Chapter 97: Awakened Tournament Crisis (3)

Luvian’s Essence exploded.

[Heir’s Pride]

His attributes surged.

The flames surrounding him became faster and more concentrated.

He shot toward Lucy.

The two collided again.

Luvian’s flame-coated fist met Lucy’s pink Essence.

Lucy was pushed backward.

She dug her feet into the ground.

Luvian followed with another strike.

Pink and crimson collided over and over.

Every impact created another explosion.

The two fighters tore across the battlefield.

They smashed through rock formations.

They destroyed elevated platforms.

They shattered reinforced walls.

One particularly violent exchange sent a shockwave into the stands, forcing the protective barriers around the spectators to flare brightly.

The crowd fell silent for half a second.

Then erupted again.

Eden remained calm.

But his eyes sharpened.

’They’re getting stronger with every exchange.’

Lucy landed another punch.

Luvian blocked with both arms.

The impact forced him backward.

He immediately answered with a massive flame dragon.

Lucy jumped.

The dragon passed beneath her.

She twisted in midair.

Luvian snapped his fingers.

The dragon exploded.

Lucy was swallowed by fire.

Luvian smiled.

"I got you!"

Pink Essence burst through the flames.

Lucy came flying out.

Her fist was already cocked back.

Luvian barely managed to raise his guard.

He was thrown backward again.

He landed on one knee.

His breathing became heavier.

His body was beginning to ache.

’Damn it.’

His eyes hardened.

’If I keep fighting like this, I’ll lose.’

There was only one thing left.

His hand trembled.

Flame Heart.

His SS-Rank skill.

He had always hated using it.

Back when he was a D-Rank, activating it felt like setting his own organs on fire.

His Essence would literally burn itself.

His body could barely withstand the transformation.

But he was a B-Rank now.

His body had evolved.

His Vitality was greater.

His Essence channels were stronger.

It would still hurt.

But he could withstand it.

At least for a little while.

Luvian slowly stood.

Lucy watched him carefully.

’He’s still not done?’

He lowered his head.

"Don’t take this personally."

His Essence ignited.

"I just don’t intend to lose."

His entire body erupted in crimson fire.

The flames grew.

Until they towered over him.

The air screamed.

A monstrous horn of flame formed above the right side of his head.

His eyes glowed through the inferno.

[Flame Heart]

The stadium went silent.

Even Eden leaned forward slightly, painful memories of facing that same skill resurfacing.

"Oh."

Sonne’s expression changed.

"He still had a trump card like that?"

Eden smiled faintly.

"Looks like it."

Luvian disappeared.

Lucy barely saw him.

A flaming fist struck her.

She was launched across the battlefield.

Before she could recover, Luvian was already there.

Another strike.

Lucy was driven into the ground.

The entire area beneath her cratered.

Luvian’s flames swallowed the crater.

Lucy rolled away just before another explosion consumed the spot where her head had been.

She stood.

Her breathing was heavier now.

Luvian’s crimson flames burned around her.

His attacks were stronger.

Faster.

And, more importantly—

They were burning through her Essence.

Lucy looked at him.

’He’s stronger than me right now.’

She hated admitting it.

But it was true.

Her fingers tightened.

She could probably end this much faster if she revealed her entire hand too.

But then she thought of Eden.

’No.’

’Not yet.’

She wanted to save best for last.

If she revealed everything before reaching him, she would be showing him all her cards.

She didn’t want that.

Lucy smiled.

"...Fine."

She raised her hand.

"Let’s just go one step higher."

Her pink Essence surged.

Luvian’s eyes widened.

’...!’

"No way..."

Lucy grinned.

[Essence Accelerator]

The aura around her became violently dense.

[V4]

The battlefield shook.

Her Essence output multiplied again.

Four times this time.

The pink energy around Lucy erupted outward like a tidal wave.

Luvian’s flames were pushed back.

His eyes widened.

"What?!"

Lucy vanished from his sight.

Luvian barely raised his arms.

The explosion sent him flying.

He crashed through one of the remaining arena structures.

Before he could recover, Lucy was already there.

Every strike was followed by an explosion four times as devastating as usual.

Luvian’s body was thrown through the air.

He managed to stabilize himself with a burst of fire.

Lucy was ready waiting, though.

She drove her fist forward.

The shockwave ripped across the arena.

Luvian’s flames struggled against it.

For the first time, his fire was being overwhelmed.

"No...!"

He gritted his teeth.

His Flame Heart burned brighter.

Lucy pushed harder.

The two forces collided.

Crimson and pink.

Fire and Essence.

Destruction against destruction.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Lucy’s pink Essence began slowly pushing forward.

Luvian’s eyes widened.

’She’s stronger.’

His arms trembled.

’She’s actually stronger than me?!’

He tried to force more Essence into Flame Heart.

His body screamed.

Blood trickled from his nose.

His muscles burned.

But Lucy kept advancing.

"I..."

Luvian’s voice shook.

"...won’t..."

His flames roared.

"LOSE!"

He unleashed everything.

The entire battlefield erupted.

A gigantic crimson wave swept toward Lucy.

She stood her ground.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Me neither."

Lucy pulled her arm back.

Pink Essence gathered around her fist.

[Quick Charge]

She poured an enormous amount of Essence into Quick Charge.

The skill screamed around her arm.

Luvian’s eyes widened.

"You—!"

She disappeared.

The first explosion struck him.

The second followed instantly.

The third, fourth and fifth detonated all at once.

Lucy brought her fist forward.

All five explosions detonated nearly simultaneously.

The battlefield disappeared beneath a mountain of pink light.

A colossal shockwave swept outward.

The ground ruptured.

Stone was launched hundreds of meters into the sky.

The remaining flames were extinguished.

The protective barriers surrounding the stadium screamed under the pressure.

For several seconds, there was nothing but smoke.

Then silence.

Slowly, the dust began to settle.

Luvian lay unconscious in the center of a massive crater.

His flames had vanished.

His body was battered.

But he was alive.

Lucy stood several dozen meters away.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Her arms trembled.

She was exhausted.

But she was standing.

The announcer stared at the battlefield for several seconds before remembering that he was supposed to speak.

His voice finally rang through the stadium.

"LUVIAN IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE!"

The crowd erupted.

"THE WINNER IS—"

Lucy looked toward the participant area.

Toward Eden.

A tired smile appeared on her face.

Eden returned her a proud smile.

Their eyes met.

Neither said a word.

They didn’t need to.

The message was obvious.

"If we meet later..."

"I’m coming for you."

The announcer raised his arm.

"LUCY!"

The stadium exploded with cheers.

Lucy quietly exhaled.

She had won.

But more importantly, she hadn’t shown everything yet.

Not even close.

Eden watched her from across the arena as Lucy turned away from him and began walking toward the exit.