CHAPTER 3: Final Stand

The Shining Knight took the initiative, his relic blade gleaming with a holy light that cast long, wavering shadows across the arena. With a swift, almost fluid motion, he swung the blade in a wide arc, the golden energy trailing behind it like a comet's tail. The strike was aimed at the Unrivaled's neck—a clean, lethal blow meant to end the fight before it even began.

But the Unrivaled was already in motion.

He ducked under the swing with the skill of a seasoned martial artist. As he evaded, his feet shifted, pivoting on the balls of his heels as he closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His fist shot out in a blur of obsidian aimed directly at the Shining Knight's rib cage.

The Shining Knight twisted his body at the last possible second, the punch grazing his armor but still sending shockwaves through the metal. The force of the blow was enough to make him stagger, but he quickly regained his balance, his eyes narrowing behind the helmet. He countered with a quick thrust of his blade, aiming for the Unrivaled's midsection.

The Unrivaled's response was instantaneous. He sidestepped the thrust and, using the momentum of his dodge, spun on his heel to deliver a brutal spinning hook kick. His leg cut through the air like a scythe, the power behind it enough to shatter bones. The Shining Knight barely managed to manifest and bring up his shield in time, the impact resonating through his arm like a sledgehammer blow. He slid back a few feet, his boots digging into the cement floor, but his stance remained firm.

'Tch… what immense power in that frame of his; he certainly isn't human. That dark skin has to be some kind of enhancement relic.'

Not giving the Knight a moment to recover, the Unrivaled followed up with a flurry of strikes. A left jab to the jaw, a right cross to the sternum, an elbow strike aimed at the temple—all delivered with the speed and power of a superhuman fighter.

The Shining Knight's armor rang with each impact, the sound echoing through the silent arena. But he was no ordinary opponent. As the Unrivaled's onslaught continued, the Knight began to adapt, reading his foe's movements clearly.

The Knight blocked a punch aimed at his throat with his shield, then parried a kick with the flat of his blade, using the momentum to spin away from the Unrivaled's next attack.

Golden light flared from the Knight's relic blade, and he brought it down with both hands in a crushing overhead strike. The Unrivaled raised his arm to block, but the sheer force of the attack drove him to one knee, the ground beneath him cracking from the pressure. The Knight's blade, glowing with radiant energy, pressed against the Unrivaled's forearm, but it couldn't pierce the obsidian skin.

With a grunt of effort, the Unrivaled pushed back. He stood, forcing the Knight's blade away and retaliated with a powerful uppercut aimed at the Knight's chin. The Shining Knight barely managed to tilt his head back in time, the punch missing by mere millimeters. Seizing the opportunity, the Knight released a burst of golden light from his body, the energy wave slamming into the Unrivaled and forcing him back several paces.

At the same time, more voices erupted from the crowd.

"Look at that! Unrivaled's bare skin is taking the full brunt of Lorien's blade. I heard it could cut through steel like it was clay. How is he even surviving this?"

"Maybe he's got some sort of ability or defense we don't know about. I mean, the way he's absorbing the energy... it's like the light's being drawn into him, not burning him!"

"I don't think he's absorbing it. Look closely—his skin is darkening, almost as if he's using the darkness itself to shield him. It's like he's a living paradox."

"Ha! The Unrivaled is all talk. He's not even making a dent in Lorien's armor. He's just a show-off. Watch, Lorien will finish him off soon enough."

The crowd gasped as the Unrivaled skidded across the cement, leaving deep grooves in his wake. But he did not fall. His golden eyes burned with a fierce intensity as he straightened, his body glowing with the red lines of magma-like energy coursing through his veins. He took a deep breath, centering himself, and then charged forward with a speed that made him seem like less than a blur to the naked eye.

The Shining Knight barely had time to react as the Unrivaled closed the distance once more, his fists a blur of motion. But this time, the Knight was ready. He summoned his golden aura to envelop his body, hardening it like a second skin. The Unrivaled's punches collided with the aura, sending out sparks of energy with each impact, but the Knight held firm.

