As the storm settled and Ethan stepped down from the ring, his breath steadying, Sophia approached him with sharp eyes and a mind full of questions.
"What was that you did out there?" she asked, her voice low and direct. "I didn't know you had more than one ability."
Ethan turned to her with a calm smile, one corner of his mouth twitching upward.
He could see it—the curiosity burning behind her composed expression.
She wasn't just surprised—she was analyzing him, breaking down every move he made during the fight. She knew his ability was related to Force, and what she saw in the arena went far beyond that.
Lightning. Wind. A transformation that altered his physical form.
None of it lined up with what she understood of his ability.
In her head, a string of thoughts unraveled:
'Was the transformation responsible for the new abilities? Or were those powers separate? Could he be so kind of hybrid?
Or… is that transformation a catalyst?'
She needed answers.
Ethan t her gaze, the smirk still lingering.
"I experienced a Rank Surge last month," he said casually. "In the Duality Den and managed to cultivate another ability successfully."
Sophia blinked.
"…"
She didn't respond imdiately—but she didn't have to.
Her silence was telling.
A Rank Surge? That was sothing whispered about in elite circles—a myth, really.
Rumored to grant those lucky enough to survive it an increase to their current rank. Her family, powerful as they were, had only ever heard of it in theory.
But now, here Ethan stood, using multiple abilities in perfect synergy—Force, Lightning, and Wind—while transforming his body. It was too clean to be luck.
"If you don't believe ," Ethan added, folding his arms, " using more than one ability should be proof enough."
Sophia narrowed her eyes, studying him.
He had a point. She couldn't refute that logic.
She knew how hard it was to survive a Rank Surge. If Ethan truly experienced it, then everything he'd accomplished so far—his growth, his power, even surviving that matchup—it all made sense.
She stared into his eyes, searching for a crack in the story.
Ethan stared right back, calm as ever.
Then, Sophia broke the silence.
"Okay. I believe you."
Ethan let out a silent breath of relief in his head.
'She bought it… good.'
Just then, the announcer's voice echoed through the arena.
"The final match of Round Two has concluded—Stoneheart claims victory!"
Stoneheart, the rock ability user, raised a lazy fist as the pre recorded crowd cheered.
His opponent, a water user, had already vanished from the ring.
Sophia turned her gaze back toward the center of the arena, her expression sharpening again.
"Looks like Round Three is starting."
Ethan nodded. As he stepped to the side, the loud voice of the announcer thundered once more, this ti carrying more weight, more drama:
"The first fight of Round Three will be between… Kairo Draeven—"
"—and Sophia Lancaster!"
The Pre recorded crowd exploded with energy.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"This isn't good"
****
As Sophia stepped toward the ring, ready for her match, Ethan reached out and gently drew her back by the arm.
"Be careful," he said, eyes locked onto her opponent across the arena. "That guy… Kairo. He's got a weird ability. Try not to make direct eye contact with him while you're fighting."
Sophia glanced over at Kairo, then back at Ethan, nodding.
"Thanks for the heads-up."
"No problem," Ethan replied, releasing her arm.
She gave him a quick, appreciative look before stepping into the arena, her expression cool and composed.
The announcer's voice bood out over the arena:
"Begin!"
But neither Sophia nor Kairo moved.
The air between them tightened like a drawn bowstring.
Sophia's eyes scanned her surroundings, reading everything about her opponent except his gaze. Everything seed normal… until she decided to test the waters. With a flick of her hand, she sent a blade of pure ta Essence hurling straight into Kairo's chest.
The hit was clean as Blood burst from Kairo's mouth, and Sophia's eyes narrowed.
"It can't be that easy…" she whispered.
She was right.
A ripple shimred through the air where Kairo stood—then he vanished.
Imdiately, Sophia activated {Sword Spirit}, her ta Essence flaring like a brilliant aura. Her power surged, and her senses sharpened to the extre.
"Cute," a voice echoed around her mockingly.
Suddenly, ripples blood across the arena, forming a do around her. Sophia's eyes widened. She tried to move—but she was stuck. Trapped in his ability.
Then ca the onslaught.
Blow after blow rained down on her from every angle, hamring her body and pushing her back to the edge of the ring. Blood spilled from her mouth and one of her knees hit the ground.
Kairo stepped forward from the shadows, casual and cruel.
"I'm surprised you survived that," he said, eyes gleaming.
Sophia kept her head down, breathing hard, avoiding his gaze. Then, without warning, she charged, a glowing sword forming in her hand. Kairo stepped aside with ease, and she struck again—and again—and again.
Each swing was sharp and skillful.
Each dodge from Kairo was frustratingly effortless.
But despite her injuries, Sophia never looked him in the eye.
Kairo, unimpressed, continued to harass her with his ripple attacks, each one a slow grind on her endurance. Until at last, Sophia dropped to both knees, bloodied and seemingly finished.
He appeared in front of her once more, tilting her chin up with a finger.
"Just give up," he said with a sneer.
"I've won."
Their eyes t.
Ethan, watching from the stands, clenched his fist.
As Kairo's ability flared to life.
But Sophia vanished.
Not from his ability—but from her own design.
He stumbled back, confused. Then sothing truly unbelievable happened:
The figure he'd been battling—shattered.
A sword taking her place as it cracked and fell.
"What…?" Kairo muttered.
From thin air, the real Sophia appeared, barely injured—her eyes sharp, her breathing steady.
She lunged.
Her sword aid straight for his eye.
Kairo's instincts kicked in, and his ability flared to teleport—
But too late.
Her blade connected, cutting across his face just before he vanished completely.
From the stands, Ethan shot to his feet, pumping his fist.
"That's my Sophia!"
He understood it all now.
Sophia had used one of her abilities—Sword Substitute.
She had weaponized her own identity, crafting a sword imbued with her essence, allowing it to act as a decoy. The one Kairo had fought all along wasn't even her. It was a ruse.
She had waited for the right mont—when Kairo triggered his ability, which had a cooldown period—to strike with the real her.
Ethan could barely hold back his admiration for her battle IQ.
In the ring, Sophia calmly pointed her blade at Kairo, who now clutched his eye, a stream of blood running down his face.
"You… you made bleed!" Kairo scread, the calm gone from his voice.
Sophia didn't flinch. Her expression was cold as steel.
This was no longer just a match.
It was a statent.
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