Charles
*`"...All right".`*
﻿
The Medeian Royal Physician, who had now been attending Max for roughly twenty minutes — five longer than he had initially intended to take with the procedure, an extra allocation of time needed merely for him to adapt to Max's somewhat unusual biology — concluded his check-up and subsequent healing of the participant's major wound: *His lack of an entire arm.* It was an incredibly impressive thing to watch from an outside perspective, and perhaps one even moreso impressive to Max himself, as, without pain and with so little time to work with, the Physician constructed him an entirely new arm utilizing incredibly-advanced healing magicks woven within minutes, bringing forth a new arm of flesh and bone with as full and comprehensive of functionality as the last.
﻿
*`"With this, you may continue your battles. I would typically recommend a patient spend at least two days calibrating themself to the sensations of the new arm,"`* The avian Medei placed a claw to his beak, *`"But we simply haven't the time for that.`*
﻿
*`"I will leave you with a mild stimulant that should accelerate the process, and that is the extent of what I can do for you. Good luck, warrior."`*
﻿
With a tap on Max's arm, a subtle wave of mana flared throughout his musculature and vascular system, his heartbeat somewhat accelerating and the sensations throughout the new arm becoming more pronounced; more familiar. Continuing forward, Max would be admitted once more onto the stage of the **Margo Aeternitatis**.
Betty
A mage.
A warrior.
A prodigy.
A monk.
A king.
﻿
Soren was known by many names and known for many things: be it his monstrous talent, his incredible magical affinity, or the sheer extent of his rate-of-growth. He was known by many names and known for many things, yet of those names and things, "Personable" He was known not by.
﻿
Golden mana flickers from his irises as he stares aglance, surveying the many hundreds of people in the crowds of the **Margo Aeternitatis**, cheering, chanting, yelling, some with smiles on their faces, others concerned, and others disappointed. The spectacle glimmered, clear, within his irises, as his face almost invisibly shifted into a frown, his arms folded behind his back as he stepped onto the marble arena and past its magical barrier.
﻿
*`...Crude. Vulgar.`*
***`"...It's repulsive."`***
﻿
He muttered under his breath, a tinge of anger flaring within his expression as he closed his eyes and brought focus back to his mind. *`Do not let it get to you. Do not let anger overtake your mind. Remain balanced in all things,`* He exhaled, deeply, the world around him and all the noise with it disappearing from the eyes of his mind.
﻿
...But it still *Irked* Him.
﻿
They cheered and they chanted. They smiled and they frowned. They cried and grumbled—and for what?
﻿
*This was all just a show to them.*
﻿
Combat—*Violence*—was not a spectacle. It was something only to be used in necessity, the necessity now being...
﻿
*`...To learn.`*
﻿
That was the only reason Soren was here.
*To learn.*
He alone was one who stepped past the rules of his creed to pursue greater enlightenment; greater knowledge; greater learning. And for these purposes alone would he pursue such mundane and fruitless ends as martial combat — not for the purpose of a spectacle, but for the purpose of *Evolution.*
﻿
His eyes fixed on Max, seeking to draw out what influenced him — what inspired him to fight.
Charles
Soren enters the battle unarmed. Max may not take on any extra weapons besides his **Dark Blade.**
**Max Bracken is chosen to start the fight via coin toss.**
Leonard
*He was definitely surprised they had been able to bring his arm back, but he didn't need to think of that now what he did need to think of was how he would attack Soren, he had changed the chain and blade weapon back into the arm blade but he wouldn't use it unless he truly needed to and he was definitely ready to switch out for the chain weapon if need be, he wanted to fight on even grounds with Soren so it'd be all the more entertaining for him, but he started to feel off for a second, as if something was telling him to be what everyone had called him in his old world, to be as brutal as possible and end Soren like he did all the others, he then shook his head and tried to think of something else.*

"Ok seems like you are unarmed so I won't use my blade unless I'm forced to since I wouldn't want it to be unfair, even if there's a chance you're stronger than me."

*He had to remember he wasn't doing this for the hell of it, he was doing it to keep a promise and he'd be damned if he broke it just because he didn't feel like fighting, but then it spoke to him again, it's voice telling him to destroy Soren, turn him to nothing but dust. Max's smile slowly became crooked and his hands began to twitch as he listened to the voice, but then he snapped back and tried to focus on the fight itself.*

*He started to absorb the air around him before jumping high up into the air and pulling his left fist back, he then rocketed down towards Soren using air jets and went in for a full force punch which would definitely hurt if it landed.*
Betty
Soren maintained his steady breathing as he maintained his steady gaze on Max, both one of two halves that formed the whole of his complete focus. Observation and meditation — taking in information as he took in air; letting that breath linger as what was observed settle in; and in an exhale, dismissing both. All things start from a single Breath, and from a single Breath does the mind, body, and spirit take in the nourishment required to fulfill their duty. From a single Breath, a hundred thoughts can pour forward. From a single Breath, a hundred spells are manifest. From a single Breath—

His opponent was now close in approach, the air shifting slightly around Soren as the presence made tangible by both his gaze, stance, and passive aura of his mana all simultaneously and subtly changing, that Breath coalescing as the atmosphere grew turbulent around him. His irises glow alight as Max approaches and Soren seems to confirm something — that invisible, driving force that served as the impetus for Max to march forward — squinting, slightly, his conclusion indiscernable from his expression alone. 

*`The world flows in, through the core, and it nurtures the blood—`*
*`—a breath in, a breath out: exhale, and blow forth a tempest.`*

*`"Gale."`*

His hand outstretched, his palm aimed straight for Max as he approached. **Invisibly, an intense blast of air would launch itself toward Max, aimed to hit him directly in the head during his approach**, its speed incredible and made all-the-more-alarming by the fact that it was predicated by no more than a whisper from Soren, the spell spontaneously bursting forth from a disruption in the atmosphere with nothing in terms of a visual telegraph. The blow was not enough to do lasting damage, but was instead intended to knock Max directly out of his offensive motion, enough for Soren to not need to dodge in the first place; it hit with staggering force, like a strong straight from a boxer. If it did come down to it, howe
Leonard
*The voice got louder as he neared Soren, it yelling at Max to not hold back against Soren to use everything he had, it told Max to rip him apart, eat his heart infront of him and as Max listened a crooked smile started to form on his face, his eyes getting wider as if he were ready to punch a hole through Soren's chest.*

"Wait What?"

*Then the blast of air hit him and sent him back about five meters, the smile disappearing from his face and his eyes going back to normal as he landed on his feet and stared at Soren, he was surprised as he didn't hear anything or see anything happening other then Soren moving his lips and suddenly he gets knocked back by something, but then Soren spoke about the vow, Max stood there and let him speak about it as he was somewhat intrigued by the conditions of it and how it could benefit the user, it was definitely something new to him and if he could learn about something he might as well listen.*

"Well since you have to tell me about that I guess I'll tell you that there is a two foot blade that I can shoot out of anywhere on my body but I mainly keep it in my right arm, I like to keep things even in a fight, so if an opponent tells me their capabilities, I'll tell them mine, and just know I haven't really figured out magic just yet so you won't see any from me."

