Valkyrie.EXE VS Enigma.EXE

As the Navis jack in, their Net Operators are shown a 3-D model of the arena their Navis will be fighting in with various features labeled and highlighted as the presentation runs. At the end of the presentation, the environmental statistics for this arena are displayed for reference.

Quote (Crumble Hill)

A ring of hard bedrock, 5 feet from side to side, encapsulates something not so hard: Crumble Hill. This precariously assembled mound of pebbles and rocks is stacked a tremendous 30 feet high with a colossal 100 foot diameter to match. Its massive size makes the hill's incline fairly shallow, around 15 degrees, but scaling it is no less daunting since the ground under your feet could give way with any step. Should you fall and be swallowed up by Crumble Hill, you'll soon be surprised to discover that the hill's core is completely hollow. Inside lies nothing but a flat plane that reaches all 100 feet from one side of Crumble Hill's walls to the other. Should the hole you fell through reassemble before you get out, you'll have to figure a way to dig yourself out.

It didn't take long for Crumble Hill's designers to realize scaling it unassisted was insane, and they remedied the situation thusly: 4 sturdy stone bridges arch up and over the sides of the hill, and come to a nexus right at its peak. There, where all 4 bridges meet, lies the crown of Crumble Hill: the Holy panel. It stands there alone in its majesty as it waits for combatants to bask in its glory, and is perhaps what allows the hollow hill it presides over to stand and regenerate so quickly. Outside Crumble Hill lies a lovely green landscape and blue, cloudless sky, but any who would try to reach for it would discover that tournament officials have placed an invisible area around Crumble Hill's circumference, making the otherwise far more appealing field mere eye candy to competitors. Entrants are initially set on the outer bedrock ring, with each fighter facing an opposite bridge.

Terrain: 38% Normal (Bridges, Arena Border, Inside Crumble Hill), 61% Cracked (Hill), 1% Holy (Bridge Nexus)
Special Effect: Re-Crumble (Cracked Terrain regenerates after only 1 turn)

Objects:

Arena Barrier (Immortal, Stationary, Invisible)
There are absolutely no signs that tell you this barrier is in place, other than the bleeding nose you might get from running into it.

Satellite Camera x3 (10 HP, Moving, Flying)
Cameras designed by SciLabs to record the events of the ONB Tournament for the entertainment of spectators. They are compact and fast, but fragile, although they were made with an expectation that some would get destroyed in the cross-fire. There are 3 cameras on-field at any one time, and a new one will be substituted if any get destroyed (at each modding).

Once the information is relayed to the Operators, they are given a few moments to strategize with their Navis before the match begins...

Ceres, finding the battling room again with no trouble, settled down by the terminal marked with his name and a certain "Valkyrie.EXE."

Valkyrie? I heard about a buster navi by that name, frowned Enigma, looking up suddenly.

I wonder if they've got the whole Norse theme going? Ceres grinned, peering around to try and spot his adversary.

They've got the terrain up, you know, said Enigma, rolling his eyes at his op's impertinence. Looks like we can't use our initial plan.

Yeah, we'll have to play it safe, Ceres agreed. I have another idea though. D'you wanna actually use the terrain this time?

Doesn't look like too much fun, replied Enigma nonchalantly. Jack me in, I'll look around while we wait for them to show. Ceres complied wordlessly, and soon Enigma found himself in the rather empty-seeming arena all alone. Looking around and examining the bridges carefully, Ceres also took a quick survey of his room before noticing that it may in fact be the same room as before. He contented himself with waiting for his rival operator while Enigma investigated the arena.

((from))

Valkyrie arrived to the area in her usual pillar-of-light-dissolving-into-feathers laser show. She spotted Enigma, or at least some purple that was supposedly him, already waiting for her on the other side of the Hill.

Valkyrie didn't like the Hill. She usually didn't like things that got between her and her opponent, and Crumble Hill was big, so she had an even bigger dislike for it than usual. However, the spot in the middle of the mound grabbed her attention...

She tried to take a step back, just in case to see if she could go around it, but the "glass wall" surrounding the area stopped her attempt. She was kind of fired up, but an arena where the terrain is working against the fighters... she didn't come here to play elaborate variations of mud wrestling! She sighed, leaned her back at the glass, formed a megaphone out of her hands and yelled to Enigma.

- HELLO! I'M VALKYRIE. ARE YOU READY?

