Becca 2

Becca's eyes widened, a shock running through her body at his sudden proximity. His mana felt different now—more focused, more potent, like a predator that had fully revealed its fangs.

"What?" she managed to say, instinctively taking a defensive stance. The crowd's noise seemed to fade away as tension filled the air between them.

He stepped back, his unsettling smile never leaving his face. "I want a good fight. Don't hold back."

The announcer, who had barely registered his movement, cleared his throat. "F-fighters ready! Begin!"

Becca didn't wait. She immediately unleashed a wave of red fire mana, the flames roaring toward him in a wide arc. The heat was intense enough to make the front row spectators lean back in their seats.

He stood his ground, mana forming a barrier around him. When the flames hit, they parted around him like water around a stone. Some of the fire splashed back toward Becca, who dispersed it with a casual wave of her hand.