Travel to destiney

Chapter – 8 :The only way to arrive? With a bang, obviously.

The grand arena buzzed with an electrifying tension that hummed beneath the clamor of the assembled crowd. It was the second day of the qualifiers, a pivotal moment after the preceding day’s rigorous Round 1 had culled the less fortunate from the fray. Now, all remaining participating teams, their faces a mixture of anticipation and steely resolve, converged near the sprawling battleground.

A booming voice cut through the din, amplified by unseen magical means, as the referee ascended the central stage. "Welcome, competitors, to Round 2!" he announced, his voice reverberating through the cavernous space. "Introducing today’s combatants!"

The spotlight, a radiant beacon of condensed light, swept across two distinct groups as their names were called. Tulan’s team, radiating a confident aura, stepped forward first, taking their designated positions.

Tulan’s Team

1. Tulan – Thunder

2. Swasti – Water

3. Mercy – Unknown

Next, the referee gestured to their formidable opponents, Ikshan’s team, who moved with a practiced synchronization onto the opposing side of the stage.

Ikshan’s Team:

1. Ikshan – Nature

2. Sama – Cloning

3. Nagara – Poison

A tense silence descended as both teams formally acknowledged each other, a brief exchange of nods and cool gazes that spoke volumes without a single word. Then, with a dramatic sweep of his arm, the referee bellowed, “Let the match… begin!”

The very instant the word ‘begin’ echoed through the arena, Tulan exploded into motion. A streak of focused intent, he shot across the ground, a blur of motion aiming straight for Ikshan’s team. His goal was clear: end this swiftly, decisively At the same moment, Swasti’s arms swept through the air like a conductor. From her fingertips, jagged ice crystals exploded outward, deadly and dazzling, conjured a flurry of sharp ice crystals from the very air, launching them like glittering darts. Their strategy was audacious, a full-frontal assault designed to overwhelm their opponents before they could even react.

But Ikshan’s team was not to be caught off guard. Even as Tulan charged, Ikshan stamped his foot, and the very ground beneath them shuddered. In a breathtaking display of raw power, a vast, verdant expanse of colossal plants and ancient-looking trees erupted from the arena floor, weaving together to form an impenetrable, living wall. It was a magnificent, natural fortress – Ikshan’s signature "Nature’s Way." Without a moment’s hesitation, Nagara moved in tandem, instantly unleashing a thick, noxious poison smoke that billowed outwards, engulfing Ikshan’s newly erected defense in an ominous, green-tinged haze. The arena transformed in an instant from a flat combat zone into a dense, almost primeval forest shrouded in toxic mist.

Swasti, however, was prepared. With a mighty sweep of her arms, she summoned a gargantuan wave of water, a roaring torrent that surged across the arena. It wasn't powerful enough to shatter Ikshan’s formidable "Nature Way," but it served its purpose admirably. The pure, cleansing force of the water washed over the defensive wall, efficiently sweeping away the suffocating poison smoke that Nagara had deployed.

By the time the last vestiges of Nagara’s insidious mist were cleared, Tulan had already reached the verdant barrier of the "Nature Way." As he prepared to breach it, an insidious new threat emerged. Razor-sharp spikes of wood, crafted by Ikshan’s command, began to pierce the very air around him, erupting from the nearby plants and trees. They were impossibly fast, unnervingly sharp, and seemed to multiply endlessly, forming a relentless, swirling vortex of piercing projectiles. Tulan, agile and quick-witted, began to dodge and weave, narrowly escaping the relentless barrage. Each near-miss sent splinters flying, a testament to the deadly precision of Ikshan’s botanical assault.

Until this point, Swasti had remained closer to Mercy, a silent guardian. Mercy, still an enigma, didn't possess any overt offensive or defensive skills that they knew of, making her a potential vulnerability. However, seeing Tulan in such dire straits, Mercy made a crucial decision. With a quiet but firm voice, she urged Swasti, "Go, help Tulan! I can take care of myself!" Her gaze was unwavering, an unexpected wellspring of resolve in the face of danger. Swasti, torn but trusting, nodded. She then charged into the fray, launching sharp shards of ice with precision. Each icy projectile intercepted a wooden spike that was on a collision course with Tulan, creating a symphony of shattering wood and ice.

This was precisely the moment Ikshan’s team had been waiting for. They initiated their pre-planned "Divide and Hunt" strategy. With a monumental effort, Ikshan channeled his remaining energy, causing one of the already enormous trees within his "Nature Way" to swell even further. Its roots surged outwards like titanic serpents, and its branches extended like grasping claws, creating a labyrinthine barrier that effectively separated Tulan, Swasti, and Mercy. The maneuver was incredibly effective, splintering Tulan’s team and isolating them. However, it came at a significant cost; Ikshan had expended the vast majority of his energy. With a final, desperate surge, he enclosed himself within a protective wooden cage, retreating to recover.

Sama, who had meticulously preserved his strength throughout the initial chaotic exchange, now saw his opening. With a guttural roar, he unleashed his signature skill: "Multiple!" In an instant, his form blurred, and then, impossibly, multiple identical copies of Sama appeared, swirling around him like a living whirlwind. He dispatched them immediately, a wave of clones surging towards Tulan and Swasti, intent on engaging them in a prolonged, exhausting battle. Meanwhile, Nagara, his eyes glinting with malicious intent, bypassed the main skirmish and moved directly towards the isolated Mercy, once again enveloping her in his suffocating poison smoke.

