Ryo stood in front of Victor, his gaze cold and unyielding.
"What the hell do you want?" he demanded.
Victor smirked, but before he could answer, Zain's voice echoed from above.
"He probably forgot something," Zain said, casually perched on the ceiling, gravity-defying, calm as ever.
Benjamin cracked his knuckles.
"Maybe he forgot the beating we gave him," he muttered with a grin.
Scarlet tilted her head, water flowing around her arms.
"This is perfect," she said. "Sulaiman now has a chance to prove himself."
Aisha's eyes burned.
"You mean kill him," she corrected.
Suddenly, Rimazu appeared, invisible, launching a sneak attack toward Victor. He swung a kick, but Victor shifted instinctively, dodging it. Rimazu reappeared behind him.
Ruqayya, red Raiki flaring around her, intercepted Victor with a devastating Stage 1 Raiki kick to the stomach, sending him sliding across the wet marble floor.
Abraham shouted in excitement.
"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"
Sulaiman's expression hardened as he looked at Abraham.
"Abraham, get Maria out of here. All of us can't fight at the same time," he said, his voice icy.
Abraham nodded, surprised—it was the first time Sulaiman had called him by name.
"You're right," Abraham said. "Just don't get yourself killed."
"I won't," Sulaiman replied.
Abraham grabbed Maria, and Benjamin followed.
"Just in case," Benjamin added, eyes on the battlefield.
The Battle Moves Outside
Scarlet raised her arms.
"Stage 2 — Water," she commanded.
A tidal wave of water surged through the palace halls, sweeping everyone outside into the open grass near the pond.
The battlefield had expanded.
Sulaiman vs Victor
Sulaiman rushed Victor, fists flying.
Victor dodged easily, stepping onto the air using Stage 1 Raiki, avoiding the deadly blades Sulaiman created with Stage 1 Creation from the ground.
Victor smirked.
"You've improved, little brother."
Sulaiman's eyes burned red.
"You're mine," he growled.
Aisha vs Celia
Aisha faced Celia, who hurled snowballs infused with Raiki.
"Stage 1 Fire," Aisha said, igniting her hands in flames to melt the icy attacks.
Steam rose in clouds as Aisha ran through the barrage.
"Stage 2 Raiki," she whispered, blue energy wrapping around her hand.
Her sword-hand swung, chopping Celia's neck with precision.
CRACK. Blood spurted. Celia collapsed unconscious.
Dizziness struck Aisha immediately from the backlash of her power.
"If I didn't use Raiki, my hand would have broken," she muttered.
Ruqayya caught her before she fell.
"You need to learn to avoid these drawbacks," Ruqayya said, placing Aisha safely on the grass.
Ruqayya vs S-Rank Soldier
A Rolencian soldier crept behind Ruqayya, aiming to slit her throat.
Red Raiki flared around her body.
The soldier's body exploded in a flash, obliterated by the sheer force of Ruqayya's will alone.
The masked figure observed silently.
"Interesting," he muttered. "Her will alone killed an S-rank."
Rimazu vs Lahu
Rimazu struck at Lahu, but the S-rank soldier countered, activating Stage 2 Wires, reinforced with Raiki.
Green Raiki flared from Rimazu's body.
"Stage 2 Raiki," Rimazu whispered, breaking the wires.
He vanished in a blur, reappearing directly in front of Lahu.
"Strong, but not smart," Rimazu said with a grin. "Infusing Raiki into your wires doubled the impact when I hit."
A single Raiki-powered punch to Lahu's gut sent him sprawling unconscious.
Rimazu staggered from exhaustion and was caught by Ruqayya, who placed him beside Aisha.
Scarlet vs Vira
Scarlet faced Vira, Mivarala's ex-soldier.
"Why protect this country? It has nothing to do with you!" Vira spat.
"Because we made a friend here," Scarlet said.
"Stage 3 — Overtake," Scarlet commanded.
Water infused with Raiki surged through Vira's body.
"Scarlet… this is too much," Violet whispered.
Scarlet ignored the warning. Bones snapped one by one.
Vira screamed, "Just kill me already!"
"No," Scarlet said, coldly. "You caused Maria's father's death."
Vira shrieked in agony. Scarlet took her time, ensuring the punishment fit the crime.
Finally, Vira collapsed dead.
Scarlet staggered to the pond, water dripping from her hands.
"I don't want to see my friends in pain," she muttered.
She healed Aisha and Rimazu with Stage 3 Water Healing, but the backlash of pain from the injuries she inflicted hit her all at once.
She screamed and collapsed unconscious.
Leona vs Gordon
Leona continued her fight far from the pond.
Gordon unleashed Stage 3 Bubble Creation—silent bombs floating midair, ready to detonate.
"Stage 3 — Lavalia," Leona whispered.
Earth erupted, popping the bubbles and burning Gordon alive.
Exhausted, Leona ran to the pond, screaming in pain. Ruqayya caught her and laid her down beside Scarlet.
Ruqayya looked around.
"We're only waiting for Ryo, Sulaiman, and Captain Zain now."
Meanwhile, Nurami's voice echoed in Ryo's mind.
"Hey kid… this is fun. Let's go… beyond Stage 3."
Ryo's eyes narrowed.