I didn't want to just win.
I needed to know.
Where Mystic truly stood—beyond instincts, beyond emotion, beyond all the playful tricks and thunder-filled flashes.
Because I couldn't tell if what I saw in the last battle was all of her… or just a glimpse.
She was strong—stronger than what any of us expected.
But strength without control?
Strength without timing?
Could still get us both killed.
I had to give her the chance. I owed her that. But I also had to be the bad cop when no one else would. I was raising all three of them myself—Mystic, Maxius, Lufei. No mentors. No hand-holding.
Only what I could teach them.
And if this were a real battlefield? If we hesitated—if I let her lean too hard into being playful instead of precise—we could have died. She could've died. And worse, taken others down with us.
I loved that part of her. The joy. The way she twisted through clouds like they were made for her, the way she'd buzz my shoulder mid-air when I was too tense. But I had to teach her there's a time and place.
And right now?
We needed to be something more.
She needed to become more.
And I needed to figure out how to sync with my Fallen World Inner Dimensional Sanctuary gift—and fast. I couldn't afford to let people see how raw it still was. What Mystic and I still lacked. Our weaknesses weren't just visible—they were exploitable.
After today's matches—after we were dismissed—I'd go visit Master Sun.
Maybe even tonight.
It was time.
For both of us.
—
The air still thrummed with the echoes of the last fight—blades flashing, qi crackling—but I stood steady, calm beneath the storm.
Mystic hovered beside me, her cloud fins twitching softly, but then I felt it: something different stirring inside her.
Her storm form began to fold inward, the swirling clouds tightening around her like a cocoon. Suddenly, a sharp pulse of golden light shattered through the mist.
She stretched upward.
Outward.
Her body unfolded, revealing brilliant white, silk-like skin that shimmered beneath the charged sky. The golden runes etched into her skin blazed with a fierce light I'd never witnessed before.
She was shedding the storm veil.
No longer just the cloud and thunder.
Mystic rose fully—majestic and undeniable.
Her clouds settled beneath her belly like a soft throne, cradling her like a queen of the skies.
The whole arena seemed to hold its breath.
Everyone pulled back instinctively, awestruck by how much bigger and more real she'd become.
Maxius, my phantom eagle, circled overhead, wings beating faster. His sharp eyes studied Mystic's transformation with something like admiration—and wariness.
Lufei, my crystal antler deer, stepped back carefully. Her crystal antlers caught the light, scattering prisms across the arena floor. Her eyes were wide—filled with a mix of respect and surprise.
I caught Jin Minhe's gaze from the sidelines. His hands clenched into fists, eyes narrowing as he took in Mystic's full form. Respect. Awe.
"So that's what she's been holding back," he murmured low enough only I could hear. "Beyond any registration."
Others whispered, exchanging looks.
Even the instructors leaned forward, eyes sharp behind their qi shields.
Then the stadium pulsed.
I felt it before the announcement.
Platforms shifted and stretched, expanding into layered rings around us, rising above the cloud line.
The arena was growing—big enough to hold beasts far beyond what we'd registered.
The voice came through the dome's speakers:
🎙️ "Combat Arena Seven entering Expansion Phase."
🎙️ "Alert: One or more combat beasts have exceeded initial registration parameters. Expansion initiated to accommodate size growth."
My face flamed.
They were talking about us.
About Mystic.
About me.
🎙️ "All large-class aerial combatants will be reclassified according to current active growth states. Match eliminations will proceed by performance-based scoring metrics, with final rankings determined by cumulative points."
Laughter bubbled up from the crowd—part amusement, part awe, tinged with disbelief.
I felt dozens of eyes turn toward me.
Without thinking, I bowed deeply toward the viewing stands, where Principal Renshu, Commander Qian Shiyan, and the instructors watched.
My cheeks burned hotter as I held the bow.
Jin Minhe gave me a subtle, supportive nod from the sidelines, his rare softness warming me.
Maxius circled once more, then soared high with a sharp cry—a call of approval.
Lufei flexed her legs, her antlers shimmering like she was steadying herself.
The crowd's laughter mixed with murmurs of excitement.
I turned back to Mystic, glowing and regal.
No embarrassment from her.
