The moment qi flared around both combatants in the pit, the Crimson Crown Arena became deathly silent. The air felt thick, electric with anticipation. Spectators leaned forward, eyes locked onto both of the combatants below.
The Slasher crouched low, red qi pulsing around his form like a wildfire barely restrained. His twin machetes shimmered in the crimson glow, the energy coiling around the blades in flickering arcs. He exhaled slowly, the breath curling like mist in the artificial lights of the arena.
Opposite him, Dawn Guardian stood firm, his feet planted like deep-rooted pillars. The green aura surrounding his massive frame pulsed in slow, steady waves, synchronized with the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. The aura also extended to his large tower shield as it also glowed with a faint luminescence, the spikes along its surface humming with latent energy.
The two of them gave each other time to rouse their qi and activate any supporting origin techniques they wanted to.
Then, in the space of a single breath—
They both sprang into action, but Slasher mysteriously vanished.
Or at least, that's how it seemed to the untrained eye.
He had actually launched forward in a blur of motion, [Charge Strike] propelling him with explosive speed, [Titan's Might] increasing his arm and leg strength, and [Aftershock] to add a penetration attribute to his attacks. As an experienced fighter, he had mastered the art of chaining suitable techniques into a combo.
His feet barely touched the ground as he streaked across the pit, both machetes slicing forward in a crisscrossing arc, aimed for Dawn Guardian's exposed upper body.
«BOOM!»
Dawn Guardian responded with brutal efficiency by activating a defensive technique. His tower shield swung up to intercept, the reinforced metal slamming into the incoming blades with a thunderous clang! The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the arena floor, kicking up dust and rattling the nearby gates.
Slasher's attack rebounded off the impenetrable defense, but he had already anticipated it. Twisting mid-air, he flipped over the shield, his blades whistling downward. The crowd gasped—this was it, a clean strike!
«WHAM!»
Dawn Guardian twisted, using the sheer momentum of his shield to slam it into the side, forcing Slasher to abort his attack and dash away. The floor cracked under the sheer force of the impact. Had he been a fraction slower, he would've been crushed.
Slasher skidded to a stop, his machetes lowered, a feral grin stretching across his face.
"You have pretty fast reflexes," he admitted.
Dawn Guardian didn't respond. He simply lifted his shield again, settling into a defensive stance.
Slasher exhaled, then lunged again.
This time, his movements were erratic, unpredictable—feints within feints, his attacks a storm of flashing steel. His dual machetes became a blur, attacking from multiple angles in rapid succession.
«CLANG!» «CLANG!» «CLANG!»
Each strike met the massive tower shield, the resounding clashes ringing through the pit. Sparks erupted with every deflection. Dawn Guardian barely moved, pivoting his body with practiced efficiency, absorbing each impact with the weight of his shield.
Slasher pressed harder, his assault growing more aggressive. His footwork was razor-sharp, his reflexes honed to perfection. A normal fighter would've already crumbled under the sheer pressure of his relentless offense.
But Dawn Guardian was no normal fighter. With precise timing, he caught an opening.
«BAM!»
His shield slammed forward like a battering ram, catching Slasher mid-strike and sending him stumbling back.
Dawn Guardian advanced—not fast, but deliberate. His movements were heavy, measured, carrying the sheer weight of an immovable wall. Then, he lifted a hand. Green light swirling in his palm.
[Qi Blast]
Much like the Stryker who had fought before him, a sphere of energy began to form in the Dawn Guardian's hands. But this one was far more imposing—a dense, swirling mass of green light that pulsed with raw, untamed power.
The energy condensed rapidly, its surface rippling like liquid emerald, arcs of electricity flickering across its surface. The air around it warped and distorted, the ground beneath his feet trembling faintly under the sheer pressure of its creation.
With a sharp exhale, the Dawn Guardian thrust his hands forward, releasing the [Qi Blast]. It shot through the air like a comet, its trajectory marked by a spiraling trail of distorted space and a deafening roar that echoed across the arena.
Every spectator held their breath, eyes locked on the projectile as it hurtled toward its target with seemingly unstoppable force.
Slasher barely had time to react. Instinct screamed at him, and he flickered sideways, [Spring Dash] activating in an instant. The effect of [Spring Dash] allowed for instantaneous dodging of attacks, making the [Qi Blast] whizz past him, detonating against the wall behind him in a concussive burst of raw power.
"Tch." Slasher rolled his shoulders. "That was close."
He adjusted his stance and renewed his attack against Dawn Guardian. The strike originated from the side, with the blades directed towards his opponent's ribs.
«BOOM!»
The tower shield swung outward, slamming into Slasher with a force that rattled the arena. The impact sent him flying, but his red qi lessened the blow and he adjusted midair, twisting with catlike agility.
His feet found purchase against the arena wall, and in an instant, he launched forward again. He activated his [Charge Strike] and [Titan Might] combo again, this time zipping past Dawn Guardian's shield and coming in from behind, machetes flashing.
«CLANG!»
Dawn Guardian pivoted, his green qi softening the blow and his full body combat gear absorbing the rest. His foot lashed out, but Slasher ducked under the counter, rolling to the side.
As Slasher iniated another attack run and they exchanged blows, the green qi around Dawn Guardian suddenly flared as he lunged and stomped his front foot on the ground, causing a small earthquake.
He had used the origin technique, [Earth Tremor] which was designed to counter speed-type adepts or fast moving targets in general.
The force sent a shockwave through the pit as it rippled outward. Slasher did not react in time so it threw off his footing. That single misstep cost him.
«WHAM!»
