The crowd was still murmuring after Ari's dazzling duel against Hooven. But the arena never stayed still for long. The banners shifted, the magical lights refocused, and a new pair of names floated into the air.
GEM vs XERXES
A wave of anticipation spread like wildfire.
Two powerhouses of Batangara, both previously undefeated, both wildly unorthodox in the way they fought. And neither known for holding back.
Gem entered from the northern gate, her long black hair tied in a single braid behind her. Her gem-thread chains clinked gently as she walked with calm precision, the deep blue Threads glinting like liquid sapphire against her dark skin. On her back, five crystalline orbs shimmered—each containing a different gem essence she could summon.
From the southern gate came Xerxes, bouncing a relic football on his foot with casual grace. His muscular legs, tattooed from ankle to thigh with glowing Thread markings, pulsed faintly with each impact. His eyes burned with the focused, predatory thrill of battle.
Ari watched from the stands, leaning forward. He had been waiting for this clash.
The Match Began.
Gem opened immediately with her Sapphire Anchor, throwing a wave of defensive threads around the battlefield, slowing time within her zone. Xerxes didn't falter. His foot met the football—and it disappeared in a flash of motion, arcing high before returning midair, glowing with embedded Thread runes.
Gem moved elegantly, her threads reacting before her body did. One chain extended with a Ruby Snap, trying to intercept the football mid-flight. But it vanished—blinking through three midair positions in less than a second. It was a feint.
Xerxes appeared behind it, already moving. His legs moved with perfect rhythm—Thread-Footed Phantom, a spell Ari recognized from theory scrolls, but had never seen used in real combat.
Xerxes' style wasn't brute force—it was artistry in motion. Every kick wasn't just an attack, it was a thread-imbued equation of direction, force, and magic. He fought like a dancer, and the football was his partner and weapon.
But Gem adapted fast.
With a flick of her wrist, she invoked Emerald Coil, anchoring the arena with gravitational gems that adjusted the battlefield terrain. Her chains dug into the ground, and her movements became fluid, unstoppable arcs—each gem providing elemental responses: wind bursts, fire barriers, and kinetic blasts.
The battle surged into pure chaos. Xerxes kicked faster than most could blink. Footballs detonated in sudden shockwaves, redirected by enchantments carved in air. Gem responded with elegant counterplays—her gems never ran out, they transformed. Sapphire became Obsidian, then Pearl, then Topaz, all embedded into new formations on her gauntlets and chains.
Ari was on the edge of his seat. Kaien muttered beside him, "This... is an art form."
But Gem didn't hold back either. She activated Opaline Reflection, duplicating one of Xerxes' football trails midair, and sending it spiraling back at him with her own twist—imbued with her Thread essence.
It detonated on impact.
Dust and threads flew. Gem emerged first, bruised, her left gauntlet cracked—but still standing.
Xerxes limped out of the smoke, a gash on his shoulder, smiling.
"You're better than me at prep," he said, softly.
Gem didn't speak. She didn't need to.
With one final movement, she pulled out a Moonstone, embedded with silence—a Thread-nullifying gem. She whipped it forward with her chain—
—and silenced his final thread before he could kick.
The ball dropped.
The crowd roared.
Gem Wins.
Xerxes laughed, clapping as he bowed. "That was beautiful," he whispered, loud enough for her to hear.
Ari stood still, breath stolen by the elegance and precision of what he'd just witnessed.
He wasn't just among fighters.
He was among legends in the making.