"You guys were exceptional!" Abel exclaimed, his voice echoing through the aftermath of the massive explosion.
As the smoke billowed and slowly cleared, revealing the chaos that lay in ruins, Abel emerged unscathed, standing proudly amidst the debris.
A shimmering, impenetrable shield encased him, a testament to his indomitable strength and unwavering resolve.
The boys' jaws dropped in astonishment as they witnessed the unimaginable.
Their eyes widened, reflecting a mix of surprise and disbelief at the sight before them. Abel, the one they had thought to be just like them, possessed an extraordinary power that rivaled their own.
He too possessed the coveted 'Membrane,' a force that granted him unparalleled protection and resilience.
With lightning speed, Abel summoned the full might of the Membrane, enveloping himself in an iridescent shield of pure energy, just in time to shield himself from the catastrophic blast of the infamous 'Wicked Tracer.'
Against all odds, he emerged from the explosion, defying death and leaving everyone awestruck.
"He possesses the Membrane too! How could I have overlooked this?" Vanta exclaimed, his eyes widening with sudden realization.
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place as he recalled Abel's earlier mention of possessing his own mana manual. It was an undeniable truth that every participant in the prestigious tournament held their own Unlimited Mana Manual.
In that moment, the revelation hit Vanta like a lightning bolt. Abel, too, would undoubtedly possess the coveted manual, granting him access to the same formidable powers they possessed. The magnitude of their oversight left Vanta stunned, realizing the true depth of Abel's potential and the imminent clash that awaited them.
"It's not your fault, Vanta. I should have anticipated this," Letto lamented, his voice filled with frustration.
The weight of their oversight settled heavily upon him as he grasped the gravity of the situation. Abel's status as a renowned ranker should have been a glaring clue that he too would be invited to this monumental tournament.
The revelation that Abel possessed the Membrane shattered their carefully crafted plan, rendering their spells useless in the face of such formidable defense. Letto's deck of cards, once overflowing with potential, now dwindled in number as each one was spent.
The realization dawned upon him that these cards were ill-prepared to face an opponent who wielded the power of the Membrane.
Regret surged through Letto as he understood the dire consequences of his decision to remove the crucial 'Stone Bullet' from his deck. Their plan had crumbled, and they now stood at a disadvantage against an opponent they were ill-equipped to face.
With a swift motion, Ridley released his grip on Abel, his eyes widening in horror as he witnessed Abel's astonishing display of power.
Abel extended his hand towards Ridley, a sinister grin spreading across his face. Without a moment's hesitation, his palm made contact with Ridley's unsuspecting face.
"Neutral magic, Shock!" Abel uttered the incantation with a chilling calmness, a faint tingling sensation filling the air. Then, in a flash of blinding light, a resounding crackle followed by a deafening pop reverberated through the surroundings as Ridley's face was electrified by Abel's spell. The sheer force of mana surged through Abel's hand, transforming into a shocking current that coursed through Ridley's body.
Overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of power, Ridley crumpled to the ground, his consciousness slipping away as he succumbed to the overwhelming shock.
Abel stood over him, a wicked satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Sleep tight," he taunted, reveling in the victory over his fallen adversary.
"Ridley fell? No way!" Mizar's voice boomed, a mix of shock and disbelief resonating through the air.
Exhaustion weighed heavily upon him, his body drained from conjuring the immense fireball. The strain on his mind was undeniable, having expended a great deal of mental power to unleash such a formidable spell.
"The Membrane's defense was compromised by the explosion," Letto interjected with a sharp urgency in his voice, his instincts honed by the imminent danger they faced.
"The shock attack penetrated the weakened barrier, hitting him point-blank in the face."
The gravity of their predicament washed over Letto, a cold realization settling in as the tides turned against them. Their sense of impending doom grew palpable, a chilling reminder that they were now caught in a desperate struggle for victory.
As Ridley crumpled to the ground, Abel's gaze shifted, locking onto the remaining figures before him.
A sinister smile crept across his face, his eyes gleaming with a malevolent glint. "Now, it's your turn," he taunted, a mix of confidence and malice lacing his words.
With a single, commanding gesture, he extended his finger, pointing it directly at their trembling forms. The air crackled with an electric anticipation, a chilling reminder that they were now at the mercy of an adversary who reveled in their imminent demise.
