The battle raged on with eveer iy. Cha’s newfound speed and agility kept Mui ooes. The two cshed with incredible ferocity.

  Cha pressed her advantage, delivering a series of swift sshes that Mui struggled to avoid. Each of Cha’s attacks was like a bolt of lightning, her strikes too quiui to rea time.

  The first strike left a gash on Mui’s arm, followed by a sed strike that grazed her side. Cha tinued her relentless assault, nding a third hit on Mui’s shoulder and a fourth ohigh. Mui’s armor was now marked with cuts and burns. Her movements became sluggish.

  Cha then spoke fidently. “Mui, your Kyosa overturn many things, but it ’t keep up with the lightning’s speed,” Cha decred, sshing diagonally. “You didn’t eveion why I would choose to end my sword magic. Why is that? You were so focused on adapting to my attacks, you didn’t think about the strategy behind them.”

  She followed it up with a horizontal ssh. “By ending my sword magic, I created a vulnerability that you focused on, only to turn it into a trap. I slowed down your Kyosa’s effects and drastically increased my speed.”

  Cha tinued her relentless barrage, delivering a series of lightning-fast strikes. “By marking you with a lightning strike, I ehat you’d bee the ductor that would lead me to victory. All I needed, was one good ssh!”

  Cha cut aui’s chest, leaving a searing mark. “Your strength, your power, your strategies…. After being broken, they are nothing against the Thunder Dragon’s fury!”

  With each ssh, she pushed Mui further back, f her to the brink. Cha’s bde, charged with the power of Sanda Collosus, crackled with electrifying energy.

  “Feel the weight of my lightning,” Cha procimed, “and know that you ’t overturn the iable!”

  Cha delivered a decisive blow that sent Mui crashing to the ground. The arena quaked with the impact as Cha’s attack shattered Mui’s defenses.

  Cha stood over the fallen Mui. The arena was bathed in a vibraric. “I’m not do..!”

  Cha raised her bde and then shouted, “YELLOW, DRAGON, STRIKE!!”

  A surge of yellowish energy burst from her bde, f the shape of a fierce dragon that engulfed Mui. The impact was cataclysmic, creating a shockwave that sent ripples of energy throughout the arena. Mui was lifted off the ground and shrouded in a blinding explosion of yellow light.

  When the dust settled, Mui’s body y motionless on the ground. Afterwards, the tdown began for her.

  “Sixty... fifty-nine... fifty-eight...”

  The crowd watched with bated breath.

  “Forty-three... forty-two... forty-one...”

  Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle were ily watg from their seats. Roselle’s eyes were wide awe. Her fingers gripped on the edge of her seat. Risebelle seemed to be analyzing the battle with a strategid. Runebelle, despite her usual gloom, was visibly engrossed.

  “Thirty... twenty-nine... twe...”

  Chal, standing at the sidelines with his arms folded, watched with a critical eye.

  “Twenty... een... eighteen...”

  The announcer, after her initial shock, posed herself and addressed the audience. “It looks like we’re in’ up on the grand finale of this high-stakes battle! Will Mui, one of the Western Kingdom’s fi Elite Guards, find a way to rise up and keep fightin’, or will Cha cim victory?”

  “Ten... nine... eight...”

  Cha sheathed her sword with a deep breath. She took a step back, her focus momentarily drifting from Mui.

  However, a suddeion tugged at her senses, and she swiftly turned her gaze toward her fallen oppo. Mui was rising with a weak ughter that went out through the arena.

  Cha’s eyes narrowed.

  “I uimated you, Cha,” Mui said with a smirk, though she strained in her speech. “But don’t think this is over just yet.”

  The announcer, still in disbelief, called out, ” I hardly believe my eyes, folks! It looks like the battle ain’t over just yet! Mui, that tough-as-nails Elite Guard, has dug deep and found herself a sed wind!”

