Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 106: Elemental Mastery: The Raging Wave vs. Lightning Fury



The arena rumbled as the next battle was announced: Kuro versus Vanya Roth. The audience buzzed with excitement, eager to witness this clash between two powerful beast masters.

Kuro was the first to step onto the battlefield, his dark, sleek figure blending into the shadows that seemed to cling to him. His beasts appeared, two shadowy panthers, their bodies rippling with an eerie, energy. The panthers' eyes gleamed with a ghostly light, and the crowd held its breath, entranced by their predatory grace.

Opposite him, Vanya Roth commanded three formidable beasts: a hawk with fiery plumage, a crimson wolf, and a massive armored stag whose glowing antlers hummed with power. Each of her creatures radiated strength and precision, moving in perfect sync with her.

The battle began with a clash of elements. Kuro's shadow panthers darted in and out of the shadows, striking from the darkness with deadly precision, while Vanya's hawk circled above, guiding her other beasts toward Kuro's elusive creatures. It was a dance of speed and strategy, each fighter testing the other's limits.

Kuro's beasts were fast, slipping through Vanya's attacks with ease, but the hawk's sharp eyes and the wolf's swift movements kept them cornered. Vanya fought with precision, aiming to box Kuro in, but Kuro's panthers had the upper hand in the shadows, their movements growing more fluid as they adapted to Vanya's strategies.

With a final, coordinated strike, Kuro's panthers overwhelmed Vanya's wolf and stag, tearing through them with a savage grace. The hawk fell next, brought down by a leap from the shadows.

"Kuro is victorious!" the announcer declared, and the crowd cheered, their excitement carrying over to the next battle.

Inside the locker room, the energy was tense. Screens lined the walls, displaying the battles. There were rows of lockers and benches, and a section with fitness tools for warm-ups. Some competitors were watching the ongoing fights, while others were mentally preparing themselves for their turn in the arena.

Catarina was glaring at her opponent, Flint Hawk, who was casually lifting small weights, often glancing at her. Her eyes narrowed with clear disdain as he showed her a terrible smile with every lift.

"... Nul and void," Catarina groaned, "Who even fear a little weight?"

Mercury chuckled softly, leaning back against her locker. She had her mind on her upcoming battle against Zera Ardent, the electric-type master. The Crescent Moon members were gathered around her, offering quiet words of encouragement. Ryder tapped the screen showing the previous match.

"Zera's no joke, but neither are you, you're our veteran after all," he said with a grin. Eratz approached, arms folded.

"She's going to use that elemental advantage of hers 100%. You know that, right?" Mercury simply smiled, her eyes glinting with confidence.

"I hope she does."

Kaida nodded.

"I don't know what you're planning, but you look confident, so I'm expecting good news,

sis."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The room quieted for a moment, everyone feeling the anticipation of the match. Then, a staff member appeared at the door, calling for Mercury to head out. The Crescent Moon members rallied behind her, cheering her on in their own way.

"Good luck, Mercury!" Ryder called.

"Go smash her, Raging Wave," Catarina waved.

"Imagine training the whole year just to lose on the first round," Eratz said nonchalantly. "You wish," Mercury grinned at him.

As she walked down the narrow corridor, her focus on the match ahead, she saw a figure leaning casually against the wall, Jaden, the one who had humiliated her brother and kept him from being one of the youngest professional beast masters. Her expression darkened as she neared him.

When he saw her glare, a smirk spread across his face.

"Well, well, why the long face? Need an autograph?"

Mercury kept walking, her expression cold and unreadable, but as she passed him, she paused. Without turning, she said.

"Don't lose."

Jaden raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"Hm? Oh? Is the infamous Raging Wave worried about me?"

She took a step forward, her back still to him, her voice calm but deadly.

"Before facing me."

Jaden's grin grew wider, his playful nature ever present.

"Hm, start by surviving this, then, I'll make sure to give you a memorable show."

Without another word, Mercury resumed walking, her mind clear and sharp, ready for the battle that awaited her.

The crowd buzzed with excitement as the announcer's voice filled the arena once more.

"And the next challenger... Mercury Banks!"

The cheers were thunderous as Mercury entered the battlefield. She scanned the crowd, her sharp gaze moving to the stands.

Among them, Cassie and Roger stood, waving enthusiastically. Colin and Milo cheered loudly, Milo practically jumping out of his seat.

Meanwhile, in the Genova section, the students who remembered her from the calamity birds incident exchanged nervous glances.

"It's incredible to think we were that close to her," one whispered.

"Yeah, too bad I couldn't befriend her that time," another added.

Kenny, though filled with bitterness, couldn't ignore her entrance, his jaw tightening as he watched her.

He forced himself to not seeing her as a girl and silently rooted for her opponent.

On her side, Lisa watched silently, her gaze following Mercury but her expression neutral,

while Crystal, leaned forward with a slight smirk.

"Let's hope Zera gives her what she deserves."

"And now, her opponent, Zera Ardent!"

The crowd cheered as Zera entered the arena, her bright yellow hair practically glowing under the sunlight. Her lean, athletic frame was perfect for her lightning-fast fighting style.

She wore sleek, outfits with jagged electric patterns running down the sides. Her eyes sparkled with a fierce determination.

She raised her arms, and the crowd erupted in cheers for her too, her reputation as a fierce fighter preceding her, and for those knowing both of them, she was the grand favorite of this

match.

The tension between them was palpable as the two stood face to face.

Zera's eyes were sharp with determination, while Mercury's calm, confident expression

showed no sign of doubt.

The announcer's voice filled the stadium once more.

"Let the battle... begin!"

Zera reacted immediately, charging bolts of lightning in her hands, the energy spreading

around.

Mercury responded with her classic move, summoning water to surround her in an elemental

field spell.

