Thor stood off to the side, loosening his muscles. His powerful frame looked even more imposing under the sunlight.
"Ice Mage Aisla… I've heard her mastery over the frost element has reached an incredible level. She can freeze an entire battlefield in an instant."
"That's true," Luo Feng replied with a nod. "But Brother Hong's combination of Earth Law and Gravity Law gives him a natural advantage in defense and control. Frost may be powerful, but it still relies on a medium to manifest. The Earth Law happens to influence those very mediums."
Hong rose to his feet and stretched, his joints letting out soft cracking sounds.
"Theories are important, but victory is decided on the battlefield. If Aisla managed to stand out in the Blue Crystal Star System, she must have something extraordinary."
A system announcement echoed through the room.
"All contestants, please take note. The second round is about to begin. Hong versus Aisla. Both participants, proceed to the teleportation zone."
Hong took a deep breath and nodded to his teammates.
"I'm heading out."
"Good luck, Brother Hong!" Thor clenched his fists, excitement blazing in his eyes. "Show them what we can do!"
"Trust yourself. Trust the strength of the earth," Rowan added, patting Hong on the shoulder.
"We'll be waiting for good news," Luo Feng said.
With steady, grounded steps, Hong walked out of the lounge toward the teleportation zone. Every step he took seemed to resonate with the land beneath him, as if he were moving in harmony with the very pulse of the world.
The spectator stands were already packed.
After Rowan's stunning performance the day before, interest in the Earth team had surged. Now, all eyes turned to Hong. Unlike Rowan's explosive brilliance, Hong exuded something different: the calm, restrained presence of a seasoned warrior.
"Is that Hong from Earth?" a mechanical being asked, its metallic body gleaming as blue light flickered in its eyes. "He looks composed. Likely a defense-oriented fighter."
Beside it, a winged woman observed quietly. Her white feathers shimmered softly as she spoke.
"Not just defense. Look at how he walks. Every step interacts subtly with the ground. I would guess he's a practitioner of the Earth Law."
"Earth Law?" the mechanical spectator replied. "It's known for strong defense, but its offensive capability is limited. Wouldn't that put him at a disadvantage against Aisla's frost abilities?"
The winged woman shook her head.
"Not necessarily. The essence of Earth Law lies in control, not just defense. Used properly, it can reshape the entire battlefield."
Elsewhere, powerful beings from various star regions discussed the match.
"I've seen Aisla fight before," said a towering warrior of stone. "She can freeze several kilometers instantly. Anything caught within becomes trapped in ice."
"But that Earth warrior isn't simple either," added a psychic entity. "His law fluctuations are stable. That shows exceptional control."
"It will come down to endurance," a spectator from the Fire Star Domain remarked. "Ice versus earth. Extreme cold against immovable weight."
In the VIP section, high-ranking members of the Virtual Universe Company watched closely.
"What do you think of Hong?" the inspector asked.
Zhenwu studied Hong carefully.
"From his presence alone, he's experienced. His control over his laws is steady, not flashy like most young prodigies. He's restrained… but deep."
"Those types are always troublesome," the inspector said with interest.
Zhenwu nodded.
"Flashy talent is impressive, but warriors like him are more dangerous. Every move is deliberate. Every strike is precise."
At the teleportation zone, Hong finally met his opponent.
Aisla stood before him, slender and elegant. Her silver-blue hair flowed softly, and her pale skin resembled freshly fallen snow. Her eyes were clear like crystal, yet carried a chilling edge. She wore a robe formed from condensed frost and held a crystalline staff.
"So you're Hong from Earth?" she said, her voice soft and cool like melting snow. "Your teammate Rowan fought well yesterday. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Hong inclined his head slightly.
"I'll do my best. Lady Aisla's reputation in the Blue Crystal Star System is well known. This battle should be a good one."
A faint smile touched her lips, though it carried no warmth.
"Good. Then let's begin."
"Teleportation commencing. Battlefield: Barren Wasteland."
A flash of white light swallowed them both.
When the light faded, Hong found himself standing in a vast wasteland.
The terrain stretched endlessly, barren and rugged. Exposed rock formations dotted the land, while distant mountain ranges loomed under a sky of drifting clouds. It was a perfect environment for an Earth Law user.
Aisla appeared on the far side, her gaze sweeping the surroundings before settling on him with slight displeasure.