((The Battle will begin as soon as Hiko states "Ready"))

Enigma was indeed ready, and had already prepared for Valkyrie's arrival. A blob of purple data brought itself to an easy hover a few feet in front of the navi and formed itself into a good replica of Enigma's head. From there, he replied, Ready as I'll ever be.

Meanwhile, Ceres nodded to the operator across from him and motioned with two fingers in greeting as no hand had been offered to him. I'm Ceres, he said confidently, looking Sieg up and down with mild interest. And you?

And I'm Enigma, good to finally meet you, Valkyrie, the floating purple head continued. We should probably get this show on the road, though. With that, the head gave her a sly wink before re-morphing into a nondescript blob and smushing itself against the ground to return to Enigma along the side of the arena. Enigma's main form then announced, I'm good to go.

Cool. Should be a good battle, eh? Ceres laughed, shooting a grin at his adversary from across the terminal before returning his mind to the battle. Let's go.

= Ready indeed. =

The entire Arena was silent as a normal navi dressed in a full white tuxedo with a black bow tie appeared at the Holy panel. It let out a short cough to clear his throat and began yelling at the top of his lung.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, WELCOME TO THE ROUND 2 OF THE TOURNAMENT! His voice only echoed through the arena and stood still as if he was waiting for the audiences to calm down. The excited scream and energy of the audiences didn't reach to both Valkyrie and Enigma due to the invisible barrier that stood between them.

The navi pointed at Valkyrie with his gloved hand and continued his annoucement, "ON THE WEST IS THE FEROCIOUS VALKYRIE.EXE! FAMOUS FOR HER KILLER MOVE AGAINST CAPUCHIN.EXE IN ROUND 1!".

Again, he waited and began shouting again. "ON THE EAST IS THE NASTY, BUT DANGEROUS ENIGMA.EXE! COMPLETELY OVERPOWERING HIS OPPONENT IN AN INSTANT LAST ROUND!"

The announcer clapped both his hands together and stretched his arms as far as he could. "THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE HELL-OF-A-BATTLE! FIGHTERS, READY?!". Checking on both Enigma and Valkyrie, he rose both arms up and nodded. In a blink of an eye, he disappeared, but his trembling voice echoed through out the dome.

"BEGIN!!"

Fighters:
Valkyrie: 120 HP [Western Side]
Enigma: 140 HP [Eastern Side]

Terrain:
38% Normal [Bridges, Arena Border, Inside Crumble Hill]
61% Cracked [Hill]
1% Holy [Bridge Nexus]

-TOURNAMENT ROUND 2, START!!-

((PM me your actions within 72 hours from this post))

Valkyrie considered her options. Not that there were much to consider. She could have danced around the edge dodging Jellyman's attacks, but really, what would have that achieved? In the end, the match would be controlled by that spot in the middle. And all the routes lead to that spot too. Far too... straight. Where is the chaos of battle? Where is the choice?

- Hey Valkyrie... wanna wreck some havoc?

Sieg apparently didn't wait for the answer. Really, he shouldn't have even wasted the time on the, apparently, rhetoric question. Valkyrie smirked, as she identified the chip data her operator sent. She wasn't used to this whole strategy thing, especialy not with special chips like these. But hey, it's still an aspect of battle, and she will not make the mistake of ignoring it.

The female warrior charged up on the ramp, shielding herself with the Guard chip that Sieg sent. While running, she felt lighter for some reason... even though she was dashing up hill. That tinkering apparently made something work better.

When she was close enough to the nexus, she leapt and landed... on the "Northern" bridge on her left. Quickly dropping on half knee, she started aiming with her right arm, that turned into a classic buster-like weapon. Aiming the Airshot was hard for her, as she only ever used a gun chip once before; and even then, it was almost from point blank. Using weapons in melee is much more... personal. Nonetheless, she pointed the weapon at the purple that had to be Enigma, and pulled the metaphysical trigger to blow him away from the side.

That, however, was only the set up for the next move. Valkyrie's right changed back into the familiar hand with the armored gauntlet... but with the activation of her final chip, it started to glow with a strange, dim light. She made a few gestures, and it started to shine... or rather, it soaked, drained the light away from the middle of the cross bridge he was standing (or rather, half-kneeling) next to. As the holy energies got drained from the panel, leaving behind a charred and crumbling husk, the ligh "solidified" into threads of runes, twisting around the whole right arm of Valkyrie.

