“Here we go: 3… 2… 1… fight!”

  The roar of the crowd nearly drowned out the countdown as Noman and Jubayer locked eyes. No words—just a silent promise of chaos. Then suddenly— FWOOM! Fmes spiraled into existence on Noman’s palm, swelling like a miniature sun until it reached the size of a watermelon. With a swift thrust, he hurled it. CRACK! Jubayer flicked his fingers upward—stones and pebbles jerked off the ground, swirling into a compact barrier that absorbed the fireball in a bze of sparks. “Fire Fist!” Noman shouted. “Stone Gauntlet!” Jubayer responded. Fmes wrapped around Noman’s arm; sbs of rock sheathed Jubayer’s. They charged. Fists collided. Sparks flew. The arena shook as fire cshed with stone in a brutal ballet of dodges, counters, and thunderous blows. “You don’t see this every day,” Nahid whispered beside me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

  Noman spun, trailing a glowing arc of fire through the air—a burning ribbon that coiled like a serpent. He snapped his fingers. It lunged toward Jubayer. Water surged upward from the ground, crashing into the fme like a tidal wall. Steam hissed and curled as the ce disintegrated against it. Then, whoosh! Jubayer unched the watery shield forward like a discus. Noman raised his hand—a shimmer—and suddenly a dome of wind deflected the spsh mid-air.

  “And there goes Noman again—wind shield deployed!” Reis’s voice boomed from the commentator’s booth, stoking the crowd. Now Noman’s fmes twisted, amplified by wind—spiraling outward like firestorms on wings. Jubayer raised his arms. “No… he’s not making a bubble. He’s crafting a water chamber—trying to smother the fmes!” HISSSSSSS—! The csh created a thick vapor, fogging the entire arena. Visibility dropped. Suddenly—spt spt spt! Water balls shot through the fog like bullets. “What’s he doing?” I muttered. Noman dodged—one missed—then bam! one struck his shoulder. Ice crept over it instantly. Another hit his leg—frozen. “He’s freezing him bit by bit!” Reis yelled. But Noman wasn’t down. He growled, fmes igniting at his joints, melting the frost in seconds—but those seconds cost him.

  CRUNCH! Jubayer was already there, fist flying. Stone smmed into fme. Noman hit the ground hard. “JU-BA-YER! JU-BA-YER!” The crowd was electric. North Hall booed. South Hall roared. But Noman wasn’t done. Blood dripped from his lip as he stood, eyes locked on Jubayer. Fmes coiled again, this time darker, denser. The ce twisted and narrowed—an arrow. He mimed an invisible bow and let it fly. BOOM! It pierced through Jubayer’s shield like paper. “Oh no!” I leapt to my feet. “Did it—?” SWOOSH! Jubayer rolled away just in time. The arrow scorched the earth where he’d stood.

  Both boys panted, drenched in sweat, power flickering at their fingertips. “Why do they look like they’re about to pass out?” Reis whispered, unusually quiet. They stood, eyes bzing. Then, in unison:

  “Ocean’s Warden!”“Great Phoenix!”

  Time stopped. A massive humanoid figure rose behind Jubayer, forged entirely of water, a gleaming trident in its grasp. Opposite him, a fming bird unfurled its wings—majestic, terrifying, alive.

  The Phoenix screeched and unleashed a stream of fire. The Warden twirled its trident, water cshing with heat in a violent hiss. Fme feathers rained. The Warden spun, deflecting each one like a tempest. But the tide was shifting—Jubayer held the upper hand. Noman’s face went pale. With a gasp, the Phoenix dived forward, a comet of fire. The Warden met it—stab! The trident pierced the Phoenix’s chest. The bird faltered, its wings fading. But—ROAR! The Phoenix unleashed one final burst—fire straight from its core. The Warden, weapon-locked, took the hit full on.

  Both summons flickered. The Phoenix vanished in a brilliant fsh. The Warden remained—headless, barely standing.

  Noman dropped to one knee, trembling. Jubayer stood before him, solemn, the towering Warden dissolving behind. Silence. Jubayer reached out. Noman took his hand.

  Reis’s voice finally returned, hoarse but proud. “The winner is… Jubayer! But man, both of you gave me goosebumps.” Noman turned to him, grinning despite his wounds. “Hey, why don’t you fight me next?” Reis ughed, waving it off. “Nahhh… I’ll pass.” The crowd erupted—ughter, cheers, awe. They all knew the truth. Reis was hiding a storm of his own.