The announcer barely had a moment to recover from the tension of the previous battle before he raised his voice again, his excitement carrying through the arena.
"And now, onto the next match! Batu of the Ironhide Sect vs. Xie Lian of the Silent Moon Sect!"
The crowd roared once more as the two combatants stepped forward.
Batu rolled his shoulders, the sheer bulk of his frame making his movements look like shifting boulders. His green-tinted armor gleamed under the light, his Green Tortoise spirit beast manifesting behind him like a mountain of defense.
Xie Lian, by contrast, was leaner, dressed in the flowing dark robes of the Silent Moon Sect. His Assault Owl perched on his shoulder before vanishing into his shadow, its sharp eyes gleaming with intelligence. Xie Lian's expression remained unreadable, but his fingers lightly tapped the hilt of his curved blade, a habitual motion of someone always ready to draw.
As they faced off, Batu smirked. "I hope you don't plan on flying away."
Xie Lian tilted his head, his voice calm. "I don't need to."
Before Batu could retort, the announcer's voice cut through the air—
"Begin!"
Batu wasted no time. He stomped forward, the ground beneath him shaking with the force of his movement. His spirit beast's presence amplified his defenses, and his aura alone felt like an unmovable wall.
Xie Lian disappeared.
No warning. No trace.
One moment he stood there, the next he was a blur of motion, his blade already drawn, aiming for the gaps in Batu's armor.
CLANG!
A thunderous impact echoed as Batu intercepted the attack with his forearm. The blade scraped against the green armor, sending sparks flying. The force of Xie Lian's speed barely made Batu budge, and in return, the larger fighter swung his fist—a strike that could shatter bones.
Xie Lian twisted in the air, dodging mid-motion before flipping backward to regain distance.
The crowd gasped at the contrast in styles—brute strength versus deadly speed.
Kazel, watching from his seat, yawned.
(So slow.)
Salma, now seated near him, glanced his way. "Not everyone fights like a demon," she muttered.
Kazel smirked. "And that's exactly why they lose."
Back in the arena, Batu smirked. "You're fast, but I wonder how long you can keep dodging."
Xie Lian didn't respond.
Instead, he took a stance, his fingers running along his blade. The shadows beneath him wavered, the presence of his Assault Owl merging with his next attack.
Batu noticed the shift. His smirk faded.
(He's about to go for a real strike.)
The match was just getting started.
Jin Shui casually approached Kazel amidst the roaring crowd, his posture relaxed but his sharp eyes observant. He stopped a few steps away, offering a polite nod of greeting.
Kazel, without turning his head, merely closed his eyelids in acknowledgment—a subtle nod, nothing more.
Jin Shui chuckled before lowering himself onto the seat beside him. He leaned back, resting his arms on the bench as his gaze followed the ongoing battle.
"You fight a great fight," Kazel remarked, his tone indifferent yet carrying a weight that made it clear it wasn't an empty compliment.
Jin Shui tilted his head. "You think so?" A smirk tugged at his lips. "You know, I never thought coming here would earn your praise."
Kazel's eyes remained on the battlefield, but the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
Jin Shui studied him before breaking into a grin. "Do you want to kill Salma?"
Kazel finally turned his head, ever so slightly.
Jin Shui laughed softly. "Looks like I got your interest."
Kazel leaned back, resting one arm over the seat. "Want is not really the word I would use."
"Oh?"
"You think I've never killed someone before?" Kazel asked, his voice smooth, unreadable.
Jin Shui hummed, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Hmm..."
"I know you're a killer as well," Kazel continued. "But it's not enough."
Jin Shui raised a brow. "Not enough?"
"To reach the apex," Kazel clarified.
Jin Shui's smirk widened, but there was a glint in his eyes, a flicker of something contemplative.
The crowd, unknowingly, was watching two events unfold at once—the clash in the arena and the quiet yet tension-laced conversation between two battle-hardened prodigies.
Jin Shui finally broke the silence. "Between Batu and Xie Lian, who do you think will win?"
Kazel exhaled slowly. "It's a battle of perseverance." His blue eyes flickered toward the ongoing fight. "Can Xie Lian keep attacking, or can Batu keep his defense?"
