As they swing their swords, their Sword slash strikes launch towards each other. Those blue and and white colored energy waves ran to face each other. Then within a second they collide together which releases out a powerful wave that shocked everyone spine to the last bit.
That wave released from the collision caused even Mayra and Sohika to be imbalanced. But Mayra was able to stabilize herself, as she changed some hand mudras, and recited a mantra. Then she lifted up her sword towards Sohika. A blue-colored water energy beam of light was emitted by her sword.
It was the water beam technique of low-level type 4. As Sohika too was imbalanced, she was a little late to maintain her posture again. But until she did that the beam of light approached her. That beam struck her making to be pushed backward. The impact caused her to fall down on the floor and until she could compose herself again, she felt something cold on her neck. It was a sword pointed at her neck held by Mayra.
"Now accept your defeat."
Sohika stares at Mayra, "You are better than next time."
Sohika stands up and walks out of the arena, taking her seat near her brother.
"I will settle the score next time", Said Sohika while walking back to her seat.
Mayra just stood there without replying. Although the battle lasted for a few minutes but just this battle was the most intense for anyone.
"So, the winner of this round is Mayra!", the Guardian announced.
Mayra and Sohika always had a competition going on between them. Last year in the same tournament Sohika was defeated by Mayra, and she said she would never stop challenging Mayra until she wins. Mayra walks out of the arena and goes back to her seat. Rudra was very happy about his sister's victory.
"I am amazed why anyone isn't challenging me?", Rudra said as he looked towards Jahnvi who held his arm very tightly.
Janvhi looked towards him, but before she could have said anything Vedna suggests, "Maybe, people are feared because of what you did with Mihidh, guess you will have to challenge someone yourself."
"You are right! But where Mayra!", Rudra inquired.
"when I ran to her to support her to walk here back to us, the maids came and took her to the masnion to treat her injuries."
"Hmm, fine then, maybe I have found my rival, Sister Vedna, tell Mayra that how i fought, if she doesn't believe me.", Vedna just nodded at Rudra's words, she hadn't seem Rudra being this serious ever before.
"All the best.", Jahnvi encourages Rudra.
While Rudra just simply walked to the arena, and all those bullies and teasers had a chill run down their spines. He stood there calmly and stared towards Sohajan who feeling Rudra's eyes on him felt his blood rushing.
"Sohajan, I challenge you to a duel, do you have the courage to fight me!"
Sohajan smiled upon this and ran to the arena, "I, Sohajan, 16 years old, am willing to accept your challenge."
Both of them then took their fighting stances. The mage guardian then waited for a few moments until he instructed both of the young boys to begin their battle. Even after being allowed to attack both Rudra and Sohajan stood still at their places, without even moving an inch.
"I think you should attack first!", Rudra said.
"No, this time I give you the chance to strike first."
"Fine as you wish.", Rudra said as he stepped ahead and delivered his punch. But before his punch could go any closer to Sohajan, Sohajan stepped aside and avoided that strike. But Rudra had already expected this action. He knew something like this would happen he was the first to attack.
It is simple that the one who strikes first, is the first one to let their guard off too. Therefore he was always ready within that period. Sohajan stepping aside, used his hand to strike at Rudra's neck. But Rudra who was keenly paying attention to his surroundings lifted his arm up to receive that strike on his arm instead of his vital neck.
He save his neck through blocking that arm. Rudra then swiftly moved his hand. Pushing Sohajan's hand aside he grabbed his arm, and within a moment delivered a punch to Sohajan's waist. Now Sohajan was badly exposed to his opponent. He would get a lot of damage by that hit, and even if he blocked that punch then Rudra would twist his other hand.
But then there was a change, Sohajan moved his hand and grabbed Rudra's fist, stopping it at its place. Seeing this as Rudra was about to Twist his other hand, to free his fist from Sohajan's grab, Sohajan, suddenly, pulled both of his arms, and due to Rudra's hands were locked with his hands.
That pill caused Rudra to be pulled together as well. With this action Rudra had already figured out that Sohajan was planning to deliver a fatal blow either on his chest or abdomen, through a kick. But Rudra didn't stop himself from being pulled away, Rudra decided to reverse Sohajan's technique on him.
After being pulled when he got enough closer to Sohajan, he noticed that Sohajan was about to raise his leg to deliver a kick. But he was ready for such a thing, Rudra within a short distance to do a faster strike than Sohajan, raised his knee, and delivered it on Sohajan's stomach using the momentum of being pulled away.
As he used his momentum, the force and power implied by his knee also increased. As his knee hit Sohajan's stomach, its impact was very dangerous. It caused Sohajan to bend over a little. But as Sohajan, had already lifted up one of his legs, he was imbalanced a little.
But he managed to stabilize himself a little. Still to make things worse Rudra was there. He kicked Sohajan's other leg, causing him to misbalance and drop straight down on the stone floor. Rudra then suddenly stepped back to make a little distance to have a better defense.
All of this that had happened now was very quick in close-quarter combat and a better experience for him too. Until then, Sohajan was also able to lift himself up. Sohajan then rushed towards Rudra and simply launched his fist. But Rudra grabbed that fist, stopping it in the midst of its trajectory.
Taking advantage of the situation, Sohajan delivered another punch in Rudra's chest. Which blew off against Rudra's chest with lots of power, causing Rudra to stagger back a few steps. Sohajan had delivered the first punch for distraction, and he succeeded.
Rudra on the counter swung his hand to hit Sohajan's shoulder but Sohajan dodged it with a swift move to the side. Sohajan then took the chance as he countered with a flurry of rapid strikes towards Rudra's exposed flank.
Rudra showing his agility and skill, evaded Sohajan's blows with graceful movement, his focus seemed unwavering. Rudra and Sohajan both seemed relentless in their pursuit of victory in that battle. Their eyes were filled with determination to keep fighting.
Rudra finally succeeded in landing a powerful blow against Sohajan's chest after dodging his rapid strikes, causing Sohajan to stagger backward momentarily. However, it couldn't stop Sohajan, regaining his composure he retaliated with a swift but powerful kick.
Rudra was able to avoid that kick narrowly by jumping backward. The crowd erupted into cheers as they saw the battle between Rudra and Sohajan. The Rudra who wasn't even able to beat an edge beginner was now on a par with Sohajan in the battle.
Everyone was gossiping about Rudra his powers, skill, how weak he was, and how did he get so powerful in a short time? Most tense and nervous were those who had not left a single way to dump their rage on Rudra within the one year, they couldn't even imagine what will happen to them after watching Rudra fight like this. But Sohajan too was one of their topics, that how he was a genius and reached the fourth stage of practitioner level and how he gave a fair battle to Rudra.
Sohajan, then sprang towards Rudra as he let out a swift punch aiming towards Rudra's midsection. But Rudra, with his precise movement, grabbed that fist. Then Rudra with his elbow landed a fatal blow on Sohajan's arm, causing him to feel an immense pain surge out of that area.
Rudra then following that strike moved his elbow with an amazing speed aiming towards Sohajan's chest. That elbow strike on Sohajan's chest proved to be effective as he fell to his knees. But within a second he regained his composure and punched towards Rudra's stomach.
That strike was quite fast, and Rudra without any time to realize was hit in his stomach. Rudra took a few steps back to stabilize himself.
Sohajan taking the chance that he had made, stepped back as well. Sohajan began reciting a mantra as he changed his hand mudras. The whole crowd went silent as they realized that the battle was now about to enter its serious state.