Chapter 134: Clash of Titans: The Apex Predator vs. The Phantom Blade(5)

Chapter 134: Clash of Titans: The Apex Predator vs. The Phantom Blade(5)The arena trembled with every move and the crowd held their breath, eyes fixed on the two fighters at the center.

Eratz lunged forward, his fist blazing with crackling energy. He swung with precision, aiming for Raya's side.

But just as he moved, an slash struck him from the side.

He skidded back, catching himself before tumbling. Without a moment's pause, he pushed forward again.

His movements were lightning fast, but Raya was ready. She parried his punch with her katana, the blade gleaming white, then jumped back smoothly.

Eratz felt another cut, this one sharper than before. He grunted, stepping back, his muscles tensing against the pain.

He glanced down, no red slash, no visible bruise, but the sensation of being slashed was all too real.

He darted to the side, trying to avoid the next strike, but Raya's eyes flashed. Another invisible slash cut through him, pushing him back like a gust of wind.

Eratz's body jolted, and he leapt away, landing with a lightness that belied the force of the blow he'd just taken.

For a third time, he charged at her, refusing to relent. He aimed a powerful kick, only for Raya's katana to meet his leg, blocking it with ease.

She spun, her movements fluid, and swung her sword in a wide arc. Eratz barely managed to twist away, but an invisible force struck him from behind, propelling him forward.

He tumbled, rolling across the ground before springing back to his feet, his expression calm. "From the back...?" Eratz muttered, his thoughts racing.

From his point of view, everything seemed slower, as if time itself had stretched out for him.

He replayed every hit, every cut in his mind, analyzing them like a complex puzzle. He felt each strike, sharp, precise, but somehow intangible.

"It's not physical," he realized slowly. "Rockbound Fury hasn't increased since her Field Spell activated. It's like I'm not taking real damage. Or... maybe it's reached the limit?"

He clenched his fists, focusing inward. The moment her Field Spell had activated, the sensation had changed. It couldn't be a coincidence.

He took a deep breath, calming his aura, making it denser and more focused. He needed to change his approach.

He moved again, but for him, time flew slower. He watched Raya's every movement.

Her eyes glowed with a soft, mystical light, her katana shimmering.

He felt it before it happened, another slash, cutting through the air toward him. He didn't dodge, letting it hit. But this time, he paid attention.

The pain wasn't in his skin or muscles. It was deeper, cutting into something hint and under his skin.

He felt it like a vibration, right on the surface of his aura. It was precise, almost surgical, and moving a part of him always there, but always hidden: his spiritual pressure.

Eratz's eyes widened. He jumped back, landing lightly, and for the first time, he smiled. "That's it," he said softly to himself. "These aren't physical attacks... They're spiritual. She's not attacking with the katana, but with a spiritual power from her field spell."

Eratz closed his eyes, using the Aetheri's power flood his senses. The shift was subtle at first, he felt a wave of cool, sweet power washing through his veins as the Aetheri extended its influence, connecting deeply with his aura.

Then, he focused inward. It was like looking into a mirror, but instead of seeing his reflection, he saw his own spiritual essence.

His aura was frayed and torn, riddled with tiny, jagged cuts that crisscrossed like a spider's web. It looked like shredded fabric, barely held together by thin threads of dense, powerful energy.

Eratz's eyes opened wide, his expression momentarily breaking its calm. He gulped, feeling anxious for the first time.

He had taken far more damage than he thought. His aura was on the verge of collapsing completely.

The only thing holding it together was its sheer density, the depth of his spiritual power preventing it from collapsing under the weight of the countless slashes.

"That's a lot of damage," he muttered to himself, the faintest hint of unease in his voice.

But there was something else, understanding. He finally saw what Raya had been doing all along.

Her attacks weren't aimed at his body, they were targeting his spirit, weakening him from the inside out.

If the battle kept going, he would eventually drop without realizing it.

Eratz inhaled deeply, steadying himself. He couldn't rely on brute force alone anymore.

If she was attacking his spirit, he needed to respond in kind, so he decided to try something he had never done before.

He would separate his spiritual energy from his physical aura, something he had just discovered but never practiced.

He was already familiar with the use of spiritual power, but instead of a fusion of power, what he needed to reach was a dissociation.

He relaxed his body, letting go of the tension he'd been holding. He felt the raw power of his aura starting to settle, its wild energy calming.

His stance shifted, becoming looser, more fluid. He was no longer bracing himself for physical impact, instead, he opened himself up, feeling the energy flow freely through his

body.

Slowly, he pulled back the physical aspect of his aura, letting the spiritual energy come forward instead.

It was like peeling away a layer of his power, revealing a deeper, purer essence beneath.

He could feel the difference immediately, his energy felt lighter, more refined.

The raw, aggressive force was gone, replaced by a serene, focused calm.

The crowd watched in stunned silence, sensing the shift. Eratz's aura was no longer a blazing storm of power; it was a thin veil that wrapped around him like a soft mist.

His presence became smaller, quieter, vanishing from her senses.

Raya's eyes narrowed, the glow in her irises intensifying. She felt the change in his spirit. His soul had become still, almost like hers.

