Gabriele yanked Castiel up by the hair and slammed a [Divine Flash] sidekick into his gut, launching him into the cage. The impact jolted his eyes open. Blood gushed from his mouth. His soul quivered.

  Without hesitation, she conjured a black hole using [Genesis: Creation], its gravity yanking him back. Castiel reacted instantly, invoking [Deuteronomy: Divine Nullification] to dispel it—but that was exactly what she wanted.

  The initial pull was enough. He lurched toward Gabriele, and she surged in, slamming a [Divine Flash] into his face. His soul flipped through the air, scraping across the cage floor before crashing into the wall.

  Before he could react, Gabriele dropped both knees into his chest. Blood sprayed from his mouth. She rose, seized his leg, and swung him; his skull slammed into the bars before she flung him across the cage.

  She lunged for his midsection, but he rolled away just in time.

  She pressed the assault, but he mirrored her strike and amplified it with [Acts: Double Impact], sending her staggering back.

  “Tsk,” she hissed. He’s already recovered? I have to catch him before he settles into his rhythm. He’s not like Uriel or Fafniel—he doesn’t have the mana to tank another combo like that.

  She watched his stance shift.

  Castiel lunged with a jab. She deflected it, but before she could counter, he summoned a black hole at point-blank range. The immense gravity ripped her face, and he followed up with an elbow to her jaw that flashed gold on impact.

  Her feet slid back.

  Blood trickled.

  Gritting her teeth, she anchored her heel, nullified the black hole mid-stagger, and slammed a punch into Castiel’s block.

  The power she put behind the punch broke the bones in his hands.

  “Tsk.” Castiel’s arms trembled. How did she take that to the face and still strike?

  She regenerated instantly and closed the gap, staggering Castiel.

  A feinted jab drew out his dodge—she drove her right fist toward his ribs, but he blocked at the last second, worsening the damage to his hands.

  Another [Divine Flash]? Damn. If she keeps this up, I'll lose my right arm. He adjusted his stance, shielding the injury.

  Gabriele smirked. Her plan was working.

  She pressed forward, but Castiel leapt, summoning weapons with [Genesis: Creation] to halt her advance.

  While stalling her, he began healing with [Job: Divine Healing], but it wasn’t fast enough. Gabriele’s [Deuteronomy: Curse of Destruction], layered with [Divine Flash], made the wound nearly impossible to mend. It only wasn’t worse because he’d blocked with [Psalms: God’s Protection].

  Gabriele burst through his ranged barrage and closed the gap—to Castiel’s shock.

  Her spear-hand jab twisted mid-thrust. He dodged, barely. Blood sprayed from the graze across his neck.

  He countered with a punch, but she deflected it into his forearm, causing it to detonate.

  He groaned in agony. She silenced it with a [Divine Flash] to the throat.

  Snaring him in a headlock, she hurled him to the ground. As he bounced, she drove a punch into his chest—obliterating his heart.

  Blood splattered across her fist, and Cheers erupted.

  ‘Dead End’ roared in celebration.

  Amidst the celebrations, Castiel stood. His eyes, burning with rage.

  The celebrations stopped, and the crowd looked in awe, mesmerised by Castiel’s resolve.

  Gabriele lunged to stop him, but he vanished, reappearing behind her. Two [Divine Flashes] slammed into her spine.

  She dropped, paralysed.

  Asmodiel froze. “That’s... my talent,” he muttered.

  The eyes of Dead End snapped to him.

  Castiel’s aura warped, and the aura around his eyes darkened, pulling their attention back to him.

  His voice dripped with triumph. “Thank you. The moment you crushed my throat, I stopped healing and started copying the previous fighters. Now I have Uriel’s regeneration and Asmodiel’s particle manipulation.”

  He kicked Gabriele’s head, turning her over.

  “This fight is over.”

  He raised his fist and brought it down, aiming for her heart.

  But she healed her spine just in time and caught the blow. He attempted to overpower her, but she snapped his hand.

  Castiel laughed, regenerated, and swung with his other arm, but he missed. Gabriele vanished at the last second.

  She reappeared behind him and elbowed his throat mid-turn, staggering him.

