Rhys didn't waste a second.

The moment the referee squeaked out the word "begin," he charged forward, feet digging into the cracked arena floor.

Balron looked delighted.

"THAT'S IT! COME AT ME!"

He swung Bloodmaw in a massive arc.

Rhys ducked under the swing by a hair. The wind pressure alone sliced open the ground behind him.

Puddle screamed from the sidelines,

"MASTER DON'T GET CUT IN HALF!!"

Rhys ignored the panic. His focus was razor sharp.

He stepped in and slashed—

SWIFT CUT!

Balron blocked it easily.

"Faster."

Rhys clicked his tongue and slashed again—

VERTICAL SLASH!

Balron parried with a flick of his wrist.

"Harder."

Rhys gritted his teeth.

"Oh come ON—!"

Balron swung again. Rhys jumped back, dust exploding at his feet.

He raised a hand quickly.

MAGIC MISSILE!

A stream of glowing bolts shot toward Balron.

Balron didn't even dodge. He simply laughed and held up Bloodmaw.

The axe's runes flashed—

FWOOM!

The missiles were swallowed into the blade.

Bloodmaw whispered,

"MOREEE…"

Rhys blinked in horror.

"IT CAN EAT MAGIC?!"

Balron nodded proudly.

"Yup. Keep feeding him!"

"I DON'T WANT TO FEED HIM!!"

Balron stomped the ground.

EARTH WAVE!

The floor tore open, a wave of stone rising like a wall and rushing toward Rhys.

Rhys clicked his tongue again and raised his hand.

FIREBALL!

A huge sphere of flame blasted forward—

—and the Earth Wave swallowed it whole, turning molten for a moment before cooling instantly.

Rhys stared.

"…Earth is cheating."

Balron grinned wide.

"EARTH IS JUST BETTER!"

Rhys didn't reply. He launched forward again.

He needed to get closer.

He needed to hit hard.

Balron lifted his axe again.

Rhys saw the opening.

He shifted his stance—

—and unleashed everything into one clean strike.

WATER BLADE!

The blade crackled with compressed water mana, sharp and clear.

It cut down in a bright arc—

CLANG!

Bloodmaw stopped it again, but this time—

Balron slid back half a meter.

Just a little.

His grin widened even more.

"There it is."

Rhys's heart skipped.

He moved. He actually got pushed.

Balron's voice deepened.

"You're finally giving me something real."

He gripped Bloodmaw with both hands. The runes burned brighter.

"Bloodmaw."

The axe whispered like a hungry beast.

"Feeeed…"

Balron raised it overhead.

"EARTHBREAKER!"

Rhys's eyes widened.

"NOPE—!"

He threw everything he had into a quick cast—

MANA SHIELD!

A dome of blue energy snapped around him.

Balron swung down.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

The world disappeared in dust and shaking earth. Half the arena cracked open, chunks of stone flying into the stands. The shockwave rippled through Rhys, rattling every bone in his body.

Sophia screamed,

"STOP BREAKING THE ARENA!!"

Caria scribbled frantically.

"Earthbreaker destructive potential… noted… NOTED MANY TIMES—"

Lyra stayed calm, watching the crater.

When the dust settled…

Rhys was still standing.

Barely.

His Mana Shield flickered and broke apart like falling glass.

Balron stared at him with pure excitement.

"You blocked that? Good. Again."

Rhys coughed and pointed at him shakily.

"I'm convinced you don't know what 'spar' means."

Balron stepped forward, dragging the axe behind him.

"Come on, Rhys. You're not done. Show me that crazy power again."

Rhys tightened his grip on his sword.

His arms burned.

His legs shook.

But his eyes stayed sharp.

"Fine… You want crazy?"

He raised his blade.

Mana swirled around him again—messy, unstable, but fierce.

"I'll show you crazy."

Balron's grin widened.

"THAT'S WHAT I WANT!"

The ground trembled as they charged toward each other for the next clash—

one man wielding unstable power…

and the other wielding a weapon that wanted to eat everything in its path.

The arena went silent for half a heartbeat.

Then—

CLASH!!

Rhys and Balron met in the center like two charging beasts. Sparks exploded as sword met axe.

Balron laughed like a man at a festival.

"YES! MORE!"

Rhys pushed off, spun, and slashed again—

WHIRLWIND SLASH!

A sweeping crescent of force shot forward. It smashed into Balron—

—and Bloodmaw swallowed it like a snack.

The axe moaned,

"FEEEED MOOOORE…"

Rhys groaned.

"Shut UP—!"

Balron swung horizontally. Rhys ducked, but the axe still grazed his hair.

A chunk of the arena wall behind him exploded.

Rhys stumbled back.

"What is that weapon MADE OF?!"

Balron shrugged mid-fight.

"Something ancient! Something hungry!"

He stomped the ground again.

STONE PILLAR RISE!

The floor erupted beneath Rhys—

He jumped at the last second—

—but the pillar still clipped his leg, sending him spinning.

He crashed, rolled, and came up on one knee.

Puddle screamed,

"MASTER IS DOING PARKOUR BY FORCE!!"

Balron didn't slow.

He leaped—actually leaped—into the air and brought Bloodmaw down like a falling mountain.

Rhys pointed up weakly.

MAGIC MISSILE! MAGIC MISSILE! MAGIC MISSILE!!

A dozen bolts fired like rapid shots.

Bloodmaw inhaled all of them.

FWOOOM FWOOOM FWOOOM—

Balron landed in front of him with a shake of the earth.

"Good warm-up. Now give me something REAL!"

Rhys's eyebrow twitched.

"…You call that a warm-up?"

He forced himself up and rushed forward again.

Their weapons clashed.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Balron pushed him back every time, but Rhys refused to fall.

He darted to the side, slid low, and slashed upward—

WATER BLADE!

A sharp geyser of water mana cut upward.

For the first time—

Balron didn't block.

He tanked it.

The blade tore into his chest armor, sending water bursting behind him.

Balron staggered half a step.

His eyes widened with joy.

"THAT—

WAS GOOD!"

He grabbed Rhys's shoulder with his free hand.

Rhys's soul left his body for a second.

"OH—NO—"

Balron lifted him and threw him across the arena like a sack of potatoes.

Rhys crashed into the ground, skidded, and slammed into a broken pillar.

Sophia shouted,

"STOP THROWING MY FRIENDS LIKE LAUNDRY!!"

Caria scribbled again.

"Balron: insane physical strength… mental stability questionable."

Puddle cried loudly,

"MASTER IS BOUNCING!!"

Rhys groaned, forcing himself up again.

Balron charged.

Rhys steadied his stance.

I can't overpower him. I need timing…

Balron swung Bloodmaw in an overhead arc.

Rhys sidestepped—

barely—

and slashed at his exposed ribs—

SWIFT CUT!

The hit landed—

Balron didn't even flinch.

Instead, he smiled down at Rhys with huge, excited eyes.

"There you are."

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