Gamemaster Gamble suddenly showed up above them and asked with a wide grin, "I guess the matchups are already decided?"
Hearing this, Levi, The Dealer, Drayven, and the Ruiner glanced at each other... but then, Levi fixed his head in Drayven’s direction, letting everyone know that he was coming for him.
When the Dealer saw this, he couldn’t help but chuckle, "Your battle has been brewing ever since the start of the game... it will be a grave sin of mine to deny a fated fight."
He then turned to the Ruiner and asked him what he thought about this... the Ruiner glanced at the three of them for a moment in silence, and then replied with a gentle smile, "So be it... It will simplify the finale."
The Ruiner and Levi were the only ones with the right to challenge since they were challengees in the previous round.
As for the Dealer, he was excluded in the last round and went straight to the final round... hence, he had no right to be a challenger anymore. This was already written in the finer details of the long list of the Game’s rules.
"Good, good..." Gamemaster Gamble rubbed his hands in anticipation while announcing out loud, "The Tenth round will start in five minutes! The Battles are: The Celestial vs. Drayven... The Dealer vs. The Ruiner!"
The watchers exploded in excited cheers, understanding that none of them were going to hold back anymore... though some of them did think differently, realizing that the four Rifters held an equal amount of Joker cards.
In simpler terms... the two winners of the final round would hold each five Joker cards. This meant one final death battle between them to decide the final winner.
Levi and the Rifters knew this as well... but none of them said anything as they walked back towards their rooms.
’If I went all out against Drayven, I would have nothing for the final confrontation.’ Levi frowned, ’It’s going to be a battle to the death, and I have no resignation tokens to ensure my survival. I have to plan my battle against Drayven properly.’
Levi understood that he couldn’t use any other card against Drayven but the Jack card... it was the sole card that ensured he possessed the full freedom to defeat him and reclaim his Joker cards.
If Levi went and brought a Joker card with him, and Drayven also used his Joker card, the battle would end in a stalemate... However, if he brought the King card and the Jack card, even if the cunning Drayven used the Joker card, Levi would still have a chance to finish him.
Levi was certain that Drayven had no Queen card or any more special cards besides the Jack... so, he was forced to accept Levi’s battle.
Drayven seemed to know this as well... hence, he didn’t bother thinking too much. He picked a defensive numbered card for extra safety and a Jack card. Then, he closed his eyes and started meditating to prepare for the fight.
Meanwhile, the Ruiner also picked the Jack card and a defensive card for safety... but, he knew deep down that the Dealer wasn’t going to block his Jack card.
No one could afford to play it safe anymore, since the outcome of each battle would decide the winner if they didn’t take this round seriously.
He was right as the Dealer had already picked his cards, and they were the Jack and defensive card... No Joker card was used.
He was sitting on the platform’s screen with his leg dangling a few inches away from the ground... He had a new spread of Tarot Cards in front of him, showing him a divination that left him tapping his finger on the deck silently.
’How unfortunate...’ The Dealer shook his head in disappointment, ’It seems we aren’t destined to meet again any time soon.’
As the Dealer started collecting the tarot cards... he paused after reaching the final card. He showed a faint smile and flipped it over... then, he picked it up and stored it inside the deck.
***
The Tenth and Final Round...
The atmosphere in Drayven’s combat room was as tense as it could be... Levi and Drayven were standing on opposite sides, awaiting Gamemaster Gamble to kickstart their duel.
As they were staring at each other in chilling silence, Gamemaster Gamble showed up with a small explosion of blue smoke.
"Are you lads ready?!" Gamemaster Gamble moved his head left and right, checking on them... once he saw them nod their heads, he grinned widely as he shouted, "Fight!"
Levi summoned his violin without hesitation and raised it to his shoulder... Then, he played a short sequence of notes for the sake of finding Drayven’s natural frequency. It didn’t take him more than a note to find it.
