The atmosphere in the tournament arena was heavy with the weight of the approaching storm. Silence hung, tense like a volcano about to erupt. Max and Liora locked eyes, preparing to strike like bolts of lightning. They stared at each other like two thunderbolts. The stone pavement, marked by the scars of previous battles, was now ready to feel the weight of this one. The audience in the stands rose in excitement, holding their breath to see who would win. The wind whispered the violence of the approaching battle as it blew sand into the air. Not a sound was made in the arena, as everyone kept their eyes on these two colossal forces.
Liora's eyes were like a lightning-charged sky—powerful, dark, and ready to explode. With each step, the air grew heavier, and the storm approached. As moonlight hit her hair, the energy around her visibly rippled. The moon and the wind bowed to her will. The wind danced around her, and it was clear that the storm was coming. Even the arena walls began to tremble, and the audience could feel Liora's might, which only heightened their excitement.
"Are you ready, Max?" Liora asked, her voice blending with the whisper of the wind. "I've been wanting to face you the most."
Max smiled faintly. "The real question is… are you ready?"
"And let the battle… BEGIN!"
As soon as the signal was heard, Liora moved.
"I'm eager to feel your power." Liora attacked with all her might. She had gathered the air around her into a blade. "Max. So… taste this! STORM BLADES!"
Max deflected the attacks, but he felt a slight hum behind his head. Reacting instinctively, he spun and jumped sideways. He felt a strike to his ear. The lobe of Max's ear had been pierced. Liora was directing her attacks through the air.
"AH! Playing dirty, huh? I'm not sure what you're aiming for, but right now, there's someone I'd rather fight." Max glanced briefly at Aria in the stands. The expectation in his eyes weighed heavily on his heart. "I made a promise to her… and I'll finish this fight. I can't lose…"
Liora took these words as an insult to her ability and effort. "You... are so selfish! With your innate powers, you think you deserve everything. But me... I've earned every ability with blood, sweat, and tears! It took me months to master these simple electric powers, and are you implying they're worthless? I was wrong about you, Maximilian Sterling... Very wrong. You're just a simple human born with strength. I thought you'd be the one to stop HyperNova."
As Liora entered her Storm Empress form, the tempo of the battle completely changed. Max had never felt such pressure before. Known for his speed, Liora's movements began to blur before his eyes. If he hesitated for even a second, he would lose. As silver winds spun around her, her body seemed to merge with the sky. In that moment, Max realized for the first time that a rival could push him to his limits in speed.
"Wha... What are you talking about?" Max tried to speak while fending off attacks. "HyperNova is the greatest hero, why do I need to stop him?"
Liora's voice deepened as she entered her Storm Empress form. She spoke in a booming tone. Her voice was so thunderous that every sentence was as fierce as a lightning strike. "Are you too stupid to see the truth? Everything is clear, but you're too blind to understand it."
Liora retreated, her body crackling with lightning. She gathered all the lightning into her hands. Her right arm was completely made of lightning. The energy was so intense that her arm shone like the sun.
"So... you've decided to play rough, huh?" Max's fist trembled, and the air around him rippled. "Atomic Strike!"
"Exactly, blind hero." Liora clenched her fist and began charging toward Max.
Both of them moved toward each other to land the first blow, but Liora vanished like a shadow. Suddenly, she appeared behind Max.
"CALL OF THE LIGHTNING AND THE UPRISING OF A THOUSAND BIRDS! CHIDORI!"
Max ducked just in time to dodge. Liora struck the ground, but the lightning was so powerful that it spread throughout the arena, leaving a cut across her chest. The wound was small, but Max shuddered. Liora's attacks were not only physical but shook his very soul.
"I admire the power of your attacks, Max. But... you can't use them against me!" Liora said with a smile.
Max's eyes narrowed. He suddenly gathered all his energy and slammed his fist into the ground.
"ATOMIC CHARGE!"
The blast wave rising from the ground pushed Liora back. Max approached her, gathering his power for a massive attack aimed at a single point. He formed a green ring, similar to a lantern, on his finger, and sent a concentrated beam of light from it. But at that moment, Liora had completed her preparation to release her strongest technique. Moonlight shone in her eyes. The entire arena fell silent. The air trembled as if the universe itself held its breath for a moment.
"The sky speaks to me, Max… and it rejects you! Breath of the Moon…"
Liora closed her eyes and then suddenly opened them—radiating an energy that shone like a full moon.
"FULL MOON!"
Max's attack began to circle around Liora, bending and reflecting back under the moonlight's magic. A massive atomic explosion headed toward Max, and the entire arena was engulfed in light. As the audience closed their eyes, Max felt for the first time that an attack could truly destroy him.
But at that very moment, when Liora thought she had won, a light appeared behind her. Her eyes widened as the light slowly approached her. It was a pure, green energy vibrating. In that instant, she realized... this was Max's last card.
For a moment, everything went silent. The atoms in her mind vibrated, and all reality seemed to come together and shatter. She understood his power now. This wasn't just an attack; it was breaking the fundamental rules of existence. Max took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and shouted:
"A punch that shakes the very foundation of the universe… ATOMIC STRIKE!"
All atoms trembled. As Liora's attack collided with Max's fist, the very fabric of time seemed to twist, and the explosion erupted. A massive wave of energy engulfed the arena. Liora's moonlight attack was swallowed by Max's atomic power. Instantly, everything went silent.
The echoes of the explosion still hung in the air. Max's breath was ragged as he gathered all his strength to remain standing. Liora, kneeling on the ground, gasped for air, but she managed to smile faintly.
"You... are completely insane, Max." Liora chuckled softly, blood trickling from her lips. "But, I admit... it was worth being defeated."
Max extended his hand. "Liora… You're not just strong, you're terrifying. If we ever fight again, I don't know who would win."
Max exhaled wearily, but his eyes still sparkled from the effects of the battle. "You have an incredibly unique power, Liora. You might be the only one who could defeat me. But for now... I'm the winner."
He extended his hand and helped Liora to her feet. Liora looked at him for a brief moment, then smiled faintly and took his hand.
The referee announced, "Winner: Maximilian Sterling!"
And the entire arena erupted in thunderous cheers.