Ziraiah looked her brother up and down with an approving smirk.
“Look at you, Val. You’ve put on so much muscle. Eryndor went to a hundred gyms, but none could help him like that.”
Valerius cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Eryndor.
“He’s bulked up too. How’d he do it then?”
Ziraiah folded her arms, mock-serious.
“He fought the Augmenters at school. But after about a year, none of them could give his muscles strain… so he asked Pungence for help.”
At that, Eliana’s ears perked, her voice sharp.
“Pungence? You know Pungence?”
Ziraiah turned to her with curiosity. “Yeah… you know him too?”
Eliana nodded, surprised. “Yes.”
Before the conversation could go deeper, Isabela and Juvian approached.
“So that’s him, huh?” Isabela said with a smile, eyeing Valerius. “You really do look alike.”
Valerius turned to Ziraiah, blinking. “And… who are they?”
“Come on,” Ziraiah said, taking his hand and pulling him forward. “I’ll introduce you.”
She led him to them. “Juvian, Isabela—this is Val. The brother I told you about.”
Juvian sized him up, lips curling. “Damn, Ziraiah. All of you in your family are so…”
Valerius finished for him with a smirk. “Irresistibly gorgeous? We know.”
Juvian chuckled, extending his hand. “Val, I’m Juvian.”
Valerius shook it firmly. “Please. Call me Lerius.”
Juvian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he felt the handshake. No mana, he thought. How did he make it here?
Valerius turned to Isabela next, shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, you too,” Isabela replied warmly.
Ziraiah tilted her head, noticing something. “What happened to your hair? It’s a lot more green now.”
Valerius ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. The color just started spreading.”
Her voice softened. “Seriously, Val… where have you been?”
Valerius folded his arms. “I was in the Bad Lands.”
Ziraiah frowned. “Bad Lands? Where is that?”
Valerius gestured for her to lean in, lowering his voice to a whisper.
“It’s another realm.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re joking.”
Valerius chuckled. “Yeah. It’s just… very far away.”
Ziraiah huffed. “Yelleen couldn’t even locate you.”
Valerius nodded. “I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”
He then turned his gaze toward Eryndor. He could feel it—the invisible mana rolling off his brother like waves. He smirked.
“Looks like you two learned magic, huh?”
Ziraiah grinned. “It’s really cool.”
Then she squinted at him. “Wait… how could you tell? You can’t even use mana.”
Valerius tilted his head, half-grinning. “I have my ways.”
Eryndor, ever discerning, spoke with his customary composure. “I, too, am intrigued, Valerius. By what means did you arrive at that knowledge?”
Valerius met his brother’s gaze, deadpan. “And what makes you think I can’t use magic?”
Eryndor’s expression sharpened slightly. “Because... I am certain you cannot.”
Ziraiah quickly interjected, “Don’t worry, Val. I’ll teach you.”
Eliana, silently watching, thought to herself: She’s right. He doesn’t have mana. Then how… how did he do all those things? Was it pure physical strength?
---
Before anyone could say more, Balling’s voice erupted across the island like a one-man rock concert — but this time, it was wild, booming, full of his usual chaos.
“HELLOOO, MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FIGHTERS!” he roared. “I know, I know — you’re thinking, ‘Ooooh, why does Balling suddenly sound so fabulous again?’ WELL! It is because one minute ago, someone gave me mediciiiine, and now I feel like a brand new man! No more bleh— only YEAH! You onow before, I tried to give it my all to sound like my old self— but i juat wasn't feeling it.”
He coughed, then threw his arms wide — or at least, it sounded like he did.
“SO! PHASE TWOOOO — THE DOMAAAIIIIN DUELS!”
The ground rumbled beneath them as golden glyphs swirled in the air.
> “WELCOME TO PHASE TWO — THE DOMAAAIIIIN DUELS!” Balling sang the last two words like he was headlining a festival. “Oh yes, baby, this is where it gets spicy! One-on-one battles in my beautiful, hand-crafted arenas of doom!”
He clapped his hands (probably — somehow you could hear it).
> “We’ve got gravity zones, lava rings, misty mystery valleys, frozen frosty forests, and SHOCKY-ZAPPY LIGHTNING LANDS!” His tone jumped with each word like he was announcing rides at an amusement park. “Pick your favorite, or don’t, because you don’t get to choose! Hah!”
He giggled.
> “Now, here’s the fun part — the arenas are ALIVE. OoOoOo!” He made a spooky noise. “They will react to your fear… or your POWER. So, try not to cry too loudly, hmm?”
