Chương 418: Phoenix Versus Void
Cecilia's crimson eyes locked onto Ren, her focus unwavering. She raised her staff, the air around her shimmering with heat and latent mana. Spells began forming, layers of intricate seven-circle arrays spinning and intertwining in her hands. Each one pulsed with the potential of destruction.
Ren, on the other hand, took a slow breath. His white hair, already slick with sweat, clung to his face. The arena still vibrated faintly from the earlier clash. His violet eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light—the telltale sign of his Gift, God's Eyes, active and analyzing every move Cecilia made.
He wasn't just watching her; he was seeing through her.
"Let's end this," Ren said, his voice steady as he clenched his fist.
The air around him rippled, his mana surging. His movements became sharper, more precise, as his Gift heightened his control over mana. The remnants of the fractured space from his earlier technique began swirling back together, forming a dense, ominous gravity well around him.
Second Movement: Gravity Crush.
The ground groaned in protest as Ren unleashed the second movement of Void Fist. The gravitational force slammed down like an invisible hammer, the entire arena bowing to its weight. Cecilia's crimson mana buckled under the oppressive force, her feet sinking slightly into the arena floor.
But Cecilia didn't falter. She raised her staff, a smirk playing on her lips. "Cute," she murmured, her voice carrying a playful edge despite the pressure. Her crimson mana flared, and mana circles began forming around her.
The first circle shimmered with brown—the symbol of earth magic. The second burned a deep red, fire mana pulsing from it. The third was an intricate weave of blue and silver, water and wind magic braided together. Her Gift of Witchcraft worked seamlessly, allowing her to mix these elements with unnatural precision.
The circles merged, creating a spiraling mana circle that hovered above her.
"Let's see how you handle this!" she declared, releasing the spell.
A beam of incandescent energy erupted from the array, tearing through the gravitational force with brutal efficiency. Fire, water, earth, and wind mana collided into Ren's Gravity Crush, the elements harmonizing into a devastating lance of energy.
Ren reacted instantly. His Gift flared, showing him the weak points in Cecilia's attack. He adjusted his stance, punching forward with a burst of astral energy that destabilized the incoming spell. The beam shattered into cascading waves of mana, but even fragments of Cecilia's spell carried enough power to send Ren sliding back.
Ren clicked his tongue. "Not bad," he muttered.
Cecilia didn't let up. A dozen smaller spells formed in the air around her, each one glowing with a different elemental hue. She flicked her wrist, and the spells shot toward Ren like a storm of guided missiles.
Ren's eyes darted from spell to spell, his Gift allowing him to track and predict their trajectories. He punched again, shattering some, while others he diverted with deft movements, using spatial fractures to send them careening into the walls of the arena.
But Cecilia had anticipated this. Her Gift of Witchcraft had already recalibrated her attack. The remnants of her spells reassembled midair, converging into a singular point directly above Ren.
"Got you," Cecilia whispered.
The point of mana collapsed inward, creating a sphere of compressed energy that detonated with a deafening roar. Ren barely had time to react as the explosion engulfed him, the force hurling him across the arena.
When the smoke cleared, Ren stood, his uniform singed, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead. But his gaze was sharp, his mana still surging.
"You're good," Ren said, his voice steady. "But not good enough."
He slammed his fists together, the impact reverberating through the arena.
Third Movement: Void Collapse.
The air around Ren twisted violently as the gravitational force intensified. Cecilia staggered as the pull of the Void Collapse began distorting the space around her, threatening to tear apart her carefully constructed arrays. The ground beneath her cracked, chunks of stone floating into the air before disintegrating under the strain.
Cecilia planted her staff into the ground, her mana flaring in defiance. Her Gift of Witchcraft worked overtime, layering defensive spells around her. Wind magic countered the pull of gravity, fire mana burned through the encroaching darkness, and water magic created barriers to shield her.
But the Void Collapse was relentless. Cecilia's defenses began to falter, cracks forming in her barriers as the gravitational force pressed harder.
Ren's Gift of God's Eyes flared again, showing him the exact moment her defenses would break. He dashed forward, his fist glowing with astral energy, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
But Cecilia wasn't finished.
