The clash between #3 and #280 instantly erupted. The young woman, #280, wasted no time, drawing her steel bow and unleashing a relentless barrage of arrows towards #3. The arrows seemed to materialize out of thin air every time she pulled the string back on her bow.
Each arrow gleaming with the metallic sheen of her metal elemental mana as they condensed into their arrow shapes before being quickly launched toward her opponent like a machine gun.
#3, wielding his fiery whip, moved with swift reflexes, doing his best deflecting and parrying against the onslaught of arrows. Each crack of the whip sent sparks flying as the metallic mana clashed against flames. This created a dazzling display of fireworks going off in the middle of the arena.
"Is that all you got? Just overwhelm me with arrows? Do you think your steel can withstand my flames? FLAMES MELT STEEL!" #3 taunted, his voice confident as he countered each arrow.
Unfazed, #280 narrowed her eyes, her focus unwavering as she performed her next move. With a sudden flourish, she unleashed a burst of steel mana from her inner heart world, enhancing the velocity and power of her arrows. The projectiles flew faster and with greater force, testing #3’s defensive capabilities.
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As the intensity of the battle escalated, #3 found himself being pushed back. The relentless assault of arrows forcing him to step further away from #280, out of range of his whip’s abilities.
Sensing an opportunity, with him finally where she wanted him, #280 activated her battle art, "[Steel Cage]!"
With a swift and precise shot, she launched a unique looking—specially enchanted—arrow that split into a myriad of smaller arrows in mid-air.
Each arrow found its place in an intricate pattern, creating a dome-like cage that quickly landed around #3. The cage was formed with such precision that there were only tiny gaps between the arrows, making escape seem impossible and visibility inside or nearly impossible.
Inside the steel confines, #3 assessed his situation and reacted quickly. "This cage won’t hold if I just melt it," he muttered to himself, his determination unwavering as he focused his mana, preparing to use that same trump card he had done earlier.
Meanwhile, #280 reinforced the [Steel Cage] from a distance, channeling her mana into it to maintain its integrity. Sensing an opportunity, #280 also summoned her elemental spirit, a giant steel rat, behind her. With a silent command, it burrowed through the arena’s checkered marble floor, preparing to strike from below as part of their special move.
Unfortunately, little did she realize that the intense heat building within the cage was beginning to reach extreme levels, the metallic arrows on the inside glowing red-hot from the proximity to #3’s flames.
The air crackled with energy as #3 had summoned his flame elemental spirit already to heat up the place. "Flammus, unleash your fire!" he commanded, the elemental responding with a surge of scorching heat aimed directly at the care, the same flame ray used earlier but not against this cage.
The steel arrows, subjected to the intense heat, began to warp and soften. Small rivulets of molten metal dripped down, creating a sizzling symphony as the flames licked at the cage’s structure.
Before #280 could react, the giant steel rat emerged from below, aiming to strike at #3’s vulnerable position. However, the intense heat had taken its toll on the creature. With a pained screech, it vanished in a flash of light, leaving #280 stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Realizing her mistake too late, #280 faltered, her mental focus shattered by the damage to her elemental spirit.
This gave #3 the opening he needed. As #3’s flames intensified, the weakened structure of the cage finally gave way.
With a resounding crash, the steel arrows collapsed, freeing #3 from his confinement. He then closed the distance between them in an instant.
"Your cage was impressive, but like I said before, flames melt steel. Good luck next time," #3 declared, his whip crackling with a blaze of fire as he delivered the final blow.
The flames engulfed #280 as she fell to the ground in agony, her steel armor beginning to melt under the relentless heat. Thankfully, saving her dignity, the arrays activated swiftly and teleported #280 away to safety as #3 stood victorious, his flames dancing triumphantly. He then quickly exited the stage to allow the next competitors, #187 and #186, to fight...
or so #3 thought until he glanced at the other stage and saw they were already fighting.