  “You idiot,” she spat. “If you hadn’t monologued so long, you might’ve won.”

  The aura around her eyes darkened—Level Two Flow.

  Now they were both in level two of flow, and the true battle could begin.

  They squared off, cautiously observing each other. Then Gabriele struck first—feinted to the ribs, then jabbed his eyes. Castiel screamed, staggering back.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Throughout the fight, Gabriele suspected Castiel’s copy ability was eye-based. He never mirrored any of the numerous seals she placed on the ground.

  With his vision gone, she forced a heavenly pact.

  He healed—and she nailed him with a hook. Blow after blow crashed into him.

  Why isn’t my copy working? Did she seal it?!

  She targeted his throat, then launched him into the cage with a kick. Closing the distance, she caved his chest in with a [Divine Flash].

  Before she could land another punch, Castiel activated [Divine Mirror], matching her strike. Both fighters were flung back.

  Gabriele flew across the cage while Castiel’s back slammed into the cage.

  She growled. That was fast. He broke my Eternal Seal already? I have to create another opening.

  Castiel smirked as his wounds closed. She sealed my talent while I was blind, not bad. But I’m done falling for tricks.

  Uriel watched, arms crossed. “Castiel heals as fast as I do. Can she still win?”

  Adriel nodded. “She will. I have faith.”

  “Hmm, let's hope you are right,” Uriel replied.

  Although he was unsure, he chose to put faith in his comrade, like Adriel.

  Just as Castiel prepared to strike, the hidden seals Gabriele laid fused beneath him, forming an infinity seal.

  His eyes widened as a beam of light engulfed him.

  Light poured from his injuries as they healed. Gabriele used his shock to close the distance, landing a jab on his face that staggered him.

  She surged forward, attempting to land another attack; however, Castiel mirrored the attack, flinging both of them back.

  Castiel braces himself, sliding back slightly “Did you think I couldn’t dispel your seal and copy your [Divine flash] so quickly?” He scoffed, “You have to try harder than that to beat me.”

  Gabriele smirked and vanished again. His eyes darted around the cage, but he couldn’t track her.

  His instincts flared, just in time to block Gabriele’s punch. Even so, the impact hurled him backwards.

  She closed the distance, chaining punches and kicks. Her speed blurred; his soul moved on instinct alone, barely keeping up.

  But one strike broke through—flashing gold as it connected, and sent him crashing into the cage wall.

  She advanced, throwing multiple blows that Castiel matched before countering with an elbow strike to her jaw.

  She reeled, snapped it back in place, and spat blood.

  “You’re not healing?” he mocked. “Out of mana already?”

  He circled her. “I’ve figured out your trick. [Divine Flash] stacks power with every hit. I didn’t catch it at first, but now it’s obvious.

  Too bad for you, my copy has evolved. I don’t need to see you. Your speed won’t save you anymore.”

  Gabriele grinned. “I expected as much. Don’t think you’ve won yet. I’m just getting fired up.”

  “Oh? Let’s see how confident you are when I beat you to a pulp.” Castiel lunged.

  He unleashed a barrage.

  Gabriele dodged, baited, then countered.

  Castiel caught her strike and flipped her. She reacted swiftly, landing on her feet before throwing Castiel into the ceiling to his shock.

  Just when it looked like Gabriele had the advantage, all her attacks were mirrored, then a sharp kick to her midsection launched her to the ground.

  The force from the kick was so great, she bounced off the ground, into another attack from Castiel, and this time, she countered. The impact flung them both back.

  She spun during the fall, dropping to her knees—just as Castiel flipped mid-air and landed effortlessly on the ceiling.

  He pushed off the ceiling and launched another attack. She deflected it, seized his arm and neck, and slammed him into the cage floor.

  Gabriele followed up with a palm strike, but he slipped his head aside at the last second and countered with a kick to her gut.

  She slid back, clutching her stomach.

  Castiel sprang to his feet and closed the distance, feinting a strike to her head.

  She blocked high, exposing her midsection—and he capitalised instantly, driving a [Divine Flash] kick into her ribs and launching her across the cage.

  She tumbled, pushed up and created multiple fire pillars to deter Castiel’s advance.

