Ashura caught Jarek's sword with his bare hand, his calm voice cutting through the charged atmosphere. "That great strike? Unfortunately, it was ineffective against me."
Jarek, wide-eyed with disbelief, stammered, "How… how can this be?!" Gasps spread among the gathered students, and even those furthest back leaned in, riveted. Edric voice shook as he exclaimed, "Ashura Kanon, this guy!!!" Liraeth added breathlessly, "Is the fight over now?"
But Professor Lum, who had been watching closely, finally interjected. "No, it's not over. Watch closely, everyone. Ashura is about to began his attack."
With a surge of energy, Ashura shifted into a mesmerizing, rhythmic stance, beginning a martial dance that seemed to blur the line between beauty and danger. He flowed seamlessly, his every move a blend of elegance and raw power, each shift in stance throwing Jarek off balance. A fierce grin lit his face as he warned, "Be prepared; I'm going to hit you hard."
Pivoting sharply on his right foot, Ashura sliced his hand through the air, a ghostly blade. His face held an intensity that promised a coming storm. With a voice simmering with excitement, he whispered, "Let's play."
The very air thickened around him, charged with anticipation, as he summoned the ancient essence within himself. His chant echoed like a heartbeat in the silence, every word woven into the fabric of fate:
"By breath of dusk and pulse of night,
Grant my limbs the power of flight.
In rhythm bound and shadow's grace,
Guide my steps in fierce embrace.
With silent force and strike's release,
I wield the flow that cannot cease.
From starlit veil, I draw my might,
In dance and fury, to win this fight."
With that invocation, Ashura launched himself at Jarek, his strikes a whirlwind of grace and deadly precision. He moved with the primal elegance of a predator, each blow like the beat of a war drum. The ground cracked beneath him as he attacked, the air crackling with energy as shadows swirled in his wake, blending seamlessly with his swift, powerful moves.
Ashura became a force of nature, embodying the raw, untamed spirit of battle. The world around him faded away, leaving only the pulsing rhythm of his heart and the primal call of combat. Every strike, every motion, was a testament to the glory of the fight, an unbreakable spirit blazing within him.
He did not relent, his attacks unceasing, driving Jarek back step by step. The onlooking students could barely breathe, riveted by the scene as Ashura unleashed a relentless series of blows. Each one was precise, every movement a masterstroke of technique and power. Finally, with a powerful kick, Ashura sent Jarek flying, landing with a solid thud on the ground.
"This is insane," Ilyra whispered, eyes wide. "He's a completely different person than he was just moments ago!"
Kael added, "Oi, oi, oi… I never knew a fighting style like this even existed!"
Ashura, still locked in his rhythmic stance, his feet pulsing to an internal beat, looked down at Jarek with a fierce calm. "Is this all you've got?"
Jarek, weary and breathless, struggled to his feet, his face pale as he fought to regain his composure. "It seems I've stepped on a landmine," he admitted with a small, determined grin. "Ashura Kanon, I apologize for underestimating you."
He inhaled deeply, eyes blazing with a renewed spirit. "I'm not stopping until one of us drops, that I promise!" he declared, clenching his fist and pressing it to his lips, muttering the words of his own incantation.
"By sacred fire and judgment's call,
Let darkness tremble, let shadows fall!
Divine power, blaze and sear—
In holy light, the path is clear!"
A brilliant aura flared around him as he roared, "Let's finish this, Ashura—Paladin Burst!"
Jarek's entire body blazed with divine energy, his stance brimming with righteous fury. This was no longer a mere duel; it was a battle of wills, a clash of souls, each fighter baring everything they had, pushing to their limits in pursuit of victory.
As the battle descended into a fleeting moment of eerie silence, a rock no larger than a pinky finger fell to the ground, breaking the tense atmosphere. "DEFEAT HIM, ASHURA!" roared Edmond, his voice echoing like thunder across the arena.
In that heartbeat, Ashura charged forward, his mind racing with thoughts of glory and conflict. *I can't back down now,* he thought fiercely. *The paladin may wield the light, but I have the power of Nyx on my side, and I will bend darkness to my will!*
Across from him, the paladin unleashed a brilliant technique, a radiant burst of energy that surged through him, granting a fleeting boost in power. *He has only four minutes left to use this power,* Ashura calculated, feeling the weight of his resolve. *If I can hold him off in defense, I will win... but no! I refuse to let this be a drawn-out fight! Victory will be mine before those minutes are up!*
With each clash of their weapons, Ashura felt the thrill of their fierce exchange, the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he matched the paladin blow for blow. *What irony!* he pondered as they danced the deadly choreography of battle. *Here I stand, one who embraces the shadows, facing a user of the light!*
Unbeknownst to the masses, a sea of students swelled around the combat field, their eyes wide with excitement as the fierce spectacle unfolded before them. Professors and academy officials surged into the crowd, their expressions a potent mix of awe and anticipation, as Ashura stood at the center of it all—determined to make his mark.
