Chapter 132: Clash of Titans: The Apex Predator vs. The Phantom Blade(3)

Chapter 132: Clash of Titans: The Apex Predator vs. The Phantom Blade(3)Raya's red eyes widened in shock, Eratz's power exploded in a cataclysm of yellow lightning. The entire arena was engulfed in a blinding, electric flash, the sound like a thousand thunderclaps crashing at once. The ground trembled violently, a seismic wave rippling outward as lightning bolts erupted from Eratz, slashing through the air like wild, serpentine whips.

The shockwave hit the shield with a phenomenal force. The protective barrier flickered and warped, the green-tinted energy straining like glass.

People leapt to their feet, gasping, their faces illuminated by the bright, crackling light. Victoria instinctively raised her arms to shield herself, but then slowly lowered them, her eyes wide, her expression a mix of awe and disbelief.

"What is this...?" she murmured, her voice lost in the chaos.

Zara's mouth hung open, completely stunned, her normally composed face slack with shock.

Ryder, Kaida, and Catarina stood frozen, their eyes locked on Eratz, unable to process the phenomenal transformation before them. Sёarᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Mercury's eyes were wide, her lips parted in shock as she took in his appearance. Her heart raced, but slowly, a smile spread across her face.

"He's done it..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Standing at the epicenter of the devastation, Eratz's body had changed completely. His body was covered in arcs of yellow lightning, crackling and surging across his skin.

Jagged, bright-yellow marks glowed like molten cracks, pulsing with raw energy. Wide, electric wings spread out behind him, each feather a bolt of lightning.

His eyes blazed with an intense, radiant yellow, a glow that pierced through the haze of smoke and dust.

It was a beastification with Raijinara, a beastification with a Calamity beast.

Eratz took a slow step forward, the arcs of lightning around him flaring brighter. His eyes locked onto Raya, the fierce yellow glow giving him a predatory look.

"Have you ever been hit by a wrecking ball at lightning speed?"

Before the words could even sink in, he moved.

The air around Eratz bended as he raised his fist, his moves causing a ripple, like waves of energy distorting the space around him. Then, in an instant, he was gone, a yellow streak of lightning tearing through the air, followed by the deafening crack of a thunderclap.

From Raya's perspective, it all happened too fast. One moment, he was standing across the arena, and in the blink of an eye, he was right beside her, a flash of blinding light at her side. Her senses barely managed to catch the movement of his fist, a comet of yellow energy descending toward her torso.

It was as if time itself had skipped a beat, the movement too fast for her to avoid, her body too slow to react.

Then, the impact.

The force of the punch was catastrophic. It slammed into Raya's side with the weight of a disaster and the sound of an explosion, louder than any roar the arena had ever heard.

The ground beneath them fractured, a spiderweb of cracks spreading out from the point of impact, chunks of stone shooting into the air.

A shockwave rippled outward, shaking the entire stadium, and the shield protecting the spectators flickered violently, the green-tinted energy warping and splintering like fractured glass.

A brilliant burst of yellow lightning erupted, engulfing the arena in a blinding flash. Then the air sizzled as the raw electrical energy surged outward, leaving a scorched path in its wake.

For a moment, the entire battlefield was obscured by a dense cloud of dust and debris, a swirling storm of shattered rock and electric sparks. Silence fell, the crowd collectively holding their breath, every eye glued to the center of the destruction.

Then, through the haze, a figure emerged.

Raya rolled out of the cloud on the cracked ground. Her katana was still gripped tightly in her hand.

She stopped on her stomach, the blade lying flat against the stone beside her as she struggled to get up.

The left side of her torso, where Eratz's punch had landed, was bruised and scorched, her clothes torn and singed from the lightning blast. Her breaths were shallow and uneven, her chest heaving as she fought to stay conscious.

The world around her felt distant, despite her blindness, she blinked, trying to stimulate her muscles.

The crowd gasped, a wave of concern rippling through the stands, each spectator felling a chill run down their spines.

"My... my God," someone whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Is she alive?" a woman murmured, her tone edged with fear.

Raya lay there, immobile, the arena silent except for the faint crackle of residual lightning echoing across the ground.

Then, Eratz stepped toward her, the crackling arcs of lightning around him casting his shadow over her body.

The sight was almost unbearable for many in the crowd. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the stands, the spectators leaning forward, anxiety etched on their faces.

"He's going to finish her..." a man whispered, his voice trembling.

"She can't fight anymore, why is it still going?" another called out.

Even Ryder felt a spike of fear pierce his heart. He gripped the edge of the railing, his knuckles turning white.

"That's enough, Eratz," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "She can't take another hit like that."

Beside him, Zara's expression was uncharacteristically tense. Her eyes darted between Eratz and Raya, a flicker of genuine concern crossing her face, then with a sigh, she answered. "Eratz isn't like you, Ryder," she muttered, shaking her head slightly. "He would never hold back against any kind of opponent. He doesn't go easy on anyone, not even when they're

down."

Victoria's gaze was sharp and unyielding. She lowered her arms, sighing deeply.

"It's the rule of the arena," she concluded, her tone flat. "There's no room for pity here. This

is what it need to be at the top."

Eratz stood over Raya, his fierce yellow eyes looking down at her. The electric wings on his back crackled, casting dancing shadows across the cracked ground. He tilted his head slightly, a look of mild curiosity on his face.

"You handled the hit," he said genuinely impressed. "But you refused the deal."

Raya let out a ragged breath, forcing a smile despite the pain stunning her body.

"It... it seems pointless," she replied, her voice strained and uneven. Her blind eyes stared up at nothing. "If I adapt to your tactic now, it would only lower my chances."

She paused, swallowing hard as she gathered her strength, the words coming slowly.

"The wisest follow the stream, flowing with it," she whispered. "But the mightiest... they

redirect it to their will... And You've done that perfectly."

Eratz's smile softened, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment.

"I'm impatient to see what's coming next, so let's end this now."

He raised his hand to the sky, and the air around him darkened, the light dimming as if pulled

into the center of his palm.

Lightning gathered, swirling and crackling, a vortex of raw, destructive power. The arcs of yellow energy spiraled together, coalescing into a gigantic ball of lightning.

It grew larger and larger, expanding until it cast a blinding glow across the entire arena. The ground beneath him trembled, the cracks widening, as the raw energy pulsed with an overwhelming, chaotic force.

The crowd erupted into screams, a wave of panic and anxiety washing over the stands. "Stop! Someone end this battle!" a voice cried out, filled with desperation.

"This is too much! She's finished!" another spectator yelled, their tone edged with fear.

On Eratz's family side, the mood was entirely different. Cassie's eyes shone with pride, her hand clutched to her chest.

"He's done it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. "He's really going to win!"

Roger had a wide grin on his face.

"This is it, Eratz," he muttered. "Finish it."

Mercury's smile was radiant, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"You got it, you can do it..." she murmured in disbelief.

Among the spectators from Genova Academy, faces were etched with disbelief. They had

known Eratz before, seen his fall, his evolution, but this... this was something beyond

anything they could have imagined.

Raya lay on the cracked stone, the heat from the ball of lightning above her washing over her

face. She closed her red eyes, feeling the searing warmth.

"You truly are the Apex Predator," she said in a soft murmur. "So much that you didn't even

bother using your strongest power."

She slowly opened her blind eyes again, her smile soft but genuine, but instead of the red

light of blood, it was a soft, brilliant white light piercing through her irises.

"Field spell."