The atmosphere in the arena was electric, buzzing with excitement and nervous anticipation as the second round of matches continued.
Each battle seemed to build on the last, the stakes rising higher and higher as the number of competitors dwindled.
Ryder's turn began, he stood at one end of the battlefield, his fists clenched in quiet focus. His opponent, a stern young man with short, dark hair, mirrored his intensity.
Neither spoke, their eyes communicating the mutual understanding that this battle would be intense.
The referee raised his hand, and in the blink of an eye, both tamers summoned their creatures. In a burst of light, Ryder's team appeared, three new monsters, a majestic hawk with shimmering feathers, a sturdy, heavily-armored bear, and a sleek panther whose black coat seemed to absorb the light around it.
His opponent responded with a massive, reptilian beast, its scales gleaming like polished steel, and a pair of smaller, nimble creatures that darted around it like living shadows.
The lizard's tail slammed into the ground with a low rumble, sending cracks snaking through the arena floor.
With a sharp whistle, Ryder's hawk dove down from the sky, its wings flashing as it peppered the lizard with a flurry of razor-sharp feathers.
The reptile roared, snapping at the bird but missing as it swooped gracefully away. At the same time, Ryder's panther darted forward, a shadow streaking across the arena as it moved in to attack from the side.
Meanwhile, the bear held its ground, waiting for attacks directed toward him.
The young man's lizard beast lunged, its claws tearing into the dirt as it charged toward Ryder's panther, but the sleek feline was too fast, slipping just out of reach and circling around behind it. The panther's claws raked across the lizard's side, drawing a sharp hiss of pain.
The battle raged for minutes, each tamer commanding their creatures with finesse and skill. It was a well-matched fight, the crowd caught in the exhilarating back-and-forth as both sides vied for dominance.
But even as his opponent pressed forward, Ryder's expression remained calm, he was slowly taking the upper hand.
His opponent, however, grew increasingly frustrated. The young man's brow furrowed, his teeth gritting as none of his attempt succeeded.
In a bold move, he completely changed his strategy, locking onto Ryder himself.
The crowd gasped in unison as the boy charged straight for Ryder, his shadow spreading as he was summoning another beast.
It was a desperate tactic, he wasn't as fast as a beast to take Ryder by surprise , but all his thoughts were to create a change.
But Ryder didn't flinch. His eyes narrowed, a small, smile tugging at his lips.
"Bad move."
Just as a new creature emerged from the shadow, Ryder made his move. With a snap of his fingers, the ground beneath his feet exploded upward, revealing his fourth beast, one that had remained hidden for the entirety of the battle, a massive mole-like creature, its claws razor-sharp and its eyes glowing with a deep, molten red, shot out of the earth, intercepting the boy with a crushing blow that sent it sprawling.
The arena erupted into chaos as the crowd screamed in astonishment.
"Winner, Ryder Crow!"
The cheers from the others tamerswere deafening. Ryder's opponent had to be taken away by medics, but before leaving, he turned to Ryder for a moment before bowing his head, acknowledging his loss. Ryder offered a respectful nod before turning away.
But as he walked off the battlefield, his eyes flicked toward Eratz, who was watching him from across the arena. Their eyes met, and Ryder's heart skipped a beat.
He realized in that instant that Eratz had seen everything, his hidden beast, his strategy was known by the worst person possible.
The quiet acknowledgment in Eratz's smile sent a chill down Ryder's spine.
The next matches rolled around quickly, but the atmosphere shifted once a new tamer stepped onto the battlefield.
Whispers filled the stands as the tamers watched the young man, the one who had crushed Milo in his first match without breaking a sweat.
His opponent was older, taller, but the nervous glances he shot at him betrayed his unease.
The battle began, and just like before, the battlefield was shrouded in a thick, unnatural mist. The crowd murmured in confusion. They'd seen this before, the signature move before Milo's disaster.
From within the mist, a shadowy figure appeared, his beast, shadows with glowing eyes and an strange forms that seemed to drift between the physical and the mystical.
It moved like a ghost, slipping through the fog, its movements barely visible.
The older tamer summoned his beasts, but the fog disoriented them. They stumbled, thrashing about as they searched for their unseen enemy.
And then, in a flash of light, the battle was over before anyone could fully register what had happened.
The older tamer's beasts collapsed, one after the other, their defeat swift and nonsensical. He stared at him, stunned and disbelieving
Once again, the boy didn't even break a sweat.
"Winner, Jaden!"
As Jaden turned to leave, his eyes flicked across the arena, looking for something, and then, landed on Eratz.