He was no longer the weak Ashura, the one who had once kept to the shadows of Heartwood Haven Manor. This was his moment to rise.
With fire igniting his spirit, he roared in his mind, *"Yes! I may not possess the raw talent of others, nor the gifts my siblings flaunt, and luck may have passed me by, but I have dreams! Dreams fueled by the divine touch of Nyx, illuminating a flicker of hope in my heart. That's why it's fine; I will rise to the challenge! I will work ten times harder to surprise them all!"*
Determination coursed through him like a raging river. This was more than just a fight; it was a declaration.As the battle raged on, both Ashura and Jarek were running on fumes, but neither showed any sign of backing down. Each strike, each counter, each glance was an exchange not only of strength but of will, their souls bared for all to see. Ashura's fists were a blur as he pushed Jarek back, the ferocity of his movements leaving deep gouges in the ground beneath them.
Jarek's aura flared brightly, illuminating the arena in an intense blaze of divine energy. His eyes locked onto Ashura with a fierce determination as he leapt into the air, preparing for a final, all-out attack. "Ashura!" he shouted, his voice echoing with power and conviction. "I'm not holding back!"
Ashura's pulse thundered as he braced himself, feeling every muscle in his body straining, his energy pooling into his legs. This is it. The final moment. He could feel the weight of the crowd's anticipation pressing on him, each set of eyes locked on his next move.
Ashura steadied his breathing, his gaze unwavering as he locked onto Jarek's soaring figure above. He crouched low, feeling the earth beneath him, connecting with the shadows that coiled around his feet. Drawing every ounce of strength from within, he poured his soul into his final move.
With a deep, shuddering breath, he roared, "This ends now!" A surge of power coursed through him, igniting every fiber of his being as he launched himself into the air, spiraling upward like a comet carving through the night. Shadows whirled around his leg, wrapping him in a cloak of darkness, and his right foot pulsed with dark energy, glowing with an eerie, ethereal light that danced like starlight. As he ascended to meet Jarek midair, a profound stillness enveloped the arena, the air thickening with tension as if the sun itself dimmed in solemn recognition of his resolute stand. The crowd held its breath, the anticipation palpable, each heartbeat echoing the significance of this moment.
"Eclipse Strike!" Ashura's voice thundered like a storm as his foot, cloaked in shadows, collided with Jarek's descent. The impact was cataclysmic—a raw explosion of energy that shattered the very fabric of the arena. A shockwave rippled outward, shaking the ground beneath them and causing the very air to shimmer. In that instant, a dazzling burst of dark and golden light illuminated the entire field, a brilliant conflation of power momentarily washing over the spectators like a tidal wave. For a fleeting heartbeat, Ashura and Jarek hung suspended in a fragile balance of strength, two titans caught in an ethereal dance.
Then, as the blinding light dimmed, the world seemed to tilt. Jarek was sent spiraling backward, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact that echoed like a lament through the arena. He lay there, gasping, his divine aura flickering like a dying star before it finally extinguished. The fight was over.
Ashura landed on one knee, the sheer exertion leaving him breathless and disoriented. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, each drop of sweat a testament to the monumental struggle that had just unfolded. But even through the pain, he rose, standing tall despite the weight of exhaustion that clung to him. Silence draped over the arena like a curtain, the audience enraptured by the raw power and intensity they had just witnessed.
Then, the silence shattered as a deafening roar of applause erupted like a wave crashing against rock. Cheers filled the air, a tide of admiration and awe that swept over Ashura as students surged forward. Even Professor Lum couldn't contain his pride, a triumphant smile breaking across his stern features, nodding in acknowledgment of Ashura's hard-earned victory.
Still on the ground, Jarek looked up at Ashura, a weary grin illuminating his battered face. "Well fought, Ashura Kanon," he rasped, his voice a fragile whisper yet filled with deep respect. "You truly are something else, forgive me for talking bad against old empress"
Edric who have his eyes open widely cannot believe to his soul "hah? seriously how is this called defactus!!!".like eric other student who watch the fight l so wonder how can such amazing person have call defactus ,is the rumour really true???
"HAHAHA! It seems his title as 'Defactus' will greatly change today," proclaimed Professor Lum, a wide smile spreading across his face.
He turned to his colleague, "Don't you think so too, Cedrick?"
Professor Cedrick, who had been silently observing without making his presence known, let a faint smile escape his lips. "Well, that depends on how much he can grow," he replied, his gaze fixed intently on Ashura.
Ashura was a boy whose rank still remained undetermined, known as 'Defactus.' He had an uncanny ability to grasp mana control with ease. Cedrick thought to himself, *If Ferris and Julion are geniuses, then Ashura Kanon is a monster—a monster who is still growing.*