The three of them slapped their hands together in a high-five, their spirits soaring as they prepared to take on Kaelith as a team. Determination filled the air, and a sense of camaraderie built between them. Just as they were about to launch into battle, something changed for Ethan.
A sudden notification flashed in his mind:
His exclusive skill, *Righteous (B)*, had activated, making his body go numb as the fatigue drained away. He felt light, almost weightless, and ready for whatever lay ahead. His confidence surged as he realized he could fight without holding back, at least for now.
Without waiting, Maruti was the first to make a move. She charged forward, raising her bec-de-corbin high before swinging it in a powerful horizontal slash aimed directly at Kaelith. Her aim was precise, and for a moment, it seemed like she had landed a clean hit.
But Kaelith didn't even flinch.
The impact never came. Instead of Kaelith's body suffering any damage, Maruti's weapon shattered into pieces as if it had struck an immovable wall. The force sent vibrations through the air, leaving a small scratch on Kaelith's outfit, but she remained unharmed.
"Oops... my bad," Maruti muttered, her eyes widening in disbelief as she realized what had just happened. But Kaelith was far from amused.
With blinding speed, Kaelith bent down, grabbing Maruti's ankle with one hand. Effortlessly, she lifted her into the air as if she weighed nothing.
"Woohoo, a roller coaster ride!" Maruti joked, still in her usual playful tone despite the danger she was in.
Kaelith's expression hardened as she swung Maruti through the air and slammed her into the ground with tremendous force.
BAM!
The ground shook as Maruti's body hit the earth.
BOOM!
Another impact as Kaelith smashed her down again.
BAM!
For a third time, Maruti's body crashed into the dirt.
"Ow! My back hurts!" Maruti exclaimed, her voice still somehow lighthearted despite the brutal beating she had just endured.
Esdeath and Ethan exchanged a glance. They couldn't just stand by and watch Maruti take all the hits. Without hesitation, they leaped into action, attacking Kaelith from both sides. The sound of their fists and kicks clashing against Kaelith's defenses echoed through the battlefield, each move calculated, each strike aimed at wearing her down.
In the distance, several teams had gathered, drawn by the orange crystal Maruti had activated earlier. But as soon as they saw Kaelith, their bravery quickly evaporated. One of the leaders gulped, his face going pale as he recognized her.
"Is that… Kaelith?" he stammered, backing away.
"Yeah, no thanks! I'm not getting turned into paste today!" another teammate muttered, already retreating. The rest of the group quickly followed, not daring to step any closer to the battle unfolding in front of them.
Back in the fray, Maruti shook off the pain and charged at Kaelith again, her grin widening as if she thrived in the chaos. Kaelith caught her mid-movement, her hands gripping Maruti's arm tightly. Without a word, Kaelith reared her head back, then brought her forehead crashing down onto Maruti's face.
BAM!
Blood splattered from Maruti's nose, trickling down her face. But instead of groaning in pain, she gave a wicked smile. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and excitement as she looked Kaelith dead in the eye.
"Is that it? Is that all you've got?" Maruti taunted, her voice dripping with defiance.
Before Kaelith could respond, Maruti retaliated, throwing her own forehead directly into Kaelith's face.
BAM!
The force of the impact caused Kaelith to stumble backward, surprised by Maruti's unrelenting aggression. She wiped the blood from her lips, glaring at Maruti. But the brief stumble was all Esdeath needed.
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Seizing the opportunity, Esdeath lunged forward, leaping onto Kaelith's shoulders with cat-like agility. In one swift motion, she wrapped her legs around Kaelith's neck, positioning her hands around Kaelith's chin, ready to twist it and incapacitate her.
"Got you now," Esdeath whispered, her grip tightening.
At the same moment, Ethan darted in, grabbing hold of Esdeath's legs to add more force. Together, they swung Kaelith's body in a brutal, spinning arc.
SWING!
Kaelith's body spun through the air, her jaw twisting as her head was thrown back by the sheer force of the move. Blood sprayed from her lips as she crashed into the ground, her body rolling across the dirt. For a moment, the battlefield went quiet, dust swirling in the air as everyone waited to see if Kaelith would stay down.
But Kaelith wasn't one to go down easily.
With an almost inhuman resilience, she pushed herself off the ground, spitting blood onto the dirt as she stood. Her eyes burned with fury, and a low growl escaped her throat. Despite the beating she had taken, Kaelith was far from finished.
"Not bad…" she muttered, wiping the blood from her face. "But this isn't over."
The three of them exchanged a quick glance, their bodies battered and bruised, but none of them were ready to give up. They knew Kaelith was strong — stronger than any of them individually — but together, they still had a chance. Each of them had scars and cuts from the relentless back-and-forth battle, their exhaustion clear in the way their chests heaved for air, but their resolve hadn't wavered.
From afar, Violet and Emma continued to watch, their faces filled with a mix of awe and disbelief. The coordination between Maruti, Esdeath, and Ethan was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Each one of them moved as if they were part of a single unit, covering each other's weaknesses and striking with perfect timing.
"It's like they were born to fight ," Violet whispered, her voice filled with admiration.
Emma nodded, her eyes wide with amazement. "Yeah… it's incredible. I've never seen such perfect teamwork before."
Outside the forest, the teachers and second-year students observed the fight on the large monitors that broadcasted the live feed. One of the instructors, a seasoned fighter himself, narrowed his eyes as he watched the battle unfold.
