The tournament had reached a critical point: the Quarterfinals.
Now only eight fighters remained, each recognized as one of the strongest in the academy.
The head instructor announced:
— First fight: Draven versus Tharok!
Tharok entered the arena first. The dwarf was short, but massive, covered in muscles like living rock. His eyes conveyed absolute confidence. Each of his steps made the ground vibrate slightly.
Draven entered soon after, silent and focused, analyzing every detail of his opponent.
"A defense specialist… I'll need to be creative."
Start of the fight
— Begin!
Tharok advanced slowly, crossing his arms.
His mineral energy began to expand throughout his body, hardening his skin. Small stones appeared on him, transforming his arms into almost impenetrable walls.
Draven took the first step.
He launched his shadow blades toward Tharok's body, but they shattered upon touching the stone armor.
"Hmph…" Tharok murmured, motionless. "Nothing penetrates this."
Draven stepped back, observing. He wouldn't attack directly.
Shadow Teleport
Tharok advanced in a powerful attack, a giant fist aimed straight at Draven's chest.
At the last instant, Draven vanished into the shadows of the ground, reappearing behind Tharok with a swift movement.
"What…?!" Tharok frowned.
Before he could react, Draven launched a shadow blade strike at the dwarf's blind spot, hitting with precision. Tharok took a few steps back, realizing his defense alone wouldn't be enough.
The Pressure Increases
Draven began alternating strikes and teleportation, appearing sometimes in front of, sometimes behind Tharok.
The dwarf tried to block and react, but each movement required maximum attention. — He… moves through the shadows! — someone in the stands exclaimed.
Draven noticed an opening: Tharok focuses too much on physical defense, leaving areas of his body vulnerable to quick, strategic attacks.
The Turnaround
Draven formed several shadow blades and, using teleportation, began a rapid sequence:
Appeared to the left → leg strike
Teleported behind → shoulder slash
Disappeared again → intercepted counter-attack attempt
Tharok tried to react, but was pressured by the pace of the combat, something he didn't expect from a "human" opponent.
The Final Blow
Tharok raised his fist with all his might, trying to crush Draven from above.
This time, Draven didn't hide behind the shadows, but focused on the compressed Nocteerom.
A direct attack with the inner strength of the shadows, combining physical impact and dark energy.
The blow struck Tharok's chest with a simultaneous internal and external shock. The dwarf fell to his knees, unable to rise.
The instructor raised his hand:
— Victory for Draven!
Reactions
The stands were silent for a few seconds, until a murmur took over:
— He not only won… he overcame Tharok's defense using strategy and shadows.
— Impressive…
Draven simply took a deep breath, watching Tharok recover. He knew this was only the beginning.