Claudia manipulated the storage artifact with graceful gestures, her fingers dancing across the remote control. One by one, the testing devices vanished into the dimensional portal that materialized right beneath them. The battle arena now stretched out magnificently - a vast octagon with gleaming floors. The energy barrier dome pulsed with a blue glow, contracting until it only encompassed the combat grounds.
The Association's Director reached into his suit pocket, producing an elegantly designed smartphone. His fingers swiftly located the intended contact before pressing the call button.
"Send one special forces member to the stadium immediately. Ensure they're equipped with full combat gear," he commanded with an irrefutable tone to the recipient.
After ending the call, the Director turned his attention to Lysandra and Calista. With a hospitable gesture, he invited them to take their seats in the luxurious chairs arranged at the arena's edge. "Let's enjoy this battle from the best vantage point," he said.
Meanwhile, Claudia took her position at the arena's corner, standing tall beside Raiden. They awaited the arrival of the special forces member who would conduct a comprehensive assessment of Raiden's combat capabilities.
Shortly after, decisive footsteps echoed throughout the stadium corridors. A tall, muscular figure emerged from the entrance. Strapped to his back was a terrifying weapon - a massive halberd axe with twin blades that gleamed menacingly, as if thirsting for the imminent battle.
A bald man with piercing brown irises commanded attention. The X-shaped scar on his left cheek amplified his intimidating aura. Darkness seemed to seep from his black combat gear, creating an oppressive atmosphere. He stepped forward, confronting Claudia and Raiden with a challenging demeanor.
"So, Miss Secretary..." His deep voice resonated as he tilted his head up at Raiden with a condescending look. "This brat's gonna be my opponent?"
Despite his muscular build and height, the man was still dwarfed by Raiden's towering figure. Claudia furrowed her brows, clearly irked by the Magic Association special forces member's disrespectful attitude. She was about to reprimand him, but Raiden raised his hand, signaling her to hold back.
Claudia let out a long sigh before directing the man to the opposite corner of the arena. Meanwhile, excitement flickered in Raiden's eyes. He couldn't wait to face off against this Combat magic user who would test his newfound magical talents.
Both fighters took their positions in their respective corners. Claudia stepped to the center of the arena, ready to announce the match rules.
"Ahem—" Her voice rang out firm and clear throughout the arena. "Listen up. This is a no-holds-barred match. You're free to use your magical talents and innate skills without restrictions. The special regeneration artifacts you're carrying will activate automatic healing, regardless of how severe the injuries. Don't hold back—go all out. The fight stops if either fighter surrenders, loses consciousness, or sustains injuries too severe to continue."
The Bald Warrior drew the massive halberd axe from his back. His muscular fingers gripped the weapon's handle with his right hand, displaying undeniable strength.
"Prepare yourself, boy! There will be no mercy when I crush you!" A vicious grin adorned his hardened face, a threat intended to instill terror in Raiden's heart.
Ethereal Sight activated, igniting brilliant light in both of Raiden's sapphire irises. A silver octagram star symbol shimmered beautifully, blooming in the center of his eyes like perfectly polished gems.
With razor-sharp focus, Raiden's mystical ability unveiled information about his opponent - revealing the magical talent and innate skills of the muscular warrior before him.
'Innate Skill: Berserk Battle Aura. Magical Talent: Telekinesis.' Raiden was stunned. 'This is the first time I've witnessed someone with an innate skill, especially an offensive type of this caliber!'
"BERSERKER MODE!" A spirited roar thundered from the bald warrior.
In an instant, waves of blood-red energy emanated ominously, enveloping every inch of his body. His once-normal eyes transformed into the color of fresh blood, radiating an intimidating aura.
'So this is the true form of Berserk Battle Aura,' Raiden observed, mesmerized by the manifestation of blood-red energy emanating from his opponent's body.
Berserk energy flowed through the massive halberd axe. With lethal motion, the warrior released his weapon in a high-speed horizontal rotation. Traces of blood-red energy marked the path of the deadly attack.
Yet two meters before reaching its target, the axe suddenly veered sharply left without losing momentum. A surprising maneuver that directed the axe head toward Raiden's left side with killer precision.
"Hmm, quite a creative attack." Raiden muttered mockingly, drawing his silver saber in a flash. The saber blade clashed with the berserk aura-coated halberd axe still rotating viciously.
Blazing red sparks flew as the two weapons collided violently. Even while exerting three percent of his super strength, Raiden was gradually pushed back, leaving scratch marks on the arena floor.
'This trial tests combat ability with magical talents and innate skills. Relying on physical strength alone won't suffice.' Raiden began channeling magical energy in large quantities.