Dread washed over them, their hearts pounding as they braced themselves for the unimaginable onslaught about to be unleashed upon them.
In a flash of lightning speed, Abel closed the distance between himself and Vanta, defying the limitations of human perception. His palm opened, fingers curling together to form a deadly blade of pure mana.
Power surged through him as the mana flowed, shimmering like a razor-sharp edge. With a voice dripping with superiority, he taunted, "I will expose the weakness of this feeble Membrane."
The mana blade lunged toward Vanta, poised to strike with lethal precision.
Witnessing this horrifying scene, Letto couldn't stand idly by. Determination coursed through his veins as he summoned every card he possessed, launching a barrage of projectiles with all his might.
Each spell, once filled with potential, disintegrated upon contact with Abel's impenetrable Membrane, their energy absorbed effortlessly. Letto's desperate attempt to save Vanta was in vain.
The menacing hand stake pierced through Vanta's defenses, rending his body vulnerable to the devastating blow. Helplessly, Vanta crumbled, his body unable to withstand the assault. Amongst the group, he possessed the weakest defense, relying on Ridley's protective cover to shield him from harm.
But with Ridley gone, Vanta stood exposed, defenseless against the merciless attacks of their opponent. The chilling reality settled upon them, a stark reminder of their vulnerability in the face of Abel's overwhelming power.
Mizar was still unable to fight. He was only able to watch his friends fall, one by one by his brother onslaught. He grits his teeth, feeling frustrated that he was really weak and can't do nothing.
"I could have effortlessly overwhelmed all of you with my sheer raw mana power," Abel declared, his voice infused with a tone of superiority and authority.
"But I wanted to observe your performance in an actual combat situation. You've done well, I must admit. However, do not delude yourselves into thinking that this tournament resembles the sanitized version you've witnessed before. It is a merciless and brutal battlefield where lives are lost." Abel's words hung heavily in the air, the weight of his seriousness sinking deep into their consciousness.
Mizar gazed at his brother, witnessing a side of him he had never seen before—an intense anger simmering beneath the surface.
The realization dawned upon him that this anger was directed not only at their group but also at the unforgiving nature of the tournament they were about to face. It was a stark reminder that the challenges ahead were far more perilous and deadly than anything they could have ever imagined.
Setting his sights on Letto next, Abel redirected his attention towards Letto, sparing his brother for the time being. Recognizing the danger approaching him, Letto braced himself for the impending assault, his senses heightened and adrenaline surging through his veins.
The air crackled with anticipation as Abel closed in, his every move calculated and precise. Letto knew he had to muster every ounce of strength and skill to defend himself against the formidable opponent before him.
As Letto prepared to unleash his cards, a sudden surge of swift action unfolded. Abel swiftly transformed his hand into a mimicry of a pistol, unleashing a concentrated beam of blinding light.
The beam found its mark, expertly targeting and disintegrating the very cards Letto held in his hand. Letto's means of fighting back were instantly disabled, leaving him defenseless and vulnerable.
Before Letto could recover and draw another card from his deck, Abel seized the opportunity, snatching the entire deck from his grasp. The cards, the source of Letto's power, were now in the hands of their adversary.
With ruthless efficiency, Abel unleashed a relentless barrage of physical attacks upon Letto, leaving him with no choice but to desperately defend himself against the onslaught.
The sounds of strikes and clashes filled the air, a symphony of struggle and desperation as Letto fought valiantly to withstand the overwhelming force raining down upon him.
As Mizar witnessed Letto's impending defeat, a surge of determination coursed through him.
Summoning every ounce of his strength, he conjured a new fireball, pouring his energy into its creation.
The blazing inferno swelled in his hands, ready to be unleashed upon Abel. Yet, before Mizar could release his powerful attack, Abel swiftly countered with a spell of his own.
With a swift motion, Abel invoked Dispel, a spell specifically designed to neutralize and nullify magical energies.
In an instant, the vibrant flames of Mizar's fireball diminished, fizzling out into nothingness. The air crackled with the remnants of magical energy dissipating, leaving Mizar in a state of shock and disbelief.
The realization hit Mizar hard, the weight of their predicament settling upon his shoulders. Their opponent possessed not only raw power but also knowledge of counters and counterspells, making him a formidable adversary. Mizar understood that they were up against a force that had carefully prepared for every possible scenario, leaving them at a severe disadvantage.