The arena erupted once more.
BOOM!
Riven's fist tore through the air.
Zoldick leaned slightly to the side.
The punch missed by barely an inch.
Before Riven could recover
THUD!
A sharp palm struck his ribs.
Another blow crashed into his shoulder.
A low kick swept toward his ankle.
Riven jumped back just in time.
He didn't stop.
His right leg whipped around in a spinning kick.
Zoldick raised an arm.
The impact echoed throughout the arena.
CRACK!
The force pushed him back two steps.
Riven surged after him.
A straight punch.
A hook.
An elbow.
A knee.
A downward axe kick.
Each strike was powerful enough to crack stone.
Yet...
None of them landed.
Zoldick's body flowed like water.
He redirected every punch with the smallest movement.
A forearm deflected one strike.
His shoulder rolled another away.
A twist of his hips caused Riven's kick to glide harmlessly past.
Every attack...
Every combination...
Every opening...
Was answered perfectly.
The spectators watched in stunned silence.
"He isn't blocking..."
"He's redirecting them."
"Amazing..."
Elder Vadok smiled proudly.
"The strength of House Velmora."
"We do not waste force."
"We guide it."
Back inside the arena...
Riven's breathing became heavier.
His attacks grew faster.
More explosive.
But strangely...
The more he attacked...
The less he connected.
It was as if Zoldick had already memorized his movements.
Another punch.
Parried.
Another kick.
Redirected.
Another elbow.
Countered.
THUD!
A clean jab struck Riven's chest.
THUD!
Another clipped his jaw.
THUMP!
A roundhouse slammed into his ribs.
Riven staggered backwards.
His arms immediately came up.
Now...
He was defending.
Zoldick advanced calmly.
No wasted motion.
No reckless aggression.
Only relentless pressure.
Punch.
Kick.
Elbow.
Body shot.
Hook.
Low kick.
Every strike forced Riven to block.
Every block forced him farther backwards.
The arena floor cracked beneath his retreating feet.
From the audience
"Go on the offensive, man!"
Marlis shouted at the top of her lungs.
Riven heard her.
His eyes narrowed.
"...Got it."
He planted both feet.
Zoldick's next punch came.
Blocked.
The kick that followed.
Blocked.
An elbow.
Caught.
For the first time since the duel began...
Riven refused to retreat.
Instead
He exploded forward.
BOOM!
Ignoring the punches crashing into his guard...
He lowered his body.
Both arms shot toward Zoldick's waist.
A grappling tackle.
The audience gasped.
"He wants to take him down!"
Zoldick's eyes flashed.
Without hesitation...
His knee shot upward.
BAM!
The strike landed squarely beneath Riven's chin.
The impact instantly broke his balance.
Riven stumbled sideways.
One knee crashed into the stone floor.
CRACK!
Dust rose around him.
He remained there for several seconds.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat dripped onto the arena floor.
Then...
He laughed.
A rough...
Genuine laugh.
He looked up at Zoldick.
"...You're insane."
The Velmora heir tilted his head.
"I'm not even stronger than you."
"You just..."
Riven wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"...have incredible technique."
A grin spread across Zoldick's face.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is."
Riven slowly stood.
His heartbeat thundered inside his chest.
Every exchange hurt.
Every counter bruised.
Every movement tested him.
Yet...
He had never enjoyed a fight this much.
His smile only grew wider.
"This..."
"...is fun."
The audience noticed.
"So he's smiling?"
"After taking all that?"
"What kind of lunatic enjoys this?"
From the edge of the arena...
Eryx quietly watched.
Then...
A knowing smirk appeared.
"...Here it comes."
Nyxara glanced toward him.
"What does?"
Eryx never looked away from the fight.
"The moment every Nocturne reaches."
"The point where battle stops being survival..."
"...and becomes instinct."
As if hearing those words...
Riven moved.
BOOM!!
The arena exploded beneath his feet.
He crossed the distance in an instant.
Faster.
Far faster than before.
Zoldick's eyes widened.
Riven's right fist shot toward his face.
This time
The parry came a fraction too late.
BAM!
The hook slammed into Zoldick's jaw.
Before he could recover
A left hook crashed into his ribs.
THUD!
An uppercut followed.
BOOM!
Zoldick's head snapped backward.
His feet left the ground.
The crowd erupted.
"HE HIT HIM!"
"Impossible!"
But Riven wasn't finished.
Twisting through the momentum...
He leapt into the air.
His body rotated.
One heel descended like a falling axe.
WHAM!
The kick smashed into Zoldick's shoulder, driving him hard into the stone arena.
The ground cracked beneath the impact.
Dust exploded outward.
For the first time in the duel...
The heir of House Velmora was forced onto one knee.
Silence swept across the arena.
Then...
A smile slowly appeared on Zoldick's face.
He looked up at Riven.
"...So you've adapted."
Riven rolled his shoulders.
His own smile matched it.
"I told you."
"I learn quickly."
Neither spoke again.
They no longer needed words.
The fists flying between them...
The footwork...
The counters...
The determination burning in their eyes...
That had become their language.
The Mind.
Against the Sword.
And the duel had only become more exhilarating.