The crowd buzzed with anticipation as the arena's atmosphere thickened. Cheers echoed from every corner, and the tension in the air was palpable. The moment everyone had been waiting for was finally here.
After Leo's dominant victory, both Roxanne and Selena stood together, their expressions softening into smiles. A wave of relief and pride washed over them. They had fought with everything they had in the previous rounds, but now, witnessing Leo's victory, they felt a quiet joy bloom in their hearts.
"Our man won," Roxanne murmured under her breath, her voice weak but filled with admiration.
Selena nodded, her eyes sparkling. "He truly is something else."
Even Maximus, one of the key figures watching from the upper stands, nodded approvingly. Leo's display of skill had impressed him deeply, enough that he silently looked forward to the final match. It was rare for someone of his stature to show such visible interest, yet Leo had managed to do the impossible.
Now, the path was clear. Leo and Rio were headed for the ultimate confrontation, the final battle that would decide the true victor of the tournament.
Backstage, the tension was building. Rio clenched his fists tightly, veins subtly bulging along his arms. Determination radiated from his posture. The pressure of representing his Bladecrest clan weighed heavily on him, but there was more.
He wasn't just fighting for glory. He was fighting to prove himself, to win against Leo, who had become a towering figure in this competition.
"This is it," Rio whispered to himself. "The moment I surpass him."
As he stood preparing himself, his older sister, Roxanne, approached. She had just been healed after her battle with Selena. Her steps were slow, but her resolve shone brightly in her eyes.
"Rio," she called out softly.
He turned around, surprised, but then smiled. "Sister. You're here."
Roxanne reached her brother and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Perform well."
Those two words meant the world to him. Rio's heart swelled with emotion. For a moment, he believed that his sister was truly on his side.
"She believes in me," he thought, smiling to himself. "Even after everything, she supports me over that bastard Leo."
But then came the blow.
Roxanne, in a calm and gentle voice, added, "But if Leo beats you again... you need to accept defeat with grace, okay?"
Rio's smile froze.
His heart dropped. A bitter chill ran through him. The confidence he had felt just moments ago cracked slightly. His sister's words stung more than any blade ever could.
He looked at her, his expression faltering, but before he could speak, she continued, "This battle will show who deserves to stand at the top. Don't lose yourself in pride."
Roxanne turned and walked away slowly, leaving Rio behind with clenched fists, trembling slightly.
"No," Rio thought fiercely. "I won't lose. I can't lose. I will defeat Leo. I have to!"
The arena shook as the announcer's voice echoed across the coliseum.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you've all been waiting for! The FINAL MATCH of this grand tournament begins now!"
With those words, both Leo and Rio stepped onto the stage.
The crowd roared.
Leo stood calmly, a slight smile playing on his lips. His presence alone felt commanding. Each step he took exuded confidence, yet not arrogance. His eyes scanned the stadium briefly, pausing only for a second on Roxanne and Selena, who watched him with hope and pride.
Rio stood opposite him, eyes blazing, sword in hand. His aura flared wildly. The pressure around him surged like a coiled dragon, ready to strike.
The moment their eyes locked, silence fell across the arena.
A clash of wills.
Leo raised his chin slightly. "You ready to lose, Rio?"
Rio gritted his teeth. "Don't underestimate me."
Their words were short, but the emotions behind them were deep.
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
In an instant, both figures vanished from their positions. A thunderous boom erupted as their feet left the ground, kicking up dust and shaking the earth beneath.
They clashed in the center of the arena with raw physical strength, fists meeting forearms, knees crashing into elbows. The sheer intensity of their close-quarter combat left afterimages in the air. It was as if two titans were colliding.
Leo ducked a sweeping kick and retaliated with a palm strike, aiming at Rio's ribs, but Rio countered with a spin, using his sword to push Leo back. The two danced with each movement, perfectly matched, blow for blow.
Rio slashed forward with his signature Bladecrest sword art, the blade slicing the air with deadly precision. Leo narrowly avoided the strike, his body twisting like water around the incoming attack.
Leo then used his own sword, matching Rio's strikes with calm deflection, turning Rio's deadly techniques into harmless glances.
"Impressive," Leo commented mid-battle. "But not enough."
Rio grunted, pushing forward. His attacks grew more aggressive, drawing deeper from his Bladecrest heritage. Every move he executed screamed years of training, discipline, and pride.
But Leo... Leo remained unfazed.
He blocked each strike with the minimum amount of motion required. He didn't exert more force than necessary. Every step, every parry, was clean, efficient, and effortless.
The audience watched in stunned silence.
Rio's sword blazed with spiritual energy, his most refined sword technique activated. His eyes focused solely on Leo's every move, predicting, calculating.
Yet, Leo's calm smile never faded.