*As he finished speaking he used air jets to try and speed over to Soren in a short amount of time and if he was able to get close enough he'd attempt to kick Soren in the side with his left leg and used an air jet to add onto the force of the hit.*
Betty
Following a deep breath, Soren cracked his neck, squinting at Max's reciprocation in his revelation of information. The divulgement of a technique in the absence of any implied compensation for doing so seemed innately a foolish idea, especially on a field of mortal combat. With what an enigma Soren's character remained, it was hard to tell whether he was impressed by or apathetic with Max attempting to even the field between the two.

*`"Hmph."`*

His **`SOUL`**, once manifest before his opponent, returned to its reticency within his body. Soren locks eyes with Max, forming his fingers into a handsign as his opponent began to speed toward him, fully prepared for his attack following his brief speech.

*`"The technique I showed you earlier—`* —he felt the winds shifting around him, the air propelled from Max's legs, and reacted likewise, swaying and ducking around Max's kick— *`"—was known as VAYU."`*

Mana and air swirled around Soren's right fist, air densely packed around it — a spell.

*`"It allows me to launch and hone the atmosphere into extremely dense packets of air, generating either blunt or piercing force."`*

His fist curled in as a hook, launching towards the left side of Max's abdomen. If it were to impact, all the air swirling around Soren's fist would detonate, releasing an outward burst of air that significantly increased the yield of the punch.
Leonard
*He had been hearing that sinister voice ever since he finished his battle with Sofja, it's constant yelling beginning to agitate Max as he went and tried to end this battle with as little casualties as possible but it wouldn't allow him to be so kind in this fight, he was starting to reach his breaking point quicker than usual because of it constantly yelling at him to just turn into beast he could be, to destroy Soren already and just go to the next match but he didn't want to end this match with another brutal beat down, he wanted to end this without any shattered bones or broken limbs, he didn't wanna become just another murder monster.*

*Upon Soren ducking under his kick, Max didn't have enough time to dodge as he was already to close and so he was hit in his left side and upon taking the hit he used air jets from his hands to get ten meters away from Soren, he then held his side and breathed heavily while looking at Soren.*

"Yeesh that was a damn good punch, I see that you tell me something about yourself again so I have to tell you something about myself, well I guess one of my better capabilities is my physical strength, I've tested and I've found out I can lift up to 2,000 pounds at max."

*He began to twitch as the voice started yelling again, the blade in his right arm shooting out as a crooked grin started to form on his face again, he didn't make another move as he wanted Soren to come at him this time but his mind was becoming more and more unstable as the voice grew louder and louder.*
Betty
Soren blew a deep breath from his mouth following his punch, sparing Max little a show of emotion besides a simple squint of his eyes in response to his comment on the strike. It seemed there was a subtle aura of pride that encompassed the magician-monk even in the littlest of his actions, yet that pride was not one of self-accomplishment; simply strength of character, almsot haughty in nature. As though he was... Loftier, or in some part thought of himself as elevated above the world around him.

*Air flowed in, it lingered for some time, and it was let out — a single breath. All things form from a single breath, and branch forth from the act of breathing.*

As Max retreated, it gave him only another opportunity to breathe — focus, meditate — his eyes briefly closing as his opponent made his distance. For a moment, Soren seemed as though he was prepared to speak something more, his head tilted back as his slightly golden-hued eyes peered at a distance toward Max, mana shimmering passively all throughout his body; yet it seemed he relented, instead taking a battle-ready stance as wind began to shift turbulently around him, his robes fluttering slightly in the wake of the wind he shrouded himself in.
_ _

*He takes another deep breath. One moment. In, and out, refining magic within the single moment of intake, and suffusing the air that came out with the very same mana created. *


*`"Now I have told you two of my techniques,"`*
*`"And their forms are refined."`*

***`"Vayu."`***
__***`"Arrow."`***__

This time, Max could predict it.

Bursting forth from a disturbance in the atmosphere, a sharp, refined point of air blasted straight for Max's neck, incredibly-potent and high-speed in its travel. Though it was invisible, he could hear it tearing through the atmosphere in its approach, and practically sense it as the winds shifted turbulently toward him, aimed again for his abdomen.. **If it were to strike, it would strike exactly as an arrow — piercing identically —** Though its raw stopping-force seemed to be much stronger by virtue of the shifting tides of wind alongside it.
Leonard
*He retracted the blade as he gained more control of himself, he definitely didn't wanna lose it after just having broken someone's entire body since he'd rather not have to go through that again.*

*He started the process on turning the blade into another chain as he still had one from his last battle, he already figured out he wouldn't be able to win with just fists he needed to make some kind of weapon, dual chain whips should suffice in this battle or atleast that's what he thought seeing as they could used both defensively and offensively, he just had to by himself some time, he kept his eyes locked on Soren to see what he would do.*

"Yeah and you know two of my tricks as well but seeing as I'm switching out the blade for something else I'll tell you this another, I'm basically a weapons factory since my other ability helps with materials, if I have the time and the materials I can make just about anything I need for a battle or just in general."

*Upon hearing Soren say arrow he would immediately jump into the air and stay up there for a second using air jets, he remembered what Soren said about his ability so he definitely wouldn't stay there and get hit with some invisible wind arrow, he then rocketed down and attempted to punch Soren with his left hand.*
Betty
As air flows in, Soren's technique replenishes itself, mana flaring as he sees — feels — Max descending from the air above him.

*`"The air is my witness."`*

Air flows out, and another Breath is born anew. Soren coalesces the mana intrinsic to the air he breathes into the nucleus of his technique, creating a disruption in the atmosphere that enshrouded his right hand.

*`"As long as I am attached to this world,"`*
*`"I am one with it."`*
*`"I feel the atmosphere move around me, and in turn, I sense your motion."`*

Soren tucked backward, the punch soaring past him. Unfortunately for Max, it seemed he had been put up against two opponents back-to-back who starkly contrasted his combat style that focused on physically overwhelming an opponent. Though he had proven himself enough to overcome the counter-synergy once, would he be able to replicate that feat against Soren?

In the eyes of the magician-monk, Max's form is captured — and not in his eyes only, but so too the perception of his mind. Soren could *Feel* The air whipping about both of their forms in the brief moment they cut through the atmosphere: one to attack, the other to dodge.
_ _

As Max landed, Soren locked his eyes on his form, a turbulent wind beginning to form around his fist. Yet instead of using it to empower himself via the detonation of the disruption in the atmosphere, he would instead begin to shroud the rest of his body with it — mana and wind flowing about him — creating a sort of veil that both lightened him and sped him up.

Not with entirely supernatural speed, though somewhat enhanced over even a trained human, Soren would continue to engage in close-quarters-combat with the physically-superior opponent that was Max, throwing a counter-punch for his jaw, trusting in his ability to sense the motion of the air around him and continue combatting him at point-blank. It was a tremendous risk that he was taking, that Soren — yet these very types of risks were what drove him to learn, evolve, grow, at the tremendous rates he did.
Leonard
*The dual chains had been finished but he wouldn't bring them out just yet as he wanted to see if he could do without them against Soren, he didn't wanna fight an unarmed person with a weapon so he wanted to see what Soren could really do against him, he wanted to see if this guy could put a up fight against him like Sofja did despite the physical disadvantage.*

"I'm starting to see a pattern with my matchups if I'm being honest."

*Upon the punch being sent towards his jaw he finally used his right hand to catch Soren's fist just before it could make contact absorbing the kinetic energy from said punch, he'd actually forgotten that he could just catch an attack with his hands to just soften the blow by a ton along with gaining the energy from said attack, hell he forgot he could just grab people like he did kuouo.*

"Oh and my last trick is my best one, see I can absorb just about anything and seeing as a punch is just kinetic energy, I can just catch someone's hand before throwing their own punch back at them with added strength from my own and no it doesn't stop at kinetic."

