Absolute Cheater

With a scowl, Darren summoned a new wave of energy, his body crackling with raw power. "You think this is over, Magnus?" he growled. "You're not the only one who's got tricks up his sleeve."

He raised both hands to the sky, and the ground trembled beneath them. Massive stone pillars began to rise from the earth, each one sharp and jagged like the claws of a beast.

"This is my real strength," Darren declared. "I'll bury you under my power!"

Asher simply watched, his crimson eyes flicking between the rising pillars. He had seen enough. Darren's tactics were as predictable as his arrogance. The pillars were just another futile attempt to gain control of the fight.

"You're not as clever as you think, Dagon," Asher muttered, raising his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the blood around him surged forward, slicing through the stone pillars with effortless precision.

The air grew heavy with tension as the once-imposing stone pillars crumbled into dust. Asher walked forward, unbothered by the destruction around him.

Darren's eyes widened as he watched his attack disintegrate before him. His heart raced, and for the first time, doubt began to creep in.

"You... you're insane," Darren stammered, trying to steady himself. "There's no way you can keep this up!"

"Overlord Union!!" Darren shouted, his voice echoing across the arena. A massive Earth Dragon emerged from his magical aura and began merging with him in a blinding flash of light. When the glow subsided, Darren stood transformed—a humanoid dragon, resembling a heavily armored lizardman with bulging muscles and glowing yellow serpentine eyes.

"This is my power, Magnus," Darren said, his voice deeper and more resonant, reverberating through the arena. His elongated snout curled into a savage grin as he continued, "By fusing with my beast, I not only gain its strength but also its magic. Now, you'll see what true power looks like."

Without wasting another moment, Darren extended his clawed hands, summoning six massive stone blades that hovered ominously around him. With a sharp wave of his arm, the blades shot toward Asher like deadly missiles.

Asher's expression shifted, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Now, you're making this interesting for me too."

He raised his hand, blood swirling around him in a vortex before forming six crimson blades to match Darren's stone weapons. The two sets of blades clashed mid-air with an ear-splitting impact, sparks flying as blood and stone collided in a dazzling display of power.

"Not bad," Asher said, his crimson eyes glowing brighter as he surveyed Darren's new form. "Looks like you've finally made yourself worthy of my attention."

Darren snarled, charging toward Asher with lightning speed, his claws gleaming. Asher met his charge head-on, their weapons clashing in a flurry of sparks and shockwaves. Each strike sent ripples through the arena, the crowd watching in awe as the two fighters appeared evenly matched.

"You're not as invincible as you think, Magnus!" Darren roared, his claws slashing toward Asher's chest.

Asher sidestepped the attack with ease, retaliating with a counter-strike from a blood-forged sword. The blade met Darren's scaled arm, cutting through the outer layer but failing to penetrate deeper.

"God, now this is fun," Asher said with a cold chuckle. "For once, you're almost equal to me."

Darren grinned viciously, his confidence surging. "Almost? You'll see soon enough, Magnus—I'm more than your equal."

With that, the battle escalated, each combatant pushing their limits, their clash shaking the very foundations of the arena.

The clash between Asher and Darren sent shockwaves through the arena, each impact resounding like thunder, shaking the ground beneath the spectators. The crowd erupted into a mix of gasps and cheers, their eyes glued to the two combatants locked in a battle of raw power and technique.

"Did you see that? Darren's dragon fusion form is insane!" one student exclaimed, gripping the edge of their seat.

"Yeah, but look at Magnus! He's not even breaking a sweat," another responded, awe and fear mingling in their voice.

A deafening crash echoed as Asher's blood-forged sword collided with Darren's massive clawed hand, sending crimson sparks and stone fragments flying. The two fighters were evenly matched, their movements a blur to all but the most skilled observers.

In the stands, Freya Enrose watched the fight with an inscrutable expression, her arms crossed as she leaned against the railing. "Darren's putting on quite the show," she murmured to herself, "but Magnus… he hasn't even tapped into his full strength yet."

"Come on, Darren!" a group of students from his hometown cheered, waving banners with his name emblazoned in bold letters. "Show him what an Overlord can do!"

Meanwhile, others watched in silence, mesmerized by Asher's cold, calculated demeanor. "He's a monster," one student whispered. "Look at his eyes—they're glowing like something out of a nightmare."

Back in the arena, Darren unleashed a flurry of strikes with his massive stone blades, each swing causing the air to vibrate with power. Asher dodged and parried with fluid grace, his movements almost lazy as if he were toying with his opponent.

"You're not bad, Dagon," Asher said, his voice dripping with icy confidence. "But not good enough."

Darren roared, lunging forward with both claws aimed at Asher's torso. The crowd held their breath as the arena floor cracked beneath Darren's charge, the sheer force of his attack leaving a deep gouge in the stone.

Asher sidestepped at the last possible moment, countering with a burst of crimson energy that erupted from the ground, striking Darren in the chest and forcing him back. The crowd gasped as Darren skidded to a halt, his armored form steaming from the impact.

"Is that all you've got?" Asher taunted, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

Darren growled, his glowing yellow eyes narrowing. "Don't get cocky, Magnus. I'm just getting started!"

"That's what they all say," Asher replied, his voice calm yet mocking.

In the stands, the tension was palpable. Students leaned forward, their eyes darting between the fighters. Some whispered bets, while others exchanged nervous glances, unable to predict the outcome.

"This is insane," one A-Class student said, shaking their head. "If this is what S-Class fights look like, I don't even want to imagine what the ranking challenges will be like."

Asher raised his hand, and the blood from the shattered blades around him coalesced into a massive crimson spear. The weapon pulsed with a dark, ominous energy as he pointed it toward Darren.

"Let's see if your dragon armor can withstand this," Asher said, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.

The crowd fell silent, the air thick with anticipation as the next phase of the fight began.