Ganesha shouted with booming excitement, "Fighters ready... begin!"
Frederick stepped forward, planting himself firmly in front of Robin, his posture stern and unshakeable as he prepared to intercept any incoming attack. Finn wasted no time and sprinted straight toward them, spear in hand, while Riveria began chanting, her sharp gaze locked onto both Frederick and Robin.
She only blinked for a moment. In that sliver of time, Robin vanished.
Riveria's eyes widened, and Finn froze mid-step, stunned by Robin's disappearance. His hesitation nearly cost him dearly. Frederick's axe came crashing down toward him with thunderous force. Finn barely managed to twist his spear and catch the blow on the shaft, the impact rattling up his arms.
Riveria hurried to continue her chant, determined to regain control, but a brutal spin kick slammed into her ribs from behind. The air escaped her lungs as she crashed to the ground. She looked up, wincing, and found Robin standing over her, expression calm and indifferent as if her earlier attack required no effort at all.
Robin gave a small, curious hum. "Getting behind you was far easier than I thought. I bet you assumed I'd hide behind Frederick the entire match, didn't you?"
Riveria pushed herself to her feet, brushing dust off her dress with irritation. "How did you move so quickly?"
"Magic, of course," Robin replied matter-of-factly. "A high-level wind spell called Forseti. It boosts all of my physical parameters beyond their natural limits."
Riveria's eyes glimmered with professional interest. "That's useful. If we weren't enemies at the moment, I'd ask you to teach it to me."
"Maybe next time," Robin mused, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Now, I'm quite interested in the magic of this world. I'm disappointed that it requires a chant, but I'm hoping its power makes up for that. Go ahead, I won't interrupt this time. Show me your best."
The sincerity in Robin's gaze made Riveria pause. Realizing she was truly being granted a chance to showcase her magic, Riveria resumed chanting one of her strongest spells. Robin stood calmly, watching with keen interest.
Meanwhile, Finn and Frederick continued their fierce exchange. Finn attacked with relentless aggression, his spear flashing as he tried to break through Frederick's iron-tight defense. Yet no matter how hard he pressed, he couldn't find a single opening.
Breathing heavily, Finn stepped back for a quick moment of recovery. "Geez, do you just not have any openings?"
Frederick kept his firm stance, eyes never leaving Finn. "I'm sure I do, but I train hard every day to remove any and all flaws from my form and technique. Stagnation and complacency are a knight's greatest enemy."
A grin tugged at Finn's lips. "I agree, which is why I also train hard every day. Yet I still seem to be struggling against you."
Frederick allowed himself a small, proud smile. "Don't sell yourself short. Your skills are admirable. I'd say the difference between us is experience. I've spent the majority of my life fighting soldiers on battlefields, while you've spent yours fighting monsters in a dungeon. You're too used to fighting beasts, not men."
Finn chuckled softly and tightened his grip on his spear. "Perhaps you're right. Ready to go again?"
"Of course," Frederick replied, raising his axe with renewed determination.
They clashed once more, this time with Frederick taking the initiative. Every blow he delivered forced Finn farther and farther back across the arena floor. The pressure mounted until finally, with a swift and unexpected maneuver, Frederick swept Finn's legs right out from under him. Before Finn could recover, Frederick followed up with a decisive punch to his face, sending him crashing into the stone floor with a harsh thud.
Finn lay unconscious.
Frederick took a deep breath and nodded respectfully. "It was a good fight. Now rest."
With care that contrasted the brutality of battle, he hoisted Finn over his shoulder and carried him off the arena to protect him from the ongoing duel between Riveria and Robin.
Riveria completed her chant with a fierce snap of her staff and unleashed her spell. "Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
At once, a roaring wave of ice and frost surged across the arena, racing toward Robin with terrifying speed. The storm howled as it fell upon her.
But Robin didn't flinch.
Instead of defending, she calmly raised her hand and attacked. A sharp flash of light sparked from her fingertips.
"Thoron."
A spear of supercharged plasma blasted forward, slicing straight through the blizzard. The air cracked with raw energy as the beam tore a hole through Riveria's spell and rocketed toward her.
Riveria's eyes went wide. She hastily formed a barrier of pure magic, desperation in every breath. The plasma collided with her shield and shattered it like fragile glass. The resulting shockwave thundered through the arena, throwing Riveria off her feet and sending her skidding across the ground.
She groaned, lifting her head just in time to watch Robin get swallowed by the raging ice storm. Relief washed over her shoulders, and she allowed herself a small, tired breath.
Until the ice erupted outward.
A swirling torrent of roaring flame wrapped around Robin, dispersing the spell like melting snow beneath a sunbeam. When the smoke cleared, Robin vanished again.
Riveria spun, heart pounding. This time she reacted instantly, throwing up a fresh barrier while turning to track her opponent. Robin appeared right in front of her, calm and collected as ever.
Robin raised her hand. Riveria braced for a blast.
Instead, she felt something pulled from inside her.
A trembling gasp escaped her lips as she felt energy drain from her body and pour into Robin's outstretched palm. Riveria staggered, her vision flickering.
"What did you do?" she demanded, voice strained and breathless.
Her knees buckled slightly. The world swayed. Sound became fuzzy. She barely caught Robin's quiet explanation.
"Nosferatu. A dark spell that allows the caster to absorb some of their enemy's vitality."
Robin didn't give her time to recover.
She cast again.
"Thunder."
