The preparation chamber was alive with tension as the name The Dawnbringers appeared on the terminal. Unlike the ominous presence of The Shadow Reapers, this guild carried a reputation for elegance, precision, and overwhelming teamwork. They were veterans, and their victories in previous tournaments were legendary.
Draven exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "The Dawnbringers. They're no joke. Every one of their members is a top-tier player."
Aris cracked her knuckles, her face unreadable. "And we just took down The Shadow Reapers. We can do this."
Ryu stood with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the glowing screen. "They're not invincible. We just need to outthink them."
The system's voice rang out, signaling the start of the final match.
[Finals: Team Eclipse vs. The Dawnbringers. Commence in 5 minutes.]
Aris pulled up the opponent's data. "Their leader, Seraph, is a dual-wielder with lightning-fast attacks. Their tank, Alden, is a fortress—high defense, crowd control, and taunts. Liora's their mage, capable of massive AoE damage, and Rael is their healer, one of the best in the game."
Draven groaned. "Great. So we're up against a perfectly balanced team with no weak links. Got any good news, Ryu?
Ryu glanced at the screen one last time before he closed it. "They're balanced, but every team has their breaking point. Their strength comes from being coordinated. If we disrupt that, they won't be able to move easily. We'll aim at taking out the healer of their team first."
Aris nodded. "Rael. If we can make him busy or take him out in the early going, it'll make the team lose.
Draven grinned, cracking his neck. "Guess it's time to make myself a big, shiny target again."
The system chimed.
[Match Start.]
The portal shimmered open, and Team Eclipse stepped through.
The arena for the final match was breath-taking. A massive floating coliseum, with platforms of varying heights suspended in midair, connected by narrow bridges. Below was a swirling void of light and shadow, a reminder of the stakes. The crowd's roar was deafening, with banners of both teams waving high.
The Dawnbringers stood on the opposite end of the arena, their golden armor gleaming under the ethereal light. Seraph, their leader, stepped forward, her twin blades crackling with energy. She smiled, but it wasn't friendly. "You've impressed everyone by making it this far. But this is where it ends."
Ryu unsheathed the Starbreaker Blade, its glow pulsating with power. "We'll see about that."
The announcer's voice echoed:
[Begin!]
The Dawnbringers moved as one, their coordination immediately apparent. Alden, their tank, charged forward with a roar, his massive shield glowing with defensive buffs. Liora stayed back, already weaving a spell, while Rael began casting protective barriers over his teammates. Seraph darted to the side, aiming to flank.
"Draven, on Alden! Aris, disrupt Rael!" Ryu barked, surging forward to meet Seraph head-on.
Draven planted himself in Alden's path, raising a shimmering shield to block the tank's charge. The impact was immense, the force nearly sending him skidding backward. Alden raised his hammer, bringing it down in a devastating arc, but Draven sidestepped and retaliated with a burst of flame, forcing the tank to adjust.
Meanwhile, Aris slipped into the darkness, her steps quiet and controlled. She bypassed Alden and Seraph, her eyes fixed on Rael, who was calmly layering healing buffs. She appeared behind him, her daggers flashing in the light. Rael barely had time to react, twisting to avoid a lethal strike, but Aris still landed a glancing blow.
Not so fast!" Liora shouted, her staff blazing with energy. She unleashed a wave of ice that encased the ground in frost, forcing Aris to retreat.
Ryu's fight with Seraph was explosive in nature. Her twin blades were a blur, every strike precise in its execution. Ryu met her speed with his own, his Starbreaker Blade deflecting her attacks in a flurry of sparks.
"You're skilled," Seraph admitted, her voice calm even as their blades locked. "But you won't last."
"Funny," Ryu said, his blade glowing with energy. "I was about to say the same to you."
He activated a skill, Starfall Slash, unleashing a shockwave that forced Seraph back. She stumbled but quickly recovered, her smirk never faltering.
Behind him, Draven was struggling against Alden, who used his superior size and defense to press the advantage. A well-timed shield bash knocked Draven off balance, and Alden followed up with a hammer strike that sent him sprawling.
"Draven, hold on!" Ryu shouted, pivoting toward the fight.
"I'm fine!" Draven growled, rolling to his feet. "Just keep them off Aris!"
Aris was relentless in her pursuit of Rael, but Liora's constant interference made it nearly impossible to land a decisive blow. Every time she got close, an ice spike or fireball forced her to retreat.
Ryu made a snap decision. "Draven, switch to Liora. Aris, stay on Rael. I'll handle Seraph and Alden!"
Draven changed his direction, charging towards the mage with a roar. His shield took the fireball, and he countered with a ground slam that disrupted her next spell.
Alden turned to protect Liora, but Ryu intercepted him, locking the tank in a fierce duel. Seraph rejoined the fray, her blades striking like lightning. Ryu found himself outnumbered, each movement calculated to avoid their deadly combination.
"Ryu, fall back!" Aris shouted.
Not yet!" Ryu growled. He turned on Blade Tempest, spinning in a flurry of strikes that sent both opponents stumbling back. It wasn't enough to finish them, but it gave him a moment to breathe.
Arinis finally struck a crippling blow on Rael, her dagger sinking into his shoulder. His health bar dived into the red, but before she could finish him, Liora unleashed a blinding flash of light that made her backpedal again.
"Almost… got him…" Aris muttered, panting.
Draven was beginning to succumb to Liora as he exhausted his stamina from the persistent waves of spells. Alden flew back to defend her, sending a shield bash that bashed Draven into an inch of his life by the edge of the platform.
"Draven, group up!" Ryu shouted.
"Not time!" Draven roared, slamming his shield onto the ground and enabling Inferno Wall. Flames blasted forward, pushing Liora and Alden backward. "Finish!
Ryu nodded and focused on Seraph. She was faster and more experienced, but he had one advantage: unpredictability. He feigned a strike, and she countered with a series of swift strikes. Ryu sidestepped and delivered a devastating slash to her side.
Seraph stumbled, her health bar critically low. "You… might actually win this," she admitted, her voice strained.
With a last push, Ryu cast Starlight Divide, a technique he had held in reserve. The blade from his hand released an incredible ray of energy, slicing through Seraph and Alden in the same instance.
The voice of the system repeated:
[Victory: Team Eclipse!]
Ryu slumped on one knee, his breaths labored. Draven fell back on his back, laughing hard as the bruises started to set. Aris sheathed her daggers, a combination of exhaustion and contentedness written across her face.
"We did it," said Aris quietly, victoriously.
"Just barely, and technically, we did," agreed Draven with a smile.
Ryu stood up and offered to help his teammates up from the ground. "It was just the beginning; make it count."
The reward was displayed by the system once the crowd had erupted with cheers. Team Eclipse managed to prove themselves against odds, but what lay in the future promised even harder challenges.