The arena was electric—literally. The air was a heavy, physical atmospheric wall of ozone and burnt sugar as the crowd screamed for their favourite.
Volt, the genius of the Elite Stream, stood in the centre of the ring. He was a jagged stroke of crimson and gold against the grey stone, sparks dancing off his skin like restless fireflies. He didn't just stand; he vibrated with the arrogant energy of a storm waiting to break.
Opposite him stood Sarah.
She was a ghost in white robes. She possessed no presence of a warrior; her posture and output operated entirely as a sacrifice. Her head was bowed, her hands trembling, and the silence around her was heavy, suffocating the cheers of the fifty thousand spectators.
- Matchup Analysis:
- Volt: Lightning Executor (High Mobility / High Burst Damage).
- Sarah: Moon Vessel (Unknown Capabilities).
- Odds: 80 : 20 (Volt Favoured).
"Hey, Sarah!" Volt called out, sparking a playful bolt between his fingers. "Don't look so scared. I'll go easy on you. Just yield when I get close, okay?”.
Sarah looked up. Her eyes were swimming with tears, but behind the wetness, her irises were glowing with a terrifying, blinding gold light.
"Please..." Sarah whispered, her voice amplified by the silence of the arena. "Don't come close. Run away".
"Run?" Volt grinned, his teeth white against the darkening sky. "I don't run. I charge."
The Bell.
"Begin!" the referee shouted.
Volt vanished.
"Executor Art: Thunder Dash."
He became a streak of crimson lightning, zig-zagging across the arena to confuse her. He wasn't aiming to kill; he aimed for a non-lethal strike—a tap to her shoulder to shock her into submission.
Target acquired. Distance: 0.5 metres. Speed: Mach 1.
"Gotcha," Volt whispered, appearing right behind her. He reached out.
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to hurt him. But the Mastermind Devil (The Pale Whisper) hidden deep in her psyche pulled the trigger for her.
"Moon God Ability: Lunar Domain (Tidal Pressure)."
HUMMM.
A sphere of pale, silver-gold light expanded from Sarah’s body. It didn't explode; it oppressed. It manifested not as a blast, but as a crushing, oceanic weight.
The Moon controls the tides. It controls gravity.
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Volt, moving at supersonic speed, suddenly hit a wall of invisible pressure. He ran full-tilt into the undeniable, physical pressure of the ocean floor.
"Gah!" Volt gasped.
His lightning fizzled out. His legs buckled. He was forced to his knees, just inches from Sarah, pinned by the atmosphere itself.
"I'm sorry!" Sarah sobbed. "I can't stop it!"
- Phenomenon: Gravimetric Distortion.
- Pressure: ~50 Atmospheres.
- Effect: Mana Dampening. The "Moonlight" is absorbing the kinetic energy of the lightning.
Volt tried to stand, channelling every ounce of mana he had.
"Overclock! 100% Discharge!"
He tried to blast the pressure away. But the Moon Domain drank his lightning. Volt's energy drained rapidly. His vision violently blurred. Sarah stood motionless above him; no fight remained in her posture. She was just standing there, crying, while the god inside her ate him alive.
"Yield!" Lack shouted from the stands. "Volt! Yield now!"
Volt tried to speak, but the air was too heavy. He tapped the ground weakly.
Tap. Tap.
"Winner: Sarah!" the referee announced, sounding shaken.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Volt collapsed, gasping for air, his face pale as a sheet. Medics rushed in. Sarah didn't celebrate. She covered her face with her hands and ran out of the arena, trailing golden sparks of excess mana.
[Scene Change: The VIP Box]
High Councilman Aamon sipped his tea, his eyes reflecting the golden exit trail of the girl.
"Beautiful," Aamon whispered. "She is nearly ripe. The Moon is full".
? ? ?
[Scene Change: The Locker Room Hallway] Time: 20 Minutes Later
Lack walked down the concrete corridor toward the waiting room. His match against Rian (Semi-Final 2) was tomorrow, but he needed to check on Volt.
The hallway was empty. Or it should have been.
A service droid rolled by, carrying a tray of water bottles.
"Hydration for the contestant?" the droid chirped.
Lack reached for a bottle. His hand hovered over a blue one.
Don't, the Light Devil hissed. It hums wrong. It is actively... sucking.
- Scan: Liquid Contents.
- Vibration Analysis: Hollow.
- Diagnosis: Void Leech Extract. Common Undercity poison. Drains mana and numbs the nerves.
"Hey, Lack!"
Borg (Gluttony) came lumbering down the hall, sneaking away from the infirmary. "Borg... thirsty. Hospital water taste like medicine".
Lack looked at the droid. He looked at Borg.
"Borg," Lack said, picking up the poisoned bottle. "This is special water. It might make your tummy feel... empty."
"Empty tummy means room for more food!" Borg cheered.
Borg grabbed the bottle and crushed it into his mouth.
Gulp.
Borg froze.
"Mmph!" Borg’s eyes went wide. The Leech Extract tried to suck his mana.
- Conflict: Parasite vs. Host.
- Logic: The Leech Extract consumes mana. Gluttony consumes everything.
- Result: Counter-Consumption.
Borg’s stomach growled—a sound like a grinding earthquake. The Gluttony mana inside him attacked the poison, digesting the leeches instantly.
"Burrrp."
Borg licked his lips. His skin turned a faint, glowing violet.
"Spicy water," Borg grinned. "Make Borg feel... hungry for magic".
[System Alert: New Attribute Acquired]
- Mana Drain (Temporary): Borg's next bite will drain the target's mana.
"Good job, Borg," Lack smiled. "Go find Ratchet. Tell him you're a vampire now."
As Borg waddled away, Lack looked down the hall. A flash of white robes disappeared around the corner.
Sarah.
Absolute terror anchored her frame; she clutched her chest, her own heart actively causing her physical damage.
She’s dangerous, the Light Devil noted. But she’s not the villain. She’s the victim.
"We deal with her tomorrow," Lack said, turning back to prepare for his own fight. "First, I have to beat an Iceblock."
? ? ?
[System Record: Character Progression]
- Intel: Sarah is being blackmailed (Brother held hostage).
- Intel: Divine Serum confirmed as "Holy Cannibalism."
- Borg Status: Temporary Mana Drain (Absorbed Poison).
Next Match: Lack vs. Rian (Semi-Final 2).