Myra basked in her perceived victory, ‘Yes, yes, he's going to submit just like Toren. Another easy win. And then, I'll prove myself even more... Perhaps I'll bring down his sister like this next.’

  Myra envisioned Chalcon’s sister kneeling before her. She imagined the power she would have over Chalcon and his siter, controlling them with nothing more than a few words. Myra's face took on a cruel, yet seductive look. Her eyes glowed with malice at the look of fear and submission on Chalcon’s sister’s face. Her lips parted slightly, revealing her sharp teeth in a predatory smile.

  But just when she reveled in her own thoughts, Chalcon grabbed his blade and slashed at her. Chalcon's blade cleaved the air and Myra stumbled back. She was perplexed by this turn of events. Her captivating attraction, which had brought so many to their knees, seemed to have failed against Chalcon.

  Stammering, she tried to comprehend what had just happened. "H-how did you...? I had you under my control..."

  Chalcon's anger blazed with an intensity fixed on Myra. "Didn't anyone ever tell you,? Love hurts," he growled. He stepped closer to her, his grip on his blade unrelenting. "The only thing I'm attracted to is battle, and if I'm gonna to love anyone, they have to be able to wield a blade. You don't."

  Chalcon took a step closer and continued to explain. "When you tried to use your attraction on me, it threw me off for a moment. But then I realized that I needed to want something from you, not the other way around. Once I did that, overcoming your attraction was simple."

  He paused, then pointed at the audience and said, "Did you all hear that? I’m not gonna love anyone who can’t wield a blade in some way!"

  The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter. Myra backed away and shook her head incredulously. "That’s…insane!"

  Chalcon smirked. "No…That's just me!"

  Myra's defiant look quickly shifted to desperation while Chalcon closed the gap between them. "No! I should still be able to overpower you! With enough love, I can do it!"

  Each beam Myra fired now struck Chalcon, one after the other, in a relentless sequence. "Accept my love!" she shrieked while firing louder and louder. "Accept my love!"

  Chalcon gritted his teeth, feeling the impact of each hit, but he continued to stride forward. “Your love ain’t mean shit to me. I told you that."

  Chalcon raised his blade high. Myra's confidence crumbled, and panic set in.She tried to muster another wave of energy, but Chalcon was already upon her.

  With a series of swift, decisive slashes, Chalcon dismantled her defenses. Each strike caused a brutal gash across Myra’s chest. Myra, unable to withstand the onslaught, collapsed to her knees.

  Chalcon stood over her triumphantly. "At least you should be glad you get to be beaten like a warrior.”

  He stepped back, drawing on his inner strength, and called out, "Lightning Slash!" His blade crackled with energy. He swung it down in a final, decisive arc. The strike hit with explosive force, and Myra was enveloped in a burst of light and sound.

  The pink hearts on Chalcon's cheeks disappeared, and the attraction energy that had surrounded Myra coalesced into a powerful barrier that surrounded Chalcon. It effectively blocked Chalcon’s attack. Myra breathed heavily but wore a triumphant smile.

  "Now, did you really think it would be that easy, Chalcon?" Myra taunted with satisfaction. "I control attraction, and now I've attracted you into my web. You can't defeat me with that..."

  Myra grinned confidently. “Those hearts that were on your cheeks were like a leash. I could have yanked it at any time and had you surrender to me willingly. But, since you broke out of the attraction spell when I tried to do that, you’ve forced my hand. Iv’e always had a backup plan."

  Chalcon, wide-eyed and surprised, stuttered, "You...you're kidding, right?"

  Myra chuckled. "Oh, Chalcon, who do you think I am? I'm no amateur. I'm a master of attraction, and I always have a few tricks up my sleeve…I'm going to use my Extreme Attraction spell, Chalcon. You've been quite resilient, but it's time to 'up the dosage.'"

  Myra’s pink aura built up around her. The aura transitioned into a dark and foreboding shade of purple. Her once alluring energy had become a sinister force, and her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

  With a sultry and alluring pose, Myra struck a mesmerizing figure. Her every movement seemed designed to captivate, to enthrall. She held her hands aloft, her fingers dancing with grace, as she chanted the incantation for her Extreme Magic.

  "Incante virum et mulierem," she purred. The dark purple energy swirled around her, intensifying, and then it burst forth like a tidal wave.

  As Myra's Extreme Attraction spell closed in on Chalcon, she couldn't help but savor the impending victory. The dark purple energy surged toward him with an irresistible allure, and she explained with an alluring grin, "If this hits you, my dear Chalcon, it's game over. You'll be all over me, completely under my control. The best part? You're trapped by the hearts in that barrier I formed earlier. There's no escape."

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  Chalcon's rage ignited like a wildfire, burning through the lingering effects of Myra's charm. His eyes narrowed, and his grip on his blade tightened, muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap.

  "You think I'm going to roll over and let you win, just like that?" he growled, defiance in every syllable.

  He muttered under his breath, "But I'm stuck here. What can I do?"

  For a moment, doubt crept into his mind, clouding his thoughts. The barrier of attraction energy held him fast, and Myra's spell was closing in with its dark, seductive force.

  Then, an idea sparked in his mind. He took a deep breath, calming the storm within, and focused on clearing his mind. Slowly, the arena around him faded to black, leaving only a vast, empty void.

  In this place of pure thought, Chalcon searched for Chala. He managed to lock eyes with his sister, Chala, who stood in the distance. Chala gave him a subtle nod of her head. In response, Chalcon nodded back.