*He tightened his grip around Soren's fist as he got up and smiled the force alone probably starting to crack it, he then pulled his left fist back and went for a full force punch to the side of Soren's face, Max seemed to be enjoying himself since he finally found people who didn't run like cowards at the sight of him, so he definitely would give his all for whatever time left he was in this tournament.*
Betty
*`"Huh."`*

Soren felt his fist rapidly decelerate. So unusually fast it felt preternatural — it wasn't quite as much like hitting a brick wall as it was like his fist being completely siphoned of the energy it once possessed. And in fact, that was, indeed, what happened. All the kinetic energy of his punch vanished in a single moment as Max gripped his right hand, within the very moment Soren realizing the extent of his opponent's physical strength.

A subtle sense of surprise defined the magician-monk's expression immediately following the impact — not panic, but surprise; a sense of unexpectedness and realization wrapped into a single expression. It seemed as though he was rather curious and almost interested instead of displeased with the situation: Soren was an individual who took unbelievable risks in order to vastly accelerate the curve of his growth. These sorts of situations were exactly the type of thing he was looking for.

His golden eyes acuminate, their focus honing sharp on Max as he began to tighten his grip. Indeed, there was a moment of speculation, and an increasing sensation of pain growing within his fist, yet the prodigy magician maintained his cool.

*`Breathe.`*
_ _

From a single Breath...—

***SWING!***
Soren's head tilted sideways as he dodged instinctively, Max's fist gliding barely past his cheek, the sheer force from the punch creating a small cut that travelled the length of his face.

*`Now, exhale...`*

The pressure was building up, and it felt as though his fist was about to shatter. Possibilities were forced to rush through his mind in the moment of pain and adrenaline-induced clarity. Indeed, this was the exact sensation he was looking for. By this point, his bones were beginning to sustain significant damage. 

*`No matter. Let's fight decisively.`*

He furled his fist into a handsign, pointing his index and middle finger in a finger-gun-style symbol aimed toward Max's grappling wrist. 

__***`"VAYU — ARROW."`***__

His lips move, and in a single moment, a spell erupts from a disruption in the atmosphere that had manifest directly at Soren's fingertips. **At point-blank, he fired a high-power airblast into Max's right wrist** — the very same hand grappling his own — in an attempt to damage it enough to force him to release his grip. At this range and with this strength, the blast would be piercing deep, potentially enough to blow a small hole into Max's wrist.
Leonard
*As he was about to pull his hand back for another swing until he saw Soren turn his hand into a finger gun and point it at his right wrist which definitely confused him for a single moment before his wide smile quickly turned upside down as his eyes widened, sadly he didn't have enough time to pull his hand back before the spell shot deep into his wrist causing him to let go of Soren and hold his wrist in pain while backing away from him.*

"Lucky shot, but let's see if you can handle my next couple moves."

*He began to smile again as he let go of his wrist and had one of the chains shoot out of his left hand, it was about 4 feet in length with a very sharp tip at the end of it this one would be for offense, he then used the other chain to wrap it around his right arm and hand this one would be for defense, his smile widened and his eye lights disappeared as he looked at Soren.*

"Now let's see what you got, show these people your best!"

*He then started to spin the chain in his left hand as he rushed at Soren and attempted to hit him with two quick and powerful lashes from the chain whip which were aimed at his head and right leg, specifically his femur in an attempt to damage it and screw up his movement.*
Betty
Soren's hand lurched back the moment Max's grip released, his action almost instinctive and born of a necessity to preserve what functions were still present within the damaged integrity of his hand's bonestructure. The monk-magician, despite his lack of panic or surprise, possessed a very real self-preservation instinct that drove his actions with an urgency and immediateness that confirmed, despite his apathic and aloof veneer, that he very well was within this moment, just the same as Max was himself.

*`"Lucky?"`* —he questioned.
*`"We'll see."`*

A figment of emotion displayed itself beyond the man's cold golden irises for the first time. It was not anger nor was it anything that suggested condescension before, and though nearly-indistinguishable as it seemed, it felt as though, for a brief moment, he was grinning.

*`Impetus.`*
*`My opponent has impetus.`*
*`Do you feel the weight of the world around you? Do you understand what it is you are doing?`*

Soren retreated to a moment of thought, taking a step back. His eyes fixed, clear, upon the form of the chains, his subconscious comprehending the threat wholly and his body understanding the path it must take to avoid injury; yet his mind was preoccupied, pondering, attempting to understand something beyond what lied at the surface.

*`Impetus.`*
*`You have it. But what is it that creates that impetus?`*

His damaged hand was mostly limp. Yet it retained some functionality, Soren staring down at it and channeling mana all throughout it as he took a deep breath — composing himself, that what the wound he sustained might not become something worse. A disruption in the atmosphere formed as he exhaled, that same disruption then shrouding about his body in the form of a turbulent wind that covered him like an invisible cowl — a repetition and a reinforcement of a technique he had used earlier. He was growing subtly faster, lighter, and more *Free* With each consecutive use.
_ _

Soren's hand shifts into a sign as Max began to rush him, the spinning chain approaching with debilitating intent. Having not revealed the existence of it until this point, it would perhaps come as a surprise: there was one more Breath he had left, lingering, hidden about himself; a disruption in the atmosphere that he had created at the battle's start and never used. That disruption coalesced around his undamaged hand as he suffused it with mana, creating a similar finger-gun-like handsign and pointing it at the oncoming form of the whipping chian.

He could see it, as fast as it was. He could feel it, sense it whipping through the wind, and predict its motion.

__***`"Gale."`***__

Tremendous wind blows forth from his fingertip and the adjacent disruption in wind, colliding against the chain and forcing it to rebound with the sheer extent of energy behind the blast of air. That would not prevent the second oncoming attack — the one to his leg — which Soren would narrowly dodge by tucking backward, his entire body seeming to almost float as he bounded lightly off the ground, the same veil of wind that he had reinforced earlier carrying him upon the breath of the wind.

That is not to say he avoids it entirely, however. The chain whips past his cloak and cuts against his leg, and, though not coming in contact with bone or digging deep into the flesh, it creates a moderately-sized laceration across the surface of his leg.

*`Perhaps I could whittle you at range and win handily,`* He thought. *`But that would neither be a proper battle nor would it be an experience for learning.`*
*`Yes—`* He now bounded forward, dashing directly into Max, his feet fleet and his body lighter, faster, and more agile than before. *`——I'll take you head-on.`*

He took a deep breath in, and one out — preparing another attack.
Leonard
*He was trying to think about and actual counter to Soren as he didn't know if he could beat him with his current build, he'd either have to figure out a different weapon for this fight or work with what he's got since he doesn't really have any ranged options as the chains are still a close quarters combat type of weapon and Soren had both far and close range capabilities.*

`Gotta think of something and quick, I ain't got all the time in the world.`

*He needed to use a different style as his usual full force punches were to slow and made it harder for him to dodge for just a moment, he thought about weaker yet faster attacks since he'd probably still do decent damage if they landed or maybe even focus on grab attacks since he could always crush a bone or keep him from dodging other attacks, he smiled as he thought of this and watched Soren.*

"Pardon."