However, instead of casting Eternal Mirage on him right away, Levi began firing invisible aetheric spiritual attacks aimed straight at Drayven’s mind, trying to weaken his awareness. He knew that dragons’ sense of danger and if something wasn’t right were top-notch... even Ash’Kral’s perfect Eternal Mirage could still raise their suspicion if Levi made a mistake in crafting the illusionary scene.
A faint wrong smell, difference in lighting, or time sense changed... the smallest mistake would be highlighted in Drayven’s mind and break him off the illusion instantly.
With Levi’s immense spiritual prowess, Drayven felt every note smashing into his subconsciousness barrier and mind like a sledgehammer.
His grimace twisted as he reinforced his subconscious barrier and mind with his draconic will... he might not be able to cast spiritual attacks like Levi, but he damn well could defend himself.
"That’s how you want to play it? Let’s see how long you can keep it up!"
Drayven spread his scarlet leathery wings and flew rapidly in Levi’s direction with claws coated in orange flames!
His speed was absolutely terrifying as he had arrived in front of Levi in no time and swung his flaming claws in his direction.
Levi dodged the first strike by sliding to the side, then he blocked the second with the frame of his bow... A spark flashed on contact!
Levi instantly released the stored chains connected to the bow and then used combustion leap to jump around Drayven. As he was in midair, Levi threw the bow at Drayven’s feet and then pulled the crimson chains, making them tighten up around his nether region with the bow acting as a lock!
Since Levi’s weapons were indestructible, even when Drayven tried to free himself... the bow and the chains refused to burn or break!
Not giving him a moment to relax, Levi manifested aetheric fingers on his violin’s strings... then, he messed with the strings in a manner that fired sharp overloaded frequencies straight at Drayven’s brain!!
It was more or less a similar technique that he used against Evangeline... but, it was much more powerful due to him being more in tune with the frequencies after unlocking Melody Aspect!
"Argh..."
The overloaded frequency was powerful enough it left Drayven knitting his eyebrows in pain, feeling like his brain and internal organs were being stabbed by a million sharp blades.
But... he was no Evangeline.
"GET OFF ME YOU BUG!"
Kabooom!!
He roared as he unleashed a powerful explosion of flames and magma from his wings and scales... Levi was forced to guard his face with both arms after his aetheric barrier got absolutely eradicated!
Whoosh!
Still, the force was too powerful and sent Levi flying away, making him give up on his violin and bow, which were still locking Drayven tightly.
But, Drayven swiftly figured out a way to free himself now that Levi wasn’t in contact with the weapon.
The moment he was released, he tried to kick Levi’s violin away, but Levi broke it apart into shadowy flowers and summoned it in his hands as he rebalanced himself on the ground.
’You better kill that f*cking lizard!’ Ash’Kral growled while staring at Drayven coldly with a single eye on the violin’s bridge... not too fond of such disrespect.
’I am working on it.’ Levi replied sternly, ’But... it seems it’s going to be much harder than I expected.’
Levi’s harmonic spine showed him the internal system of Drayven and his subconscious barrier after he figured out its natural frequency.
He was watching live as Drayven’s internal injuries from the overloaded frequency and his other spiritual attacks on his mind were being healed at an insane speed.
In less than a second, Drayven was back to his peak like Levi’s attacks were nothing but an illusion!
’I guess violin isn’t cut for this fight at the moment.’
Levi recollected his thoughts and swiftly switched his weapon to the Judgment’s Chainstaff... then, he held it from the center and released the chained-up crowns just a little to separate from the staff.
Then, he murmured under his breath, "Twin Fang Style."
In an instant, the upper crown was engulfed in a concentrated liquified blade of sunflames... it was so concentrated, the watchers felt like Levi was holding an actual solid blade of sunflames!
But, Levi wasn’t done... the bottom crown was suddenly encapsulated in a long pitch-black blade that instantly started pulling the light from the Nova blade.
Levi tightened his grip in the center of the staff, and then he started whipping the blades around until golden and black mirages were left in their wake.
"Come." He uttered emotionlessly.