Eratz took another deep breath, deeper than any before. He felt his emotions slipping away, replaced by a serene stillness.

He could feel everything, the tiny cracks in the stone twenty meters on the left, the range of his breathing, even the soft thrum of Raya's heartbeat.

He opened his eyes, and they were different. The fibers in his irises held thin streaks of white and red, dancing around each other.

His aura shifted again, spreading out like a thin, delicate mist that was almost invisible.

He smiled, the calmness in his expression unlike anything he used to show.

He finally understood, he had deciphered the secret of the spiritual power used at its

maximum and separated his physical strength from his spiritual power, diving into a new Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

world of power.

"I was right, You really have the best sight of anyone here," he said softly.

Raya let out a soft sigh, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"To evolve in the middle of a battle... it's more of an anomaly than a skill," she replied.

Eratz's smile widened, a red glint in his eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Raya raised her katana, a white glint in hers.

"Let our soul collide."

Eratz and Raya stood still, facing each other, a fluttering auras flaring around each of them in

perfect harmony with their opponent, red for Eratz, white for Raya.

Eratz's eyes narrowed, the red light flickering like embers in the wind, Raya's eyes shone with

a bright, mystical white.

The entire arena seemed to hold its breath.

And then, in a flash, they moved.

Eratz dashed forward, his body emitting a thin veil of red light, like a flickering flame.

Raya's body moved in a white light, her movements fluid.

He swung a low kick, aiming to break her stance, but Raya spun away, her feet barely touching

the ground as she evaded.

She countered with a swipe of her katana, a spiritual slash aimed at his shoulder, but this time, Eratz felt something prior: the intent of her attack.

Before the attack even materialized, he dodged to the side, and launched a punch at her ribs.

Raya landed the attack, slashing the void, but her mind was already two steps ahead, she twisted her body, leaning away from the strike, and swung her sword horizontally. Eratz ducked under the slash, feeling the spiritual pressure materializing another rain of slashes on his side.

He jumped above and countered with a spinning kick, but Raya's eyes flashed, sensing the

move before it came.

She side jumped, avoiding the kick, and sent another spiritual slash cutting through the air.

They were a blur of red and white, moving with a speed and grace that left the audience

breathless.

The entire arena watched in stunned silence, unable to keep up with the pace of their fight.

It was a dance of light and red, anticipation and counter, each move flowing seamlessly into

the next. Eratz aimed a punch at her head, but Raya tilted back, the fist missing by inches.

She swung her katana upward, but he saw the path of her strike and sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as the spiritual slash passed him from the ground.

He lunged with an elbow strike, but Raya twisted away, her katana gleaming as she delivered

a flurry of invisible slashes.

He dodged and weaved through the attacks, his red aura flickering.

For a moment, they were chest to chest, moving so fast they almost became a single, blurred

silhouette.

Time seemed to slow down. In that instant, they weren't just fighters, they were two forces of silence, clashing in perfect harmony.

The crowd was speechless. Gabriel, and Jaden watched with wide eyes, their jaws slack with

disbelief.

Even Sia, usually so composed, looked genuinely shocked.

Eratz and Raya were a masterpiece of light, a blur of red and white weaving together, dodging

and countering each other's attacks with terrifying speed.

It was unlike anything the audience had ever seen, a display far beyond what anyone expected

from a regional final.

But then, the beauty of the moment shattered.

A flash of light, an eye wide open. Eratz took a direct slash from Raya's katana, the blade

slicing across his arm.

His red light faltered, flickering as the spiritual pressure seeped into his aura. He gritted his

teeth, his mind returning to his body, feeling the sharp pain in his h

arm, but this time, there was a red slash.

But at the same time...

Raya's breath hitched. She had landed a strike, but in that split second, her focus wavered.

Eratz's fingers brushed against her stomach, the raw power of his touch sending a shockwave through her body. Thanks to rockbound fury, the base strength of his body was overwhelming, even in that brief contact.

She staggered back, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Eratz clenched his fist. He raised his

arm, showing the red slash still glowing on his arm.

- Rockbound Fury.

His aura exploded outward, black and white aura bursting forward.

Raya straightened, her expression tense. She couldn't afford to take a direct hit.

Eratz charged through the smoke, Raya's jaw clenched as she felt him coming. She couldn't

afford to hesitate, she had to strike first.

She slashed at him, her katana glowing with sharp, white light, but the blade met fur instead

of flesh.

It was the Thunder Lycaon she cut, its body dissipating into shadowy wisps. Her heart skipped a beat, realizing her mistake.

Before she could recalibrate her focus, Eratz appeared above her, a ball of light crackling with energy in his hands.

With a powerful thrust, he launched the ball toward her, the light streaking through the air

like a comet.

Raya moved swiftly, sidestepping the attack and preparing to counter, her katana poised. But as she turned, her eyes widened in shock.

The ball of light behind her morphed into the Aetheri.

The brief distraction, a mere instant where she focused on the Aetheri, was all Eratz needed.

He lunged at her, his fist aiming for her side. Raya twisted her body, her katana slicing

through the air, slashing his cheek with a thin, red line.