*After somewhat hearing Soren he was confused about what he had said, then the wind kinda surprised him for a second but he still went through with the second attack regardless, he definitely didn't expect that sudden gust of wind even tho he already knew of Soren's abilities beforehand, he then wrapped the left chain around his arm while watching Soren very closely after he had just barely dodged the strike to his leg, his smile turning into a confused expression as his white eyes while Soren dashed at him.*

"Okay are you gonna do ranged or hand to hand dude? Make up your damn mind already."

*He absorbed the air around him through his chest and cracked his knuckles as he balled a fist and pulled his hand back to make it seem like he was going for a punch but instead he attempted to grab Soren by the head with his left hand to slam him into the ground as hard as he could.*
Betty
Soren's eyes remained locked on Max as he approached, the windshroud that enveloped him perpetuating the momentum of each step he took, their force adding one-atop-another as he dashed frictionlessly through the atmosphere. As his feet touched the ground, wind cushioned their impact as they touched the marble below, his leg bounding upward with twice the strength it came downward. Merely in moving — running — forward, the magician-monk seemed as though he was gliding, losing no power in any of the motions he made: the wind itself guided him.

*`"I can sense it all."`*

The wind that shifted around Max. A vacuum-like force as it accumulated in his chest.

*`"This world in motion—"`*
*`"——every breath taken."`*

It seemed a vague and proud declaration that he made — easy to assume to be a mantra of some kind — and one that held no particular meaning. Yet that short, simple statement was indeed a declaration of one of his techniques: a declaration enough to bring the effects of the **SOUL**-vow *`Veracity`* Into play.

Where before, he felt only the most abrupt fluctuations in the wind — the change in its tide as both he and his opponent tore through the atmosphere — now Soren felt even the subtlest changest in the atmosphere: the wind bristling against the hairs along his arm, the flow of the wind as he inhaled and exhaled, and the coursing trails of wind streaming through into Max's chest. The activation of *`Veracity`* Upon his passive perception of the airflow around him now only reinforced his sixth sense, allowing him to perceive even the respiration of his opponent and garnering him a greater understanding of Max's absorption technique.
_ _

This same increase in perception is what granted him an innate understanding of Max's feint.

***`"Gale."`***

His Breath takes form, an interruption in the atmosphere coalescing. Yet he makes no handsign, nor does the wind shift near either of his hands: it is a **Gale** Formed **Directly above him.** And neither is its target Max, but instead Soren himself.

As Max's hand encroached to attempt and grab Soren, he was suddenly propulsed downward with such violent force that it seemed Soren would injure himself grievously, attacking himself senselessly in order to dodge his opponent's attack. Yet after he eluded, for a moment, the perception of his enemy by bringing himself so far down and close to the ground, it became clear that he not only remained wholly in-tact, but kept the entire flow of his forwards motion after being propulsed into the ground. **The wind itself cushioned him as he was propelled downward and away from Max's grab, Soren tucking impossibly-low to the ground as he weightlessly dashed between his legs.** It was an impossibly-precise motion only enabled by his heightened spatial perception of the atmosphere around himself.

Agility and clear perception. The magician-monk did not intend to physically overwhelm Max, but to utilize superior speed and discernment.

Soren's hands press against the ground after he clears some distance behind Max, mana welling in both arms as the windshear about himself increased — the thin veil of wind growing thick. **He propelled himself up from the crouched stance backward into Max, angling an upward kick towards the back of his head.**
Leonard
*His right hand was still wrapped in the chain he was going to use to defend but then he started to think of another plan, in his fight against sofja he had made a chain that was 5 meters long yet the chains on his arm were only 4 feet each, there was still a 2 meter long chain worth of material that was unaccounted for in this fight tho he would definitely be the only one to know this information, but he wasn't gonna use it just yet he needed to see if he really needed to use it now.*

"Okay I really hope I'm not fighting another person like this if I win this match cause I swear if I do they're leaving in a fucking COFFIN."

*He was beginning to look and get more aggressive as he said this, his eyes began to look sharper and so did his teeth, for whatever reason he was beginning to get exceedingly angry at this fight, his breathing getting heavier by the second as his eyes were locked onto Soren's every move, then he went in for that grab.*

`Miss`

"This fight is REALLY starting to get on my NERVES."

*Both of the chains were quickly absorbed back into Max's hand as Soren went in between his legs, his eyes squinting as he didn't even attempt to turn around even tho he could do so in a second, upon the kick connecting his head would go forward but his eyes would stay squinted as he slightly turned his head to show Soren a very wide smile, he had avoided a much stronger and more furious opponent with that kick, but he definitely wasn't in the clear.*

"I got a question for you, do you know what a broken femur feels like?"

*Upon saying this he'd attempt to grab Soren's leg with both his hands before he could get away and break his femur by crushing his leg with every bit of strength he had, which would be extremely painful and would basically cripple him.*
Betty
*`I see you.`*

Despite the speed with which Soren performed his dash between Max's legs, his perception of the world around himself did not wane. The persisting effects of his passive spell — his ability to perceive even the most minor ebbing of the atmosphere surrounding the two combatants in the arena — granted him an unconscious understanding of the smallest actions that both he and Max performed, down to their momentum and the intent held behind them. Each breath Soren took in sharpened this already honed sense, and as he passed under and behind his opponent, he could already feel anticipation welling within Max's heavy breaths — a sense of frustration permeating even the respiration which the magician-monk sensed, circulating throughout his opponent. Such is why when his kick collided with the back of Max's head, he wholly anticipated immediate retaliation.

*`And again——`*

*A grab.*
Soren possessed a natural predisposition toward taking extreme risks. Yet it was not merely for the thrill of the risk that he thrust himself into such dangerous situations as a duel of the likes of the *`Margo Aeternitatis`* — and it was neither due to his recklessness that he would so inadvisably participate in close-quarters-combat with an opponent several-times physically superior to himself —, but rather it was to pursue a type of expedited learning and growth that could only be attained in circumstances that forced growth *From* Him. Those same, dangerous, inadvisable circumstances were also indeed those that garnered the greatest growth: to take a leap of faith and to find victory grants one an understanding of what risks are acceptable to take, and to challenge oneself to the utmost of their limits and find failure teaches them the extent of what they can and cannot do.
_ _

That is to say, the risk he took earlier punching toward Max was calculated. It was, too, a learning experience: one that taught him a key habit of his opponent, and the means through which he could counter it.

*`you will——`*

Grab.

He would not let himself so easily be caught in the same snare twice.
A disruption in the atmosphere — an extension of the Breath earlier taken, the very manifestation of his technique — coalesced around his leg. As Max grappled the foot that had collided with the back of his head, he would feel an outward surge of air beginning to form.

*`"Liberation.`*

That disruption in the atmosphere grew into something much more chaotic; something much more free. **An explosive outward burst of air detonated, originating from Soren's grappled leg.** It was not so potent as to damage his hand, but was certainly quite a weighty outward blast enough to force at least one of Max's hands to release his grapple.

*`"I wouldn't know."`*

At least one of Max's hands would likely remain with its strength on Soren's leg. Yet the monk-magician would make no attempt to escape, but would rather continue in the same vein of taking unbelievable risks — he would, following the potential release of one of Max's hands, pull himself in by using Max's grip as an anchor-point, curling his body in further toward his opponent as he stared askance toward the widely-grinning shadowed man.

