Floch kept looking at Naeris curiously, she was popular for her beauty but no one really knew her. She is a mysterious girl.
—She... Has an impressive and terrifying aura, she seems like someone who has no mercy or compassion.—Floch swallowed saliva when he saw her level through his eye.
Terrmomix noticed this and only glanced at him before turning his gaze back to the fight.
On the other side of the stands, Arien narrowed his eyes trying to remember where he had seen her before.
—Wait... Isn't that the one who tried to look into my memories?!—Dan exclaimed
—Your memories?—Kaien asked.
—Yes, before you all arrived on the island I was walking around the area until she approached me, I thought she was a fan of mine but she just said "Will you let me look into your memories?".
Rika was confused just like Kaien and Haruki
—Huh? Look into your memories?, What did she mean?.
—I have no idea.
In the arena Raiden was curious about Naeris.
—Mmm... And what is your technique?.
Naeris kept her calm smile, after a few seconds she answered the question.
—It will be more fun if you find out for yourself in the fight.
—I understand. Tell me, what rank in the top do you want to reach?
—Well... As far as I can get. And you?
Raiden let out a small laugh.
—I want to reach at least the top 10.
—Wow, how ambitious, but for that you'll have to defeat me first.
He raised his katana to the sky.
—I know and I will. Iron technique: Iron arrows.
Iron arrows surrounded Naeris and then attacked her, she managed to jump high enough to dodge the arrows.
—Wow...—Naeris said calmly.
Raiden didn't waste time, he launched attacks non-stop and without letting her breathe. Naeris dodged them one after another without getting a single scratch.
—Iron technique: Ferrum's Fang!
—Iron technique: Shower of Splinters!.
—Iron technique: Meteorite Edge!.
Finally Raiden got tired from overexerting himself by using his technique so much, his breathing was ragged and his face showed his exhaustion.
Naeris stood in the same place where she was initially, without scratches and without showing exhaustion.
—Are you done already?, I want to play too.
—No... Not yet... I'm not done yet.
She began to slowly unsheathe her sword, the blade of her katana shone from the reflection of the sunlight.
Raiden started running towards her, he attacked her with his katana just centimeters away, Naeris managed to block it with hers. In strength she was superior. She diverted his attack and managed to counterattack.
He barely managed to dodge it but received a cut on his cheek that made him bleed. As soon as he moved away a little Naeris approached again to attack him once more, now she was the one who wouldn't waste time.
Raiden could barely block her attacks, he couldn't keep up with her pace even though he tried hard.
In a moment of carelessness he got distracted and lost sight of her, he got agitated and tried to look for her quickly but she was already behind him.
—Right where I wanted you— she said in an evil voice.
He turned as fast as he could to block any attack but that wasn't going to work.
—Illusion technique: Cube of painful memories.
Everyone in the stands was surprised to hear her technique, it wasn't a common one, it could be said to be a special one.
—Illusion?— Rika said in amazement.
In a second Raiden was locked inside a purple cube, Naeris stood next to the cube with a big smile.
—It's a very rare technique, very few kids have such a technique.—Haruki replied.
Kaien was curious about the cube where Raiden was.
—"Cube of painful pasts"... What could be in there?
—No one knows, no one except Raiden and Naeris herself.—Arien said as he looked at Naeris.
In the balcony where the teachers and director were they were also impressed.
—Well, well, it seems this year we have several interesting kids, don't you think?—Director Lion asked.
Professor Mari tried to maintain her professional facade but deep down she was also very impressed.
—Yes, this year's students are very... Interesting and Talented.
Professor Elion was worried about the student inside the cube
—But will student Raiden be okay?, that cube doesn't look good at all.
—I think he'll be okay... Physically. From what I know, illusion techniques are not based on physical attacks but mental ones.—the director said.
The professor took out his phone to send a message to a psychologist.
—I understand, so rather than a doctor we will need a psychologist.
—Most likely yes.
Inside the cube, Raiden opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was that he was in his hometown. Although the cube wasn't that big from the outside, inside it extended as much as an entire city.
He was confused, a moment ago he was in the combat arena and now he is in his city. He could move and explore, he walked through the streets, everything was just as he remembered.
In the distance he saw his house, he smiled widely and ran towards it but when he opened the door he found his family dead on the floor, a pool of blood surrounded them, Raiden was left in shock unable to think or move.
—Illusion technique: Distortion of memories.—Naeris said from outside the cube with a smile that showed she was enjoying this.
He began to hear voices from his family saying "It's your fault" "It was all your fault" "I hate you" "I wish I had never given birth to you". He put his hands to his ears trying not to hear the voices while tears streamed from his eyes.
What he was experiencing inside the cube was not his real past, his family loved and cared for him but Naeris's technique changed that past to the opposite to make him suffer and his dead family was just the finishing touch to make the suffering twice as painful.
Naeris was able to see the same thing Raiden saw inside the cube, she just laughed from outside with her eyes on the floor and her hand resting on the cube.
Everyone in the stands was left confused and at the same time terrified by Naeris's laugh.
After three minutes the cube broke, Raiden fell to his knees with a blank stare and bloodshot eyes. Naeris smiled one last time before walking towards the exit.
—What a great past, That was so much fun!.
Doctors quickly entered to help Raiden and get him out of the arena. In the stands everyone was even more confused but now with some fear towards her.
UH... TWELFTH MATCH: NAERIS LUNETH VS RAIDEN ISHIDA.
FINISHED.
WINNER: NAERIS LUNETH.
Floch sighed when he heard that the match was over.
—Wow, she really is a scary girl.
—Why did Raiden come out like that? What could he have seen?— Terrmomix asked with his usual cold and expressionless look.
—I don't know, but from the names of Naeris's techniques I suppose she showed him Raiden's past with changes.
In the other stands, Kael remained silent, that technique didn't impress him too much but it did for Zeik and Liang.
—She really is dangerous—Zeik said.
—If you let yourself be manipulated by her lies yes, but if you manage to resist and accept that everything is fake then you might have a chance to beat her.— Liang replied.
LET'S CONTINUE WITH THE MATCHES
THIRTEENTH MATCH: ASHOCK DEVI VS ... UH?... KAEL RHOVAN.