Scene 1: The Aftershock of Power
BOOM!
The arena trembled violently, smoke and debris scattering across the battlefield. The air shimmered with heat, charged with raw hybrid energy.
The crowd was silent.
Every spectator, every fighter, every elite commander watching—all held their breath.
They had just witnessed something impossible.
Armaan Malik was keeping up with Kaiser Valken.
Scene 2: The Phantom Blade Draws Blood
Kaiser's expression was unreadable.
He slowly lifted his left hand to his side, fingers tracing the thin cut across his ribs. A small streak of crimson stained his otherwise pristine black combat gi.
It wasn't a deep wound, but it was a wound nonetheless.
The Phantom Blade of Vritra Dominion Academy had been struck.
Kaiser glanced at his opponent.
Armaan Malik stood tall, smoke still pouring from the microscopic vents across his body.
His new form had changed everything.
Micro exhaust vents along his arms, chest, shoulders, and legs hissed softly, releasing controlled bursts of smoke.
His wings of smoke and energy flickered behind him, giving him the ability to adjust in midair.
His forearm blades pulsed, shifting between solid and vapor, making them nearly impossible to track.
He was faster, sharper, more dangerous.
But most of all—he was in control.
Armaan smirked. "I thought you were untouchable."
Kaiser exhaled slowly. "I see… so that's your true speed."
Then—
A glint of silver.
SHING!
Kaiser moved.
Scene 3: The Second Exchange – Sword vs. Smoke
Kaiser disappeared from sight.
Armaan reacted instantly.
Smoke burst from his forearm vents, sending him rocketing sideways.
SHING!
A thin blade sliced through the space where he had stood just a millisecond before.
The impact of Kaiser's missed slash split the air itself.
A loud BOOM! erupted as the ground behind them cracked apart, splitting in two.
The crowd gasped. Kaiser's attacks were no joke.
Armaan spun mid-air, twisting his body.
His thrusters kicked in.
He appeared behind Kaiser in an instant.
A single downward slash from his forearm blade—
SHING!
But—nothing.
Kaiser had already vanished.
Another sonic boom.
They clashed mid-air, exchanging brutal strikes at speeds no human should be capable of.
SHINK! Smoke trailed through the air, blades of vapor clashing against cold steel.
Kaiser moved like a ghost. Armaan moved like a storm.
Every movement was precise. Every dodge was calculated.
Each second stretched into eternity.
Two fighters, both evolving in real-time.
Scene 4: Kaiser's True Power – Phantom Blade Level 1 Unleashed
Then, Kaiser stopped moving.
His aura changed.
He took a slow breath. His grip tightened around Kuroshin, his katana.
Then—a whisper.
"Phantom Blade… True Form."
The entire battlefield darkened.
A cold aura spread like a virus, causing the very air to shudder.
For the first time, a wave of killing intent radiated from Kaiser Valken.
His uniform shifted, shredding along the sleeves to reveal his bare arms, now covered in dark hybrid markings that pulsed faintly with violet energy.
His hair, once neatly tied, unraveled, flowing behind him in waves of black.
His katana, Kuroshin, became even thinner, its edge now invisible to the naked eye.
Kaiser exhaled.
Then he vanished.
Scene 5: Phantom Execution – The Sword That Cannot Be Seen
Armaan barely had time to react.
Kaiser was on him.
A blur of silver.
Smoke burst from Armaan's arms, propelling him away—
Too late.
Pain.
A deep cut sliced across Armaan's chest.
His exoskeleton armor cracked, smoke hissing from the vents.
Blood dripped.
Another strike.
Another cut.
And another.
Kaiser was untouchable again.
His blade was too fast.
I can't dodge him anymore.
I can't even see him move.
Scene 6: The Breaking Point – Armaan's Final Gamble
Armaan staggered back, gasping.
He was losing.
He knew that much.
But then—he felt it.
A familiar presence, deep in his core.
The smoke inside him wasn't just an ability.
It was a living, breathing force.
And for the first time, he listened.
His breathing slowed.
He closed his eyes.
And then—
He stopped running.
Scene 7: The Final Clash – Smoke vs. Steel
Kaiser saw his chance.
He darted forward, blade flashing toward Armaan's throat.
But this time, Armaan didn't dodge.
Instead—he turned into smoke.
The sword cut through empty air.
Kaiser's eyes widened.
A blur of motion.
Armaan reappeared behind him.
His thrusters fired at maximum power.
He swung his forearm blades—
Direct hit.
A shockwave exploded outward.
Kaiser was launched backward, crashing into the ground.
Scene 8: The Aftermath
Armaan stood, breathing heavily.
His entire body burned, his hybrid core on fire.
Kaiser, wounded but standing, wiped the blood from his lips.
For the first time—he smiled.
"Heh… you're something else," Kaiser admitted.
The announcer's voice echoed.
MATCH PAUSED – TIME LIMIT REACHED!
DRAW.
Final Scene: Reactions
The crowd erupted in chaos.
A DRAW?!
Even Rajan Awasthi laughed, tipping his hat. "Damn… I didn't expect that."
Raghuvaran grinned, arms crossed. "That kid's not bad."
Kalendra Tetsuro adjusted his glasses. "A hybrid awakening mid-battle… fascinating."
Avantika Rao remained silent—but even she was impressed.
Armaan had done the impossible.
And this… was only the beginning.