A devastating backhand from the tower shield which had been boosted with added strength from [Titan's Might] caught him mid-motion. The sheer impact hurled him across the battlefield, his body slamming into the stone walls with a brutal crunch.
The audience roared.
Dust and debris crumbled from the cracked surface. For a brief moment, Slasher was still. Then, he grinned.
He tightened his grip on his machetes, his aura flaring brighter.
Dawn Guardian braced, his shield raised, his massive form unmoving.
Slasher wiped blood from his lip. "Damn! You hit almost as hard as the old man!"
Dawn Guardian didn't reply. Instead, the ground beneath him began to glow, green energy coalescing in his hand once more.
[Qi Blast]
The ball of condensed energy shot forward, dragging behind it a massive shockwave of force that shattered stone in its wake.
Slasher's pupils narrowed as he activated [Spring Dash] again, instantly moving out of the way of the barreling orb.
However, it seemed that Dawn Guardian had anticipated this as he continued to form more [Qi Blast] in his hand and hurled them towards Slasher.
«BOOM!» «BOOM!» «BOOM!»
Mini craters kept being created as Slasher dodged all the attacks and zoomed towards his opponent's flank, lunging in for a decisive strike.
But Dawn Guardian was at alert. With a quick twist, he swung his tower shield sideways, using its sheer size as a makeshift barrier. The Slasher's blades scraped against the metal, but instead of retreating, he planted his foot and launched into a rapid sequence of slashes—[Rapid Attacks]!
«CLANG!» «CLANG!» «CLANG!» «CLANG!»
His body became a whirlwind, twin blades dancing in a flurry of strikes so fast they blurred to the naked eye. The strain of the technique was immediate—his breath came in sharp, measured bursts, his lungs burning as though they had turned to fire. His vision tunneled slightly, the periphery of his sight darkening under the sheer demand on his stamina. But his blades did not stop.
Dawn Guardian gritted his teeth, reinforcing his defenses, but cracks began to form in his ironclad posture. The Slasher's attacks weren't just fast—they were persistent, relentless, unyielding.
Then came the turning point.
With a sharp inhale, the Slasher disengaged, leaping backward. A red-hot glow surrounded his body as he activated [Overload]. This was a very rare High-grade technique that massively increased the effects of whatever origin techniques the user activated for the next five seconds.
However, its drawbacks were also high. Not only did each technique that was activated consume more mental energy than normal, it excarbated any injuries or strain the user was already experiencing. That didn't detract from its usefulness though.
Dawn Guardian recognized the threat instantly. He raised his shield in preparation, green surging as he activated multiple origin techniques in unison.
The Slasher exhaled.
Then he moved.
His form became a crimson streak, [Charge Strike] launching him forward, [Titan's Might] amplifying his strength. His machetes howled through the air—but this time, he didn't aim for an opening.
He aimed for the shield itself.
The moment of impact was cataclysmic.
[STAR BREAKER!]
The moment Slasher's machetes connected with Dawn Guardian's shield, the entire pit seemed to convulse from the force of the collision. A shockwave exploded outward, a deafening boom rolling through the arena like thunder cracking the sky.
The other side of the Shockwave erupted inwards, sending a powerful reverberation through the tower shield. The metal groaned in protest, warping under the stress.
For a single moment, time seemed to stretch. The cracks on the tower shield deepened, splintering outward in chaotic veins of destruction. Sparks of green and red qi clashed violently where the shield struggled to hold. Then—
«CRACK!»
A jagged fracture ran across the surface of the massive tower shield.
Another heartbeat passed.
«CRACK!» «CRACK!»
More fractures. Spreading. Splintering.
Then, with a final, deafening crack, the unthinkable happened.
The legendary shield of Dawn Guardian, the very equipment that had earned him the title of the Immovable Fortress, had actually shattered.
The audience gasped in collective shock as shards of reinforced metal rained down like broken glass. The wall that refused to fall had finally fallen.
For the first time, Dawn Guardian stumbled.
His arms trembled from the backlash, his defenses crumbled in an instant. His breathing was heavy, his body forced to bear the full brunt of his opponent's next move.
The Slasher exhaled, a slow, measured breath, feeling the lingering reverberation of his strike course through his arms. The resistance had been immense—but he had broken through. A flicker of something flashed in his eyes—satisfaction, excitement, or maybe just the primal thrill of overwhelming an opponent.
But the fight wasn't over.
His grip tightened on his machetes. With a final surge of speed, he lunged—his machetes streaking toward Dawn Guardian's exposed torso.
The veteran fighter had no choice. With no shield to rely on, he raised his arms, Origin energy flaring to form a makeshift barrier of pure qi.
The attack landed.
A deep shockwave rippled through the pit as the Slasher's blades met resistance, carving deep into the qi barrier. The force sent Dawn Guardian skidding backward, his boots grinding against the stone floor.
For a moment, it seemed as though he would hold.
Then—his arms buckled.
The last of his defensive origin techniques shattered, his energy reserves depleted. The sheer exhaustion of tanking every attack had finally caught up to him and his knees gave out.
The arena was silent.
Not a single voice dared to break the tension.
Dawn Guardian remained on one knee, his breath ragged, his body trembling from sheer exhaustion.
The Slasher stood above him, his machetes humming with latent power. The red glow of his qi cast his silhouette in an eerie light, his breath slow, controlled. For a moment, it looked as though he would go for the kill.
A beat passed. Then another.
With a quiet exhale, he stepped back.
The fight was over.
The arena fell silent for a single breath before—
{WE HAVE A WINNER!}
The crowd's roar shook the very foundation of the arena.