Illix still holds his own

The crowd gasped in surprise, a mix of cheers and murmurs rippling through the stands at Trois' unexpected move.

Illix's eyes widened in shock as the fiery sting of the spices seared into his pupils, sharp and unrelenting. 

His confident composure shattered instantly, replaced by panic as the burning sensation spread like wildfire across his face. 

He stumbled backward, his steps uneven, his once-fluid movements now disjointed. His hands flew to his face, swiping frantically at his eyes as though he could claw away the pain.

"What—what is this?!" he gasped, his voice cracking with disbelief and frustration. His vision blurred into a haze of light and shadow, leaving him disoriented and vulnerable. 

Each blink only seemed to intensify the agony, his reflexes sluggish and thrown completely off balance. 

The chain, once spinning with deadly precision, now hung limp in his grip, its deadly momentum lost as Illix staggered in blind confusion.