Victor wasted no time. His fiery aura ignited around him, flames licking at the air as he charged straight at Gordon, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Ready to get burned, Gordon?" he taunted, his eyes flashing with fiery excitement.Gordon smirked, gathering his own energy in his palms. "Bring it on, hothead. I've been waiting for this."With a surge of flames, Victor launched an attack straight toward Gordon, the fire cutting through the air like a scorching blade. Gordon sidestepped, barely avoiding the searing heat as he gathered his energy in his palms. He retaliated with a powerful blast of raw energy, aiming to overpower Victor's fire with sheer force.Their powers collided with a deafening crack, flames and energy exploding in all directions. Victor laughed, pushing back against Gordon's attack, the two of them locked in a fierce struggle. "You can't handle this heat!" Victor shouted, unleashing another surge of flames.But Gordon wasn't about to back down. Gritting his teeth, he channeled more energy, forcing Victor to retreat. "I'm just getting started!"Just as their battle was reaching a fever pitch, Gordon's energy surged toward Victor, who managed to dodge at the last second. Victor spun on his heel, ready to retaliate with another fiery assault, when a voice rang out across the battlefield."Hey, Victor!" John's voice cut through the chaos, and Victor turned just in time to see a blast of flames coming his way.Victor's eyes widened in surprise as he twisted to avoid the attack, the flames brushing past him. He barely had time to regain his footing before John was charging at him, fire sparking from his hands. "Looks like it's my turn!" John yelled, his flames roaring as he closed the distance.Victor growled in frustration, realizing he had to switch targets. "You want a piece of this too?" he taunted, backing away from Gordon to face John head-on. "Fine, let's see who the better firebender is!"John wasted no time, launching a barrage of fireballs in Victor's direction, each one faster and hotter than the last. Victor deflected the attacks with sweeping arcs of flame, the heat between them intensifying as their powers clashed.Gordon, momentarily catching his breath, watched as Victor shifted his focus entirely to John. His fists still crackled with energy, but he knew now wasn't the time to interfere. He'd wait for his chance.Across the battlefield, Isabel moved with a speed and grace that kept Anne on her toes. Isabel's teleportation ability made her nearly impossible to track, as she blinked from one spot to another, her movements leaving only afterimages in the air."Can't hit what you can't catch," Isabel teased, her voice echoing as she reappeared behind Anne, aiming a swift kick at her back.Anne spun just in time, barely dodging the attack. She ground her teeth in frustration. Isabel's agility and teleportation were a nightmare to deal with, and Anne needed to find a way to pin her down."Stand still for once!" Anne growled, launching a series of sharp energy blasts in Isabel's direction, but Isabel vanished before they could hit."Why would I do that?" Isabel mocked, reappearing behind Anne and delivering a quick jab to her side before blinking away again.But Anne wasn't about to give up. She summoned more energy, letting it pulse through her, and prepared for Isabel's next move. She had to outthink her.Meanwhile, John and Victor circled each other like two predators, both of them crackling with fiery energy. John's eyes narrowed as flames sparked from his fingertips. "I've been waiting for this, Victor."Victor smirked, his own fire flickering brighter. "Me too. Let's see who the real firebender is."Without another word, they lunged at each other. John's flames surged forward, meeting Victor's in an inferno of heat and light. The collision of their fire attacks sent a wave of heat through the arena, and sparks danced in the air as their powers collided.John gritted his teeth, pushing harder, trying to overwhelm Victor. "You won't beat me," John growled, summoning more fire and sending a powerful blast toward Victor.But Victor was fast, his fire dancing around John's attacks as he retaliated with a spinning kick, flames spiraling from his feet. "You talk big, John, but let's see if you can back it up!"The two exchanged blow after fiery blow, the heat between them becoming nearly unbearable as their firebending intensified. It was clear that neither would back down, and the match was only getting more heated.On the other side of the field, Alex squared off against Max. The gravity manipulator stood tall, an air of confidence surrounding him as the very ground beneath him seemed to tremble. "Ready for this, Alex?" Max called out, his tone playful but serious.Alex clenched his fists, his physical prowess on full display as he prepared himself. "I was born ready."With a wave of his hand, Max altered the gravity around Alex, causing the ground beneath him to feel impossibly heavy. Alex staggered for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "Feeling a little weighed down?" Max smirked.But Alex wasn't going to let that stop him. Gritting his teeth, he powered through, using his raw strength to push against the weight. With a roar, he surged forward, launching a powerful punch aimed directly at Max.Max sidestepped, the gravity around him shifting once again, and Alex felt himself being pulled to the side. "You'll have to do better than that!" Max taunted, using his powers to throw Alex off balance.Alex struggled against the pull, but his determination kept him focused. He pushed harder, using his natural strength to fight through the gravitational field. "I don't need fancy powers to beat you, Max!" Alex shouted, his voice filled with determination.The two continued to clash, Max using his gravity manipulation to keep Alex on edge, while Alex relied on his raw strength and resilience to fight back.As Alex fought, he couldn't help but notice Lila standing across the battlefield, her eyes focused on him. There was something in her gazeāsomething that tugged at him. He hesitated for a split second, caught off guard by the intensity of her look.Lila's ability to enter minds was something Alex had never experienced before, but in that moment, he could feel her presence brushing against the edges of his thoughts. It was as if she was searching, testing his resolve."Alex," her voice echoed in his mind, soft yet insistent. "Why are we on opposite sides?"Alex blinked, his mind reeling from the intrusion. "Lila..."But before he could process it, Max's gravity powers surged again, pulling Alex back into the fight. He stumbled, but his thoughts remained on Lila. What was she trying to say? Why did it feel like more than just a battle between them?