The arena was silent.
Both warriors stood—broken, battered, but unyielding. Zane's breath came in ragged gasps, his armor flickering wildly as if barely holding together. Across from him, Xander's glow had dimmed, but in his eyes burned a sharp, unrelenting light.
They launched again, meeting in the center with a furious shockwave that sent debris flying. Their blades collided, locked, shadows and light sizzling as they struggled for dominance.
"You're strong," Xander growled, sweat trailing down his face. "But you're not the only one who's been chosen."
Suddenly, golden glyphs lit up on his arms—a divine seal awakening.
His body ignited in radiant flame, transforming into a celestial form—his blade a sun-forged weapon, his wings of light spreading wide like a divine being. The crowd gasped, shielding their eyes.
Zane's system flared.
> Warning: Opponent entering Transcendence Mode. Recommend immediate escalation.
Void Mirror Activated.
Shadow surged violently from Zane's chest. His armor shattered—only to reform, sharper, darker, laced with ashen grey streaks. His wings extended fully, absorbing ambient light and snuffing it out. Even his eyes glowed silver-gray—he had copied Xander's divine state.
But with a Void twist.
"Eclipse Armor: Activated."
The sky darkened unnaturally. Day twisted into dusk.
Zane's voice was calm but cold. "You burn like the sun. But even suns get swallowed by the Void."
Xander didn't flinch. "Then come. Let's see which light lasts longer."
They clashed again—only this time, the heavens trembled.
Zane weaved through light beams, every strike faster than the last. His Void-enhanced intelligence allowed him to read Xander's moves in real time, dodging just before impact and striking with deadly precision.
Xander retaliated with blinding light slashes, each carrying the force of a meteor, but Zane's Eclipse Armor absorbed a portion of the energy, releasing it back in devastating bursts.
The arena's barrier started to rupture.
Above it all, the crowd was speechless. Professors stood, some preparing to step in—but others held them back.
Suddenly, Zane ducked low and stabbed the ground.
Shadow exploded upward, forming dozens of arms that grabbed Xander mid-flight.
Xander roared, bursting forth in a solar nova, breaking the binds, and met Zane mid-air.
Both blades connected one last time.
Light and shadow spiraled together, shooting into the sky in a colossal beam.
Both combatants dropped from the sky. Dust rose.
And only one was still moving.