Chapter 41: Aaron Vs Leon

The next day arrived quickly.

The academy arena was already packed hours before the time of the match, and up in the VIP section, there seemed to be more people than usual also, though it wasn’t clear who was there exactly.

It was clear that besides the students and instructors, guests, and several important figures had also come specifically for the final.

Leon stood among the other participants as they were made to sit together, both those who had lost already and they who were going to fight, waiting to be called. The noise was louder than anything he had experienced during the earlier matches, and his name was being mentioned throughout the stands.

Eventually, the announcer’s voice echoed through the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for!"

The crowd responded immediately with cheers and chants and all sorts of joyful noise.

Leon looked toward the opposite side of the arena and noticed that Aaron was already there. He had wondered why he wasn’t seated with them, but it would seem that for the fighters, it wasn’t mandatory.

Aaron looked calm and focused. As always, there was no smile on his face, but there also was no arrogance, and no excitement that he allowed to show. He was simply focused.

"On one side, the student who has shocked the academy throughout this tournament!" The announcer continued, and the crowd grew louder at that statement.

"Leon Carter!"

Leon stood from his seat and walked toward the arena.

The announcer turned toward the opposite side.

"And facing him, the undefeated strongest student of Grand-Phoenix Academy!"

Aaron stepped forward.

"Aaron Grey!"

The crowd erupted again, even louder this time.

’This guy and his mouth.’ Aaron thought to himself as he stepped forward.

Leon stopped across from Aaron and they looked at one another.

For a brief moment, neither moved, then rather surprisingly, Aaron gave him a small nod, which Leon returned it.

The announcer stepped back as he said, "Summoners!" and immediately, the arena became quiet. "Prepare your summons!"

Leon raised his hand, not that he needed to, and as though drawing from the floor itself, his undead rose from nothing and appeared before him, facing Aaron.

At the same time, Aaron summoned his own beast, the serpent coiling around him like a shield from the floor, with its head finally resting on his shoulder.

The two summons appeared on opposite sides of the arena, and finally, the final had begun.

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.

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The Undead Skeleton Swordsman stood silently beside Leon, its hand resting near the hilt of its sword.

Across from them, Aaron’s summon had already been called forth.

The audience had been waiting for this match since the finals were announced, and the noise made that obvious.

"I still think Aaron wins."

"Obviously. Have you seen that thing? It’s like an Anaconda on steriods."

"It’s not just his summon. Aaron can fight alongside it."

"Right? While he can’t attack Leon directly because of the rules, it’s still going to be a two on one. That’s serious disadvantage."

"Leon beat Seth, though."

"Seth isn’t Aaron you moron."

"True."

A group of students several rows away were having a similar conversation.

"I’m not counting Leon out."

"You’re serious?"

"I’m saying we’ve done that before."

Someone laughed.

"He had a Grade 1 Skeleton."

"And that Grade 1 Skeleton beat a Grade 3, and that after everyone thought he’d lose."

Another student folded his arms.

"Heard that death energy is serious issue too."

"Exactly. Every time people think they’ve figured him out, he does something else."

"But Aaron isn’t everyone else, you know? He is THE AARON GREY. Can’t believe you guys would all of a sudden think some super rookie is worth his time."

That quieted the group for a moment, then a student farther down the row leaned forward.

"I just want to see what Leon does this time, you know? The guy’s seriously a freak with surprises."

At that moment, the announcer’s voice rang across the arena, calling for the match to begin, and once again, everywhere erupted with noise.

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Aaron moved first.

There was no hesitation in his actions.

The Python lunged forward with frightening speed, its body surging across the arena as Aaron moved with it.

Leon immediately understood why Aaron had been considered the strongest student at the academy.

He wasn’t standing back and letting his summon fight for him, he was fighting alongside it.

Aaron accelerated alongside the Python, using its movement to close the distance while the beast attacked from another angle.

The Skeleton Swordsman drew its blade to interrupt the beast’s attack as steel struck scales with a sharp crack.

The Swordsman redirected the Python’s head and stepped sideways, but Aaron was already there, predicting its move.

His fist came toward its chest, but the Swordsman twisted its body and raised an arm, blocking the strike, but the impact still forced it backward.

’Strong.’ Leon thought, watching what force Aaron’s strike carried.

The Python turned and struck again, almost immediately, giving no break.

The Swordsman barely avoided the attack before Aaron followed from the opposite side.

’He’s no joke.’ Leon thought. As expected, Aaron was very coordinated, and seemed to move, almost in advance.

He had seen Aaron fight before, but watching him from outside the match had been different, and seeing him teamup with his own summon was even more.

Now Leon could see how much experience the Aaron had.

Aaron wasn’t simply attacking at the same time as his summon, he was using it to create openings.

The Python forced the Swordsman to defend from one direction, while Aaron attacked from another. Whenever the Swordsman tried to create distance, the Python closed the gap again.

It was a proper two-on-one, and his summon was losing ground.

The Swordsman blocked another strike from the Python, but Aaron immediately stepped in and landed a kick against its side.

The undead giant slid several feet across the arena, stopping with support from its word.

The audience erupted at every point of the action.

"That Aaron for you!"

"He didn’t even let it breathe!"

"Leon needs to do something though!"

"It’s actually getting pushed back!"

A few students who had been confident in Leon before the match exchanged uneasy looks, though nevertheless, they were enjoying the fight either way.

The Swordsman moved again, going first this time, as soon as it stabilized itself.

Its blade came out in a clean horizontal swing, aimed directly at Aaron.

Aaron leaped back a few feet.

At the same moment, the Python lunged from the opposite side.

The Swordsman immediately changed direction, turning his body away from Aaron while raising his sword to block the Python’s attack.

The force of the encounter pushed the Swordsman several steps across the arena, though it managed to stabilize itself quickly.

The Python attacked again.

The Swordsman blocked, but Aaron was already at where he needed to be, picking blindspots.

He came in from the side with a straight punch that the Swordsman barely noticed on time.

It twisted his body, allowing the punch to pass close to its ribs section hidden under armour, then swung his sword toward Aaron’s exposed side, first with the hilt, and only after, extending to a full swing.

Aaron pulled his arm back and retreated, avoiding the hilt and sidestepping the swing so it missed.

The Python immediately followed, forcing the Swordsman to turn toward it again.