The Crimson Exarch nodded to Ana, silently congratulating her for her job, before turning toward Cain. The intent was clear; it was their turn once more to face the Overseer.

The Scarlet King met the Exarch's gaze briefly, then turned his eyes toward the Enlightened One. The man said nothing, but his staff materialized in his hand as a halo of blue flames ignited around the back of his hand. The aura burned brighter with each passing second, and his strength surged exponentially.

Cain couldn't help but be impressed. The Enlightened One's physical power had clearly increased since the last time he saw the man fight, and back then, it was already at the Peak ArchDeity Tier.

When the Enlightened One crossed within a thousand meters of the Overseer, the force wall shimmered into being, sealing them both inside. The Overseer's energy shifted instantly, matching the man's cultivation base, Middle ArchDeity Rank.

As before, the Overseer granted a minute for preparation. The Enlightened One wasted not a second. His energy rose higher and higher; gauntlets of the Flow's radiant Light formed around his arms and covered his staff. The halo of blue flame on the back of his hands flared fiercely, its heat distorting the air, raising his raw strength higher and higher.

Yet unlike the others, he did not attack. Even as the final seconds passed, he remained still, staff poised.

The instant the countdown ended, the Overseer moved. His form blurred, speed so great it seemed to shatter space-time, and his double-edged polearm cleaved toward the Enlightened One with devastating force.

Golden light flared in the Enlightened One's eyes. The Flow surged through him to its absolute limit as he waited, patient, precise, studying every ripple of energy until he was certain the Overseer could no longer alter his strike or unleash any secret card.

Only then did he move.

The power he had been building exploded outward. His staff met the Overseer's weapon head-on, the collision shaking the air and space around them.

The Enlightened One had chosen his moment perfectly. He knew that if he attacked first, the Overseer would only divert or twist anything he sent. By forcing a direct confrontation, he neutralized that advantage. Even the Overseer, for all his might and unpredictability, could not perform Divergence or Redirection in the midst of a full physical clash.

"BOOOOOOOOM!"

The impact released a shockwave that tore through the arena. The sheer kinetic force of it was staggering, yet when the dust settled, it was the Enlightened One who stood victorious.

He slid backward across the metallic floor, his boots cutting trenches into the ground, but his counterblow sent the Overseer crashing through the air, completely off balance.

He didn't hesitate. Before the Overseer could recover, the Enlightened One surged forward and brought his staff down with both hands. The blow landed squarely, smashing the Overseer into the ground with colossal force.

Cain's eyes glowed faintly as he watched. Enlightenment dawned.

The Overseer's power was immense, nearly immeasurable, but his true core was The Flow itself. If one could force a contest of raw physical power, minimizing the Flow's influence, then perhaps… victory wasn't impossible.

Of course, that required overwhelming physical might, far beyond one's cultivation rank, something only a few in all existence could claim.

The Enlightened One's expression hardened, battle fervor burning in his gaze as he dove toward the crater where the Overseer had fallen. He could not afford to lose momentum, not for an instant.

His silhouette disappeared into the rising smoke. The Overseer was there, still kneeling, his weapon half-buried in the ground, unprepared. It was the perfect chance.

The Enlightened One roared and brought his staff down in a blazing arc.

But just before impact, the Overseer's eyes flared gold. He plunged his weapon deep into the earth.

From beneath him erupted a torrent of divine energy. The Flow itself twisted, reshaping into a radiant Golden Lotus that enveloped the Overseer completely.

The Enlightened One's strike could have crushed the defenses of a Peak Archdeity with ease, yet when his staff collided with the lotus, it failed to leave even a mark.

The recoil was catastrophic. The staff rebounded violently, sending a spray of blood from the Enlightened One's mouth. His arms trembled as fractures raced through the bones of his forearms. It was as if he had struck the most unbreakable shield in existence and was paying the price for it.

A heartbeat later, the Golden Lotus shattered into countless golden motes. It wasn't destroyed, it simply dissipated. The Overseer lacked the strength to maintain it longer than a fraction of a second, and his aura dimmed significantly, showing the cost of such an ability.

But the effect was achieved, the Enlightened One's momentum was gone.

The Overseer ripped his weapon from the ground, deflected the staff aside, and followed through with a brutal strike from his free hand. His fist connected with the Enlightened One's face, sending the man hurtling backward like a rag doll.

He skidded across the metallic ground but managed to twist mid-air and land in a crouched stance, staff raised defensively. Blood trickled down his jaw, and his breath came rough and sharp.

The brief advantage was gone.

Still, his eyes burned with determination.

For nearly two more minutes, the two fought, a storm of blinding light and shattering metal. Each strike from the Enlightened One carried precise Flow manipulation, every motion a calculated blend of might and technique. But the Overseer adapted, adjusting his rhythm, shifting between Flow Aspects with impossible speed.

Every time the Enlightened One gained ground, the Overseer answered with something new, Divergence, Resonance, even echoes of Redirection woven seamlessly into his attacks.

Finally, the Enlightened One was driven back, his energy spent. He retreated through the force wall, collapsing to one knee as the barrier sealed once more.

He let out a long, heavy breath.

He had come close to a miracle, but the Golden Lotus had shattered his momentum and his hopes.

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