For a brief moment, the two exchanged a glance, Jaden's lips twitched into a small, confident smile before he turned away, disappearing into the stands.
Eratz's gaze didn't really change, there was something in the way Jaden looked at him, an invitation, perhaps, or a warning, but at this moment he couldn't care less.
As the final matches of the second round concluded, the energy in the arena reached a fever pitch.
The third round was coming, and the crowd was buzzing with speculation. Who would face whom? Who would see his dream crushed?
The screen in the center of the arena flickered, the names of the challengers flashing across it. Among them, five names stood out, those who had won both of their matches.
The tension was thick, the excitement almost unbearable as the final draw began.
Eyes turned toward the screen, the murmurs of the crowd growing louder. Everyone had their attention fixed on two names in particular: Eratz Pandora and Jaden.
Both had surprised and impressed the audience with their overwhelming displays of power. It was clear that these two were the competitors to watch and a battle between the two seemed like a final for this selection.
The draw began, and time seemed to slow down. The names on the screen shuffled, flickering between the remaining tamers.
The suspense was unbearable. Everyone in the crowd held their breath, waiting for the results.
And then, the names appeared:
13th match
[Eratz Pandora VS Ryder Crow]
The announcement of the next match caused some murmurs through the arena, and Ryder stood frozen, wide-eyed, staring at the screen.
His name appeared, bold and unmistakable, right next to Eratz.
A gulp echoed through the room,everyone exchanging glances.
Some of the challengers nearby shook their heads sympathetically.
One of them, a taller boy, sighed.
"Poor guy... it's gonna be his funerals."
He was a good guy, hard-working and lively, and now everyone considered him a relic of the past.
Ryder's face became blue, He turned slowly to face Eratz who was standing next to him.
"I didn't think I'd have to fight you so soon..." he muttered.
"What's the difference? It was me or another real opponent."
Zara, who had been nervously pacing the entire time, threw her hands on her head and let out an exaggerated groan.
"Seriously, Eratz! You're supposed to be our secret weapon but you're only destroying our team! First Milo, and now Ryder, You're wrecking us!" Her feelings were serious, but there was a hint of frustration in her voice that made the others fight to not chuckle.
Eratz raised his eyebrows, meeting Zara's gaze.
"To be fair, I'm also a victim here. I was really worried to perform bad today but everyone fell once I touch them. I feel like I've been wasting my time stressing over that."
Zara glared at him, her frustration melting into mock exasperation.
"Oh come on, why do you think I told you you were special? You should be forbidden to use your body here!"
"I think using my monsters would be worse."
Eratz's grin softened.
"You're worrying too much, Ryder will be fine, I believe in his strength. I want a real challenge, for once."
Ryder blinked in surprise. Milo pouted in the corner, arms crossed tightly, while Ryder was awakening to something.
He was oozing worries a second ago, but something in Eratz's words stirred a flame inside him. A small, determined smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"I didn't expect you were seeing me like that..." Ryder said, standing taller now, his voice steadying, "Well, it's my honor, you count on me to give you a challenge? I'll give it everything I have, don't think you have already won."
Eratz's grin returned, and this time, there was something more playful in his expression.
Zara shot him an annoyed glance.
"Oh, please, don't build unnecessary suspense, there's a reason I recently started a new training for you. We all know how it's gonna end."
The atmosphere shifted as the first match of the second round was announced.
[Jaden VS Sia Verizion]
All eyes turned toward the battlefield, but the chatters remained mostly on Eratz and Ryder.
Jaden, however, was clearly pissed with this. His expression soured as he stepped into the arena, his lips twitching in frustration.
He couldn't stand the fact that his moment in the spotlight was being overshadowed, he had defeated his opponents in a flash, he showed them his domination and had even been cruel, yet no one mentioned him anymore.
His opponent, a calm girl with long, silky black hair, was already waiting on the opposite side. She stood still, her posture relaxed, her black gauntlet gleamed under the light, but she made no move to ready herself.
Jaden sneered as he glanced around at the audience, most of whom were whispering about Eratz's upcoming match instead of paying attention to the battle about to begin. His pride was pricked, and his ego demanded attention.
"Looks like I'll have to be a little more violent if I want people to notice," he muttered.
The girl didn't react, her eyes half-lidded. Her calmness, bordering on indifference, only made Jaden's irritation grow.
"Hey!" Jaden barked, his voice loud and sharp as he pointed at her. "You might want to actually focus on the battle. This is going to hurt, and I don't plan on holding back!"
