Chapter 109: Domination

Chapter 109: DominationThe tension in the locker room was thick as the Crescent Moon challengers stood in silence, their spirits bruised by Ryder's defeat.

Mercury paced back and forth, her hands clenched at her sides, barely holding in her frustration.

Kaida leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, looking down with a frown.

Catarina, usually quick with a joke, sat quietly, her tail flicking anxiously behind her. Eratz seemed calm, looking at the screen, though his gaze was distant and his expression hard to read.

Finally, Catarina spoke, breaking the silence.

"I think we should go check on him, nya," she said, her voice filled with worry. "Ryder... he looked really bad out there."

Kaida grunted, nodding.

"Yeah, we should be there for him. He gave it everything. Sitting here feels wrong."

Mercury's pacing picked up as she ran a hand through her hair.

"You're right. Ryder fought his heart out. He deserves us being there for him."

Just then, the door to the locker room swung open, and a staff member entered holding a clipboard. He adjusted his glasses before speaking.

"Eratz Pandora," the man announced, his voice cutting through the tension. "It's your turn."

The room went still. Mercury stopped walking, her eyes snapping to Eratz. Catarina's ears perked up, and Kaida looked up sharply.

Catarina glanced between Eratz and the others.

"Or maybe we should stay, nya," she suggested hesitantly. "We can check on Ryder afterward."

Kaida bit her lip.

"Yeah, we should stay here, we must support each other during our match."

Eratz gave them a small, reassuring smile and waved his hand.

"Go. Ryder needs you more right now. He fought hard, and it's our job to be there for him. Don't let him be alone when he'll wake up. I'll handle this on my own."

Mercury stepped closer, her face filled with concern.

"But you shouldn't have to go out there alone," she protested. "We can be there for both of you."

He shook his head gently.

"I've done this plenty of times. I'll be fine," he assured them. "Besides, I'm in love with this mentality, let's support each other in good and hard times. If we're friends, now's the time for showing it. Go to him, I'll join you later."

Kaida shifted uneasily.

"You're sure, buddy?"

Eratz's eyes met hers steadily.

"Do you really see me lose here?"

The staff member cleared his throat politely.

"Mr. Pandora, we should get going."

Eratz nodded.

"Got it." He glanced back at his team one last time. "Take care of Ryder. See you in five minutes."

Catarina exchanged a glance with Kaida, both clearly conflicted.

"Nyaa... he's right. Ryder probably feels like a furball right now. Let's go."

Kaida nodded, though reluctantly.

"Alright, but we'll be back as soon as we can. Don't you dare lose."

Mercury paused, still looking torn, then sighed.

"Fine. But you better come back in one piece."

She stepped forward and, without hesitation, leaned in, giving him a quick kiss just beside his

lips. Her expression stayed cool, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Eratz simply smiled, but Catarina's eyes went wide, her tail shooting straight up.

"M... Mew? Did... did she just..."

Kaida's mouth dropped open.

"What the...?"

Mercury pulled back, running a hand through her hair.

"Good luck. Don't let me carry our name." She turned and headed for the door, her usual

swagger back.

Eratz chuckled, grinning.

"First time for everything."

The arena buzzed with excitement as the announcer's voice filled the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for our next match, we have one of the favorite of these finals, a rising star, undefeated in the regional league, the one and only, the Apex Predator, Eratz Pandora!"

The crowd erupted as Eratz entered, walking calmly, eyes sharp and ready. In the stands, Cassie had her hands tightly clasped, her face glowing with excitement.

Roger clapped with a wide grin, and Milo was practically bouncing in his seat, cheering as loud as he could. Colin joined in, her voice difficultly blending with the crowd's roar.

Across the stadium, Genova's students and teachers watched with mixed feelings.

Lisa bit her lip, her eyes fixed on Eratz. Kenny's jaw tightened, fists clenching in his lap, while Crystal looked on with a cold, blank expression.

Rowan leaned forward, watching closely, his gaze shifting between Eratz and the screen above, not able to decide between a clear visual or the man in the flesh.

"And now, his challenger," the announcer continued, "a beast master with unmatched skill

the terror of the beasts, Darian 'The Crimson Claw' Kross!"

Darian strode in confidently, his muscular form making him look strong and powerful. He looked straight at Eratz, a sneer on his face.

"So, Apex Predator?" he taunted, arms crossed. "Hope you're ready because today, your reign

ends."

Eratz met his stare with a calm, almost bored smile.

"Great, the 'easy-win' speech," he sighed.

The crowd held its breath, the tension thick as they stared each other down.

Then, the battle began.

With a sudden burst of energy, Darian activated his beastification, transforming in a flash of

crimson light.

His body twisted and grew, his skin darkening, and his eyes glowed a fierce red.

A blood-red mist spread around him, its energy thick and dark, filling the air with a sinister

feeling.

In the locker room, the challengers watching the screens leaned forward, transfixed.

Gabriel squinted at the screen, a look of confusion on his face.

"What kind of beastification is that? I can even feel his... field spell? Is that it? I can feel it

from here."

Sia, standing behind him, studied the screen with a rare, intense focus.

"It's not a field spell, but it's close," she said quietly. "That's his bloodlust, a power that

makes even the strongest beasts feel weak. He can blend in it and assimilate the damages inflicted to his opponents and use it as a buff for himself. Basically, the longer he fights, the more his opponent suffers. I've heard of it, but... I didn't know it was this strong." Her eyes narrowed as she watched the screen, and she murmured, "But if anything, this could be the perfect chance to finally see his full power."