  The crowd’s excitement was mirrored by the face of spectators iands. Roselle and Risebelle wore looks of surprise. Runebelle’s face showed a deeper sadhan usual.

  Kintovar and Juliana exged thoughtful gnces. Haras, with her unique bubblegum-colored hair, sat mung on pop with incredible speed. A single piece of pop cascaded down her hair.

  Chal’s observed the tinuation of the battle with a scowl. “You gotta be kidding me...”

  Mui’s aura exploded into a vast, menag wave that exteoward the arena’s barrier. It radiated with a dark iy, causing the air around it to crackle and hum.

  With a anding presence, Mui held up her sword and decred, “Swod Form!”

  Mui’s aura intensified, being a swirling maelstrom of dark energy that surged with unpreted power. The barrier surrounding the arena trembled uhe pressure ing from Mui.

  Cha’s eyes snapped open in realization. ‘Of course! I fot about that,’ she thought to herself. A grin spread across her face despite the mounting challenge. ‘Mui’s been holding back this eime. And I’ve expended nearly all my stamina. If this increases her power drastically…’

  Cha’s grin widened. “So be it!”

  Mui chuckled softly. After a seriously hard stare towards Cha, she briefly closed her eyes and then opehem with a serene smile. Her overwhelming aura began to dissipate.

  “I give up,” Mui said.

  Iands, Roselle’s eyes widened in fusion. “What? Did she just…?”

  Risebelle’s analytical mind struggled to process the turn of events. “Is this some sort of strategy? No…It doesn’t make sense…unless…hmmm….”

  Runebelle, despite her usual gloom, mirrored her sisters’ bewilderment. “What just happened?”

  Chal folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

  The entire areed in a unified shout of disbelief. “What?!”

  Cha blinked in bewilderment. She tilted her head slightly, looking at Mui while thinking, ’This… this is a joke, right? She’s not ‘really’ doing this right now…’

  Mui raised her hand and addressed the arena. “Oh my, it looks like I’ve lost everyone. I give up.”

  The announcer was at a loss for words for a moment before managing to excim, “Well, folks, I re this is the most ued twist we’ve seen all day! Mui’s throwin’ iowel, and with that, we’re handin’ the victory over to Cha!

  The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and appuse.

  Cha lowered her arms almost to the ground. Her eyes darted between Mui and the crowd.“I don’t get it! What just happened?!”

  Mui began to walk away calmly despite the chaos that had just unfolded. Cha, still bewildered, dashed after her and caught up just as Mui was about to exit the arena.

  “Hey, wait a minute!” Cha called out, grabbing Mui’s shoulder. “What was that all about? If you used your Swod Form, you might have been able to…. Urgh… Why did you surrender when you had a clear advantage over me?”

  Mui paused, turning to face Cha with a chuckle. “Oh, Cha….We’re all going to be participating in the Eastern Annual Tour in just a few days. Why should I reveal all my triow?”

  Cha’s fusion gave way to a serene smile. “You’re such a tease, Mui.”

  Mui smiled widely. “The beautiful ones always are.”

  With a final wink, Mui tinued her walk, leaving Cha standing there in admiration.

  Chal approached Cha with curiousity. “What did you say to Mui?”

  Cha gri her younger brother, shaking her head. “Nothing important,” she replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

  Chal frowned. He had his eyes fixed on the spot where Mui had disappeared. “I don’t like how she just gave up. I wahat fight to go to the end.”

  Cha ughed softly and pced a hand on Chal’s shoulder. “I know, Chal. I feel the same way, but that Mui… She loves to keep people guessing. Besides, the Eastern Annual Tour is going to be full of surprises. You’ll see her go all out there.”

  “Well, howdy, folks! We’ve reached the grand finale of Round 2 in the Western Practice Tour, a me tell ya, this is one showdown you won’t wanna miss!

