Travis gripped the sword firmly, positioning it in a stance that felt second nature. The cool steel rested effortlessly in his grasp, its weight balanced perfectly as though it was an extension of his arm. A flood of swordsmanship knowledge surged through his mind like a torrent, each technique and principle sharpening his focus. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Even stripped of his Innate Abilities, he was a Swordsman to his core. The blade was familiar, almost comforting.


    '' for some reason i cant wait for this fight'' , he mused, his eyes gleaming with quiet determination.


    His gaze locked onto Svelte. The atmosphere grew heavy as a sudden gust of wind howled through the arena, whipping his hair and tugging at his clothes. The air around Svelte shifted, crackling with unseen energy. His eyes began to glow a piercing, unnatural blue, casting an eerie luminescence over his sharp features.


    “This is how an ex-Adventurer battles, Travis!” Svelte roared, thrusting his staff forward with purpose. A radiant magical circle flared to life beneath his feet, its intricate single ring shimmering in an intense azure light.


    At the tip of Svelte’s staff, a swirling sphere of water materialized, churning violently as wind currents wove around it, propelling it to spin at blinding speeds. The sheer force of its motion distorted the air, creating an ominous hum that sent a chill down Travis’s spine. He couldn’t decipher what he was witnessing, but his instincts screamed at him—whatever this was, he had to avoid it at all costs.


    “Aqua Infinity!” Svelte declared. The spinning sphere didn’t fire toward Travis as expected. Instead, water cascaded downward from it in torrential streams, flooding the arena in moments. The once solid ground transformed into a vast, rippling surface of water that quickly soaked Travis’s boots.


    His eyes snapped upward, catching sight of Svelte now standing effortlessly on the water’s surface. The sight was jarring, and Travis’s mind raced. He can walk on water? But then inspiration struck, and a confident grin spread across his face. Focusing intently, he coated the soles of his boots with a fine layer of water mana, testing his balance cautiously before fully committing. Within moments, he too stood atop the watery surface, mirroring Svelte’s stance.


    “I feel like Naruto,” Travis muttered under his breath, the thought briefly pulling a nostalgic smirk to his face before it twisted into a frown. '' Damn, now I’m thinking about that cringe TikTok girl.''


    The tension in the arena thickened, both men standing poised on the shifting water, ready to strike.


    Svelte planted his staff firmly into the water, the motion deliberate and precise. The staff sank deeper than expected, vanishing almost entirely beneath the surface. Travis raised an eyebrow at the sight, but dismissed it with a shrug, taking a tentative step forward. The water underfoot felt as solid as ground, each step steady and stable. Satisfied, he stopped questioning it.


    Alright, let’s do this, he thought, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.


    He shifted into a battle stance, his hands firmly grasping the weapon’s hilt. Focusing his energy, Travis channeled his aura into the blade, causing it to emit a faint red glow that pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat. A sly grin crossed his face as he charged forward, each step leaving ripples dancing across the water’s surface. His movements were fluid, his intent razor-sharp. As he approached, Travis leapt high into the air, his glowing blade arcing toward Svelte with deadly precision.


    Svelte smirked, his calm demeanor unshaken by the incoming strike. Travis noticed the confidence etched in his opponent’s face but refused to hesitate. His blade descended, slicing cleanly through Svelte’s body. For a brief moment, satisfaction flickered in Travis’s eyes—until he realized there was no resistance. The form before him wavered, then collapsed into a stream of water that merged seamlessly with the pool below.


    “What the fuck?” Travis muttered, his grip tightening as he scanned the arena. Across the pool, Svelte reappeared, his stance unwavering and a mischievous grin on his face.


    “My turn!” Svelte bellowed, extending his arms dramatically. His hands moved with purpose, as though conducting an unseen symphony. Travis’s eyes darted to the water around him, noticing the rippling surface begin to shift unnaturally. His gaze dropped downward just in time to see the water below him surge upward like a geyser. He sprang to the side, narrowly avoiding the explosion of water.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The attack didn’t stop. Svelte, like a maestro orchestrating his masterpiece, guided the water to rise and flow with menacing intent. A towering wave formed and rushed toward Travis, its size and speed making escape seem impossible. Without hesitation, Travis broke into a sprint, his feet skimming across the water’s surface as he dodged the incoming torrent. The roar of the wave was deafening, its sheer power palpable.


    When there was no end in sight, Travis skidded to a halt, pivoted, and raised his glowing blade. With a forceful swing, he slashed at the wall of water.


    Shinggg!


    The blade’s energy cut cleanly through the wave, splitting it in two. Water cascaded back into the pool in a thunderous splash, leaving Travis panting from exertion. His sharp gaze darted to where Svelte had stood, only to find him gone.


    “What now?” he muttered, scanning the arena.


    A sudden shadow loomed over him, blotting out the light. Travis glanced upward, his breath hitching as he saw a massive sphere of water hovering above him, its weight and size foreboding.


