The Biggest Idiot

The shadow blade in Lobo's hand didn't emit light, but it seemed to suck up all the light around him, creating a sinister vacuum. My sword trembled in my hand, not from fear, but in response to the unbalanced energy of the threads in the air.

"Let's see if you can handle the cost."

The man in front of me said, maintaining his calm, pale gaze. I gritted my teeth in anticipation of the fight that seemed increasingly inevitable.

"I won't go easy. This is your last chance to quit with dignity."

"If that's what you want, then come on."

I felt the cold pass through my entire body, down my spine. Something felt wrong about that moment and the man in front of me. It was as if he were incapable of feeling anything, even his breathing was nonexistent. His movements were all calculated and perfect. He seemed almost unreal.

The fight started without a clear signal. He simply appeared next to me, aiming his blade at my neck, but I managed to raise my sword in time. The clash was silent, without the sound of metal or magical energy, just a dead sound that seemed to absorb every sound frequency.

As he attacked, I could see the difference between him and the others I had dueled. His attacks weren't random, nor did they have the clear purpose of merely defeating me. They seemed to want something more, as if they were thirsty to completely dismantle me. Every blow was cruel, and I felt I was at my limit constantly. Just as they say images of your life flash before you at the moment of death, I saw my memories of home with every moment, as if each of his advances brought me closer to the end.

"You can't win the tournament, you know that, don't you?"

His voice came out as a whisper, and I couldn't pinpoint its direction, even though he was right in front of me.

I countered with a wide swing that he dodged with a subtle movement. And every time I struck his blade, the light of my sword seemed weaker, diminishing more and more. His magic wasn't just offensive, it seemed to swallow my will just like my energy.

"You are only consuming your own life. Are you sure that's what you want?"

Fatigue began to overwhelm me. Until he delivered a blow that I couldn't completely dodge, hitting my shoulder. I felt a sharp pain, unlike any I'd had before, that seemed to spread inside me. Then I fell to my knees, gasping for air. It was easier to give up, so much easier.

He approached me with calculated steps, seeming to pity me. In that moment of pause, I managed to look closely at him, analyzing his details, thinking of ways I could reverse the situation. That's when I noticed something that seemed silly, but that had grown more unsettling as the fight progressed.

He wasn't panting, wasn't sweating, and his eyes remained empty, without the will or motivation that even Kael had in his fury. It was as if I wasn't fighting a person, but something else, something lifeless. What if it was a projection?

There was only one way to find out, so with the last of the energy I had, I channeled one final attack. And with a roar that seemed to unite all my will, everything I believed in, my friends, my sister, my promise. A flash erupted from the sword in my hands, so intense it seemed to eclipse the very night.

I rose quickly, ignoring the pain and fatigue, and plunged the blade of light directly into Lobo's center.

There was no blood or cry of pain.

Lobo's body began to dissolve immediately, starting from the point of impact. It turned into a black smoke that slowly dissipated until it vanished completely.

But before the last particle of darkness disappeared, I saw a smile form one last time. And the voice that came out wasn't like the one I had heard—impersonal and shadowy—but a deeper one.

"Very well. You passed the tests... for now. I'll see you at the tournament."

And then silence seemed to envelop the environment once more. I was alone in the gardens, and the light of my sword slowly began to diminish until it returned to the natural glow and form of the crystal. I collapsed to the ground, shaking from exhaustion.

I couldn't consider that a victory, as it sounded more like a warning. The most terrifying one I had ever received.

***

The next day's announcement was a surprise to the entire school.

All the remaining competitors had dropped out.

And even though the news indicated that the end of the tournament was near, instead of people being dissatisfied with the reduction of matchups and the early spectacle, most were celebrating. Everyone believed that the final would be even more surprising, shattering all expectations.

The rumors suggested that competitors dropped out because they weren't truly prepared for the tournament, and those who remained would provide an unforgettable confrontation.

But they barely knew the reason behind the withdrawals. In the end, only two names remained. Mine and his.

Nina found me first, her face pale under her hood, and her ears twitching more than usual. Lyra and Darin were right behind her, with the same expressions of disbelief.

"Haru, everyone dropped out," Nina said.

"I know," I replied. "I... I ran into him last night."

The three of them stared at me with wide eyes. And I told them everything. The blade that sucked up magic, the pain that consumed me, the feeling of fighting and losing to a shadow. And finally, his disappearance.

I trembled as I recalled the feeling of death, his message, as if constantly reminding me of what awaited me in that arena, of the outcome of the confrontation.

"So? Are you quitting?"

Nina broke the silence, her voice trembling as much as my hands, her eyes seemingly filled with tears, as if the plea came from a deep place within her.

"I can't, not after everything... the grimoire..."

"What if you end up dead?" she exploded. And when she stepped closer to me, her hood fell back, but she completely ignored it, not caring if anyone saw her. "Did you hear what you just said? He doesn't just want to win the tournament. You could... you could even..."

"She's right," Lyra agreed, but reluctantly. "This kind of fight is just a trap. A true warrior also knows when to retreat."

They all looked at me as if waiting for a logical answer. A safe answer. But I showed no sign of acceptance.

But I couldn't accept that. Something inside me wouldn't let me. The fear was still there, but even stronger than it, was my stubbornness and the will to finish what I started. The promise to my sister, the grimoire. It was all so close, and everything I had left behind, my friends right there beside me. I couldn't give up everything like that.

I lifted my head, meeting the eyes of each of them.

"I'm not quitting."

It couldn't all be in vain. I could still continue, even if it seemed difficult. I had overcome so much, sacrificed so much, this would just be another obstacle in my way, one I could overcome too.

Contrary to the reaction I expected, the three of them didn't try to stop me, didn't yell, or shake me back to reality. They seemed satisfied, as if they knew that would be my answer.

"I knew you wouldn't quit," Darin said first.

Then I looked at Nina, who, for the first time, seemed to give a genuine smile, without hiding anything.

"Idiot! You're the biggest idiot I've ever met." She locked her eyes on mine. "But if you're idiot enough to go, I'm going to be idiot enough to cheer you on."

Lyra let out a loud laugh and then approached me, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"We'll be there, all of us screaming in that arena, motivating you, keeping you moving forward."

I looked at Darin, whose eyes were already teary, as usual.

"And I'll be holding a huge sign with your name on it."

The fear melted away, replaced by the warmth of that friendship, the kind only they could bring. I knew that when I stepped into that arena, I wouldn't be alone. They'd be there with me. And as long as I had their support, everything would be okay.

The final could be a nightmare, but unlike what Lobo thought, I wouldn't be alone.