Boom!
The fight commenced with a furious pace, Kiera and Maelstrom started to dominate the arena, their synergy and prowess were unmatched. Kiera's Serpent's Lash flicked and slashed, leaving streaks of lethal energy in its wake. Meanwhile, Maelstrom roared, using its immense size and ferocity to intimidate and overpower Barkcode.
Barkcode was utterly outmatched, its smaller size and lesser strength were making it increasingly difficult for the beast to gain any ground whatsoever. The battlefield seemed an insurmountable challenge as Maelstrom's enormous tail swept through the arena like a hurricane, crashing down with enough force to shatter the floor. BAM! Barkcode narrowly avoided the impacts, but the relentless onslaught was taking its toll on the brave creature.
Despite the harrowing situation, Hao remained steadfast, relying on his Quick Draw ability to deflect and parry Kiera's Serpent's Lash. Whenever the Whip Blade came slithering towards him, he would rapidly draw and sheathe his Vibe Edge, the swift motion often creating a precise barrier to intercept the incoming attacks.
In the heat of battle, Maelstrom lunged forward with its massive jaws opening wide to swallow Barkcode whole. Seeing this from where he was standing a few metres away, Hao activated Shadowstep Slash. POOF! In the blink of an eye, he teleported into the path of Maelstrom's attack, then quickly delivered a powerful blow on the beast's snout. The impact sent a small shockwave rippling through the arena, which temporarily disorienting the monstrous creature.
“You, what did you just do!” Kiera was shocked to see that Hao’s puny-looking legs had enough force within them to send her Bastian flying. Becoming more enraged, she started unleashing the full fierceness of her Blade Edge, which resulted in stirring up a swirl of dust around them.
Even within this dust storm, Hao continued to employ his skills to their fullest, weaving in and out of danger with the agility of a panther. Vibe Edge was his eyes, therefore, the dust did little to impede his sight.
“I should subdue that monster while it is still dizzy.” He struck with precision, targeting Maelstrom's vulnerable spots and exploiting the brief moments when Kiera's guard was down.
“Don’t think that you can beat me! This is my arena! You’re a nobody!”
Kiera's Serpent's Lash managed to find its way past Hao's defences and created a deep gash on his shoulder. Blood trickled down his arm, but he refused to let the pain slow him down. With a resolved fierceness, he counterattacked, delivering a powerful strike that left Kiera with a gash on her leg. She winced in pain but quickly regained her composure then retaliated with a quick barrage of strikes that left Hao with several cuts on his arms and legs. Despite the injuries, he remained focused, knowing that he couldn't afford to let his guard down for even a split second. Barkcode was also taking hits, with Maelstrom's powerful tail leaving bruises on the creature's side. The battle was becoming increasingly brutal, but Hao's strategic use of his abilities allowed him to stay in the fight longer than anyone else expected.
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“This is unbelievable!” Hollered Dippo, "Who would have thought that a blind fighter could hold his own against a fearsome opponent such as Kiera? This is truly a spectacle!" He exclaimed.
In the stands, Yoad could hardly contain his distress as he watched his beloved Barkcode struggle to stay alive. He was constantly chewing on his fingernails. “I can’t watch this anymore, I’m throwing in the towel!” He was about to leap into the arena to save his Beast Companion, but Mentos grabbed him firmly by the arm.
"Calm down brat!" Mentos ordered. "Hao isn't defeated yet."
The audience around them, who had initially thought Hao would be dead by now, murmured with shock as they realized the blindfolded fighter was still standing, moreover, pushing back against Kiera’s hostility. Conversations rippled all around, as people started to doubt their earlier assumptions about Hao's chances in the fight.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Back in the arena, Hao began to show more resistance to Kiera's advances. With a skilful leap, he kicked her from Maelstrom's back, causing her to land heavily in the sand. Humiliated and enraged, Kiera’s aura peaked. She flicked to her feet and unleashed her Whip Blade, striking Hao with several quick lashes that shredded his clothes.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Determined to buy some time, Hao leapt onto Barkcode's back and began riding in circles around the arena, as he did so, he was kicking up a dust storm that obscured the ongoing fight from the view of most spectators.
“What the hell, come on man! I can’t see shit!”
“Me neither.”
The crowd expressed their displeasure at not being able to see the action clearly, at the same time, Kiera's frustration skyrocket even further as she tried to chase down her elusive opponent.
"Stop running around, you nifty bastard! Aren’t you supposed to be a man? Why are you acting like such a pussy?!" Hollered Kiera. Fed up with playing cat and mouse, her anger drove her to execute a deadly move.
“Maelstrom do it now!” With a mighty stomp, Maelstrom's massive foot cracked the ground, creating a crater that threw both Barkcode and Hao off balance. During this, Vibe Edge accidentally slipped from Hao's grasp. Kiera capitalized on the opportunity of his blunder, preparing to end his life even though she didn't know if he could see or not.
"This is bad," Mentos spoke up with his eyes fixed on the fallen Vibe Edge in the arena.
Hearing this, Yoad questioned him, “What do you mean this is bad?”
“Listen…” Mentos explained that without Vibe Edge in close contact with Hao, he wouldn't be able to see accurate details of his surroundings.
“Are you for real? So without that sword, he is completely useless?” Panicking, Yoad concluded that his best friend was doomed. "Does that mean that he is going to lose? Then my Barkcode will die? I won't let that happen," he resolved, and leaned over the railing. With his fingers pressed against the corners of his mouth, he began whistling sharply.
In the arena, Barkcode heard the sound and responded by sprouting a pair of arms from its back. The arms extended, transforming into lanky limbs with bat-like wings. The transformation happened just in time, for Kiera and Maelstrom were only moments away from delivering a devastating attack. Hao, despite his compromised vision, felt the shift in the air as Kiera launched herself towards him like a shooting star with her Serpent's Lash poised for a lethal strike.
“Now you die!”
"Huh!" Hao realized the incoming danger and instinctively reached for Judgment Day to block the vicious attack. Metal clashed against metal with a resounding CLANG! Their collision was so intense that it created another layer in the crater and caused more dust particles to circulate the arena. The crowd's response was rowdy; they all thought that Hao had been slaughtered by the attack.
Meanwhile, Barkcode had retrieved Vibe Edge and was making its way back to Hao. Although its arms resembled wings, it couldn't fly very high, so it still had to be careful not to get too close to Maelstrom. The battle was moving closer to its peak, yet the outcome was anything but certain.