★70
THIRD POV
MATCH 98
Nori adjusted his short blonde hair, matching the simplicity of his plain shirt-sleeve suit and gloves.
Across from him, Raiden, an elf with long black hair neatly tied into a bun, stood tall in a sleek, obsidian long-sleeved suit with matching gloves.
The two faced each other, their stances calm but tense, anticipation rippling through the air as the crowd held its breath for the next battle.
Without wasting time, Atlas commenced the match
Raiden unleashed a torrent of lightning, each bolt crackling through the air toward Nori. He raised an Earth Wall in desperate defence, but the sheer force of the electricity shattered it instantly.
With a swift motion, Nori bent the ground to his will, jagged spikes erupting from every corner of the arena. Raiden hovered above, forced to dodge the lethal terrain below.
"Good."
Nori said with a smirk, his stance steady.
"Not bad."
Raiden muttered.
'Keeping myself mid-air will drain my magical energy. I need to end this as soon as possible.'
Spikes erupted from the ground like jagged arrows, some reloading and firing again, while others remained embedded, preventing any attempt to land.
"Um—that'll be disturbing. Raiden might lose if he doesn't end this quickly."
Asteri remarked, his gaze fixed on the arena.
"That's true. He is faster than Nori, so he will definitely have an advantage."
Towa replied, her tone measured, eyes tracking every movement.
"Exactly."
Both remained silent, their focus unbroken, watching the duel unfold.
Raiden continued to bombard his opponent with relentless lightning bolts, maintaining his dome-shaped barrier to deflect the spikes erupting from the ground. The barrier held firm, unshaken by the repeated assault.
'He's running low. Now's my time.'
"Gravel Steel."
Nori's earth magic flickered briefly, and he drew the surrounding ground into himself, moulding it into a sleek, black stone armour. The thin yet resilient plating hugged every contour of his body, so precise it could have been mistaken for forged steel.
Each piece of gravel-polished caught the light, giving the armour a faintly mechanical sheen, leaving not a single inch of his form exposed.
He spread his palm, an earthly sword moulded from his armour. Then he approached Raiden with a slash. Any mage who can't move with the aid of elements like wind and lightning would've died that instant.
Lightning flashed, and Raiden found himself on the ground, his fingers on his bloodied neck.
'If I were a second less, I'd have lost my head right now. This is getting interesting.'
His eyes crackled with lightning, but Nori won't all skill activation. He dove, stomping down, yet Raiden sidestepped, the impact creating a deep crater beneath him.
Electricity coiled around Raiden's fists as he struck again, nearly catching Nori off guard. A massive earthen wall erupted in response, absorbing the blow before crumbling into jagged spikes that surged toward Raiden. He crossed his arms instinctively; the force hurled him toward the arena's edge.
As his body slammed against the walls, earthen ropes whipped around him, binding him tight.
Nori charged, fist aimed like a spear.
"Aegis Spike!"
A deafening explosion shook the arena on impact. Dust and debris swirled, revealing sparks of blue lightning dancing through the wreckage.
"You're kidding…?"
"Impossible!"
Eto's soft chuckle cut through the chaos.
Raiden, on the verge of losing his head to Aegis Spike, gritted his teeth—halting the attack entirely. The crowd erupted in stunned uproar.
'Impossible…with his…teeth?'
Even Nori froze, disbelief etched across his face.
Raiden's eyes blazed with lightning fury.
"Pseudo Blaze!"
A lightning explosion erupted and Nori fled immediately, his gaze fixed on sight.
'I'm running low on magicule. In fact, I'm surprised I stayed for this long.'
"Not on my watch!"
He snapped his fingers, and his armour began to liquefy, flowing like molten metal as it concentrated around his hands. They twisted and spiralled, forming a drill-like shape.
With a sudden burst, he shot forward, leading with his right hand like a missile of pure force.
"Quake Drill!"
As he advanced toward Raiden, his peripheral vision caught a sudden movement or, rather, the presence of someone, Raiden himself. Time seemed to stretch, each second dragging as Raiden closed in, then surged past Nori with lightning-like speed.
Nori landed hard, pivoting sharply. Blue arcs of lightning danced across his gravel-polished armour before erupting violently. From his right hand to his face, the armour shattered,scattering fragments like molten shards.
His eyes widen as he looks at the monster in front of him. Raiden's entire body was sparkling with blue lightning, his black hair flickering uncontrollably. His eyes were glowing light blue. Nori stood frozen, unable to attack.
"You're wide open."
Raiden's words struck like thunder, and Nori convulsed as electricity surged through him. He sank to his knees, his vision swimming with sparks of light.
"I… can't lose… not here… not now… I'll win!"
He roared, enduring, his armour knitting itself back together, cracks sealing as if defying death itself. With both fists charged, he lunged forward.
"Die!"
Ban moved to intervene, but Shinn's hand caught his arm. The outcome would be decided here and now—any interference would only shatter the match.
"Thunder Bolt."
Raiden snapped his fingers downward, and the heavens obeyed.
Lightning tore through the sky, striking Nori with merciless precision and devastating force. Nori's armour exploded into fragments, and a torrent of electricity coursed through him, leaving him motionless. In that instant, Nori collapsed—completely unconscious, utterly defeated.
The coliseum held its breath, a stunned silence stretching until a lone voice finally pierced the stillness.
"Raiden wins."
Shinn's voice rang out. The crowd erupted instantly, a thunderous roar of cheers and applause shaking the coliseum to its core.
Raiden, who was still in his form, approached Nori and attempted to touch him before Ban caught his hand.
"The match's over. You've won."
Lightning coursing over Nori's body was absorbed harmlessly, dissipating into the air. He stirred slowly, the hum of residual energy fading.
For a tense moment, the arena held its breath, waiting. His eyes blinked open, the faint glow of power still lingering, and he sat up deliberately, letting the silence stretch.
After making it through these past days, he had been eliminated. This proves Raiden is simply stronger than him. A calm smile finally curved Nori's lips.
"Congratulations, Raiden."
The words caught everyone off guard—Nori was the first to extend congratulations to the victor.
The electricity dissipated entirely from his form as he offered a hand to Nori. Rising to his feet, he met the gesture with composure.
"You did good, Nori. You should be proud of yourself."
"Huh, are you mocking me?"
Raiden let out a short laugh, turning away without a word.
"You're ignoring me now!"
Unbothered, Raiden strode past, exiting the arena. Leaning casually against the wall, his next opponent awaited, observing silently.
"Don't keep that face tomorrow."
Natsu called, his crimson eyes blazing with intensity.
"You'll need more than that to scare me," Raiden replied with a teasing smile, brushing him off effortlessly.
"Just hours left."
He added, and in an instant, his form was swallowed by flames, disappearing from sight.
To be continued...