Deep, vibrating through the floor, the dome's jungle simulation reset with a growl.
Trees moved around, vines drew back a little to make more room, and the ground smoothed out into a big clearing while still having enough cover and rough ground to keep the battle interesting.
Long, dramatic shafts of artificial sunlight filtered across the heavy canopy to create moving shadows across the mossy ground.
The system had included realistic bird and insect sounds to give the impression of heaviness, dampness, and life in the air.
The entire Sky Boys team was bending forward like spectators at the most important game of the year on the raised viewing platform.
Macker's eyes were wide as he was almost hanging over the railing. "This will be a nasty work. Aftor has recently been hiding some insane stuff."
Nix was bouncing on his toes; gauntlet was already buzzing with excitement even if he wasn't battling. "I am noting this down. I must investigate every second of this madness"
Ema perched on the edge, eyes fixed to the arena, laptop open but disregarded for once. "Aftor's blood testing are no joke. But Kruna... for months he has been suppressing his multiplication and fresh hand motions. This will be really terrible."
Sano stood statue-like, arms crossed, voice lowered. "Either of them is hazardous. Let's see who cracks first."
Orced was standing at the front, arms crossed. His gaze was piercing and saw every nuance, yet his face was cool. "Start when ready."
Aftor and Kruna stood fifteen meters apart in the center of the arena.
Aftor turned his knife once and then gripped it tight, a crazy, delighted grin lighting up his features. "Well well well... I've been anticipating this, Kruna. Let's find out if your fucking blades can match my blood in speed, or not haha."
Kruna gently pulled out his twin blades, and the metal sang as they emerged from their sheaths.
One eye was covered by his black hair, but his stance was lax, laid back, nearly bored. "You talk too much, Aftor. Keep your breath under control. You'll need it as you're leaking on the ground."
Aftor laughed, low and real. "Big words from the man hiding behind clones. Come on, show me something genuine this time."
Calm and clear, Orced's voice reverberated throughout the dome.
"Arena locked. Aftor versus Kruna. Let's start this shit!"
They shot forward at the very same instant.
Steel rang loudly through the jungle as it collided with steel.
Aftor came in low and fast, knife whipping in tight, vicious arcs.
Kruna confronted him directly, dual blades spinning in a vortex of exact, budget-friendly blows.
Sparks flew as neither gave ground while trading punches at blazing speed. "You're not as fast as you were last time!"
Aftor teased, darting beneath a straight slash and responding with a swift stab towards Kruna's ribs. "What, in training you have been relaxing on us?"
Kruna blocked the stab and spun, blades whizzing past Aftor's face. "I need not push hard against you. You are too prone to bleeding.
Aftor grinned more broadly. "Oh indeed? Let's correct that."
He opened two of his forearms in one smooth, vicious motion without notice. Blood exploded out in two crimson arcs.
"Bladescellent!"
The blood did not drop. It burst forth, hardening air into tens of sharp crimson blades.
They hovered for a heartbeat, then launched forward like a storm of deadly projectiles, raining down on Kruna from every possible angle.
Kruna squeezed his eyes. "Cool. He hyped so badly"
He twirled into a defensive dance, blades a silver blur at such speed.
Though most of the blood swords were deflected in cascades of sparks, their sheer volume was staggering.
Several made it through, one grazing his thigh, another cutting deep into his side, yet another across his left shoulder.
Blood welled up hot and genuine right away.
Kruna gritted his teeth but kept speeding. "That's the best you can do? I've suffered paper cuts far worse than this."
Aftor laughed so hard he had to cut his forearms once more to make blood blades. "Keep talking, lovely boy. I find it very laughable when you act strong even as you bleed."
Macker was leaning so far forward from the platform that he was nearly off. "Holy shit, he is making flying swords out of his own blood?!! That's completely crazy!"
Nix was just buzzing with passion. "Look to see the pace! He is trading his own body for long-range attacks!"
Ema's eyes were wide. "He is managing the blood like additional appendages. That's next level. Kruna, though, he is still standing. That is insane. "
Sano observed without speaking, but his big hands were closed. "Bad Technique to be fair. To win, he is willing to inflict major damage upon himself."
Orced stayed silent, but his mouth corner moved upwards in agreement.
Kruna's eyes were burning in the arena despite several wounds bleeding. "You want to play blood? Okay. Let's get some playtime."
He planted both feet, smacked the hilts of his blades together, and raised both hands to the sides of his head, fingers pressed firmly against his temples.
"Fanson Handai!"
From Kruna, a vast rush of curse energy burst forth.
Around him the air trembled profusely.
Then, from the area right above his head, hundreds of shimmering spectral blades appeared, razor-sharp and lethal.
Like a swarm of silver hornets, they hovered for one heartbeat, then poured down on Aftor in a real meteor shower of steel.
Aftor's gaze expanded. "Oh... hell yeah!"
He made more blood blades to stop, but Kruna's method was too much in terms of both quantity and accuracy.
The spectral swords pounded Aftor's defences, trees, and ground.
Crimson mist and sparks filled the air as blood swords clashed with ghost ones.
Aftor was laughing even as he fought. "That's more like it! Kruna, at last showing your teeth! Come on, smack me harder! Make it ache!"
Though Kruna's tone was chilly, it bore an unusual hint of enthusiasm. "You desired it. When you leak, try not to cry."
He injected much more energy into the approach. The procedure strengthened, the blades dropping quicker in tighter, more violent patterns.
Blood blades clashed against ethereal swords in mid-air as Aftor was forced into a frantic, whirling defensive dance.
At last, one of Kruna's blades made its way past the confusion and lodged itself firmly in Aftor's left thigh.
Aftor laughed even as blood gushed from the cut; he was staggering. "There we are! That really stung! Good shot, you bastard."
Kruna never let up. "Still plenty more where that originated."
Though both grinned like madmen, the two boxers circled each other bleeding, breathing hard.
Aftor spat blood off of his mouth. "You're holding back. It makes me sense. Stop being polite and show me the true Kruna!"
Kruna had a sharp smirk. "You want the real me? All right. Blood boy, try not to die too soon."
The struggle went on, ugly, rapid, and full of trash talk that only drove them both to fight tougher.
The squad on the platform was unable to turn away.
Macker was yelling inspiration. "Go for the legs, Kruna! Get him to dance!"
Nix was cheering as though it were a boxing match. "Blood swords versus phantom swords! Today is the greatest day ever!"
Ema was documenting everything. "I will always be saving this. This is mythic."
Sano inspired. "They both are so bad it's not even funny."
Orced stayed quiet, but his eyes were sparkling with understated pride.
The battle went on, neither of the fighters ready to back down; in the meanwhile, the jungle all around them was being destroyed.
Sky Boys at its rawest here, in all nudity.