Beyond the Bloodline-Chapter 277: The Eternal Trials Opening Ceremony II
The clash of blades echoed as Ingram and Komaa met in a blur of motion. Sparks of energy exploded from their blades on collision, the force of their clash sending shockwaves rippling outward.
A crimson-hued haze surged from Ingram’s body while Komaa exuded a deep cobalt blue aura, their energies intertwining and clashing with ferocity.
Ingram pivoted, swinging his longsword and carving a fiery arc that streaked towards Komaa, who parried the blade and redirected the energy to the ground.
He then retaliated with a sweeping strike, sending a wave of his blue aura tearing towards Ingram, forcing him to dodge to the side.
As they fought, the arena itself began to transform.
The ground trembled, and mountains erupted from the once-flat terrain, their jagged peaks towering at tens of thousands of metres high.
Above, asteroids materialized and floated randomly, with some circling small moon-shaped constructs that added to the arena’s differences.
A molten river snaked its way across one part of the transforming arena, while patches of trees sprouted in another part in the distance.
Since a normal battle on a flat, plain surface would be rather boring, the Amphitheatre randomly generated mishmashes of various terrains like this.
Considering its ridiculous size, there was more than enough space to fit entire planets into it.
Using the terrain, Ingram vaulted onto a nearby ledge and thrust his sword downward. A surge of crimson energy shot from the blade, tearing through a cluster of asteroids toward Komaa.
But when the attack reached, Komaa easily split it in two, the remnants detonating harmlessly against a nearby moon.
"Blazing Fang."
Ingram muttered under his breath and his sword ignited with a fierce fiery light. He then launched himself downward, blade first and Komaa met him mid-air, their collision creating a shockwave that shattered nearby terrain and sent chunks of rock spiralling upwards.
Komaa forced Ingram back with his superior strength, before imbuing his sword with sword law energy and delivering a downward slash.
The arc of energy he unleashed cut through the air with such force that the ground beneath them cracked and split. Ingram deflected the strike, redirecting the energy into a nearby mountain, which exploded into dust and debris.
The two manoeuvred through the arena, dodging and weaving around floating asteroids and massive stone pillars. At one point, Komaa kicked off a small moon, sending it hurtling toward Ingram, who split it cleanly in two with a single strike.
"Starbreaker."
Ingram whispered under his breath as his sword glowed brighter than ever. The sword law energy in his blade reached its peak in a second and he swung it in a wide arc, unleashing the energy as a crimson shockwave that tore through the terrain.
Komaa countered with his own move, unleashing a cobalt blue surge of power that met Ingram’s attack head-on in a collision that created a brilliant explosion of light and energy.
Even as the audience was momentarily blinded by the light, the two combatants continued fighting, exchanging blows at hypersonic speeds that sent ripples of energy through the transformed arena.
Ingran leapt between asteroids, using their momentum to propel himself at Komaa, his strikes faster and more ferocious. Komaa, in turn, used the floating debris to block and redirect Ingram’s attacks.
Every strike, every slash, every clash of their blades sent shockwaves that would have obliterated lesser worlds, but the Amphitheatre’s durability was enough to tank it all and remain unscathed despite the sheer scale of destruction.
Komaa raised his blade high, summoning a torrent of energy that spiralled above, before crashing down like a meteor, but Ingram countered with a spinning slash, sending a crimson fiery vortex that consumed the incoming attack in a bright explosion.
Their fight raged on, neither given an inch as they fought atop the mountain tops, through the molten rivers and amidst the floating moons.
Their techniques and skills painted the battlefield with streaks of red and blue light, the auras of both combatants flaring higher and higher as the fight reached its fever pitch.
Each attack carried the weight of a lifetime of mastery, the proof of their talent honed through centuries of hard work.
As Ingram ducked under a sweeping arc, he pivoted on his heel and countered with a thrust aimed at Komaa’s chest. The elder swordsman twisted, parrying the attack and following up with a spinning slash that forced Ingram to retreat, his feet skidding across the crystalline ground.
Komaa’s Replica said nothing as it charged forward, his energy surging higher and Ingram jumped back to gain distance, before leaping onto a floating asteroid.
He kicked off the rock, shattering it as he propelled himself high above Komaa. His sword raised above his head and his crimson aura intensified, coiling around him like a living flame.
From his elevated position, Ingram swung his blade downward, unleashing a cascading wave of crimson energy that tore through the battlefield with devastating speed.
Komaa responded in kind, his cobalt aura surging outward as he raised his sword to meet the attack. His great sword split the crimson wave in two as he executed a technique, and the resulting explosion illuminated the entire Amphitheatre.
A kaleidoscope of red and blue energy spiralled outwards in a storm, and when the dust cleared, both combatants were revealed still clashing with one another at Hypersonic speeds.
The ground beneath them cracked, and the surrounding terrain trembled as if it could no longer bear the strain of their battle.
