The energy in the stadium electrifies as the referee signals the start. Noah, with a powerful stomp, makes the ground crack under his feet. Moving with surprising speed, he advances towards Dean. "Let's put on a good show," he thinks, but before he realizes, Dean is already in attack position.
Dean, with his katana raised, brings down his blade in a swift arc. Noah, reacting instantly, lifts his spear, blocking the attack from above. The clash between the weapons creates a pressure wave, making the ground under Noah give way. A sarcastic smile appears on his face.
Then, like an orchestrated duet, Dean and Noah begin to exchange quick blows, the blades meeting with metallic clangs. The intense exchange of strikes captivates everyone in the stadium, with Sam watching closely, curious to see Dean in action.
Ellie, normally reserved, does not hide her admiration. "He is strong," she murmurs, surprising Sam.
Sam, with a mocking smile, teases: "Wow, a compliment from Ellie? That's rare!"
Ellie, with her characteristic impatience, exclaims: "Shut up!" as they turn their attention to the ongoing fight.
Dean, with a sharp look, was thrown high in the air dangerously. Noah, with strength and precision, stepped on the ground, causing a crack in the soil, and jumped towards Dean. "You're holding up pretty well, you know? Can I increase the pace?" Noah asked, spinning his spear with impressive dexterity.
Dean, keeping a defiant smile, channeled his mana into the katana, the blade starting to vibrate intensely. He was about to deliver a decisive blow.
Suddenly, Noah felt a chill run down his spine, a warning from his instincts about an imminent danger. At the crucial moment, he activated his innate ability, becoming intangible.
Simultaneously, Dean executed a powerful vertical slash, murmuring "Dismantle". An invisible and deadly cut followed the movement of the sword, aiming directly at Noah. But, to Dean's surprise, the cut went through Noah but did not cause any injury. Noah then descended from the air and retreated with agility.
Dean landed softly on the ground, still smiling crookedly. "I controlled the penetration of Dismantle, I was sure I wouldn't split him in half, but look at that… He managed to predict my attack and use his ability to protect himself," he muttered, impressed by the opponent's skill in anticipating and reacting to his lethal attack. The fight, which promised to be a simple exhibition, now turned into a true test of skills and strategies.
Without losing the adrenaline and interest, Noah advanced with a more relaxed attack, a striking contrast with the previous intensity. His movements, now more loose and less calculated, gave the impression that he was underestimating Dean. With a sloppy thrust, the spear slowly headed towards Dean, who, surprisingly, dodged with ease. The blade grazed his belly, almost harmless.
Dean, sensing the opportunity, tightened his grip on the katana, preparing for a sure counterattack. Noah, with his guard visibly low, seemed to be open to a devastating blow. However, at the exact moment Dean was about to attack, a feeling of imminent danger invaded his being. As if instinctively knowing that something was wrong, Dean's body reacted with a sudden and cautious retreat.
With the fighters at a safe distance from each other in the arena, Noah, maintaining his thrust position, regained his composure with an intriguing calm. In his mind, a reflection arose: "He anticipated my counterattack? Impressive for a class G… maybe there is more to him than meets the eye."
Unexpectedly, Noah broke the silence of the battle with a direct question to Dean: "What is your true goal here at this academy?"
Dean, still alert, but surprised by the question, pondered for a moment. "Should I be honest and reveal that I'm here to fulfill a dark mission? That would certainly leave anyone perplexed… But no, better keep things simple for now."
Relaxing slightly his combat posture, Dean replied with a certain seriousness: "I want to get stronger."
"Why?" Noah insisted, curious about Dean's motivation.
The answer seemed to pull Dean out of a moment of introspection, making him retort with a slight touch of sarcasm: "Did this turn into an interrogation or a job interview by any chance?" He made a small pause and continued with a serious tone, "Well, if you really want to know, it's because I don't want to fear anything in this world anymore. I want to be invincible, immortal to fear and death."
Surprise shone in Noah's eyes as he processed Dean's words. "You want to become strong to not fear anything?" He pondered internally, surprised by the nature of the answer. "Normally, people talk about heroism, fame or wealth, but this guy… he aims for a kind of power that transcends all that."
With a smile that reflected a mixture of admiration and challenge, Noah addressed Dean: "Ambitious, huh? If you really want to be unbeatable, you'll have to surpass me first." Noah's words carried a weight, not only of challenge, but of recognition.
Then, in an instant, Noah released the fullness of his magical aura, an immense force worthy of a class C awakened. The air around the arena vibrated with the intensity of his energy, creating an almost tangible atmosphere. Noah's aura expanded, swallowing the space of the arena with an overwhelming presence that left all the spectators speechless.
Near the arena, Sam watched the scene with a grave expression. "He's going all out," he murmured, realizing the seriousness of the moment.
Next to him, Ellie was also impressed by the display of power, while Chloe, with a thoughtful look, considered the implications for Dean. "You'll need to use your whole arsenal if you want to have any chance against him," she thought, worried but at the same time hopeful for Dean's ability to face such a challenge.
As Noah's powerful aura swept the arena, Dean felt the wind pressing his hair back. Faced with this overwhelming force, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions stirred his mind. "He's going all in. If I don't use Dismantle to the fullest, I have no chance… But that will also attract too much attention. And then…?"
Noah, exultant in the midst of his own energy, interrupted Dean's stream of thoughts. "If you want to be someone who fears nothing, you need to risk yourself in the shadows. Come on, Dean Carleone, give it your best!" Noah's voice echoed with a mixture of challenge and excitement.
Noah's words resonated deeply with Dean. "Why am I hesitating now? What is this fear that holds me back?" He imagined himself alone in a vast dark field, illuminated only where he stood. The shadows seemed to tempt him and at the same time, scare him.
"I don't want to fear anything, but here I am, fearing the consequences of my actions," Dean frustrated himself. "I have to face Alice's murder, deal with the High Court, face demons in this academy, and yet, here I am, trapped by my own insecurity and hesitation."
Noah, with the expression of a true warrior, watched Dean closely. He had noticed from the beginning that there was more to Dean than the rumors suggested. But there was something holding Dean back, an invisible barrier that prevented him from displaying his full potential. As someone who loves the thrill of combat, Noah longed to feel again that adrenaline of death he experienced when Dean murmured "Dismantle".
"You're afraid, right?" Noah captured Dean's attention with his firm voice. "It's normal, we're human. We fear the consequences, we fear the deaths of our friends, our families. But for someone to reach the top, you have to risk everything," he paused for a moment before continuing. "Going up is easy, staying there is hard."
Dean remained surprised for a moment, his lips parted as if he was going to speak, but then closed again. In his mind, he pondered strategically. "Maintaining such a powerful aura must be draining his mana quickly," he thought. "If I resist a little longer, focus on defense, I can take advantage of his exhaustion to win." But as these thoughts passed through his mind, a daring smile sprouted on his face. "That would be the move of a coward," he concluded.
Suddenly, Dean released his aura with all his power. Even being inferior, his blue aura expanded with an impressive ferocity, colliding with Noah's red aura. The two energies fought fiercely, each trying to swallow the other and dominate the space of the arena. The tension increased, the atmosphere becoming denser and electrifying.
Full of energy, Dean shouted excitedly, "We were going to put on a show for them, weren't we? Then turn up the sound!" His voice echoed through the arena, loaded with excitement.
Noah, surprised and at the same time radiant with Dean's response, could not contain a smile. The battle was becoming exactly what he expected: a spectacle of brute force and skill.
With his eyes shining with excitement, Dean thought fervently: "Until my mana runs out and I fall exhausted, I will defeat even someone intangible like you."
[...]
Author's note:
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