"I see what he’s pnning, but I won’t stop my fmes, Sarn thought. I can endure much higher temperatures than him. I’ll keep raising the fmes until he’s forced to retreat. I need victory this time—I have to go for it." Sarn thought.

  Viron felt the shift too.

  His expression remained unreadable, but he finally spoke. " You’ll just burn yourself at this rate. You should retreat while you can."

  "No." The pain was real. Sarn kneeled on one leg, her body screaming in protest.

  Liam’s face darkened. "She’s pushing herself too hard."

  Rowan’s mouth tightened.

  Viron’s confidence wavered for the first time.

  "Why isn’t she giving up? She should be done for. Someone who just formed an element shouldn’t have anything left up their sleeve."

  Still, he didn’t strike,"She’ll colpse on her own."

  Sarn clenched her fists. "That’s what I want. He’s waiting for me to give up. That’s my opening.I still have my 80% energy."

  Her fingers twitched. Her body was at its limit, but her mind wasn’t.

  Viron exhaled sharply. "You’re still at it? You’re just straining yourself." His voice was neutral, but a flicker of doubt hid beneath it.

  Liam, growing desperate, whispered, "Give up, Sarn. You’ve done enough."

  Rowan gritted his teeth.

  Then—Viron felt it.

  A sudden, unbearable surge of heat smmed into him.

  His breath hitched. "Why do I feel so hot all of a sudden?"

  His unwavering stance faltered.

  Sarn’s eyes burned with determination.

  "Now."

  And then—she vanished.

  Viron barely had time to react before a blinding burst of fire exploded toward him. Sarn's fshy fmes, it was.

  The force was overwhelming—faster than anything he had expected.

  His sword slipped from his grip.

  His body hit the ground.

  For a moment, silence.

  Then—

  "Victory goes to Saryntha Sayra!"

  Liam’s eyes widened. Rowan exhaled slowly, gaze locked on Sarn.

  "She did it," Liam whispered, his tense shoulders finally rexing.

  The boy who had doubted the fight let out a slow breath. "That was… actually breathtaking."

  Sarn, barely able to stand, fell to her knees. Her vision blurred, and her hands dug into the ground as she struggled to breathe. But even in exhaustion, a faint smile appeared on her lips, " So, that technique worked," .

  Viron, still on the ground, finally processed what had happened. His stunned eyes returned to normal.

  Then—he smiled.

  "So… you went this far," he murmured.

  Sarn looked at him, still gripping the ground, her body too drained to move.

  She smiled back.

  And with that, the match was over.