False Reality

"I see what's happening."

The demigods present turned in shock and confusion, eager for Klaus to clarify.

"Care to explain?" Lance inquired with curiosity.

Klaus sighed before moving closer to the screen, making himself visible to everyone.

CONVERSATION

Klaus: Initially, I thought Quinn might be using one of her abilities. But then I began to wonder, what if it was Iris? I had always been skeptical of Iris having pyrokinesis since it didn't seem to align with her identity as the child of the God of sight, Siris. Then it hit me.

Lance: She's not creating fire, but instead, giving the illusion that she is.

Klaus: Exactly.

As everyone turned their attention back to Quinn, the blazing fire still surrounding her, their eyes suddenly and briefly glowed purple, unbeknownst to them, before returning to their original color. Right after that, the fire that had been visibly engulfing Quinn disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place.

Mia: What? But how?

Klaus: It seems her ability isn't to create fire but instead to create illusions, making people perceive a false reality where they see something that isn't actually present.

Everyone found that to be a plausible explanation for what had transpired.

Lance: That explains why she looked directly into my eyes during our first meeting.

Trent: Seems like she did the same for us all.

Riley: And here I thought I was just a really good flirt.

Mia: But hold on, if she's creating illusions, then why and how was Quinn initially affected by the fire at the beginning of their fight? Because I'm sure as hell she was.

Mia made an excellent point that had everyone's attention, leaving them pondering. However, it appeared that Klaus had some inkling of an idea.

Klaus: I can't say for certain, but there's a possibility that the illusions she creates become real as far as the target perceives them. Meaning if any of us had tried to touch the fire on Quinn, even though it wasn't harming her, it would affect us as long as we believe it exists.

The shock evident in everyone's eyes indicated that none of them could have anticipated this turn of events.

Link: That's just overpowered.

Before anyone could fully grasp the implications of Iris's ability revelation, their attention was abruptly redirected by Shade.

"Wait, look at that," Shade exclaimed, pointing at another screen displaying the second room, situated between Iris and X.

It appeared that Ash had managed to pass through Arthur, leaving Ace to detain their opponent while Ash attempted to reach the alarm.

Ace was doing a commendable job keeping Arthur under control, and it was evident that Arthur was seething with anger at Ash's ability to slip through him. However, he was powerless to act due to Ace blocking his way. Arthur was finding it challenging to eliminate Ace or even land a hit on him due to Ace's remarkable speed.

Klaus also couldn't help but notice that Ace seemed even faster than during their previous battle in the first game mode. This raised questions in his head about how Ace's ability truly functioned.

However, the primary focus was on the newly unfolding battle.

Ash versus X.

All eyes were now fixed on the final screen as Ash entered the room, with X positioned towards the back where the alarm was located.

"It appears the moment we've all been waiting for has arrived," Lance announced, signifying the long-anticipated battle was underway.

Ash strode into the room while X moved slightly forward.

"So, I finally get the chance to put you down," X remarked as he readied his handgun.

Ash remained unfazed, his gaze locked on the alarm button behind X.

"We came here for that," Ash replied, pointing at the alarm button.

X's irritation was evident as he aimed his gun at Ash.

"Then try to get past me."

With that, he fired his handgun at Ash's lifeline. The sheer force of the shot left everyone wondering how X could still hold the firearm; it felt like firing a rocket launcher with just one hand.

Everything unfolded in the blink of an eye. Before the spectators could fully comprehend what had occurred, Ash had caught the fired bullet between his left thumb and index finger.

He studied the bullet for a moment before closing his hand around it. After a few seconds of moving his fist, he opened his palm, revealing that the bullet had transformed into smoke, dispersing into the air.

X's fury intensified as he once again aimed his handgun at Ash.

"Try pulling off the same magic trick again," X challenged, his eyes constricting, signaling the activation of True Accuracy.

In response, Ash promptly transformed his entire body into smoke before X could fire the bullet that would have eliminated him instantly.

As X pulled the trigger, the bullet, although still hitting its intended mark, passed through the smoky form and embedded itself in the wall behind Ash.

The dense, wispy smoke then moved in a swift, almost dash-like motion, repositioning Ash before reforming him at a different location.

"Are you finished with your cheap parlor tricks?" X vented his frustration with Ash's passive combat style.

"It seems to be efficient enough," Ash calmly retorted.

X's frustration had been simmering throughout the battle due to Ash's nonchalant demeanor, and this response pushed him over the edge.

He abandoned his firearm and charged toward Ash, opting for hand-to-hand combat as ranged attacks proved ineffective.

X's fighting style against Ash was nothing short of incredible, shocking all the spectators.

While X was known for his exceptional battle sense, it was typically attributed to his long-range sniping and weapon tactics. No one had anticipated that his close-quarters combat would be just as impressive.

X unleashed a flurry of punches and strikes against Ash. Ash managed to evade some of the blows, and for those he couldn't dodge, he simply transformed the affected part of his body into smoke, causing X's fists and attacks to pass through harmlessly.