The next opponents on this stage would be the duel between competitors #423 versus #16. Yet, the stage needed to repair itself first. Thankfully the announcer used her handheld slate-object to hit some button on the array’s controls to have the stage auto repair itself in a flash as soon as #3 stepped off.
For the entire duration of #3’s fifteen minute fight, the other stage’s battle had concluded in a particularly shocking and quick fashion! Going back to the start of that battle....
The duel between #42 and #500 unfolded in a slightly bizarre manner.
Contestant #500 had remembered this opponent of his as the quick and speedy guy during the battle royale stage. He thought to himself, ’Hehehe, I’ll let him tire himself out first. He’ll zip, zip, zip around my dome and won’t even be able to touch me. I’m a genius strategist. My master should praise me once I beat this idiot."
Using his, somewhat questionable logic, he believed he could just use the "winning strategy" of him letting his tire himself if he just immediately began turtling up.
His master always said that it’s best to, "Feel the soil. Be the soil. Become the Earth." and contestant #500 always tries to live by that mantra with his logic and battle arts. That was the reason why he was so dirty that Lassim noticed and thought he needed a bath.
#500, ready to unleash his patient and "strategic" approach, began the battle with a swift gesture. He conjured a dome of compacted earth around himself, blending seamlessly into a dome that matched the arena’s checkered floor; except it was all brown soil. The dome, infused with his earth mana, shimmered with a slight earthen green protective energy.
As the dome solidified, #42 couldn’t contain his amusement, a smirk playing on his lips before turning into hysterical laughter. He laughed so hard for nearly 10 seconds that between breaths he uttered out, "Did the dirt get all the way into his brain?," before continuing laughing.
Undeterred and amused by #500’s defensive stance, #42 surged forward with a quick ZAP, lightning trailing behind him like a cloak of sparks. He appeared atop the dome with lightning dancing along his elemental spirit weapon—the needles in his hands.
#42 focused his lightning mana, channeling it into the needles clutched in his hands. The needles, crackling with the powerful lightning energy, began to fuse together into a single, elongated needle that was charging to its limit.
"#500, your strategy is admirable, but I’m afraid you’ve been playing in that dirt for too long. I think you let some earthworms eat out your brains," #42 called out, his voice carrying over the crackling energy shooting out from the charging needle.
After nearly two full minutes of putting all of his mana reserves into charging the giant needle, a flash of violet brilliance trailed the needle as #42 plunged it into the earthen dome.
The needle struck the shoulder of it’s target, and a surge of electricity surged through #500. There was literally no defenses on his part other than the dome that was easily pierced by the sharp needle.
The attack immediately incapacitated him instantly. The lightning’s intensity was such that it halted his heart momentarily at the same time as the array system reacted, whisking his body away to safety.
The most remarkable spectacle occurred as there was now no target for the still nearly fully charged needle. Like the hand of the Elder God of Lightning, Famthar, a giant pillar of lightning erupted from the top of the dome and engulfed nearly the entire arena.
Thankfully the arena’s arrays protected both the audience and the other arena. The walls on the side of the other arena was actually momentarily completely blacked out, preventing any distraction occurring during contestants #3 and #280’s battle.
After the lightning mana dissipated the scene returned to normal with only #42 standing there with a smirk on his face. #42 stood atop the now shattered dome, his giant needle now only slightly crackling with residual static energy from the somewhat reckless attack as he was amused in the aftermath of his lightning-fast victory.
He hopped down from the dome, a bit drained, and headed towards the free mana recovery potions and chair on the side.
The audience in the arena fell into a stunned silence, the aftermath of the lightning strike leaving an electrifying tension in the air. Though shocked by the abrupt end, they couldn’t help but applaud the sheer power displayed, allowing a unique and somewhat easy victory to the lightning spirit warrior combatant.
As the stage reset for the next duel, the twins entered with a synchronized jump into the middle of the arena.
#187, with her day elementally powered chakram, faced off against #186 with his dagger. He was ready to unleash his void infused, shadow battle arts. They both stood ready on the restored stage to begin their battle.