"A wasteland? It seems the random selection favors you."
Hong shook his head calmly.
"Environment matters, but true strength lies in adaptability."
"Well said." She raised her staff. "Let's begin."
"Battle… start!"
The moment the system declared the start, Aisla moved.
She lifted her staff high and began chanting an ancient incantation. As her voice echoed, the temperature across the wasteland plummeted sharply. Frost began to form in the air.
"Frost Descends!"
A burst of blue light radiated from the crystal atop her staff. In an instant, the temperature within several kilometers dropped to terrifying levels. Ice spread across the ground, and countless needles of frost formed in the air, shooting toward Hong.
The crowd erupted.
"Incredible! She changed the entire battlefield instantly!"
"That's the power of a frost mage from the Blue Crystal Star System!"
"What will the Earth warrior do now?"
The mechanical spectator's voice trembled.
"This scale… this is near the peak of frost law application!"
Yet Hong remained calm.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly spread his arms.
"Earth, answer me."
His voice was deep, resonating like a call from the depths below.
The wasteland trembled violently. Massive chunks of rock surged upward, forming a thick earthen wall around him, blocking every incoming ice needle.
"What?" Aisla's eyes widened slightly. "Even at this temperature, he can still control the earth?"
Ordinarily, frozen ground became rigid and nearly impossible to manipulate. But Hong's understanding of the Earth Law had reached a level where even harsh conditions could not suppress it.
"Ice Storm!"
Aisla pressed forward, drawing complex runes in the air. A violent blizzard erupted, hailstones crashing down like cannon fire.
The tension in the arena rose instantly.
"That attack could shatter a mountain!"
"Can those walls hold?"
"This kind of sustained assault favors Aisla!"
Even the stone warrior frowned.
"The range is overwhelming. Hard to deal with."
But Hong did not retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward.
"Gravity Field!"
With a thunderous shout, the gravity around him surged several times over. The incoming hail slowed drastically, its destructive force greatly reduced.
Aisla's expression shifted in shock.
"Gravity Law? You wield two laws at once?"
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"Two laws at the same time!"
"That combination is perfect!"
"No wonder he was so calm!"
In the VIP section, even the inspector was surprised.
"Dual law mastery. His talent exceeds expectations."
Zhenwu nodded.
"It's not just talent. It's understanding. Earth and gravity are deeply connected. To fuse them like this requires profound insight."
Hong began his counterattack.
Empowered by gravity, he raised towering pillars of stone from the ground.
"Wrath of the Earth!"
The pillars shot forward like spears, carrying immense force. Aisla retreated quickly, summoning thick ice walls in defense.
"Ice Barrier!"
Layer after layer of ice formed before her, but under the amplified weight of gravity, the stone pillars shattered them one after another.
"That's impossible!" she exclaimed. "My barriers shouldn't break so easily!"
Hong spoke calmly.
"Ice is strong, but under intense gravity, its internal structure destabilizes. Your defense cannot withstand that pressure."
The audience was captivated.
"This interplay between laws… incredible!"
"Hong's combat intelligence is exceptional!"
"Aisla is at a disadvantage now!"
In the Earth team's lounge, excitement surged.
"Brother Hong is amazing!" Thor shouted. "That combination is flawless!"
Rowan nodded in admiration.
"His experience truly shows. He adapts perfectly in battle."
Luo Feng observed closely.
"But Aisla isn't finished yet. She still has something in reserve."
As expected, Aisla did not yield.
She inhaled deeply, her eyes sharpening with resolve.
"It seems I must use my true power."
She planted her staff into the ground and began removing the restraints of her robe.
"Hong, you are strong. But this fight is not over."
A surge of cold energy erupted from her body. The air temperature dropped even further. Her skin turned translucent, like pure crystal.
"Crystal Ice Form."
The crowd exploded again.
"She mastered that technique!"
"Her defense will skyrocket!"
"And her frost power will increase further!"
In this state, Aisla transformed completely. No longer just a mage, she became something closer to a sovereign of ice.
She raised her staff.
"Absolute Zero!"
A wave of unimaginable cold spread outward. This was not ordinary frost. It approached the theoretical limit of cold itself, capable of freezing matter into dust.
For the first time, Hong's expression turned serious.
He knew one thing clearly.
If that attack reached him, even his mastery of the Earth Law would not be enough to withstand it.