The moment the match began, both Alas and Riven took their fighting stances. Riven moved first. He activated "Mirrored Step," leaving behind a fading afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared beside Alas and slashed with both blades.
Clang!
Alas calmly raised his shield. "Sacred Aegis." A golden barrier coated the shield, completely blocking the surprise attack. Riven didn’t stop. He flowed into "Dance of Blades," his movements becoming graceful and unpredictable. Every dodge made him faster, his twin blades striking from impossible angles.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A storm of sparks erupted as Alas defended against the relentless assault. The audience couldn’t help but admire Riven’s elegant swordsmanship.
"He’s too fast!"
"That Blade Dancer class is incredible!"
Seeing Alas remain on the defensive, Riven smiled confidently.
"Let’s finish this."
He spun forward, activating Whirling Edge. His body became a spinning vortex of flashing blades that charged straight at Alas. Instead of retreating, Alas planted his feet firmly. "Smite Strike." His greatsword erupted with brilliant golden holy energy.
BOOM!
The holy infused strike collided head on with Riven’s spinning attack. The explosion of golden light shattered Riven’s momentum, forcing him backward. Riven gritted his teeth and rushed in once more, but the clash had already taken its toll. His breathing had become uneven. Alas seized the opportunity. He stepped forward and swung his greatsword in a powerful horizontal arc.
Bang!
The heavy strike sent Riven sliding across the arena. Riven struggled to stand and charged again, but Alas was already waiting. "Smite Strike." Golden light enveloped the greatsword once more. With a single decisive slash, Alas struck Riven’s crossed blades, overwhelming his defense. The impact blasted Riven off his feet and sent him crashing onto the arena floor.
His dual blades slipped from his hands. The arena fell silent for a brief moment before the referee raised a hand.
"Winner... Alas Drudwedern!"
The audience erupted into applause as Alas rested his greatsword on his shoulder, while Riven accepted the defeat with a respectful nod. Even though he had lost, everyone acknowledged the skill and elegance of the Blade Dancer.
The Second Student sent by the Broad River Martial Art College is Dorian Crowe. He entered the Arena holding his Shield and Warhammer.
The moment the match began, Alas and Dorian stood still, neither of them rushed forward.
Dorian rested his massive tower shield in front of him while gripping his warhammer tightly. He looked like an unmovable fortress. Alas frowned "His defense is incredibly strong, and the power behind that hammer is terrifying. He’ll probably be my trickiest opponent yet."
The silence didn’t last long.
Dorian charged first, dragging his tower shield across the ground before swinging his warhammer downward "Fortress Slam!"
Boom!
The hammer crashed into the arena floor, sending cracks spreading across the stone. A violent shockwave surged toward Alas. Alas immediately raised his shield "Sacred Aegis!" A golden barrier covered his shield as the shockwave slammed into him.
Bang!
Although the holy barrier blocked most of the impact, Alas was still forced back several meters. Without giving him time to recover, Dorian rushed forward and slammed his shield into Alas before following up with another devastating hammer swing.
Clang!
Their weapons collided, and the sheer force pushed Alas backward once again. "His strength is unbelievable" Alas retaliated by coating his greatsword in radiant golden light. "Smite Strike!" The holy infused slash crashed into Dorian’s shield.
Boom!
The impact echoed throughout the arena, but Dorian didn’t move an inch. "Unbreakable Guard!" A metallic aura covered his armor as his defense increased dramatically. Every strike Alas landed was absorbed by the shield, and small wounds on Dorian’s body slowly healed.
The audience gasped.
"He’s like an iron wall!"
"No wonder he’s called the Ironclad Sentinel!"
Alas attacked repeatedly, but every slash was blocked. Seeing another attack coming, Dorian smiled. He caught the blow with his shield. "Counter Surge!" A powerful shockwave erupted from his body.
Boom!
Alas was blasted backward, sliding across the arena before barely managing to keep his footing. The crowd erupted in cheers. Dorian charged with his warhammer raised high, determined to finish the battle with one decisive blow. But Alas had been waiting. Instead of blocking, he sidestepped the descending hammer at the last moment.
Boom!
The massive weapon smashed into the arena floor, becoming lodged in the cracked stone for a brief instant.
"Now!"
Alas dashed behind Dorian before he could recover. "Smite Strike!" His greatsword blazed with dazzling golden holy energy as he unleashed a full powered slash directly into the gap between Dorian’s shield and armor.
Bang!
The tremendous impact sent Dorian stumbling several steps forward. Before he could regain his balance, Alas spun around and delivered a second Smite Strike.
Boom!
The consecutive holy infused blows finally broke through Dorian’s defense, sending the heavily armored warrior crashing onto his back. His warhammer slipped from his grasp. Dorian struggled to stand, but his exhausted body refused to move.
The referee immediately raised a hand. "Winner... Alas Drudwedern!" The arena erupted into applause. Dorian slowly got to his feet and picked up his warhammer before giving Alas a respectful nod.
"You found the only opening in my defense," Dorian said with a smile. Alas smiled back. "If I had tried to overpower you head on, I would’ve lost."
Alas was already exhausted. Knowing he had reached his limit, he forfeited before the third round and returned to the resting room. After Alas, it was Adrian’s turn to step into the arena. He walked onto the stage with confidence.
Broad River Martial Art College sent out Liora Fenwick as their next fighter. Adrian had watched her match yesterday, so he already knew she had awakened the Spirit Binder class. Liora carried a Spirit Staff in one hand. It served as both a catalyst for her spirit magic and a sturdy club for close-quarters combat.
The referee glanced at both fighters before raising his hand.
"Begin!"
The moment his hand came down, Adrian and Liora immediately took their fighting stances.