Kai shouted, "Okay Shinji, time to wrap this up, finish him!" Kieran's face contorted in rage as he jumped off the stage, soaring through the air towards Shinji. The crowd scrambled to get out of the way, desperate to avoid the impending collision. As Kieran descended, he hurled his sword into the air, aiming to land a devastating punch on Shinji's face.
Kai's gaze locked onto the daggers Shinji had dropped, he sprinted towards them with swift urgency, swooping down to claim the scattered blades. In one fluid motion, he snatched them up and hurled them straight at Shinji, who stood poised and ready. With a flash of steel, Shinji caught the daggers, his hands closing around them with precision. And in the same instant, he launched himself upward, exploding into a towering leap that sent him soaring towards Kieran.
Kieran's fist connected with Shinji's jaw, sending his head snapping back. Shinji's eyes widened in pain, but he quickly recovered. With a swift motion, he jabbed his dagger at Kieran's stomach. Kieran blocked the attack with his arm, his eyes locked intently on Shinji.
Shinji's other dagger sliced through the air, aiming for Kieran's chest. Kieran sidestepped the attack, his body twisting to avoid the blade. As he sidestepped, he threw a punch at Shinji's face. Shinji raised his arm to block the attack, but Kieran's fist connected with his forearm, sending a shockwave through his arm.
The two fighters began to descend back into the crowd. People scrambled to get out of the way, screaming and shouting as the two combatants landed among them. Kieran's sword, still airborne, began its descent. Kieran's eyes flicked towards the sword, and with a swift motion, he snatched it out of the air.
The crowd parted as Kieran and Shinji clashed. Kieran swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for Shinji's head. Shinji ducked, avoiding the attack by mere inches. As he stood up, he thrust his dagger at Kieran's chest. Kieran parried the attack with his sword, the blades clashing in a shower of sparks.
The fight continued, with neither combatant giving an inch. Kieran swung his sword, shouting "Diagonal X slash", a powerful blast was emitted from Kieran's sword, aiming for Shinji's chest. Shinji quickly ran out of the way, trying to dodge the attack. However, as he looked behind him, he saw a little girl standing there, her eyes wide with fear. Shinji knew that if he dodged, the girl would be struck.
With a split-second decision, Shinji tried to deflect the attack. Kieran's blast wave struck straight into Shinji's daggers, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through Shinji's arms. As Shinji struggled to block the attack, Kieran appeared beside him, his body seemingly defying gravity. With a swift kick, Kieran aimed for Shinji's head.
Shinji, still trying to block the sword's wave, raised his other dagger to deflect the kick. However, he was too slow, and Kieran's kick connected with a loud crack. Shinji's body flew backward, soaring through the air as he crashed back into the arena stage.
Kieran, standing in the crowd, yelled, "Come on, Shinji! Is that all you've got?. Shinji slowly stood up, a hint of a smile on his face.
Kai shouted again, "Shinji, you're wasting time! Toyin' around with him? I know you're not using your full power. Finish this fast! We have to go back to Lila. You know Shinji..." Shinji smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Of course, you wouldn't want to keep your lady waiting, now would you?"
Kieran suddenly disappeared from the crowd, reappearing in front of Shinji. "How dare you ignore me, Shinji!" Kieran's sword sliced, aiming straight for Shinji. Shinji raised his daggers, blocking the attack, but was sent stumbling back a few steps.
Shinji smirked, his eyes locked on Kieran. "You know what, Kieran? I think it's time I got serious. You might know that I'm an assassin, but what you and even Kai don't know is that I have a skill that allows me to copy any attack or technique and amplify its power by five. So, why don't I show you how that diagonal X slash of yours feels like?"
Kieran's face contorted in rage, his eyes blazing with fury. "Do you think my moves can just be easily copied? It took me two years to master that technique, and I don't think anyone can just copy it like that!" Shinji, still smirking, said, "Okay, Kieran, why don't I show you?"
Shinji held his two daggers up high, and they began to emit a blue aura coated with red. He balanced his footing and sliced down with his daggers, forcing them to form an X. "Diagonal X Slash!" he shouted.
As Shinji unleashed his attack, a blue wave burst forth from his daggers, its surface etched with intricate, glowing patterns that resembled a maze. The wave seemed to ripple and flex like a living thing, its edges shifting and flowing like a liquid as it hurtled towards Kieran.
