With Liam removed from the battle and taken to the infirmary, the focus of the match shifted entirely to the remaining combatants. Tensei and Susanoo were up against Raj and Adam, the battle now a two-on-two clash between powerful forces.
Tensei, though initially caught off guard by Raj's electromagnetism technique that pinned Susanoo against the wall, quickly adapted to the situation. Tensei's creative mind worked rapidly to find a solution. He began focusing on the lace-like threads on his gloves, trying to free Susanoo from Raj's magnetic hold. He found that by manipulating the threads, he could counteract the magnetic forces and eventually release Susanoo.
Once free, Susanoo immediately charged at Raj, wielding the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi with expert precision. Tensei directed Susanoo to unleash a barrage of attacks on Raj, who deftly defended himself with his mastery of martial arts and electromagnetism. Raj skillfully dodged and parried Susanoo's strikes, using his magnetic powers to manipulate the environment around him.
While Tensei and Raj clashed, Adam's focus shifted entirely to supporting Raj by keeping Tensei occupied. He summoned another heavenly treasure from the Gate of Babylon, a massive broadsword. The broadsword shimmered with divine energy as Adam charged at Tensei, swinging the sword with great force. Tensei, caught off guard by the sudden attack, barely managed to evade the powerful strikes.
Despite the relentless assault from Adam and Raj, Tensei fought back fiercely. He skillfully maneuvered Susanoo to defend himself and counterattack. Susanoo's lightning affinity manifested in flashes of purple energy, striking out at Adam and Raj. The sheer power of Susanoo's attacks forced the two opponents to retreat momentarily.
As the battle raged on, Tensei's creativity and adaptability became evident. He started combining Susanoo's abilities with his own skills, creating complex maneuvers and strategies that kept Adam and Raj on their toes. Tensei's newfound connection with Susanoo seemed to grow stronger, allowing him to control the puppet with greater finesse.
Adam and Raj, however, were not easily discouraged. They coordinated their attacks, using their combined powers to put immense pressure on Tensei. Adam's mastery of heavenly treasures and Raj's electromagnetism posed a significant challenge to Tensei and Susanoo. Yet, Tensei's resilience and determination shone through as he fought valiantly, finding new ways to use Susanoo's abilities.
The battle reached a crescendo as the combatants exchanged powerful blows, each side struggling to gain the upper hand. Tensei's mastery of Susanoo's abilities, combined with his quick thinking, kept him in the fight. Meanwhile, Adam and Raj's teamwork and coordination proved to be a formidable challenge.
The arena echoed with the sound of clashing weapons, crackling energy, and the grunts of the combatants as they pushed themselves to their limits. Both sides knew that the outcome of the battle would determine the fate of their respective houses, and neither was willing to give up without a fight.
***
The final moments of the battle were intense and full of anticipation as Adam and Raj prepared to deliver their final attack against Tensei. The stakes were high, and the arena was electric with tension.
Adam's strategy began with summoning Enkidu, the chains descended from the sky and wrapped around Tensei, temporarily trapping him. However, Tensei's experience with the chains meant he quickly began finding ways to escape, giving Adam and Raj only a brief window of opportunity to strike.
Seeing this, Adam summoned the Gate of Babylon for the last time. From the gate, he unleashed a cascade of weapons—hundreds, if not thousands—crashing down onto the arena floor. The sheer magnitude of the arsenal created a sense of awe among the spectators.
Raj, using his electromagnetism, took control of the weapons. With a commanding wave, he lifted them all into the air and launched them as a battalion towards the restrained Tensei. This calculated attack was designed to overwhelm Tensei and end the battle.
The first wave of weapons struck Tensei, dealing significant damage and leaving him bruised and broken. He staggered from the onslaught, visibly weakened. Susanoo, sensing the imminent danger, leapt in front of Tensei to shield him, but it was too late to make much of a difference. The damage had already been done.
As Tensei fell to one knee, he appeared to be on the brink of defeat. He summoned his paintbrush, a seemingly futile gesture in the face of such an overwhelming attack. Despite his precarious situation, there was still a glimmer of determination in his eyes.
The audience watched in suspense, unsure of how Tensei would respond. The battle had reached its climax, and the outcome was hanging in the balance. Would Tensei find a way to turn the tide, or would Adam and Raj's final attack prove to be the decisive blow? Only the next moments would reveal the true conclusion of this epic battle.
***
In the final moments of the battle, as Tensei fell to the ground and seemed to succumb to exhaustion and injury, he fought with every ounce of his willpower. However, his fight was not in the way Adam and Raj expected. As he stumbled and began to faint, Tensei activated his Sleight of Hand skill with a flick of his fingers, drawing swiftly and precisely.
With each stroke of his paintbrush, Tensei sketched a vivid scene on the page—his own rendition of the devastating attack Adam and Raj had just unleashed upon him. As the ink flowed across the page, it dripped onto the arena floor. In an extraordinary and unexpected turn of events, the ink transmuted into real weapons, just as deadly as the ones that had struck Tensei.
Before Adam and Raj could react, the battalion of hundreds, if not thousands, of weapons surged toward them. Having believed they had secured victory, they had let their guard down, leaving them unprepared for Tensei's sudden counterattack. The sheer volume of weapons overwhelmed them, striking them with the same ferocity as their own attack on Tensei.
The attack was so powerful that both Adam and Raj were left unconscious on the ground, unable to defend themselves against Tensei's retaliation. In a dramatic and poetic twist, just one second after Adam and Raj fell, Tensei himself also succumbed to the strain and followed suit, collapsing to the ground in a dazed state.
The arena fell silent as the spectators watched the unexpected outcome unfold. The dust settled, and the crowd was left unsure of who had won the battle or if it was a draw. All eyes turned to Principal Silvertongue, waiting for him to make the final decision on the match. His judgment would determine the outcome of this intense and memorable battle.
***
Principal Silvertongue watched the scene unfold with a smirk of admiration, impressed by the determination and tenacity displayed by the students of Solaris Academy. After a moment of contemplation, he opened his mouth to address the crowd, only to pause as he gathered his thoughts. Then, with a measured breath, he spoke:
"In a realm where seconds weave their dance, three warriors stood, their fate to enhance. Adam and Raj, side by side they fell, their courage tested, their stories to tell.
But Tensei, ah! He lingered a beat, A heartbeat apart, his victory sweet. The sands of time whispered secrets untold, and in that moment, his legend took hold.
The last one standing, House Pegasus cheered, Tensei Atisuto, their champion revered. With sword in hand and fire in his eyes, He claimed the title beneath azure skies.
So, raise your banners, let victory resound, For Tensei, the hero, forever unbound!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as they recognized Tensei as the victor of the battle. His perseverance and quick thinking had led him to triumph against seemingly insurmountable odds. House Pegasus celebrated their champion's success, knowing that Tensei's story would be remembered as one of the academy's greatest moments.