Stumped in his myriad of thoughts, Darwin's slit eyes gaze upon a territory of unknown.
But such is a common occurance in the world of Hollows.
The strong prevails, all sorts of schemes and methods are within probability.
Darwin strokes his chin with his unusually jittery fingers with no signs of calming down.
'It's good. It protects about half of his body, but what about his front?'
With determination far surpassing his previous self, Darwin sinks into his mind, coming up with strategies and ways to deal with his problems.
Employing his analytical vision, he delves into a separate realm where everything in his world view was hollowed out, leaving Reishi particles, nerves and muscle twitches.
The ginormous black shell was invisible to his eyes as it uncovers the truths behind it.
Looking at the shell with a hint of intrigue, expressed by the sudden uprising of his lips, Darwin was beyond fascinated.
'A shell channeled by a unique Reishi manipulation. It's as if Reishi is giving life or energy to this shell, allowing its defenses to skyrocket.'
Understanding the hidden mechanics, Darwin, the challenger, begins forming a previous ability he had used before.
A gust of miasma rises above, he then crafts with focus manifesting an extremely condensed miasmic ball.
This ball, small and unappealing to the naked eye, carries a subtle and destructive message.
Flicking his index finger, the surprise package moves at a speed where dodgable. This gesture was bound to raise suspicion, but expectations and reality come at unexpected times.
"Sweet Presento!"
Moving subtly and ominously towards the huge figure, the eerie feeling increases as the anticipation of the attack is within reach. The Gillian turns around yet again to defend himself from the slow moving attack.
Standing near their vicinity, Lucaca and Gorr who were fighting with each other, couldn't help but retreat to the left or right side of the Battle Arena.
The commentator gasps, the shock and anxiety runs thick in the air as the spectators observe with utter mesmerisation.
Their gulps were clear, they had never imagined that the new challenger would be strategic and subtle with his sneeky tactics.
The audience expression shift to that of a boiling yearn for unexpected outcomes. Their droolling lips, a clenching of fists, and an attentive eye for what's about to come.
As the attack touches the metal hard shell, the delivered impact was extremely powerful. It exploded profusely, shrapnel of the once lustrous or seemingly indestructible shell was turned into rubble.
The Gillian coughs out blood from the force, shaking their insides rigorously. However, unbeknownst to the lingering effects, its steps stagger involuntarily as if its body couldn't actualise what it wanted with its thoughts.
Its eyes, filled with a crimson red, lay bare upon Darwin who was surprised by his own power.
Darwin who theorised it to atleast deal good damage haven't thought this outcome to be the case, a leap of confidence.
'That small scratch was an opening to a heavier artillery. A bomb that explodes deeper than the surface will fare differently than if it didn't.'
Plummeting to their knees, their once serene expression was swayed by a tinge of sadness, regret and self-loathing.
Darwin noticed its dark expression, then delivered a strong, powerful finisher—one that left the body intact.
There was no sense of overwhelming joy, no sense of emotion behind this evolution. Darwin quietly walked back, like a darkened silhouette with melancholy in his wake.
He lays seated, absorbing all the knowledge he had gained from an intimate conversation.
Captilising on the weakness of his opponent left a sour aftertaste. This wasn't what he had in mind when coming to the dark side. This was the side he hadn't choose to come—it was a side he was forced to embark.
'Will you live to take vengeance on me? Or will you carve a different path? We will see… unique Gillian.'
A quiet storm, a short-lived breeze swept up on Darwin's silence as he continues watching another fight.
"DOWN! Fredd could not bear the brunt of the explosive attack. Till now, it still rings in my ear!" The bat-like Adjucha said with fervent admiration, delivering a final conclusion as he riles up the audience. The loud drumming, the smashing of gongs, the crowd rise up in awe and cheers.
"That roaring power wants to burst forth from that small exterior." A masked vip rests his head on his restless fists. His gaping eyes, his grinning smile, it was frolicking at the idea of wanting Darwin to himself.
Chuckling to themselves, another vip with a feminine voice said, "Hopefully you don't bid for this one…"
Her razor sharp eyes lock onto Darwin like a string wrapped around his body attached by the puppeteer.
Others in the crowd were the same, their eyes on Darwin were vicious. As if everyone was ready to bite each other wherever they see fit.
—
"As expected! My rival, what is your name?" Laughing in admiration, Gorr fervently asked in respect for his one and only nemesis.
Like the calm before the storm, the hatchet to the new Darwin was nothing short of mystery.
Even with his diamond fists, Gorr proceeds with caution. The look on Darwin's quiet demeanour sends shivers down his spine.
A streak of sweat crawls at his neck, telling him that this wasn't but a normal fight.
"Darwin."
Gorr crushed the skull of Lucaca Muzi, the black Adjucha under his palms.
He walked with power, the weight of each step had a gravitational effect on Darwin.
The two stood on opposite ends, their vision intertwined, it was locked in the middle.
Nothing could change their view, nothing could get in their way. This was a fight they both agreed upon without a single word.
The air began to distort at their immense Reiatsu, many in the crowd left feeling pained from their exchange.
But others with keen eyes watch as these two monsters slowly but surely duke out till this whole stadium was under ground level.
"I am Gorr."
While his exterior was like a tough and hardened shell, his inner self was smiling, grinning in roaring anticipation.