BOOM!
Their fists collided once more.
A shockwave rippled across the arena.
Neither warrior yielded.
Neither retreated.
Riven's right hook skimmed past Zoldick's cheek.
Zoldick answered with a spinning elbow.
Riven ducked beneath it.
A sweeping kick came from below.
Blocked.
An uppercut.
Countered.
A knee.
Avoided.
The exchange continued with breathtaking speed.
Each strike carried purpose.
Each movement demanded perfection.
To the spectators, it had become impossible to tell who held the advantage.
Only one thing was certain.
Neither intended to fall first.
Minutes passed.
Sweat poured from both warriors.
Their breathing grew heavier.
Each inhalation burned.
Each muscle screamed.
Yet the smiles on their faces refused to disappear.
"This is unbelievable..."
One noble whispered.
"They're still getting stronger."
"They're adapting."
Below the royal platform...
House Nocturne erupted.
"COME ON, RIVEN!"
"SHOW HIM WHY WE'RE THE SWORD!"
Immediately, House Velmora answered.
"STAND YOUR GROUND, ZOLDICK!"
"THE MIND NEVER LOSES!"
The arena transformed into a battlefield of cheers.
Each noble house roared for its champion.
Even Nyxara laughed.
"This is exactly what the Third needs."
"Warriors who sharpen one another."
Inside the arena...
Everything else disappeared.
The cheering.
The laughter.
The audience.
None of it existed anymore.
Only one opponent remained before each of them.
Riven narrowed his eyes.
Something clicked.
"...His stance."
Every parry...
Every redirection...
Every effortless counter...
It all began from the same place.
His footing.
His balance.
His legs.
"If I destroy his foundation..."
"...his technique collapses."
Across from him...
Zoldick reached his own conclusion.
"...His arms."
Every devastating punch.
Every crushing hook.
Every explosive uppercut.
Everything originated from his shoulders and arms.
"If I weaken them..."
"...his power disappears."
For the first time...
Both warriors smiled at exactly the same moment.
They had discovered each other's weakness.
BOOM!!
They launched forward.
Riven dropped low.
His kick shot toward Zoldick's supporting leg.
At the exact same instant...
Zoldick stepped inside Riven's reach.
His elbow crashed directly into Riven's left forearm.
CRACK!
THUD!
Both attacks landed together.
Pain exploded through Riven's arm.
His fingers twitched uncontrollably.
The limb immediately felt heavier.
Across from him...
Zoldick staggered.
His right leg buckled beneath him.
A sharp breath escaped his lips.
Neither had escaped unharmed.
The audience erupted.
"They figured each other out!"
"They're targeting weaknesses now!"
Eryx nodded slowly.
"This..."
"...is when a duel truly begins."
Riven flexed his injured arm.
"...Damn."
Zoldick rolled his damaged ankle.
"...You're frightening."
Both laughed.
Then charged again.
Riven rushed straight ahead.
Ignoring the pain.
Ignoring everything.
Zoldick immediately reacted.
His right leg rose high.
A devastating axe kick.
Riven's instincts screamed.
He stopped.
Mid-charge.
The heel crashed downward exactly where his head would have been.
BOOM!!
The stone beneath the kick shattered.
Dust exploded upward.
The audience gasped.
"What reflexes!"
Both men froze.
Only inches separated them.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Neither moved.
Neither blinked.
Then
Zoldick's planted leg twisted.
Using nothing but the rotation of his hips...
His raised leg whipped sideways like a steel beam.
WHAM!!
The heel smashed into Riven's jaw.
At the same time...
His forehead drove forward.
CRACK!!
The double impact exploded across Riven's face.
His vision went white.
His body stumbled backward.
One.
Two.
Three steps.
His eyes lost focus.
The world spun.
For a terrifying moment...
It looked as though he would collapse.
Nyss stood abruptly.
"Riven!"
But
His right foot slammed into the arena floor.
THUD!
Then his left.
Silence.
His breathing steadied.
His eyes slowly focused once more.
A grin appeared.
"...That..."
"...was amazing."
Before Zoldick could react
BOOM!!
Riven disappeared.
Too close.
Too fast.
His arms wrapped around Zoldick's waist.
"What?!"
Riven planted his feet.
Twisted his hips.
And exploded upward.
"HYAAAH!!"
Zoldick's body left the ground.
The entire arena watched in disbelief as both warriors flipped backward through the air.
Then
BOOOOOOM!!
Riven drove him headfirst into the arena with a perfectly executed German suplex.
The impact split the stone.
A crater formed beneath them.
Dust swallowed the battlefield.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Several seconds passed.
Then...
A hand emerged from the dust.
Riven.
He slowly pushed himself upright.
Blood dripped from his lip.
His breathing was ragged.
Moments later...
Another hand appeared.
Zoldick.
He rose just as slowly, rubbing the back of his neck with a wince.
Both men stood.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
Covered in dust.
Yet still smiling.
Riven laughed first.
"Honestly..."
"...you're awesome."
Zoldick chuckled.
"And you're truly incredible yourself."
He rolled his aching shoulder.
"I've never enjoyed losing my footing this much."
Riven cracked his neck.
"I've never enjoyed getting kicked in the face this much."
The audience burst into laughter.
Even Vadok shook his head with an amused smile.
"They're insane."
Eryx folded his arms proudly.
"No..."
"They're warriors."
Riven and Zoldick lowered their stances once more.
Their exhausted bodies protested.
Their muscles trembled.
Their lungs burned.
Yet neither intended to stop.
Not until one of them could no longer stand.
Without another word...
They charged.
BOOM!!
Their fists met once again.
And the arena trembled beneath the clash of the Mind...
And the Sword.