Then his voice suddenly dropped into a dramatic, fake-serious tone:
> “WINNERS MOVE FORWARD! Losers?” He laughed. “Oh-ho-hooo, don’t worry, my darlings, you get a LOVELY second chance in the TRIAL OF REDEMPTION! … Optional. Deadly. Probably very painful. But optional!”
The ground began to rumble as compartments opened.
> “AND NOW… DRUMROLL PLEASE! Balls! Yes, BALLS WITH NUMBERS! They are popping out of the ground — catch them, kiss them, name them Gerald if you want, I don’t care!”
Golden-black spheres rolled out by the thousands.
> “Your ball is your destiny! The number on it is your opponent! Find them… and make some magic, or… you know… murder. Preferably in that order!”
The paved ground beneath their feet rumbled. Thousands of small compartments opened with a hiss.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.
From the holes, glowing black-and-gold spheres emerged, rolling across the stone like living things.
Valerius didn’t hesitate—he crouched and plucked one from the ground. The number on it glowed faintly: 1678.
Ziraiah extended her hand, and a ball floated neatly into her palm: 1775.
One by one, everyone picked theirs.
Eryndor’s ball read: 1690.
Kaelan: 1900.
Eliana: 1886.
Elsa: 1732.
Maloi: 1661.
Juvian: 1699.
Isabela: 1700.
Valtos: 1666.
Balling’s voice roared again, practically shaking the sky:
> “OOOH YES, MY LITTLE MURDEROUS MUFFINS! There are TWO of each number — find your matching darling and FIGHT for your survival! Welcome, welcome, WEEEELCOME… TO PHASE TWOOOOOO!”
The air felt electric. This wasn’t just the next phase.
This was the first blood.
---
The break period ended.
Balling’s voice came back, louder, wilder, and just a little unhinged:
> “CHALLENGERS! THE WAIIIIT IS OVAHHH!”
He let the silence drag for a few beats. You could almost hear him grinning.
> “Now… FOLLOW YOUR BALLS — yes, yes, the glowy ones at your feet — see what I did there? YOUR BALLS?”
He burst into loud, obnoxious laughter.
> “Ahhh, I kill me sometimes! Anyway — they will guide you to your lovely little arenas! And there… you will EARN. YOUR. PLACE!”
He paused. Then added, in a sing-song voice:
> “Or you know… die horribly. But eh, that’s the fun of it, no?”
Valerius glanced at his siblings, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Well… good luck. Don’t lose to anyone.”
Ziraiah snorted. “We’ll kick ass.”
Eryndor sighed, dry as ever. “As vulgar as always.”
Valerius extended his fist. Without a word, Ziraiah and Eryndor bumped theirs against his. A quiet, unspoken vow passed between them.
“See you in the next phase,” Valerius said.
Then—just like that—they separated, each following the pull of their numbered orbs.
---
The Arenas
After an hour, the challengers were dispersed across the Crucible’s living arenas.
Valerius, Valtos, and Ziraiah stood within the Lava Zone — a blistering hellscape of molten rivers and obsidian crags, heatwaves dancing in the air.
Eliana found herself in the Wind-Torn Plains, an arena carved into cyclonic valleys and jagged stones.
Kaelan descended into the Mist Valley, where visibility was nearly zero, and shadows moved like predators.
Elsa entered the Lightning Lands, where storms raged without end and the air itself sparked with killing intent.
Maloi, Isabela, Juvian were scattered into different zones — each a battlefield designed to break them.
Each arena was a kilometer in diameter. No escape. No mercy.
---
Eliana vs Grufus
In the Wind-Torn Plains, Eliana’s ball guided her to the center of the arena, where her opponent waited.
He stood tall — 11’5, broad-shouldered, his long white hair whipping in the howling wind. His golden irises glimmered with predatory calm, set against the pitch-black of his sclera.
A Valphraxsis.
He cracked his knuckles and spoke with a voice like grinding stone.
“Little elf… give up now. I’ll be merciful. Your journey ends here.”
Eliana’s face betrayed nothing. Her voice was calm. “We’ll see.”
She whispered the words under her breath:
“Muscle Augmentation. Accelerated Perception. Indomitable Defense.”
A faint green glow spread across her veins, her hair flowing unnaturally as her senses sharpened.
Grufus tilted his head. “Hmph. Combat Mage… no, you fight like an Augmenter.”
She thought quickly. So he’s an Enhancer… great.
The countdown echoed across the arena.
10… 9… 8…
She closed her eyes for a moment. Don’t be scared, Eliana. He’s just an Enhancer. You can do this.
3… 2… 1…
Zero.