The audience was left at the edge of their seats due to the sheer intensity of the fight. Some watched in breathless anticipation, some studied the combatants to learn from them, and many more placed bets worth billions of credits.
The end to the fight came suddenly, and a great many weren’t even looking when it happened.
Ingram’s blade pierced through Komaa’s defences, his crimson energy surging along the weapon’s edge as it struck true.
Komaa’s Replica froze, his cobalt blue aura flickering around his sword before dissipating entirely. He took a step back, his sword slipping from his grasp and clattering to the ground.
Heaving with exhaustion, Ingram watched as Komaa’s Replica shattered into a burst of light, the cosmic energies that constituted it being recycled for another Replica.
The Amphitheatre fell silent for a moment as Komaa disappeared, the scene of Ingram’s victory settling over the trillions in attendance.
Then, as if on cue, the crowd erupted into cheers, their voices a tidal wave of jubilation that echoed across the vast arena.
Ingram lowered his sword, his crimson aura fading as he turned to face the roaring crowd.
He raised a hand, acknowledging their cheers as the battlefield around him returned to its neutral state, the mountains, asteroids, and molten rivers vanishing like mist.
Ringing out over the thunderous applause and cheers, the commentator Flynn’s voice carried the excitement of the moment.
[AND THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS! A STUNNING VICTORY FOR OUR FIRST CHALLENGER, LORD INGRAM!]
Kalari’s voice followed, her words vibrant and full of energy:
[WHAT A WAY TO KICK OFF THIS YEAR’S ETERNAL TRIALS! THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!]
As the cheers continued to rise, Ingram sheathed his sword, a faint smile crossing his face.
His fame and Universal Influence were going to skyrocket from this. The steep entry price and the years of anticipation he had endured now seemed insignificant in comparison to the prize of eternal glory.
As Ingram exited the arena and the camera followed his figure, Flynn’s voice chimed back in.
[AND WHILE LORD INGRAM TAKES HIS WELL-DESERVED EXIT, LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE THE TRANSPORT THAT GOT HIM HERE.
FOLKS, IF YOU HAVEN’T UPGRADED YOUR INTERGALACTIC TRAVEL YET, YOU’RE MISSING OUT.
THE ALL-NEW ’QUASAR VANGUARD’ FROM SOLARIS DYNAMICS CAN GET YOU ACROSS STAR SYSTEMS IN RECORD TIME.
TRAVEL SMARTER, NOT HARDER. CHECK IT OUT AT YOUR NEAREST STELLAR DEALERSHIP!]
Kalari chuckled lightly, her dragon-like horns glinting under the arena’s light as she smoothly transitioned back to the trials. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
[AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT’S TIME FOR OUR NEXT CHALLENGER!]
The arena lights dimmed, and the crowd hushed in anticipation. A booming introduction followed, shaking the air.
[HAILING FROM THE JOVANTIS GALAXY, A WARRIOR WHOSE SIZE IS ONLY MATCHED BY HIS MIGHT!]
[HE’S KNOWN AS THE GIANT OF ORVEXA, A LEGENDARY FIGHTER WITH A REPUTATION THAT DWARFS PLANETS.]
[[LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME SIR GOLVARN!!]]
The audience erupted as a towering figure entered the arena, his footsteps shaking the ground with every step.
Golvarn stood over 100 kilometres tall, his sheer bulk creating an imposing silhouette. His obsidian skin gleamed under the lights, and his massive hands could have cradled a small moon with ease.
Waving to the crowd, he exuded a confidence that matched his colossal frame.
Flynn’s voice roared again, adding to the fervour as he announced Golvarn’s opponent.
[AND NOW, HIS ETERNAL TRIAL OPPONENT SELECTED BY THE AMPHITHEATRE ITSELF!]
Cosmic energy surged and swirled, condensing into a form even larger than Golvarn. From the glowing particles emerged a titan with glowing runes etched into his brown skin.
The massive figure flexed his arms, his emerald eyes blazing as the commentators announced his name.
[A WARRIOR OF MYTH, A SWORD AND SHIELD OF HIS TIME, AND ONCE THE GUARDIAN OF THE VALTORIS GALAXY’S TITANIC DOMAIN OF SOLMARIS.]
[LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEET THE LEGENDARY TITAN, SOLKAR!]
The crowd roared even louder as the two colossal faced each other, their gazes locking with an intensity that sent a chill through the audience.
[AND NOW, CHALLENGER, ARE YOU READY?]
Golvarn raised one of his enormous fists and let out a resounding bellow, his voice amplified across the arena.
|Ready?! |
The Amphitheatre’s platforms adjusted, lifting both commentators high into the air as the terrain around them began to shift. Asteroids, small planets, and glowing pools of law energy materialized, creating an epic battlefield that could accommodate their monumental size.
[THREE... TWO... ONE... BARRIERS UP!]
[FIGHT STARTTTT!!!!]
The translucent dome shimmered into existence, sealing off the arena and the two giants wasted no time in charging at each other with a force that seemed capable of cracking stars.