Only power.
Only truth.
The truth that had reshaped the arena.
That had changed everything.
And made clear what I already knew:
This was only the beginning.
Around us, the arena's layers spiraled upward and outward, shimmering with adaptive qi barriers and crackling stormlight, alive with power. It was bigger now — vast enough for Mystic's full form to move freely, a royal queen in the sky.
I gripped my twin blades tighter. The weight felt lighter now. More like the extension of my own will.
Across the expanded ring, Kelan Shu stepped forward again. His icy stare met mine.
But this time, I saw something different flicker in his eyes — respect. Or maybe uncertainty.
The ice spears in his hands glinted sharper, but I knew this wasn't the same fight as before.
Because Mystic wasn't the same.
—
ROUND ONE — BEAST + MASTER COMBAT
Kelan lunged immediately, the cold rush of his spear crackling through the air. But Mystic surged forward first, golden lightning crackling along her broad back.
Her roar was a storm itself — rolling thunder and crackling electricity that echoed through the sky.
I soared off her back, blades spinning in tandem with her lightning strike.
"Kelan's precision is sharp, but his speed won't match her now," I murmured, voice steady as the wind.
Mystic's white, glossy skin shimmered as she twisted in the air, dodging Kelan's frozen shards like liquid silk.
With a sudden burst, she unleashed Thunder God Strike — a concentrated beam of golden lightning from her forehead crest.
Kelan barely raised his shield in time, the force throwing him backward.
I didn't hesitate.
My boots fired cloud qi as I closed the distance, twin blades carving chaos arcs that sliced through the lingering shards.
Kelan stumbled, but he wasn't down.
He spun, summoning his Ice-Piercer Roc which dove with bladed fury.
Mystic met it head-on, unleashing Pressure Coil — condensed air barrier thrumming with raw energy.
The two clashed midair, thunder against ice, lightning against steel feathers.
I felt Mystic's qi resonate through me, a surge of power I'd never tapped before.
This was her true form — not just a storm, but a living force of nature.
When the roc spiraled away, defeated, I knew the round was ours.
—
🎙️ "ROUND ONE COMPLETE: Fan Yumei — 28 pts. Kelan Shu — 22 pts."
—
I landed beside Mystic, my heart pounding with adrenaline and something else — genuine happiness.
For the first time, I saw her not just as my beast, but as a partner growing beyond expectation.
I reached out and touched her smooth back. Her golden symbols pulsed softly under my palm.
She let out a low rumble — almost a laugh.
—
ROUND TWO — BEAST-ONLY COMBAT
Kelan's roc returned, sharper and angrier.
Mystic's eyes glowed fierce gold, and the cloud throne beneath her belly swirled wider, storm winds rising.
Her Sky Mantle Veil flickered into existence, a shimmering shield of wind and lightning.
Kelan's spears struck repeatedly, but each was deflected or absorbed by her barrier.
Then Mystic twisted, calling down a Storm of the Fallen — a spiraling tempest of cloud, rain, and wind.
Visibility dropped.
Even the crowd gasped.
In the storm's heart, Mystic darted like a flash of pure light, her attacks precise and relentless.
The roc screamed but was trapped, battered by the storm's fury.
Then Mystic unleashed Call of the Whale — a soul-call that seemed to vibrate through every bone and qi thread in the arena.
The storm flared brighter.
The roc faltered.
Kelan signaled surrender.
—
🎙️ "ROUND TWO COMPLETE: Fan Yumei — 38 pts. Kelan Shu — 27 pts."
—
The crowd erupted.
Cheers, whistles, applause.
I smiled, breathless.
Not because we'd won, but because Mystic had become more than anyone thought possible — including me.
Maxius swooped low, his phantom feathers ruffling in the storm winds.
Lufei pranced nearby, her crystal antlers gleaming like stars.
Jin Minhe stood on the sidelines, fists clenched but his eyes shining with pride.
And Principal Renshu gave a rare nod from the observing platform.
I bowed toward them all, heart full.
This wasn't just a battle won.
It was a turning point.
—
The next challenger was already moving into position.
I curled my fingers around my blades, ready for whatever came next.
Mystic's golden glow deepened.
Whatever came next—I was ready.