Vis arrives at a packed quadrum for his duel with Ianix, noting Emissa, Aequa, Eidhin, and a full contingent of Praeceptors, with Dultatis openly presiding and Taedia displeased. Ianix looks confident and showy; Vis centers himself and ignores the spectacle. The fight begins with Ianix’s blistering offense, which Vis survives by patience and defense while searching for an opening.

Vis slips a cut through Ianix’s knee gap that should cripple the Amotus, but Ianix keeps moving. Vis calls a halt; Taedia tests and triggers a lock only when she asks Vis to replicate the hit, then rules the initial strike insufficient. The crowd jeers during the reset. Callidus appears on the Temple steps and gives Vis a silent nod of encouragement as the bout resumes.

Vis stops concealing his skill and scores another clean hit to Ianix’s shoulder that again fails to register. Concluding the Amotus is rigged and that any later investigation would come too late to affect the result, Vis decides to abandon swordplay and exploit his size and close-quarters experience to force a definitive, indisputable finish within the rules.

Vis hurls his sword to disrupt Ianix’s guard, then crashes in, tackling the Amotus to the ground. He wrenches Ianix’s sword arm until the weapon drops, pins him, and—furious at the manufactured disadvantage and what it represents—smashes Ianix’s helmeted head against the stone through the Amotus controls until Ianix is unconscious. Vis pulls off Ianix’s wooden helmet via the Amotus, revealing blood, then collapses his own Amotus and discards the equipment, ensuring the fight’s end is unmistakable.

Vis confronts the Praeceptors, tossing the bloodied helmet at Dultatis’s feet and coolly suggesting the equipment be checked. Taedia publicly declares Vis the winner and confirms his promotion to Class Five as Ianix begins to stir. With the crowd stunned and Dultatis shaken, Vis—exhausted and joyless—leaves through the parting students to get food, while Callidus disappears from view.