The arena buzzed with fresh anticipation, echoing the last match. Yoru and Sereth were still chatting, only to have the vibe killed by one of the Creatures who showed up in their aisle.
"T-T-T-Torvak... Th-Thorne.... It-It is your t-t-turn next..."
Its hideous face twitched and its proboscis shivered as it delivered the message.
"Oho! I had completely forgotten!" Torvak replied excitedly, before standing up and gesturing a farewell to his companions.
"Bye Torvak!" Yoru exclaimed.
"Goodbye, Torvak." Aeon added, gently.
Sereth and Masaru just did the Upward head nod that guys do.
The Creature opened a gate that Torvak went through with no hesitation. Which prompted everyone to start talking about him.
"Do you think he's gonna turn another person into a fruit?" Sereth asked.
"Maybe..." Masaru replied, "Do you all remember his fight against the ninja?"
Aeon and Sereth both nodded their heads, and Yoru just pretended like she knew what was going on.
"Then surely you remember that whatever his power is, it triggers when he touches something with his bare hands. He brought the ninja down with two punches. The first of which being the one that caused that strange mental breakdown, the second, turned him into a pineapple." Masaru explained to them all.
Aeon's eyes flickered with a quiet unease. "It's like... he takes something vital, something invisible even to the mind. But what exactly slips away... I don't think anyone can say for sure."
Sereth cracked a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "So basically, Torvak punches you, and suddenly you're missing some random part of yourself — could be your thoughts, your sense of balance, or hey, maybe even your left femur if you're unlucky."
Yoru raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sounds brutal. But also kind of unpredictable. How does he even control that?"
"Wait a second. So is Torvak's power is just completely random?!" Sereth exclaimed.
Masaru replied, "I'm not sure, let's watch him, and then ask afterwards."
The announcer chimed in, though the voice was much different now.
"Hello everyone. Our next match will be between Torvak Thorne and Meidas Krow. Thank you. Let the match begin."
Torvak emerged from the golden gate as per usual, and Meidas appeared from the red one. Meidas was fully decked out in gold. Gold suit, gold hair, gold gloves, it was like looking at a walking fortune.
Torvak removed his gloves, and cracked his knuckles. He launched forward with an impressive jump and prepared a haymaker. Meidas did not react very much, he simply raised his hand and caught Torvak punch.
Meidas and Torvak both spoke at the same time.
"You will now become golden and resume your proper place."
"And now, You will lose the ability to not be propelled backwards for five seconds!"
Meidas was thrown backward by some invisible force and slammed against the wall, and Torvak's arm slowly began to turn golden.
"Aww shit…" Torvak exclaimed quietly while observing his arm slowly turning to gold, he turned slowly to face Meidas.
"Hey shiny dude, does this stop if I kill you?"
Meidas, to his credit, replied:
"Yes it does, but you don't really have much longer."
Torvak paused for a moment, before laughing and exclaiming "Time for a fun risk!"
At that moment, Torvak struck the ground and the arena floor shattered. Stones flew everywhere, Meidas looked as a giant shadow was cast over what was left of the arena.
"It must be my lucky day… And now, The floor has lost the ability to not be a giant mech suit!"
Surely enough, a gigantic robot suit had emerged from the ground with a triumphant Torvak standing atop its head.
The crowd exploded. Nobody (Maybe Aeon) could have possibly predicted what was going to happen next, and they were loving it.
Torvak stared down at Meidas, while putting on one of the gloves he had dropped earlier back on his non-golden hand.
"Your move, golden boy!"
Meidas merely snapped his fingers, and the gold slightly increased its speed along Torvak's arm.
"Being flashy will only get you so far, but I am impressed. You fight very freely." Meidas said.
"Oh you can't talk about not being flashy!" Torvak shouted while letting out a bellowing laugh as the crown of the mech opened and he dropped inside. The mech's golden eyes flared to life.
A hush fell over the crowd as they witnessed the colossus stand tall. It wound up a large punch, and threw a large, reckless swing.
Big Boom.
When the dust cleared, Meidas had both of his hands against the fist of the robot, and gold was rapidly encasing the arm of it. Veins of cracked stone spread behind Meidas from the pressure of the impact, but Meidas was not unscathed. He had shattered one of his shoulders, but was trying not to let it show. His teeth gritted from the pain as he spoke again.
"Torvak Thorne… I have never had an adversary test me like this. You will be remembered well." Meidas said as his gold continued to encase the mech.
Torvak however, had burst from one of the eyes of the mech, gold now entirely encased his right arm and was reaching his chest, but he sailed downward towards Meidas and slammed his fist into his skull.
"And now!" He said while heaving breaths, "You have lost the ability to utilize any form of violence!"
Meidas sighed. He was annoyed, and realized the truth in Torvak's words. Blood trickled down his forehead, before passing out, and all the gold vanishing from Torvak's body.
"Torvak Thorne is the winner. Whoopdidoo."
The audience roared up in excitement, and a little disappointment due to the finishing blow being super lame. Torvak waved to the audience, and returned into the swirling golden gate.