Mourya let out a deep sigh, watching the scene with a heavy heart. "So, this is your decision, huh?" he murmured, glancing toward Rowan. His words held a weight, a silent question: was Rowan really going to let Esdeath be killed? Mourya knew it was Rowan's call—whether to spare her life and let her be defeated or to allow Ujjain to take her life. By the look on Rowan's face, it was clear he had chosen the latter.
Rowan remained silent, his gaze cold and fixed on the arena, showing no mercy.
Ujjain's laughter echoed across the stunned crowd. "Hehehe… It's over!"
But just as his words filled the air, a voice rang out from behind him. "Of course, it's over!" Maruti's voice was strong, despite the pain radiating from her broken leg. She stood, gripping her sword with fierce determination, and with a quick, desperate movement, she plunged it deep into Ujjain's side.
Ujjain's eyes widened as he coughed up blood, stumbling backward. He staggered back twenty steps, his face twisted in fury. Without hesitation, he gripped Maruti's sword and, with a loud *snap*, broke it in two. Quickly, he activated his healing essence stone, the energy surging through him and mending his wounds once again.
Maruti watched in frustration, gritting her teeth. "Tch… he healed himself *again*!"
Ujjain clenched his fists, his face set in determination. "With this I can't heal myself any longer.This time, I have to end it for good," he thought, feeling the toll the repeated healing was taking on him.
Meanwhile, Esdeath's mind was in a completely different place. She wasn't defeated, and she wasn't trembling in fear or despair. No, what she felt was pure, boiling anger. Her face burned with rage as she pressed her hands against her cheeks, her fingers digging into her skin.
"Why!" she spat, her voice trembling with fury. "Why, why, why, why does everyone go after my face?"
"Predictor, give me the location!" Esdeath yelled, her voice sharp as she bolted sideways, instinctively dodging to avoid any attacks from Ujjain. Even with her sight gone, her movements were swift and focused. She could still feel the heat of the battle, the tension crackling in the air. She quickly drew her ZK-20, in a gun-shaped weapon,her fingers pressing against its trigger, ready to fire.
Maruti, gritting her teeth as pain pulsed through her broken leg, quickly caught on. Despite her injuries, her focus sharpened, and she scanned the arena for Ujjain's movements. She felt the heavy responsibility on her shoulders; Esdeath was depending on her for direction.
"North, 91 degrees!" Maruti called out, her voice unwavering despite the pain.
Without hesitation, Esdeath adjusted her aim, tilting her head as she mentally mapped Maruti's direction in her mind. *Click-click-click*—she fired a series of bullets straight in the direction Maruti had given. The ZK-20's powerful mana bullets shot across the arena, each glowing with a fierce energy. Even Ujjain seemed surprised as he dodged, feeling the pressure of Esdeath's attack despite her blindness.
Ujjain smirked, trying to brush off his surprise. "A blind girl thinks she can aim at me? Pathetic!" he taunted, stepping forward as he prepared to attack.
But Maruti wasn't having it. She kept her gaze locked onto Ujjain, focusing on every subtle movement he made. "Esdeath, move back! He's coming at you from the east—60 degrees!"
Esdeath leaped back instantly, trusting Maruti's directions. She felt the rush of Ujjain's attack miss her by inches, the force so close she could almost feel it. Her heart pounded, but she stayed calm, holding her ZK-20 steady.
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Maruti, despite her pain, continued to direct Esdeath with careful precision. "Left side, 40 degrees! Shoot!" she shouted.
Esdeath twisted her body, adjusting to Maruti's command and pulling the trigger. The bullet zipped through the air, catching Ujjain off guard as it skimmed past his shoulder. He growled in frustration, realizing that Esdeath and Maruti had figured out a way to work together, using Maruti's vision and Esdeath's marksmanship.
Esdeath couldn't help but smirk, her fingers tightening around her weapon. "Just keep those directions coming!" she called back, her confidence growing.
Ujjain's annoyance turned to anger. He clenched his fists, deciding it was time to end this clever little game of theirs. He lunged forward with a burst of speed, aiming straight for Esdeath. "You're just delaying the inevitable!"
Maruti's eyes widened as she saw Ujjain close the distance in a flash. "Esdeath, dodge! Now!" she yelled, panic lacing her tone.
Esdeath immediately threw herself to the side, feeling the wind of Ujjain's attack rush past her once more. The ZK-20 pulsed in her hand, ready for the next shot.
"Where is he now?" Esdeath demanded, her voice fierce.
Maruti squinted, focusing. "He's directly south, moving fast! Aim at 180 degrees!"
