The Arena's Crucible – A Stage for Annihilation
The Eclipse's eye loomed overhead, its pupil a swirling vortex of void that devoured the arena's light. Gravity warped, lifting debris into a suspended halo around the abyss. Kente stood at the epicenter, his Tortoise Shell barrier flickering under the onslaught of Bloodthorn cultists. Their crimson robes pulsed with corrupted juju as they chanted:
"Predator Technique #99: Eclipse Maw!"
Shadow tendrils lashed like whips, each strike cracking Kente's hexagonal barrier. The backlash seared his palms, but he held firm, sweat mingling with blood.
Kente (gritting teeth):
"They're syncing their juju with the Eclipse. It's feeding them!"
Idol's Voice (panicked, echoing):
"They're using me as a conduit! Break their chant—NOW!"
The Crimson Lotus's Betrayal – Zahra's Shadow Dance
Zahra of the Crimson Lotus materialized from the Eclipse's periphery, her shadow blade humming with malice. Unlike Kente's disciplined techniques, her movements were fluid, predatory—a stark contrast to his defensive precision.
Zahra (mocking):
"Predator Technique #77: Umbral Decay.
Her blade dissolved his Tortoise Shell into viscous sludge. Kente countered, palm-eye blazing:
"Idol's Chains!"
Serpentine light erupted, ensnaring her blade. The chains pulsed with the Idol's defiance, but Zahra laughed, her wounds knitting under the Eclipse's gaze.
Zahra:
"You're a mutt with one trick. The Priestess will carve your Idol out and leave you hollow."
Kente (coldly):
"Keep talking. Your regeneration won't save you when I shatter that blade."
Safiya's Final Stroke – The Inkwell's Sacrifice
In the stands, Safiya of the Ink Kingdom fought a losing battle. Her Living Scroll technique—summoning ink golems from parchment—twisted under the Eclipse's corruption. A nine-tailed fox, once majestic, melted into a tar-like abomination.
Safiya (blood dripping from her nose):
"Prey Technique #21: Celestial Bind!"
Golden chains pinned the beast, but the Eclipse siphoned her life force. With her last breath, she painted a kanji for "void," imploding herself and the creature into nothingness.
Tamara (grim):
"Showoff. Could've just stabbed it."
Sophia (goat pupils narrowing):
"She bought us time. Use it."
WanLaden's Whisper – The Idol's Ultimatum
From a spacetime rift, WanLaden watched, tossing a shard of Umvelina's ship into the fray. It resonated with Kente's Idol, flooding his mind with visions:
Umvelina's daughter screaming as her soul fused with her mother's.The Priestess, centuries younger, harvesting Idol cores from weeping children.WanLaden, unmarked and kneeling, swearing fealty to Umvelina in a temple of bone.
Idol's Voice (pleading):
"End this. Use Requiem.
Kente's palm-eye split open, void veins crawling up his arm. He raised the shard, aiming at the Eclipse—
Miss Wolo (grabbing him):
"You die here, and the Priestess wins!"
The Kings' Gambit – A Fractured Unity
A thunderous horn split the chaos. King Jabari stormed the arena, his Forgeborn sword ablaze with sunlight:
"Predator Technique #100: Sunfall Execution!"
The blade cleaved the Eclipse's tendrils, scattering the cultists. The High Priestess rose, her voice icy:
High Priestess:
"Cease this folly. The Gauntlet is suspended. Prepare for the Eclipse Convergence."
Priestess Nailah (Crimson Lotus patron, sneering):
"You fear his Idol. But fear won't save you when Umvelina consumes."
Kente's Choice – The Cost of Defiance
Cornered, Kente unleashed his final gambit:
"Idol's Requiem!"
A shockwave of cerulean light erupted, vaporizing the cultists and rupturing the Eclipse's vortex. But the cost was visceral—his right arm petrified, cracks spiderwebbing his chest.
Idol's Voice (fading):
"Dawn approaches… She comes…"
Cliffhanger – The Vision of Anya
As the Eclipse winked shut, Kente collapsed. A final vision seared his mind:
Anya, the Priestess's vessel, suspended in a chrysalis of light. Her silver eyes pleaded as Umvelina's essence devoured her from within.A whisper: "You're next."