Like lightning striking, waves of ice-cold energy crept through his saber blade. A layer of pure ice formed, releasing cold vapor that danced around the sharp edge.
Utilizing direct contact between both weapons, Raiden froze his opponent's axe, halting its deadly rotation momentarily. With a perfect roundhouse kick, he returned the axe to its owner.
The bald warrior, unaware of the trap laid, casually caught his axe handle. The next second, the ice layer enveloping the halberd axe exploded violently, releasing thousands of deadly ice needles.
"You underestimated me by merely infusing that tiny bit of red energy into your axe. I could even sense the absence of killing intent in your attack." Raiden smiled faintly, watching his opponent scream in pain as dozens of ice needles mercilessly pierced his muscular body.
Taking advantage of the momentum in his favor, Raiden strengthened his footing before soaring dozens of meters into the sky. His silver saber, coated in clear ice, swung lightly to the side, leaving trails of ice crystals in its path. In an instant, five sharp medium-sized ice spears manifested, hovering statically in the air.
With perfect magical energy control precision, the five ice spears launched at high velocity. They dove sharply downward toward his opponent, who was still overwhelmed by the pain of hundreds of ice needles piercing his body.
But as a trained elite warrior of the Magic Association, the bald man's combat instincts couldn't be underestimated. Ignoring the pain wracking his entire body, he channeled a greater quantity of magical energy. A thicker blood-red berserk aura exploded outward, shattering all the ice needles still embedded in his body.
"UARRGGHH!!" A thunderous roar split the air. The halberd axe, layered with dense blood-red energy waves, swung horizontally. From the weapon's sharp edge, a semicircular berserk aura wave shot forward.
The two attacks clashed at high speed. The berserk aura wave collided with Raiden's five ice spears. Equal energy quantities caused them to mutually destroy each other in seconds, exploding violently and spreading shockwaves accompanied by cold air and micro ice shards. Thick ice mist filled the battlefield.
From behind the curtain of mist, Raiden's figure suddenly appeared mere inches before the bald warrior. An amusing expression of shock painted his fierce face, not expecting Raiden's sudden emergence.
Raiden flashed a challenging grin as he addressed the bald man, "Hello, baldy!" An icy energy surged down his right arm, forming a diamond-hard fist of ice. Without wasting a moment, he launched a deadly punch aimed directly at the man's face.
A thunderous crack echoed through the arena as the icy fist connected with devastating force. The bald man's expression twisted in pain as his nose crumpled under the tremendous pressure, sending him flying several meters back. Fresh blood erupted from his mouth, leaving a trail of crimson across the arena floor.
His body tumbled uncontrollably, carving a path of destruction through the ring as dust and debris filled the air.
"Urgh... damn, your punch packs a serious wallop," he groaned, his voice strained, every part of him throbbing with pain.
The healing artifact embedded in his body reacted immediately, a soft golden light emanating as the ancient technology worked to regenerate every damaged cell at the molecular level.
With newfound determination gleaming in his eyes, the bald man fixed his gaze on Raiden, devoid of any lingering doubt. Seven blades shot forth from beneath his battle cloak, swirling in the air around him, guided by the power of telekinesis.
With trained precision, he released the latch on his halberd's handle. The double-edged weapon separated into two lethal parts.
Raiden's eyes sparkled with excitement at this transformation. His instincts screamed that the real fight was just beginning.
A menacing aura of blood-red energy radiated from the bald man, so thick that the seven floating blades shimmered in a matching crimson glow.
Firmly grasping both halberds, he launched a horizontal slash. His body spun like a deadly tornado, both weapons creating a deadly circle of energy that sliced through the air. "Thousand Splitter!" he bellowed, unleashing thousands of crescent-shaped energy blades that shot towards Raiden like bullets.
The air hummed with lethal intent as the energy projectiles hurtled forth in an endless barrage.
In an instant, Ethereal Sight activated. Raiden's sapphire blue eyes, adorned with a shimmering silver octagram, perceived the world around him in slow motion. Every trajectory of attack became as clear as the threads of fate unfurling in the air.
With flawless precision, he deflected the lethal strikes using his thick, ice-coated saber, while his body danced gracefully through the gaps in the onslaught, moving as fluidly as water.
For the spectators, the display was mesmerizing. Each of Raiden's movements flowed like a deadly dance, honed through thousands of hours of training, as though he could read the future with absolute accuracy.
Any remaining energy blades that slipped through struck the protective dome of the arena, vanishing without a trace as if swallowed by darkness.
"What kind of movement is that?!" the bald man exclaimed incredulously. "It's impossible for a beginner to counter my attack!"