    “Man, that sucks,” he thought, gritting his teeth. His grip tightened on his sword as he prepared for whatever came next.


    The massive water ball plummeted toward Travis, crashing into him with a deafening roar.


    Paahhh!


    The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the arena, drenching everything in its vicinity. Submerged in the deluge, Travis held his breath as he swam upward, his body cutting through the water like a blade. Breaking the surface with a gasp, he planted his feet firmly on the water, his aura stabilizing him as he stood tall once more. Droplets cascaded from his drenched figure, but his resolve remained unshaken.


    “You can’t defeat me, Travis. It’s impossible. Give up,” Svelte taunted, his voice carrying an air of finality.


    Travis’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Svelte raising his hand, the motion precise and commanding. From the flooded ground, dozens of sleek, pointed water torpedoes emerged, their sharp tips glinting dangerously. They hovered ominously, each one aimed directly at him. The surface of the arena remained a vast, undulating pool, yet somehow the water seemed endless.


    A grin spread across Travis’s face as his pulse quickened.


    '' Now this is gonna be fun!'' he thought, a thrill coursing through him.


    Without hesitation, he leapt off the raised ledge, landing smoothly on the water’s surface as if it were solid ground. Svelte wasted no time, signaling with a swift motion of his hand. The torpedoes launched forward in unison, hurtling toward Travis with blinding speed.


    The first one streaked toward his head, but Travis tilted his body effortlessly, letting it zip past. Another followed immediately, and then another, their sharp points slicing through the air with lethal intent. Yet, Travis evaded each one with fluid grace, his movements a seamless blend of agility and precision. He began to sprint across the water, his speed leaving trails of ripples in his wake.


    One torpedo crashed into the water behind him, causing a sharp splash, but as soon as it disappeared, another rose to replace it, homing in on its target. The relentless pursuit continued, forcing Travis to push harder. He leaned into his momentum, gliding across the water like a phantom.


    As he streaked past Svelte, he smirked, his taunting laughter echoing through the arena. The torpedoes shifted direction mid-air, following him with unyielding determination. Travis darted to the side, narrowly avoiding their piercing points. With a sharp turn, he drifted along the water’s surface, leaving Svelte momentarily in the crossfire.


    The torpedoes closed in on their creator, but before they could strike, Svelte flicked his wrist, halting them mid-air. They hovered briefly before spinning around and resuming their chase.


    Travis chuckled, adrenaline surging as he glanced at the arena walls. The moment he darted past a corner, several torpedoes slammed into the structure with a resounding explosion.


    Boom!


    The impact left a massive dent, but the Coliseum’s magical defenses quickly repaired the damage, the stone knitting itself back together in seconds.


    Travis barely spared it a glance, too caught up in the rush of the fight. His laughter rang out as he continued dodging and weaving through the onslaught. Each time a torpedo drew close, he met it with his blade, slicing through the watery construct with ease.


    Water sprayed in all directions as he moved, his soaked clothes clinging to his body. But at this point, he didn’t care. Drenched and exhilarated, Travis was completely in his element. Each strike of his sword sent another torpedo splashing harmlessly back into the pool, and he couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face.


    “Come on, Svelte! Is this all you’ve got?” he shouted, his voice alive with mockery and excitement.


    Svelte''s frown deepened as he observed Travis''s unrelenting amusement. Each dodge, every laugh, grated on him like a jagged blade. This wasn’t a battle to Travis—it was a game.


    “FINE!” Svelte bellowed, his voice echoing through the arena. “I WANTED TO END THIS NICELY, BUT YOU’VE PUSHED ME TOO FAR!”


    With a flourish of his hands, the water rippled violently, the pool beneath them responding to his fury. From the depths, Svelte began to form a colossal water spear, its surface swirling with raw, compressed energy. The weapon shimmered with an ethereal blue light, its size dwarfing anything he had conjured before.


    Travis’s grin faltered as he took in the sheer scale of the spear. He swallowed hard, his throat dry despite the dampness surrounding him.


    '' If this keeps up, I’m going to lose, '' he thought grimly, his mind racing. '' I need to find some way to beat him.''


    A flicker of an idea sparked in his mind, and his gaze shifted briefly to the water where Svelte had planted his staff earlier. The memory of it sinking into the depths came rushing back.


    '' The staff! ''


    A sly smile crept across Travis’s face, his confidence returning. He lifted his gaze to the massive blue spear, the light from it casting sharp reflections across the water.


    '' But first, I need to deal with that thing, '' he thought, steadying his breath as he tightened his grip on his sword.


    The faint red glow of his blade began to intensify, pulsating in response to his resolve.


    Travis planted his feet firmly on the water’s surface, the ripples beneath him calming as his focus sharpened. The arena fell eerily silent, the tension mounting with every passing second. Above him, the colossal spear hovered menacingly, ready to strike.


    TO BE CONTINUED