Although technically X's attacks weren't landing, it was evident that he held the advantage, as he focused solely on offense while Ash needed to allocate his energy to both dodging and transforming into smoke.

Klaus noticed that X's movements were deceivingly forceful, giving the impression that he exerted great effort when in reality, he didn't.

"He truly is a master of combat," Lance commented, acknowledging X's battle expertise.

"It makes you wonder what he's been through in his life," Trent added, echoing the thoughts of many.

Lance stepped forward with a smile on his face and addressed the screen.

"I'd love to battle him in a one-on-one someday," he declared, his anticipation evident.

Everyone briefly imagined the intensity of such a battle before returning their attention to the ongoing fight.

"Although I have to say, it seems like X might be the strongest offensive player, while Ash leans more toward defense, judging by the way this battle is unfolding," Trent observed, making a valid point.

"Yeah. It's surprising because Ash was hailed as the strongest among us, yet X seems to outshine him in offense," Link added, sharing Trent's curiosity.

"Offense isn't the sole determinant of strength," Trent and Link turned to see Lance as the source of this statement.

"Just because someone excels in offense doesn't automatically make them the stronger of the two. Many other factors come into play, and a strong defense is one of them," Lance explained, reinforcing his point.

"I suppose you're right," Link conceded.

"Though I don't think Ash's impressiveness is limited to defense alone," Klaus chimed in from the back, redirecting everyone's focus to the ongoing battle.

As they laid eyes on the scene, one thing became immediately apparent: a considerable amount of time had passed, yet Ash appeared as energetic as ever, not showing the slightest hint of fatigue.

In stark contrast, X seemed to be running low on energy, despite exerting far less effort than Ash.

Recognizing this, X took a step back, realizing that his strategy to exhaust Ash had been ineffective.

"What the hell are you?" X exclaimed, his frustration evident as he took a moment to catch his breath and regain some lost energy.

"Your endurance is impressive. Unfortunately, transforming my body into smoke hardly exhausts me," Ash replied, deciding not to keep this information to himself.

Ash's gaze shifted to the timer, and he immediately noted that there were only two minutes left for his team to reach the alarm.

X also glanced at the timer, reaching the same conclusion, before turning his attention back to Ash.

"Two minutes is more than enough for me," X declared as he charged back toward Ash.

It was evident that X was solely focused on ending the battle, resuming his relentless assault, while Ash continued to evade and employ his smoke abilities. However, their desires for the outcome of the battle were not the same.

As X continued his relentless onslaught, a sudden, resounding sound echoed throughout both the battlefield and the spectator lobby, signaling the end of the match.

Turning their attention to the alarm at the end of the room, X and the spectators saw a figure entirely composed of smoke, an exact replica of Ash, standing beside the button.

During the battle, Ash had cleverly employed his smoke-based abilities. When X made contact with him, Ash had accumulated the residual smoke from the impact and formed a cloud, crafting a hollow clone of himself to reach the alarm button when X least expected it.

"I had no idea he could do that," Trent commented as they all watched the battle's conclusion.

Naturally, this outcome left X furious, knowing that their battle had not technically reached a resolution.

"You chose the coward's way out of the battle," X accused Ash.

"We came here to win, not to indulge in combat," Ash calmly retorted.

X holstered his handgun and began walking toward the exit.

"Guess I expected too much from a measly demon," he muttered in disappointment, exiting the room.

Ash, however, remained unfazed, his expression never changing throughout the battle and the entire event.

"It seems the victor has been decided," Trent remarked.

"Has it really?" Klaus questioned, recognizing that the fight had never reached a definitive conclusion.

"Now that I think about it, considering the dispassionate demeanor, Ash is like a more intensified version of you, Klaus," Shade remarked, drawing parallels between his brother and Ash.

Klaus let out a weary sigh, recognizing that some of the others seemed to share this perspective. He chose not to respond or contest the statement.

Turning his attention back to the ongoing battles, it appeared that Quinn had managed to strike Iris' lifeline, and Tyler had done the same with Siren. However, before they could engage each other, the alarm had been activated.

Meanwhile, Ace continued to excel in keeping Arthur under control, even though he knew he could strike Arthur's lifeline if needed.

After a while, both Team Astra and Team Stellar were transported back to the Arena of Valor, reuniting with the rest of the demigods.

Following some brief conversations and interactions among the demigods, it was time for the final match of the Breach game mode.

"As previously announced, teams will play both defense and offense through this game mode, meaning the final match will feature Team Lunar on defense and Team Solar on offense," XVII announced, reminding the final teams of their roles.

Klaus made his way to the transportation podium alongside his team, ready to teleport to the battlefield for the showdown of the second event.

Just before being transported, a voice echoed in Klaus's mind.

"Don't forget what we discussed, Walker. Don't let trivial matters hinder your growth as a demigod."

Klaus turned to Quinn, who greeted him with a knowing smile, confirming his suspicion that she was behind the message.

"I won't," Klaus thought silently in response, and Quinn's smile widened slightly, indicating she had heard his reply.

With both Team Solar and Team Lunar confirming their readiness, they were transported to the new battlefield location.