[Let's change the landscape once more!]
Let's review the battles so far.
Anastasia and Daiyu.
Even faced with the unprecedented Shadow element, she was still cool-headed when facing her. Like Sakai explained, she calmly assessed her opponent during that fast exchange they had. She then decided to take it away forcefully before destroying her opponent indefinitely.
Then there was Raijin and Alix.
Raijin was good at Quick Casting, I guess. In any other battle, he'd have the upper hand against his opponents but his opponent just had to have a Copying Singularity. His opponent, Alix, used her Copying Singularity which used less mana than making the spell originally. Alix was smart in her approach since her opponent was defeated due to knockout but mana exhaustion also worked its magic.
And finally Jinrui and Qiang.
Qiang was just mercilessly swung around his 'god-given weapon,' Hephaestus. It was stupid, especially with water all around him.
Jinrui used the smokescreen to his advantage and even managed to get above Qiang. Somehow, probably instincts, Qiang managed to dodge and strike back. That made him win.
Let's see how the fourth match, Akane vs Lin-Hua, will go.
The Landscaper began spinning.
"I wonder how it'll go..."
Tatsuya uttered.
"Since Kabura-san is next, she'll need some sort of ice or water landscape to have an advantage."
I said.
Tatsuya grimaced.
"If she gets some sort of landscape with fire, lava or heat in general then..."
When he said that, the Landscaper landed on the symbol of a flame.
I grabbed him and shook him.
Tatsuya jinxed it.
"Y-you idiot!"
I'm so sorry, Akane, my stupid friend made it worse for you.
The metal floor turned into a slightly uneven rock-hard, hot, ground. There was even some lava. A large volcano emerged from the ground, and lava leaked from it slowly but surely.
[Let us welcome our contestants! Ah, due to the heated ground, you're allowed to use mana to make sure that you don't burn up. Use for anything else will be an instant disqualification.]
Ravi warned.
I guess that made sense.
The doors opened and the two came out. They stopped around six feet short of each other. Akane was sweating like hell but didn't seem bothered. Meanwhile... Huh?!
"Hey, Shoya, am I seeing things?"
Tatsuya rubbed his eyes while asking me.
"N-no, you're not."
I heard the audience's audible confusion too. Ravi spelt it out for all of us.
[W-what?! Lin-Hua is going bare-footed?!]
Lin-Hua cracked her knuckles and gave a teeth smile while glaring at Akane. Akane wasn't affected in any way. She simply stared at her opponent while regulating her own breath since she was sweating uncontrollably. If she doesn't do something soon, her training uniform will feel weird as she fights.
I don't know about she can stay so calm. The landscape isn't to her advantage.
No, that's not right. Maybe it's exactly because the landscape isn't to her advantage that she's staying calm. Almost like a bluff.
Lin-Hua assumed a judo-like stance.
[It's time! Countdown, folks!]
My throat hurts this time, so I won't join in.
["3!"]
["2!"]
["1!"]
Then a beep.
--
"I'll come at you now!"
Lin-Hua grinned at Akane. She primed her hands at her side and then shouted. Flame mana began converging at the point of her fists.
"Soul Armour!"
It wasn't exactly mana but mana infused with life. A soul. Red gauntlets formed on both hands.
Soul Armour is a part of a skill that those who possess extra souls, which are harvested from King-Class, or higher, monsters. The general skill is called Soul Form.
Her gauntlets formed griffon heads.
Lin-Hua rushed toward Akane. With each punch she threw at Akane, there was a small boom in the air, if she was hit by even one, it would be over for her.
Akane dodged but she felt the heat get to her. Soul Armour seemed to have risks for the user too.
Akane noticed her moves became sluggish with each move. The black-haired girl couldn't take any more of the heat. A second was all she needed and then she would win.
Lin-Hua faltered.
It was Akane's win.
The girl opened her palm and spoke a single word, as her hair lost its black colour.
['Lethal Spell.']
"Cocytus."
There was a flash and then a pillar of ice. One that stuck out of the stadium. The heat that shrouded the whole stadium instantly disappeared and swapped with cold air.
[W-what's this?! A pillar of ice?! Lin-Hua is--]
Lin-Hua was merged with the ice pillar. Half her arm was submerged and there was frost on the right side of her body. She struggled to get free. Not even her Soul Armour could put a dent in the ice.
['Akane wins by immobilising her opponent.']
[Amazing. A single spell did this. I'm feeling the chills from here.]
The camera zoomed in on a white-haired girl. People were confused. She breathed out and her white hair returned to its original colour, black.
In an instant, she immobilised her opponent without fail and it only took a second or so to activate.
Akane was calm since she knew she could win from the start. It wasn't overconfidence but simply trusting in her own ability.