  With their understanding communicated in that brief exchange, Chalcon recentered himself in the battle. He took a deep breath and held his sword firmly while making a loud shout.

  "Open your heart, Sanda Colossus!"

  A surge of potent magical energy emanated from Chalcon. With his newfound power, Chalcon shouted, “Yellow Dragon Strike!" A magnificent Yellowish-type Dragon materialized around him, encasing his body.

  The mighty dragon shattered the heart barrier that had entrapped Chalcon, much to Myra's shock. With lightning speed, he moved like the very embodiment of the Yellow Dragon, leaving a trail of lightning. He appeared in a flash before Myra and cut through her entire technique and herself.

  Myra was sent hurtling through the air so far that she collided with Stronberg's protective barrier. The impact was intense that it caused her immense pain. Chalcon's attack caused Stronberg's barrier to develop cracks that proved challenging to repair.

  The announcer exclaimed, “I can hardly believe my eyes! Did you see that incredible power on display? Chalcon, our quiet powerhouse, has just obliterated Myra’s overwhelming attraction spell with a jaw-dropping Yellow Dragon Strike! Unbelievable!”

  The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, astonished by the unexpected turn of events.

  In the stands, Roselle’s eyes sparkled with amazement. She raised up her hands clasped together. “Wow! Did you see that? Chalcon was incredible!”

  Risebelle, sitting beside her, was more contemplativer. “He was hiding this kind of power all this time

  Runebelle simply nodded in agreement. Her eyes still wide with surprise.

  Roselle leaned in closer to her sisters. “It must be sword magic, right? That’s the only thing that could explain such a power like that!”

  Risebelle nodded slowly. “Sword magic, yes, that makes sense…But why didn’t he rely on it sooner? What made him hold back until now?”

  Roselle shrugged. “Maybe he needed the right moment to unleash it?”

  Chalcon, panting from the intense battle, said to himself, ‘I was fortunate to break free from the attraction spell earlier and land a hit on her with my blade. That hit allowed me to place a mark of thunder on her during the confusion. She probably didn't even notice it.’

  The countdown for Myra to stand reached its climax. The crowd fell into a hushed silence, waiting for the final announcement.

  "3... 2... 1..." the announcer counted down, and once the clock hit zero, she proclaimed, "The winner of the match is Chalcon!"

  A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the spectators, filling the arena with a thunderous roar of approval for Chalcon's remarkable victory..

  Chalcon walked out of the Grand Arena. He sheathed his blade, and the surge of powerful energy that had enveloped it subsided, returning to its normal state.

  Chala offered her brother a warm smile and congratulated him, "Good job overcoming that, Chalcon. You really pulled through."

  Chalcon cracked a small smile at her words. "Thanks..."

  Chala's curiosity got the better of her. She prodded. "So? How did it feel to be attracted to someone like that?"

  Chalcon furrowed his brows, uncertain of her intentions. "Why do you want to know?"

  Chala explained with a smile. "I'm just thinking about future fights, Chalcon. It's always good to learn from every experience, even if it's an uncomfortable one. Knowing how to resist such abilities might come in handy."

  Chalcon nodded in understanding. "I'll keep that in mind. It was a tough fight, but I won't let anyone control me like that again."

  Chala's teasing smile widened. “You still haven’t told me how it was.” She leaned closer to her brother, causing a slight blush to creep across Chalcon's face. He found himself lost in her teal eyes for a moment before shaking his head and returning to the conversation.

  "Ugh, Later, Chala. It's not something I want to discuss right now! All you need to know is that I won't let anyone control me like that again. I had enough of that when we fought that 'Demon Jawsh' Guy...or girl… I still don’t know what the hell that guy is…"

  Chala raised an eyebrow. “Oh, that's right…There were rumors about Demon Jawsh entering the Eastern Annual Tournament. That’s one of the reasons we came all the way back to the Western practice tournament to train up.”

  Chalcon shook his head. “But Demon Jawsh is supposed to be dead. We all killed the bastard. Those rumors could be just dumb stories made up by stupid travelers.”

  Chala nodded thoughtfully. “True, but you never know with these tournaments. The legends of strong fighters tend to linger, and sometimes, they’re not as dead as people think.”

  She then shifted her gaze back to her brother with a mischevious look in her eyes. “But enough about that. I want to know if you found someone you’re interested in here.”

  Chalcon looked at her, confused. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, I don’t know…” Chala teased, pretending to think. “Maybe someone like Roselle?”

  Chalcon’s face turned a deep shade of red. He stammered. “Wh-what? No! It’s not like that! Not with her! No!”

  Chala chuckled, leaning in closer. “Come on, Chalcon. You can tell your big sis. It’s okay to have feelings, you know.”

  Chalcon shook his head. “I just wanna become a better swordsman, and that’s it! I ain’t got feelings for no one!”

  Chala laughed lightly. “Alright, alright. I won’t push you, but just know that one day, you might meet someone who changes that."

  Chalcon eyed Chala curiously. "What do you mean, 'someone who changes that'? I don't really see how that fits into my goal of becoming a strong swordsman like you."

  Chala's teasing smile persisted. She ruffled her younger brother's hair. "Don't worry, Chalcon. You'll understand when the time comes."

  Chalcon still didn't fully grasp the idea, but he let it go. "Fine, Chala. Let's just get ready for the next round."