"They're actually holding their own against Kaelith…" he muttered, a hint of surprise in his voice. "I didn't expect that."
A second-year student leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "That Maruti girl… she's insane! She's taking all the hits like a tank, but her teammates are using her as a shield to land their attacks. It's genius."
Another second-year crossed her arms, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, but look at them. They're barely holding on. Kaelith's not going down easy."
Back in the battlefield, the fight continued to rage on. Kaelith, now fully enraged, launched herself at the trio with newfound ferocity.
Her fist flew toward Esdeath, aiming to break through their defenses.
But Esdeath was quick. She spun mid-air, blocking Kaelith's punch with her foot, her body absorbing the impact before Ethan leaped into action. He landed on Kaelith's back, wrapping his arms tightly around her to restrict her movement. This momentary distraction was all Maruti needed. With a fierce yell, she launched both her legs forward, slamming them into Kaelith's face, knocking her backward.
They could feel it — the tide of battle was turning in their favor.
The three of them began to move as one, attacking in perfect sync. Punch after punch, kick after kick, their teamwork was seamless. No longer was one person taking all the hits while the others fought. Now, their roles switched effortlessly. Who was attacking? Who was defending? It didn't matter. They were a single unit, acting with unspoken coordination, flowing like a river in battle.
Before Kaelith could catch her breath, she was hit from all sides. A punch to her abdomen, a kick to her leg, followed by a judo throw that sent her staggering. Ethan and Maruti pounced, while Esdeath spun in with wrestling moves, each strike landing with precision.
Kaelith gasped for air, her clothes torn and her body bruised. Though her raw physical strength was superior, the seal Lilith had placed on her limited her full power. Esdeath, Ethan, and Maruti were no better off — their bodies ached with exhaustion, their breaths ragged from the relentless battle. But they had something that Kaelith lacked — teamwork and timing.
At this point, everyone knew: this was the final exchange. Whoever stood tall after this would be the victor.
With a guttural roar, Kaelith charged forward, and the trio did the same. Kaelith was the first to attack, throwing a wild punch at Esdeath. But instead of being hit, Esdeath pivoted, using her foot to catch the punch mid-air. She spun, using the momentum to land a powerful heel kick directly to Kaelith's face.
BAM!
The impact was swift and brutal, and Kaelith stumbled, barely able to register what had just happened. That was when Ethan darted forward, faster than a blur, delivering a powerful punch straight to her abdomen, knocking the wind out of her.
Kaelith gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with determination. She had only one thought — end this in one final punch, and her target was Esdeath. But before she could even raise her fist, Maruti stepped in. She threw herself between Kaelith and Esdeath, taking the hit directly on her face. Blood splattered, but Maruti didn't stop. With a ferocious grin, she swung her own fist, aiming directly at Kaelith's face.
BAM!
Both of their fists collided with each other's faces simultaneously. The impact echoed across the battlefield, and for a split second, everything seemed to freeze.
Then, with a soft *thump*, Kaelith's body crumpled to the ground. She had finally fallen, unconscious and defeated. A wave of relief washed over Esdeath, Ethan, and Maruti. The battle was over. They had won.
But as they watched Kaelith fall, their own bodies began to betray them. First Esdeath, then Ethan, and finally Maruti, all collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. Their muscles refused to lift their weight anymore. The fatigue of battle had caught up to them.
Yet, despite the pain and weariness, they all wore smiles on their faces.
As the fight seemed to reach its conclusion and the adrenaline began to wear off, something unexpected happened. With a faint clinking sound, the orange crystal from maruti's pocket tumbled to the ground, rolling a short distance away from her. The bright glow caught everyone's attention, but their bodies were too drained to react.
Ethan's eyes widened in alarm as he watched the crystal lie vulnerable on the ground. "What are you staring at?! Go and grab that crystal!" he shouted toward Emma and Violet, his voice hoarse from the intensity of the battle.
At that moment, the delicate balance of their temporary alliance shattered. The competition wasn't over yet, and the stakes were higher than ever. Emma and Violet blinked, as if waking up from a dream, and quickly sprang into action, charging toward the orange crystal.
It was a tense moment. No one had the orange crystal now, and whoever claimed it would secure victory. Esdeath, Maruti, and Ethan couldn't move; their bodies refused to listen. If Emma or Violet reached the crystal, it would be over. Maruti's eyes flickered with worry, her breath shallow, as she strained to move even a finger. But she couldn't. None of them could.
Violet's hand reached out toward the orange crystal, her fingers inches away.
But then—something even more unexpected happened.
A shadow darted in from the side, and in the blink of an eye, a hand reached out and grabbed the orange crystal. Everyone froze in disbelief. The figure that none of them had paid any attention to throughout the fight—Valen Vandris—now stood holding the crystal in his hand, a small smirk playing on his lips.
Just as the weight of what had happened sank in, a loud siren echoed through the forest.
*Piiiiiiiii...*
The sound signaled the end of the competition. Everyone's bodies went rigid as the voice of Teacher Sylvia boomed through the trees. "All students, stay where you are. The competition has ended. There's no point in continuing."
A heavy silence followed her words. It was clear to everyone that, without lifting a finger during the chaos, Valen Vandris had become the MVP of the competition in the final moments. He had swooped in at just the right time, seizing the victory for himself and for his team when no one expected it.
Ethan, Esdeath, Maruti, Emma, and Violet exchanged tired glances, too exhausted to feel anything.