Karl stood on one side of the battlefield, his hammer resting heavily on his shoulder, his stance firm and confident. On the opposite side stood Doran, gripping his own hammer tightly, a wide grin stretching across his face. Both of them looked eager, not a hint of hesitation in their eyes. The moment the referee signaled the start of the match, neither of them wasted even a second.
They both lunged forward at the same time.
Their hammers met mid-air with a massive clang, the sound echoing throughout the arena. The impact was so powerful that even the ground beneath them trembled slightly. Almost in perfect sync, both jumped back, creating a small distance, only to charge at each other again immediately.
Another clash.
And then another.
It was as if both were testing each other's strength, measuring power, speed, and reaction. Neither was willing to give an inch.
Karl suddenly shifted his approach. With a strong downward swing, he smashed his hammer into the ground. The impact caused large chunks of rock to rise into the air. Without wasting time, Karl swung again, striking those chunks one by one. The large pieces shattered into smaller fragments, and with great speed, they shot toward Doran like a barrage of stone bullets.
Doran reacted instantly.
He mirrored Karl's move almost perfectly. Smashing his own hammer into the ground, he sent chunks of rock flying up and struck them mid-air. His fragments collided with Karl's incoming attack, destroying them before they could reach him. The battlefield filled with dust and debris, but the attacks canceled each other out completely.
Karl's eyes showed a hint of surprise, followed by a small smile.
He didn't pause.
Closing the distance quickly, Karl rushed toward Doran. But Doran had just finished defending and wasn't fully ready. Karl's hammer was already mid-swing, coming straight at him. Doran reacted at the last moment, he let go of his hammer and jumped backward to avoid the hit.
Karl laughed.
He saw an opportunity.
With Doran's hammer lying on the ground, Karl positioned himself near it, guarding it carefully. Now Doran had only two options, either give up or come forward to retrieve his weapon. Karl looked confident, almost certain that he had the upper hand.
Doran chose.
He charged forward.
Karl was ready. The moment Doran entered his range, Karl swung his hammer with full force. Just as the hammer was about to connect, Doran leapt upward. The strike missed, but Karl was already prepared for a follow-up attack.
Doran dropped low instantly, almost lying flat to avoid the second swing. Using that position, he pushed himself forward by bracing against Karl's leg, reaching out for his hammer. In one smooth motion, he grabbed it and got back on his feet.
Karl didn't let him settle.
"Wavey Hammer!"
Karl raised his hammer high and brought it down. But just before it touched the ground, it stopped. A powerful shockwave burst out from the impact point, spreading across the battlefield. The invisible force hit Doran directly, throwing him off balance.
Karl took advantage immediately.
He rushed in and struck Doran with a clean hit. The impact sent Doran flying backward, crashing into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. For a moment, it seemed like Karl had taken control completely.
But then,
Out of the dust, Doran came running back.
Karl's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected Doran to recover so quickly. Doran swung his hammer with full force. At the last second, Karl managed to block with his own hammer, but the impact traveled through his body. He could feel it in his spine.
That hit wasn't normal.
Karl realized just how strong Doran really was.
He decided to change gears.
Magic began to flow through his body as he prepared his next move.
"Jet Burst."
In an instant, Karl's movements became incredibly fast. With each step, he left behind afterimages. He struck Doran once, then again and again. Rapid, relentless hits from multiple angles. Doran struggled to keep up. He couldn't properly track Karl's movements and had no choice but to endure the attacks.
Doran took hit after hit.
But then...
Doran swung his hammer, not with full force. Midway through the swing, he adjusted his grip and used the haft of the hammer instead, striking backward without even looking.
The hit landed perfectly.
Right into Karl's gut.
Karl staggered back, clutching his stomach. Doran smiled. Karl, despite the pain, smiled as well. Both understood now, this wasn't going to be simple.
Karl shifted strategy again.
He began using "Wavey Hammer" repeatedly, creating shockwaves to keep Doran at a distance. Along with that, he continued launching projectiles using the same technique. The battlefield became difficult to navigate. Shockwaves couldn't be blocked easily, and the constant pressure forced Doran into a defensive position.
Doran started to look outmatched.
Karl stood confident, controlling the pace of the fight.
But Doran wasn't panicking.
He observed carefully.
Each shockwave had a slight delay between them. And the projectiles, while fast, didn't carry as much impact individually. There was a pattern.
Doran waited.
Another shockwave came.
This time, Doran didn't move.
He planted his feet firmly into the ground. As the shockwave reached him, Karl prepared another projectile, expecting Doran to dodge again. But Doran stood his ground.
The shockwave hit him.
One of his legs lifted slightly from the force, but he didn't fall.
His body endured it.
Veins bulged across his arms and neck as he absorbed the impact.
And then, he charged forward.
Karl felt it instantly.
Pressure.
Real pressure.
He tried to use "Wavey Hammer" again, but he didn't have enough time to generate full power. The shockwave that came out was weak, too weak.
Doran broke through it.
In a single, brutal motion, Doran swung his hammer sideways.
The hit connected cleanly with Karl's jaw.
A short, heavy, decisive strike.
Karl dropped instantly.
The arena fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into cheers.
Doran stood there, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He was clearly exhausted, but he didn't fall. He remained standing, holding his ground.
The referee stepped forward and signaled the result.
Doran had won.
Ifa's voice rang out, full of excitement. "This is what we love to see! Something different, something unique, pure brute strength!"
Shai followed calmly, "An intense and well-fought match. With this victory, it is 1-0 in favor of the Rising Heroes."
Ifa added, "But it's still too early to decide anything! Will the Rising Heroes continue their momentum, or will the Order of the White Pike strike back? Let's find out!"
As Doran walked back, his team welcomed him with smiles and energy. The Rising Heroes had taken their first step in the Round of 32.
One step at a time.
But moving forward nonetheless.