---
First Clash
The ground shattered as Grufus launched himself forward — a blur of muscle and speed that belied his massive frame. He closed the gap instantly, fist swinging with the weight of a boulder.
Eliana thrust her palm out.
A translucent barrier materialized.
BOOOOOOM.
The impact sent shockwaves ripping through the arena, spiderwebbing cracks across the stone floor.
She didn’t hesitate — her right arm bloomed with thick green vines, forming a massive golem-like fist that shot forward like a battering ram.
WHAM.
The vine-fist smashed into Grufus’s chest, hurling him backward.
He grunted, twisting in midair, landing in a crouch. Before he could recover—
Eliana’s shadow eclipsed him.
BOOM.
She came down like a meteor, both feet slamming into his torso, cratering the ground beneath them.
Grufus roared, punching upward with brute force. His fist collided with her side.
CRACK.
Pain screamed through her ribs as she was sent flying, bouncing across the ground like a ragdoll.
---
The Brawl
She coughed, blood staining her lips.
Grufus didn’t let up. He blurred forward — his massive form unnervingly fast — appearing in her path and slamming her back into the ground.
“AGH!” she screamed as her spine rattled.
The man loomed over her. “You’re strong. But not strong enough.”
Her vines shot from her palms, wrapping around his ankles — but he ripped through them with raw strength.
Eliana gritted her teeth, conjuring a vine-whip, long and barbed. She lashed at him relentlessly, each strike whistling with lethal intent.
Grufus dodged — barely — until one strike kissed his back.
SLAAASH.
“AAAGH!”
He flipped in the air, landing on his feet, touching the wound. Blood. His golden eyes burned with respect — and rage.
“You… are no ordinary elf,” he muttered.
---
Second Wind
They circled each other slowly, the wind cutting like blades around them.
He smiled for the first time. “You’re powerful. What is your name?”
Eliana raised her whip, her voice cold. “Eliana.”
“Grufus,” he replied.
Then, his tone sharpened. “Tell me, Eliana… have you encountered my kind before?”
She didn’t flinch. “Maybe.”
That was enough.
He lunged. She lashed.
The whip cracked across his forearms as he blocked, and with his free hand, he grabbed the whip mid-swing.
His teeth bared in a grin. “This world is too dangerous for a girl like you. Go back to your daddy.”
He yanked her forward with inhuman strength — and drove his fist across her face.
CRUNCH.
Eliana screamed as blood exploded from her mouth and nose. She was flung across the arena, body skidding and carving trenches in the stone.
---
The Counter
She groaned, forcing herself to her knees. Her body screamed in protest.
Grufus walked toward her slowly, confidently.
“You put up a fight,” he said. “But it’s over.”
Eliana spat blood, smiling faintly. “You let your guard down.”
His eyes widened.
CRAAAACK.
Vines erupted from the ground, thicker than tree trunks, wrapping around his legs and torso.
“What—?!”
A 30-meter vine slammed out of the ground, coiling around him like a serpent.
BOOM.
The vine whipped him into the ground.
BOOM.
Then again.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The crater deepened, widening with every slam, until the arena floor was fractured and bleeding.
“AGH! AAAAGH!” he roared, blood spraying as the vine hurled him into the air like a toy.
---
The Finisher
Eliana shot upward, floating above him.
Her palm glowed with compressed emerald light.
“Rose Cannon,” she whispered.
BOOOOOOM.
A massive beam of concentrated wind and mana erupted from her palm, slamming into Grufus midair and pinning him against the arena floor.
The blast roared for five whole seconds, a deafening scream of destruction.
When it ended, silence followed.
The crater was 50 meters deep, 10 meters wide.
At the bottom, Grufus lay broken, groaning through bloodied lips.
“She’s… a Combat Mage… with dual affinities?” he croaked.
Eliana landed at the crater’s edge, breathing hard. She raised her hand once more.
BOOM.
Another beam of wind shot down, burying him in pain and dust.
---
Eliana stood at the crater’s edge, chest rising and falling, vines writhing around her like serpents waiting to strike. Below, Grufus lay sprawled, broken… silent.
She blinked sweat out of her eyes. Is it over?
She exhaled. It’s over.
Then—
FWWOOSH.
Her instincts screamed—
Pain exploded through her stomach.
“GHHHK—!”
Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down.
Grufus was in front of her.
His bloodied, mangled body had somehow moved. His massive claws were buried deep into her abdomen.
Eliana couldn’t even scream. Her legs gave out.
Grufus leaned in, his face inches from hers, teeth stained crimson, golden eyes burning like dying coals.
“I told you…” he growled, his voice hoarse and feral.
“This world is too dangerous for a girl like you.”
To Be Continued…
