Selection 2/4

The sun peeked through the clouds, flooding the arena with brilliant light. 

The two fighters, Ren and Keiko, faced each other. 

Each had on their body the marks of the attacks exchanged, their clothes torn, their skin covered with burns and scratches. 

But despite everything, their eyes still glowed with burning determination.

Keiko, panting, took a step forward, her knees buckling under the weight of exhaustion. 

Her body was surrounded by a soft golden glow, her last spell barely keeping her standing. 

She clenched her fists, gathering what magic she had left in a final attempt.

Keiko (thought): "He won't get up this time. I have to end it now."

She raised a trembling hand towards Ren, gathering energy in her palm.

A sphere of light appeared, shining like a miniature sun.

The sphere exploded in a blinding ray of light that shot towards Ren. 

The beam crossed the arena in a split second, creating a shockwave that shook the walls. 

The light engulfed him whole, leaving behind only a cloud of dust kicked up by the impact.

Keiko, her legs wobbly, almost collapsed. 

She was breathing hard, her lungs burning with the effort. 

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and a searing pain ran through his entire body. 

Her thoughts were muddled, but she forced herself to stand, watching the cloud of smoke with a slim hope that it was all over.

Keiko (thought): "It's over… It must be…"

Referee: "The fight is over…"

Suddenly, a burst of energy emerged from the smoke. 

An icy cold invades the arena, cutting the referee off in his words. 

The dust began to settle, revealing Ren, still standing. 

His body was covered in burns, his left arm hanging limply at his side, but an aura of ice was forming around him.

Ren: "No... This fight is not over! "

His voice, although weak, resonated with incredible force in the arena. 

Keiko's eyes widened. 

How could he still get up? The supreme light had to be his most powerful attack.

An even more intense cold enveloped Ren, and ice covered his legs, his arms, and even his sword. 

The temperature dropped quickly around him, making the spectators in the stands shiver.

Keiko (thought): "This...this is not possible. He should be down!"

Snowflakes swirled around Ren, forming an eerie dance. 

He fixed his cold gaze on Keiko, then in one quick, fluid motion, he rushed towards her, his ice-covered saber glinting in the daylight. 

Every step he took left frozen footprints on the arena floor.

Keiko: "I won't let you win!"

Gathering the last of her strength, Keiko raised both hands in front of her and created a light barrier, a sphere of blinding light to try to repel Ren. 

Bursts of magic crackled in the air, every bit of light seemed on the verge of shattering, but it held firm.

Ren, implacable, moved closer, his saber ready to strike. 

With each blow against the barrier, the ice of his weapon dug a little deeper into Keiko's defense. 

Cracks appeared in the wall of light, each one echoing through the arena like a death knell.

Keiko (thought): "I can't lose. Not now...not after all this."

She tried to strengthen her barrier, but her body was exhausted. 

His legs buckled and his arms shook with the effort. 

Just before Ren delivered a final blow to the barrier, she counterattacked.

Keiko: "Storm of light!"

Lightning flashes burst from his hands, forming a whirlwind of pure magic. 

They hit Ren head-on, but instead of pushing him back, he stabbed his saber into the ground, creating a wave of ice that repelled the luminous assault. 

Ice and light collided violently, creating sparks throughout the arena, but Ren held his ground.

He kicked the ground, breaking the distance between him and Keiko in a split second. 

In one fluid motion, he sliced ​​through the barrier with his ice saber, shattering it into a thousand pieces. 

The shock threw Keiko backwards, her back hitting hard against the wall of the arena.

Ren: "It's over."

He advanced towards her, ready to deliver the final blow. 

But before he could lower his sword, a golden glow enveloped Keiko. 

She suddenly disappeared in a blinding flash, reappearing behind Ren. 

Her breathing was ragged, but she hadn't given up yet.

Keiko (desperate): "Heavenly ray!"

A gigantic golden laser emerged from his hands, striking Ren at point blank range. 

The dazzling light tore through the arena, and for a moment everything seemed to stop. 

When it went out, Ren was on his knees, his right arm torn off by the impact.

The silence fell heavily. 

Blood flowed copiously from the gaping wound in his shoulder, but Ren didn't waver. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give in to the pain. 

Slowly, he reached out his remaining arm and grabbed his saber, still encased in ice.

Ren (thought): "I can't fall now. I can't lose."

With an iron will, he stood up, holding his saber in his left hand. 

Keiko, seeing him get up again, felt a wave of terror wash over her. 

She didn't have enough energy left to cast another spell of this magnitude. 

She had to buy time, but Ren didn't give her the chance.

Ren (thought): "If he did it… Then I can do it too."

He threw his saber into the air, the frozen blade glinting in the daylight. Before Keiko could react, Ren disappeared from view, using his speed to appear behind her.

Ren (thought): "Now!"

He delivered a brutal kick to Keiko's back, throwing Keiko forward. 

She didn't have time to understand what was happening, and was propelled straight towards Ren's sword which was stuck in the ground in front of her. 

The blade pierced her violently, a cry of pain escaping Keiko as her body fell heavily to the ground.

The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating. 

Keiko lay there, staring blankly, unable to get up. 

Blood covered the blade of the saber, forming a puddle on the arena floor.

Ren, trembling with pain and exhaustion, fell to his knees as well. 

His body could no longer withstand the effort, and the ice covering him began to crack. The cold slowly dissipated, giving way to a feeling of emptiness.

Referee: "The winner... Ren Sasaki!"

But Ren didn't hear the words of victory. 

His mind was already gone, carried away by exhaustion and pain. 

His body finally collapsed, limp, as healers rushed to rescue the two fighters.