He would pivot on his hip — still suspended in-air by both the grip and the shroud of air lightening his body — twisting his other, free leg into a close-quarters knee toward Max's chin. Upon a successful initial blow, he would continue the action twice again in an attempt to damage him enough in order to force him to release his grip with his other hand.
Leonard
*His head was starting to become clouded by violence and rage, his moves becoming much more aggressive and uncoordinated, he was getting sloppy as his rage fueled his movement and his motives in this fight, the chains in particular were going to be used as grab and pull weapons just so he could crush Soren's body all the faster, but something switched in his head as he started to think, everything beginning to slow down in his vision as if everything were moving in slow motion.*

`Is this really the person I wanna be, what I want to become? Allowing rage to fuel my movement instead of my own promises, I need to be better than this, I promised her I'd be better than this.`

*He breathed in and out as his mind cleared up the rage and anger that had once plagued his mind becoming nothing more than a thought, an idea that he'd never use if he could control it, he had started to think of a different tactic, instead of using punches and kicks to try and hit the obviously much faster opponent, why not use the materials he had to his advantage.*

*As the air explosion Soren had caused blasted off his leg, Max's right hand would be knocked off because of the damage it took earlier while his left which still had much stronger grip would stay firmly grasped onto Soren's leg, he could just shoot several spikes out of it and turn Soren's leg into Swiss cheese, but for some reason, he decided not to do so he didn't even try crush his leg like a stick even though he had the strength to do so in that one hand but he just stood there.*

*Upon the first hit to the chin he didn't do anything but upon the second attempt he caught Soren's knee with his right abefore spinning around and tossing him into the air but he didn't just end it there, instead he rocketed himself into the air after him before pulling his right fist back and having his left fist face Soren, but instead of punching with his right fist he shot both chain whips out of his left hand along with a 2 meter long spike.*
Betty
A bruise had begun to form on Soren's leg due to the sheer force of the grip placed upon it. The monk-magician lightly winced, his eyes squinting down as pain flared throughout the limb, and yet he did not waver, the focus in his eyes never waning. It was this clarity and consistency that defined Soren as a person, and it was this clarity and consistency that allowed him to, in the moment of his opponent's shifting desire, both see and comprehend the echoes of both hesitation and change fluctuating off of his ***`SOUL.`*** The *Margo Aeternitatis* Brought a closeness in the spiritual and mundane world that allowed the monk — as practically-understanding of *`Soulcraft`* As he was — to feel those echoes of life, subtle as they may be.

*`...Impetus... Is it not anger?`*
*`...I cannot say it is. But I cannot say it is not...`*
*`Within my opponent, there is...`*

It was indescribable, and yet Soren was beginning to grasp a greater understanding of who Max truly was.
The sparks of their ***SOULs*** Clashed, and in grasping their heat, Soren felt as though he grasped a better understanding of both their places in the world.
Yet the battle itself was still hot.

In Max's moment of hesitation, Soren did not himself also hesitate, and yet felt a weight pull upon his actions as he struck Max directly in the chin with his knee. That transient, wavering moment in resolve that Max had shown seemed unlike the him that the monk had earlier observed him to be; it was for this shift in the paradigm that left Soren in a moment of thought that lasted only a fraction of a second.
_ _

*`...A dichotomy.`*

He was flung back. The air whipped behind him, as though to slow his motion — the veil of mana that enshrouded him was still in effect.
With a weakened hand and a weakened leg, he boasted less control over his aerial momentum, and yet his proficiency with the manipulation of air allowed him to, at least, control the rate at which he was flung, keeping himself still-facing his opponent as he was launched away.

*`"...Every breath I take..."`*

...He muttered as he swirled through the air. The chains now were close in approach, Soren's eyes locked solitarily upon the large spike protruding from their ends. He exhales a strong Breath—

*`"...Is a manifestation of my technique."`*

The spikes comes infinitesimally close to his body, his momentum away from Max perservering, if not increasing, due to the persistent shroud of air both lightening and perpetuating his motion through the world around himself. His free and uninjured hand forms into a fingergun that he points at Max, and it is in this moment that the effects of *`Veracity`* Take shape — he has revealed yet another element of his technique, yet not in word only; Max can *See* The Breath that Soren has taken. **The disruption in the atmosphere ahead of his finger glows alight, a subtle-yellow glow in mana marking its presence — visible and clear to Max's own SOUL as it was to Soren himself.**

*`"VAYU—`*
__***`"JAVELIN."`***__
 _ _

By revealing the nature of a Breath itself, it is empowered. By revealing the nature of Vayu, it too is empowered. The combination of the two techniques empowered by *`Veracity`* Results in a transcendent manifestation of the initial spell: **Javelin.** A highly-empowered burst of air would manifest from the disruption in the atmosphere, shooting directly for Max's center-mass with intense force — enough to pierce him straight through and potentially even blow a golfball-sized hole into his abdomen — though not without the action being telegraphed due to Soren's revealing of the spell's nature.

He planned to trade blows with Max, pivoting his body mid-air such that the spikes would target nonlethal sections of his own body — he had flipped upside-down in the midst of his spellcasting, at such an angle that the chains would be more likely to hit the sides of his lower abdomen or his legs rather than his heart, lungs, or neck.

*He was putting it all on the line, here and now.*
Leonard
*A smile started to form on his face but not one of a sinister intent, he was just smiling because he had finally found a place where he wasn't seen as a monster but just another odd person, something people weren't scared of him because of his appearance, he wasn't just another murder monster in this place, he was a person.*

"Overtime I've learned that someone's mind and motives ain't always so cut and dry. I ain't some evil entity that hates all thing's living down to the very bone, I may seem sinister but things can just get a little... Complicated. Thing is I'm just a creature who's from a whole nother world."

*He was having fun with this new world and all it's different people, as he got closer to Soren he saw him breathe in and out as he made another finger gun, but instead of propelling himself forward he retracted both chains and the spike all at the same time as he saw the glow, but his eyes didn't widen and neither did smile, he just closed his eyes for a moment before opening his right hand and using an air cannon to rocket himself to the left and out of the way of the attack, he lands in his feet and skids across the arena floor before coming to a complete stop.*

"Missed me Aang, better luck next time tho and hey lighten up a bit, everything ain't always so serious and since I want to prove this, I'll do this."

*After he was done speaking Max took both chain whips out of his palm along with the spike before throwing all of them to right side.*

"I'll get them after we finish this fight but I want to fight on atleast somewhat even terms, no more weapons, no more absorption, just me and my fist. Now come at me and show me you ain't a coward like the rest of em.*

*He put up his fists and waited for Soren to make his next move, he wasn't gonna fight an unarmed man using weapons or cheap tricks, he would use his own to fists to finish this fight.*
Betty
The monk's eyes shifted with the rapid motion and retreat of the chains, as well as Max's sudden change in intent. His sudden switch to a retreat instead of continuing in his decisive blow accompanied a similar change in intent; these two things Soren noted duly, squinting as the usage of __***`Javelin`***__ soared past Max. Yet it was not frustration nor confusion that defined Soren's honed eyes, as he twirled, landing, both feet on the ground as he now stared distantly at his opponent. It was curiosity. 

Something profound in his ***`SOUL`*** Glew alight again.

*`"Is that so?"`*

He responded quickly to Max's declaration of self; his statement of origin from another world, as well as his beliefs on the nature of mind and motives.