She pulled her fist back, taking up a stance like a karate guy before punching through a plank

-Holy...- the arm snapped forward with a punching motion, shooting the energy the chip took from the holy nexus as a ripple of light - SHOT!

-And now, we will see what happens if you break two bridges in the middle simultanously. It should be quite a show...


<<Actions>>
1. Run up the bridge
2. Guard self with Guard1
3. Dodge/jump onto the North lane
4. Airshot(20 dmg+microburst) Enigma in the side (push off if still on the eastern side, simply push back if right in the middle)
5. PanelShot the Holy Panel from the nexus (60 dmg+lifedrain)

Raising his eyebrows as he watched Valkyrie sprint towards him like a horse just out of the gate, Enigma chuckled and mused, Awfully eager, aren't we?

You'll probably want to toughen up a bit, advised Ceres with all the subtlety he could muster. The shockwaves should hold her in place for whatever you want to throw her way.

Taking everything you say literally sounds about right to me; send some bombs, snorted the indigo navi as he crossed his arms to observe his opponent's progress across the hill. Why run around when she runs right to you? Awfully convenient, he thought to himself with a small smile before rolling his head to the side experimentally, knowing that'd be the last real motion he'd get for a while. Sucking in a deep breath, the blob of data seemed to draw in swarms of his own substance along with air, not increasing in size so much as solidarity. The excess pixels clicked into place neatly, completing Enigma's tattered form and changing it into a sleek, streamlined body, resembling the jumpsuit-like covering that most navis had. Still feeling curious, Enigma laboriously lifted his foot from the ground and stomped down upon the ground, sending a shockwave shooting up from where his foot struck and towards Valkyrie. I'm ready, send the chips, Enigma ordered tersely.

Sure, Ceres shrugged, and slotted in a trio of chips casually and rested the palms of his hands against the terminal to settle in for what was probably going to be a long battle. Shooting a look and a grin to the operator opposite him, Ceres shifted his weight from one leg to the other uncomfortably as if he wasn't sure if he was supposed to relax or not.

Thanks, Enigma grunted, activating the first two identical chips simultaneously. Without so much as an extravagant burst of data to signify their presence, two small metallic balls appeared in the solidified navi's right hand, pulsing slightly and ticking regularly. Carefully setting his left foot in front of his right, Enigma reached backwards with both MiniBombs still in his right hand and lobbed them forwards, a creaky sound of protest emanating from his shoulder and elbow as he did so. The pair of grenades soared high up in the air, but it soon became clear that one would quickly overtake the other in the race to Valkyrie. It sailed forwards and landed in a small puff of smoke before exploding, leaving around three seconds of delay before the second bomb landed exactly halfway to Valkyrie in a similar explosion.

Hey, think the Cornshots are a smart next move? asked Ceres casually, then gasping slightly as he realized that there was indeed an enemy standing right across from him in very clear hearing range.

Smooth move, snorted Enigma shortly before activating his final chip for the moment, pleased to see the hero of his last battle show up for a second time. Letting the Boomerang float lazily in front of him, Enigma frowned slightly and furrowed his eyebrows, not sure of where to send it. Shrugging (painfully), and deciding there was no better use for it, he sent the wooden armament in a wide ring around the hill itself, keeping a good spin as it made its way around the perimeter of the circle. As Enigma exhaled slightly and waited to see what Valkyrie's next move would be, his breath was stopped short by an interesting force. A ball of dark-colored data burst suddenly from his chest, tearing itself outwards and towards his adversary before stopping about midway.

You still can't control that? Ceres grumbled, tapping his fingers on the terminal impatiently.

I told you, I've never had it happen before, snapped Enigma, mouthing each word carefully and deliberately in his oddly solid state. I like planning as much as you do.

Whatever, Ceres muttered, contenting himself with waiting to see what would become of the glitch.

=-=-=

Enigma.EXE
HP: 140
1: Data Solidification Activated (Stun > Valkyrie.EXE) [Ironbody, +100 Strengthen pool, Stun x1, 6TCD, Buster Lock]
2: MiniBomb > Valkyrie (other side) [40 DMG]
3: MiniBomb > Holy Panel [40 DMG]
4: Boomerang > Around circumference of Crumble Hill [60 [color=green]Wood[/color] DMG]
5: Virus [Glitch x2, 2TCD]
Strengthen left: 100

Data Influx: Ready!
Data Vampirism: Ready!
Data Solidification: Just used.
Error: Ready!
Virus: Just used. Ready turn after next.
Fluctuating Nature: Directed forwards.
Data Augmentation: Used with Boomerang.

