<TopRanker vs Apex --- Round 2/>

Meanwhile, I wasted no time, summoning my drones. Ten drones materialized around me in perfect formation, creating a protective barrier that hummed with energy. 

The remaining ten dispersed throughout the arena in Offense Mode, their targeting systems scanning the field for vulnerabilities.

Randy moved first, casting Illusion Mirage. The arena transformed into a kaleidoscope of shifting mirrors, reflecting countless versions of the Illusionist and Chronomancer. 

The crowd gasped at the visual spectacle.

"Great," Atlas muttered, his voice laced with a touch of sarcasm. "Which one's the real target?" He asked through the private comms, his tone sounding both annoyed and amused.

"Give me five seconds," I said, deploying my drones. They dispersed rapidly, each pulsing with a sonar-like energy that scanned the arena for the real bodies. As the clones began to shift and move, my interface pinpointed Randy's exact location.

"There." I marked his position for Atlas.

Randy's voice echoed from every direction. "You think you can just—"

Before he could finish, the sharp crack of Phantom Weaver echoed through the arena. A bullet of condensed energy tore through the mirror illusion, striking Randy's shoulder. He staggered back, clutching the wound.

Atlas grinned. "Gotcha."

"I thought you were going to use the stealth explosive ammo?" I asked through the comms.

Atlas smirked, his voice dripping with confidence. "That wouldn't be fun if we finished early. I wanted to play around a little. Didn't get to showcase my prowess yet."

As Randy slowly got to his feet, Wanda's voice crackled through the system comms. "That's it? You're relying on a sniper and drones? Pathetic." Her tone was condescending, dripping with disdain.

"Yeah," Randy grunted, brushing dirt off his clothes, "This is gonna be a short fight. I thought Apex was supposed to be the best. If this is what you've got, we might as well surrender now."

I chuckled under my breath, not even looking at them. "You'll get a taste of what we've got soon enough," I muttered back through comms.

Atlas, now positioning himself for another shot, shot back with a smirk in his voice. "You should be worried. I'm just getting started."

Wanda sneered, her voice growing sharper. "Don't think your little tricks will work on me. Illusions are just the beginning. I'll tear through your drones like paper."

I could feel the heat of her words, but I didn't bite. "Keep talking," I said with a calm voice, "It'll make it more satisfying when we win."

Randy's voice came through next, now laced with anger. "We'll see how long that confidence lasts. You might have knocked me down, but we're just getting warmed up."

Atlas's laugh echoed over the comms. "You're funny. Keep running your mouth. It's not like you're going to last much longer."

Then, with a snap of his fingers, Wanda's illusions surged again, flooding the arena with deceptive figures of Randy. "If you think you can outsmart me, think again," she growled.

"I don't need to outsmart you," Atlas quipped, "I just need to outshoot you."

Wanda stepped forward, her hands glowing as she activated Chrono Runic Field. Runes floated around her, glowing with temporal energy that accelerated her movements and boosted Randy's recovery.

"Not so fast," I muttered, directing my drones to disrupt her runes with precision shots. Sparks flew as my drones blasted the glowing symbols, destabilizing her spell.

Wanda retaliated with Time Lock, trapping Atlas in a glowing temporal sphere. Her lips curled into a smirk. "Let's see how you fight without your sniper."

Atlas looked annoyed but calm. "Noah?"

"Already on it." My Codebreaker ability worked seamlessly, overriding the temporal field around Atlas and freeing him within seconds. 

Wanda's eyes widened in shock as Atlas raised Phantom Weaver again. "Imposible, H-how—?"

"Bad move," Atlas said, vanishing in a blur of speed. His Assassin class activated, allowing him to teleport to her blind spot. 

In an instant, he fired a point-blank shot. Wanda barely managed to raise a rune shield, but the sheer force of the SS-rank weapon shattered her defenses, sending her sprawling.

Meanwhile, Randy recovered and unleashed his Clone Strike. Dozens of phantom clones surged toward me.

"Really?" I sighed, commanding my drones to form a defensive barrier. The clones collided with the energy field, dissipating on impact. 

Spotting Randy amidst the chaos, I directed a concentrated energy blast that struck him squarely, interrupting his spell.

Randy cursed and tried to reposition, but Atlas was already on him. With a burst of speed, Atlas teleported behind Randy, delivering a precise shot to his leg. Randy collapsed, unable to move.

Wanda, still struggling to recover, attempted to cast another rune. I didn't give her the chance. My drones swarmed her, releasing a paralyzing electric net that locked her in place.

With both opponents incapacitated, the system's voice boomed across the arena:

"Randy Snitch, knocked out. Wanda Scorn, knocked out. Points to Apex. Round 1 Winner: Apex!"

The crowd erupted, their cheers deafening. Some spectators sat in stunned silence, while others roared in approval.

Atlas slung Phantom Weaver over his shoulder, grinning. "Well, that was fun."

I smirked, recalling my drones. "Told you they weren't invincible."

This time, the recovery period lasted 15 minutes, and by the time both teams entered the arena for round two, Randy and Wanda's expressions were grim, their previous arrogance now replaced with determination.

"They're taking us seriously now," Atlas noted, his voice low but amused. "Looks like they finally decided to show their cards."

I glanced over at the duo as they activated their Wild Battle Card, the shimmering hologram flickering above them as it processed their choice. 

"What do you think they'll choose? Exchange or Restriction?" Atlas asked, clearly enjoying the show.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Does it matter? They're going to lose anyway."

Atlas smirked. "Your confidence is impressive."

"I don't need to rely on gimmicks," I said, summoning my drones once more. "The result's already decided."

Atlas chuckled. "Alright, big talk. Let's see if it holds up."

As the Wild Battle Card activated, the system's voice rang out, announcing their choice.

"TopRanker has selected Restriction."

A hush fell over the arena. Randy and Wanda exchanged a quick, calculating glance, likely weighing their chances with this move.

Atlas groaned in frustration. "Don't tell me they're going to ban me?"

But to our surprise, the Wild Battle Card wasn't aimed at Atlas. Instead, it was directed at me. "TopRanker has selected Restriction on Noah Adler's weapon."

I couldn't help but grin. "Well, this will make things interesting."