Number 13, and number 24 the king called out.
"Let's see what you have, Eden." the king said.
Malcon could feel the king's sudden gaze on him as walked into the battlefield.
The wall of weapons appeared and he selected a sword, as he walked into the arena.
His oponeent was Nicolas cage, a boy with black hair that fell neatly on his head. He had a well curved oval face and a pale skin. His pitch black eyes fixed at Malcon as he walked into the arena carrying his own sword.
Cage like Adrian, rarely talked. But unlike Adrian he had one of the most feared ability.
Cage eyes allows him to see his opponents next move, and Malcon didn't know how he was going to fight against a guy who knew exactly what he wanted to do.
'I may as well forfeit.' he said to himself, looking at the crowd and sighed as he saw Bane laughing at him.
"Fight!" Eckhard shouted, commercing the dule, with his gaze still on Malcon.
For a while none of them moved an inch from where they stood.
Everyone was quite trying to understand if the dule between Malcon and cage was a mental fight rather than physical.
Cage slowly looked down on his shadow, he could sense a large amount of mana swirling inside.
VOOM!
Cage propelled himself upward, as two long black hands shot out of his shadow, But he had reacted late.
The shadow hands caught both his legs and with immense force slammed him back to the ground.
He knew he wasn't faster or stronger than Malcon, and the only possible chance he had of winning this fight was his eyes.
Although Malcon couldn't clearly see Cage through the thick veil of dust hanging in midair, he sensed the sudden shift in mana.
From within swirling dust, his gaze locked with a pair of glowing green eyes that seemed to pierce straight through him. Something about his eyes were intimidating yet calm. Round his green iries were faint Roman numeral like a clock face.
"Shadow Blade." Malcon muttered, as a black, circular disc began to form in his hand.
Without waiting for it to fully materialize, he threw it toward Cage, letting the blade take shape midair.
But Cage was ready. As though he had anticipated the attack.
He swung his weapon, slicing the disc clean in two.
Or so it seemed.
The instant his blade passed through the disc it dissolved into shadow, allowing the strike to hit nothing but air.
"Got you." Malcon said with a smirk.
And from the shadow that surrounded Cage, he appeared behind him, swinging his sword towards Cage, who was yet to notice his presence.
CLANG!
Malcon's eyes widened in disbelief. Cage hadn't turned to defend himself.
He had effortlessly moved his sword behind him, blocking the strike with precision.
Malcon quickly took a few steps back, he had to strategize his attack.
Cage slowly turned, his green clock eyes still fixed at Malcon.
'Leaving Malcon to attack was getting dangerous, because he could manipulate his shadow at will, so he needed to attack.' Cage said to himself.
Malcon quickly took a defensive stance as he saw Cage ruining towards him.
"Shadow bomb." He said, stretching out hand.
A round shaped bomb slowly formed on his hand. He quickely shot it cage who was running towards him. but to no avail, as it seemed as though cage knew exactly what he wanted to do.
'Fighting in a hand to hand combat with someone who knew my every move was too dangerous, I have to go on defence.' Malcon said to himself.
His shadow crept up from his feet, enveloping his entire body in a dark, sleek armor, leaving only his glowing red eyes visible.
Malcon never wanted to use this skills in this dule. Using the shadow armour takes out a great amount of mana from his body.
Even though once activated, it increases every skill he has including both his speed, strength and agility. The shadow armour skill is considered so powerfully that entering it automatically puts him the rank of a veteran.
But the cost after using the skill was brutal. Once activated, Malcon has only five minutes before his body starts to brakes down.
Cage sensed the sudden surge of mana, but he didn't flinch. He kept charging forward, his eyes locked on Malcon.
"Shadow Vortex." Malcon said, his voice low and cold as he extended his hand.
A swirling vortex formed in the air, and with a sudden flash, it launched a crimson bullet toward Cage.
But Cage was faster. With a sharp sidestep, he dodged the bullet.
"It's useless, Malcon! I can see everything!" Cage shouted. "Mana Magic!"
His blade began to glow as his mana surged through it, surrounding the weapon with raw energy.
Activating his ability, Cage saw clearly, Malcon wasn't moving. He stood perfectly still, as if he were waiting... inviting the attack.
"So be it, Eden!" Cage roared, driving his sword forward, aiming for Malcon's neck.
But just before the blade could land, Malcon slowly raised his head, his glowing red eyes locking with Cage's.
It looked as though time frooz in the battlefield.
"What just happened?" Bane muttered from the sidelines, his eyes wide and fixed on the battlefield.
Cage stood motionless, paralyzed, petrified, his arm frozen in mid air, his expression blank.
BOOM!
The sound echoed across the arena as Malcon landed a devastating blow to Cage's stomach.
Cage's body lifted off the ground, blood bursting from his mouth as he was sent hurtling backward.
"This children are quite skillfull." the king commented on Seeing what Malcon did.
"yes, yes. Very impressive."Daruis added.
'What happened?' Cage asked himself, his brain orientating itself to the last event.
Through the dust, he felt a sudden surge of power.
"Dodge!" his instincts screamed, and his body obeyed without hesitation.
The swirling dust split as a shadow streaked past his head, clipping a few strands of hair in its deadly path.