The final, jarring buzzer pierced the air, silencing the brutal cacophony of Phase 4. The dome shimmered and retracted, revealing the carnage of the thirty-minute free-for-all. Some contestants lay motionless, their ambition extinguished, while others clutched at broken limbs, their resolve shattered. The six prodigies and Jay emerged largely unscathed, their controlled power and unwavering unity a testament to their true strength.
The remaining contestants were ushered into a massive amphitheater, the tiered seats filled with observers, some looking with detached curiosity, others with predatory intent. At the center of the amphitheater was a colossal fighting ring, its surface etched with arcane runes that pulsed with a faint, crimson light. This was Phase 5, the final test.
The proctor, his face a mask of cold indifference, stood in the center of the ring. His voice, amplified by unseen magic, boomed through the amphitheater. "Welcome to the final phase of the Grand Spirit Hunter Exam. Here, strength is measured in one currency: victory. Two combatants will be called. They will fight. The fight is over when one contestant is no longer able to fight, is no longer breathing, or gives up. Killing is allowed. Killing is encouraged. Only the strongest survive."
The cold, brutal reality of the exam settled over the crowd like a heavy shroud. This wasn't about strategy, or wit, or willpower. This was about brute force, about the primal instinct to survive. The prodigies, though prepared for this, felt the weight of the moment. Tae's golden aura hummed with a fierce, protective intent. Kd's red eyes crackled with a primal, chaotic energy. Joseph's blue aura shimmered with a cold, analytical resolve. Jay, the anchor, stood firm, his earthen energy radiating a solid, unshakable strength. Jax, Rix, and Cygnus, their newfound resolve now a grim, chilling certainty, stood tall and unyielding.
The proctor reached into a massive, shimmering box, his hand rummaging amongst the spectral cards within. He pulled two, their names echoing through the amphitheater with a chilling finality. "First match, Joseph, the Prideful Killer, versus the Dragon's Bane, a brute of a man with a heavy, enchanted mace."
Joseph's eyes met Tae's, a silent communication of respect and assurance passing between them. He stepped into the ring, his movements a fluid, analytical dance of precision. The Dragon's Bane, a hulking brute with a heavy, enchanted mace, sneered, his eyes filled with a predatory intent. The fight was brutal, a clash of brute force and surgical precision. Joseph, using his Azure Singularity, unraveled the enchantment on the mace, and with a precise Singularity Severance, incapacitated the brute without killing him. The message was clear. They were not butchers. They were warriors.
The matches continued, a blur of blood, brutality, and raw power. Some were quick, some were drawn out, but all ended with a single victor, a single survivor. The prodigies and Jay watched, their resolve hardening with each match.
Finally, the proctor's hand dipped back into the box, his voice a chilling echo of fate. "Next match... Tae, the Omni Herald..."
The crowd erupted in a clamor of hurried conversation, but Tae's focus was unwavering. He stepped into the ring, his golden aura a beacon of hope and strength in the brutal arena.
The proctor's hand dipped back into the box, his voice a final, chilling note of fate. "Versus... The Orphan's Curse."
The crowd erupted once more, a roar of fear and anticipation echoing through the amphitheater. The man who had mocked Tae, the powerful brute with the cruel smirk, stepped into the ring, his eyes filled with a cold, predatory gleam. The Orphan's Curse. The irony was not lost on Tae.
The two met in the center of the ring, their auras clashing, a golden promise of hope against a cruel sneer of despair. The fight was personal. It was a culmination of five years of hardship, of loss, of struggle, and of finding strength in their darkest moments.
The proctor raised his hand, his voice a chilling, final note of fate. "Fight!"
The two stood still, their eyes locked, the unspoken fury and resentment a tangible force in the air. The crowd was silent, bated breath, watching the two prodigies, the two anomalies, prepare to fight. This was not a fight for survival. This was a fight for honor, for family, and for a promise of a better future. The battle was about to begin. The fate of their universe hung in the balance
The arena fell silent as Tae and the Orphan's Curse faced each other, their eyes locked in a silent war of wills. The proctor's word, "Fight!", echoed through the cavernous space, a chilling signal for the brutal clash to begin.
