A cold wind blew across the arena...
Four individuals stood in the center. Each of them stood around 25 meters away from one and another. The atmosphere was strange, it felt tense but relaxing at the same time. The spectators were silent, the only sound was the wind.
The four examined their opponents, formulating plans and strategies to use. Anything to gain an edge.
Yet because of this. . . no one made the first move. This silence continued for five minutes. The Royals grew impatient, yet the didn't say anything. For fear that they may cause their own Champion to lose.
Erupting Volcano grinned, "I'll take you all on at once."
He was greeted with cold glares. With his grin steady he continued, "I doubt any of you can hurt me, so I'll give you all a chance."
Travis was amused, he knew what Erupting Volcano was. A race born in magma, they are a spirit that uses magma as their body. Making them essentially invulnerable to physical damage. These spirits only came to life in extreme temperatures. Erupting Volcano was a mutated variant, the magma changed along with their control over it. This allowed a humanoid form and speech. It was similar to the slime Travis had fought long ago. Although the type of magma alluded him, it certainly wasn't ordinary.
There was one guaranteed way to hurt this race, it was through spiritual attacks. However experts in this field were rare, Travis doubted any were chosen as a Champion.
Yet he had another way, through his [Truth: Neutral]. It took extensive testing, but he found out what it was. It essentially made his attacks do basic damage, unable to hit a critical and be weakened. This seems useless at first, but it allowed him to hit beings that don't have physical form. Such as spirits.
This passive could be toggled, so it really wasn't a passive. He had originally tested this against Blissful Death's fog, however that seemed to still be fog. So it couldn't damage it at all.
Erupting Volcano was magma, more precisely 'possessed magma'. He had full confidence on hurting them.
Erupting Volcano asked, "Well? Your answer?"
Travis spoke up, "You're overestimating yourself."
"Hahaha! We'll see about that!"
Whoom-!
Erupting Volcano spread the yellow-orange substance from their body. Thunder Beckoner's shields pulsed, defending himself.
Flowing Petals retreated from the hot substance. She had no skill to defend from this.
Travis raised his off-hand.
Bwom~
A dark beam shot forward, holding the effect of 'neutral'!
Erupting Volcano raised an arm and blocked the attack. After a slight power struggle the beam faded. Yet the smile faded off of Erupting Volcano's face. Looking at his hand he frowned. The beam had actually injured him?!
Thunder Beckoner saw an opening and twirled their staff, "[Glacier Descent], [Flame Chariot]."
A flame chariot appeared and began moving towards Travis. Along side the chariot a giant ice crystal formed above Erupting Volcano and began to fall.
Flowing Petals dashed forward, thrusting her spear she shattered Thunder Beckoner's defenses. Before her spear hit, Thunder Beckoner vanished.
Erupting Volcano used a massive amount of the yellow-orange substance to toss aside the giant ice crystal. While Travis easily destroyed the flame chariot with [Depth's Slash].
Erupting Volcano thrust their hand forward, a wave of the yellow-orange substance shot forward towards Flowing Petals.
Travis spotted Thunder Beckoner and used [Truth Twofold: Existence] to appear behind him. He thrust his sword forward only for a large gust of wind to push him back.
Flowing Petals spun her spear and the yellow-orange substance failed to hit her. Upon seeing his attack fail Erupting Volcano stopped the flow of the substance and began to charge forward.
Using her spear she launched herself upwards and above Erupting Volcano. As she traveled through the air she formed a small cut on Erupting Volcano's cheek.
She landed with a roll. The wound on Erupting Volcano's cheek easily closed. A grin formed on his face, "It seems you are a bad matchup."
Thunder Beckoner tapped his staff, an array of spikes shot from the ground towards Travis. Swinging his sword as he ran Travis shattered the spikes while getting close.
Thunder Beckoner twirled his staff and planted it into the ground, "May your eye watch my battles! [Extreok's Eye]!"
A large purple oval appeared. Like an eyelid the oval opened, revealing a purple neon eye outline. The eye locked onto Travis and a bolt of purple lightning shot towards him.
