"River Assassin, Tarcen, one of the followers of that being."
After paying respect to the boy who was risking his life to evolve, Val'Drakar sat down, wanting to see what would happen in this battle.
Enrico and Tarcen exchanged blows, with Enrico at a disadvantage, trying his best to hold on. It was clear his body wasn't responding properly. A fire tornado approached, forcing Tarcen and Valença to keep running toward Enrico.
'His body is too injured.'
Before she could get any closer, Enrico had already grabbed Nartheis's head with his hand and exploded it in flames. He ducked just as Tarcen's claw passed by, tearing part of his sleeve. Enrico's fist then vanished, and an impact strike sent Tarcen flying backward.
'He doesn't stop attacking…'
Valença shook her head and asked Incandis to show what he could do. He glowed, sensing that his fire magic had grown stronger.
'Fireball'
With more power than ever before, the fireball grew, heading toward Tarcen. Enrico, seeing the attack, jumped away. Tarcen, also seeing it coming, expanded his chest and released a slightly larger water ball. The two attacks collided, creating steam everywhere.
"Even with the elemental disadvantage, my attack held up well. You're amazing, Incandis."
Incandis, wanting to show more, charged forward, and Valença followed worriedly, asking him to stop. Tarcen emerged from the steam with a transformed claw, and with a slash in the air, five water cuts went toward Valença.
"Quil."
The cuts neared, but Incandis began to emit flames, and a small fire explosion burst from his body, clashing with the attack and turning it into vapor.
"Quil."
"Fire Tornado."
Valença released a tornado that surrounded Tarcen. He jumped to escape by going upward, but was met by Enrico, who launched him back into the tornado with a charged kick. Valença signaled Enrico for a combo attack and began to close the tornado, unaware that Enrico was unconscious but seemed to be adapting, forming a bow in his hand. He created a third arrow on it.
Enrico's hand started to burn—he was performing an attack meant for Circle Two. When he fired the three arrows, they formed a triangle around Tarcen, and when the tornado touched them, it caused an explosion.
'This is my first combo technique with him. What should I name it?'
Running around the spreading smoke, she thought of a name for the technique. Several fireballs emerged from the smoke, with Enrico still inside, fighting the Nartheis again. With a leap, Tarcen's chest swelled more than before, and he spat a water shark down at Enrico. Valença immediately pointed her staff, summoning magic as fast as she could.
"Incandescent Ray!"
The fire ray was weaker due to being cast quickly, but it was enough to shift the attack slightly, giving Enrico time to get out of range. With an explosion, a crater appeared on the ground.
'So that was the attack that caused that explosion…'
Incandis appeared from behind and exploded like before, damaging Tarcen's back. In response, Tarcen slapped him, sending Incandis flying.
"Incandis!"
Valença caught him in her hands and held him gently. It looked like this was the limit for Incandis, given the amount of mana around him.
"You can rest. Leave the rest to me."
"Quil…"
Incandis dissolved into magic and entered the mark on her back. Tarcen clutched his back—the flames from Incandis seemed stronger than both of them based on the damage they left.
Tarcen's face was kicked by Enrico, who spun midair, dodging ten slashes made in the air by Tarcen's clawed hand. Behind him, Valença began charging her attack, using all her mana, but Tarcen disappeared and reappeared behind her.
"How?"
She managed to use body-strengthening magic and took five slashes to the back. Biting her lip in pain, she pointed her staff behind her and released another Incandescent Ray, pushing him back. He disappeared and appeared behind her again.
'This isn't just speed…'
She was ready to take the hit, but a fire punch hit Tarcen in the face—it was Enrico again. Tarcen did the same as her, appearing behind Enrico. But just as he was about to land a hit, Enrico disappeared, leaving behind a small flame, and reappeared behind him.
"Wait—I get it, the puddles!"
What Tarcen was doing was moving through the water puddles using his magic—and apparently, it was instantaneous. But there had to be a weakness. Enrico and Tarcen both vanished and reappeared elsewhere.
"Enrico seems to have similar magic."
She noticed a flame moving around, seemingly swapping places with Enrico. She also realized that Tarcen always emerged from the puddles—his weakness was that it was too obvious.
"Alright, let's see how you deal with this."
Valença summoned a tornado that split into three and began evaporating the water puddles. With no escape, Tarcen was hit by two Zero Impacts from Enrico. Tarcen jumped and created distance, placing himself where he could hit both of them.
He raised his arms with water claws forming in his hands. His chest swelled, then he lowered his arms, creating ten massive slashes that closed off escape, and he spat a giant water shark in a straight line.
"There's no way to dodge..."
The slashes passed by their sides but left water currents behind and were tall as well. So she raised her staff, gathering magic. Enrico did something that shocked her—he grabbed the water shark with his hands, being pushed back rapidly. His veins looked ready to burst, and small cracks appeared on his skin.
"ENRICO…"
After halting it slightly, he used a charged boost by stomping the ground and slightly diverted the trajectory. The attack destroyed the water current and took him along, exploding in the trees behind. Valença started to run but was hit by an attack that knocked her to the side.
Valença was starting to lose consciousness, but seeing where Enrico had been thrown, she got up and began to feel a surge of rage—the air around her started to burn.
"You—"
A fiery explosion erupted where Enrico had landed, even Tarcen looked that way. Val'Drakar also looked—he was going to intervene, which was something he shouldn't do due to the rules of the place, but he didn't want the two, who were the hope of the Dark Elves, to die.
"This is…"
Val'Drakar sat down to watch as Valença realized what had happened. With his shirt completely burned, Enrico walked forward, those dull eyes still present since the start of the fight.
"He got ahead of me again…"
Valença said this sounding disappointed, but with a smile on her face. Enrico's flames seemed stronger, and the magic radiating from him could now be felt by others—it meant Enrico had reached the Second Circle.