Atticus moved like a current through the water, his body merging seamlessly with the intense flow. Every movement was fluid, each shift almost invisible as he glided effortlessly.
He was everywhere and nowhere at once, untraceable.
Carius's eyes sharpened, his instincts screaming at him. An intense wave of danger gripped him, and without hesitation, he focused his power, teleporting out of his position and reappearing in the distance.
In the next moment, a sword abruptly sliced down, cutting through the space where he had stood just a second before, the intense water splitting from the force of the blow.
But his alternate self wasn't as fortunate.
The alternate Carius sensed the danger a second too late. He glanced up and quickly raised his arm, compressing space around him in an attempt to block the attack.
But it was futile.
Atticus's blade phased through the barrier as if it didn't exist. The sword cleaved through the alternate Carius from head to toe, splitting him in a swift, clean cut.
Blackish blood spilled into the surrounding water, staining it as the two halves of his body floated apart. It lasted only a moment, as the space around the body crumbled, and the intense current tore it to shreds.
Carius's eyes widened, and for the first time, an intense shock filled his face.
He and his alternate self possessed about the same power levels, yet Atticus's attack had phased through his defenses as though they didn't exist.
The air around Carius crackled as the space reacted violently. Due to the water pressure, he had sustained slight injuries when he teleported, leaving many small cuts across his form, but he paid them no heed. He had more pressing matters at hand.
'39 seconds,'
That thought echoed in Carius's head as Atticus reappeared, the water swirling around him like an extension of his body. His eyes remained fixed on Carius, the killing intent only growing stronger.
He unleashed another swift slash, the water parting due to its intense force.
Carius reacted instantly, teleporting away just as the blade passed through his previous position. He had no intention of repeating his alternate self's mistake.
But Atticus was relentless.
Slashes upon slashes followed, and water gales tore through the space, attacking from every angle.
Carius narrowly dodged each one, his form blurring as he teleported again and again. But with each move, the injuries around his body multiplied—small, sharp, and deep wounds inflicted by the water pressure and Atticus's strikes.
The water was everywhere, and so, Atticus was everywhere. Below, above, right, left—attacks rained down from all directions, each one threatening to tear Carius apart.
Suddenly, the water pressure around him thickened, and a swift slash appeared at his side.
'He's getting faster,' Carius realized. It was too late to teleport. Carius's eyes blazed, and he strained his muscles, his will unfurling as he expanded the space around him just enough to maneuver.
His grip tightened on his sword as he moved it in a blur to parry the attack. Katana and sword collided, an intense shockwave parting the water around them.
The force was too overwhelming.
The clash sent Carius flying back, the space around him compressing as he fought to regain his balance.
As he stabilized himself, his eyes widened as he saw that the water filled dome was now teeming with intense azure slashes, closing in from every direction.
Carius's eyes rapidly scanned the area, but he was unable to spot Atticus. However, he could feel his presence—an unyielding, predatory gaze that made his skin crawl. Atticus was watching.
The slashes moved all at once, converging on him from every conceivable angle.
Carius's mind worked frantically, his form teleporting rapidly, evading each one. But every shift through the intense water inflicted more injuries, black blood spewing from fresh wounds.
The pressure was unrelenting, and as the seconds passed, the slashes began to land. Deep cuts opened across his body, the pain intensifying with each hit.
Even when the blades missed, they pursued him, following his movements, while the entire space filled with violent gales, slashing through his defenses.
His sword clashed against the bombardment, blocking and deflecting attacks, but the force behind each strike was overwhelming.
"20 seconds," he counted in his head. It was a blow to his pride, to his name, and it hurt him to admit it—he just had to survive until the time was up.
But in the intense situation, Carius had forgotten something incredibly important.
As the azure slashes rained down, Atticus suddenly appeared in front of him like a rushing wave, his katana moving with lethal precision toward Carius's neck.
Carius's instincts screamed at him to teleport, but just as he tried, Atticus's gaze flared.
The space molecules around them came under Atticus's control, no longer responding to Carius's commands.
Carius's eyes widened, and for the first time, he felt something he hadn't expected—fear.
He sensed the danger, but it was too late. Atticus's katana sliced clean through, almost severing Carius's neck entirely.
Every single person watching held their breath, many in the process of pulling their hair out.
But as the blade neared the final edge, the entire world trembled violently, the rules of reality shifting in an instant.
Both Atticus and Carius felt the change, an unstoppable force neither could resist.
A golden glow enveloped Carius, stopping his head from getting severed, and a message flashed in front of Atticus:
"Carius Valarius is unable to participate and will be teleported out. Congratulations, the winner of this battle is Atticus Ravenstein."
The entire world seemed to pause as the dome's water slowly settled, and the blue energy filling the space began to dissipate.
Atticus's intense gaze remained fixed as Carius's form vanished, the golden light teleporting him away.
The battle was over, but the killing intent in Atticus's eyes didn't disappear; it kept growing in intensity.
Atticus's mind was clouded, but the entirety of the human domain watching the live stream felt differently.
A roar that shook the heavens erupted, rocking the planet.