Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 283: Tournament [5]
Marcus immediately deployed shadows, trying to blanket the arena, create zones of darkness where he held advantage, but Damien didn't let him.
Fire essence ignited around his hands, that burned through shadows before they could fully form.
Marcus tried to adapt, using shadows offensively, tendrils whipping forward...
But Damien burned through them systematically.
Each shadow attack met with precise fire that consumed it.
"Interesting tactical counter!" Professor Vash narrated. "Shadow manipulation requires darkness to function! Damien's fire provides constant illumination!"
Marcus was being forced into a bad matchup. His primary strength was being systematically neutralized.
He tried to close distance, use physical combat enhanced with shadow coating.
And Damien was ready.
A fire burst drove Marcus back, then a follow-up combination, flame arrows that Marcus barely deflected.
The fight lasted longer than Kieran's, but the outcome was never in doubt. Marcus fought well, but he was being countered at every turn.
Finally, Damien created a ring of fire around Marcus, boxing him in, flames too intense to pass through without serious injury.
"Yield or burn," Damien said quietly.
Marcus assessed his options. Looked at his essence reserves. Made the smart choice.
"I yield."
"WINNER... DAMIEN KORR! Silver Crown leads two to zero!"
Silver Crown: 2 | Iron Talon: 0
The Iron Talon section looked worried now. Two quick losses. They needed Rennick to perform...
He took a deep exhale and entered the ring with visible determination.
Lightning already crackling around him.
Verelia walked in like she was attending a lecture. Utterly calm. Completely focused.
The contrast was stark.
"Our third fight! Lightning versus ice! This could swing either way!"
"BEGIN!"
Rennick attacked immediately, lightning bolt screaming across the distance.
Verelia's ice wall materialized instantly. The lightning struck it, dispersed partially, but enough got through.
Rennick pressed forward, lightning bolts rapid-fire, trying to keep Verelia on defensive—
But Verelia wasn't just defending. She was learning. Each attack she observed, analyzed, understood.
After few exchanges, she shifted tactics.
Instead of blocking lightning directly, she created ice mirrors, angled surfaces that deflected rather than absorbed.
Rennick's next bolt hit a mirror and ricocheted, nearly striking him.
His eyes widened. She's using my attacks against me.
Verelia advanced now. Creating ice constructs, walls, barriers, platforms, controlling the battlefield, forcing Rennick to work harder for each strike.
His essence reserves were depleting. Hers remained steady as if this was a walk in the park for her.
Rennick tried one massive attack, gathering all his remaining essence into one devastating lightning strike.
Verelia saw it coming. She'd been waiting for exactly this.
Multiple ice mirrors positioned in precise angles. The lightning bolt hit the first mirror, refracted to the second, third, fourth, each deflection reducing power until it dissipated harmlessly.
Rennick stood there, essence depleted, breathing hard.
Verelia walked forward calmly. Ice formed around Rennick's feet, crawling up his legs, immobilizing him.
"Yield," she said.
Rennick looked at the ice binding him, at Verelia's completely calm expression, at his own exhausted state.
"...I yield."
"WINNER... VERELIA RITHVALE! SILVER CROWN WINS THE MATCH THREE TO ZERO!"
The Silver Crown section exploded. Perfect sweep. Dominant performance. Not a single loss.
FINAL SCORE: Silver Crown: 3 | Iron Talon: 0
The five Silver Crown representatives stood together, barely injured, essence reserves still strong.
Iron Talon's fighters looked defeated, not just in the match, but in spirit. They'd been systematically dismantled.
Professor Vash's voice rang out. "DOMINANT SHOWING FROM SILVER CROWN! Iron Talon fought with honor but could not overcome the champions!"
The crowd roared approval.
In the Champions' Room, Alaric watched Verelia return.
"Efficient," he observed.
"Obviously," she replied.
Now they just had to do it again against Bronze Shield.
And then whoever won would face the other in finals.
The tournament continued.
And Silver Crown's dominance remained unchallenged.
For now.
------
A brief intermission followed Iron Talon's defeat. Medical staff tended to the injured. Betting odds shifted dramatically, Silver Crown's perfect sweep had reinforced their dominance.
Professor Vash's voice cut through the murmurs.
"And now, our second Round Two match! SILVER CROWN versus BRONZE SHIELD!"
The Bronze Shield section rallied, cheering their fighters. They'd seen what happened to Iron Talon. They knew the challenge ahead.
"Bronze Shield showed strength defeating Copper Thorn! But can they challenge our champions? Let's find out!"
Alaric stood, hands in pockets, entered the ring to mixed applause, Silver Crown support, curiosity from others about the adopted heir's capabilities.
Grece stood opposite him, tall, muscular, radiating confidence. Clearly a body path user.
"Our first clash! Body path enhancement versus... let's see what Alaric Glimor brings!"
"BEGIN!"
Grece charged immediately, closing distance with explosive speed. His body enhancement made him fast.
Alaric sidestepped, and a lightning bolt discharged toward Grece's center mass.
His body glowed with blue essence coating. The lightning struck but dissipated against his enhanced durability.
Grece's fist came in like a hammer. Alaric blocked with an essence-reinforced guard, but the impact still drove him back several feet.
The crowd leaned forward. This looked even.
Grece
pressed forward with combinations—jab, cross, uppercut—each strike enhanced with body path power that made the air crack.
Alaric gave ground, blocking, deflecting, buying time to assess.
He's strong but straightforward. Relies on durability to tank hits while pressing offense.
Grece
tried to corner him against the barrier—
But Alaric's hand ignited.
[Fireball!]
A sphere of flame launched directly into Grece's chest at point-blank range.
The explosion drove his back. His essence coating protected him from serious damage, but the heat made him hesitate.
Fire works better than lightning against physical defense.
But before Grece could recover fully, Alaric followed up, Lightning Bolt to disrupt, then another Fireball while Grece
was staggered.
The crowd gasped. Murmurs rippled through the stands.
"Wait... did he just use two affinities?" someone shouted.
"That's not possible for first-years—"
"Dual affinity?!"
Professor Vash's voice carried surprise. "Remarkable! Alaric Glimor demonstrates both fire AND lightning manipulation! Rare talent indeed!"
Grece
recovered, essence coating intensifying. But now he looked wary. Dual affinity meant unpredictable combinations. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
Alaric didn't give him time to adapt and launched a flame arrow forcing Grece to dodge.
Grece tried to power through, charging again.
Alaric combined techniques. Lightning crackling around one hand, fire around the other. As Grece
closed distance, Alaric struck both elements simultaneously.
The discharge was devastating. Lightning disrupted Grece 's essence coating while fire burned through the weakened defense.
Grece
gasped, stumbling, his enhancement flickering.
Alaric pressed.
Palm strike enhanced with lightning to the solar plexus.
Grece's eyes rolled back.
And he collapsed.
Knocked out.
"WINNER... ALARIC GLIMOR! Dominant performance with DUAL AFFINITY!"
The crowd erupted in shocked excitement. Dual affinity was rare. Seeing it used so effectively in combat was even rarer.
Silver Crown: 1 | Bronze Shield: 0
Alaric left the ring, ignoring the stares and whispers. In the Champions' Room, Verelia studied him with new interest.
"Huh! What's so special about this, you're still weaker than me." Elina scoffed and stood from her seat.
She entered the ring with visible confidence, golden essence already flickering around her fists.
Thomas Grey took position looking determined despite the deficit.
"BEGIN!"