  Get ready for the electrifyin’ csh between Rawna and Kael! These two have already proven they’re tougher than a two-dolr steak in the earlier rounds, and now they’re fa’ off for a ove on up iour!

  Get ready for a battle that’s sure to keep y’all on the edge of your seats!”

  Rawna, the bearer of the spear of destru, ehe arena fidence. Her long, violet hair cascaded down her back, adorned with seven golden rings. Her pierg gold eyes locked onto her oppo. Her dress was styled in an Arabic fashion.

  Following her, Kael made his entrance, shrouded in a dark cape that billowed around him. His resembled a neancer from the depths of the underworld. His eyes carried an almost lifeless quality. He also had an unnaturally pale skin. The crowd was getting a feeling of shivers.

  Iands, Roselle’s gaze remained fixed on Rawna . Her eyes bore into the formidable spear-wielder, and she seemed unusually focused on this fight.

  In the midst of the crowd, various versations and murmurs unfolded as the battle between Rawna and Kael enced.

  “I ’t decide who I want to win,” one spectator ented, “Both of them give off such bad vibes. It’s like choosiween two evils.”

  Another person nodded in agreement, saying, “Yeah, it’s hard to root for either of them. They both seem pretty sinister.”

  In the distance, a hushed voice whispered, “I just hope this matds quickly…”

  Iands, Risebelle gnced around, taking in the crowd’s reas. “Tough crowd.”

  Roselle remained silent and tio watch Rawna with intense tration.

  Risebelle noticed her sister’s unusual demeanor and nudged her gently. “There she goes again,” she said, shaking her head. “Lost in her own world.”

  Runebelle eyed the arena with a resigned look. “This is going to be sad either way.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow at Runebelle’s ent. “Why do you say that?”

  Runebelle sighed. Her gaze drifted betweewo petitors. “Rawna and Kael both have such heavy auras. It’s like watg a storm about to break...”

  Kael’s pale gaze remained fixed on Rawna.“Well, Rawna… I’ve heard all about your little spear of destru. It supposedly obliterate anything in its path. But you see, that’s against anyone who’s not... me.”

  Raw his gaze with icy disdain. “So smug, but for how long?”

  The thought of Kael belittling a goddess item like the Spear of Destru ignited a fire within Rawna. Every fiber of her being ached to teach him a lesson, to unleash the full power of her on and obliterate his arrogance. Yet, she khat here, iour, she must hold back. Dispyihal i was not an option.

  She took a deep breath, f herself to remain posed. “Uimating the power of a goddess item could cost you, Kael.”

  “Let the battle,Begin!”

  When Str’s and to begin echoed through the grand arena, Kael wasted no time. He extended his hand, and with a chilling intation, he summohe Undead Giant. The ground trembled as a massive, rotting creature emerged, t over Rawna.

  Rawna, however, remained unfazed. With a swift and powerful motion, Rawna hurled the spear of destru at the Undead Giant. The giant tried to raise its deg arm to block the ining attack, but it was in vain. The spear pierced through its arm, shattering the creature into a cloud of dark energy and fragments.

  Kael cpped slowly. “Impressive power, but you’ll find that defeating my minions is the least of your worries.”

  Kael raised his arm high and ted an intation, “Darkness, heed my call, I beseech thee, O shadowed powers that lie beyond the veil. Bring forth the legions of the damned, my Undead Army!”

  With those words, the grand arena was shrouded in darkness. The ground trembled, and from the depths of the shadows, a horde of a thousand skeletal warriors emerged. various forms of armor and armed with a diversity of ons, they stood at attention, ready to serve their dark master.

  Kael stepped forward, and from the ranks of the undead, a female skeletal warrior took a step closer to Kael. Her empty eye sockets locked onto Rawna.

  Kael held out his arms in an imposing manner. “Wele to the abyss, Rawna. These are my loyal minions, and they’ll gdly show you what true darkness do.”

  Rawna remaioic. Her eyes locked onto Kael and his army.