As the intense battle between #187 and #186 reached its climax, the next duel had already begun in the other arena.
Lassim had been intrigued at the start of the ongoing fight between the twins, but most of the arena soon became engulfed in darkness after the first moves when the shield had exploded.
He wasn’t able to see the action very well and had been slightly annoyed. If he had a better ability to see into the darkness, he probably would’ve kept his focus there.
With his sense being hampered, he also wondered if his vision might improve to be able to see through the darkness in the future when he continued to advance in cultivation. He decided to try and remember to ask Hallen later, but the thought was fleeting as two people took to the other stage.
In the middle of that battle between light and shadow, the previous bout between #3 and #280 had ended. Shortly after, the stage was quickly restored and #16 and #423 jumped up onto the stage to begin their battle. This was when Lassim looked over and noticed them taking their positions.
Due to the other arena still being a mass of shadows, and the fact that he was particularly invested in #16’s performance due to his bet, he had shifted his focus to the start of her duel when she appeared on stage.
"Oh look! She’s about to fight again," Lassim remarked to Hallen, gesturing toward the stage where #423 and #16 were facing off. "I’ve got a special feeling about #16’s power. I think she’s probably the strongest out of everyone!"
"Oh, you have a special feeling, eh?" Hallen gave Lassim a nice poke to his rib with a knowing side eye.
Lassim just rolled his eyes, saying, "Not like that old man…," before focusing his attention on the battle that was about to commence.
The duel started with #423, a young man with tan skin and short black hair, presenting a bow in a courteous gesture towards #16. He didn’t say anything but just summoned his elemental spirit, a massive creature unlike anything Lassim had seen before.
The creature towered on four limbs, with big, flappy ears and an elongated nose resembling a tree trunk, albeit flexible like an appendage. It had ornately decorated tusks with golden rings and fiery red gems that sparkled in the sunlight. The tusks extended from its mouth, creating a majestic and formidably royal appearance or vibe.
On its back was like a miniature throne-like seat or perch for a person to stand, also ornately decorated in the same princely manner as well.
Taking advantage of his spirit’s height, #423 swiftly ascended to the top of the creature’s perch, wielding a fire-emblazoned crossbow. The crossbow’s design, adorned with intricate gold patterns reminiscent of the tusks and perch, added to the spectacle of their combination.
Without hesitation, #423 then unleashed a rapid barrage of arrows from his crossbow, aiming down at #16.
However, she moved with grace and agility, dancing across the stage as if engaged in a mesmerizing performance. Her movements were fluid and effortless, evading the projectiles with finesse.
As #16 danced, her twin fans moved with her, creating mesmerizing patterns in the air.
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Meanwhile, beneath her feet, pools of water began to gather, reflecting the light from above and creating a stunning visual effect. The stage beneath her seemed transformed into a serene lake, enhancing the enchanting aura surrounding #16.
The audience watched in awe at #16’s elegance and performance, as if they weren’t watching a duel but someone performing an act they might see at the theater or a circus.
Despite the onslaught of arrows, she remained composed and tranquil, captivating everyone with her dance and water elemental technique.
Lassim couldn’t help but feel mesmerized by her performance. That was when he felt a tug on his senses that brought him out of the daze he was going into by Mari.
Marinelle calmly sent her burst of mana towards their mental connection, ’Be careful, Lassim. She’s controlling the ripples from her dance and the arrows landing in the lake to entrance her opponent. It seems like she’s using some sort of hypnotizing effect that doesn’t have much direction. It looks like she can’t specifically target anyone in particular with it, so you got affected."
’Do you think I can do something like that, or can you control water ripples like her?’ Lassim, now more clear-headed and vigilant, asked.
’I’m sure I’ll be able to if I understand the hypnotic principle behind it, my dear. It’s just, we’d need to learn a bit more first.’ Mari responded with her calm and soothing voice reflecting in Lassim’s mind.
As the young tan man continued his barrage of arrows towards #16, his initial precision gradually gave way to being a flurry of erratic shots. His aim was off and was being more misaligned with his target as the seconds passed.
The tension in the arena went in an odd direction as it became accentuated by the rhythmic swaying of the man’s elemental creature. The creature, a massive behemoth of a beast, began dancing as if it was listening to some sort of music. It gyrated with #16’s graceful dancing and movements. Its ornate tusks gleaming in the light reflected from the pool of water that had reached its feet.
Meanwhile, #16’s dance grew more intricate and mesmerizing. Her twin fans moved in perfect harmony with her steps. The pools of water beneath her feet began to swirl and ripple, reflecting the light above..
Sensing her opponent’s focus was gone and they were fully entranced, #16 gracefully approached the elephant.
With a sudden burst of control over the water mana in the mini lake she had spread across the arena floor, she directed a surge of the liquid forward, shaping it into a giant "X" that cut across the beast’s trunk and face. Blood oozed from the wound, causing a pained reaction from #423 and his creature, snapping them out of their daze.
Enraged, #423 and his elemental creature went red-eyed as they retaliated. The beast lifted its trunk, swelling in the middle, before it blew out with a dramatic trumpet. With the trumpeting sound roaring over the cheers of the crowd, it conjured a blazing fireball that hurtled towards #16. The blaze threatening to burn her to a crisp!
Remaining composed, #16 drew upon her mastery over the water element. She summoned the pool of water again into a swirling barrier sphere, reminiscent of the one she had used in the battle royale.
With fluid movements at a close range, she sent razor-sharp slices of water towards the creature’s legs, each strike cutting deep into its flesh.
The beast, unable to endure the onslaught, its legs leaking with fountains of blood, collapsed to its knees.
This rocked the perch on it’s back forward, throwing #423 off balance. As he struggled to maintain his footing on the creature’s back, #16’s fans continued their dance, controlling the water with finesse.
Completely losing his balance, he fell off the back of his elemental spirit, still holding tightly to his crossbow.
With a flourish, #16 came to an abrupt stop in her dance as she then directed the entire pool of water towards #423, uttering the command "[Drown]." The water surged around him, catching him as he was falling through the air and enclosing him in a tight, watery prison.
Desperation etched on his face, #423 attempted to fire bolts through the water using his weapon to create air pockets. Yet he couldn’t summon any fire element mana particles through the air to materialize the bolts onto his weapon. #16’s control over the water mana was strong, tightly bound and deflecting his fire mana.
He even tried to use his own internal mana pool to heat up and evaporate the water, but no matter what he tried, she held too much control over the watery prison and easily prevented any escape.
Gasping for breath within the aquatic prison, #423’s struggles were in vain as he began to drown, the water pouring in through his nostrils and into his now open mouth.
In a sudden flash of light, he was teleported away, leaving #16 as the undeniable victor.
With the grace of a seasoned dancer performing her finishing moves, she concluded her recital with a fashionable twirl.
She dispersed the lake of water into shimmering droplets that rose up and hung in the air, marking the end of a captivating and victorious display of skill and control.
"What a wonderful performance by our contestants, please give a round of applause for another victor, #16! #16, please head off the stage and relax before the next round." The crowd cheered and clapped at the announcer’s report.
Continuing, the announcer gave a quick reminder to the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the final duel between contestants #307 and #69 is just about to begin on the other stage! Please place your final bets and let’s witness their glory!"