The clash of steel echoed through the arena as the fight between Larix and Auriella raged on. 

The audience watched with bated breath as Larix, wielding dual swords, sprinted toward Auriella, his weapons cutting through the air behind him. 

His eyes were locked onto her, a fierce determination burning within them. With a mighty roar, Larix swung his swords down, aiming to crush Auriella under the sheer weight of his attack. 

Auriella, quick and nimble, raised her own sword to meet his strike. The force of the collision sent a shockwave through the ground beneath her, cracks spreading out from where Auriella stood, but she held her ground, her feet digging into the earth. 

‘He may be an idiot, but he's strong,’ Auriella thought, feeling the pressure of his assault. With a calculated move, she nudged his swords slightly to the left. 

The subtle redirection caused Larix to lurch forward, thrown off balance by his own momentum. Seizing the opportunity, Auriella drove her fist into Larix's gut, the impact sending him sprawling backward. 

He landed hard on his behind, the crowd gasping at the sudden turn of events. Auriella stood tall, dusting herself off with a confident smirk. 

"Ah, back where you belong," she taunted, her voice dripping with satisfaction. Larix's face twisted in anger as he scrambled to his feet. 

"Always have to have a smart remark up your sleeve, don't you?! Well, you won't have something smart to say when I crush you!!!" He bellowed, charging at her once more, his rage fueling his reckless aggression. 

"You never learn, you bull-headed buffoon," Auriella muttered to herself, her tone almost pitiful. As Larix closed in, she leapt into the air, flipping gracefully over him. 

In one fluid motion, she wrapped her legs around his neck and pulled him backward to the ground again. But this time, Larix was ready. As Auriella rolled off him, he grabbed her ankle with a triumphant grin. 

"Gotcha!" He exclaimed, his grip tightening. Auriella's eyes narrowed, unimpressed. 

"You don't have anything but a brain the size of a grain of rice, you imbecile," she spat, her voice laced with contempt. With a swift, powerful kick, she drove her free heel into his face. 

Larix cried out as black blood spurted from his nose, his grip loosening. "Argh! I think you broke my nose, you bitch!" Larix roared, his voice muffled as he clutched his face with two of his four hands. 

Auriella stood over him, her sword now pointed directly at his throat. She pressed the tip lightly against his skin, just enough to make her point clear. 

"I'd say victory goes to me, Larix. Tap out already," she demanded, her tone cold and commanding, a smirk playing on her lips. Larix glared up at her, his pride refusing to let him give in. 

"Yeah right! Like I'd give up over something so small as a broken nose! I won't give you the satisfaction!!!" He shouted defiantly. 

With a burst of strength, he shoved her sword away with one hand while the other reset his nose with a sickening crack. 

Auriella's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she took several steps back, giving him plenty of room to stand. 

"Very well. Show me your worst then, Mr. Tough Guy," she said, her voice taunting yet playful, a teasing smile on her lips. 

"Gladly," Larix growled. Without warning, he threw one of his swords at her, the blade hurtling through the air like a deadly missile. 

‘What a cheap trick,’ Auriella thought, bending backward in a swift, acrobatic motion as the sword passed harmlessly over her. But Larix was already upon her, his remaining sword descending rapidly toward her exposed form. 

Auriella reacted in the blink of an eye, her instincts honed from countless battles. With a powerful upward kick, she struck Larix squarely in his most vulnerable spot. 

He let out a high-pitched squeal, his body collapsing as the pain overwhelmed him. He lay there, frozen in agony, clutching his crushed ‘family jewels.’

The crowd winced in unison, a collective sympathy for the fallen warrior. 

Auriella stood up straight, exuding an air of triumph as she casually walked over to Larix. She knelt beside him, her voice low and filled with mock concern. 

"Told you that you should've given in earlier. Now look what's happened," she chided, her tone almost motherly as she patted him on the shoulder before rising to her full height. 

"Tap out, Larix," she commanded, her voice leaving no room for argument. 

Larix, his pride now thoroughly beaten alongside his body, tapped out eagerly, slapping the ground five times in quick succession. 

The arena erupted in cheers, the spectators thrilled by the intense and entertaining duel. 

From the VIP box, Valen, the event's host, rose to his feet. His commanding presence silenced the crowd as he prepared to speak. 

"So, Major General Auriella, are you prepared for your promotion to Lieutenant General?" He asked, his voice carrying a hint of respect and anticipation. 

But instead of the expected acceptance, Auriella shocked everyone by shaking her head. 

"Before you do that, I have an announcement to make!" She shouted, her voice carrying across the arena. The crowd murmured in confusion as Auriella touched the mana stone embedded in her sword. 

A large, magical screen materialized above her, displaying vivid images from her past- or, more accurately, her future. The crowd watched in awe as scenes of battles and strange creatures played out, culminating in the image of a terrifying, shadowy figure: a Voidkin. 

Fear rippled through the audience as they took in the sight of the creature. Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others clung to one another in terror. 

"You may not believe me," Auriella began, her voice steady despite the chaos around her, "but I've returned from the future! In this future, the world falls to these creatures who call themselves the Voidkin!" She paused, letting her words sink in. 

The crowd's reaction was mixed- some were skeptical, while others were visibly shaken. Suddenly, Valen's voice boomed behind her, cutting through the noise. 

"She's telling the truth," he declared, his words startling both the crowd and Auriella. She turned to face him, surprised by his immediate support. 

‘Why does he trust me so immediately that he'd say so for everyone to hear?’ Auriella wondered internally, her mind racing to make sense of his actions. 

Valen, without missing a beat, turned to the other members of The Infernal Ten. They huddled together, speaking in hushed tones before Valen straightened up, turning back to make his announcement. 

"I must speak with you in private, Auriella. Gwyn shall take over my position as the announcer for this Neucurion Day. Thank you, and have a great time, you knuckleheads!" He said, his voice laced with his usual jovial attitude, which elicited a mix of cheers and laughter from the crowd. 

Auriella, still processing the events, followed Valen as he led her away from the arena. As they walked, she noticed a nervous expression on his usually cool, pitch-black face. 

"Follow me this way, please!" Valen said, his voice more serious now as he guided her through a maze of corridors leading to a secluded chamber away from prying eyes.