On the stone platform, Luke took the lead. His body tensed, and in the next instant, he vanished like a compressed spring let loose.
Ethan responded instantly. He leaned forward, power winding through his frame before he stepped out—his movement explosive, like a cannon roaring to life.
Boom!
The two figures collided in midair.
There was no flash of spiritual light, no elegant movement or complex technique—just a brutal, visceral exchange of flesh against flesh, bone against bone. Two humanoid beasts clashed with nothing but pure physical strength.
The shockwave thundered across the square, shaking the entire arena.
Ethan's body was covered in a crimson hue—blood and essence condensed into an armor that glimmered faintly under sunlight. Luke's was similar, his own blood forging defense and offense alike. When their fists met, the air shrieked under the pressure, light fracturing as small cracks rippled through the very space around them.
