Each of them stood at opposite ends of the arena.
The tension was so thick it could almost be cut.
My brother had already drawn his sword.
His stance… the usual one.
Relaxed.
Calm.
But deceptive.
Borin, on the other hand, carried no weapon at all.
He positioned himself with bare hands in front of him, in a defensive stance.
Silent.
Still.
Both of them watched each other.
As if trying to read one another before making a move.
The entire amphitheater fell silent.
An absolute silence.
You could hear even the faintest whisper of the wind.
—The battle will begin in…
The announcer's voice echoed.
—Three…
My heart started racing.
—Two…
No one breathed.
—One…
An eternal instant.
—NOW!
Elijah vanished.
There was no warning.
No preparation.
Just an explosion of speed.
In the blink of an eye, he was already on top of Borin, thrusting straight toward his chest.
A clean attack.
Precise.
Lethal.
He had never used something like that against me.
"This ends here…"
I thought.
But—
Borin moved.
Just a simple sidestep.
Nothing more.
And the sword passed by him.
Without touching him.
Elijah didn't stop.
He spun on himself and attacked again, this time with a wide slash, trying to trap him.
Borin dodged again.
And then it began.
A dance.
Elijah advancing relentlessly.
Borin retreating, shifting, slipping out of every trajectory at the last second.
Step after step.
Attack after attack.
None of them landed.
The sound of battle filled the amphitheater.
Footsteps.
Cuts slicing through the air.
The scrape of metal.
And little by little…
the crowd began to react.
Shouts.
Murmurs.
Anticipation.
—Incredible! —the announcer shouted— Elijah Draven, the swordsman, is pressing without pause!
Another perfect dodge.
—But Borin Kaldrek does nothing but evade! He can't find an opening to counterattack!
—Why does he keep dodging? —Mira asked, looking directly at Luca.
—I'm not sure… —he replied, without taking his eyes off the fight.
—Wasn't he supposed to be the "King of Pressure" or something? Because right now all he's doing is running…
Tarin spoke, frowning:
—He might need some condition to activate his ability. Not all powers are immediate.
—So you think he's dodging because he still can't use it? —I asked.
—Very likely.
—Makes sense —Mira added—. But if this keeps going, he'll end up exhausted… and probably way before Elijah.
—Exactly —Tarin continued—. If he doesn't activate it soon, Elijah will win just by maintaining pressure. That's why he started so aggressively.
—Elijah continues attacking relentlessly at an overwhelming speed! —the announcer shouted— Borin has no room to react! He's getting more and more tired, while Elijah looks completely unfazed!
The crowd wouldn't stop shouting and commenting.
And it was obvious.
Borin was breathing harder.
His movements were getting heavier.
And with every attack, my brother's blade passed a little closer to hitting him.
It seemed like a matter of time.
The chase continued for several more minutes, like a constant dance between attack and evasion… until something changed.
Very slightly.
Almost imperceptible.
Elijah's attacks began to lose precision. Just barely, a tiny detail… but enough.
No one else seemed to notice.
I did.
I guess after training with him so much, I could recognize even the smallest flaw.
And Borin… saw it too.
In one of the exchanges, Elijah launched another slash.
Borin dodged it.
But this time, he didn't step back.
He moved forward.
It was a quick, desperate movement, seizing the last possible moment… and he brushed my brother's arm with the tips of his fingers.
Just a touch.
Nothing more.
Elijah reacted instantly.
He spun and counterattacked, opening a shallow cut across Borin's abdomen.
—Elijah has landed a hit! What precision! —the announcer shouted.
But something wasn't right.
Borin stepped away.
And then…
My brother fell.
Suddenly.
As if an invisible force had slammed him into the ground.
He couldn't move.
I felt my chest tighten.
It was as if something was crushing him with brutal force.
The entire stadium fell silent.
No one expected it.
—Well, well!! Elijah has fallen! Could it be exhaustion? —the announcer exclaimed.
But I knew.
That wasn't exhaustion.
—What just happened? —Mira asked, confused.
—He activated his power —Tarin replied, without taking his eyes off the fight.
—I can see that, but… how?
—I'm not sure…
—It was through contact —I said suddenly.
Everyone looked at me.
—It was very fast, but… Borin touched my brother. Just barely, but it was enough.
An uneasy silence formed between us.
This was bad.
