Moze and Piba had stepped into the restroom, expecting nothing more than a routine break.

At the end of the day, even as mages, they were still human. And humans had basic needs.

Piba headed toward the row of urinals, while Moze shuffled in behind him, eyes already scanning for space.

"What the heck, man?" Moze suddenly grumbled, noticing where Piba had stopped. "There are five urinals. Five. And you decided to use the one right next to me?"

Piba shrugged with a wide grin. "It was just the closest one."

"Do I look like I care about efficiency?" Moze shot back. "I can't pee with you standing so close."

But it was already too late. Piba's stream was flowing freely, completely unfazed. Moze sighed and stepped away with a shake of his head. As he adjusted and zipped up, something strange made him pause.

He felt it before he saw it, an unsettling shift in the atmosphere.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Piba teased without turning his head. "Decided to join me side by side after all?"

There was no answer.

The silence was sharp, eerie even. Piba finished up and turned around, his smirk vanishing the moment he caught sight of what had left Moze speechless.

Standing across the tiled floor were four figures, and none of them were smiling.

Kayzel. Rupert. Ponzo. Bones.

All from the Central Academy. All among the strongest students in the entire tournament.

And none of them were anywhere near the urinals. They had entered the room for one reason, and it wasn't to relieve themselves.

Moze instinctively stepped beside Piba, suddenly feeling very, very small.

People often underestimated Moze. He could be loud, reckless, even foolish at times. But he wasn't stupid. He could read a situation, and this one screamed danger. Four elite mages didn't corner you in a bathroom just to talk.

"I'm guessing your little academy was feeling pretty proud of itself," Kayzel said coolly, stepping forward. "Pulling off a win like that? Impressive moon affinity. Truly."

His voice was casual, but his words were laced with venom.

"It's a shame, really. If only you hadn't shown your magic… then I wouldn't have to do this."

With no warning, Kayzel launched forward and struck.

His leg moved so fast it was almost invisible, like it had been fired from a spell. There was a loud CRACK as his foot connected with Piba's knee.

The joint buckled inward with a sickening crunch.

Piba would have collapsed if Moze hadn't caught him.

"You can scream all you like," Rupert said calmly. "We've placed a silence spell over this entire space. No one outside will hear you. And we've made sure no one else can enter."

Moze's mind was spinning. The attack hadn't felt magical, but the force behind that kick... it wasn't normal. Not even close.

"What are you doing?!" Moze shouted, lightning crackling around his fingertips.

But the spark never left his hand.

Bones raised his own hand and fired a spell, twin streaks of lightning that struck both of Moze's arms.

The pain was immediate.

The blast surged through him, arcing from his shoulders to his wrists. At the same time, Piba's hands were caught in the backlash, rendering both of them unable to cast. Their limbs twitched uncontrollably, overloaded by the spell.

And that was just the beginning.

Kayzel, moving with perfect timing, conjured two fireballs. They twisted in his palms, condensed and burning white-hot, the kind of spell that could melt steel if focused long enough.

He thrust them forward, slamming both directly into the stomachs of the Wilton students.

The flame surged.

Their uniforms, enchanted to withstand basic damage, did their best, but the heat seared through, scorching fabric and skin.

Before their bodies could slam into the tiled walls, Rupert cast another spell, raising a wall of solid earth behind them.

BAM!

They crashed into it hard.

The pain radiated through their spines, and the force knocked the breath out of their lungs.

And still... no one came.

The battle had barely begun, but Moze and Piba already knew the truth, this wasn't a fight they could win. Not in a fair duel. Not with these odds.

These weren't just fellow students.

They were predators.

And this ambush… it was intentional. A message.

"We both know," Piba coughed, "that fighting outside the events is against the rules. You're going to be in serious trouble for this. Why? Why go this far?"

Kayzel strolled over to them, his footsteps echoing off the cold tile. He knelt beside them, electricity dancing between his fingers, forming a cruel arc of lightning.

"Rules?" Kayzel smirked. "Those don't apply to us. We're the ones hosting this event. Those rules were just there to stop you lot from whining when you lost."

The Central Academy students… this was who they really were?

Moze and Piba had grown up hearing stories of how prestigious Central was. Of how powerful and noble their students were, leaders in the making.

But now?

Looking up from the bathroom floor, bruised and burned, all they saw were tyrants in uniforms.

For some reason, both boys remembered something Raze had once said.

People should be judged by their actions.

And right now, Central Academy was showing its true face.

"Do you know what happens," Kayzel whispered, "if I insert my magic directly into your cores?"

His voice was low, almost gentle.

"It destroys them. Permanently. You'll never cast magic again. You'll be nobodies. You'll be laughed out of your academy. Forgotten."

He stood up again, towering over them.

"We were going to win our rematch anyway. But now? Now we'll make sure your little moment of victory ends in tragedy. You'll be the bottom of the barrel, outclassed by everyone. A reminder of what happens when you embarrass us."

****

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