All-around teacher at the magic academy

Aiden's gaze pierced through the dust of the arena, landing on the Storm Eagle bound to the ground by dark chains, and on Shadow Abyss and Leon standing to the side.

A sense of powerlessness welled up within him, and he sighed helplessly. He knew that the battle was over, and he had reached the end.

He decided to use his last bit of strength to put a burning end to his defeat.

Aiden gathered all his magical power, preparing to unleash his final strike. Blazing flames surged around his body, a testament to his indomitable will, engulfing the entire arena in an instant. He held nothing back, desiring only that his final dance become an indelible memory in everyone's hearts.

However, just as Aiden was fully focused on accumulating magic power in preparation for unleashing his final spell, a beam of light suddenly descended from the sky and shone precisely on him.

The beam of light, like a divine retribution, interrupted his charge, instantly extinguishing his fire magic.

Aiden looked up and saw a soft, holy light emanating from the Radiant Guardian's outstretched wings. It was the protective beam it released at the crucial moment, stopping Aiden's final attack.

Aiden lay helplessly on the cold, hard ground of the arena, waves of pain washing over him, stinging every inch of his skin.

He gazed at the radiant guardian standing tall in the sky, the creature symbolizing light and power, and a wave of self-mockery washed over him. He began to question his own strength and laugh at his own incompetence.

"So this is how weak I am," Aiden repeated to himself, his voice barely audible.

He recalled the Gradia Academy he had once dreamed of, the place he thought he could prove his worth, but he hadn't even touched the threshold.

"It turns out I was never qualified to step into the gates of the eight academies. I had just been living in my own fictional little world and had never truly faced the vast world outside."

Aiden's thoughts drifted back to the past. He thought of his countless days and nights of hard work, all the cultivation he undertook in pursuit of greater power, all for the sake of this moment.

He had once been full of expectations, believing that he would stand at the top of the world on this day, but reality dealt him a heavy blow, shattering all his fantasies.

He began to doubt the meaning of all his efforts over the years. He firmly believed that he was no worse than those who were called geniuses. He thought he was just like them, only lacking a good background, and that fate had not been fair to him.

But now, he is beginning to realize that perhaps he really is not good enough, not just because of his background and fate, but perhaps because of his abilities, his efforts, or even his beliefs.

Aiden lay on the cold, hard ground of the arena, reflecting on his years of hard work and tireless training, which now seemed utterly ridiculous. A sense of absurdity welled up within him, as if everything he had pursued had become meaningless in this moment.

He thought of the teachers and students in the academy, the high hopes they had placed on him, their expectant eyes flashing through his mind. They must be very disappointed now, Aiden, who had fallen to rock bottom in his very first game.

Elsa must be feeling terrible right now. Her teacher, whom she was so proud of, is seen as so vulnerable in other people's eyes. Aiden imagined the expression on her face, the shift from pride to disappointment, which tore at his heart. This blow made Aiden even afraid to face the other people in the academy.

He looked at Leon, who had walked up to him, and just watched him quietly. Perhaps, even if he, a self-proclaimed genius, tried his best, he would only reach the threshold of seeing a true genius.

At this thought, Aiden burst into laughter, his laughter echoing jarringly in the empty arena. He laughed and laughed until tears began to stream down his face uncontrollably.

Leon stood there, gazing gently at Aiden. His lips moved slightly, but he ultimately uttered no words of comfort.

He didn't know anything about Mr. Aiden's past, but from Mr. Aiden's expression and tears at this moment, he could feel the story and heavy emotions behind this man.

Elsa stood in the audience, her eyes red-rimmed, her heart clenching tightly. She understood Mr. Aiden's persistence and pride, and seeing him like this, her heart ached so much she could hardly breathe.

She longed to rush to the center of the field, hug Mr. Aiden, and tell him how excellent he was and that he shouldn't give up his pride and beliefs because of one failure.

The initial clamor from the audience gradually subsided, replaced by warm applause. They stood up and expressed their respect and encouragement for the two teachers on stage with their applause.

This applause is not only a congratulation to the winners, but also a consolation to the losers, thanking them for contributing such a wonderful game to everyone.

The nobles, including Raphael, stood up one by one. They did not hold back their applause. Although each of them had their own calculations and prejudices, at this moment, they all chose to put aside their prejudices and applaud the two teachers in the room together with the ordinary audience.

Leanne sat in the stands, watching the figures standing on the field, a warm feeling welling up inside her. She smiled at Leon, her gaze firm and focused, without any wavering; she was proud of him.

The dean, seated in the VIP section, nodded with satisfaction. He had always believed in Leon's abilities, not only as a magician, but it seemed that choosing Leon as his teacher had indeed been the right decision.

Mr. Vic stood to the side, his gaze complex. He watched Leon and Aiden on the field, a mix of emotions surging within him. He felt sorry for Aiden's defeat, as if he saw a reflection of himself in him.

Leon's eyes were full of sympathy and understanding. He looked at Aiden lying on the ground, slowly bent down, and extended his hand.

There are losers everywhere; wherever there is competition, there will be elimination. Nothing in life is ever smooth sailing; everyone experiences various setbacks. Failure, in fact, is the fastest way for a person to grow.

Leon recalled his past setbacks and hardships, those difficult years, and how he had gotten to where he was today. Although he might be seen as exceptionally talented by others, he knew that he was not born omnipotent.

He didn't say anything to comfort her, he just looked at Aiden quietly.

Aiden felt Leon's gaze, took a deep breath, composed himself, and stretched out his hand.