Jin Shui nodded in agreement before shifting his attention elsewhere. "Then, between Mei Rong and Yuanggai?"
Kazel turned his head, scanning the two fighters. His gaze lingered on Yuanggai, then moved to Mei Rong.
"Innocence," he muttered.
Jin Shui raised a brow. "Huh?"
"Yuanggai," Kazel elaborated, "I only see innocence in him." His gaze then returned to Mei Rong. "But her… she's killed before."
Jin Shui chuckled. "And what makes you say that?"
Kazel leaned back slightly, tilting his chin toward the battlefield where Batu and Xie Lian continued their bout. "The way they carry themselves. Yuanggai still looks for justification when he moves—like he's asking for permission to act. Mei Rong? She doesn't hesitate. She already accepted the cost of taking a life."
Jin Shui whistled. "So, instinct or experience?"
"Both," Kazel answered without delay. His eyes flicked toward Mei Rong, then Yuanggai again. "Mei Rong moves with precision. She isn't reckless, just efficient. If Yuanggai underestimates her, he'll be dead before he even realizes it."
Jin Shui folded his arms, clearly entertained. "Then let's hope he surprises you."
The conversation between them carried a weight that the audience couldn't quite grasp, but those who sat near enough to listen felt an underlying tension—like two predators watching the battlefield as if it were a chessboard.
Meanwhile, Batu and Xie Lian's fight escalated. Xie Lian moved like a shadow, his blade tracing quicksilver arcs through the air, striking at Batu's armor with relentless precision. Batu gritted his teeth, his Green Tortoise spirit beast reinforcing his defense, each impact ringing out like hammer on steel.
"You're not getting through," Batu rumbled, his stance unshaken despite the flurry of attacks.
Xie Lian didn't respond. Instead, he suddenly vanished again—only to reappear above Batu, his blade descending toward his opponent's exposed shoulder.
But Batu was ready.
BANG!
With a single movement, he slammed his armored shoulder upward, meeting Xie Lian mid-air. The impact sent Xie Lian flying back, flipping twice before he landed in a crouch, his feet skidding across the arena floor.
Xie Lian moved swiftly, his body twisting mid-air as his skill activated. The Assault Owl's power surged through him, and he glided toward Batu like a phantom, his figure splitting into afterimages that darted from different angles—an illusion meant to deceive. Yet his true strike aimed directly at Batu's chest, the decisive blow intended to shatter his opponent's defenses.
Kazel sighed, shaking his head.
BOOM!
The impact echoed through the arena, a heavy crack splintering the ground beneath Batu's feet. Dust and debris kicked up from the sheer force, and the crowd held its breath.
But as the dust settled, Batu still stood, unmoved. His armor bore a shallow dent where Xie Lian had struck, but his stance remained firm—unyielding, immovable.
Then, slowly, Batu lowered his gaze.
Dangling upside down in his iron grip, Xie Lian let out a slow sigh, his expression betraying no frustration, only acceptance. "I yield."
With that, Batu released him, letting him drop to the ground.
The battle was over.
The announcer raised his voice, "The winner of the second match—Batu of the Ironhide Sect!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, though some murmured in disappointment, having expected more from the elusive Xie Lian.
Jin Shui leaned back in his seat, grinning. "Well, that was anticlimactic."
Kazel smirked. "He should have known better. A frontal assault against Batu? A waste of effort."
But Kazel's attention was already shifting.
The announcer hadn't even called for the next match, yet Yuanggai and Mei Rong were already facing each other, their eyes locked in silent defiance. Yuanggai's Blazing Roc flared behind him, its fiery wings spreading wide, casting a searing glow that shimmered against the arena floor.
Opposite him, Mei Rong stood unshaken, her Tiger Butterfly coiling around her in a mesmerizing display of grace and ferocity. Its ethereal wings pulsed with a faint golden hue, refusing to yield to the roaring flames.
The tension crackled between them, a clash of fire and elegance, aggression and precision. The crowd held its breath, knowing that even before the match had begun, a storm was already brewing.