Chapter sixteen: Fire vs Water

The crowd buzzed with excitement as Ronesa, the wielder of molten lava, stepped forward, her presence radiating intense heat. Opposite her, Azura, the master of water and fluids, stood calm and composed, the air around her cooling from her aura.

This was a battle of opposites—fire against water, destruction against adaptability.

Gabriel raised his hand. "Begin!"

Ronesa wasted no time. She slammed her foot into the ground, causing a wave of molten rock to surge toward Azura. The heat was overwhelming, and the ground sizzled as lava consumed everything in its path.

Azura remained still, waiting for the perfect moment. As the lava neared, she flicked her wrist, summoning a towering wall of water. The elements clashed violently, steam erupting into the air, covering the battlefield in a dense mist.

The audience gasped. Visibility was lost, and the two warriors disappeared into the fog.

Then, a sudden explosion—Ronesa had dispersed the mist with a burst of fire. Azura was already moving, shifting the steam into water droplets, forming spears of pressurized liquid. She launched them with deadly precision.

Ronesa deflected the attacks with fiery blasts, her molten shield absorbing the impact. But Azura was relentless. She manipulated the remaining steam, condensing it into razor-sharp icicles and hurling them toward her opponent.

One of the ice shards struck Ronesa's shoulder, drawing blood. She gritted her teeth and smirked. "Not bad."

She stomped the ground, and the entire battlefield trembled. A river of lava surged forth, forcing Azura to retreat. Ronesa leaped forward, her fists coated in molten rock, throwing a punch aimed at ending the battle.

Azura dodged, barely avoiding the burning strike. She retaliated by freezing the ground beneath Ronesa's feet, making her lose balance. Seizing the opportunity, Azura enveloped her opponent in a vortex of water, restricting her movement.

Ronesa struggled, her flames flickering under the suffocating pressure of Azura's water prison. With one last effort, she ignited a powerful blast, breaking free. But it had cost her too much energy.

Azura, still fresh, launched a final wave of water, slamming Ronesa into the ground. The battle was over.

Gabriel raised his hand. "Azura is the winner!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as Ronesa lay on the ground, panting. She smirked, looking up at Azura. "You got me this time."

Azura extended a hand. "It was a good fight."

Ronesa took it and grinned. "Next time, I'll burn through your tricks."

The competition was heating up.

The next match was set:

Iscarius vs Rita.

The battle of mind versus metal was about to begin.