A sharp crack echoed through the forest as Sylvain Arcrest wiped dirt from his cheek, scanning the clearing ahead.

Before him stood Helena Vayne, her hands crackling with residual lightning from her twin brother’s recent defeat. The hum of electricity danced in the air, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Her expression was strained. Hugo Vayne had fallen moments ago, leaving her to fight alone. She could no longer unleash her full potential, and the weight of his loss slowed her reflexes and clouded her confidence.

Yet Helena remained dangerous. Her lightning magic was precise, her strikes fast enough to kill any who underestimated her. Sylvain knew this instinctively — one wrong move could be fatal.

“You’re holding back,” he murmured under his breath. “Good. I can’t afford to take chances.”

Helena’s fingers traced patterns in the air, drawing sigils of crackling lightning that floated before her like spinning blades. She hurled them in a sudden barrage, each bolt aimed to probe Sylvain’s reaction time.

Sylvain countered immediately, weaving his silver wolf and winged griffon into his defense. The wolf lunged to intercept one bolt, while the griffon’s wings created a gust strong enough to redirect another. The forest shook as lightning collided with swirling wind and sharpened claws.

Helena smirked despite her exhaustion. She had prepared a few tricks in reserve. With a flick of her wrist, the lightning spears split mid-flight, arcing unpredictably.

“Predict this!” she shouted.

Sylvain’s eyes narrowed. His summons moved instinctively, but even they struggled to keep pace with the sudden unpredictability. The wolf skidded across the mossy ground, narrowly dodging a bolt, while the griffon looped above, sweeping around another.

Sylvain adjusted quickly, forming mana threads between him and his beasts. “Full synchronization!” he commanded. The wolf and griffon’s movements aligned perfectly with his own instincts, countering her attacks with uncanny precision.

Helena realized she needed to escalate. She raised a hand, and the ground beneath Sylvain’s feet convulsed as lightning-infused roots erupted, attempting to pin him in place.

Sylvain’s grin widened. “You’re clever. I like that.”

He leapt into the air, dodging the roots, while the wolf struck at the base to shatter them and the griffon circled above, kicking up a violent wind to disperse lingering electricity.

Helena’s eyes narrowed as she summoned a concentrated lightning sphere. She hurled it directly at Sylvain, forcing him to weave through its unpredictable path. Her tactical brilliance shone — even weakened, she was a threat.

Sylvain’s hand went to the hilt of his dagger, silently preparing a counter. He had anticipated her strikes from the very first attack, reading the faint flickers of mana around her fingertips. With expert timing, he deflected the sphere mid-air using the griffon’s gusts, redirecting it harmlessly into the canopy.

Helena’s jaw tightened. “He… he’s anticipating me…”

Her concentration faltered, and Sylvain pressed the advantage. The wolf darted from her side, claws extended, while the griffon dove from above, forcing her to split her attention. Helena’s movements became frantic as she tried to protect herself and retaliate simultaneously.

A calculated series of strikes from Sylvain followed. The wolf feinted left, drawing her defenses, while the griffon’s swoop opened a path. Sylvain closed the distance, his presence a blur.

“Time’s up,” he muttered.

Helena tried to summon a final lightning barrier, but her energy wavered. Sylvain and his beasts struck in perfect harmony: the wolf’s leap from the side disrupted her stance, the griffon’s strike from above shattered her focus, and Sylvain’s final step pushed her to the edge of her limits.

A brilliant flash engulfed her. Helena’s eyes widened in shock as her final barrier splintered, shards of glowing light scattering like fireflies.

[Helena Vayne: DEFEATED]

Sylvain exhaled, brushing dust from his hands. He looked at the clearing where she had stood, a faint respect in his eyes.

“She was brilliant… even holding back,” he murmured. “If Hugo were here, this would have been much harder.”

He glanced deeper into the forest. The Battle Royale was far from over — and somewhere out there, Leon and the others were still moving.

“Let’s see who’s next,” Sylvain said quietly, melting into the shadows with his summoned beasts following close behind.