Everyone thought the boy was foolish to use such a tiny sphere against this massive dragon, however, as the two forces collided head-on, an immense shockwave erupted from the point of impact.
The [Heaven's Destroyer], previously a mere palm-sized blue sphere, rapidly expanded, its buzzing energy overwhelming the terrifying icy dragon.
In mere seconds, the once menacing dragon was swallowed up by the pulsating, crackling sphere, leaving the audience in a state of astonished disbelief.
The resulting shockwave was colossal, causing the protective layer around the stadium to tremble and spiderweb cracks to emerge on its surface. More experts stepped forward to cast additional protective spells, strengthening the barrier to withstand the intense energy unleashed by the clash of powers.
The sheer force of the collision reverberated through the arena, leaving the onlookers' jaws agape and their hearts pounding in their chests.
In that very instant, as the small sphere devoured the massive dragon, the spectators knew with absolute certainty that Rio's attack was not a foolish act after all and that Lily would be unable to withstand the power of his attack, which they previously believed was insufficient to defeat her icy dragon.
As the shockwave combined with the storm, a terrifying hurricane formed, as if nature itself had intervened in the clash of powers.
The fierce winds swept through the arena, violently propelling Lily backward. Her clothes fluttered wildly behind her, and her face veil was ripped away, revealing her facial features to the astonished audience.
In the brief moment before the blue sphere expanded and threatened to unleash its destructive explosion, Rio caught a glimpse of Lily's unveiled face.
Time seemed to stand still as his heart skipped a beat. The memory of love, at first sight, flooded his mind, and he felt as if he had fallen for her at that very moment. The foolish boy swore to God that he had never seen a girl as beautiful as her in his life.
Behind his mask, a tender smile graced his lips, and in an instant, he disappeared from his position, reappearing directly in front of Lily. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, shielding her from the impending blast.
As Rio held Lily tightly in his arms, their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. The girl's gaze was filled with confusion as she tried to understand the boy's foolish actions, while his eyes were filled with love and adoration for her.
As their heartbeats synchronized, Lily could feel her own pulse-quickening, racing like a wild, untamed river within her chest. The sound of her pounding heart filled her ears, drowning out the cacophony of destruction around them.
At that moment, the chaos and turmoil of the battle seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them. The warmth of Rio's touch and the safety of his embrace enveloped Lily, providing her with an unexpected sense of peace amidst the storm that raged outside their shared haven.
Although words may take a while to recount this sequence of events, in reality, it all unfolded in the merest fraction of a second.
As the [Heaven's Destroyer] reached its breaking point, it suddenly detonated, unleashing a brilliant blue light that expanded rapidly, engulfing a staggering two-hundred-meter radius.
*Boooooooooooooom!!!!!!*
The deafening boom echoed throughout the arena, accompanied by the overwhelming force of the explosion that threatened to shatter the protective layer encasing the spectators.
In that instant, the arena was transformed into a maelstrom of destruction. Debris flew in every direction, propelled by the sheer power of the blast. Fragments of stone and shattered ice hurtled through the air, adding to the chaos and confusion that gripped the spectators.
Stunned by the terrifying power and the ear-splitting sound, the people in the audience could hardly comprehend the events unfolding before them.
As they strained their eyes to make sense of the chaos, their vision was obscured by a thick cloud of dust and smoke billowing from the epicenter of the blast, leaving them in suspense as to the fate of the duo.
As the cloud of dust continued to block their view, Nyla, her heart filled with fear and desperation, began pounding the barrier with all her might, yearning to race into the arena and save the boy. But the protective layer was no easy task to break, and her efforts proved futile.
A gloomy aura enveloped everyone as the fate of the duo remained unknown. The government members feared the wrath of the Havenglow family if something were to happen to either of the two young warriors.
Gradually, as the cloud of dust began to dissipate, a figure emerged through the haze.
A boy, covered in blood, stood defiantly in the center of the arena. His upper clothing was torn apart, and his back was severely burnt. His mask once meant to conceal his facial identity, now bore numerous cracks, threatening to crumble and fall apart at any moment.
However, behind him, the burnt and withered vines bore witness to their stubborn attempt to protect him from the devastation, lessening the impact of the explosion.
His gift of the phantom armor had been shattered by the explosion, but it seemed he had succeeded in protecting Lily within his embrace.
As Lily gently pulled away from Rio, their eyes locked, and she found herself irresistibly captivated by the depth of emotion in his gaze.
Despite being severely injured by the very attack he had unleashed, his eyes held a steady, unwavering affection that seemed to defy the pain he must be feeling.
Her heart raced as she searched for answers in his gaze, struggling to comprehend his actions.
Why, she wondered, had he saved her when she had been so intent on inflicting grievous harm upon him to win this tournament?
How could he still look at her with such tenderness and love when they were, by all means, opponents in this battle?
Questions swirled in her mind, each one more baffling than the last. These thoughts not only puzzled Lily and the audience but also left readers perplexed, as they too were caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events and Rio's seemingly foolish actions.
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[SnowNote]
* I would have spent more time perfecting this chapter to provide a better reading experience if I were in better condition.
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