Ren's right fist pulsed with energy as he activated the first movement of Void Fist: Gravity Collapse. His mana swirled with power, and I could see the tension building in his body. He wasn't just bracing for my attack—he was preparing to counter it.

But I knew better. God's Eyes might be able to track my movements, but when I unleashed God Flash, it didn't matter. The sheer force and unpredictability of it could overwhelm even the best of instincts.

As I whispered, "God Flash," mana surged from my core, enveloping me and my sword in a radiant blue aura. Time seemed to slow, the world around me falling into a hushed stillness. The arena, the crowd, Ren's purple, glowing eyes—all of it faded, leaving just the two of us in this suspended moment.

Ren's eyes flickered with hesitation. He could see the attack coming, but there was doubt in his gaze. His fists clenched, his body tightened, and gravity magic pulsed through him as he tried to use both time and gravity to keep up with me.

In an instant, I vanished.

I reappeared inches from Ren, my sword already in mid-swing. God Flash wasn't just speed; it was pure, unrelenting power. My blade cut through the air, shimmering with blue light as it arced toward his midsection.

Ren reacted on instinct, his right fist shooting up to meet my attack. Gravity magic surged around his arm, condensing into a dense barrier of energy. His body moved with precision, but there was a crack—an opening in his defense.

BOOM!

The collision between my sword and his fist erupted with explosive force. The shockwave rippled through the arena, sending waves of pressure crashing into the ground beneath us. Dust and debris flew up, and for a moment, all was chaos. The air hummed with the impact, vibrating with the raw clash of mana.

Ren's fist held strong against my blade, but I could see it—the struggle, the strain. His Gravity Collapse technique was powerful, but it couldn't fully withstand the force of God Flash. His feet skidded back, leaving deep grooves in the ground as he fought to hold his ground.

For a split second, our eyes met. I could see the surprise in his gaze, the realization that even his best effort wasn't enough to stop me.

"You're good," I muttered, pressing forward with more force, "But not good enough."

With a twist of my wrist, I redirected the force of my sword, sliding off his fist and aiming a second strike toward his side. Ren's body tensed again, but this time, he wasn't fast enough.

CRACK!

My sword struck true, sending him flying across the arena. He crashed into the ground with a thud, his body rolling before he came to a stop. Dust settled, and the crowd held its breath, waiting for the outcome.

Ren groaned, pushing himself up on shaky arms. His clothes were torn, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but the fire in his eyes hadn't dimmed.

"You really are something," he coughed, his voice strained but still defiant.

I remained silent as flames ignited in my left palm, swirling with an intensity that matched my resolve. The Laplace method streamlined my calculations, allowing me to cast the five-circle spell with near-effortless precision.

[Fiery Thunder Spear].

In an instant, a spear of crackling lightning and roaring fire materialized in my hand. Without hesitation, I hurled it toward Ren, infusing it with a homing spell to ensure it wouldn't miss its mark easily.

Ren's eyes narrowed, his teeth clenched as he raised his fist once more, charging it with the power of [Gravity Collapse]. His punch collided with the incoming spear, and another deafening explosion rocked the arena. The sheer force of the impact sent Ren skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance.

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But I wasn't done. In the wake of the explosion, I surged forward, closing the gap between us in an instant. The sigils on my skin burned with a fierce glow, alerting me to the subtle distortions in the mana around me—Ren's next move.

Horizontal gravity wells formed in the space between us, threatening to pull me into their crushing grasp. But with a quick burst of ice mana at the heel of my foot, I spun gracefully, dodging the gravity wells with fluid precision.

I sensed the mana pulsing through Ren's body, coiling like a spring ready to snap. He was gathering power for his next strike, the sheer density of his mana distorting the air around him. His eyes, glowing with the intensity of his Gift, locked onto me as if searching for any opening to exploit.

But I wasn't about to give him one.

In that brief moment, I shifted my stance, ice and lightning coiling around my sword. The air grew colder, the ice beneath my feet forming a glistening trail as I prepared to press the attack.

Ren raised his fist, the gravitational force around him growing heavier as he unleashed another four-circle spell. The arena shook from the intensity of his magic, the very ground trembling under the pressure.

But I was ready. Using a burst of ice mana, I shot to the side, narrowly avoiding the crushing gravity well as it tore through the space I had just been. I pushed off the slick surface beneath me, weaving between the wells with speed and precision, closing the distance.

With each step, I could see Ren calculating, his eyes darting for a counter. But he was running out of options.

In a split second, I closed the gap between us, my sword charged with both lightning and ice. I struck out with a quick, precise slash aimed at his side.

Ren's eyes tracked my every movement, the power of his Gift allowing him to react faster than most. With a swift adjustment of gravity, he pulled himself back just in time, narrowly dodging my strike. But I wasn't going to let him escape that easily.

The moment he retreated, I pressed forward, refusing to let up. My body surged with mana, and I executed another God Flash—this time, with even greater speed and precision. In the blink of an eye, I vanished, reappearing behind Ren as though I had stepped out of thin air.

His reaction was immediate, his body tensing as he instinctively swung his fist, using a burst of time magic to accelerate the motion. But it was too late. My blade was already descending in a brilliant arc of lightning and ice, aimed straight for his exposed flank.

The impact was deafening, my sword clashing against his hastily raised arm, which was reinforced with dense layers of gravity magic. Sparks of electricity crackled through the air, the force of our collision sending shockwaves across the arena.

Ren gritted his teeth as the power of my God Flash forced him back. I could see the strain in his eyes, the weight of my attack overwhelming even his gravity-enhanced defenses.

But he didn't give in. With a fierce roar, Ren unleashed a burst of raw gravitational force, pushing me back and creating some much-needed distance between us. His chest heaved as he caught his breath, his body still pulsing with energy, but I could see the strain.

I wasn't finished. Twirling my blade, I readied myself for the next strike, my mana reserves still far from depleted.

"Is that all you've got?" I taunted, my voice steady despite the intensity of the battle.

Ren's purple eyes flared, his body vibrating with power. He wasn't backing down, not yet. I could see him digging deep, drawing on his reserves of mana as he prepared for another offensive. The air around us thickened with gravity, the very ground beneath my feet starting to tremble under the pressure.

I braced myself, my grip tightening on my sword.

Ren surged forward, faster this time, gravity bending and warping around him. He threw a punch infused with both time and gravity magic, aiming straight for my chest.

This is it.

I activated Lucent Harmony, the sigils on my skin glowing brighter as I honed in on his attack. My body instinctively moved, a blur of lightning and ice as I sidestepped his fist by a hair's breadth.

Ren's fist missed by inches, his momentum carrying him forward. But I was already moving, reading his next move before he even made it. I swung my sword in a tight arc, aiming low, forcing him to pivot defensively.

The impact was swift and brutal. My sword collided with his gravity-infused arm, a sharp crack echoing through the arena. Ren grimaced, barely holding his ground as the weight of my strike nearly buckled him. His defenses were wearing down.

I followed up immediately, not giving him a chance to recover. Lightning sparked across my blade as I channeled my mana through it, the familiar sensation of God Flash coursing through my veins once again. This time, I unleashed it at full power, vanishing from sight in an instant.

Ren's God's Eyes could only track so much.

I reappeared behind him, my sword poised to strike. His body tensed, but he was too slow. My blade struck true, slicing across his side. Not deep enough to seriously injure, but enough to stagger him.

Ren spun, his purple eyes wide in shock as he clutched his side, blood seeping between his fingers.

"I told you, Ren," I said coldly. "You can't win."