A fierce, drawn-out battle unfolded. Sama’s primary role was to keep Tulan and Swasti completely occupied, preventing them from aiding Mercy or attacking Ikshan while he recovered. Tulan, despite his potent thunder attacks, found himself overwhelmed by the sheer numerical advantage of the clones. Swasti, though skilled, was similarly bogged down, her ice attacks shattering clones only for new ones to immediately take their place. On the other side of the arena, Nagara steadily gained the upper hand over Mercy. The poison smoke, though visually less dramatic than Tulan’s lightning or Swasti’s ice, was insidious, gradually sapping Mercy’s strength and clarity. The air around her grew thick and heavy, each breath a struggle.

The stalemate continued for what felt like an eternity, Sama relentlessly producing new clones to replace those destroyed by Tulan and Swasti. However, even Sama, with his extraordinary ability, was beginning to near his limits. At this critical juncture, with the poison creeping into her lungs and her vision blurring, Mercy, displaying a quiet courage, made the difficult choice to accept her defeat. With a final, weary nod, she stepped out of the arena. The referee’s voice sliced through the cacophony of battle, "Mercy has been eliminated!"

The news ignited a new wave of energy within Ikshan’s team. On the other side of the arena, Ikshan, now fully recovered from his earlier exertion, burst from his wooden enclosure, his eyes alight with renewed vigor. He joined the brutal struggle against Swasti, adding his formidable nature-based attacks to Sama’s relentless cloning. Simultaneously, Nagara, freed from his engagement with Mercy, moved to support Sama, joining the direct assault on Tulan. The odds had shifted dramatically.

Swasti, facing the combined might of Ikshan’s powerful nature magic and Sama’s ceaseless clones, was now truly overwhelmed. She unleashed every technique she possessed – sharp ice spikes, surging waves, and even slippery ice slides in desperate attempts to evade and counter. But Sama’s clones acted as a perfect distraction, absorbing her attacks and keeping her busy, allowing Ikshan to deliver a decisive, overwhelming blow. Swasti strained every muscle, every fiber of her being, attempting to deflect or escape the crushing force, but it was too much. With a final, defeated groan, she collapsed, eliminated from the match.

Now, all three members of Ikshan’s team converged on Tulan. The arena held its breath, the gravity of the situation palpable. It was literally a one-versus-three scenario, and Tulan, though incredibly powerful, was visibly exhausted, struggling to contend with the relentless, coordinated assault. Everyone in the arena, from the roaring spectators to the impassive judges, believed Tulan’s defeat was merely a matter of time. The unspoken consensus was clear: Tulan’s team had fought valiantly, but their end was inevitable.

It was in this precise moment of utter desperation, pushed to the absolute brink, that something snapped within Tulan. A raw, untamed power surged through him, an ancestral awakening. With a guttural roar that seemed to tear through the very fabric of the arena, he unleashed his Mutated Skill: "Thunder of Heavenly Tiger over Sea!"

The sky above the arena, moments ago clear, churned violently, darkening with unnatural speed. Crackling arcs of raw electrical energy snaked across the air. A colossal, ethereal tiger, formed of pure, incandescent lightning, seemed to coalesce above Tulan, its eyes blazing with cosmic power. Then, with a deafening roar that vibrated through every spectator’s bones, the tiger lashed out. bolts of pure, destructive thunder rained down from the heavens, engulfing the entire arena in a blinding, terrifying storm. The range of this attack was absolute, leaving no corner of the battleground untouched.

Silence descended upon the arena, a stunned, collective gasp. Every single person present was shocked into awe by the sheer spectacle of it. Even the esteemed Guru and Acharya, veterans of countless battles and masters of their own formidable powers, were visibly surprised to witness such a devastatingly powerful, large-scale attack emanating from an eleven-year-old child.

As the blinding light faded, and the residual crackle of electricity subsided, the outcome was chillingly clear. All three members of Ikshan’s team – Ikshan, Sama, and Nagara – lay motionless, instantly defeated by the overwhelming force of Tulan’s cataclysmic attack.

A moment later, the referee, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and bewilderment, confirmed the outcome. "Ikshan’s team is defeated! Tulan’s team… are the winners!"

As the words were announced, Tulan, the source of such raw power, swayed. The exertion had been immense, drawing upon reserves he didn't know he possessed. With a final, shuddering breath, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unconscious. His teammates, a mixture of relief and concern washing over their faces, immediately rushed to his side, carefully lifting him and quickly transporting him to the medical facilities.

Initially, the referee had planned to schedule two matches for the day. However, the titanic clash between Tulan’s and Ikshan’s teams had transformed into an arduous battle of persistence, stretching far beyond anyone's expectations. The sheer length and intensity of the fight, coupled with Tulan’s critical exhaustion, left no option. The referee had to postpone the next match, rescheduling it for the following day. This reprieve would grant Tulan’s team the crucial time they needed to recover their strength and energy, a much-needed break after their grueling victory.

Let’s hope Tulan recovers swiftly and rejoins the party soon. Until then, take care......

To be continued………………………