The intense cold of the arctic arena seemed to fade into the background as Gendai and Lihanna locked eyes, their movements already tense with anticipation. The crowd, fully aware of the significance of the duel, hushed in unison as the two prepared to clash.
Lihanna cracked a grin, her voice filled with determination.
"I'll be giving it my all, Gendai. Please, don't hold back."
Gendai, her expression unwavering, nodded slowly.
"I'm not allowed to hold back. The Vandors see us differently—they're not like the others here, and that's why we're being tested this early."
Without another word, they launched into combat, their bodies becoming a blur of motion. Lihanna was the first to strike, sliding low to kick at Gendai's ankle. But Gendai, anticipating the move, dodged just in time. She tried to retaliate with a vicious stomp, but Lihanna grabbed her foot mid-air and flipped herself back onto her feet with precision.
They were back on their toes in an instant, facing each other, the tension thick between them.
Lihanna charged, her steps swift and precise, but Gendai was just as quick. The two collided with a resounding thud. Lihanna aimed a high kick for Gendai's head, but she ducked at the last second, countering with a powerful punch to Lihanna's stomach.
Lihanna staggered but spun back, swinging a punch at Gendai's head. Gendai evaded, her knee coming up to strike Lihanna's ribs with a solid hit. But Lihanna, refusing to be outdone, retaliated with an elbow strike, catching Gendai off guard.
Gendai couldn't help but be impressed. Lihanna's skill in hand-to-hand combat was undeniable.
Suddenly, Lihanna made a bold move, attempting to flip Gendai over her back. But Gendai was prepared. With a swift kick behind Lihanna's knee, she sent her crashing to the floor. Without hesitation, Gendai pulled her opponent up by the arm and delivered a clean, resounding kick to Lihanna's chin.
Tojo was watching intently, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Holy shit, is she okay? That kick was loud as hell." His voice trembled slightly in shock.
Raijin leaned forward, impressed but still scowling.
"I hope she doesn't do that to me… her jaw's definitely fucked."
Xavier, watching closely, shivered.
"Now I see how she put Lilly to sleep."
Lihanna fell to the ground but swiftly pushed herself onto one knee, determination blazing in her eyes. With a roar, she dashed toward Gendai. But just as Gendai prepared to kick, Lihanna changed direction in mid-air, flipping over Gendai's leg and spinning to land a swift kick to her jaw.
The crowd gasped, captivated by the incredible display of skill. Lihanna, not missing a beat, grabbed Gendai's hair, pulling her backward. Then, in a blur of movement, she cartwheeled over Gendai, landing another kick squarely to her jaw. But this time, Gendai managed to block the kick with her hand, and Lihanna hopped back, regaining her stance.
Gendai couldn't help but speak, her voice full of respect.
"You're really skilled in hand-to-hand combat."
Lihanna, a flicker of appreciation in her eyes, nodded.
"Same to you."
The air between them thickened with unspoken understanding. Gendai's eyes gleamed with a new resolve.
"Now… let's use everything in our arsenal."
With that, both warriors drew their weapons. Lihanna unsheathed her sword with a sharp, decisive motion, while Gendai gripped her spear, the weapon glowing with a faint, ethereal light.
The clash of steel and the snap of air filled the arena as the two went head-to-head, their movements fluid and chaotic. Gendai ducked under a horizontal slash, only to drop to the floor as Lihanna took to the air with a powerful leap.
As Gendai regained her footing, she infused her spear with psychic energy and hurled it at Lihanna. The attack landed, her psychic energy rattling Lihanna's sword, off-balance for a brief moment. Lihanna dropped to the ground, but with no time to waste, she sprang back to her feet.
The air around Gendai crackled as she used her psychic energy to form sharp shards and launched them at Lihanna with deadly intent. Lihanna, ever the graceful warrior, took a deep breath. Her eyes shimmered with a burst of water energy as she danced through the air, her sword a blur of motion as she sliced through each shard with ease.
Tojo watched in awe, his voice low but impressed.
"Not gonna lie, this Lihanna girl is low-key cooking."
Raijin clenched his fists, still irritated, though he couldn't hide his admiration.
"She's fast. I'll give her that, but I still hate the bitch."
Xavier was mesmerized by the swordplay.
"Such swordplay… It's beautiful to watch. Makes me wanna learn how to use a sword now."
Raijin smirked.
"Yeah, but her sword is massive as shit. Can't imagine swinging that thing around."
Mia, who had been quietly observing, spoke up with a serious note.
"The timer's about to run out… only 10 seconds left on the clock."
Tyrone, still watching, nodded.
"She's definitely the #1 in our tier."
The two fighters, knowing the end was near, dropped their weapons in unison. They stood there, breathing heavily, waiting out the final seconds of the match. Lihanna bowed to Gendai, showing deep respect for the battle they'd just fought. Gendai returned the gesture, grateful for the challenge.
Tojo let out a long sigh, shaking his head.
"Now this is some professional-level stuff. They're making us look bad."
Raijin rubbed the back of his neck.
"So… who won?"
Xavier gave a small, satisfied smile.
"She lasted the full time. Lihanna won."
Tojo considered it for a moment.
"They're both winners after a battle like that, but yeah, Lihanna did last the full time."
Mia gave a nod of agreement.
"Only me and Lihanna managed to go full time. I guess we're some strong women."
Tojo gave a chuckle.
"You both are indeed. I won't lie about that."
Tyrone then spoke up, his tone thoughtful.
"By the way, where's Felicia? She hasn't come back yet."
Tojo raised an eyebrow.
"The girl with the mech suit?"
Mia sighed, shaking her head.
"The professor took her to the lab. Did you forget, Tyrone?"
Tyrone blinked, a sheepish look crossing his face.
"Oh right… my bad."
Mia glanced at him with a look of mild annoyance.
"Retard."
Tyrone chuckled nervously.
"Damn, why so sassy?"
Mia shot him a withering look.
"Because I have feelings about you. One minute you're a pervert, then you're retarded, and then you're reasonable."
Tyrone grinned, unfazed.
"My apologies, Miss Perfect."
Raijin scowled at Mia, clearly irritated.
"Don't apologize to her, whore. Slap her in the face and tell her to respect the order, on my soul."
Mia gave him a disgusted look.
"Drop dead, asshole."
Tojo waved a hand in front of Raijin's face, trying to change the subject.
"Anyways, Raijin, now that our job here is done, let's head back to our Vandors and let them know how everything went."
Raijin yawned, stretching his arms.
"It's late. Let's do it tomorrow."
Tojo nodded, his voice softer now.
"You're right. It's already nighttime. Let's call it a day."
The arena was filled with the echo of footsteps as the group slowly began to exit, their thoughts lingering on the fierce battles they had witnessed—and the ones that awaited them in the days to come.