The fight began with the two navis going in a completely different play style. As Valkyrie ran up to the bridge and Enigma preparing for his body change, the cameras constantly shifted back and forth for the perfect shot! When Enigma's transformation was complete, he sent a powerful shockwave that hit Valkyrie, but the female warrior didn't stop!!

The first bomb Enigma threw was a complete miss and the second one was simply reflected back with Valkyrie's Guard. But thanks to his iron-like body, the attack felt like a breeze. As Valkyrie walked along the bridge, Enigma wasted the boomerang as it only circled the outer rim. Valkyrie took this chance to fire the Airshot, knocking the immobile Enigma straight into the hill. The navi continued by destroying the nexus of the bridge with the panel shot, causing the entire bridge and hills to collapse!!

Debris and stones fell down on Enigma, but thanks to its well prepared defense, no damage was done. Valkyrie safely landed inside, only to see that the hills and even the bridges began to regenerate! The process was slow, but everything would return back to normal in just few minute. Just as when the warrior tried to take advantage of the situation, the shockwave finally got to her body and she couldn't even stand up straight!

Enigma hopelessly activated his glitch program, creating whole sorts of wonders to happen. First, the terrain beneath him suddenly swelled up and spewed molten magmas that eventually burned off all the debris, freeing the navi. Second, Enigma's body was altered so when his body was to return normal, he wouldn't be able to move half his normal speed!

Fighters:
Valkyrie: 120 HP [Inside Crumble Hill] [Stun]
Enigma: 140 HP [Inside Crumble Hil] [Slow]

Terrain:
73% Normal [Arena Border, Inside Crumble Hill]
20% Cracked [Hill]
7% Lava [Inside Crumble Hill / Enigma Side]

((Turn in your summary within 72 hours from this post))

A quiet hiss escaped between Valkyrie's teeth as she struggled to stay on her feet. The paralyzing blow had left her legs shaking, about to collapse under her weight.

Pathetic. The word zapped through her thoughts, as a tremble almost knocked her down. She growled, while hardening her grip on the lance. She finally took a step forward, the debris turning to dust under her armored boots. The growl turned into a bone chilling battle cry as Valkyrie swung her lance wildly to the side, exploding into a fit of rage... Literally. From the gaps of her armor light escaped in bursts, as if pure white flames would be flickering inside. Even her hair... as if it decided to be rebellious all of a sudden, a few threads turned white and flowed as if they suddenly lost their weight.

Meanwhile, Sieg slotted in a single chip. He knew he wouldn't have to do much more from now on... This fight will be over soon one way or another. Of course, she could've just taken the easier way out,

Valkyrie immediately used the Areagrab to appear beside Enigma's purple form. She grabbed the lance in both hands for a powerful upward swing, trying to catch Enigma somewhere squishy. Admittedly, that shouldn't be hard. What would be hard is to send him flying upwards with somuch force that it'd rip through the rapidly reforming "ceiling", but Valkyrie was both burning with rage and full of power at the moment, so physics can kindly go and weep in a corner.

Not yet... I'm not done yet!

She jumped, nay, flew upwards, the flames soaring from under the armor. Even the lance was bathing in white, as she raised it above her head to strike her adversary down into the ground below. And she struck, furious as the gods themselves, a blow full of malice and pain.

She'll have to pay for it. "Burned out" wouldn't begin to describe. But for now, Valkyrie let her emotions take over, her consciousness kicking back and enjoying the ride. After all, who knows which battle will be your last?


<<ACTIONS>>
1. Stun
+Afterburner: Freyah's sacrifice (sacrifice 30 hp for 4 buster charges)
2. Aeragrab (Teleport to Enigma's side or back)
3. Prelude to Ragnarok (Charge attack (160) + Microblast Enigma upwards)
4. Valkyrie Ride (Strengthen(30)+Teleport above Engima)
5. Strengthened Charge attack(160+30) Enigma from above

((Alright, about sigs: Bomber ruled that I may exchange Berserk now, but Gungnir only later. This means that I have 120 spendable points for three 80 point signatures >_>;;. Hence, I'm using only Prelude this match, so no regen or hardbody.))