At the same moment, Eratz's knuckles brushed her ribs, the force of his raw power grazing her

side like a hammer blow.

The impact sent Raya flying back, her body skidding across the ground.

She barely managed to catch herself, gasping for air as the pain traveled through her as she

fought to stay conscious.

But Eratz didn't let her a second of resting.

He grabbed her foot mid-air, yanking her toward him, her body snapping forward like a rag

doll. Then, he drove his fist deep into her stomach, the blow landing with a catastrophic

impact.

The entire arena shook from the impact. The ground cracked and buckled beneath them, a shockwave rippling outward, sending dust and debris flying into the stands.

Raya's mouth fell open in a silent gasp, her eyes wide with. She felt herself falling, her body

limp

Everything seemed to slow down, the noise of the crowd fading into a distant hum.

It was the first time she had ever pushed herself this far, the first time she had faced someone

who could match her at this level.

Her control was slipping, her energy waning.

Eratz raised his fist for another punch, but before he could strike, Raya's hand moved. She summoned a red katana, piercing the air mid-thrust.

The blade drove into Eratz's knuckles, the sharp edge digging into his fist.

He grimaced, the pain shooting through his hand, but he didn't stop. He gritted his teeth,

pulling her closer and grabbing her arm.

A low, rumbling growl filled the air as a cloud of lightning gathered above them.

To his left, the Terrakrus opened its massive jaws, and to his right, the Aetheri began charging

a bright, pulsing beam of energy. Simultaneously, Raijinara materialized and unleashed a bolt of lightning from above, the Terrakrus roared with a seismic shockwave, and the Aetheri fired its spirit beam. The three attacks converged at the center, hitting them both from all sides.

A massive explosion of light erupted, illuminating the entire arena in a blinding flash.

The ground beneath them shattered, a crater forming at the epicenter of the impact.

The shockwave blasted through the air, rattling the shield protecting the audience, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

The crowd watched in stunned silence, their faces lit by the brilliant light of the explosion.

It was as if the entire arena had been caught in a storm, the air filled with the deafening roar

of thunder, and for a moment, no one moved, no one breathed, the force of the display leaving them speechless.

As the smoke began to clear, a figure emerged. Raya staggered forward, her body battered and

trembling. She raised her hand, summoning a beast, a slime creature, with a serpentine body and the head of a lion. It charged toward the smoke, its roar echoing across the battlefield.

But before it could reach its target, a lightning bolt struck it down, disintegrating it into sparks and ash. Raijinara flew overhead, its wings crackling with electric energy, the sky above darkened by

the remnants of the storm it had conjured.

Raya fell to one knee, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She raised her second hand, her white samurai spirit materializing at her side.

It rushed into the cloud of smoke, only to be met head-on by the Terrakrus.

The dragon beast collided with the samurai, its jaws clamping down as the spirit dissolved

into mist.

She tried once more, her second knee hitting the ground. Her red, six-armed samurai appeared, but from within the smoke, Eratz lowered a single finger.

A massive beam of energy descended from above, the remnants of his field spell.

The red samurai vanished in the blast, the force dispelling the smoke and revealing Eratz. He stood there, his body battered. The slashes on his cheek and knuckles still glowed red, a

sign that Rockbound Fury could no longer absorb any more damage. His field spell dissolved around him, fading into nothingness.

He couldn't maintain it any longer after using the spiritual mode, but his expression

remained calm.

On either side of him, the Terrakrus and the Aetheri stood ready. Above him, Raijinara circled.

Raya sank to her knees, her entire body trembling, her breath labored and shallow. The glow

in her eyes had dimmed, her expression a mask of exhaustion.

Her white hair lost their brightness. She could barely lift her head, her chin dipping to her

chest.

Her katana flickered weakly before dissolving into the air like smoke.

She took a long, shaky breath, her chest heaving with the effort. Her hand pressed into the

cracked stone beneath her, fingers trembling. Slowly, almost painfully, she raised her head, her eyes half-closed.

"Can you still... summon another beast?" she asked, her words slow.

Eratz took a deep breath, then smiled.

"I don't know," he admitted with a chuckle. "I've been improvising for a while now."

Raya sighed, a small, tired smile appearing on her lips.

"You look like you're smiling," she said softly. "I can't see it, not even feel it... I've really

become a burden for my own beasts now. But even without seeing, I can tell that yours are

still dazzling."

Eratz's smile softened, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you being honest, or just trying to make me feel pity? Because you know how ridiculous

that sounds coming from you." Raya chuckled, her laughter light and fleeting.

"Maybe it's just my way of being a little salty."

They shared a smile, a moment of mutual respect and understanding passing between them.

Her samurai spirit dissolved into the air, fading away like a wisp of smoke.

A heavy silence fell over the arena as the realization set in. The announcer, who had been

holding his breath, finally found his voice. He leaned into the microphone, his words barely more than a whisper.

"She... she can't continue," he murmured in disbelief.

He took a deep breath, then shouted, his voice filled with emotion. "Ladies and gentlemen... The Phantom Blade is unable to keep going! The match is over! The winner of the final, the Greenridge League Champion... The Apex Predator, Eratz Pandora!"