He spun suddenly, his blade cutting through the wind, a counterattack so swift that Rio barely dodged. A thin line appeared on Rio's cheek—a shallow cut.
Rio touched the blood with trembling fingers.
Leo grinned. "First blood."
Rio's fury ignited. His spiritual energy exploded, surrounding him in a vibrant storm of sword energy. He dashed forward, sword roaring with power.
Their blades collided again.
Sparks flew. The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer pressure of their battle. The crowd couldn't even keep up.
Selena gasped. Roxanne held her breath.
And Maximus leaned forward with intense focus.
The battle was only just beginning.
As the intensity of the match escalated, both Leo and Rio stood facing each other under the glaring eyes of the spectators. The arena echoed with silence, each person holding their breath in anticipation. The final battle had now reached its crucial turning point. This wasn't just a competition anymore—it was a clash of will, pride, and destiny.
Sweat dripped down Rio's forehead. His grip on his sword tightened as he recalled all the teachings his father had instilled in him, all the painful hours of relentless training, and the resolve he had honed from a very young age. He was the pride of the Bladecrest family. Losing was not an option.
Yet before him stood Leo.
Unfazed. Steady. Calm.
Rio dashed forward, his sword slicing through the air with sharp precision. The gleam of the Bladecrest family technique shimmered across the field. He unleashed a combination of three strikes—each aiming for a vital point on Leo's body. It was his clan's signature opening move, meant to force the enemy into full defense mode. But Leo's movements were fluid, ethereal.
With only his bare hands, Leo dodged the strikes, his feet gliding across the ground like a shadow given form. The impact of Rio's blade clashing against the solid earth behind Leo created shockwaves, but Leo didn't even flinch.
"Your sword is fast," Leo commented, eyes calm. "But it lacks the spirit to reach me."
Rio growled in frustration and activated his mid-tier sword technique—'Phantom Slash: Twin Moon Bloom.' Two curved arcs of glowing silver energy extended from his blade, aiming to trap Leo in a double-layered assault. The crowd gasped at the beauty and might of the technique.
Leo raised his hand calmly and whispered, "Crimson Pulse Art."
A crimson barrier formed instantly around him. The energy blades exploded on contact, kicking up a massive dust storm that momentarily covered the entire field.
"Did he get him?" someone whispered from the audience.
"No," whispered Roxanne, her eyes locked on the center of the dust. "Leo isn't done yet."
As the dust cleared, Leo stood unscathed—his cloak fluttering gently in the dissipating wind. He stepped forward with his right leg, bending slightly, and drew his blade in one smooth motion. The golden-hilted sword reflected sunlight like a divine artifact.
"Moonfall Blade."
The technique surged through his blade, producing a descending arc of energy that split the battlefield in half. Rio barely managed to jump backward in time, landing heavily, skidding on the stone floor.
"It's not over yet!" Rio shouted, wiping the blood trickling from his lip.
He focused his energy and activated the advanced tier of his family sword art—'Crescent Sovereign Dance.' His blade whirled, creating a circular dome of light that moved with him as he launched forward. Each step he took was sharp, imbued with the essence of wind and steel.
Leo met his charge head-on. Their swords clashed mid-air, causing sparks to fly in all directions.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A flurry of blows followed, each louder and more intense than the last. Roxanne watched with bated breath. Even Selena, who was still recovering, couldn't help but lean forward.
Every strike between Leo and Rio was a conversation in itself. A dialogue of belief. Leo wasn't just defending. He was showcasing his complete mastery of swordplay. He parried, twisted, struck, and danced as though the sword was simply an extension of his will.
The audience was entranced. Maximus's eyes sparkled as he leaned forward.
"This is what true genius looks like," he muttered. "Both of them."
Sweat poured from Rio's face, his arm trembling slightly. Still, he gritted his teeth and shouted, "I won't lose!"
He activated the final movement of his sword technique—'Heaven's Arc: Bladefall'—a descending flurry of spinning strikes that mimicked falling stars. His body blurred with speed as he brought down the might of his training.
Leo spun sideways, dodging the brunt of it, and brought his blade up in an upper arc—'Divine Punishment Technique!'
The two techniques collided midair.
The impact blew both fighters apart. Leo flipped back, landing in a crouch, sword still gripped in hand. Rio tumbled, rolled, and finally managed to stop himself just before hitting the edge of the arena.
Silence.
The crowd didn't breathe. No one moved.
Then—
Rio stood.
Leo stood.
Their eyes met again.
Smiles flickered.
Each of them had pushed the other harder than any opponent before. Leo twirled his blade and pointed it toward the center.
"Let's finish this."
Rio nodded, determination burning in his eyes.
And with that—the final phase of the battle was about to begin.
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End of Chapter
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