The arena buzzed like a living thing, a sea of faces glowing under the light of hovering mana lanterns. The air trembled with anticipation, each spectator aware that the next series of duels would reveal more than just skill—they would reveal the very essence of each participant.
The speaker's voice echoed across the stadium:
"Prepare yourselves, ladies and gentlemen! The next wave of battles is about to begin!"
A hush fell, broken only by the hum of excited magic in the air.
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Nadia Samir vs Riz Chevro
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Nadia stepped forward, water flowing around her wrists like serpents, eyes sharp and focused. Across the ring, Riz Chevro's hands glowed with condensed laser energy, his sword glowing red.
His smirk screamed confidence, bordering on arrogance.
The bell rang.
Riz fired first—a beam of pure, searing light that cut toward Nadia. She reacted instantly, raising a wall of water that absorbed the blast with a hiss, the resulting steam curling like mist around her.
"Too slow!" she muttered under her breath, sweeping her arm to send a whip of water at him. Riz leapt and twisted, lasers slicing dangerously close to Nadia's defenses.
The battle escalated rapidly. Nadia conjured multiple walls and tendrils, each strike both defensive and offensive.
Riz tried to anticipate her movements, but water flowed unpredictably. A concentrated beam struck at her feet, exploding the ground, but Nadia dissolved mid-fall into a torrent of water, reappearing meters away.
Rain started to fall around the whole ring, a slight drizzle which soon escalated into a full scale downpour.
As the ring became covered in water, a sharp icicle sprouted from the puddle of water close to his leg and was aimed at his face.
Luckily, instinctively or a mixture of both, Riz shot a laser from his eye which melted the icicle but resulted in his vision being obscured by steam.
"Was this a diversion?"Riz thought as he looked around for Nadia but it was already too late.
An icicle appeared at his side, nearly hitting him, then another, then another.
As the steam cleared he saw Nadia skating around and as she raised her hand, the multiple icicles that Riz thought had luckily missed him rose above him and covered him.
"Ice coffin!" immediately the whole structure crushed down on Riz.
A single beam blasted out but Nadia with a swipe of her hand covered in mana blocked it.
She walked to Riz who was on his knees, his legs frozen to the ground and his arms immobilized in frozen pillars of ice.
Riz's eyes glowed red, preparing his last resort when he looked to Nadia's side to see a huge water dragon floating beside her with it's ice tail behind Riz, in case of any funny actions.
"Don't do anything funny that you might regret." Nadia ordered, her voice seemingly colder than the ice he was frozen in.
Riz closed his eyes and smiled in defeat. "You win, Nadia."
The official ran in, signaling the end of the match as the ice melted into water and the rain stopped.
"Good fight," she said calmly with a smile, offering a hand as Riz groaned, still stunned by her sudden change in attitude and her high skill.
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Ren Alphonsus vs Amy Desona
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Ren Alphonsus entered next, his aura shifting as animal instincts flickered through his form.
Amy Desona floated into the arena, telekinetic power twisting debris around her into a whirling defense.
Ren shifted mid-stride. His form blurred, moving with the speed of a hawk, the strength of a bear, and the cunning of a wolf. Amy sent multiple swords, arrows, stones, and shards flying at him, but Ren's transformations allowed him to dodge, strike, and counter effortlessly.
He leapt, claws extended, and delivered a flurry of strikes that left Amy struggling to maintain control of her telekinetic objects. The crowd watched in awe as he switched forms seamlessly, blending raw power and tactical precision.
With a final leap, he pinned Amy decisively.
As the officials ran in, he stood up and raised his hand in the air.
Ren was victorious, leaving the audience roaring at his wild, fluid mastery of animal transformation.
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Judas Carlotis vs Erick Onyeman
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Judas stepped forward, a grin spreading across his face as illusions flickered into existence, multiplying him across the arena. Erick Onyeman's danger sense flared, alerting him to traps, but Judas's illusions layered reality, forcing Erick into constant calculation.
For every phantom Erick dodged, Judas shifted another, always one step ahead.
His brain and abilities started to hurt him with aches as his brain perceived each and every illusion as a real threat
Sweat glistened on Erick's brow as he struck again and again, yet the illusions anticipated him. Finally, miscalculating, he stepped into a trap. Judas struck decisively, with a clean—victory went to Judas Carlotis.
The crowd gasped, some clapping wildly, others whispering in awe at how reality itself seemed to bend under Judas's control.
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Samuel Notes vs Simon Zain
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Samuel Notes stepped into the arena, sound resonating from his body, vibrating the very ground. Simon Zain's skin sparked with electricity, arcs of lightning dancing across his arms.
"Let's see if your sound can actually hurt me," Simon said, smirking.
Samuel's sonic waves rippled outward, creating walls of compressed air that distorted Simon's arcs. Simon countered with lightning bolts, carving through the sonic vibrations. The air hummed with chaos as sound and electricity collided.
Despite Samuel's creativity, Simon's speed and precision proved decisive. With a final lightning strike that cut through Samuel's sonic shields, he incapacitated his opponent.
Throwing countless lightning strikes, he struck Samuel continuously until he was out cold.
Simon Zain emerged victorious, a wicked grin on his face, sparks flying as the audience erupted in cheers.
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Jero Ugah vs Levi Henso
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Jero Ugah stepped forward, manipulating the arena with control magic. Stones, dust, and debris twisted to his will, forming weapons and barriers. Levi Henso, four arms towering like a living battering ram, charged forward.
Jero attempted to redirect his attacks, manipulating Levi's trajectory. But Levi's strength and reach allowed him to strike multiple angles at once. Each swing and grapple pushed Jero to his limits.
Finally, a coordinated barrage of punches from all four arms broke through Jero's defenses. Levi pinned him decisively. Victory went to Levi Henso, the crowd erupting at the display of raw power and strategic combat.
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Lucas Volt vs Zeta Hex
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The final match of the round brought electricity against light. Lucas Volt crackled with arcs of power, while Zeta Hex illuminated the arena in blinding flashes.
Sparks and beams collided in a symphony of brilliance. Lucas's unpredictable currents forced Zeta to constantly adjust her attacks, her precise light beams slicing the air. But Lucas's speed and strategy kept him ahead, weaving around and striking decisively.
With one final surge of electricity, he neutralized Zeta's attack and knocked her off balance. Victory went to Lucas Volt, leaving the spectators gasping at his brilliance and precision.
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The Tournament Moves Forward
The arena erupted with excitement as all six winners advanced. Nadia's fluid mastery, Ren's animal forms, Judas's illusions, Simon's lightning, Levi's brute force, and Lucas's electric precision formed a formidable lineup for the next stage.
The crowd was shouting, some at their good luck, some from the money lost, others shouting encouragement, but one thing was certain, nobody that came today was going to miss the next day's match as this year the participants were on fire with the mages leading.
The announcer's voice cut through the roars and shouts of the audience:
"These champions have proven their strength! The tournament continues tomorrow, and the battles ahead will test skill, strategy, and courage like never before!"
The spectators buzzed with anticipation. Some champions celebrated quietly, others analyzed their next opponents. The tension was palpable—the air itself seemed to vibrate with magic.
For the winners, this was a moment of triumph. For the losers, a lesson in humility. But the tournament's true climax had yet to come. The stage was set, and the next round promised battles that would shake the arena to its core.