Pyro of the Craven

Chapter-13: Omnipotence

Shiva moved on, his eyes fixed on the next target. He darted across the arena, using his Odic-Force to propel himself forward. As he moved, he encountered group after group of Ryoshi, all of whom were no match for him.

He moved with grace and precision, his weapon cutting through the air like a hot knife through butter. His opponents fell one by one, and in just 45 seconds, he defeated 45 Ryoshi. All the participants from Littlerock, Riverdale and Coulomb Academies were defeated.

The audience erupted in applause, and the other participants looked on with a mix of admiration and fear.

Meanwhile, in the commentator's booth, the announcer is struggling to find the right words to describe the mayhem that has unfolded before them. "Folks, what we just witnessed was... I don't even have the words to describe it! Shiva has taken out 45 participants in just 45 seconds! This is unheard of!"

Ramaraju stood there, awestruck, watching as Shiva decimated opponent after opponent with his incredible Odic-Force powers. He had never seen anything like it before. As captain of the NES academy, he had seen his fair share of impressive Ryoshi, but none had ever displayed such raw power and skill. He turned to Mrinal, who was standing next to him, and asked, "Is this the extent of his powers?"

"No, Captain. Not even close."

The rest of the team had been watching the battle with rapt attention and now turned to Mrinal in surprise. "Wait, you knew about Shiva's powers all along?" Luna asked.

Mrinal nodded, "Yes, I transferred from Krudarth Academy this year. I know all about their team and their abilities."

"What else do you know about him?" Siddharth asked.

"Shiva is a Ryoshi of immense power, and he has trained extensively to perfect his abilities. He's a master of channelling his Odic-Force into devastating attacks." Mrinal explained as the team listened.

Siddharth, the vice-captain of the team, asked, "So, what do we do? Our elemental magic and other normal abilities seem to have no effect on him based on what Mrinal said and what we just saw."

Shwetha added, "It's true. We need to come up with a new strategy to defeat him."

Doji chimed in, "But how can we even come up with a strategy when we don't even know what his powers are exactly?"

Preetham, who had the ability to turn himself invisible, suggested, "Maybe we can observe him more closely and see if we can detect any weaknesses or patterns in his fighting style. I could sneak up on him and try to take him down from behind. He won't see me coming."

Luna, who had the ability of stealth and close combat, said, "I could provide backup. We could take him down together."

Nakul, who had the ability of mind control, said, "Maybe I could try to manipulate his thoughts and distract him. It might give us an opening."

Ramaraju listened to his team, but he remained deep in thought. He felt something familiar about Shiva's power. He turned to Mrinal and asked, "How did he learn to control his powers so well?"

"I heard that he'd been training ever since he was five. There were rumors in the academy that his Odic-Force didn't awaken until he was five. I don't know the entire story, though."

"Just like our captain." Siddharth said.

Mrinal replied, "But Shiva's training and experience makes him different. He has been honing his abilities for years, and he has fought in battles against powerful opponents."

Doji added, "Hold on, flower girl. As much as I hate to say this, don't forget about our captain's intelligence and skill. He has a strategic mind and can analyze the opponent's moves quickly. That could give him an advantage over Shiva."

"Yes, I understand." Mrinal replied.

"An opponent who has no effect of Elemental moves and the awakening being so similar. Somehow I think there's a connection and which is why only you could have a chance, Captain." Siddharth sighed.

Ramaraju listened to his team's ideas and nodded, "Good suggestions, everyone. But remember, we're not here to defeat Shiva. We're here to win the tournament. And to do that, we'll need to work together and use our strengths to our advantage."

As the team continued to discuss their strategy, Principal Vasuda couldn't help but wonder if Mrinal's inclusion in the team was a part of her being a healer or if it was part of a larger plan for the tournament.

"Mrinal is a talented healer. But she doesn't have any battle experience. Despite this, you chose her. Does Shiva's knowledge of her influence your decision to pick her? Or was it something else? Ramaraju, what are your thoughts at this moment?" She thought.

As the dust settled, Shiva scanned the remaining participants, his eyes finally locking onto Ramaraju. Without a word, Shiva pointed directly at Ramaraju, who made his way towards him.

"So, you're Ramaraju," Shiva said, eyeing Ramaraju with curiosity.

"I am," Ramaraju replied evenly. "And you're Shiva, from Krudarth Academy."

Shiva nodded, his gaze never leaving Ramaraju. "I have a proposition for you," he said finally. "Survive this Royale and meet me in the next round. I intend to keep my hands off of all the other participants.

Ramaraju's eyes narrowed as he considered Shiva's offer. "What makes you think I would accept your challenge?" he asked skeptically.

"Because I know you're the only one here who can give me a proper fight," Shiva responds with a smirk. "Besides, wouldn't it be a shame if we didn't put our powers into action? You know what I mean."

The commentators were abuzz with excitement over the exchange between the two Ryoshi. The audience was on the edge of their seats, wondering what would happen next. Meanwhile, the principal of Krudarth Academy was getting increasingly frustrated.

"Why isn't he finishing everyone and winning the Royale already?" he grumbled to himself. "What's the point of showing off like this?"

Back in the arena, Ramaraju took a step forward, his eyes blazing with determination. "Alright, Shiva. I accept. But don't underestimate me."

"I never do," Shiva said with a grin. "Now go, Ramaraju. Survive."

Ramaraju nodded and turned to his team, ready to lead them. He knew that his team still needs to face many such strong Ryoshi in this Royale, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. He knew that his team would have to bring their A-game if they wanted to stand a chance against such formidable opponents.