Chapter 7: Who will be victorious ?

Raizo quickly activated the smoke bomb, creating a thick cloud of fog that enveloped the battlefield. He darted behind one of the larger boulders, using it as cover. He took a deep breath, trying to conserve his stamina. *Let's see what you've got,* he thought to himself, waiting for Midas's next move.

On the other side of the battlefield, Midas stood still, watching the smoke swirl around him. He seemed unfazed, but after a moment, he spoke.

"Expected," Midas muttered. His voice was calm, almost too calm. He looked around, scanning the field. The large boulders were the only significant cover in the area, so he made his move. Without hesitation, he picked up a cluster of rocks, his golden body gleaming as he crushed them together in his hand. With a wicked grin, he hurled the rocks at the boulders one after another. The rocks smashed into the stone, causing large cracks to spread, disintegrating the cover on impact.

Raizo's heart raced as he peered from behind the large boulder, watching as the rocks collided with the stone, reducing his cover. *He's relentless,* Raizo thought, calculating his next move.

He looked down at his stamina gauge, which had slowly begun to recover, but it was far from full. *I need more time,* he thought. His muscles were aching from constant evasion, but he knew that a direct confrontation with Midas would be a mistake. He had to wait.

However, just as he was about to settle back behind the boulder, Raizo realized Midas was still methodically throwing rocks at the remaining cover. Raizo's hand instinctively went to his shuriken as he saw the remaining boulders begin to crumble.

The situation was growing more tense. With no time to wait for his stamina to fully replenish, Raizo knew he had to move. He jumped from one boulder to the next, aiming to keep his distance from Midas and relocate to a safer position.

As he leapt across the battlefield, he threw the shuriken at Midas, the spinning weapon flying through the air with precision.

Midas, still in the midst of destroying boulders, was caught off guard for a moment but quickly turned to face the incoming shuriken. It was too late—though his golden form seemed impervious, the shuriken struck him, embedding itself in the solid gold of his chest. The impact didn't seem to faze him, but it did cause Midas to pause briefly as the shuriken spun and clattered to the ground.

Raizo quickly disappeared behind another boulder, hoping the momentary distraction would give him the time he needed to rest and strategize. But he knew the battle was far from over.

Shinra was watching from the podium, his eyes focused on the vital signs of Midas, which appeared on the screen:

- **Health**: 100%

- **Stamina**: 45

- **Mana**: 100%

- **Burst Technique Bar**: 20

- **Level**: 20

Shinra's attention sharpened as he observed the steadily decreasing stamina. On the battlefield, Raizo continued to dodge Midas's relentless rock projectiles, effortlessly evading the attacks.

Raizo glanced over at Shinra's screen, knowing Midas's stamina was running low. The golden AI was picking up smaller rocks now, hurling them with intense velocity. Raizo leaped into the air as the last large boulder exploded, his body twisting in a graceful arc as he threw a barrage of shuriken at Midas.

Midas didn't flinch. His body took the hits, but he kept advancing, picking up more rocks and throwing them with precision. As Raizo moved, his eyes caught something important. Midas was no longer walking as confidently. His movements had slowed, and there was a noticeable shift in his stance.

Raizo's voice echoed through Shinra's earpiece. "Keep an eye on his vitals. Once that stamina hits zero, he's going to enter the depleted stance. That's when we can make our move."

Shinra looked closely at the screen. Midas's stamina continued to dwindle, and it was clear now. Midas wasn't showing any signs of weakening yet, but Raizo's instincts told him this was the key moment.

Midas's stamina finally hit zero, and just like Raizo predicted, the golden AI knelt to one leg in a defensive stance. His body seemed to sag under the weight of his own power as the depleted stance took effect.

In this stance, Midas could no longer attack, and his defense was significantly lowered, leaving him vulnerable. However, his stamina would slowly regenerate back to full over a brief period of five seconds. Raizo kept his distance, circling, waiting for the opportune moment.

Raizo's voice crackled again. "His defense is down, but remember, he's still dangerous. Don't get too overconfident. This is our chance, but we need to make it count."

Shinra could almost feel the weight of the moment as he kept a close watch on Midas's vitals.

- **Health**: 100%

- **Stamina**: 0

- **Mana**: 100%

- **Burst Technique Bar**: 20

- **Level**: 20

Midas remained kneeling, awaiting the return of his stamina. Raizo took a deep breath and prepared himself. It was now or never.

Raizo's eyes locked onto Midas as the golden AI continued to kneel, his stamina slowly recovering. Raizo gritted his teeth, knowing that the window for an attack was small. He charged forward, his movements swift, his legs pumping as he ran toward Midas, all the while throwing a barrage of shuriken.

"Every hit counts," Raizo muttered to himself as the shuriken flew through the air, slicing through the dust and smoke. With each impact, the burst technique bar began to fill, inching closer to full.

"Shinra, use the katana data chip!" Raizo shouted over his shoulder.

Back at the podium, Shinra's fingers flew over the interface. His heart raced as he swiftly tapped the katana data chip. The chip digitized in Raizo's hand, materializing into the form of a sleek blade. Raizo gripped it tightly as he prepared to close the gap.

Shinra quickly checked the vitals on the screen, seeing Midas's stamina at 50%.

"Hurry, Raizo!" Shinra urged. "He's getting back up!"

Raizo didn't hesitate. He gave a powerful push off the ground, dashing toward Midas, his katana gleaming under the virtual sky. Midas was still kneeling in his depleted stance, but Raizo knew that moment wouldn't last. He had to act fast.

As he closed in, Raizo's burst technique bar hit 80%. His pulse quickened. This was the moment.

"Time to end this!" Raizo roared.

With a sharp breath, he launched himself at Midas, unleashing a flurry of slashes. The katana moved like a blur, each slash leaving behind a flash of light in the air. Midas's stamina was now at 75%, but Raizo didn't slow down. The goal was clear—hit 100% on the burst technique bar.

Shinra watched the numbers on the screen. Midas's stamina was rising faster than expected, now at 90%, but it was too late. Raizo's burst technique was already at its peak.

100%.

Raizo's body pulsed with energy. In a flash, he disappeared, leaving only afterimages of himself dancing around Midas. The Shadow Dance technique was activated. Raizo moved with the speed of a shadow, his figure flickering in every direction, flashing around Midas, each strike a blur of intense slashes that left marks in the air.

Midas, still kneeling, struggled to react to the overwhelming speed and precision of Raizo's strikes. His stamina was almost completely replenished, but the drain from his defense-heavy style had taken a toll. Midas's health, usually unaffected by most attacks, was now visibly lower, nearing 50%.

The Shadow Dance continued to barrage him—Raizo's blade slicing through the air with relentless speed, each strike harder than the last, until Midas's defense faltered.

Finally, as Raizo's final slash connected, his blade cut cleanly across Midas's neck.

In the digital world, there was no blood, just the sharp flash of Raizo's blade. The AI's form flickered for a moment, as if hesitating, before it slowly collapsed, its body shimmering and distorting like data corrupted by the final blow.

Midas was defeated.

Raizo stood, breathing heavily, his katana still poised in the air. His burst technique had completely drained, but he had done it. Midas had fallen.