The change was immediate and visceral. His essence surged, amplifying his strength and channeling it into his fists. The air around him seemed to hum with raw power.

Dravan realized the danger too late. Eryndar’s fist was already hurtling toward him, glowing faintly with concentrated essence. The punch connected squarely with Dravan’s torso, the impact detonating like a controlled explosion.

A deafening boom echoed through the arena as Dravan’s body arched backward, his corrupted essence shattering inward. The force of the strike tore through him, sending him flying into the fog like a cannonball. He crashed into a jagged stone pillar, the structure crumbling around him as he slumped to the ground, motionless.

The corrupted fog recoiled for a moment, as if stunned by the sheer force of the attack. Eryndar exhaled, his fist still glowing faintly as he turned his attention to Caleis, who now stood frozen, his smirk replaced by wide-eyed shock.

"You..." Caleis stammered, taking a hesitant step back.

Eryndar straightened, the intensity in his gaze unyielding. "You’ve underestimated what it means to stand against me."

The tension in the air grew thicker as Eryndar’s essence began to stabilize, preparing for the next move. Caleis’s hesitation didn’t last long, his shock quickly replaced by fury. With a roar, he surged forward, corrupted essence flaring violently around him, but Eryndar was ready, his essence primed for the next exchange.

The crumbled remains of the pillar where Dravan had fallen were swallowed by the swirling fog. Eryndar’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on Caleis, who now stood alone. The corrupted energy in the atmosphere pulsed erratically, as if responding to Caleis’s fury.

“You think you’ve won just because you took him down?” Caleis sneered, his voice echoing with a distorted edge. Slowly, he raised his arms, his fingers curling as if grasping the air itself.

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The fog thickened, condensing around him in writhing tendrils. From the mist emerged shards of solidified corrupted energy, dark and jagged, pulsating with an unnatural glow.

“These fighters, this place... everything here has fed into the corruption,” Caleis said with a wicked grin, his voice resonating with malice. One by one, he seized the shards and crushed them in his hands. Each fragment shattered, releasing an eerie, resonant hum as the energy poured into his body.

Eryndar’s stance tightened. He could feel the shift in the air, the corrupted essence flooding into Caleis like a roaring tide. His opponent’s aura grew darker, heavier, suffocating in its intensity.

When the last shard crumbled, Caleis’s transformation was complete. His movements became unnervingly calm, his gaze sharper and more focused. The mocking grin was gone, replaced by an unsettling stillness.

Caleis slowly raised his hand, beckoning Eryndar. “Come. Show me what makes you so special.”

Eryndar wasted no time, surging forward with a flurry of attacks. His essence burned brightly as he unleashed a barrage of strikes, switching seamlessly between his first and third styles. Each punch and kick carried explosive force, yet Caleis met every blow with precision.

A forearm rose to block a punch aimed at his face. A sidestep dodged a sweeping kick aimed at his ribs. Eryndar’s speed and power, which had overwhelmed Dravan, seemed ineffective now.

Something was wrong.

Caleis moved with eerie familiarity, mirroring Eryndar’s techniques with near perfection. Every strike Eryndar threw was countered before it could land, as if Caleis anticipated each move before it happened.

Eryndar’s brow furrowed as realization dawned. He’s not just reacting—he knows my techniques.

“You’ve noticed it, haven’t you?” Caleis said, his voice dripping with malice. “All that essence I absorbed—it wasn’t just power. It was knowledge. Memories. Movements.”

Eryndar’s fist shot forward in a feint, but Caleis didn’t bite. Instead, he countered with a punch of his own, the force behind it driving Eryndar back a step.

“It’s like fighting yourself, isn’t it?” Caleis taunted, stepping closer. “Except I’m stronger, faster... better.”

Eryndar’s mind raced. He shifted into his defensive stance, essence condensing around him once more. But even as he braced himself, Caleis’s attacks came with terrifying precision. Every block felt heavier, every evasion more desperate.

As Caleis pressed the advantage, Eryndar clenched his jaw. He needed a new strategy—and fast.