A stunned silence settled over the arena as Gordon's darkened aura enveloped him, its sinister energy swirling around his form like a storm. The usual stormy blue of his energy was tainted, threaded with jagged tendrils of black that pulsed ominously, warping his familiar presence into something alien.In the stands, Benji's face fell, a flicker of alarm crossing his usually calm features. "That energy... it's unnatural. I don't like this."Chris glanced at him, his expression shifting from competitive interest to wary concern. "What do you mean 'unnatural'? He just looks like he's had an extra shot of power."Benji shook his head, watching Gordon's figure closely. "No, it's more than that. This isn't something he got from training. It's... darker. Like it's not his own."The others in Stronghold's team exchanged nervous glances. Lila leaned forward, concern etched in her face. "I don't understand. Is that really Gordon? He looks... wrong."Alex watched, tense, as he saw the energy coiling around his teammate. "I've never seen him like this. It's like something's... taken him over."Victor crossed his arms, an uneasy look in his eyes. "That's not Gordon's usual aura. It's something else, something twisted."In the arena, John felt the air change as Gordon advanced, the darkness radiating from his opponent thickening like an oppressive fog. Gordon's gaze was cold, his expression void of the usual rivalry or fire. Instead, his movements were mechanical, calculated—strangely detached from the person John knew."Gordon," John murmured, keeping his guard up as his rival approached, "what's going on with you?"Gordon smirked, his voice eerily low, devoid of its typical bravado. "Does it matter, John? All that matters is I'm finally going to beat you."And with that, he attacked, his speed and strength amplified by the dark energy that now coursed through him. He moved with a brutal efficiency, each strike landing with a force that sent shockwaves through the arena floor. John barely managed to deflect the punches, the sheer power behind them unlike anything he'd ever faced from Gordon.Gordon's blows came faster, his strikes relentless, and John felt the strain mounting with each clash. The dark energy seemed to sap his own aura, its presence pressing down on him, suffocating and cold.From the stands, Alex's fists clenched. "Come on, John, don't back down!"But John was visibly struggling, his movements sluggish under the weight of Gordon's attacks. Every blow he deflected sent a jolt through his body, rattling him down to his bones. The darkness in Gordon's aura grew more intense, suffusing the air around them until it was almost palpable.Gordon's smirk widened as he sensed John's fatigue, his tone mocking. "What's the matter, John? Thought you'd put up more of a fight."As Gordon raised his hand, summoning a concentrated burst of the dark energy, John felt a cold sweat break out. The darkness stirred something within him, an eerie familiarity—the memory of those red eyes he had glimpsed in his last match flickered in his mind, vivid and unsettling.The image surged up in his mind, paralyzing him for a split second. Those enormous, predatory eyes, filled with malice and unspoken power, watching him from the shadows. The same energy emanating from Gordon now resonated with that same darkness, and it rattled John to his core.John forced himself to focus, gritting his teeth as he summoned his own energy. He couldn't let himself get swept up in the fear. He had to remember who he was, and what he was fighting for. With a yell, he swung his fist upward, meeting Gordon's blow head-on, forcing his own aura to push back against the encroaching darkness.The impact sent a shockwave through the arena, the clash of energies momentarily dispersing the fog of darkness around them. But Gordon's laughter cut through the haze, unsettling in its cruelty. "You're out of your depth, John. Just admit it."But beneath the darkness, John could see it—a flicker of something in Gordon's eyes. Doubt. An uncertainty that belied the confidence in his attacks.John steadied himself, taking a deep breath. "Is this what you really want, Gordon? To become... this?" He gestured to the darkness swirling around his opponent. "You're stronger than this. You don't need it."Gordon hesitated, a brief flicker of conflict crossing his face. But the darkness tightened around him, swallowing the doubt as quickly as it had appeared. He shook his head, his voice cold. "This is what I need to win."With a surge of energy, Gordon launched himself forward, moving faster than John could anticipate. The dark aura curled around his fist as he aimed a final, devastating blow at John's midsection. John braced himself, summoning every last bit of his own energy, struggling to hold his ground.The hit connected, pain radiating through him, but John refused to go down. He met Gordon's gaze, steady and unyielding, as he forced himself to push back. He couldn't let Gordon's darkness overpower him.With a last burst of determination, John channeled his energy into a focused blast, aiming it directly at the shadow that surrounded Gordon. His attack hit its mark, colliding with Gordon's aura in a burst of light and dark that sent both of them sprawling to opposite ends of the ring.A hush fell over the arena as the smoke cleared, revealing John struggling to his feet, his breath ragged but his spirit intact. Across from him, Gordon knelt, his dark aura flickering weakly, the intensity fading as his body strained to keep up.John took a shaky step forward, his gaze unwavering. "You don't need this, Gordon," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're strong enough on your own."The darkness around Gordon flickered, fading slightly as his resolve wavered. He stared at John, a mix of anger and confusion flashing in his eyes as the remnants of the dark energy ebbed away. He could feel the exhaustion creeping in, his strength sapped by the unnatural power he had wielded, and he knew he couldn't continue.In that moment of vulnerability, Jimmy's voice echoed across the arena. "And we have a winner! Barely standing, but still victorious—John of Stronghold!"The crowd erupted in cheers, but John barely registered it as he stumbled back, feeling the weight of the match settle on him. He had faced down more than just his rival today—he had glimpsed the darkness that lay within, and it left a lasting mark.Gordon knelt in silence, his face a mask of frustration and bitterness. He had tasted the power he thought would guarantee him victory, and yet he had failed, left defeated and hollow.