Joe's body began to change. His veins bulged, his frame swelling with raw power as dark scales crawled across his skin, covering him like armor. The air grew heavy, charged with a suffocating pressure as his aura exploded outward, sharp and suffocating like the presence of a beast. His eyes gleamed with manic excitement as he laughed.
"Let's raise the level, shall we?" he bellowed, his voice echoing like a dragon's roar.
Julian exhaled slowly, lightning starting to spark across his arms, crawling over his shoulders, until his whole body pulsed with a pale blue glow. The crackle of electricity lit his sharp eyes as he lowered his stance.
"My lightning… is more than enough to bring you down."
Both men tightened their grip on the ground, the earth beneath their feet trembling. Then they launched forward, colliding head-on, only for a sudden shimmer of energy to erupt between them, forming a barrier like a translucent mirror that forced them apart.