From the arena, taking advantage of the crowd's silence, Borin's voice could be heard. It was sharper than I expected, but carried an unsettling confidence.
—You finally left an opening… —he said, watching Elijah on the ground—. That took some effort.
He placed a hand over the wound on his abdomen and smiled faintly.
—And even so, you managed to wound me. You're incredible.
He took a slow step to the side, without getting too close.
—You know? The weight you're carrying right now would crush anyone. Even demons. And yet… you're still conscious.
He paused briefly, analyzing him.
—I made the right call not holding back.
His tone shifted, turning colder.
—But you can't move. I suggest you surrender. It's only a matter of time before that weight makes you collapse.
—Yeah, right —Luca said from the stands—. There's no way he can win like that. He'd have to push him out of the arena or make him surrender… how's he supposed to do that if he's glued to the ground? —he laughed.
—He also loses if he passes out —Mira added, not taking her eyes off the scene.
Luca stopped laughing instantly.
—Incredible!! —the announcer shouted— Borin has activated his ability and has completely immobilized Elijah! Right now, he has everything in his favor! That's why they call him the King of Pressure!
—At some point, you'll pass out —Borin continued calmly—. And when that happens… I'll win.
For a few seconds, Elijah didn't respond.
He just lay there… enduring.
Then he spoke.
—Do you really think… this is enough to make me pass out? —he said, with effort— You'll have to do better.
Borin tilted his head, slightly surprised.
—You might be right.
His smile widened.
—Then… I'll make you pass out from blood loss.
A chill ran down my spine.
—Go ahead —Elijah replied—. Come closer… and try.
Borin let out a small laugh.
—Do you think I'm an idiot? I'm not getting close. That would be dangerous.
He paused briefly.
—I have other ways.
Slowly, he brought both hands behind his back, hiding them under his clothes.
Then he pulled them out.
Three small knives gleamed under the light.
—It seems Borin had a weapon up his sleeve!! —the announcer exclaimed.
With a swift motion, Borin threw the knives.
But they weren't aimed at Elijah.
He threw them… into the air.
They rose several meters, spinning slowly… until they began to fall.
And then it happened.
Suddenly, their speed changed.
They dropped sharply, accelerating unnaturally, as if an invisible force was pushing them downward.
One of the knives sank into Elijah's leg.
The other two grazed dangerously: one passed by his arm, the other just inches from his head.
—Do you surrender now? —Borin asked calmly.
—Borin has used his pressure to increase the force of the knives! Incredible! —the announcer shouted.
—This is looking really bad… —Tarin muttered.
—My brother isn't going to lose —I said, without hesitation.
—Of course not —Elijah replied from the ground, staring at Borin—. I'm not going to let you win that easily.
Borin raised an eyebrow, surprised.
—Go ahead, keep resisting —he said—. Soon you'll run out of blood. That knife looks like it went in pretty deep.
For a few seconds, silence took over the amphitheater.
And then…
A laugh was heard.
My brother's.
—Do you really think this pressure is going to stop me for long? —he said, breathing heavily—. You're naive.
His body trembled.
His arms barely moved… but they did move.
—It's true… I'm bleeding —he continued—. But before I fall… I'll get back up… and finish you.
—It seems Elijah is resisting the pressure! As if he's slowly adapting to it! —the announcer exclaimed.
—He's adapting…? —Luca said, stunned— Your brother is insane, Ren.
I smiled without realizing it.
—Now Borin has to finish it quickly —Tarin added—. If he gives him time…
—But he has to get closer —Mira said—. And that's dangerous.
And it seemed Borin thought the same.
He frowned.
Then, he pulled out another weapon.
Bigger.
—I didn't want to go this far… —he muttered—. But this will be faster.
He lunged forward.
Fast.
Direct.
He raised the weapon, ready to deliver the final blow.
And then—
Without warning—
My brother moved.
At a speed I had never seen before.
As if his entire body had suddenly exploded.
He shot forward, ignoring the pain, ignoring the pressure, sword leading the charge.
Borin's eyes widened.
He didn't have time to react.
The blade sank into his abdomen.
In the same motion, Elijah grabbed him with his other hand…
and threw him out of the arena.
One second of silence.
—THE VICTORY GOES TO ELIJAH!!! —the announcer roared.
The amphitheater erupted.
My brother had won.