The arena buzzed with a crackling tension. The crowd had barely recovered from the last match when the announcer's voice echoed again, amplified through the booming speakers.
"Next up in our top four bracket… a crowd favorite from the wastelands of Kraz'ak! The undefeated brute! The lizard with lightning reflexes—KORRAN THE RIPPER!"
The crowd exploded into cheers, stomping their feet, scales, hooves, and claws against the arena floor.
Dozens of fans waved glowing banners lit by aether trails. Some banged metal cups together, chanting Korran's name with fervor.
"And facing him…"
The announcer paused, letting the tension hang for dramatic effect.
"...a newcomer to Verizon's stage. A humanoid hybrid… masked, unknown, and already surrounded by controversy… NOVA!"
The reaction came fast. Boos thundered from every corner, mixed with scattered cheers.
A handful of watchers who had witnessed Nova's earlier match raised fists in support, but they were drowned out by the jeering majority.
"He used an aether gun!"
"Coward's weapon!"
"Let's see him fight fair now!"
Others leaned forward, more intrigued than angry.
The announcer tried to shout over the mixed reactions.
"Ladies and gentlemen, make your bets—because this match might rewrite what you thought you knew about 'humanoid' limits!"
The gates opened. Nova stepped out.
Nova stood across the lizardman, his stance calm, eyes locked.
The lizardman's muscles rippled beneath his scaled skin as he adjusted the grip on his spear, his sharp teeth curling into a grin.
"Well, I'll be."
The lizardman said, tilting his head.
"Didn't expect a humanoid to crawl this far. Two of you, no less. That's a new record."
Nova didn't respond. His gaze remained steady, arms relaxed at his side.
"But this is your stop. There's no path past me."
The lizardman continued, rolling his neck.
"You talk too much."
Nova said flatly.
Instead of anger, the lizardman burst into a deep laugh.
"Big words for someone who'll be on the ground in seconds. Alright then—"
Without warning, the lizardman surged forward, spear leading the charge. He moved with surprising speed, his heavy frame barely slowing him down.
Nova's hand snapped up, catching the momentum with his own spear. The clash echoed through the arena, metal scraping against metal, sparks flying.
Nova was pushed back a step. The lizardman's strength was undeniable—but Nova wasn't phased.
Strike after strike rained down. The lizardman advanced, fast and relentless, his spear sweeping wide to knock Nova off balance.
But Nova moved with precision, slipping just out of reach, angling his blade to deflect, not block.
The audience roared.
Realizing brute strength wasn't enough, the lizardman jumped back and gathered aether around his spear. Fire bloomed from the weapon, wrapping around the shaft in a fiery spiral.
"Let's see how long that smirk lasts!"
He growled.
He charged again, swinging the burning spear in a deadly arc. Nova raised his own spear to meet it—and the wood of his weapon instantly ignited.
The heat burst upward, devouring the shaft in a matter of seconds. Nova dropped the burning remnants, his now-useless weapon reduced to ash.
"Not using an aether weapon? That was foolish."
The lizardman sneered.
Nova didn't answer. He took a step back, raising his empty hands.
The lizardman lunged again, and this time Nova ducked under the spear, rolled to the side, and struck with his fist.
The punch landed against the lizardman's ribs with a thud, not enough to damage—but enough to rattle.
Nova's next strike came faster. He jabbed into the gap beneath the lizardman's lifted arm, then ducked behind the larger man's back, forcing him to twist awkwardly to defend.
The crowd watched in disbelief.
Even without a weapon, Nova was holding his ground. More than that—he was dictating the flow of the fight.
The lizardman roared and spun his spear in a wide circle, flames expanding out.
Nova leapt back, narrowly avoiding the wave, and reached into the ground to grab the handle of a fallen short blade. It was chipped, worn—but serviceable.
He rushed forward again.
This time, Nova didn't aim for a kill. He darted in and out of the lizardman's range, cutting shallow wounds—on the arm, the thigh, the side—each one making the larger warrior move slower, heavier.
Still, the lizardman didn't yield. He slammed his spear down, cracking the arena floor. "Stop dancing around and fight me head on!"
Nova feinted left, then right, then slid beneath the sweeping spear and drove his short blade into the back of the lizardman's knee.
The warrior dropped with a cry, landing on one knee.
Nova stood over him, blade poised, unwavering.
The flames on the lizardman's spear flickered and died.
The arena was silent for a moment—so silent it felt like the entire city had lost its breath. Then came the chaos.
Shouts and murmurs erupted in waves from the crowd, a mixture of disbelief, awe, and confusion. Spectators leaned over railings and pressed against barriers as if proximity could make the outcome make more sense.
"Did that really just happen?"
"He was using an aether weapon! How did the lizardman lose?!"
"Is that humanoid even real?!"
The announcer stuttered into the microphone, his voice cracking.
"And—uh… and the winner of this second semifinal… NOVA!"
The crowd roared, a jumbled mess of boos, gasps, and a few hesitant cheers that were quickly drowned out.
The display screens across the arena replayed the last few moments again—Nova's burned weapon clattering to the side, the clean strike that followed, and the lizardman crashing to the ground, clutching his chest in pain.
Korran, still on one knee, blinked several times before he slowly turned to Nova, panting heavily.
"…I don't get it. I was stronger… I had reach… I had aether. So how…?"
He said hoarsely.
Nova exhaled, the faintest trace of annoyance in his eyes.
"You lost because you were weak."
The words were sharp, but not cruel. They held no mockery—only fact.
Korran stared at him for a second, stunned. Then… he laughed.
A deep, guttural laugh that echoed across the broken silence.
"Hah! Damn, I didn't expect you to say that. You're as blunt as your sword was."
Korran grinned, blood dripping from his lip.
He got back to his feet with effort, brushing off the dust and burnt edges from his armor.
"I'll admit it. I underestimated you. I thought you were just some lucky freak with an ego."
He pointed a clawed finger at Nova.
"But next time… I won't hold back. I'll get stronger, and I'll come for that win."
Nova didn't respond. He didn't need to.
He simply turned and walked off the battlefield as the announcer's voice rang out again, preparing for the final match.
Behind him, the cheers began to grow. Louder. Bolder.
And this time… they were for him.
Korran grunted, still smiling as he watched Nova walk away.
"Mark my words, Nova. That arrogance of yours will get you in trouble one day. But damn if it doesn't look good on you."
Up in the stands, the crowd was no longer whispering—they were shouting, pointing, arguing. Some were furious that a humanoid had bested a warrior like Korran.
Others were electrified by the upset, placing bets for the final match now with Nova's name on their tongues.
"Who is this guy?"
"No aether weapon, and he still won?"
"Champion Stelle's gonna love this."
Nova didn't glance back. He didn't have to.
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