The gong hit like a strike to the chest.
The crowd erupted — cheers, whistles, stamping feet — then fell into a taut, waiting silence.
The arena floor gleamed pale under the sun, runes pulsing faintly beneath the surface. Around the ring's edge, iron spikes jutted upward, sharp enough to skewer anyone driven too far. Kaya stood barefoot, toes curling against the stone, gauntlets glinting like they'd been carved from the same rock.
Kazuo moved first. His sword blurred, each slash precise and economical. Steel rang against stone — sharp, punishing clangs — but every cut met the unyielding guard of her gauntlets. The impact shivered down his arms.
She's parrying everything… I can't even chip them.
Her guard shifted in a flash, a gauntlet slamming into his ribs. Pain jolted through his side, breath tearing from his lungs. He slid back — and before his boots could grip the runes, she was already there, gauntlet raised for his head.
She's faster… more aggressive than in the battle royale.
He twisted aside, steel catching the descending blow.Boots skidded back across the runes, buying him a few precious steps.
"Water Magic: Water Shuriken!"
Spinning discs hissed forward — only for her gauntlets to smash through them mid-flight, bursts of spray scattering across the floor. She didn't pause, feet hammering into the stone as she closed in again.
They collided shoulder-to-shoulder, forearms locked in a brutal bind. Her strength pressed down like a landslide.
With a twist and a roar: "Stone Magic: Pillar Break!"
Her gauntlet slammed into the ground. The runes flared — jagged spears of stone tore upward, rattling his teeth. Kazuo vaulted aside, boots skimming the rising spires.
Slow to wind up… but if that hits me, I'm done.
Dust hung in the air as they circled, neither giving ground.
"What's your problem?" he asked low. "Why are you always this angry?"
Kaya didn't answer — eyes steady, unreadable.
Those gauntlets… If I want to damage her, I'll need something sharper.
They moved at the same instant — her bare heel grinding for traction, his blade flashing forward. Steel clashed against stone in a storm of feints, pivots, and elbow checks.
"Water Magic: Water Wall!"
A shimmering wall surged up between them, catching her forward push. Shards of stone punched through in seconds — but he was already slipping back, boots grinding for distance.
She pushed through the crumbling spray — just as he bent his knees and launched upward, vaulting over the collapsing wall.
"Water Magic: Torrent!"
From mid-air, a roaring column of water crashed toward her like a falling river. The angle was perfect — enough force to slam her back without catching himself in the blast.
Kaya planted her feet, raised a gauntlet, and let it hammer into her head-on. Water exploded across the arena floor, hissing into the runes. When the spray cleared, she was still there — unmoved.
Didn't even faze her…
From the captains' gallery, Captain Jin leaned on the railing, hand absently brushing his jaw as he watched.
"So this is Water Magic," he said quietly. "Against Stone… it's just not breaking through. At this pace, he'll wear himself out before she does."
Idris glanced at Setsuna — in the battle royale, the man had been wound tight, every muscle ready to spring. Now, he sat in his usual calm.
Is he really that confident in that boy?
Idris's eyes narrowed as they returned to the ring.
No… something's off. Every spell should bleed energy, yet Kazuo keeps casting without the usual signs of fatigue. His breathing's heavier, yes — but nowhere near what it should be. Is it because Water is one of the four original elements — pure, efficient… or is there something else at work here?
Down at the squad stands, Sora tilted her head. "Why isn't he using that new spell he swore we'd see?"
Tetsu adjusted his glasses. "Either he's waiting for the opening… or he knows it won't change much."
Down in the ring, Kaya's gaze never left him.
So this is the Water Magic everyone was so eager to see? I can't see why. His sword's useless against my gauntlets, and his spells break harmlessly on me. My Stone Magic is far superior.
Then why isn't he using any Arcane? If he's under Setsuna, he should have one. He's talented — I'll admit that much — so there has to be a reason.
Or… is he taking me lightly?
The thought tightened in her chest, fueling the heat behind her strikes. She lunged, gauntlets hammering down in a vicious chain — each blow heavier, faster, angrier. Stone scraped loose from the arena floor with every impact.
Kazuo ducked one, turned another aside — but the next caught his shoulder in a glancing smash. Pain shot down his arm, forcing him to adjust his grip as he slid under the relentless pressure.
Crap… nothing's worked. Even Torrent barely made her flinch. I can't use Arcane of Water here… not in this match.
Her stance pressed forward — overcommitted, gauntlets ready for another smash. He made his choice.
"Water Magic: Water Shuriken!"
A fan of thin, spinning discs screamed toward her. Kaya's gauntlets came up, shoulders twisting — ready to shatter them like before.
Mid-flight, the discs pulled together — streams tightening, folding inward until they fused into one massive, roaring wheel of water.
Her eyes flicked in surprise — and at the last instant, she pivoted, feet skimming the stone, letting it tear through the space where she'd stood.
She dodged… If she thought it couldn't hurt her, she would've tanked it. So it's possible to damage her — but why?
A thunderous CRACK split the air as her gauntlets slammed together. Dust burst upward. Tiny stone shards rose into the air, orbiting her in a perfect X-pattern.
Her voice was cold. "If you're not using your Arcane… then I'll crush you with mine."
She drew a deep breath."Arcane of Stone — Shard Vortex!"