Chapter 75: Trial of Sequences – Flame of Ruin vs. Eye of Lightning
I. The Silence Before the Storm
The echo of the previous duel—the ice still unthawed, the frost shimmering in the air—floated over the plaza of the Pavilion of the Five Paths. But no one looked at the ground anymore; every gaze, from disciples and elders to outsiders, was fixed on the next platform, where the aura was fire and storm.
Samael floated above them, his face in shadow, the Odachi crossed over his back. The System resonated in the minds of everyone present:
[Next Duel:
Eris, Flame of Ruin (Origin Realm, Stage 7 Peak; Fire/Ruin)
vs.
Maren, Eye of Lightning (Transcendence Realm, Stage 9; Lightning; Specialty: Acceleration and Precision)]
Violeta, still breathing deeply after her own victory, squeezed Elara's hand in encouragement. —"You will see why the Morningstar fire never goes out, no matter the wind."
Kael, his tunic still scorched from his previous duel, whispered: —"Gods, someone reinforce the barriers, or they'll burn the whole plaza down."
Among the crowd, the tension was electric. Everyone knew Eris was famous for her aggression, but Maren had trained under Xylia and had a reputation for never yielding a single step.
II. Preparations: Pride and Fear
Eris approached the platform, her red tunic billowing behind her and her long hair tied in a black braid. In her gaze was fire, but also a shadow of doubt: the doubt of not knowing if her power—so brutal and absolute—could be controlled on the edge of a real battle.
Maren was already waiting for her, standing in the center with arms crossed. Lightning crackled within his golden pupils. His tunic was white with sky-blue trim. He had a reputation for being cold, but the determination on his face was palpable.
—"Ready to make history?" Eris asked with a defiant smile. Maren nodded, his voice barely a murmur: —"Only if I survive your story."
In that instant, Samael lowered his hand, and the platform was sealed: runes of protection, fire, and lightning surrounded the circle, preventing the disaster from spreading further.
III. First Bout: Sparks and Ruin
The gong sounded. Eris did not wait: —"Flame Art: Early Ruin."
With a spin, she launched a wave of purple fire that devoured the air in a straight line. The heat was so intense that the barrier trembled. Maren took a step back, his body enveloped in a blue halo. —"Lightning Art: Glimmering Net."
With a gesture, Maren dispersed the energy, creating a net of golden lightning that absorbed and channeled part of the fire into the ground. The audience roared: never before had a rival resisted Eris's first charge head-on. Eris paused, measuring Maren. —"You're not just defense, are you?"
Maren smiled, and for the first time in a long time, his eyes truly sparkled. —"You'll see why lightning does not fear the storm."
With a leap, Maren vanished and reappeared behind Eris, a spear of lightning in his hand. —"Aurora Art: Spear of the First Lightning." Eris spun at the last second, crossing her forearms and channeling fire into a blazing shield. The impact dragged her three meters back, leaving a trail of sparks in the air.
IV. Second Bout: Strategy and Pain
Maren did not stop attacking. He reappeared and disappeared in flashes of speed, launching precise slashes and bolts seeking Eris's blind spots. The crowd could barely follow the combat. Eris, wounded in the shoulder by a discharge, gritted her teeth.
—"You think you can beat me that fast?" —"I'm not interested in beating you," Maren whispered, appearing to her left. "I want you to fight for real."
Eris closed her eyes, channeling her Qi core to the limit. —"Ruin Art: Fallen Phoenix."
A black aura enveloped her. For an instant, she was pure fire: wings, claws, eyes of ash. She rolled across the platform, dodging lightning and launching flares that melted the stone. Maren, cornered, used his secret technique: —"Seal of the Inner Thunder."
He struck the ground with both fists, releasing a circular shockwave. Eris was launched into the air, but instead of losing control, she spun and, like a meteor, descended wrapped in fire. The impact was devastating. Maren blocked the hit, but the heat wave pierced his defense, scorching his supporting arm. Both retreated, bleeding but smiling. In their eyes, there was only respect.
V. Climax: Ruin and Aurora
Eris panted, her chest heaving, her tunic in tatters. Maren, with a bleeding hand, clenched his jaw. —"Ready for the end?" Maren nodded. —"If you are."
The air vibrated. On the barrier, small bolts of lightning and sparks of fire danced, reflecting the tension between them. Eris charged her Qi, the ruin tattoos glowing on her skin. —"Judgment of the Fallen Phoenix."
The air around her collapsed, forming a sphere of black fire. Maren, instead of dodging, gathered every drop of power: —"Heavenly Mandate: Aurora of the Second Dawn."
The sky tore open. A vertical lightning bolt descended, enveloping Maren in a column of light so intense that Eris's shadow was projected all the way to the citadel wall. Both attacked at once. Black fire and golden lightning collided. The sound was deafening. The runes of the barrier flickered, and for an instant, the platform floated over a storm of pure energy.
The audience was blinded by the glare. Only Samael, Kael, and Violeta could see through the chaos: Maren, wrapped in light, piercing through the rain of fire; Eris, wrapped in flames, disintegrating the lightning with every beat of her heart. In the center, both collided, and the world fell silent.
VI. The Outcome: Two Hearts, One Promise
The smoke dissipated. Eris and Maren were still standing, a meter away from each other. Both were bleeding, both were trembling, and both were smiling. Eris was the first to fall to her knees, exhausted. Maren barely remained standing, hand pressed to his chest.
[Result: Draw Declared.
Sequence Status:
Eris retains the Flame of Ruin (Rank 3).
Maren rises to Rank 15 and obtains the title "Aurora of Lightning."
Reward: "Ash upon the Aurora" – a combined defense technique. Both Qi cores have evolved.]
The audience erupted in cheers. Violeta ran to embrace Eris, while Xylia and Cedric helped Maren up. Kael approached and extended his hands to both: —"This is how the Morningstars fight. Fire and lightning—neither goes out."
Eris, with a weary smile, whispered to Maren: —"Thank you for not letting me hold back." Maren, almost laughing, replied: —"Thank you for teaching me not to fear the pain."
Samael, from the air, nodded. —"When the heart burns and the aurora answers, the clan shall never be defeated."
VII. Epilogue: The Shadow Over the Aurora
As the victors and the defeated were celebrated, a murmur ran through the plaza. From the shadow of the wall, a messenger from the Sect of the Purple Light observed, taking notes and transmitting them to his superiors. In the sky, the enemy ship turned slowly. The tension had not left; it had only changed form.
But in the Pavilion, at that moment, there only existed the flame, the thunder, and the unbreakable bond of a clan advancing together toward abyss and glory.