Travis blocked this with his sword but still suffered some damage. He cursed silently, Extreok was the Sage of lightning and wind. To have a spell based on such an individual. . . it wouldn't be weak.
Flowing Petals' spear blurred as she stabbed Erupting Volcano several times. He remained unfazed however, instead he began to surround the area in the yellow-orange substance.
Travis noticed this and changed targets. Once they were surrounded it would be essentially game over. Thunder Beckoner noticed this too and began to blow apart the substance.
Travis launched two dark crescent attacks towards Erupting Volcano. The yellow-orange substance then formed a wall to block these attacks. Erupting Volcano was especially wary against Travis, considering that only he hurt him.
Flowing Petals retreated and murmured, "Bloom, Pyrola."
Shoots of flowers sprouted from where Flowing Petals hit. Erupting Volcano raised his eyebrow, "It's leeching my life force?"
His body flashed and the yellow-orange substance burnt away the flowers. He frowned, that was two people that could harm him.
Travis sheathed his sword and slid between the two. Extending his hands to either side of him he used [Abyss Magic Conversion] using a few tokens plus some of his own MP he fired off two [Depth's Beam]. One for each hand.
The two guarded against the beam as they slid back. The force of the beam was greater than anticipated, leaving them unable to forcefully interrupt the beam.
Since he was forced to deal with the beam, Erupting Volcano had abandoned the task of surrounding his enemies.
Thunder Beckoner noticed the two being pushed back by Holder of Trinity. Tapping his staff he chanted, "Claw through the ground and crush my foes. Let them fear the hand of chaos. [Chaos Uprising]!"
A shadowy red and black hand arose from the ground, picking up the three. As it rose the hand slowly began to close. After a second of this movement the hand snapped shut.
Boom-!
The yellow-orange substance exploded through the hand. Slowly the hand began to be forcefully reopened. A voice shouted, "You think you can crush me?!"
The yellow-orange substance exploded once more, shattering the hand. Thunder Beckoner was slightly disappointed at the result, but it was expected.
Schlick-
A sword pierced through the chest of Thunder Beckoner. His eyes widened, "How?! I didn't sense any spatial disturbance!"
Travis pulled his sword free, the moment before the hand closed he had used [Truth Twofold: Existence]. He used the opportunity to strike Thunder Beckoner when he least expected it.
The eye locked onto Travis and shot several bolts of lightning. These were extremely fast and struck Travis before he could react.
Travis grit his teeth as he retreated. He didn't plan to take any further damage. Thunder Beckoner placed his hand over the wound. Slowly it began to stitch itself back together. As he healed he began to formulate reasons why Holder of Trinity managed to get behind him without him noticing. Yet try as he might he couldn't find a suitable answer. Perhaps if his mindset was calmed and he had a perfect environment he would be able to find the answer. Yet that wasn't possible right now.
Two crescent attack descended upon him. Thunder Beckoner lifted his staff and a barrier appeared, blocking this attack.
Whoom~
A wave of the yellow-orange substance moved towards Thunder Beckoner and Travis. Thunder Beckoner vanished to escape this. Travis simply leapt over the attack.
A crimson glare shone from the sky, drawing their attention. Flowing Petals descended quickly, her spear stabbed the floor and a wave of crimson energy shot out like a shockwave. She yelled, "Bloom!"
A rose sprouted from the tip of Flowing Petals' spear. It quickly grew extremely large. Following the Rose's rapid growth came along vines covered in thorns. These shot out towards the three.
Travis swung his sword rapidly to cut these. Erupting Volcano used the yellow-orange substance to burn the vines. Thunder Beckoner used a barrier alongside some fire spells to defend himself.
The vines twisted near Travis and Flowing Petals appeared. She swung her spear horizontally, aiming for Travis' neck.
Travis ducked underneath the blow and prepared to counterattack. Yet before he could Flowing Petals turned and stabbed several times. Her spear and arms turned into a blur. Several afterimages of the spear moved towards Travis.
Sparks flew as Travis' arm blurred. He blocked the attacks while jumping back. Yet the force from blocking sent him farther back than planned.
He landed on his feet, sliding across the ground to a stop. He raised his sword to continue fighting, but a voice shouted.
"Enough!"