Afterwards, the air was becoming very intense at the outdoor cafe with Zeran and Nassus heating eyes upon each other. To settle things, Zeran and the others went inside the Celestia Arena, that was at the very center of the mall's dome in a 360 degree circular spacious area, as you would see in a coliseum of clashing gladiators alike yet, it wasn't primitive as you would expect, instead the very walls were tinted in dark chrome glass. Though, the very scenery outside or the inside weren't that much visible. At the very ceiling, it was encased in clear spherical glass, exposing the vivid scenery of the pure blue sky with forming clouds. The surrounding benches were made out of glistening crystals, exemplifying of its brilliance. Lots of crowding Goddeses, Gods and heroes of various appearances were eager for bloodshed. Ru, Otorine and Shunya were sitting at the nearest area of the dueling scene. The dueling area at the very center of attention was brimmed and ridden in dusty earthen-soil yet, some of the different colored crystals were protruding throughout the area. Zeran and Nassus were there preparing for their duel from each opposing side. Moreover, Arseia was at the center of the two, since she was the chosen referee for their fight. Arseia then let out a clear loud voice that would be easily heard by the two esteemed heroes,
"Before we begin...let's see what capabilites you both have shall we?".
Thereupon, a vivid holographic screen of huge measures emerged on top of the battlefield, in which it was very clear to anyone's sight even for the farthest benches. Later on, blue texts and an image of Zeran's confident face was seen at the screen,
["ZERAN NOAH AETHER:"]
["LV 8"]
["REINCARNATE HERO KING"]
["ABILITIES:"]
["Permanent Memory Storage"]
["Ultima Vision Scanner"]
["Dimension Inventory"]
["Virgin Detection!"].
After sometime, the text was now changed and written in vibrant red. Not only that, the image of Zeranoah was now swapped with Nassus's cold face,
["NASSUS DRAXEN:"]
["LV 216"]
["SHINING ONE HERO KING"]
["ABILITIES:"]
["Permanent Memory Storage"]
["Immortality"]
["World Transfer"]
["Infinite Stamina"]
["Infinite Energy"]
["Ultima Vision Scanner"]
["Pendragon Elements"]
["All Ailments Immunity"]
["Exceed"]
["Penta-goddesses Eternal Bond"]
["SPECIAL ABILITIES:"]
["Blade Memoria: Li-ju"]
["Blade Memoria: Phoen"]
["Blade Memoria: Godusseus"].
As Zeran saw those terrifying information about Nassus, his very expression was filled with grievious panic that even made his very soul to turn white in fear. He was breathing non-stop feeling the intense vibes of death's door was already waiting for him. His defeat was already guaranteed from the start. He was in his nervous thoughts later on,
("This...can't be happening right?!")
("HE'S TOO F*CKIN' OP!")
("Why did you even enrage him Ru! WHY!").
As soon as, the audience saw Zeran's eccentric and unusual abilities, hilarious laughters and silly murmurs were overheard and seen by Zeran, making him to feel utter humiliation that even made him to look down upon his poor self. He was wreathed and isolated in his own box, hiding and deafening himself from their spiteful actions. Though he still tried to compose himself and not let the crowd's attention crush his spirit, instead he just shoved their actions off in his thoughts,
("Great...they're laughing at me")
("Why'd I even...chose those abilities before...").
Though, he tried to sneak a peek and took a glance at Ru if she was also doing the same spiteful putrid action, as the majority of the crowd. Unexpectedly, her very face and expression wasn't like the others that lowered his self-esteem and self-respect. Instead, her very look was truly evangelizing to witness. Her smile was subtle and lady-like blended with her blooming eyes. Her outlook made him to revere her as a holy Goddess that he would truly admire, despite her nature being one of the terrifying dark Goddesses. Her holistic graceful action made him to feel an unusual whiff of unexplainable soothing emotions to swell inside of him. He felt butterflies in his stomach. More than that, it seemed his very awe-strucked look was isolated unto Ru's expression, disregarding the others. That silent moment, the both of them were in their own time and space somehow. She nodded at him with blessed determination, proving that she believes in him, regardless of the huge gap between Zeran and Nassus has. A little while later, their own very world together had faded but, Zeran was wearing a cool smile to the distant Ru. His self-confidence was boosted instantly, regaining his very self esteem, not only in his outward expression but, inside his thoughts and feelings too,
("I don't know why she looked at me like that but...I'll do what I can...").
Soon, his focus shifted and he was now eager unto the distant Nassus. Zeran summoned out his golden claw. It was shining out its golden yellow radiance. Though, Nassus didn't bring out his weapon, instead he communicates at the distant Zeran in a complacent manner,
"Before we fight...I could say you are weak now..."
"To make it fair...why don't I just fight you bare-handed...".
Zeran felt irritated after, making him to grit his teeth as he heard that from the arrogant Nassus. Though, it seemed Zeran had second thoughts,
("Tch...now he's just making fun of me...")
