A duel between light and darkness part 2

In the vast expanse of the Colosseum, Reo adopted a stance with his spear, while Liam prepared himself holding his sword. Alice signaled the start of an intriguing duel between Reo and Liam, who promptly sprinted towards each other, their weapons clashing in force, triggering a loud clashing sound.

Stepping back, Liam conceded, "I grant you, you are no weakling, but this battle has only just begun." Calling upon his elemental abilities, Liam declared, "Elemental sword skill of Light!", followed by a radiant slash of his sword directed at Reo.

Ready to exhibit his newfound skills, Reo retaliated with, "Shadow Burst!" As he thrust his spear with a swift motion, it neutralized the intense wave of light produced by Liam's attack. The battle continued, displaying a robust exchange of attacks.

"Liam made it clear that he found the recipient's first unique skill rather underwhelming. Slightly amused, he readied himself to demonstrate the power of a true unique skill. Without wasting a moment, he summoned his unique skill, "Swords of Justice", which immediately manifested as seven radiant swords, hovering ominously behind him. Raising his hand, he then forcefully directed them to chase down Reo.

Despite Reo's agile reflexes and swift maneuvers, the Swords of Justice simply navigated around every obstacle, relentlessly pursuing him. Realizing the relentless nature of Liam's attack, Reo began to retreat, all the while dodging the seven luminous swords that trailed right behind him. Darkly, Liam declared the futility of avoiding his unique skill, emphasizing its capacity to tirelessly stalk any adversary, regardless of their location."

Afterwards, Reo spun around to meet the luminous swords. He used his 'Elemental Spear Skill of Darkness', projecting the spear into the air. This spurred a minor vortex of shadows, raining down spear projectiles that shattered the septet of light swords Liam had conjured through his elemental ability. Reo, in a subdued tone, remarked, "Now that's taken care of. It's time to defeat you." With immense velocity, he lunged from his grounded position to execute a slash.

However, Liam objecteed and ushered the 'Elemental Sword Skill of Light'. His retaliatory slash severely compromised Reo's protective gear due to a direct hit. Noting the heavy damage, Liam queried, "Are you ready to capitulate now?" Meanwhile, the audience of students watching their duel had begun to shout cheers in favor of Liam.

Reo began to rise but was suddenly assailed by a cacophonous onslaught of words in his mind. The repetitive barrage echoed, the screams only consisting of one word, "Win". Gripping his spear, he drove it into the ground, clutching his head in torment.

Nearby, both Michael and Amelia stirred, rising from their seats in alarm. Concern etched in their voices, they asked, "Reo, what's wrong?"

However, Reo could not answer. The resonating echoes within his mind were growing louder, consuming his attention. Gathering all his strength, Reo tried to vocalize his confusion, only managing to utter one question, "What's going on?"

Despite the internal chaos, Reo managed to stand up. Across him, Liam seemed confident, already celebrating an anticipated victory. It appeared as if one more attack from Liam would disarm Reo's gear completely.

Upon seeing Reo, Liam noticed a change in Reo's eyes - they had turned completely black. As Reo lowered his head towards his left shoulder, he uttered in a dark and eerie voice, "I simply need to win." This sight instilled fear and terror in Liam, prompting him to slowly recede. The spectators, most of whom were clueless about the ongoing situation, started to rise from their seats. Simultaneously, Micheal and Amelia began to descend the stairs of the coliseum with the intention of stopping the match.

"Why are you backing off?" Reo demanded, his voice laced with impending dread, as he hoisted his spear skyward. A stunned Liam had wrongly anticipated another display of Reo's formidable elemental skill.

In an improbable leap, Reo was suddenly airborne. Heedfully, the onlooking students craned their necks up, confounded by his remarkable elevation. The spear, pulled in by gravity, descended in front of him, and as he too began his downward trajectory, he dealt the spear a formidable kick. The air resonated with the resulting pressure.

"Shadow Burst trigger," he declared in activating his exclusive skill. Boosted by the robust momentum of his kick, the spear took off at an alarming speed. "Catch this," Reo dared, smirking as the lethal weapon pierced through Liam obliterating his defensive gear.

"I've won!" Reo's triumphant announcement reverberated in the palpable silence that had descended. The bewildered students continued staring, unable to comprehend the spectacle they had just witnessed. As his eyes regained their regular hue, their disbelief only escalated.

Students were engrossed in a discussion about Liam's surprising defeat. Micheal approached Reo, curiously questioning, "What exactly occurred? How did Reo employ his skills in such a unique manner?"

Was it a newly discovered, unique skill?" Micheal asked. Reo responded with clarity, "No, it wasn't a distinct new skill, I termed it 'Shadow Burst Trigger' because the usage was different from the regular 'Shadow Burst'."

Micheal chuckled and responded, "Very humorous, Reo." Meanwhile, Liam, despite his defeat, managed to slowly walk towards them, indicating that something was off.

Remarkably, Reo had a similar notion, feeling an unsettling change in the atmosphere, as if the echoing voices he heard had suddenly vanished. This sparked a multitude of questions on the origin of the voices. His leading hypothesis was that this phenomenon was somehow linked to his curse.

"Alice voiced her concern, 'What do you mean something is wrong?' as she approached the gathering at the heart of the Coliseum. 'His eyes had a complete switch to black and his voice took on a strikingly different and ominous undertone,' Liam shared, evoking a sense of foreboding and danger. All eyes turned toward Reo, who dismissed their concerns, 'I am completely fine.' After the squabble, Reo and Michael bid farewell and departed towards their dormitory."