The mantis's physical form converted back to pure energy.
The beast code flowed back along the bond connection to Ren's mana core. The manifestation ended cleanly without the jarring disruption that came from forced bond severance through excessive damage.
Ren felt the feedback through their connection. Some exhaustion and channels strained from excessive mana cycling.
Master Yang raised his hand to signal the result officially. "First partial victory: Team Luna!"
The audience erupted in applause and excited conversations about the exchange they had witnessed. It had been a confrontation that had oscillated between the combatants multiple times, with momentum shifting back and forth as each side revealed cards and counter-cards.