Raiden grinned with satisfaction, positioning the tip of his saber in a thrusting stance. "Cryo-beam!" he shouted triumphantly.
Cold energy coalesced along the length of his sword, concentrating into a brilliant point of light before shooting forth like a high-speed laser. A trail of ice formed in its wake, ultimately striking the bald man squarely.
In an instant, a wave of frost surged from the outside in, encasing the bald man in a thick layer of ice, resembling a perfectly sculpted crystal statue.
Yet strangely, amidst the total freeze that immobilized him, the seven blades continued to dance gracefully around him, as if he remained conscious and capable of wielding his telekinetic prowess.
In accordance with Raiden's keen analysis, the bald man indeed displayed remarkable mastery over magical energy. Without hesitation, he unleashed a lethal attack, releasing seven blades shrouded in high-intensity Berserk Aura. The weapons spun at nearly imperceptible speeds, creating a terrifying phenomenon of blood-red waves forming a horizontal tornado in the air.
"What impressive capabilities from a special forces member of the Magic Association!" Raiden exclaimed with burning enthusiasm, while his body moved like lightning to the right, evading an attack that could claim his life in an instant.
The seven blades, controlled by high-level telekinesis, performed subtle maneuvers, relentlessly pursuing Raiden without losing momentum. Traces of red aura formed curved tornados along their movement paths, producing a spectacular sight that was both deadly and mesmerizing.
With absolute concentration and perfect visualization, Raiden channeled precise amounts of magical energy into every inch of his saber. The energy condensed perfectly, forming a giant sword layer of pure ice that sparkled like the world's most pristine crystal.
At the precise moment when the formation of seven blades approached, Raiden executed two diagonal slashes at speeds beyond naked eye perception. Two crescent-shaped ice waves shot through the air, carrying a deadly combination of cold energy and millions of microscopic ice shards whose hardness and sharpness surpassed the finest diamonds.
Both ice waves collided with the Berserk Aura-layered blade formation in a colossal impact. Tremendous shock waves propagated throughout the battle arena, crushing and pulverizing anything that dared obstruct their path.
Without wasting a single second, Raiden swung his ice saber in an impressive horizontal motion. The third ice wave shot forth like a meteor, delivering the finishing blow that shattered the seven flying blades as if they were merely thin papers in a storm.
The three ice waves split and destroyed the Berserk Aura-layered blades with stunning grace, as if merely cutting through thin mist. Meanwhile, the bald man could only free his head from the ice prison, while his entire body remained trapped in the merciless cold crystal.
"Hah... this ice restraint is truly troublesome," he panted. "But by the ancestors, what was that attack?! Throughout my career, I've never seen an ice magic user integrate sword techniques in such an astounding way!" he exclaimed with a trembling voice, not just from amazement but also from enduring cold that seemed to penetrate to his bone marrow. "Even special blades enhanced with Berserk Aura couldn't withstand its destructive power," he muttered with undisguised frustration.
With graceful, authoritative movement, Raiden sheathed his saber, then directed his right palm toward the still-confined enemy. The ice imprisoning the bald man underwent a horrifying transformation, sprouting hundreds of dagger-sharp ice spikes that pierced through flesh and vital organs.
The sound of successive stabs shattered the battle arena's silence in a terrifying manner. Fresh blood gushed like a waterfall from the widening ice cracks, soaking the ground below until it formed a deep red pool. The man's face grew increasingly pale, while blood continued flowing endlessly from his trembling mouth.
"ARGHHHHH!" His scream of agony echoed through the heavens, tearing through the air with an intensity that could make one's hair stand on end.
"End this and surrender," Raiden spoke with a tone as cold as his ice weapon. "Even with the strongest healing artifacts, your body won't regenerate while foreign objects remain embedded within. With injuries this severe, it's impossible for you to control magical energy with the required precision."
"I... will never surrender," the man persisted, his voice weak and stammering but his eyes still blazing with an unwavering determination.
Raiden's expression darkened like the sky before a storm. "As an experienced magic user, you display a disappointing lack of wisdom," he stated with a heavy tone laden with disappointment and suppressed anger.
Without hesitation, Raiden channeled vast amounts of magical energy into his eyes, activating his innate skill Ethereal Sight. His sapphire blue irises shone with blinding intensity, manifesting the sacred silver octagram star symbol that radiated both beauty and terror.
Dread Aura emanated from his eyes like a death mist, enveloping the opponent's body with thick, haunting silver-blue waves. The bald man screamed in terror as his mental fortitude and determination were forcibly shattered by power far beyond his capabilities, before consciousness finally abandoned him to absolute darkness.