"Pride burns bright, but the balance of power is absolute."
1. The Climax of the Finals – Blue Flames vs. The Unstoppable Force
The entire arena trembled as Zhao Feng's flames shifted from crimson to a deep, mesmerizing blue.
✔ The heat intensified, the air shimmering from sheer energy.
✔ The battlefield itself warped under the pressure of his fire magic.
✔ For the first time, Joshua took a step back.
The crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into chaos.
"What is that?!"
"Zhao Feng's flames changed color! Is this an evolution of his magic?!"
"This is beyond normal fire magic!"
Zhao Feng's breathing was heavy, his entire body pulsing with energy.
He stared Joshua down, a grin stretching across his face.
"You're not the only one holding back, Joshua."
Joshua chuckled, rolling his shoulders.
"Good. I was getting bored."
And then—the battlefield exploded into chaos.
2. The Storm and the Inferno Collide
Zhao Feng attacked first.
✔ A pillar of blue fire surged forward, engulfing everything in its path.
✔ Flaming spears rained down, moving faster than before.
✔ The sheer intensity of his flames cracked the arena floor.
Joshua moved like a phantom, weaving through the inferno.
✔ His movements were precise—dodging at the last second, letting the heat barely graze him.
✔ Every attack Zhao Feng launched, Joshua avoided with minimal effort.
The audience was in awe.
"Zhao Feng's power has reached a new level, but Joshua still isn't getting hit!"
"How does he react so fast?"
Zhao Feng gritted his teeth.
"Damn it… no matter how much stronger I get, he's still ahead?"
But then—he saw it.
A split-second opening.
Zhao Feng's eyes flashed.
✔ A massive burst of flames surged forward, blocking all of Joshua's escape routes.
✔ At the same time, a concentrated blue flame spear shot straight at him.
Joshua had nowhere to dodge.
3. A Moment of Impact – Zhao Feng Lands a Hit
For the first time in the tournament—
Zhao Feng's attack connected.
✔ A searing explosion erupted as the blue flames struck Joshua.
✔ The crowd gasped as Joshua was sent skidding across the battlefield.
✔ His uniform was slightly burned, a rare sight.
Zhao Feng panted, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Finally… I landed a hit."
But then—Joshua chuckled.
Zhao Feng's smirk faltered.
Joshua stood up, dusting himself off, completely unfazed.
"Not bad. That actually stung a little."
Zhao Feng felt his heart drop.
Even now—he wasn't shaken?
Joshua stretched his arms, a slow smirk forming.
"I guess it's time to stop holding back."
And then—his aura changed.
4. The Equinox Dagger Awakens – Light and Shadow
A sudden pulse of energy radiated from Joshua.
✔ The Equinox Dagger materialized in his hands, shifting between two forms.
✔ One side glowed with a blinding white light.
✔ The other shimmered in an eerie darkness, absorbing the surrounding light.
The crowd gasped.
"What is that weapon?!"
"Is that… his artifact?!"
Sung En's eyes widened from the stands.
"That dagger… it's not normal."
Even the elite hunters watching took interest.
✔ The Light Form—Radiance Edge.
✔ The Shadow Form—Void Fang.
Joshua's eyes glowed faintly.
"Let's see how your flames handle this."
5. The Clash of Light and Fire
Joshua activated the Light Form first.
✔ With a swing, a blinding arc of energy shot forward, cutting through Zhao Feng's flames like a blade through water.
✔ The holy-like energy neutralized the fire instantly.
✔ For the first time, Zhao Feng's flames couldn't consume everything.
Zhao Feng gritted his teeth, pushing more mana into his flames.
But then—Joshua switched to the Shadow Form.
✔ His entire figure flickered, vanishing into darkness.
✔ Zhao Feng's eyes darted around—Joshua was nowhere to be seen.
✔ Then—without warning—a shadowy blade grazed past his shoulder, too fast to react.
"Joshua is completely controlling the battle now!"
"What kind of weapon is that? He's shifting between different abilities instantly!"
Zhao Feng staggered back, panting heavily.
His flames flickered, unstable.
Joshua pointed his dagger at him.
"Your flames are impressive, Zhao Feng."
"But they won't be enough."
6. The End of the Fight – The Difference in Levels
Zhao Feng let out a roar, igniting his blue flames to their maximum output.
✔ A towering inferno erupted, the heat distorting the air itself.
✔ This was his final attack—the strongest flame he could muster.
✔ Everything would be reduced to ash.
Joshua sighed.
"Then I'll end this with one final move."
His dagger shifted into its true form—both Light and Shadow fused together.
✔ One blade, glowing with divine radiance.
✔ The other, a blade of pure darkness, devouring all light.
Joshua vanished.
✔ Before Zhao Feng could react, he felt a sharp pain—Joshua had already moved past him.
✔ A single clean slash cut through his fire, neutralizing his magic instantly.
Zhao Feng staggered forward… then fell to his knees.
His flames vanished.
The battlefield was silent.
Then—the announcer's voice boomed.
[Victory – Joshua Lim Wins the Tournament!]
The crowd erupted.
✔ "Joshua Lim… is unstoppable!"
✔ "He didn't just win—he dominated!"
✔ "That dagger… what the hell was that?!"
7. The Aftermath – Sung En's Realization
As the cheers continued, Sung En watched Joshua standing at the center of the arena.
Her heart pounded.
She had seen everything.
✔ The way Joshua never lost control.
✔ The way he fought, not with pride, but with absolute confidence.
✔ The way he valued her feelings more than his own.
"I… like him."
For the first time, she admitted it to herself.
And now—there was no denying it anymore.