In the present moment, Paulo clenched his teeth as he observed Izumi and Rika battling Riku.
Rajin lay unconscious on the ground due to Rika's attack.
Riku evaded Rika's aerial assault by jumping five hundred feet into the air using light flight.
Rika pursued him, but he executed a move called Light Dragon: Kick of the Gods, sending Rika crashing to the ground with a damaged leg and an amputated arm.
"You are all going to lose," Rika yelled from above.
Rika then appeared above Riku with astonishing speed, which astonished the monarchs and Paulo.
Rika stunned everyone again by performing a feat believed to be exclusive to the twelve other monarchs.
"Realm creation: Bloodmoon Dome," Rika announced, enveloping both of them within a new realm.
While in the realm, Rika dashed towards Riku, but when he attempted a sweeping kick, she anticipated it and launched Riku into the air with a kick to his head.
Riku puzzled over why his nose was not healing and realized that all abilities, including healing, were nullified within the realm.
He then drew his dual swords forged from Vengestone.
Rika teleported behind Riku, surprising him, but he managed to barely block her kick.
"Great kick, Vamp. Who exactly are you, Rika?" Riku asked in a serious tone.
"I don't owe you any explanations, pawn," Rika scoffed in reply.
Suddenly, the five-minute limit of the realm expired, and the barrier shattered, sending Rika and Riku crashing to the ground.
As Riku stood up, Izumi appeared behind him, catching him off guard, and kicked him into the arena wall.
Riku noticed Izumi beside him, then was dragged along the ground and tossed into the air, where Izumi executed a volleyball slam that slammed him down forcefully.
Riku rose and charged at Izumi.
He quickly teleported beside him using his light flight to attempt a roundhouse kick to Izumi's head, but Izumi blocked it and hurled Riku through several rocks into the arena wall.
Just before Riku hit the final rock, Rajin caught him to prevent more damage.
Infusing his legs with light energy, Riku launched at Izumi, landing an infused light energy spin kick to his stomach followed by an elbow strike to the face, sending Izumi backwards.
With a head injury, Riku tried to heal himself using light energy successfully and returned to the fight. Riku then lunged toward Izumi, launching him into the air and following up with several light energy slashes that caused him damage.
Izumi then used his Blood Magic to heal the injured area. He raised a curtain hand sign, which Riku recognized, prompting him to create his own hand sign in anticipation of Izumi's upcoming realm creation.
Riku aimed to prevent Izumi from using his realm, which led to a clash of realms and black lightning erupting from the battleground.
Izumi triumphed in the realm confrontation, announcing, "Realm Creation: Devil Domain," subsequently confining Riku within his realm.
Izumi then activated his signature technique from Realm Creation, Poison Blood Rods of Extermination, piercing Riku repeatedly until the energy of Izumi's realm depleted.
Once it expired, Riku appeared dishevelled, but managed to heal himself using his Light energy.
Izumi was unaware as Riku leaped back and unleashed a flurry of slashes infused with Light energy toward him.
Though Izumi managed to block it, when Riku manifested an arrow infused with Light energy, it took a long moment before he shot it at Izumi, resulting in a massive explosion that engulfed him in flames.
Rajin then called for Riku to tag him in, prompting Riku to stop fighting so Rajin could engage Izumi with his fully activated Tengu form.
Rajin proceeded to employ his Realm Creation: Bloodmoon Dome, which he could use thanks to Rika's assistance.
Within this realm, Rajin utilized blood to restrict Izumi's movement. He executed blood slices, attacking Izumi from his left corner, followed by the right, then the north, the south, and finishing with a strike at the centre.
Once Rajin's domain expansion ended, Riku switched to his dagger, dashing forward at high speed toward Izumi.
He teleported behind a taken-aback Izumi, penetrating through his guard to stab Izumi in the torso, pushing him back.
Izumi then utilized blood magic to heal himself.
Riku then witnessed Izumi unveil his Realm Creation: Devil Domain, but before it could take effect, Riku quickly slashed in all directions with his vengeance dagger, instantly obliterating the realm.
Riku saw Izumi unleash a continuous series of punches before propelling him forward.
Izumi stomped the ground, launching Riku upward with three strikes, and brought him crashing back down with a fourth swing, ready to chop him into pieces.
Riku utilized light magic to heal once more and attempted to escape but was halted by Izumi's kick against the arena wall.
Izumi aimed to kick Riku with lethal intent, yet Rajin intervened just in time, and the fight between him and Izumi resumed.
Izumi headed directly toward Rajin and executed a second horizontal swing that left Rajin momentarily suspended before plummeting and striking him with his Blood rod.
Izumi noticed Rajin summon a Blood Dragon arrow after an extensive windup and subsequently launching it at Izumi, resulting in a tremendous explosion that lifted the vampire king and slammed him down while ensnared in the attack.
Rajin then hit Izumi's chest repeatedly, forcing him back, and followed up with a kick to the head that sent Izumi flying.
Izumi recovered and charged at Rajin, using a blood rod arrow, but Rajin intercepted it with his own Blood Dragon arrow.
Rajin then subsequently teleported right beside Izumi, attempting a roundhouse kick to his head, but Izumi defended against it and then hurled Rajin into some rocks, followed by crashing him into the arena wall, causing a head injury.
Observing Rajin's bleeding head, Izumi contemplated that Rajin would succumb to blood loss soon.
Izumi then materialized beside Rajin, dragging his head along the ground and propelling Rajin into the air before executing a volleyball slam that drove him into the ground.
However, Rajin managed to rise and charge at Izumi.
Izumi watched as Rajin infused his Blood Scythe with Blood Magic, deeming it ineffective against him, yet the attack Rajin had charged was the Blood Dragon Piercer, which would cut through Izumi.
***
Meanwhile, up in the grand viewing area of the stands, the section reserved for the monarchs and their most trusted attendants, Paulo stood silently, his gaze fixed on the vast arena below.
The golden banners that marked the royal section fluttered lightly in the wind, casting dancing shadows across the marble floor.
From his vantage point, Paulo could see everything: the roar of the crowd, the dust rising from the ground, and the faint shimmer of magic beginning to stir in the air.
Yet his attention was drawn not to the spectacle itself, but to the three figures who now faced each other in the heart of the coliseum.
Down in the arena, Riku and Rajin stood side by side, their presence alone commanding attention. Both fighters carried themselves with a calm, predatory confidence, the kind that comes only from years of experience.
The light glinted off their weapons as they waited, the air between them thick with tension and anticipation.
They exchanged a brief glance, a silent agreement passing between them: no hesitation, no holding back. Whatever challenge lay ahead, they would face it together.
Opposite them stood Izumi, the lone opponent whose calm demeanour belied the storm that simmered beneath his composed exterior.
his eyes were sharp, assessing, and his posture radiated a quiet defiance.
he did not waver under the pressure of the crowd's chants or the intensity of his adversaries' presence.
Instead, he drew in a slow breath and let his energy rise, threads of red light beginning to spiral around him like a protective veil.
Paulo watched Izumi's movements closely, noting the precision in his movements, graceful, deliberate, and utterly fearless.
The clash between the three was more than a mere contest of strength, it was a battle of wills, pride, and skill.
From above, Paulo could almost feel the weight of it, the electric anticipation before the first strike, the way the world seemed to hold its breath in that fleeting moment of calm.
His expression remained unreadable, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of interest.
Whatever unfolded next, he knew it would not be a simple fight. It would be a test, a moment destined to be remembered in the annals of the arena.