Heal And Curse

Celia, a kind yet brave teenage girl, steps onto the battlefield for the second day of the tournament after securing victory on the first.

The sun beats down on the arena, the heat weighing heavily on the fighters, beads of sweat forming on their skin.

The announcer's voice echoes across the stadium:

"Next match! Celia Hui versus Hull Culrizy! The Plant Mana user against the Curse Mana user!"

A clash between life and decay is about to begin.

Celia Hui moves forward at a steady pace before suddenly dashing, gliding through the air on green vines that lift her toward Hull.

Hull stands his ground with unwavering confidence. As the vines reach him, he calmly extends his hand, his touch spreading a dark curse that withers them on contact.

The Cursed Roots of Battle

As Celia's vines withered away under Hull's curse, she swiftly leaped backward, landing gracefully on a bed of sprouting leaves. She narrowed her eyes at Hull, who smirked, his hands pulsing with eerie black energy.

"You can grow a forest," Hull taunted, "but everything rots in the end."

Celia clenched her fists, determination burning in her emerald eyes. She extended her arms, and the arena trembled as thick roots burst from the ground, twisting and curling toward Hull. They moved like serpents, aiming to bind him in place.

Hull simply chuckled. "Decay."

The moment his mana touched the roots, they blackened and crumbled into dust. However, before he could advance, Celia had already weaved another spell. Bright green petals swirled around her, and with a flick of her wrist, they shot forward like razor-sharp blades.

Hull dodged effortlessly, but one petal grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow cut. His smirk vanished.

"You got me," he muttered.

Celia didn't respond. Instead, she stomped the ground, causing thick vines to explode upward beneath Hull. This time, she infused them with reinforcement mana, making them resistant to decay. The vines wrapped around his arms and legs, constricting him.

Hull's body tensed. For the first time, he looked annoyed. "Tch... not bad."

Dark energy flared around him. A pulse of cursed mana spread outward, and the vines hissed as they decayed, loosening their grip. With a burst of strength, Hull shattered his restraints and lunged forward, his hand glowing with deep purple energy.

Celia barely had time to react before Hull's palm pressed against her shoulder.

"Curse Seal."

A black mark burned into her skin, spreading like cracked ink. Pain surged through her body, making her stagger. Her legs felt weak, and the world blurred for a moment.

Hull grinned. "You'll slow down now. The more you move, the faster the curse spreads."

Celia gritted her teeth. She could feel the curse eating away at her stamina, but she refused to give in. Taking a deep breath, she placed a hand over the mark. Her vines glowed with golden light as she channeled healing mana into herself, fighting back against the corruption.

Hull raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You think you can purify it?"

Celia didn't answer with words. Instead, she pressed both hands to the ground. A massive flower bloomed beneath her, releasing a golden pollen that spread throughout the arena. The moment Hull inhaled it, his body stiffened.

"What—?"

His movements slowed. His cursed mana flickered. Celia had reversed his technique.

"This pollen saps away negative energy," she said firmly. "Your decay won't spread anymore."

Hull cursed under his breath. He tried to move, but Celia wasn't done. She clenched her fists, and thick vines erupted from all sides, wrapping around his body once more.

With one final push, Celia spun her arms, and the vines lifted Hull into the air before slamming him down into the ground with tremendous force.

The dust settled.

Hull groaned, unable to move. The curse on Celia faded.

The referee announced. "Winner—Celia Hui!"

The crowd erupted into cheers. Celia sighed, relieved, before offering Hull a hand. He stared at it for a moment before scoffing.

"You're tough," he admitted, accepting her help. "Guess plants aren't so weak after all."

Celia smiled. "And curses aren't unbeatable."

As she walked off the stage, she looked up at the sky. Another battle won—but the tournament was far from over.