The atmosphere in the arena was electric, buzzing with excitement and nervous anticipation as the second round of matches continued.
Each battle seemed to build on the last, the stakes rising higher and higher as the number of competitors dwindled.
Ryder's turn began, he stood at one end of the battlefield, his fists clenched in quiet focus. His opponent, a stern young man with short, dark hair, mirrored his intensity.
Neither spoke, their eyes communicating the mutual understanding that this battle would be intense.
The referee raised his hand, and in the blink of an eye, both tamers summoned their creatures. In a burst of light, Ryder's team appeared, three new monsters, a majestic hawk with shimmering feathers, a sturdy, heavily-armored bear, and a sleek panther whose black coat seemed to absorb the light around it.
His opponent responded with a massive, reptilian beast, its scales gleaming like polished steel, and a pair of smaller, nimble creatures that darted around it like living shadows.
The lizard's tail slammed into the ground with a low rumble, sending cracks snaking through the arena floor.
With a sharp whistle, Ryder's hawk dove down from the sky, its wings flashing as it peppered the lizard with a flurry of razor-sharp feathers.
The reptile roared, snapping at the bird but missing as it swooped gracefully away. At the same time, Ryder's panther darted forward, a shadow streaking across the arena as it moved in to attack from the side.
Meanwhile, the bear held its ground, waiting for attacks directed toward him.
The young man's lizard beast lunged, its claws tearing into the dirt as it charged toward Ryder's panther, but the sleek feline was too fast, slipping just out of reach and circling around behind it. The panther's claws raked across the lizard's side, drawing a sharp hiss of pain.
The battle raged for minutes, each tamer commanding their creatures with finesse and skill. It was a well-matched fight, the crowd caught in the exhilarating back-and-forth as both sides vied for dominance.
But even as his opponent pressed forward, Ryder's expression remained calm, he was slowly taking the upper hand.
His opponent, however, grew increasingly frustrated. The young man's brow furrowed, his teeth gritting as none of his attempt succeeded.
In a bold move, he completely changed his strategy, locking onto Ryder himself.
The crowd gasped in unison as the boy charged straight for Ryder, his shadow spreading as he was summoning another beast.
It was a desperate tactic, he wasn't as fast as a beast to take Ryder by surprise , but all his thoughts were to create a change.
But Ryder didn't flinch. His eyes narrowed, a small, smile tugging at his lips.
"Bad move."
Just as a new creature emerged from the shadow, Ryder made his move. With a snap of his fingers, the ground beneath his feet exploded upward, revealing his fourth beast, one that had remained hidden for the entirety of the battle, a massive mole-like creature, its claws razor-sharp and its eyes glowing with a deep, molten red, shot out of the earth, intercepting the boy with a crushing blow that sent it sprawling.
The arena erupted into chaos as the crowd screamed in astonishment.
"Winner, Ryder Crow!"
The cheers from the others tamerswere deafening. Ryder's opponent had to be taken away by medics, but before leaving, he turned to Ryder for a moment before bowing his head, acknowledging his loss. Ryder offered a respectful nod before turning away.
But as he walked off the battlefield, his eyes flicked toward Eratz, who was watching him from across the arena. Their eyes met, and Ryder's heart skipped a beat.
He realized in that instant that Eratz had seen everything, his hidden beast, his strategy was known by the worst person possible.
The quiet acknowledgment in Eratz's smile sent a chill down Ryder's spine.
The next matches rolled around quickly, but the atmosphere shifted once a new tamer stepped onto the battlefield.
Whispers filled the stands as the tamers watched the young man, the one who had crushed Milo in his first match without breaking a sweat.
His opponent was older, taller, but the nervous glances he shot at him betrayed his unease.
The battle began, and just like before, the battlefield was shrouded in a thick, unnatural mist. The crowd murmured in confusion. They'd seen this before, the signature move before Milo's disaster.
From within the mist, a shadowy figure appeared, his beast, shadows with glowing eyes and an strange forms that seemed to drift between the physical and the mystical.
It moved like a ghost, slipping through the fog, its movements barely visible.
The older tamer summoned his beasts, but the fog disoriented them. They stumbled, thrashing about as they searched for their unseen enemy.
And then, in a flash of light, the battle was over before anyone could fully register what had happened.
The older tamer's beasts collapsed, one after the other, their defeat swift and nonsensical. He stared at him, stunned and disbelieving
Once again, the boy didn't even break a sweat.
"Winner, Jaden!"
As Jaden turned to leave, his eyes flicked across the arena, looking for something, and then, landed on Eratz.
For a brief moment, the two exchanged a glance, Jaden's lips twitched into a small, confident smile before he turned away, disappearing into the stands.
Eratz's gaze didn't really change, there was something in the way Jaden looked at him, an invitation, perhaps, or a warning, but at this moment he couldn't care less.
As the final matches of the second round concluded, the energy in the arena reached a fever pitch.
The third round was coming, and the crowd was buzzing with speculation. Who would face whom? Who would see his dream crushed?
The screen in the center of the arena flickered, the names of the challengers flashing across it. Among them, five names stood out, those who had won both of their matches.
The tension was thick, the excitement almost unbearable as the final draw began.
Eyes turned toward the screen, the murmurs of the crowd growing louder. Everyone had their attention fixed on two names in particular: Eratz Pandora and Jaden.
Both had surprised and impressed the audience with their overwhelming displays of power. It was clear that these two were the competitors to watch and a battle between the two seemed like a final for this selection.
The draw began, and time seemed to slow down. The names on the screen shuffled, flickering between the remaining tamers.
The suspense was unbearable. Everyone in the crowd held their breath, waiting for the results.
And then, the names appeared:
13th match
[Eratz Pandora VS Ryder Crow]