Ruya and Kajin continued their duel, each dodging, blocking, and attacking with precision. Anastasia watched from the sidelines, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Hmhm… This battle is such a joy to watch. My brother, not fighting to kill this time, is enjoying himself, using both light and dark magic. Even a small amount of dark magic is impressive for him. And Ruya, my talented marksman, is giving it his all, armed with so many tricks. Truly amazing." she thought, a smile forming on her face.
In the arena, Ruya skillfully dodged Kajin's attacks and countered with enchanted arrows, while Kajin alternated between launching fireballs and blocking the arrows. Suddenly, Ruya vanished into thin air again. Kajin immediately assumed a defensive stance. Ruya reappeared to his right, firing three arrows in quick succession. Kajin dodged, caught the arrows mid-air, and threw them back at Ruya.
Ruya smirked and fired a single arrow at the incoming ones. The arrow curved, striking all three before homing in on Kajin. Startled but impressed, Kajin smirked. He quickly charged his hands with fire magic, forming a fireball that he hurled at the incoming arrow, creating a large explosion.
Ruya chuckled and retaliated, firing more arrows in rapid succession. Kajin countered with a volley of fireballs, each collision between arrows and fireballs erupting into bursts of light and smoke. The intensity of their movements increased, both fighters pushing their limits.
Anastasia giggled softly from the sidelines. "Well, well, well… it seems these two will be at this for a while. Kajin is enjoying every second, and so is Ruya. They’re perfectly matched. If they continue together, they’ll only grow stronger." she muttered, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair.
Back in the arena, Kajin leapt into the air and rushed toward Ruya. Ruya braced himself, raising his bow to block. When Kajin’s flaming fist connected, the impact triggered a massive explosion. Anastasia raised her arm to shield herself from the shockwave.
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As the smoke cleared, Ruya stood, struggling to hold his bow steady, sweat dripping down his face. Kajin hovered in the air, still pressing down with his attack. His stunned expression betrayed his thoughts: "How is he still holding on? I’ve never seen such marksmanship… To withstand one of my strongest attacks and stay standing, it’s incredible."*
Ruya suddenly pushed back, spinning his body to deliver a double kick to Kajin’s stomach, sending him flying. Kajin coughed in pain but managed to steady himself mid-air.
Ruya wasted no time. Drawing an arrow made of mana, he whispered, "Kajin, this fight... Ends now." and released the shot. The arrow flew at incredible speed, growing larger as it closed the distance, making it impossible to dodge.
Kajin had no choice but to cross his forearms in front of him. The arrow struck with immense force, its energy coursing through Kajin before detonating into a blinding blue explosion. Ruya collapsed to the ground, unconscious from exhaustion.
As the dust settled, Kajin stood in the air, his arms still crossed. His forearms were badly burned, his stomach scorched, and his clothes tattered and torn. Breathing heavily, he slowly descended to the ground.
Anastasia floated into the arena, checking on Ruya. After a moment, she stood and declared, "Winner of this match: Kajin!"
Kajin, still catching his breath, glanced at his burned arms. "Hmph… just how many more scars will come and go? Life is cruel indeed," he muttered to himself.
Walking toward Anastasia, he said in a serious tone, "I don’t know what you’re plotting, but you planned for this spar from the beginning, didn’t you?"
Anastasia giggled playfully. "Does it matter? In the end, you’ve gained someone who’ll be useful to you. Isn't this what you wanted, to reach your so dreamed goal?"
Kajin’s expression darkened, anger flickering in his eyes. "I don’t use people like tools, Anastasia. I’ve never treated anyone as a stepping stone, and I never will," he said, his tone cold and resolute.
Anastasia smiled, raising her hand to make Ruya’s unconscious body float. Turning toward the exit, she said, "I’ll treat Ruya. His injuries aren’t serious. You should go to the infirmary and get yourself patched up." Without waiting for a reply, she left the arena with Ruya in tow.
Left alone, Kajin looked up at the sky, his eyes returning to their normal state. Clouds gathered overhead, and a single raindrop fell on his nose.
"Why do I feel… so goddamn empty?" he whispered.