In a fluid motion, the Knight swung his blade in a horizontal arc, the golden energy extending from the blade in a crescent-shaped wave. The Unrivaled leapt over the attack, flipping mid-air to deliver a spinning kick to the Knight's head. The blow connected with a resounding crack, sending the Knight stumbling to the side. But he did not fall. Instead, he used the momentum to spin around, his blade cutting through the air in a deadly backhand swing aimed at the Unrivaled's midsection.

The Unrivaled twisted his body, avoiding the blade by a millimeter, and retaliated with a series of rapid-fire punches, each one aimed at the Knight's vital points. The Knight deflected the blows with his shield, but the force behind them was staggering, each strike pushing him further back.

Suddenly, the Shining Knight unleashed a surge of energy, his aura flaring up like a star going supernova. The golden light expanded, engulfing the arena and blinding the audience. In that moment, the Knight's movements became a blur, his blade cutting through the air with unmatched speed and precision. He struck at the Unrivaled from every angle like a maelstrom of light and steel.

The Unrivaled's eyes widened in a rare moment of surprise as he saw the oncoming attack. He planted his feet firmly, bracing himself for the impact.

"Shit."

The Unrivaled muttered lowly and deadpan as his arms raised in front of him in a guard to protect his face and organs. The golden edge of the Knight's weapon cut through the darkness like a hot knife grinding through parchment, leaving behind trails of searing light that etched fiery patterns into the Unrivaled's skin. Each slash felt like a branding iron against his flesh, the intense heat causing his skin to glow brighter with each strike.

He was hacking away brutally, shaving off the layers of darkness and invincibility that made him Unrivaled.

The Knight's blade swung down once more, and the Unrivaled abruptly uncrossed his arms, his previously guarded stance giving way to a single, wild swing.

His arms shot out with brutal force, the dark energy coiling around him like a shadowy flame. The impact was immediate and devastating. The wild, sweeping motion of his limbs collided with the Shining Knight, the force of the swing repelling him violently.

The Shining Knight's body was flung backward, his golden aura flickering wildly as the unexpected force drove him away. The Knight's feet skidded across the arena floor, his blade nearly ripped from his grasp as he struggled to regain his balance. The golden light of his weapon dimmed under the overwhelming pressure of the Unrivaled's retaliation, the shimmering blade now merely a glinting remnant of its former brilliance.

The arena's protective barrier trembled as the Shining Knight was thrown against it, the energy shield quivering under the sheer force of the impact. The crowd erupted in stunned gasps and cheers, their voices blending into a cacophony of disbelief and excitement as the balance of the battle shifted dramatically.

"Did you see that? Unrivaled just sent Lorien flying! This could be the turning point. Can he really pull off the win?"

"It's incredible, but look at him! He's breathing so heavily, and those hits took a toll. I don't think he has much left in him."

"You… you're more formidable than I anticipated," Lorien's voice was strained but steady as he staggered forward, feeling the broken bones under his armor. "Surviving so many of my slashes, withstanding the blinding fury of my blade… it's impressive, Unrivaled."

He took a shaky breath, the golden aura around him flickering and dimming with the effort.

"But this is where it ends," Lorien declared, his voice carrying a resolute edge despite his exhaustion. "I'll go all out now. Every ounce of Aetherion in my relics, every drop of power I have left… it will be poured into one final, decisive strike."

Suddenly, the dim energy around his form flared up vigorously and focused on his legs, core, shoulders, arms, and even armor, overflowing with energy.

Lorien vaulted into the air with a graceful yet desperate elegance, his form silhouetted against the searing glow of his relic. The blade, pulsing with an intense, almost blinding light, was held high above his head, its edge crackling with raw, unleashed energy. As he ascended, every muscle in his body tensed, channeling the

 last vestiges of his Aetherion into the weapon.

And then his massive blade of radiant light descended with unstoppable force, intent on annihilating his opponent and ending the fight.

The Unrivaled stood there, his white cape fluttering as the golden light descended to end his life. And for the first time since the fight began, he was smiling.

"You're right about one thing, this fight… is over."

Just like before,

Red veins crisscrossed over his body, distended muscles bulged to the limit, and a corona of crimson liquid and black flame erupted from his head like a crown.