The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. The crowd had barely calmed down after the replays, and now their focus was entirely on the two figures standing in the center of the arena.
Rynhara held her ebony katana with a confident smirk, her rainbow-tipped hair fluttering in the breeze generated by her own mana. Across from her, Lyra's frost-imbued rapier glowed with a cold brilliance, her icy aura expanding outward like a creeping glacier.
In the commentator's booth, two voices filled the air: one lively and excitable, the other dry and sarcastic.
"And now, everyone, the final match of the First-Year Grand Tournament has officially began!" said the bubbly female commentator. "I'm your host, Fira Flamecaster, here with my ever-enthusiastic co-host, Professor Drollas."
"I'm here against my will, but heymat least im getting paid." muttered Drollas, his tone flat.
Fira ignored him. "And look at our two finalists! On the left, we have Rynhara, the Darkness Dragon Princess herself, wielding that menacing katana. And on the right, the Frost Queen of Precision, Lyra Wintersong! This promises to be an unforgettable duel!"
Drollas sighed. "Or catastrophic. Probably both."
Rynhara took a casual step forward, pointing her katana toward the sky. "Alright, Lyra, you ready for this? I'll kick things off with a bang!"
Lyra narrowed her eyes. "I'll believe it when I see it."
With a smirk raised her hand in the air and channeled her lightning magic through it resulting in a deafening crackle resonating as an immense white bolt of lightning shot straight into the sky, illuminating the entire arena. The crowd gasped in awe as the sky above turned a brilliant white, the bolt's energy expanding outward in a perfect circle of charged mana.
Then… nothing happened.
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Was that supposed to hit me?"
Rynhara blinked, lowering her katana slightly as she blushed lightly out of shame. "Uh… oops? Misfire!"
The crowd erupted into laughter, and even Lyra smirked. The commentators were quick to chime in.
Fira nearly choked on her laughter. "And there we have it, folks! The first-ever 10-kilometer-wide miss! Rynhara might need a lesson in aiming!"
Drollas deadpanned, "Perhaps her katana doubles as a weather vane."
Embarrassed but undeterred, Rynhara gritted her teeth. "Fine. No more warm-ups!" She dashed forward, her katana glowing with dark energy as she swung toward Lyra in a wide arc.
Lyra parried with her rapier, a burst of frost exploding upon impact. "Maybe try aiming next time," she quipped.
Rynhara pushed forward, their weapons clashing in a flurry of sparks and ice shards. They exchanged blows with ferocious speed, the sound of metal on metal ringing out causing sparks as their movements became a blur.
"Frost Fang Barrage!" Lyra shouted, unleashing a flurry of icicle-like projectiles from her rapier.
"Shadow Veil!" Rynhara countered, a wave of dark mist swirling around her to deflect the icy onslaught.
As the two clashed, the commentators couldn't resist adding their thoughts.
Fira leaned forward. "Look at that precision! Lyra's aiming for weak points, while Rynhara's using overwhelming power. What a contrast in styles!"
Drollas yawned. "Yes, it's all very impressive. Wake me when someone lands a real hit."
"Try dodging this!" Rynhara yelled, raising her free hand. "Crimson Tempest!"
A vortex of wind and fire erupted around her, expanding outward in a fiery tornado. Lyra leapt back, the edge of her dress singed as she countered with Glacial Wall, a towering sheet of ice that absorbed the attack.
"You're all flash and no substance," Lyra said, smirking. "Allow me to demonstrate precision. Arctic Spear!"
The air shimmered as a massive spear of ice materialized above Lyra, hurtling toward Rynhara with deadly accuracy.
"Barrier of Oblivion!" Rynhara shouted, her katana slashing through the air to create a swirling shield of dark energy that shattered the spear upon contact. "Precision this, Frosty!"
Rynhara charged again, their blades meeting in another flurry of strikes. Sparks flew as Rynhara's katana cut through Lyra's frost magic, while Lyra's rapier deflected each of Rynhara's powerful slashes with perfect timing.
The duel reached a fever pitch as both combatants began channeling their most powerful attacks. Lyra raised her rapier, its tip glowing with a blinding white light.
"Cocytus!" she declared, a wave of icy energy cascading toward Rynhara like an avalanche.
Rynhara grinned, her katana erupting in a rainbow-hued aura. "Shooting Star Flashing Slash!"
She swung her blade, releasing an arc of stardust-infused energy that met Lyra's attack head-on.
The arena seemed to freeze as the two forces collided, the energy building to an unbearable intensity. The crowd held their breath, the commentators stunned into silence.
Finally, with a deafening roar, the clashing energies erupted into a massive shockwave, sending both Rynhara and Lyra flying into opposite walls of the arena. The stadium shook from the impact, and dust filled the air.
As the dust settled, the crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, unsure of who had the upper hand.
Fira finally broke the silence. "I… I have no words. That was—well, I guess I do have words. INCREDIBLE!"
Drollas sighed. "If they keep this up, there won't be an arena left for the next match."
Rynhara groaned as she pulled herself out of the crater she'd made in the wall. Across the arena, Lyra did the same, brushing frost from her singed dress.
Rynhara smirked, raising her katana again. "Not bad. But I hope you're not tired already."
Lyra grinned back. "You wish. I'm just getting started."
The crowd roared in anticipation, ready for the next round of this epic battle.