lights.

Despite the protections, she already felt a heavy weight settling onto her shoulders.

"Let us once more welcome a rising talent from the first-year class!"

The announcer’s booming voice filled the coliseum.

"She has seized every previous victory with a display of ferocity and genius, and is now celebrated as the top-ranked student of her year—Stacia Alger Del Luna!"

The spectators broke into a frenzy.

Shouts, whistles, and applause erupted—her name was a roar coming from every corner of the stands.

Even a few of the judges leaned in with clear fascination, their gazes sharp with anticipation.

Accustomed to a life of popularity, Stacia paid no mind to the cheering masses as she surveyed the environment.

The turnout was even larger than she had suspected.

The seating was at full capacity, yet the crowd overflowed.

Students packed the walkways, hung over the railings, and squeezed into the back rows just to witness the confrontation.

She knew some were there to support her.

But the majority of this fervor... was due to Rose.

That fact alone demonstrated the massive influence Rose Brilliance held within the institution.

Stacia’s deep red eyes flickered toward the high platform of the judges.

There, standing with a calm authority above the others, was the emperor, his blue eyes locked onto the arena floor.

Once again.

Was this a mere coincidence... or was it by design?

He had personally observed every single one of her bouts. Appearing four times in a row was far beyond the realm of luck.

What felt even stranger was that he hadn’t bothered to attend the matches of Seo, Rose, or even his daughter, Snow.

Yet he remained here.

Watching her.

The mystery lingered, but Stacia forced it from her mind. This was not the moment for distractions.

She turned her full attention back to the stage.

"Everyone! Please welcome the future Archmage—or perhaps, the woman who is already the next Archmage!"

The announcer’s voice thundered through the arena.

"The golden child! The pride of the House of Brilliance! The genius of an era and one of the heroes of light who rescued the academy from the abyss!"

The roar of the crowd exploded, far surpassing the previous cheers.

"The one favored by the heavens! The most brilliant star in our academy—Rose Brilliance!"

Surrounded by the deafening praise and excitement, Rose walked onto the stage with total composure.

She showed no arrogance, nor did she feel the need to greet the audience.

She moved forward as if this were just another ordinary day.

And yet—

The moment she took her place, a hush fell over the entire coliseum.

Stacia tightened her hold on her blade.

So this is her...

In that moment, Stacia finally grasped what it meant to face Rose in a serious fight.

Rose wasn't putting on a display.

She wasn't projecting pressure, adopting a combat stance, or even appearing particularly focused.

And yet...

Her mere presence was overwhelming.

The density of the mana surrounding Rose was staggering.

Even though she was clearly suppressing her power, the slight leakage was enough to make the skin of anyone with sensitive perception crawl.

It weighed heavily on Stacia’s senses, vast and cold, like standing before the edge of a bottomless ocean.

A flicker of anxiety stirred in her chest.

But then—

She spotted him.

Riley.

He was in the crowd, his eyes fixed on the duel.

It was obvious he was there to see Rose.

Anyone would be.

But that knowledge didn't matter.

His presence alone was enough for her.

A faint, private smile touched Stacia’s lips.

That’s alright... this is all I need.

She gripped her sword with renewed strength.

Her mana began to flare.

"Let the duel begin!"

The instant the signal was given, Stacia lunged.

She accelerated in a heartbeat.

Blazing fire erupted from her feet and wreathed her body, turning her into a living meteor as she bridged the gap.

The stone beneath her feet splintered from the power of her leap.

Crimson-gold flames swirled and tightened around her steel, the intense heat shimmering in the air.

There was no hesitation.

No probing strikes.

She committed everything to the initial charge.

It was true—casting speed was vital for mages.

But Stacia was more than just a mage.

She was among the elite few capable of harmonizing swordsmanship and magic perfectly, ensuring neither hindered the other.

Time seemed to stretch.

In that slowed reality, she saw it clearly.

Rose wasn't responding.

No incantation was spoken.

No protective shield appeared.

She hadn't even moved.

This is the chance.

Her mana heart throbbed with power.

[Skill: Mana Burn]

Her mana ignited with a roar, the flames turning violent as the skill took hold.