("But taking on his full powerful magic and crazy blades...would crush me to smithereens...")
("So...I guess I'll eat my own pride then...").
As he was convinced in his decision. He nodded at Nassus with some sort of confidence, since it seemed it was a decent offer and he said,
"Well...okay...".
As, Arseia heard that from Zeran she exclaims with great force in her tone,
"Now...BEGIN!".
The steam of battle started to heat upon. Nassus stanced himself with his bare hands covering his face such as a close combatant. As for Zeran, he rushed unto the far Nassus immediately. As soon as he was near Nassus, he tried to crush Nassus with his claw. Sadly, Nassus dodged it with his lightning reflexes. More than that, Nassus was at the back of Zeran like a shadow creeped upon suddenly. While Zeran has his backside open, Nassus punched Zeran's back with brute force, making Zeran to feel immense pain that directly coursed throughout his body. Nassus didn't give him another chance since this time, he instantly moved in front of the out-of-balanced Zeran and dished out a powerful jab unto Zeran's stomach, turning Zeran's innards to churn out and to cough out blood. Ru, looked shocked with, her delicate hand on her lip, covering it as she had witnessed the scary scene going on yet, the crowd was loving the one-sided battle with burning passion regardless of who's losing or winning. Soon enough, Nassus, grabbed Zeran's neck with his abyss stained claw and flung him upwards with intense power, that made the lightheaded Zeran to rise into mid-air. As for Zeran, he was feeling almost unconscious and numb already, due to the intense physical strikes of Nassus. While Zeran was still in mid-air, Nassus got up in front of Zeran in a split second. Then, Nassus gripped Zeran's neck yet again, this time Nassus brought down Zeran to the ground with immense power, making a strong crash that reverberated around the arena, leaving out huge cracks and fissures unto the earthen-ground. Afterwards, Nassus got up and walked away on the beaten to the pulp and bloodied Zeran lying on the damaged ground. The crowd itself was wooing with entertained faces filled with bloodlust, except for Ru, Shunya and Otorine. Since the three of them saw the battered Zeran lying on the ground with blood dripping from his mouth and eyes leaking crimson blood too. As for Zeran himself, he was feeling lots of pain throughout his whole ruptured body yet, due to his almost whiting out consciousness he wasn't able to respond to the sheer pain that struck his very body. Though, his thoughts was still in-tact but, it was filled with a mix of regrets and grief,
("Can't believe...he's this powerful and fast!").
While Arseia saw her poor son pitiful on the ground, she just left out a nod and she was already convinced in her thoughts, although a tear of a heartbroken mother was witnessed upon her saddened face in a glimpse. She declared Nassus to be the winner of that one-sided duel. While Nassus was already declared winner, he still continued to get near Zeran. As Nassus's eyes were yearning for more bloodshed and pain for his enemy, Ru was alarmed and leaped without any second thought in a lavishing manner, entering the battleground. She went to shield Zeran immediately, as if protecting him from further pain and injuries that Nassus shall incur. Though, Nassus still tried to walk and got near the weakened down Zeran. As soon as Nassus was in front of her, she left out a serious look upon her face seething with furiousness at Nassus and she said with a cold icy stare,
"Zera's already lost...so you don't have any means to continue this...".
As for Arseia she brought out her sleek white platinum scythe. She aimed her divine weapon at Nassus, while she was masking a terrifying look upon her gorgeous face. In addition, she says in a very taunting way to Nassus indirectly,
"Yes...Zen already lost..."
"So the fight is now finished..."
"Or do you want JUDGEMENT to befall on you...hero?".
The crowd was shrouded in deep silence and rumors were already being spread, as they saw two Goddesses trying to stop the thriving bloodshed from the Nassus driven in bloodlust. The result had already been decided yet, it seemed one of the dazzling Goddesses who's passionate about the fight exclaims with brimming energy, that left some of them near her dumbstrucked or even creeped out,
"Wow! This is the first time I've seen this!"
"A Dark Goddess protecting a hero?"
"Now this is something...".
Since, Nassus noticed that the situation was almost getting out of hand, nearing to a global scale scandal. He just turned his back around and nodded in a composed way, although his voice was very unnerving and terrifying to hear upon,
"I see..."
"Farewell...Dark Goddess...but soon..."
"We'll meet again...".
As he left the area later on and vanished without a trace. Zeran's blurred vision witnessed Ru was standing in front of him like a protective angelic Goddess. He was deep in his thoughts,
("Ru?")
("To think she'd shield me...")
("She is really one weird Dark Goddess...").
He passed out later on, that made Ru, Otorine, Shunya and Arseia to give off grave concern for him, discussing on the things they should do next. Moreover, it seemed Ru's concern was the strongest amongst them. Ru's feeling on her chest seemed it had a sudden chill, as she saw the critical conditioned Zeran.