*`"No creature is defined by a singular nature."`*
*`"We live in harmony,"`* He spoke, a soft Breath easing from his lungs. *`"Each, with our own desires and inhibitions."`*

His stance shifted from a forwards-heavy martial-arts stance to an open-armed stance, both palms retracting close to rest at either side of his hips. He took a step forward, mana suffusing the **Breath** He had just taken — that same **Breath** Now shrouding his body like a veil.

*`"In that, you are correct."`*
*`"And it seems you are more understanding of this than most."`*

He stretched a single hand out toward Max, his body shifting back into a fighting stance. This time, however, it was different — his head shifted inward, his body forward; he was no longer looking down toward Max from an angle, but level with him.

*`Enlightenment can be found in the simplest of things.`*
*`I hope you and I both will find something,`*
*`anything,`*
*`that will bring us growth and fulfillment.`*

His eyes briefly closed, before opening wide, gleaming golden as he focused on his opponent with all his might. An overwhelming sense of clarity pervaded his expression following Max's challenge, which he seemed already to have wordlessly accepted.
_ _

_ _
*`"...All right."`*
*`"I'll give you everything, then."`*

*`"Irenic Vow."`*
*`"Vow of Veracity."`*
*`"Oath of Integrity."`*
*`"Oath of Abstinence."`*
*`"The Middle Path."`*
*`"Wind."`*
*`"Vayu."`*
*`"Svasa."`*
*`"Breath."`*
*`"Samsara."`*
*`"Moksha."`*
*`"Liberation."`*
*`"Enlightenment."`*
_ _

Each word was without context, yet together told a story.
Each word invoked an aspect of the many vows Soren had taken upon himself, and each echoed within the expanses of his **`SOUL`** With equivalent weight.

***`thump thump`***
***`thump thump`***
***`thump thump`***

His ***`SOUL`*** Pounds, glowing auric, as the arena glitters alight—
*`"My name is Soren,"`* He spoke, taking another step forward as he shifted his left hand into a simple symbol.

***`thump thump`***
***`thump thump`***
***`thump thump`***

— the atmosphere growing heavy, as the divide between the mundane and transmundane realms began to fade entirely —

***`"And I have come to knock on the gates of enlightenment."`***

—his ***`SOUL`*** Manifesting, bright and gold, flaring limitlessly outward, both *`Vessel`* And *`Spirit`* Eclipsing material reality, __**Transcending**__ their absolute limitations.




_ _
 𝑮 𝑵 𝑰 𝑻 𝑰 𝑶 𝑵**__
 __***`"विवृत"`***__
_ _




The surrounding world is washed in a brilliant, golden color,
Before a beautiful, stretching blue sky takes shape, brightly illuminating the rolling mountain fields overset by ephemeral fogs.
_ _

__***```
"ᴛʀᴀɴꜱᴄᴇɴᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ—"
 "𝔸𝕍𝔸𝕋𝕀." ```***__

_ _
A vast idol oversees the __`INNER REALM`__ of Soren's soul, its form and face ambiguous, shadowed in the silhouette of a hollow sun.

The monk-magician takes a soft, prolonged breath, his eyes fluorescent with the sharp-golden aura and mana that now wholly suffused his body, the air around him flowing confluently with each shift of his body. As though he were clothed in the wind, itself, gales of air form a dense and ever-shifting shroud around his body that is now made weightless. Each breath he takes is a **Breath** He controls — the essence of both his mana and **`SOUL`** Suffusing them — as he shifts stances once and finally more, opposite Max in the endless terrain of his manifest, __**Transcended**__ ***`SOUL.`***
_ _

***```
 "Let's go... One more time." ```***

_ _
***`Step.`***

His foot touches against the ground, and in a singular motion, he is imparted momentum forward, a shear of wind carrying him with instantaneous velocity toward Max. His arm pulls back and wind again shrouds it, coalescing in a violent disruption in the atmosphere ahead of his fist, as he throws a head-on punch for Max, striking toward his chest — still seemingly bound strongly by his intent to fight Max face-to-face, fist-to-fist. The momentum of the strike and its strength were both boosted far beyond their typical means, approaching but not quite reaching the level of Max's own; its speed, however, was incredible, and significantly beyond what was possible for a normal human to achieve. It was performed with such speed that it would be nigh-unreactable if it were not for the great distance Soren would have to first clear before launching the attack, and if it were to successfully hit, it would impact not once, but twice — a secondary detonation of air would forcibly propel Max backward were he not to steel himself or dodge the initial blow.
Leonard
*His smile was shining as bright as a light while in this fight, his eyes just about the same as they shifted to show different expressions. The one he was making currently was for the excitement he was feeling at this moment in time.*

"Hey it doesn't take a genius to realize anyone and everyone ain't just programmed for some specific thing. We can all change and be what we wanna be, I learned that from an important person who I don't have around anymore, but I'll make sure to make them proud by being true to myself."

*He then listened to Soren's talk about enlightenment and fulfillment, he had already thought of what would give him fulfillment and he thought he had his answer, but then he remembered what he said. Everything ain't always so cut and dry, there's never a truly clear answer to anything.*

"I mean I'm not going anywhere anytime soon so, why not take that journey slow and steady."

*He then listened as Soren spoke about knocking on the gates of enlightenment, before readying himself for something big. He was definitely surprised when the whole arena changed into a bright world with mountains and a sky as blue as the ocean.*

"So this is transcendence huh? It's pretty beautiful if I'll be honest, if i ever get one I wonder what it'll look like. Well I guess I got the good opponents, but as you said. Let's go... One last time."

*He pointed at Soren while smiling as he said this before balling his left fist, if he was gonna face Soren fists only, he'd do his best. As he watched Soren speed towards him he pulled his left fist back and instead of dodging and thinking of a plan, he just straight up full force punched Soren's fist as he attempted to strike him in the stomach. He didn't even use absorption to soften the blow, he stayed true to his word even if he might've been at a disadvantage because of it. Because that's the kind of kid he was, one that stayed true to his word.*
Betty
*Veracity and integrity.*

Though Soren's expression did not much change as Max spoke of his own journey, the fire hidden behind his eyes — the glowing of mana as one peered deeper into his ***`SOUL`*** By meeting the contact of his eyes while within the realm of his __***`TRANSCENDENCE`***__ — gleamed, and there was found a sort of latent acknowledgement within his focused gaze. Some deeper sense of respect had formed within his heart for his opponent.

*—The idol in the sky furls two fingers.*

Soren's fist and Max's collide, an airburst detonating outward from the initial impact as the rebound shot through both combatant's arms as incredible force met an incredible force. As aforementioned, the magician-monk, in his reinforced state, approached but did not exceed Max's own strength — yet the following detonation of wind from the explosion of the ***`Breath`*** Shrouding his fist indeed allowed him to match the raw output of the punch, if not its pure physical brunt. 