  He surged forward, weaving through the pillars with ease. Gabriele watched him approach, a grin playing on her lips. As he closed the distance, she launched a high kick.

  Castiel mirrored it instantly.

  When she’s sent flying, I’ll lunge in and end this. I’ve landed multiple [Divine Flashes]—my speed and power now surpass hers.

  But when their [Divine Flashes] collided, the force didn’t throw them back. Instead, both legs absorbed the full counterforce, damaging them.

  Castiel staggered, favouring his leg. What—?

  Gabriele wasted no time—she attacked again. Castiel mirrored her move, and once more, the same outcome: both were injured.

  They continued to trade blows, each clash laced with recoil.

  Castiel’s healing kept pace, but every jolt of pain chipped away at his focus. Gabriele pushed through the agony, her teeth clenched, her strikes relentless.

  What’s going on? How is she still keeping up with me, even while I’m using Asmodiel’s talent? Castiel reeled, battered by the ongoing exchange of [Divine Flashes].

  Their movements became reflections, mirror images caught in perfect sync.

  Unseen beneath their feet, Gabriele fed the absorbed energy into the ground. Slowly, a zone began to take shape.

  “She’s using the same strategy she used to defeat her clone,” Adriel murmured. “Brilliant.”

  “Impressive strategy,” Fafniel added.

  Castiel noticed her plan and copied her. He was radiating confidence. Once his [Ultimate Domain] was done, he'd end the fight.

  But then it stopped.

  His talent seized and his [Divine Mirror] faltered.

  Gabriele noticed this and grinned.

  She closed the distance and landed a Divine flash to his chest, hurling him to the cage. His back slammed against the cage, and he fell to a knee.

  Completing her domain, she layered it with healing and amplification spells.

  Castiel grabbed his chest, struggling to stand.

  How…? I was seconds away from winning.

  “What did you do—”

  Gabriele closed the distance and landed a punch to his gut, causing him to cough blood.

  She follows up with a left hook, then an upper cut, scraping his back along the cage as he flies to the ceiling.

  His mana is at around 20% while mine is barely at 5% I need to end this before his talent can cool down.

  Castiel caught himself as he fell and retreated.

  My talent is probably on cooldown because of her. I need to buy time and bring it back.

  But Gabriele chased, hammering him with relentless blows. Each strike forced him to burn more mana to heal. He launched a desperate counter but Gabriele dodged behind him and locked her hands around his waist.

  What the—

  Before Castiel could complete his thought, she German suplexed him.

  His neck snapped with a crack. He blacked out, choking on his blood.

  Before his healing could kick in, Gabriele rolled with him, stood, and slammed him into the ground again.

  He gasped awake, instinctively healing.

  But she still held him.

  Castiel struggled, muscles straining, but her grip wouldn’t break.

  What is this grip strength? I’m using everything I’ve got, and she won’t budge. If this keeps up, I’ll—

  She slams his head again, caving it in.

  Gabriele shot to her feet, leaving Castiel’s legs twisted overhead, and drove a [Divine Flash] kick straight into his sternum, blasting a hole through his chest.

  The force rocketed him across the cage. His head scraped along the floor, then his back slammed into the wall with a sickening crunch.

  His spine cracked. His ribs caved.

  The crowd fell silent.

  Blood streamed down his face as he clung to consciousness by a thread.

  Someone commented from the crowd. “Isn’t she supposed to be the weakest in ‘Dead End’?”

  Another answered, “If she’s the weakest, we have no chance of joining…”

  Castiel’s thoughts spiralled. How did I lose this badly? Am I nothing without my talent?

  No.

  No!

  I’ll end it with my trump card.

  He clasped his hands.

  The crowd knew what was coming, so did Gabriele, and she wasn’t going to let that happen.

  She took one step forward, appearing in front of him and kicked his hands off, breaking the seal.

  As he tried to recover, she prepared the final blow.

  He panicked—reached deep for something, anything, he could copy to help him win. As her fist neared, Castiel launched himself up, dodging her strike and retaliating.

  She narrowly evaded. He’s getting a second wind? It doesn’t matter; he’s too late.

  She stepped back, focused, and clasped her hands.