"Heh, such an overconfident little lady. Very well, I'll indulge you."
Zane extended his hand, summoning the power of the Phoenix. With this ability, he could command everything around him. When the Scarlet Witch was still ten meters away, she suddenly noticed a massive barrier forming before her, preventing her from moving even a step closer.
Feeling the immense force of the barrier, the Scarlet Witch frowned deeply. The barrier was so powerful it felt like she was trapped in a cage, unable to break free.
"Heh, little lady, now you see how strong I am. You may have determination, but trying to challenge me is still far beyond your reach."
Zane sneered dismissively, clearly underestimating the Scarlet Witch. To him, she was nothing more than an overly enthusiastic challenger with no chance of competing against him.
"Ahhh!"
The Scarlet Witch let out an angry roar as red energy flared up around her. She focused this power, determined to break through Zane's barrier with sheer force.
"Heh, no matter how loudly you shout, you'll never be able to match me. Stop dreaming. Everything you're doing is futile."
Zane replied confidently, full of faith in his abilities. No matter how strong the Scarlet Witch had become, he believed it was impossible for her to shatter his barrier.
"Ahhh!"
The Scarlet Witch roared again, her red energy swelling even larger. Zane's invisible barrier, though immensely powerful, began to tremble under the immense pressure of her energy. It wavered as if on the verge of breaking.
Seeing this, Zane frowned. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. The Scarlet Witch's strength had grown to such a degree that she was on the brink of dismantling his barrier. The realization left Zane utterly astonished.
"How is this possible? This is absolutely impossible."
Zane spoke with a serious expression, his face reflecting his disbelief. He had complete confidence in his invisible barrier and refused to believe that the Scarlet Witch could break through it.
Yet sometimes, confidence can turn into blind faith. Without solid reasoning, even the strongest confidence can be shattered.
"Ahhh!"
The Scarlet Witch roared again in fury. Her surrounding pink energy condensed to a critical point, and suddenly, cracks began to form all over Zane's invisible barrier.
Seeing this, Zane's expression darkened. He hadn't anticipated that his supposedly impenetrable barrier would start to crack, and the sight left him struggling to accept the reality before him.
"How is this possible? How could you possibly break through my invisible barrier?"
Zane exclaimed in disbelief. He refused to accept what he was witnessing, convinced that this couldn't be happening. Yet no matter how much he denied it, the reality was clear, and it left Zane deeply frustrated.
With a deafening crash, Zane's invisible barrier shattered completely. The Scarlet Witch broke through like an unstoppable force, charging toward Zane with the ferocity of a wild beast.
The barrier, now shattered like glass, sent shards flying into the air. The scene was undeniably breathtaking, leaving anyone who saw it in awe.
While the spectacle was impressive, Zane was feeling anything but awe. Instead, he was filled with frustration. His ultimate defense had been destroyed by the Scarlet Witch, leaving him speechless.
What made things worse was that she was now charging straight at him, looking as though she was ready to risk everything in battle. Zane felt utterly exasperated. After all, he was her savior. To be treated this way by someone he had saved left him feeling cold and bitter.
"Hey, gorgeous, what are you doing?"
Zane shouted anxiously at the Scarlet Witch. He was genuinely worried. If she truly intended to fight him to the death, it would feel grossly unfair, especially since he hadn't done anything to provoke such an outcome.
Hearing Zane's panicked voice, the Scarlet Witch suddenly remembered something important—this was supposed to be a sparring match, not a life-or-death battle. Realizing she didn't need to unleash her full strength, she began to rein herself in.
As quick as lightning, the Scarlet Witch had already reached Zane's side, her fist poised to strike his head.
When she heard Zane's reminder, it dawned on her that their interaction was supposed to be a sparring match, not a life-or-death struggle. However, by now, it was too late to stop—her fist was already in motion and couldn't be pulled back, leaving her feeling helpless and frustrated.
Zane noticed her impending strike and furrowed his brows in exasperation. The Scarlet Witch was proving to be quite the handful, attempting such an aggressive move against him. It was something Zane found hard to accept.
Just as the Scarlet Witch's fist was about to land on Zane's head, an invisible barrier suddenly appeared in front of her. This new, much smaller barrier was another one of Zane's defensive trump cards.
Unlike the previous barrier, which was large enough to encase the Scarlet Witch entirely and thus could be broken by her overwhelming energy, this one was much smaller, positioned right in front of Zane's head. With such a small surface area, it would be nearly impossible for the Scarlet Witch to break through.
The Scarlet Witch paused for a moment, her brows slightly furrowed as she observed the new barrier. Zane truly was remarkable—predictable in his confidence but undeniably skilled. It was clear to her that defeating him was no simple task.
Despite acknowledging the challenge, the Scarlet Witch's competitive spirit wouldn't let her back down. Determined to break this barrier, she raised her fist without hesitation and struck it forcefully.
Loud, resonant booms echoed as her attacks landed on the barrier, causing it to tremble slightly under the impact.
Zane watched her futile efforts with a smug grin. "This girl is so naïve," he thought. Did she really believe she could shatter his barrier with brute force?
"Heh, little lady, if you manage to break this barrier, I'll consider this sparring match your victory," Zane declared confidently, his tone dripping with self-assurance.
"Deal!"
The Scarlet Witch's eyes lit up with determination upon hearing his words. Fueled by his challenge, she launched a relentless assault on the barrier. Punch after punch, the sound of her strikes reverberated like thunder, but the barrier remained unscathed.
Her attacks continued for what felt like an eternity—about half an hour of unyielding effort. Eventually, her stamina gave out, and the Scarlet Witch collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted and unable to continue.