The crowd's roar echoed throughout the senior department's fighting ring as Zane stepped forward, his voice cutting sharply through the noise. "I challenge Number One!"
All eyes turned to the figure standing calmly at the center of the ring—tall, imposing, and utterly unshaken. His deep-set eyes glimmered with quiet confidence, and the air around him seemed heavier, almost bending with invisible force.
"I'm Kael," the man said, his voice low but steady. "Gravity Dominion. Prepare yourself."
Zane's gaze sharpened. The ground beneath them trembled faintly as Kael's presence distorted the very fabric of the arena. With a subtle gesture, debris—rocks, chunks of metal—lifted slowly, orbiting him like an ominous halo.
Zane unsheathed the Endblade, but instead of its razor-sharp edge, he gripped the blunt end. "Speed and precision," he muttered, stepping into a low stance.
Kael smirked. "Let's see if you can dodge gravity."
With a sudden downward thrust of his palm, the floating debris plummeted toward Zane like meteors. Zane's reflexes kicked in—he darted forward, weaving through the barrage, his feet barely touching the ground. He struck the ground with the blunt edge of the Endblade, sending shockwaves that disrupted the trajectory of falling rocks.
Kael's eyes narrowed as he increased the gravitational pull, making every movement heavier, every breath a challenge. Zane's muscles screamed as his body felt dragged down, but he kept moving—faster, sharper.
Zane spun, using the blunt edge to smack Kael's incoming fist away, relying on his speed to avoid full contact. His attacks were not meant to hurt but to destabilize—to confuse and tire.
Kael's gravity pulses pushed harder, pinning Zane's feet for a split second too long. The crowd gasped as Kael surged forward, aiming a crushing blow.
Zane twisted mid-air, flipping backward, and landed on his feet, breath steady. The blunt end of the Endblade swung like a bat, knocking Kael's shoulder aside. Kael stumbled—just a flicker of imbalance.
Seizing the moment, Zane's eyes glowed with Void energy. He dashed forward, a shadow blur, then slammed the blunt end of his blade into the ground. The arena seemed to shudder.
Kael barely had time to react before the ground beneath him warped, creating a temporary "Null Zone" — an area where gravity fluctuated wildly and unpredictably.
Kael was caught off-guard as his own powers betrayed him—rocks flying one moment, slipping away the next. He fought to regain control, but Zane's speed was relentless, striking not to kill, but to exhaust and distract.
With a final burst, Zane lunged forward, delivering a light but perfectly timed hit to Kael's chest. The gravity master faltered, then dropped to one knee.
Zane stood tall, catching his breath, the Endblade gleaming at his side. "I win."
Kael smiled faintly, nodding in respect. "You've got guts... You'll be a challenge to the whole department."
Zane's smirk widened. "Just wait."