Tae moved first, a blur of golden light, his Manifest Katana humming with pure resonance. He didn't engage with a reckless fury, but with a cold, focused intent. His martial strikes were precise, each blow aimed at the core of the Orphan's Curse's arrogant confidence. The man, used to overwhelming his opponents with raw force, found himself constantly on the defensive, his blows deflected, his attacks countered with a speed he couldn't match. Tae used his Blade of Pure Resonance, channeling his focused will into each strike, bypassing the brute's physical defenses and striking at the core of his spirit . The Orphan's Curse roared in frustration, his blows becoming wilder, more desperate. He summoned a wave of dark energy, a crude attempt to overwhelm Tae, but Tae met it with a burst of Omni-Sense Expansion, projecting his senses through the swirling energy, pinpointing the weakness in the attack, and neutralizing it with a single, perfectly aimed strike of his Blade of Pure Resonance. The fight raged, a brutal dance of controlled fury and raw power, but Tae's discipline, his unwavering resolve, was slowly breaking the Orphan's Curse's will. Finally, with a perfectly executed combination of strikes and deflections, Tae found his opening. He moved with a speed that defied perception, his Manifest Katana singing as it connected with the Orphan's Curse's solar plexus. The man gasped, his eyes wide with shock and pain, as the pure, resonant energy of the blade bypassed his defenses, striking directly at the source of his arrogance. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious, his defeat absolute .
The crowd erupted, a roar of awe and respect echoing through the amphitheater. The proctor, his face a mask of cold indifference, gestured to the fallen Orphan's Curse. "Victor: Tae, the Omni Herald!"
Kd's red eyes crackled with pride as Tae returned to their section, his golden aura still humming with the aftereffects of the fight. The brothers, along with Jay, Jax, Rix, and Cygnus, watched as the next matches began, a blur of blood and brutality.
Finally, the proctor's hand dipped back into the box, his voice a chilling echo of fate. "Next match... Kd, the Prince of Chaos..."
Kd's wild grin returned, and he cracked his knuckles, black lightning sparking at his fingertips. He stepped into the ring, his red eyes blazing with defiance.
"...Versus The Viper's Kiss."
A figure emerged from the shadows, a lithe, sinuous contestant with a cruel smile and eyes that gleamed with a chilling, emerald light. He moved with a snake-like grace, his body radiating a subtle, but undeniably potent, aura of poison. He was The Viper's Kiss, a master of toxins and venom.
The proctor raised his hand, his voice a chilling, final note of fate. "Fight!"
The Viper's Kiss moved first, not with a physical assault, but with a silent, insidious release of a shimmering, emerald mist. The mist, radiating a chilling aura of poison, enveloped Kd, making him cough and gasp for breath. Kd's red eyes widened in shock as a wave of dizziness washed over him, his movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated. His chaotic energy flickered erratically, fighting against the invading toxin. The Viper's Kiss, seeing his opening, launched a barrage of precise strikes, each one infused with a subtle, debilitating venom. Kd, his senses dulled by the poison, struggled to defend himself, his body growing heavier, his vision blurring. He fought with a desperate, untamed ferocity, but it was a losing battle against the insidious venom. Blow after blow landed, each one draining his strength, sapping his will. He stumbled, fell to his knees, his body wracked with pain and tremors, the poison slowly consuming him. He had been beaten, broken, and humiliated.
Tae watched, his golden eyes blazing with a cold, terrifying fury. The sight of his brother, battered and poisoned, ignited a primal rage within him. Jay's hand clamped down on his arm, a silent warning, but Tae's fury was beyond words. He watched as Kd, his body bruised and battered, was pulled from the ring, his defeat absolute.
The proctor's voice, devoid of emotion, echoed through the amphitheater. "Victor: The Viper's Kiss."
The proctor's hand dipped back into the box, his voice a chilling echo of fate. "Next match... Tae, the Omni Herald..."
Tae's golden aura exploded outwards, a blinding nova of pure, incandescent fury. He didn't wait for the proctor to finish. He didn't wait for his name to be called. He Flash Stepped into the ring, his eyes, burning with a searing, white-hot rage, fixed on The Viper's Kiss.
"...Versus The Viper's Kiss."
The Viper's Kiss, still reveling in his victory, met Tae's gaze with a cruel smirk. "Ready to end up like your friend, orphan?" he sneered, his eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.
Tae's answer was a low growl, a promise of pain and vengeance. He didn't respond with words. He didn't respond with logic. He simply moved, a blur of golden fury, his Manifest Katana appearing in his hand, its golden blade humming with pure, unrestrained rage. The fight wasn't just personal anymore. It was about family. It was about vengeance. It was about blood.
The Viper's Kiss released another wave of shimmering, emerald mist, but this time, Tae met it head-on. His golden aura flared, a blinding burst of pure, cleansing light that burned away the poison, purifying the very air around him. He moved with a speed that defied perception, his strikes a furious symphony of martial arts and raw, untamed power. He didn't care about the rules. He didn't care about the consequences. He cared about one thing: making The Viper's Kiss pay for what he had done to Kd.