The fight between Dante and Crixus continued as the two enchanted blow after blow at point blank range.

The attacks were flowing one after the other but the two fought like they could see each other move as clear as day.

For Riku the fight felt like what would happen if two psychics were to fight each other. Their constant state of attacking, defending and countering felt like he was watching a movie with the moves already predetermined by destiny.

Despite the apparent flow, it had to be known that Crixus who was slightly more muscular seemed to have a slight advantage in each clash.

Each of his attacks pushed Dante a little further than the last and Crixus enjoyed displaying his superior strength.

Eventually Crixus, feeling he had created an opening, acted swiftly.

Crixus slashed with his blade and Dante parried the attack.

“Enough talking. I’ve said what I needed to say!”

Crixus’s hand swung in a circular motion as he performed a karate chop but Dante used the momentum and pushed himself back.

“You forget your place on the food chain.”

Dante scoffed and threw a few shurikens on the floor and a puff of smoke erupted.

Crixus’s karate chop sliced through the puff of smoke but Dante had already disappeared.

Crixus looked around at the tree line seeing a shifting image. He dashed at the moving shadow but was instantly greeted with a hail of shurikens.

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Crixus tried to block the attack but the shurikens turned into a puff of smoke after colliding with his wrist guards.

Crixus tried his best but the moment he lost visual he knew Dante would never be found again.

Crixus was assaulted by a barrage of shurikens from every side. He tried blocking what he could but the more shurikens he blocked the larger the smokescreen became and the more discombobulated he got.

[Shinggg]

[Whizz]

One after the other Crixus lost his cool and was attacked by the flying shurikens.

In a matter of seconds Crixus was left looking like a porcupine. His body was covered in shurikens lodged into his skin while his vision was completely blurred by the fog of smoke.

Crixus reaching his breaking point fell to one knee in pain.

“This changes nothing.”

The moment Crixus finished his sentence he realized a blade was already pressing down on his neck.

“Don’t you dare try to tell me about the unchanging.

The only things in this world that cannot be changed are the past and the present.

But the future…”

Dante closed in before whispering,

“The future is nothing but a cesspool of change.”

Dante's words hung in the air, the weight of his conviction pressing down on Crixus as the blade at his throat remained unwavering.

The silence that followed was tense, broken only by the heavy breathing of the two combatants. Crixus, despite his defeat, retained his pride, his scarred face contorting into a mixture of pain and defiance.

Crixus managed to chuckle weakly, blood trickling from the wound on his neck as he did so. "You really love your speeches, don't you?"

Dante's gaze didn't waver, his eyes locked onto Crixus's.

"I speak the truth."

[Winner is Dante! Crixus has been demoted to Rank 31st.]

The announcement rang through the arena.

The nanomites that formed the battle arena began to dissipate, and the surrounding forest illusion faded away, revealing the true arena beneath. Medics rushed to check on Crixus while Dante resheathed his blade despite it evaporating into thin air as the nanomites continued to dissipate, his expression softening as he surveyed the scene.

Riku and Jose were on their feet, their eyes wide with amazement and respect for both fighters. The battle had been intense but now Riku could see the difference between himself and Dante.

Crixus managed a strained smile as he looked up at Dante. "You know, it's funny. Every time we fight, I feel like I get a little bit stronger."

Dante offered a faint smile in return. "That's the purpose of fighting, isn't it? To learn and grow…

As for your other reason today…

The future is changing as we speak."

Dante spoke as he looked up at the next announcement.

[Leonie Richard Ranked 497th Vs Riku Sato Ranked 505th]