Pain echoes throughout Soren's already-injured hand — a debilitation he had been suppressing through both mental control and mana reinforcement — in the impact, and yet he is not forcibly rebounded by the outward airburst as Max might have been. Worsening, the injury progresses deeper than the initial crushing force Max had damaged with it; but Soren does not so much as flinch. His eyes are steady and his ***`Breath`*** Flows smooth, the atmosphere flowing like a cloak around him.
_ _

***```
 "...Slow and steady.."
"...Yes. That, too, is a path to enlightenment."```***

_ _
By nature of how he was not blown-back by the detonation of air originating from his fist, Soren is quick to recover. A gale following behind him, he dashes again toward Max and almost identically repeats his same, distance-closing maneuver — himself also bound by honor to fight head-on rather than exploit the intrinsic strengths of his Transcendence to wrest an unsatisfactory victory — approaching headfirst, this time pivoting into an upward kick as he entered melee-range, his entire body lifting off the ground as he practically leapt into a high-kick toward Max's head. This action, too, was bolstered by the natural strength of the wind coalescing around him, and it, too, would carry such potent momentum that it nearly matched Max's raw strength output; yet this time, it would not come with the following airburst, reducing its overall yield. He preserved disruptions in the air forming around both him and Max, glitters of golden light shimmering in triads all around them.
Leonard
*His body was definitely built for combat, but against people like Sofja and Soren it was definitely less effective unless they chose to come at him head on. Tho he could always try to learn their fighting style and abilities to form a counter but he didn't have the means or the materials at the moment so he could only make such slight adjustments to tip a battle to his favor, even without help from his soul he could still beat these people but even then he knew it wouldn't stay that way for long, he needed a boost for himself and soon.*

`I need a plan, unless I can tap into my own soul I'll be finished sooner then later, I need to atleast get to the semifinals but I can't do that if literally every other opponent gets a boost.`

*Then the clash occurred which knocked him back and actually caused him to shake his hand, he wasn't as hurt as Soren by that punch but it definitely hurt him enough for him react to it, he would smile and look at Soren.*

"Dude you hit like a girl, granted the one time I fought a girl, she broke both my arms."

*Upon Soren rushing towards him the exact same way as last time, Max would closely watch his body as he got closer and upon Soren preforming the kick. Max would block it with his right arm and allow it to take the full force of the strike as he then grabbed Sorens leg with his left hand as he slammed Soren into the ground as hard as he could twice in an attempt to just knock him out.*
Betty
*`"Perhaps."`*
*`"Your last opponent had great will."`*

A simple comment. Soren continued to cross the gap between the two, his spirit warm with all the thoughts, possibilities, and limitations imposed upon it; his mind, however, remained cool — a balance that granted him an unimaginable clarity in thought. 

*`Though my opponent is trapped within my SOUL,`* Soren's leg pounded against Max's right arm, *`it does not mean the fight is already won.`*
*`Do not neglect your fundamental limitations.`*

Despite his immense maturity as a magician and as a *`Soulcraft`* User, Soren, in truth, was not much of a greater threat than most other participants within the **Margo Aeternitatis**. The fact that he was capable of using __**`TRANSCENDENCE`**__ despite this equality, thusly, must mean it comes with some great, fundamental limitation. A yellow soul exists starkly within the limitations it sets for itself. Those limitations may grant it greater acuity — singular goals grant singular, directed power — and yet they are, all the same, still limitations.
_ _

The magician-monk felt the swelling of the air around him as Max's hand motioned to tightly grapple his leg. Quickly, he motioned to pull his leg back; yet he was a moment too slow, his opponent's grip confirmed as he was then immediately hurled toward the ground. Instinctively, he formed a cushion of air ahead of him, crossing his arms ahead of himself as he partially slowed his descent with the consumption of a single, smooth-flowing **`Breath.`** The damage was not entirely negated, however; his arms absorbed a majority of the leftover brunt of the impact, that subtle fissure in the bonestructure of his already-damaged wrist growing ever-more-definite. Likewise, when he was slammed for the second time, he caught himself, and that hidden damage began to compound.

He was pushing himself beyond his limitations. His usage of mana-reinforcement had prevented it from becoming an immediate issue, but it was an undeniable fact that the damage was beginning to build up. He had saved himself from immediately losing the duel, yet he absolutely could not tolerate another major impact against his damaged wrist.

__***`"Vayu."`***__
*`"I'll aim for your back."`*

Veracity.

Two **`Breaths`** Coalesce, subtle disruptions in the atmosphere immediately appearing behind Max, suffused with a golden aura. Just as Soren had warned, he was aiming for his back, despite the monk-magician's own grappled and suspended position.

__***`"Javelin."`***__



Threatening to pierce him straight through, two immensely-potent blasts of air — originating just a few feet behind Max — fire with tremendous power straight toward his upper-and lower-back. Soren's explicit warning, however, would likely grant him much leeway in dodging them.
Leonard
"To say she had great will, would be an understatement my guy."

*Max definitely wouldn't underestimate a girl after what happened with sofja, she definitely opened his eyes to a major ass whoopin he barely recovered from, if he wasn't in a fight he would be rubbing his head right about now.*

"Yknow up to this point I never thought I could get beaten by people who didn't use fire, I'm definitely making myself new armor and weaponry after this."

*His voice seemed exhausted from all this constant yelling he had done, tho if he were still using his powers he wouldn't have been yelling as much as he did. But he was gonna win this with his fists only, even if he had to get brutal again. Which he hoped he didn't.*

*His right hand was in horrid condition because of Soren's past attacks, it'd basically be useless for anything other then a swift punch so was back to being a lefty for the time being, he just had to get one good strike in and he'd be good.*

"Okay word of advice, never say where you are aiming out loud, even if you do wanna be fair."

*Max would throw Soren and then quickly dodge to the right to evade the wind javelin, his smile was still bright as a light throughout the action.*

"Yeesh, if I ever learn magic I'm learning the ones that don't need a chant, unless you're just doing that to be a Chunibyo. I mean seriously this whole world is starting to feel weird and that's coming from me."

*After finishing his rant he'd crack his neck before showing his blinding white smile to Soren as he ran towards him head first, he then balled his left hand into a fist and attempted to go for a full force punch to Soren's waist.*
Betty
*`"A fundamental limitation."`*

Soren commented briefly in response to Max's word-of-advice. Indeed, it was a great disadvantage to announce an attack before it occurred; however, to incite such a height in strength as the magician-monk was putting on display in this duel, he had to make some great trade-off to hone the output of his ***`SOUL`**.* That trade-off, in this circumstance, happened to be the announcement of his attack — firmly and verbally conceptualizing its manifestation and target such that its shape in his *`Spirit`* Was wholly refined. 

This small exchange would happen as Soren was launched through the air.

His robes fluttering in the wind of the ethereal, mid-afternoon expanse that was the heart of his Spirit — his __**`Inner Realm`**__, that profound thing beyond reality itself — the magician-monk's eyes shifted focus from the opponent to the sky above, twirling head-behind-heels as he literally flipped backward through the air. In a fragment of a moment, he saw the form of the idol in the sky above: its fingers, furled, each one a symbol of a fundamental rule that existed within this spiritual realm.
_ _

*`I must pick up the pace.`*

Coalescing a **`Breath`** With such freedom he had never shown in the duel until he entered the realm of his __**`TRANSCENDENCE`**__, Soren propelled himself back toward the floor, landing upon his single healthy-arm's palm and flipping into a backspring, upright, facing Max, and ready for his assault. He motioned his right hand in a semicircle as the atmosphere was physically disrupted, a gale shrouding the limb in reaction to Max's breakneck approach; the magician was preparing a counterattack.

*`"Elbow block."`*

Veracity.
That fundamental limitation again.