Enigma saw all that happened in those few seconds as if it were from a third-person perspective, and spent most of the time in his hardened state trying to figure out why. It wasn't like any part of him had separated and he was seeing the battle from there, but his head just wasn't functioning right. He attempted to clear his thoughts just as Valkyrie literally brought everything crashing down around him. By some odd stroke of luck, the glitch that had exited his body freed him and created an interesting situation which seemed to suit his needs just fine.

So, Enigma, how exactly are you planning to dodge both Valkyrie and the lava? queried Ceres innocently, snapping Enigma out of his dreamlike state.

I wasn't, replied Enigma vaguely. I am a floating, purple blob, and I can easily add more to my floating purple blob if I so desire, he snorted.

Yeah, but the lava doesn't exactly help, replied the operator with a roll of his eyes. I didn't spec you for tanking, and I wouldn't push the twenty-health advantage you've got right now.

Why not? Send me some fun chips, replied Enigma with a shrug, looking back to his quarry to notice that the stun seemed to only be affecting her now. And quick, he added sharply.

I get the feeling this match is going to leave more to chance than I'd like, Ceres grumbled, but obeyed nevertheless, immediately selecting and slotting in three chips before hesitating and grabbing a fourth. Well, good luck, he sighed, and straightened up with his arms crossed, peering down at the terminal anxiously.

At this rate, I won't need it, Enigma chuckled to himself, activating his first chip smugly. Although he knew that arrogance was an unnecessary risk in a very even battle, there was nothing wrong with giving the cameras something interesting to look at. Tossing the Boomerang upwards for a three-sixty flip, he caught it and siphoned some of his data onto it with his free hand, knowing that this would be the only free shot he'd have before Valkyrie could start hitting back. Sucking in a good lungful of air, he brought the wooden projectile backwards before swinging it forwards mightily, watching as it whipped around the inside of the broken hill with great force, making a curved but nonetheless straightforward path to Valkyrie. Meanwhile, Enigma activated his next two chips without any further flourishes, raising his eyebrows skeptically as he received the weapons. As usual, they were cylindrical and nondescript except for the element-matching color of dark green, but at each end protruded yellow, cone-shaped objects, looking almost like ... ears of corn. Wow, I never thought it was literally a corn shot, snorted Enigma.

Oh, come on, you and I both know you can make the chips look however you want them to, Ceres snapped, rolling his eyes for the second time in less than two minutes.

Don't ruin my fun, Enigma complained, turning back to his enemy with a Cornshot ready for action on each arm. Knowing that they did most of the work themselves, he fired them at the ground just near Valkyrie. There, the ears of corn shattered perfectly into swarms of kernels, rising up and beginning to rush their prey. However, just as they had started, Valkyrie disappeared, causing the kernels to stop and hover in mid-air for a split second before apparently relocating her and rushing back towards Enigma. Panicking at both his enemy's use of teleportation and his own chips backfiring, he took a step back nervously, burning himself badly on the lava. Cursing both himself and the lava, Enigma turned around to inspect his injury before realizing that Valkyrie was already behind him, ready to strike. Panicking, Enigma seemed to suck himself inwards and then spring out, and when he did, a ring of syringes flew from seemingly nowhere, expanding out into a wide ring that covered the area of the broken hill. Still not recovering control of his senses, Enigma activated his final chip in a frenzy to survive, causing a Guard to appear in front of him suddenly as healing data rushed back to him.

Oh, that's dirty, grinned Ceres, hoping that something he said would actually convince the other operator to actually interact with him. We haven't even used an Areagrab yet, haha!

Enigma, on the other hand, was less amused as he cowered for dear life behind his Guard, unsure of exactly what his adversary was capable of.

=-=-=

Enigma.EXE
HP: 140
1: Boomerang > Valkyrie [60 [color=green]Wood[/color] DMG + 20 Strengthen]
2: Cornshot > Ground near Valkyrie (Trick shot > Valkyrie) [60 [color=green]Wood[/color] DMG + 20 Strengthen]
3: Cornshot > Ground near Valkyrie (Trick shot > Valkyrie) [60 [color=green]Wood[/color] DMG + 20 Strengthen]
4: Data Vampirism > Valkyrie [60 DMG + 20 Lifedrain, 3TCD]
5: Guard1 > Forwards [Blocks one attack, reflects for 60]
Strengthen Left: 40

Data Influx: Ready!
Data Vampirism: Just used. Ready in three turns.
Data Solidification: Ready in five turns.
Error: Ready!
Virus: Ready turn after next.
Fluctuating Nature: Directed forwards.
Data Augmentation: Used with Boomerang.

