"He won again!" a random member of the audience shouted in surprise as he stared at the sweat-free masculine brown-skinned man standing on the white stage.
The masculine man stood there with intense momentum as he stared at the bruised and bloody body of a man lying in front of him. As his wavy long brown hair danced with the wind, he ferociously glared at the man with his dark golden eyes.
"The miracle of the Southern Brigade is living up to his name! He managed to destroy the prodigy of the West Gate without even breaking a sweat! What a phenomenal talent!" the announcer said in astonishment.
"Thirty minutes will be given for you to rest before we proceed to the final fight," the referee reminded the man.
"Josh, here, have some water," a charming lady with a delightful aura and a kind and gentle face said to him as she handed him the beverage.
The fierceness in Josh's eyes immediately disappeared. It was replaced by compassion, care, and love that could only be seen in movies. He gently brushed his hands against her hair before saying, "Thank you, Lana."
Lana could not help but break out a sweet smile filled with delight. The couple enjoyed every bit of time they had together, creating a romantic spectacle in front of the audience.
However, as much as the majority of the audience admired their love, some showed disdain, especially those against Josh. The best example would be his opponent in the final battle which sat across the stage.
The man wearing a green robe glared at the couple in disdain. He kept ruffling his short blue hair while cursing at the two. Just then, a man with long black hair that reached his waist appeared beside him. He wore a white and gold robe that was filled with beautiful and intricate embroideries that showcased his status.
"Lord Xal, it is my great honor to have you watch me in this fight," the green-robed man bowed and said.
"Don't flatter yourself, I came to see the miracle of the Southern Brigade. Focus and win the fight since if you fail to do so, you can expect to not see tomorrow's sun," Xal said while glaring at the man with his pitch-black eyes.
Thirty minutes went by in a flash. Everyone looked at the stage with anticipation in their eyes. They knew that the ensuing fight is something they cannot miss.
Josh stood mightily on the stage without any hinge of fear. He did not seem like the dark horse of the competition at tall. Consequently, the green-robed man fiercely looked at him. He was nervous since his life is on the line.
"Begin!" the referee announced.
{Mountain Guardian}
A giant illusory avatar appeared behind Josh. It emitted a sturdy aura that seemed to resonate with the earth itself.
"He revealed his Arcanum! Finally, he is taking this seriously," another member of the crowd said.
"A Class-Blue Arcanum! He is really the hope of the Southern Brigade!" somebody added.
"I wonder what Arcanum Alfir has," another audience member said.
Alfir did not make them wait for much longer. He immediately revealed his Arcanum, showing a beautiful jade sword.
{Imperial Sword}
"A Class-Green! He is actually outclassed by Josh!" a spectator cried, adding to the already grim look on Alfir's face.
"Is this the best talent the Central Plains can give? How shameful for the capital of this nation to have its best talent be outclassed by a country bumpkin," Xal said. He is sitting together with several old people who had shameful looks on their faces. Afterward, he meaningfully looked at Josh with an uncovered desire in his eyes.
"Tsk! So what if you have a higher-class Arcanum? What matters is how you utilize it!" Alfir remarked before drawing his sword. The Imperial Sword merged with his sword, making it glow like jade. It carried an immense might that made the audience want to prostrate on the ground.
[Imperial Slash]
Alfir slashed his sword forward, creating a crescent jade-colored wave that flew toward Josh.
[Pressure of the Mountain]
The illusory Mountain Guardian pushed its hand down, creating a pressure made of Arcane that crushed Alfir's attack. Immediately afterward, Josh rushed to his opponent and filled his right hand with Arcane. The power of his Arcanum was channeled to his hand, enveloping it with great pressure.
His punch met Alfir's sword which created an intense clash of Arcane between them.
[Jade Shadow]
Alfir jumped out of the clash and left an ephemeral jade image of the sword which held Josh in his place for a while, giving Alfir time to get away. He followed it up with another [Imperial Slash], not giving Josh any time to breathe.
"Such petty tricks," Josh sneered. [Pressure Eruption]
Arcane exploded from Josh which not only destroyed the ephemeral jade but also intercepted the [Imperial Slash].
"I expected a lot from the so-called pride of the nation, but it seems like your title is nothing but an undeserved medal," Josh said before pushing his palm toward Alfir. [Pressure Wave]
A burst of Arcane quickly flew toward Alfir, giving him no time to dodge.
[Imperial Cut]
A sharp wave of Arcane filled Alfir's sword before he used it to cut the wave that Josh emitted. It was like running a knife through butter.
The fight continued to intensify as time progressed. Alfir was like a swift wind while Josh was like an immovable mountain.
"Their styles seem to counter each other. Josh is too slow to land a good hit on Alfir, but the latter is too weak to damage Josh," one of the elders beside Xal commented.
"Maybe this will be a draw," another elder commented.
However, Xal had a different view, "There is a clear winner here." His words immediately shut up those around him, not because they believed what he said but due to the status he possessed.
Another while passed on the battlefield. Alfir gasped as he tried his best to catch his breath. He had been constantly dodging the attacks of Josh, thus causing him to get tired. Meanwhile, Josh was still standing strong with just drops of sweat on his forehead. He clearly has the advantage.
'Is he a monster? How is his Arcane not running out?' Alfir thought.
"Unbelievable! It seems like Josh is not running out of Arcane," a spectator shouted.
"This is the difference in class. Despite both of them having an Arcanum at the 7 Tier-Red, the {Mountain Guardian} has greater management over the Arcane it holds," somebody explained.
"Lord Xal's sight is unmatched. It seems like the winner had already been decided," one of the elders flattered.