His elbow and body shifted. He tucked his left arm down, its elbow meeting the trajectory of Max's oncoming fist in order to block. The wind gathered around it to form a cushion to decelerate the superhuman force of the attack, negating it in part — but nowhere near in full. Soren was knocked skidding backward as the force echoed throughout the same arm it impacted, reverberating throughout his skeletral structure and again into that same, stressed fracture, where it—

***`crack`***

*Cracked.*
*`"...?"`*

Though pain was shooting throughout his body, Soren did not show it in earnest. His eyes shot quickly to the site of the wound, where a bruised imprint of Max's hand remained, as suddenly much strength is lost within his left arm. Still reeling back from the initial impact of Max's blocked full-force punch, Soren's eyes honed as his lingering injury took a turn for the much, much worse.

*`...Not ideal.`*
_ _

The monk lacked much of the self-preservation instinct that was found intrinsic within most other people. It seemed he thrust himself into danger even when granted clear opportunities to avoid it outright; he was a monk, certainly, and one greatly disciplined, and yet also one who partook in great earthly risks. To willingly take on great burdens is said by some to lead to enlightenment; to Soren, however, it was merely a chance to learn. **He would continue fighting Max at melee range even despite his now-broken left wrist.**

It was as though he was attempting to overcome his mortal limits.

*`"Right counter."`*

His right hand — spiraled about by turbulent wind — hooked back in toward Max shortly following the moment of impact, seeking to hit him square in the chin with exceptional, though not overbearing, power.
Leonard
"That's a damn horrible limitation in my books, I'm definitely gonna have to learn about magic and the soul after I'm done here."

*He was definitely confused by all the different abilities he's seen so far, but they all interested him in different ways which made him want to learn about them even more. His smile was still shining bright as he fought this battle, he didn't seem to care about his injured wrist or his disadvantage. He was just enjoying the moment.*

"Told you that announcing your moves would be-"

`crack`

"Stupid..."

*His smile didn't fade but it wasn't because he was enjoying the fight, he was frozen in place as his eyes locked onto Soren's left arm. His eyes beginning to shake as he realized what he had just felt, the snapping of someone's bones against his fist.*

"Are you kidding me?"

*He said this shortly before Soren came at him and nailed him in the chin which sent him back about 4 meters, he then landed on the ground and recovered from the hit pretty quickly before spitting out some black sap consistency like substance upon getting up, his blood.*

"I warned you that if your bones shattered it wouldn't be my fault..."

*His eyes shined red as he locked back onto Soren.*

"NOW I'LL TURN YOU TO ASH FOR NOT LISTENING TO ME!"

*He ran at Soren and in a blind rage went in for three heavy punches directed at Soren's head, stomach and right side.*
Betty
*`There are some in this world with unmitigated strength.`*
*`Others, with fury untold.`*
Pain is said to bring focus to some.
*`And you,`* He thought.
*`...Are of them both?`*

Soren's golden eyes met Max's, as, with a calm uncharacteristic of his circumstances, he peered deeper into the character of his opponent.

*`"...Counter."`*

As Max punched, so too did Soren. He threw a cross for Max's chin in the moment his punch would hit Soren's face. Though, the monk tucked his chin back at the moment of impact, "Rolling" With the superhuman punch such that it would not threaten to knock him unconscious immediately. 

Then came the second and third impact.
What felt like a cushion of air guarded Soren's gut, but that was not to say the attack was mitigated entirely. A similar phenomenon occurs as Max goes for his right side, both slowed partially but not negated entirely, the monk clearly heavily affected by the impacts. He is staggered by both blows, his once-steady **`Breath`** Released as a cough. The taste of blood slowly filled Soren's palate... Seemed like he had broken a rib; his lungs were at least bruised, and, at worst, hemorrhaging.
_ _

***```
 "One more time." ```***

Left arm limp and right hand furled into a fist, a tremendous disturbance in the atmosphere began to coalesce around Soren's right fist as he stanced backward. Soren ran forward as an explosive jet of air propelled him into Max, the monk throwing his strongest punch straight for Max's chest.
Charles
Shortform is also in effect now
Leonard
`What is this feeling, rage... No... Sadness... No couldn't be... Then what is it?`

*As Soren's fist collided with Max's chin, he seemed to only get angrier as he threw the other two punches. His eyes were glowing red and his mouth was moving like electricity.*

"I warned you!"
`Fear?...No that can't it... Disgust?...Nope not right either.`

*As his body moved with rage and hate as it's fuel, his mind tried to figure out this emotion he was feeling in the very moment. He then heard Soren speak and made an X shape with his arms to block, his right arm was in the front, then as the punch collided.*

`CRACK!`

*His eyes darted and became smaller as his mouth quickly disappeared, he was sent flying back and once he had landed. His right arm was broken from the punch, while his left was somewhat damaged aswell.*

`Pain... No not that... If it's not any of those then what... Am I feeling?`

*Without a second thought he dashed Soren whole roaring before jumping high into the air.*

`Regret... The feeling... Is regret.`

*He came down and delivered a devastating downwards kick with his left leg, in an attempt to just shatter whatever bones Soren had left.*
Charles
Overseeing the duel, the two-tone, crystalline Medeian sorcerers — once at either side of the King — had grown closer to the duel, standing to the left and right of the **`Royal Guard`**

```
"Something," the one on the left began,
"...Is awry," the one on the right finished.

"It would be wise for you to end the duel early."```

Light and mana diffracting off their crystalline forms, portentous magicks whispered to them of things soon to come — things that have not yet happened.

```
"The little mage,"
"...His light will be extinguished,"
"——if you do not stop his opponent!"```

*`"...?!"`*

```
"...'s that so?"```
Betty
Soren was pushing himself to his limit, and he had reached it long before Max would, in their clash. Though his fist had broken a bone of Max's, it was clear that the monk did not — or *Could not* — punch with the full of his weight. Following the moment of impact, the magician-monk inhaled deeply, beginning to form another coalescence of ***`Breath`*** That began to shroud his own broken left arm. However, pain shocked his lungs as a large spurt of blood perfused his trachea, a large cough of blood forced from his mouth, his spell fizzling. 

Max's approach would thusly go uninterrupted as Soren lifted his good hand to his face, swiping away the crimson trickle of liquid that ran along his lip before it descended the length of his chiin and neck. Every inhale and every exhale he took came with some great burden and even more pain, neither of which were alone enough to overwhelm his psyche, but were things too much for him to handle simultaneous with the burden of his upholding of his __**`Transcended`**__ **SOUL**. His opponent's form is captured clear in his eyes, and yet he cannot move to prevent him. All he can do is flick the blood from his hand and prepare to dodge.

***CRACK***
The inner light of the realm __***`AVATI`***__ begins to fade. The Vessel weakens, and the realm is beginning to collapse, mundane reality seeping back into its place.

***`TFP`***

Soren began to step back, and yet seeing that he was not fully out of the trajectory of the kick, he then began to raise his right arm to block. Neither were enough to protect or avoid the kick entirely, and thus Max descended upon the monk mostly unimpeded. With this force, his attack would certainly finish his opponent—
Charles
***CLANG!***

*`"...By the Angel, that's cutting it close."`*

```
"'Twould barely be a battle if it ended before-'t even had a chance t' get int'resting."```

**An orange shield conjured entirely of magic stood between Max and Soren, blocking the lethal kick.**

*`"It is a good thing I can trust your strength alone. Your judgment,"`* The Royal Physician shook his head, *`"Is often——...Sometimes, to be questioned."`*

***Just like that, the battle... Was over.***

 ***"AND THE WINNER OF THIS DUEL IS——"***