= Four days, and Goroke has been busy... what's goin' on? =

((Taking over))

Both contenders were slow to start, in different ways, but the audience kept their eyes peeled as the match really started.

Valkyrie impeded by the paralyzing force that Enigma has imposed on her a while before, has no choice but to struggle to move by overheating her movement systems. By this time, Enigma had sent a Boomerang whirling dangerously toward her, and it hit its target right in the head. Valkyrie, after trying to get her bearings straight, took great pain upon herself to charge up her buster. This was not to a bit of avail as Enigma blasted his Cornshots at the winged warrior, who quickly utilized the Areagrab chip to appear right behind Enigma and avoid his attacks entirely.

With a mighty swing, Valkyrie slammed Enigma full force into the air while he hopelessly lashed out with immediately formed syringes to recover help, but they couldn't reach the Norse angel of death in time since the impact had practically sent Enigma as far away as possible from Valkyrie.

At the end of his rope, Enigma threw up a Guard in front of him for a defensive measure, but it proved to be no use as Valkyrie rode the streams of the battle above his thrown position. Using half of the power she had so dearly sacrificed her health for, and powered by the signature attack she had just executed, Valkyrie made a mighty swing at Enigma, sending the amorphous navi crashing down back inside the interior of Crumble Hill's floor. Wisps of data burst up from that location soon afterward, returning Enigma back to his PET, as Valkyrie fell down herself, panting heavily as the battle drew to a close.

The Normal Navi in the suit from the beginning of the match reappeared once again next to Valkyrie and adjusted his bowtie before helping her up and raising her arm into the air as a sign of victory as he proceeded with the verdict.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE WINNER, WITH A STUNNING VICTORY FROM HER DISPLAY OF STRENGTH, VALKYRIE DOT E-X-E! CON-GRATULATIONS!" the MC navi bellowed, prompting the audience into an uproar of clapping and yelling.

Fighters:
Valkyrie: 10 HP [Inside Crumble Hill]
Enigma: EJO'D

Terrain:
73% Normal [Arena Border, Inside Crumble Hill]
20% Cracked [Hill]
7% Lava [Inside Crumble Hill / Enigma Side]

---------------
MATCH END
---------------
Valkryie GET: Round 3 Pass
Enigma GET: 3000z or a Fire/Aqua/Elec/BambooKnife (Choose one element)

Re-appearing promptly in his PET, Enigma gave a small smile and called to the victors, Nice one, before turning to Ceres. Can we get down to business now? We need to get some speed and process upgrades before we get crackin'.

Sure, snorted Ceres, selecting the reward of zenny, nodding to Sieg and shooting him a thumbs-up before strolling out of the tournament room.

Why did we even do this? Enigma asked quietly, his tone suggesting that it was a serious question. We could have been taking him up on his offer, or taking more action, or just getting me some upgrades for what's to come.

It seemed like a nice change, and three-kay isn't a bad boost, right? shrugged Ceres, nodding to the clerk as he made his way from the Colosseum itself. Besides, he never said we had to respond immediately.

True, sighed the navi, sitting back in the PET to let the repair systems do their work before what would likely be a vigorous busting run.

=-=-=

= No complaints here. I chose the zenny reward, by the way. Good luck, Knight! =

Valkyrie let out a cry of victory as her opponent dissipated from the battlefield, the howl echoing around the Crumble Hill arena before slowly fading away along with the remains of Enigma. Her grin however stayed even when she slumped down to the ground, panting heavily. She got up after her momentary weakness, leaning on her lance for support, and gesturing the helping hand of the commentator navi away... to no avail, but she didn't mind, after all, she was victorious. And this time not against some little girl, but... err... a blob of purple. But anyway someone who was actually capable, for once.

She still harbored a dislike for making the sacred fight between her end her adversaries into a spectacle... who could ever enjoy watching others fight but not fighting himself?

Regardless, with victory claimed, Valkyrie left the arena in her pillar of light.

----------------

Meanwhile in the real world, Sieg shook his head as if awoken from a dream. After a quick mental playback of events that happened not on the screen, he mumbled an apology about being absorbed by the fight, then tried to thank Ceres and Enigma for the experience before taking off himself.

Valkyrie will need some mending; power comes at a price, and they are basically on a loan right now.