Esdeath took aim, firing two more powerful shots in the direction Maruti had given. The mana bullets whizzed through the air, forcing Ujjain to dodge left and right. His face twisted with frustration; these weren't ordinary bullets—Esdeath's ZK-20 packed more power than he'd expected, and dodging them was draining him.
Seeing his frustration, Maruti's spirit lifted, and she grinned through her pain. "Now, aim 10 degrees to your right, low shot!"
Esdeath didn't hesitate. She adjusted her angle slightly and fired at Ujjain's legs. He barely avoided the shot, stumbling slightly as he did. Maruti noticed the slight falter in his steps and saw an opportunity.
"He's losing his footing! Esdeath, follow up with a high shot, straight ahead at 5 degrees!" Maruti shouted, determination in her voice.
Esdeath adjusted once more and fired, her heart pounding with the thrill of their coordinated attacks. This shot grazed Ujjain's arm, drawing blood. He staggered back, visibly shaken. The crowd gasped, astonished by the perfect coordination between the two girls, who seemed to be working as one mind in two bodies.
Esdeath's heart hammered as she heard Maruti's words. "Just run backward, I'm coming into the fight too!" Despite Maruti's leg being broken, her fierce spirit hadn't dimmed. She took in a shaky breath,but her eyes held a steely determination.
Ujjain glared at them, wiping a streak of blood from his arm. His eyes narrowed, and a smirk twisted his face. "Enough of this game!" he snarled. In one swift movement, he activated four essence stones at once. The power around him surged as he braced himself.
The first essence stone encased his hand in a massive layer of solid rock, making it look like a gigantic fist of stone. The second created a metallic sheen over the stone, transforming it into something like a steel gauntlet. The third was a dangerous one—an Explosion Booster essence stone. Instantly, a jet-like exhaust emerged from his transformed arm, flames sputtering to life at the back. It looked like he was wielding a hand-powered rocket. And finally, he activated the golden Qi essence stone. His entire stone-metal hand shimmered with a radiant gold, making his transformed arm look like a colossal golden fist, ready to crush anything in its path.
With a roar, he bellowed, "Killer move—Golden Punch!" His speed doubled, and in a flash, he lunged toward Esdeath.
"Why does a D-rank warrior have a killer move?"
Esdeath's instincts kicked in, warning her of the danger heading straight for her. She quickly attempted to step back, but a thick, clay-like substance shot up from the ground, gripping her foot tightly and locking her in place. Panic surged through her, and she struggled to free herself, her fingers digging into the mud as she tried to wrench her leg out. The vibrations of Ujjain's approach grew stronger, his voice close enough to feel the heat of his breath.
"One down",Ujjain sneered, his voice echoing with twisted joy as he launched his powerful punch, aiming right at her head.
A deafening *BAM!* echoed through the silent arena as the punch landed. Shockwaves tore through the air, making the ground shake and the nearby trees rustle in response. When the dust settled, a tense silence fell.
For a moment, everything fell silent. No cheers, no gasps, just a heavy, tense stillness. Esdeath felt the rush of air that followed the impact, but strangely, she was still standing. Her heart pounded as she realized what had happened. Her hand instinctively reached out in the direction of the noise, but she grasped only empty air.
When dust settled,Everyone saw Maruti's crumpled form lying meters away, a trickle of blood staining her face. Maruti had thrown herself between them, taking the full force of Ujjain's attack. Her body had been launched into the air, and she crashed to the ground thirty paces away, unmoving.
"Predictor? Predictor, can you hear me?" Esdeath called out, desperation thick in her voice as she watched her friend's still body. The lack of response gnawed at her, filling her with dread.
Her mind raced, and she tried to reassure herself. "She should be alive. With that thunderous impact… if it had been me, my head would've popped like a balloon. But Predictor's body is sturdier. She's… just unconscious."
Even though Maruti was still alive, Esdeath knew she was in deep trouble. Without Maruti's guidance, facing Ujjain alone felt nearly impossible. "But what now?" She took a shaky breath, pushing down the anxiety swelling in her chest. "I'll have to fight without Predictor's directions."
On the other side, Ujjain was panting heavily, sweat dripping from his brow. His healing essence stone was used up, and activating four stones at once had taken a massive toll on his mana and his mental strength. He looked at Esdeath, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "My mana is nearly depleted, but it's a good thing I took down one. Just this half-dead girl to finish now," he muttered to himself, an arrogant grin spreading across his face.
Esdeath's gaze hardened, her eyes glinting with defiance. She squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. With or without Maruti, she would keep fighting. Every muscle in her body tensed as she took back her ZK-20 in her pink lotus essence stone.
"Changes in plans, I should think of escaping now! ",