The arena was silent for just a moment. A crisp breeze rustled Kamisato Ayaka's sleeves as she stood poised, hand resting lightly on the hilt of her fan-shaped tachi. Across from her, Childe cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as a grin spread across his face. The announcer's voice rang out over the field, but neither fighter paid it any mind. Their focus was solely on each other.
"This will be a fun one..." Childe stated.
And then...the match began.
Childe was the first to move. He lunged forward, his hydro vision igniting as twin blue blades materialized in his hands. The moment his foot hit the ground, the arena floor erupted in a spray of water, launching him forward like a spear.
Ayaka's eyes flashed. The air around her turned ice-cold. With the precision of a falling snowflake, she vanished into a whirl of frost, her Senho dash carrying her smoothly across the battlefield. Childe's first strike carved through empty space, water slashing the air where she had been.
"Fast," he mused, pivoting instantly.
Ayaka reappeared behind him in an instant, blade already descending in a crescent arc. Childe barely managed to twist, raising his hydro blades in a cross to catch her strike. Ice met water, sending a sharp gust of frost outward. But Ayaka wasn't finished. With a flick of her wrist, she pivoted the angle of her katana, deflecting his guard and forcing him to stagger back.
Childe smirked. "Alright then, Princess. Let's make this fun."
A geyser erupted at his feet as he activated Riptide, spraying the battlefield with droplets of energized water. Ayaka leapt backward just in time, but Childe was already in pursuit. He reformed his blades into a massive polearm, spinning it overhead before slamming it down. Ayaka dodged to the side, but the impact sent a shockwave through the ground, knocking her off balance for just a split second. That was all Childe needed.
He surged forward, aiming to end this quickly with a heavy downward strike. Ayaka, however, remained calm. In that split second, she twisted, her feet gliding across the ice forming beneath her. She parried his strike with an elegant flourish, using the force of the impact to spin gracefully away. Then, with a sharp exhale, she raised her free hand.
Frost bloomed around her.
Soumetsu.
A flurry of blizzards erupted from her blade, cutting through the air like a storm of frozen petals. Childe's instincts screamed at him to move. He flipped backward, just barely escaping the reach of the swirling ice, but even so, the chill bit into his skin. His hydro shield cracked.
"Not bad," he chuckled, shaking off the frost as he landed. Then his expression shifted. The grin was still there, but his eyes gleamed with something more dangerous. "Guess I better step it up."
A deep, crimson glow flickered in his hand. His Hydro blades shattered, replaced by an ominous polearm of pure Electro energy. Foul Legacy: Raging Tide.
Ayaka's gaze sharpened.
Childe wasted no time. He closed the distance in an instant, his spear whistling through the air as he struck. Ayaka barely managed to deflect it, the force of the blow sending shivers up her arms. The moment she parried, he twisted the weapon, swinging it in a vicious arc that she narrowly dodged by sliding under the attack, ice forming at her feet to carry her smoothly past him.
She retaliated instantly, flipping upward and striking from below. Childe blocked it, but Ayaka's momentum carried her higher. With a single fluid motion, she spun midair, unleashing a rapid flurry of precise slashes. Childe gritted his teeth as he parried each one, sparks and frost flying from the rapid exchange.
Then, without warning, Ayaka's form vanished.
Then...without warning...
She reappeared behind him, blade already mid-strike. Childe barely had time to twist, raising his weapon to block, but the force of her attack sent him sliding back. His heels dug into the frozen ground. He skidded to a stop, exhaling sharply.
For a moment, they were both still. Ice crackled across the battlefield, water steamed where it met Ayaka's freezing aura. The tension in the air was razor-sharp.
Then, in perfect unison—
They both dashed forward.
Their blades met in a final, resounding clash. A burst of Hydro and Cryo energy exploded outward, shaking the arena. The crowd gasped as frost and mist swirled around the battlefield, obscuring the fighters from view.
And when the mist finally cleared—
One of them was kneeling.
As the frost settled over the battlefield, the mist began to thin, revealing the outcome of the duel.
Kamisato Ayaka stood tall, her blade shimmering with residual frost, her breath calm and measured. A few paces away, Childe was down on one knee, his polearm shattered into fading motes of Hydro and Electro energy. A light chuckle escaped his lips as he exhaled, shoulders relaxing.
"Well," he muttered, glancing up at her with that ever-present grin, though this time it was laced with exhaustion. "Looks like I lost this one."
Ayaka sheathed her blade with practiced grace, stepping forward. Her expression was serene, but there was warmth in her eyes. "You fought well, Childe. You are a formidable warrior."
Childe huffed a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as he pushed himself to his feet. "Tch, formidable, huh? Not enough to win, though." He cracked his knuckles before shaking off the frost clinging to his sleeve. "But I'll admit—you're something else, Ayaka. That last move? I barely saw it coming."
Before she could respond, the sound of excited cheering rang through the air.
"AYAKA! THAT WAS AMAZING!"
Ayaka turned just in time to see March 7th practically bouncing up and down in the spectator stands, hands cupped around her mouth as she cheered. Beside her, Kevin gave a nod of approval, his arms crossed, but there was the faintest trace of a smirk on his usually stoic face.
"Textbook execution," Kevin said, his voice calm but firm. "No wasted movement. You controlled the battlefield flawlessly."
March nudged him with her elbow, grinning. "Right?! I mean, the way she just—whoosh—slid past Childe's attack and then—bam! That was SO cool!"
Ayaka's composed expression softened into a rare smile. She offered them a small bow in gratitude.
Childe, meanwhile, stretched, rolling his shoulders as if to shake off the battle's tension. "Man, I can't believe I lost with an audience like that." He shot a glance at Ayaka, smirking. "Guess that means I owe you a rematch someday."
Ayaka tilted her head slightly, a faint hint of amusement playing at her lips. "If you wish to challenge me again, I will gladly accept."
Childe laughed, shaking his head. "Heh, careful what you promise. I don't go down easy twice."
Ayaka chuckled softly, clasping her hands in front of her. "Perhaps. But for now… I am honored to have had such a worthy opponent."
Childe smiled before answering "I hope I'll get to fight you again soon."
As the crowd continued to cheer, the sun shone over the frost-kissed battlefield, marking the end of one duel—but perhaps the beginning of something greater.
Suddenly...the voice of Kevin yelled out!
"Childe! I'm gonna destroy you again!"
Childe gulped at the sound of Kevin's voice as he immediately ran out of the arena.
"I'm not dealing with him again!" Childe yelled out as Ayaka merely stared back in confusion.