Gabriel glanced at her, caught off guard by her words.

"His full power? You already seem to know a lot about Darian," he said, his voice uncertain.

Without breaking her focus on the screen, Sia murmured.

"I'm not talking about him."

In the infirmary, Mercury, Kaida, and Catarina sat by Ryder's bed, watching over him with

concern.

Ryder lay motionless, still unconscious, but suddenly, an intense, suffocating darkness crept into the room, sending a chill through each of them.

Catarina's ears flattened, her fur standing on her tail before she scrambled onto the ceiling,

her eyes wide with alarm.

"Nyaa! What is that?!" she hissed, her voice trembling slightly.

Back in the stands, the aura seemed to press down on everyone, reaching even the highest rows, where whispers of dread rippled through the crowd.

Milo pressed closer to Cassie, the woman wrapping instinctively an arm around him, her own

face tight with worry, while Roger placed a steadying hand on Colin's shoulder, though he,

too, was shaken by the terrifying force.

Darian's eyes gleamed with fierce hunger as he closed in on Eratz, each step carrying a dangerous weight. His voice was a low, taunting growl.

"You're underestimating me," he sneered, his teeth bared. "Accept my challenge if you dare,

but this time, you'll be the one on the ground."

Eratz tilted his head slightly, his face calm, almost bored, his gaze steady on Darian's.

"I've learned to underestimate my opponents so I'm not disappointed when I beat them," he replied coolly, his words slicing through Darian's challenge like a knife.

A twisted grin spread across Darian's face as he disappeared into a swirling mist of crimson

and black.

The fog thickened, twisting around the arena, choking the air with a thick, poisonous energy.

It clung to everything like a dark stain, pulsing with an intensity that left the crowd holding

their breath. The arena felt smaller, the dark energy pressing down on everyone.

From the stands, uneasy murmurs spread as people felt the weight of Darian's power, the challengers stared at the screen, the atmosphere tense as they watched the red mist consume

the field.

For a few seconds, Darian seemed unstoppable, his presence like a storm of blood and

darkness.

But then, slowly, Eratz raised his hand, calm and unwavering, his eyes unphased.

In one swift movement, his own aura erupted outward, a powerful dome of pure, radiant

energy that surged like a wave.

The burst of light blasted through the dark mist, ripping it apart and swallowing the

oppressive energy.

The entire arena went silent as the mist vanished, leaving Eratz standing at the center, steady

and calm.

Darian, exposed beside him, stared in shock, his confidence shattered in an instant.

The crowd gasped, unable to process what they had just seen.

In the locker room, the challengers were stunned. Sia's eyes widened, her calm facade

slipping, and Gabriel leaned back, speechless.

Just moments ago, Darian's power had filled the room with dread, but with one effortless

action, Eratz had erased it.

Eratz kept his gaze on Darian, his eyes cold. He lifted a hand, pointing it directly at Darian's

face.

"Give me reason to take you seriously,"

Darian's mouth opened, but he had no time to speak. Eratz's hand pulsed with energy, and in the next moment, he unleashed a concentrated blast of pure, dense aura.

The beam struck Darian dead-on, and as he noticed it, Eratz pushed forward. He increased the power, layer upon layer, the energy surging and compounding, intensifying with each second. The arena trembled, the ground beneath them beginning to shake, cracks spiderwebbing out

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The tremors spread, and the entire stadium shook as if caught in the grip of a massive quake.

The audience clutched their seats, stunned as the relentless power grew even stronger, the blast rumbling like distant thunder.

Some spectators shielded their eyes from the brightness, while others stared in disbelief,

mouths open.

Soon, Eratz's attack peaked, the energy radiating upwards like a volcanic eruption, and then,

as suddenly as it had begun, he stepped back, letting the energy fade.

Dust and debris slowly settled, revealing the aftermath of his attack.

Darian lay crumpled at the center of a massive crater, unconscious, his body battered and

broken.

For a moment, the stadium was silent, the crowd frozen in sheer awe.

Then, like a wave crashing onto the shore, they erupted in cheers, the sound so intense it

seemed to shake the very walls of the arena.

Eratz lowered his hand, his expression calm and focused, as if this outcome had been

inevitable.

He stood in the middle of the crater he'd created, completely unshaken, his gaze still as steel.

It was the fastest, most decisive victory of the tournament.

In the stands, Cassie and Roger cheered with all their might, their faces lit with pride and awe.

Milo and Colin jumped up and down, their excitement spilling over, unable to contain the thrill of what they'd just seen.

Across the arena, Genova's students and faculty sat in stunned disbelief. Some gaped openly,

while others exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of Eratz's power settling heavily over

them.

the Genova director sat with a look that was hard to read. Her gaze was cold and calculating, though there was a faint tightening at the corners of her mouth.

Rowan's expression was a mixture of regret and wonder, his eyes following Eratz as he walked

off the battlefield.

In the locker room, the challengers looked at each other, their expressions tense.

Sia's usual calm was broken by a flicker of unease, while Gabriel sat silently, his eyes wide

with realization. They all knew it, they knew his reputation but seeing it in the flesh lightened back this

memory: Eratz was no ordinary opponent. His victory wasn't just a win; it was a warning for

everyone.

Facing him would be a whole different battle, one they'd have to prepare for in ways they

hadn't anticipated.

Eratz walked casually off the battlefield. Behind him, the roar of the crowd grew even louder.

"Apex! Apex!"

echoing through the arena like a pulse.