A jagged bolt of lightning exploded from her hand, striking Riveria in the chest. The impact lifted Riveria off her feet and slammed her violently to the arena floor. Her consciousness slipped away before she even landed.
Ganesha leapt dramatically back into the ring, raising both arms high into the air.
"And here are your winners... Frederick and Robinnnn!!!!!!!"
The crowd erupted at once, the arena shaking with thunderous applause and wild cheers as Robin stood quietly, expression calm, victory secured.
Tet waved his hand, and all four fighters vanished from the arena in a flash of divine magic. Finn and Riveria reappeared beside Loki, while Frederick and Robin materialized right in front of Tet.
He smiled and said, "Fine work, you two."
Both fighters bowed politely, standing tall with pride in their postures. Robin lifted her chin and replied with smooth confidence, "Of course, Lord Tet."
She then turned toward Frederick with a slightly smug look in her eyes,and said.
"See, Freddy Bear? It went exactly as planned."
Frederick's shoulders stiffened. "Don't call me that."
Apollo leaned in from the side with a mischievous grin growing on his face. "Oh? She's got an adorable nickname for you. You two dating?"
Robin's grin stretched wider, delight sparkling in her eyes. She pivoted to Frederick and spoke in a teasingly sweet tone. "I don't know, Freddy Bear... are we dating?"
Frederick's face exploded into a deep crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. His composure shattered.
"I suddenly find myself very hungry! I must find food right now!" he shouted in a panicked rush, darting toward the nearest food stall like he was fleeing a dragon.
Robin clicked her tongue and smirked. "Coward."
Tet chuckled and said, "Okay, on that note, you're free to enjoy the festivities as you please. Robin, just don't cause any trouble."
Robin nodded, gave another respectful bow, and departed with a spring in her step. As Tet watched her go, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.
He glanced down to see Kunou staring up at him. She pointed toward the arena floor and huffed, "The angry lady is back."
Tet let out a long, weary sigh. "Yeah… I better deal with this."
He placed a light, reassuring pat on Kunou's head before teleporting down to confront the storm waiting below.
---
Tet appeared in the arena and stood before an absolutely livid Loki.
"What do you want?" he asked flatly.
Loki jabbed a finger toward him, eyes narrowed with stubborn fury. "Double or nothing! Two of mine versus two of yours! We win, I get Tiona back... and I get to make Blondie suffer!"
Tet stared at her with exhausted disbelief. "You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
She puffed out her cheeks like a furious gremlin refusing to back down.
"Fine," Tet responded at last. "Go get your fighters ready."
Without giving her the satisfaction of further reaction, he vanished once again, teleporting back to his VIP box.
Tet sank back into his chair with a tired groan. "Now who the hell should I send this time?" he muttered under his breath. He crossed his arms, tapping his foot in irritation. "I kind of want to just send out someone totally overpowered and get it over with… but that's poor sportsmanship."
His eyes narrowed, a competitive spark glinting within. "Honestly, I won't allow anyone other than those two to beat me at anything. Even when I'm not directly participating."
He paused. Slowly, a grin spread across his face. "Well… the kids have been training hard," he said with rising excitement. "Let's see how much they've improved."
---
Ganesha marched into the arena with theatrical flair, raising his arms high.
"Alright everyone! After that exciting match, we have yet another side match between Lady Loki and Lord Tet!" he announced, voice booming. "This one will be a tag match just like the last fight! And just like before, the losing side's members will be claimed by the winning side!"
The crowd roared in anticipation.
"Now, representing Lady Loki, we have these fine ladies!"
From the entrance tunnel emerged a tall, dark-skinned warrior with long black hair braided along both sides of her face. Her sharp green eyes gleamed with the promise of violence. She wore a revealing red top exposing her toned midriff, matching red bottoms partly concealed beneath a yellow and green skirt, red stockings that left her feet bare, and gleaming silver bands around her wrists and shins. A silver collar framed her throat. A pair of red-handled daggers glinted in her hands.
Beside her stood a young elven woman with long brown hair tied into a neat ponytail and bright blue eyes full of nerves and determination. She wore a white-and-pink dress with flowing sleeves, a pink shoulder cape, and a blue ribbon tied above her chest. Her pink skirt and white stockings completed the outfit, along with delicate pink heels. In her grasp she held a long white staff tipped with gold, crowned with a budding gold flower set with a shining blue gem.
Ganesha flourished an arm toward them. "Everyone, give it up for Ladies Tione Hiryute and Lefiya Viridis!"
The two waved enthusiastically to the cheering crowd.
"And representing Lord Tet," Ganesha continued, "are these two young ladies!"
A tall girl leapt into the arena with fierce athleticism. Her short brown hair was held back by a camo bandana, and her sharp brown eyes scanned the stadium with focus. She wore a sleeveless, torn-off orange camp T-shirt beneath a camo vest, camo pants tucked into heavy brown combat boots. Electricity crackled along the shaft of the spear gripped in her hands.
Then, in a stunning spectacle, glowing words shaped themselves into a staircase from the stands down into the arena floor. Each step formed beneath the feet of a blonde girl descending into the arena. Her hair was tied into a ponytail that poked through the back of a Yankees cap, and her storm-gray eyes carried intelligence. She wore an orange camp T-shirt as well, paired with jeans and white sneakers. In one hand she held a long bronze knife, in the other a fountain pen.
Ganesha raised both arms dramatically. "Please welcome Ladies Clarisse La Rue and Annabeth Chase!"
Everyone in the stands on Tet's side cheered loudly as the two girls in question smirked with confidence.