The mana in the atmosphere began to dissolve, vaporized by the sheer temperature and the destructive aura of her burn.

Even the ambient energy was being devoured, erased as if it had never been there.

If Rose attempted to summon a barrier—

It would simply melt away.

If she tried to parry—

She would be cut down.

Stacia’s sword swept down, encased in howling fire, aimed directly at Rose—

With no intent to hold back.

Her road to victory seemed certain.

Or so she believed.

As her blade drew near—

She felt a change.

The mana in her vicinity twisted in an unnatural way, becoming incredibly dense and controlled. It wasn’t merely powerful—it was surgically precise.

Far too precise.

Her flames flared in a desperate reaction, as if struggling against a force they were unable to consume.

Then, everything buckled inward.

Before her mind could grasp the situation, Stacia’s perspective shifted violently.

"Huh—?"

The horizon flipped.

She realized she was soaring—no, she had been hurled away.

Her body was propelled into the air, her internal compass completely shattered.

The stage below grew small in an instant as wind whistled past her ears.

"What... just happened?"

She forced her fire to surge again, twisting her frame in midair to desperately regain her balance.

Below her, Rose remained perfectly still.

Watching.

Her golden eyes were blank and calm. No effort. No rush.

That sight sent a wave of dread through Stacia.

Did she... displace me?

Celestial magic?

Gravity manipulation?

Spatial magic?

A cascade of questions hit her, but before she could find an answer—

SHIINNGGG!!!

A piercing, metallic ring vibrated through the stadium.

Golden radiance erupted from the ground beneath her.

From the surface of the stage, countless spear-like shapes emerged, constructed entirely from solidified light.

They ascended slowly at first, like pillars rising from the earth, each one humming with pure power and immense pressure.

One.

Ten.

Hundreds.

No—there were thousands.

The entire arena had been transformed into a thicket of shimmering spears.

[Mid Grade: Light Magic]

[Spear of Light]

Stacia’s eyes went wide.

"This many...?!"

Before she could move—

Click.

Rose snapped her fingers.

In the following heartbeat, every spear angled toward the sky.

Then they launched.

A deluge of golden light sliced through the air, screaming toward Stacia from the ground.

The sheer pressure hammered against her as the projectiles closed in, cutting off every possible path of retreat.

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

There was no room for hesitation.

It was impossible for Stacia to parry every individual spear.

True to their nature, the spears traveled at speeds approaching light itself.

Some flew straight, while others spiraled through the air, adjusting their paths as if guided by a will—clearly designed to hem her in from all sides.

Evasion was out of the question.

Blocking everything was equally impossible.

So, Stacia relied on the only thing she had left.

Her own strength.

Her flames.

Her gut feeling.

Her steel.

She shifted her stance.

Fire exploded from her body once more, coating her arms and her blade as the heat blurred the world around her.

In that moment, her focus tightened—becoming sharper, faster, and purely instinctual.

She stopped thinking.

Her body took over.

A technique she had failed to master in the past.

A form she had previously only managed to imitate.

This time, she reached perfection.

[HIDDEN BLADE TECHNIQUE: THIRD FORM]

[FULL MOON]

Stacia struck.

Her blade flashed repeatedly, cutting through every direction she could perceive—and many she couldn't.

Crimson fire trailed every movement, creating arcs of flame that smashed into the rising spears.

Light shattered against cold steel.

Fire roared against the holy glow.

Above the arena, the heavens ignited as if stars were being pulverized against one another.

....

"...H-Hey," Alice whispered from her seat, her eyes wide with shock. "Isn’t this going a bit too far?"

No one could answer.

High above, Stacia continued to hack through the unending storm while Rose calmly manifested spear after spear without a break.

Golden light poured upward without end, only to be intercepted by burning red arcs.

To those watching, it seemed like a dream.

Like a shower of falling stars colliding in the sky.

Like two unstoppable powers meeting at once.

The coliseum fell into a stunned silence.

Even the judges—battle-hardened veterans of a thousand wars—were left speechless, their eyes glued to the marvel occurring before them.

This was no longer a simple contest.

This was a war between monsters.