Her crimson eyes burned with determination as she raised her staff, her mana surging to its peak. She thrust the staff forward, and the fractured remnants of her defenses reformed into a singular, massive array.
"Time to turn the tide!" she shouted.
The array unleashed a torrent of fire and light, the combined elements spiraling into a dragon-shaped construct that roared as it charged toward Ren.
Ren's eyes widened, but he didn't hesitate. His fist met the dragon's maw, the impact shaking the entire arena. For a moment, the two forces seemed evenly matched, the dragon's fiery scales clashing against Ren's astral energy.
Then, with a final roar, the dragon exploded, engulfing the stage in a blinding flash of light.
When the light faded, both combatants were still standing, though they were battered and bruised. Ren's breathing was labored, and Cecilia's crimson mana flickered like a dying flame.
But neither was ready to give up. The battle wasn't over yet.
The arena was a wasteland of charred stone and fractured barriers. The intensity of the clash had turned the battleground into a testament of the two combatants' power. Cecilia stood firm, her staff trembling in her grip as her crimson eyes bore into Ren's. Ren, equally battered, wiped blood from his lip, his white hair matted with sweat and soot.
The audience was silent, watching in awe as the two geniuses prepared for what could only be the final exchange. Even the announcer held her breath, sensing the weight of the moment.
Cecilia raised her staff once more, her mana surging to a dangerous peak. Crimson, gold, and azure light interwove as her Gift of Witchcraft refined her remaining reserves into a singular, devastating spell.
Ren, his Gift of God's Eyes blazing, took a steady stance. His astral energy gathered around him, the space warping in response to his focused intent. His next move would decide the battle.
"Let's end this," Cecilia said, her voice steady despite the exhaustion lining her features. She thrust her staff into the ground, activating the massive array that had formed beneath her feet. It pulsed with an overwhelming blend of fire, wind, and earth mana.
"Phoenix Ascension," she declared.
A fiery construct of a phoenix erupted from the array, its wings spreading wide as it let out an ethereal cry. The heat was palpable even in the stands as the phoenix shot toward Ren with blinding speed, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Ren didn't flinch. He clenched his fists, the air around him distorting violently as his mana swelled. He whispered, almost inaudibly, "Void Rupture."
The fourth and final movement of Void Fist erupted from Ren's body in a cascade of astral energy. The fabric of space itself twisted, collapsing into a singularity at his fists. The phoenix collided with the rupture, the clash creating a deafening roar and a shockwave that shook the entire arena.
Cecilia gritted her teeth, pouring everything she had into sustaining the phoenix. The fiery construct pressed against the singularity, pushing it back inch by inch. The air between them crackled with raw energy as the two forces struggled for dominance.
But Ren's Void Rupture was unrelenting. The singularity expanded, consuming the phoenix's wings, then its body, until only sparks of crimson and gold remained. The force of the rupture slammed into Cecilia, throwing her backward with brutal force.
She skidded across the arena, her staff clattering out of her grasp as she came to a halt at the edge. Smoke rose from her body, her breaths shallow but steady. She tried to push herself up, her arms trembling with the effort, but her strength failed her.
The announcer hesitated, glancing between the two combatants. Ren stood in the center of the arena, battered but upright, his fist still glowing faintly with residual astral energy.
"Winner: Ren Kagu!" the announcer finally declared, her voice breaking the tense silence.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, their awe and admiration filling the air. Ren staggered slightly, clearly at his limit, but he turned toward Cecilia and extended a hand.
"You were incredible," he said, his voice sincere.
Cecilia looked at his hand, her crimson eyes narrowing briefly before softening. With a small smile, she accepted his help, allowing him to pull her to her feet.
"You were better," she replied, her voice quiet but tinged with respect.
The two stood together for a moment, the applause washing over them. Despite the outcome, it was clear to everyone that this battle had been a clash of equals, a testament to the talent and determination of both combatants.
As they left the arena, I leaned back in my seat, a faint smile tugging at my lips. Cecilia had lost, but she had pushed Ren to his absolute limit. It wasn't just a fight—it was a message.
This generation was like no other.
And the Sovereign's Tournament was far from over.
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