Kai, Kaito, and the Guild Master sensed the strength of the attack. The Guild Master shouted, "Kieran, get out of the way!" Kieran shouted back, "No, Guild Master! I'm not backing away from a technique that I created!"
Kieran formed an X slash with his sword, shouting, "Diagonal X Slash!" as he sent his own wave towards Shinji.
The red wave that erupted from Kieran's sword was a swirling vortex of energy, its surface churning with tiny, glowing whirlpools that seemed to pull everything towards them. The wave itself seemed to be imbued with a fierce, explosive energy, as if it was a living embodiment of Kieran's rage and determination. The air around the wave seemed to ripple and distort, as if the very fabric of reality was being warped by the attack's sheer power.
As the blue and red waves collided, a massive explosion of energy shook the very foundations of the arena. The air was filled with the sound of crackling energy, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. The waves seemed to clash in a maddening dance, their energies swirling and merging in a spectacular display of power.
The arena's structure began to buckle and groan, the stone walls cracking and shattering as the waves' energy ripped through them. The wooden beams supporting the roof splintered and snapped, sending debris crashing down onto the crowd. The people screamed and ran for cover, desperate to escape the destruction.
The waves continued to clash, their energy building to a fever pitch. The arena's destruction accelerated, the walls crumbling, and the floor shattering. The sound of the explosion grew louder, a deafening roar that threatened to consume everything in its path.
Sparks began to form, showering the arena with tiny, glowing embers that destroyed everything they touched. The crowd panicked, running for their lives as the sparks rained down. The arena was consumed by chaos, the destruction complete.
As the waves finally dissipated, the arena lay in ruins. The crowd stumbled backward, shocked and horrified by the destruction. The Guild Master stumbled back, but quickly regained his footing.
Shinji's blue wave had pushed through Kieran's red wave, forcing both waves to surge in Kieran's direction. Kieran's eyes widened in horror as he whispered, "Oh no... I fucked up... I'm dead."
The waves slammed into Kieran, unleashing an explosion of energy that sent shockwaves through the arena. The blast was so intense that it created a massive crater, sending debris flying everywhere.
As the dust settled, a thick cloud of smoke formed, obscuring the arena. The air was heavy with the smell of ozone and burned earth. The crowd held its collective breath, waiting for the smoke to clear.
As the smoke began to dissipate, the crowd gasped in shock. Kieran was standing on his feet, silent and unmoving. The crowd erupted into cheers, shouting, "He survived that!"
Shinji smirked at Kai, "Sorry, Kai. I don't have any more power to continue. That last attack took everything out of me." Shinji's legs buckled, and he fell to his knees, exhausted.
Kieran remained standing, silent and still. The crowd went wild, chanting his name. Kaito's face twisted in anger, "Guess I can't rely on anyone other than myself these days."
The Guild Master approached the stage, his eyes fixed on Kieran. As he drew closer, he saw that Kieran was bleeding profusely, his eyes glazed over in unconsciousness. The Guild Master shouted, "Kieran has been knocked out! Therefore, the winner of this match is Shinji of the Nobles!"
The crowd erupted into cheers once more. The Guild Master called out to the guild members, "Take him to the healing room!" Kieran's limp body was carried away, the crowd clapping in respect.
As Kieran was taken to the healing room, Kai approached Shinji, who was still kneeling on the ground. "Are you okay, Shinji?" Shinji smiled weakly, "Don't worry, Kai. I'm not going to lose until I defeat you. Didn't I tell you that? And I won't allow you to lose until I beat you."
Kai smiled, a fierce glint in his eye. The Guild Master announced, "Since the arena has been damaged, Kai and Kaito will face off outside the city in the guild's training area. Everyone else will watch from the city, where it is safe."
The crowd began to disperse, whispering excitedly about the upcoming battle. The Guild Master whispered to himself, "I mean, this is an SSS-rank adventurer's fight. I don't want to be anywhere near that but it's not like l have a choice here."
As the crowd made their way to the watching area, Kai, Kaito, Shinji, the Guild Master, and a few guild members headed to the guild training area outside the city. The training area was a vast, dry expanse of land that stretched as far as the eye could see.
The crowd back in the city watched the scene unfold on projected screens created by guild magicians. Kai and Kaito stood opposite each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The Guild Master announced, "Are you ready?" Both nodded, their faces set in determination.
The Guild Master shouted, "Then fight!", the guild master began to ran away, creating distance between himself and the impending battle.