As the translucent dome settled fully around them, Haru couldn't help but stare at it in awe despite the life-threatening situation he had just been thrown into. The barrier shimmered faintly, almost like heat rising off stone, yet it felt solid—real. He stepped closer and cautiously reached out, pressing his palm against it. The moment his hand made contact, an invisible, firm, force pushed back. It wasn't aggressive, but it made one thing very clear: nothing was getting through unless the dome allowed it.
"…Yeah," Haru muttered under his breath, pulling his hand back. "We're definitely trapped in here."
Sylvie, already familiar with similar constructs from the Research Division, glanced at the barrier with a more analytical eye. "This isn't a normal one," she said, her tone serious. "This is Vanguard-level. It's built to handle massive output—like… catastrophic levels. Even if Motar went all out, it wouldn't break."
Haru looked at her slowly. "…That doesn't make me feel better."
"It's not supposed to."
A thunderous chuckle cut through their exchange.
Motar stood a short distance away, towering over them both as he unslung the massive hammer from his back. The weapon hit the ground with a dull *thud*, the vibration traveling through the stone beneath their feet like a warning.
"Ready?" Motar grinned, rolling his shoulders. "I'll make you regret attacking my griffin!"
Haru felt multiple connections snap simultaneously directly beneath his feet. His instincts screamed.
"Move!" he shouted.
Sylvie didn't hesitate. She leapt sideways just as the ground where she had been standing erupted violently. A shockwave blasted upward, cracking the stone and sending debris flying in every direction.
She landed roughly but recovered quickly, eyes wide. "Haru, what did he do?! I didn't see anything!"
Haru clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as he focused. His magic and instincts had picked up the shift before the attack happened, a subtle disturbance in the air and ground.
"He didn't swing," Haru said quickly. His eyes widened. "He sent mana into the ground with just his foot! That was enough."
Sylvie's expression darkened. "…You're kidding."
Haru exhaled slowly, his mind racing. 'We can't fight him head-on.' To be able to exert that much more just by channeling mana. Motar hadn't even moved yet, really moved, and they were already reacting just to stay alive.
Sylvie snapped her fingers, pulling herself back into focus. "Then we don't fight him directly," she said. "We control the pace."
Haru glanced at her. "…I'm listening."
"Haru," she said firmly, "follow my lead."
Before he could respond, Sylvie's hands began moving quick, precise gestures forming a sequence of signs. A small cloud formed beneath her feet, lifting her slightly off the ground as it carried her forward with surprising speed.
"Hex Conjuring: Territory Restraint!"
The ground beneath Motar burst open as thick, twisting vines shot upward, coiling around his arms and legs in an instant. They tightened, anchoring him in place.
For about half a second.
Motar flexed slightly, and the vines snapped like brittle twigs.
"…That lasted longer than I expected," he said casually.
But more vines replaced them instantly.
Sylvie grinned. "Not trying to hold you forever, just long enough."
Haru didn't need to be told twice.
He moved.
Haru reached out, linking himself to the ground ahead—his body snapped forward in a sudden burst of speed, the connection pulling him along an invisible path. His fingers snapped, forcing a connection between friction, heat, and air; sparks ignited instantly at his fingertips. He spun once, tightening those connections, compressing multiple sparks into a single, dense sphere of concentrated heat.
"Let's see you shrug this off," Haru muttered.
He kicked forward, sending the flaming orb hurtling straight into the smoky haze around Motar.
The explosion that followed shook the dome.
Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring everything inside.
Outside the barrier, the crowd roared.
The duel continued to rage on. Haru and Sylvie did their best to stay one step above getting caught by one of those shockwaves. They knew this could not go on forever. Sylvie, however, felt a sense of dread. She knew Motar hadn't even shown 5% of what he could do, so that begged the question: "What was the point of this duel?"
Serena pressed her face lightly against the dome, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh, that was nice," she purred. "A coordinated attack. Fast thinking, too. Not bad, boy."
Nearby, two members of the Nixar Guild had stopped to watch.
"Not bad," one of them admitted, arms crossed. "That kid adapts pretty quickly."
His companion scoffed. "Relax, anyone can chain moves together. Motar is just toying with them." His eyes drifted toward Sylvie, "…that girl's got potential. Think she'd be interested in joining us?"
The first one smirked. "I bet we could show her our combo moves if she did." They chuckled, their attention divided between the fight and their inside commentary
Their laughter was cut short by a teenage boy who approached. "Can you show me your combos? If not, I'd keep my comments to myself. You never know who's listening," he said coolly, not bothering to face them.
The two men turned.
A teenage boy stood behind them, hands in his pockets, gaze sharp and unwavering.
Walch frowned. "Big talk for some teenage brat! You better mind your damn tongue. Do you know who you're talking to? I'm Walch of the Nixar Guild, rank 94."
The boy didn't flinch. "If you can't back up what you're saying… You should probably keep quiet." He smiled yet never once glanced at the two.
A shift in the atmosphere occurred; static electricity crackled subtly in the air. Serena, previously engrossed in the duel, snapped to attention, as did the other Vanguard members, sensing the change.
A faint crackle of energy spread through the area—subtle, but unmistakable.
"…Oh?" she murmured.
Inside the dome, Haru felt the air around him tingle with newfound energy. A strange sensation—like static electricity crawling across his skin. Every connection he worked hard to form snapped instantly. The sensation caused him to sweat with chills.
"Sylvie!" he shouted, ducking another shockwave. "You feel that?!"
She barely dodged, rolling to the side. "No! What are you talking about?!"
Haru frowned. 'So it's just me?'
Motar paused mid-step, his expression shifting slightly as he looked toward the edge of the dome. "Oh, he's here?" he muttered, intrigued by the unexpected development, his attention now split between his opponents and the mysterious newcomer outside the dome.
Motar's grin returned, but there was something different about it now, something sharper."Interesting," he said. "Looks like things just got more entertaining."
Haru straightened slightly, his instincts flaring again. Whatever was happening outside, it wasn't normal. Motar had become more vicious in his assault, and Haru felt he was slowly upping the output of these shockwaves, as if testing them.