Zyler spat out another clot of blood, the crimson liquid sizzling slightly as it touched the burning arena floor. Yet, despite the state of his body, his grin widened, unnerving everyone watching. “Seems like I have to end this battle soon,” he muttered with a hoarse chuckle. “Danial, I’ve enjoyed playing with you.”Danial’s expression turned grim as his gaze flicked to his left arm. The burns and damage from earlier were mostly gone, but more importantly, he noticed something else. His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, His attacks... although powerful, they're not poisonous. That information mattered. He had been too cautious before.He exhaled slowly and flicked his sword out to the side. Flames instantly coiled around the blade like a living serpent, and within seconds, the familiar, deadly aura of the Hellfire Sword returned—its crimson and black flames licking at the air, warping the space around them.Zyler snorted in disdain and launched forward without hesitation. His grot
Danial stood upright, body trembling, yet his eyes never wavered from Zyler. Blood still dripped from the gash on his side, and his broken right arm hung weakly at his side. But he refused to let go of his sword.Then, without a word, Danial raised his left hand and placed it over his broken arm. A faint green glow began to emanate from his palm, rippling with soft, healing energy. His fingers trembled as the light surged gently through the cracks in his bones, mending tissues, reinforcing muscle fibers, and slowly stitching flesh back together.The crowd gasped. Even amidst the brutal spectacle of the tournament, such a healing technique was rare—especially one that worked mid-battle.In the VIP section, voices rose in stunned whispers.“Did he just use… a healing art?” muttered of of the God of Wars, Astra Skyreach, narrowing her eyes behind his glasses. “That kind of regeneration mid-combat is no joke.”Catherine Lancaster leaned forward. “It’s refined and stable. That isn’t some c
Danial’s eyes snapped open.There was no trace of fatigue or frustration in them anymore. Instead, an intense sharpness cut through the air like a blade. His pupils seemed to narrow, not in fear, but in focus—pure, honed focus. Predatory—that was the only word Zyler could muster to describe them. For the first time in the entire fight, Zyler took a cautious step back.He didn’t understand why… but something primal stirred inside him.Danial’s body didn’t move, but the Aura Blade in his hand began to surge, resonating with a cold, refined power. The space around it wavered like heat distortion—yet there was no heat, only pure cutting energy. It hummed with lethal intent.Zyler’s momentary fear melted into a wide, twisted grin. His chest heaved with excitement as he flicked his right arm, and the tendrils writhed violently, twisting and condensing into the shape of a grotesque, fleshy sword—black, pulsing, and jagged like a spine ripped from a monster. With a delighted chuckle, he flick
Danial pointed the Hellfire-cloaked sword toward Zyler, his body now surrounded by embers that shimmered like a tempest waiting to burst.Zyler scoffed, arms crossed beneath the grotesque armor that pulsed with sickly energy. “Just because your fire’s changed color… you think I’ll be afraid?”Danial didn’t reply.He raised his hand, and a torrent of fire erupted from his body. The flames whipped and spiraled, wrapping tighter around him like coiling serpents until they formed a blazing dome. Gasps rose from the audience as the structure pulsed like a living heart, casting flickering shadows across the arena. The heat it radiated was suffocating, almost surreal.Inside the inferno, Danial stood unburned—his calm, collected form emerging slowly from the wall of fire, a faint smirk on his face.Zyler tilted his head, amused. “These are flashy tricks. They won’t work against me.”Danial’s smirk deepened. “Let’s find out.”With no warning, he dashed forward. The dome collapsed into sparks
Danial froze as he caught a full glimpse of Zyler’s face—sharp cheekbones, flawless skin, crimson eyes that shimmered like rare rubies. For a moment, his breath caught in his throat.It’s… beautiful…?His crimson eyes shimmered like rubies under sunlight, his silver hair danced faintly in the wind, and his porcelain skin glowed with an otherworldly elegance. The sight disarmed Danial—not with fear, but with awe. For a fleeting moment, Danial's thoughts became a blur. His grip loosened slightly on the hilt of his sword.“Why... why does he look so… beautiful?”A strange warmth rushed into his chest, his thoughts spiralling in directions he didn’t understand. Then, like a slap across the face, a sharp thought jolted him back.“What the hell am I thinking?!”He shook his head hard, brows furrowed, disgusted at himself. “Why am I suddenly getting these thoughts? This is a battle. Focus, Danial!”Zyler caught his expression and let out a low chuckle. He tilted his head slightly, the smirk
Danial slowly unsheathed his sword, the metallic ring of steel against scabbard echoing in the silent arena. His stance was calm, firm—his eyes locked onto Zyler. Zyler scoffed, amused. "You're playing defensive, huh? I thought the great Danial would charge head-on. Looks like the rumours about you were exaggerated." Danial raised a brow at the remark, “Rumours? What the hell is he talking about? I never cared about that kind of nonsense… Still, I shouldn’t get distracted. This guy’s no joke.” Danial offered a small, composed smile. "Is that what you want, Zyler? For me to rush in without thought?" Zyler let out a deep chuckle. "So you can read intentions. Impressive." Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The aura around Zyler darkened and grew heavier. The temperature dropped. "Enough fun. It's time to get serious," he said with menace. Danial’s eyes sharpened as he raised his sword, his stance low and ready. At once, thick, black tendrils burst from beneath his feet, writhing li