For a moment, the entire arena seemed to freeze, the audience, sensing something serious, fell silent, their attention finally shifting to Jaden and the girl.
Even Eratz paused, watching the scene unfold with growing interest.
Jaden's confident smirk faltered just slightly with his rage, but he quickly recovered, scowling as he prepared himself. He wasn't going to let some quiet, mysterious girl get under his skin. No way.
The battle began.
Jaden acted immediately. A thick pink mist erupted from him, swirling around him like a cloud as he summoned his beasts.
The mist spread fast, enveloping the battlefield, and the crowd leaned forward, waiting to see the action unfold.
But something happened.
Almost as soon as the mist spread, a sharp, cold wind began to sweep through the arena, cutting through the pink fog like a blade, scattering it in all directions.
The temperature dropped noticeably, and ice began to form on the ground, spreading across the battlefield with eerie speed.
Jaden blinked in confusion, his focus broken.
Zara, watching intently from the sidelines, suddenly gasped as her eyes widened in realization.
"Wait... What the... now I get it! That's the same technique! A field spell!"
Mercury, standing beside her, blinked in confusion for a moment before the realization hit her as well.
"...What? Oh, wait, yes, you're right! How did I miss that? It's a field spell, and this time it's ice." she looked genuinely impressed, her gaze following the frost-covered battlefield.
Eratz, silently observing the entire exchange, noticed something subtle but telling in the expressions of the more experienced among everyone, the staff members.
They didn't show overt reactions, but their slightly furrowed brows and occasional whispered comments suggested there was an anomaly.
"Unbelievable..." Zara muttered under her breath, still shaking her head. "How come there are so many talented people among the rookies? This is insane... I need to recruit her!"
Eratz watched the girls' reaction with sharp, thoughtful eyes. His interest was piqued.
"This technique she used, this ice field... What is it, exactly?" He glanced at Zara and Mercury. "You said it was the same as the pink mist Jaden uses. What is it?"
Zara crossed her arms, her expression turning more focused as she explained. "It's called a field spell. Think of it like a terrain-altering technique. The user changes the battlefield into an environment that suits their specific powers or their beasts. It gives them an advantage over their opponent by turning the area into something favorable for their own type of beasts."
Mercury nodded and added to her explanation.
"In this bastard's case, his pink mist creates a field that's ideal for his types of beasts, and seeing their... silhouette, I would say fairy or specter, most likely."
Zara continued, her eyes flicking back to the frost still lingering on the arena floor. "But this girl, she used the same concept. Only instead of mist, she turned the battlefield into an ice land. That ice field would be perfect for controlling beasts with ice affinities, she must be an exclusive ice type master."
Eratz's red eyes gleamed with growing interest. The concept of altering the battlefield with a single spell intrigued him, especially after seeing how effective it had been till now.
Jaden looked around, his eyes narrowing. He spotted the girl, still standing in the same spot, but the air around her had changed.
There was a cold energy radiating from her, and the ground beneath her feet was now coated in a thin layer of ice. She hadn't moved an inch, yet the entire battlefield was frozen.
Slowly, the girl opened her eyes and threw a cold gaze at him. When she spoke, her voice resonated Jaden's head like if they were alone in a closed room.
"You should be careful how you talk to people, sometimes, a defeat can turn into a correction."
A cold wind crossed Jaden's spine. The girl's gaze remained steady, her eyes as cold as the ice spreading everywhere across the arena. And then, she turned her back to Jaden.
"I forfeit," she said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
The entire arena froze, stunned by her words. The referee hesitated, looking at her in disbelief. The audience collectively held their breath, unsure of what was happening.
"What?!" Jaden exploded, his face turning red with anger. "You can't just... What do you mean you forfeit?! We haven't even fought yet!"
The girl didn't bother turning around. She took a few steps toward the exit, her voice calm as she spoke again.
"I only need a license. I've already proven enough."
Jaden stood there, speechless, as she continued to walk away without another word. His fists clenched at his sides, but there was nothing he could do. The match was officially over. He was the winner, but he had been defeated twice.
The crowd erupted into murmurs, everyone talking at once. Some were confused, while others speculated about the strange, icy power the girl had displayed.
Meanwhile, Jaden remained in the center of the arena, his face still twisted with fury. He kicked at the frost-covered ground, muttering curses under his breath, but it was no use. The match was over, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
The audience slowly turned their attention away from Jaden's outburst.
The buzz of excitement started to rise again as the announcer called out the next match: Eratz VS Ryder.
This was the battle everyone had been waiting for. The anticipation in the air was electric as both of them made their way to the center of the arena.
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