Water surged from the ground and formed a dense barrier around her, the field rippling with

power.

Zera smirked, her eyes glowing with anticipation.

"So you've chosen suicide." Mercury's expression remained unreadable as she allowed Zera to strike.

Zera launched a barrage of electric strikes, arcs of lightning shooting toward Mercury like

whips, the lightning hitting the water field head-on.

Sparks exploded as the electricity surged through the water, but instead of recoiling, Mercury grinned. She had been waiting for this.

Zera's confidence wavered as the water didn't conduct the lightning the way she expected.

The spectacle was strange to witness, the field spell growing in size was at the same time losing in it's constitution, becoming more transparent, without visible water. Mercury's field spell had changed. Instead of a dense body of water, the water was spread thin across the battlefield, dispersed in a fine mist and thin layers across the ground and air. The crowd watched in awe as the lightning scattered through the mist, unable to find a clear path to deal concentrated damage.

"What..." Zera muttered, confused by the lack of impact. Her lightning strikes fizzled out, dispersed into the mist that hung around Mercury like a protective veil.

Mercury raised a brow, her tone calm and controlled.

"Are you winning, girl?"

Zera's eyes narrowed, frustration creeping in. She unleashed another wave of electric energy,

but Mercury's strategy was clear.

The water danced around her, moving fluidly to redirect the lightning's charge.

The electricity crackled harmlessly through the air as Mercury manipulated the water's

pathways, guiding the lightning away from her.

The crowd cheered in amazement as Mercury demonstrated her control over the battlefield,

her mastery of both water and wind stunning everyone.

Eratz leaned forward, impressed.

"Smart, she's controlling the lightning... what a great idea."

Zera's anger flared, her face contorted in frustration.

"You think you're clever, don't you? Let's see how clever you are when I turn up the voltage."

Zera surged forward, her entire body crackling with energy as she aimed for a more direct hit.

But Mercury was already prepared. She moved with precision, summoning insulating layers of vapor around herself.

As Zera's electric punch connected, the vapor acted as a buffer, dispersing the charge and

leaving Mercury unharmed.

"She's untouchable!" someone in the crowd yelled, and the cheers grew louder.

But Zera wasn't done. She pushed harder, her attacks growing more frantic as she hurled bolt

after bolt of lightning at Mercury.

The arena flashed with bright electric strikes, but Mercury's calm composure never wavered.

Mercury knew it was time to shift the momentum. With a wave of her hand, she directed the

water around the battlefield to form channels, creating conductive pathways leading straight

to Zera.

Zera, so focused on overpowering Mercury with lightning, didn't notice until it was too late.

Mercury smirked.

"Thanks for the refill."

Zera's eyes widened in shock as the lightning she'd been unleashing at Mercury suddenly

redirected.

The water, manipulated to form intricate pathways, had turned into a trap. Mercury

channeled the electricity into a tank of highly pressurized water, launching it back toward

Zera with devastating force.

The impact was immediate. Water and lightning exploded in unison, creating a violent storm

of energy that sent Zera flying back.

Her body jolted as the charged water surged through her, knocking the breath out of her

lungs. She staggered, gasping in pain, trying to stay on her feet.

The crowd collectively erupted, watching as Zera's own elemental power turned against her.

But Mercury wasn't finished yet.

She surfed along the thin streams of water she had created across the battlefield.

The mist and vapor provided the perfect cover, making it impossible for Zera to track her.

Zera's attacks grew frantic, lightning crackling wildly through the air, but each bolt was either deflected or absorbed by Mercury's water manipulation.

Zara, watching from the stands, shook her head, muttering under her breath.

"She's so focused on the lightning advantage, she's forgotten to use her beasts." Zera hesitated, realizing that every time she unleashed her power, it came right back at her with twice the force. Her confidence crumbled as she began to second-guess every strike. "Where is she?" she muttered, panic creeping into her voice as her eyes darted around the

arena.

But the dense mist and multiple water streams made it impossible to locate Mercury.

Her vision blurred from the lingering electricity running through her body, her movements slower now, each step more labored.

Then, like a predator emerging from the fog, Mercury appeared. Her body cut through the mist, and before Zera could react, Mercury unleashed her final move.

All the water particles in the air, the streams, the mist, they converged at once, forming a massive, pressurized wall of water.

With a flick of her wrist, Mercury released the full power of the attack.

The explosion of water was immense, the force crashing down on Zera with an earth-

shattering roar. Zera's body was thrown across the arena, battered and drenched, the sheer pressure leaving

her struggling to breathe. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, too weak to stand.

Zera attempted to rise, her body trembling with effort, but the battle was over. She had been completely overwhelmed.

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers, standing in awe of Mercury's absolute control over

the battlefield.

The announcer's voice echoed through the arena, filled with amazement.

"The winner is... Mercury Banks!"

The crowd roared in approval, their cheers echoing through the arena as Mercury stood tall,

her mastery over the elements undeniable.

Zera, bruised and humbled, could only watch from the ground as the woman who had

dominated her received the praise she had rightfully earned.

Cassie, Roger, Colin, and Milo cheered louder than anyone, their pride and excitement

evident.

In the Genova section, students stared in awe.

Kenny, watched her drenched appearance on the big screen with clenched fists, couldn't deny

the burning in his chest any longer.

Lisa remained quiet, this was the level of the closest person to Eratz, meanwhile, Crystal

scowled, furious that Mercury had won.

In the locker room, other challengers watched in awe, even Sia nodded in quiet approval.

Jaden groaned, and left the room.

Mercury left the battlefield victorious, her strategy flawless. As she walked off, she allowed herself a small smile, bathed under the cheers of the public.

There was a brief pause before the announcer added, his voice filled with reverence.

"More than just a wave... Mercury Banks has become water itself!"