Both fighters took their positions.
Between them, the searing heat of the lava crater rose like a wave from the depths of hell.
They stared into each other's eyes, as if silently shouting:
"I have to win. I must."
Hex called out with a grin:
"Let's go, Yuen. Let's see who's stronger!"
With a signal from the teacher, the match began.
Without hesitation, Hex leapt straight into the crater.
Yuen stared down in shock, only to realize Hex wasn't walking through lava—he was descending on rising stone steps, heading toward him with confident strides.
Yuen raised his hands and shouted:
"Water Shot!"
But the extreme heat radiating from the lava vaporized the water bullets mid-air before they could reach their target.
Hex was already close.
Now that the distance between them had closed, Yuen thought his attack would be more effective at close range. He cast again:
"Water Shot!"
This time, Hex slammed his hand to the ground:
"Stone Barrier!"
The bullets struck the shield, but under the pressure of the heat and moisture, it melted into mud and collapsed almost instantly.
The dissolving wall seemed to whisper to Hex, "Don't drag this out."
Hex understood.
"Stone Body!" he shouted, as layers of rock encased his arms and torso. He charged forward, ready for close combat.
Yuen accepted the challenge.
Clasping his hands together, he unleashed a powerful spell:
"Underwater Vault!"
A shimmering dome of water formed around them.
Yuen's body was now protected by a radiant aqua armor, dampening incoming blows and giving him greater agility.
Inside the watery sphere, the two clashed in a flurry of fierce, close-quarters combat.
Their strikes were sharp, their movements swift—nearly flawless in execution...