Brandon activated the barrier with a transparent forcefield, knowing well that the fight was going to get brutal. The roar of the crowd was heard, and some of the fans chanted Mirror's name. Glen stood in the middle of the arena. "You all know the rules by now: No necromancy. No kills." Glen then looked at Mirror. "And don't go overboard this time." Glen reminded the reigning champion of the Gladatorium, before he grabbed the silver whistle and blew it.

The Sun slowly peaked through the clouds, kissing Phixa's copper skin. Everyone in the crowd was on the edge of their seats waiting to see who was going to throw the next blow. The judges looked back and forth between them with criticizing eyes. Mirror, still confident and focused, shifted his foot and launched himself forward.

Patricia had increased the voltage by 3 hertz before Vilma came in. The blonde Pangaean stopped messing with the frequency on her device and then looked at her coworker with a devious smirk. "Is there a problem?"

Vilma had spotted Patricia inject Joon with a substance, not knowing that it was a virus Patricia was testing and waited until she left the infirmary. The resentful receptionist looked for syringes, new ones. She didn't have the chance to search because Nour was present when she tried to look. Vilma didn't like giving explanations nor accounts, especially if it involved her own personal affairs. She opened the cabinet that contained empty vials and syringes, just when she found a new bag containing 8 syringes. Patricia caught her red-handed while she clicked her tongue. "You shouldn't be butting your nose where it doesn't belong." Patricia chided.

"I should say the same to you, Patti." Vilma remarked, "Don't butt into my business, and I won't do the same to yours. If you even try to cross me, I'll take you down, and you're little snitch too." Vilma glared at Patricia.

"Not at all," Vilma showed a plastered smile, as long as you're not one of them.

Nour checked Joon and Haeji's vitals and they seem to be fine. "How are you both feeling?"

"I thought I was going to die." Haeji commented.

"Same, though I'm feeling kinda thirsty." Joon replied.

Hong ate her sashimi by herself, while Yin and Alexandra shared a table. The elderly yamitzu master was eating his soup while Alexandra chowed down on the teriyaki. The angel watched the match between the hybrid phoenix and Mirror.

Mirror shapeshifted to look just like her. From the dark brown hair, orange tips, light red eyes and coppery skin down to the radiant feathers and talons.

Physically, I'm stronger and faster. The most she can do, it seems, is defend. Eventually her guard will weaken and that will be my chance.

Phixa tightened her guard as Mirror landed a powerful punch on the right muscle, leaving a light bruise.

Phixa is doing great, Alexandra thought.

"Looks like she's having a hard time keeping up with her opponent." Yin stated before taking another spoonful of the soup.

"How can you tell?" Alexandra asked him while she watched the match, though she had to admit she had a hard time telling them apart due to Mirror's ability.

"Phixa is wasting her energy attacking him while Mirror is deflecting her attacks." Yin mentioned.

"If you look closer to my left eye, it looks bloodshot, but it actually had pus when the fly got squashed." The light yellowing of Phixa's eye was not noticeable at first glance, but when Alexandra got closer she noticed little flecks on the hybrid Phoenix's eye. Now that the angel took a better look at the match she could see that the real Phixa was upset by the look on her face, and by the light in her eye.

The arena was hotter than the beach on a hot summer day, to the point that Glen was tugging the front of his stripped shirt repeatedly in one hand, and fanning himself with his cap with the other before walking out of the arena for the two combatants to raise the heat they drew from the Sun.

"Can you feel the heat?" Mirror smirked, while he spoke in Phixa's form. Piros stared at the match at the Paradise Phoenix, while the real Phixa tried to figure out how she was going to defeat him while her time was running out.

Phixa's silhouette was seen while the sun was behind her before she swooped down like a falcon. Her body encased in flames akin to a phoenix.

How am I going to defeat him? He is using all of my attacks, unless...

Phixa ceased using her fire powers while Mirror did the same. She walked backwards while her opponent did the same.

This is my chance to win this.

They both were a couple of steps away from the edge of their side arena, Mirror caught on what she was planning.

Not quite.

So he played along when he fell out of the arena at the same time as she did. Phixa flew a couple of inches away from the ground before she got hit by the side, her body hit the ground resulting in a ring out. Mirror flew into the air and then landed in the center of the arena before reverting back into his original form.

"Wow! I did not see that coming!" Johnathan hollered. The replay showed at a bird's eye view on how the match ended. Phixa and Mirror were on the edge of the arena at opposing sides while they fell off the edge. Phixa flew inches awey from the ground while Mirror jetted around the arena at full speed before striking Phixa to the ground with a surprise attack.

"That's gotta hurt." Herring commented while Piros looked at Phixa, crestfallen.

"Mirror, you went for the kill as always. I give you 10 out of 10 for the fire show, the moves and the finishing blow." Marie showed the same 10 sign she showed earlier. "Phixa you get a 7 out of 10. You did great, but you started falling out along the way." Marie showed the seven sign and doodled a beady eye, then a curved line for the sign to look like a cartoony bald eagle.

"That was intense. I thought I was getting roasted from the heat, and this is Simpson Desert level kinda hot. About the fight, it was gnarly. Mirror you fought so well that I couldn't tell who was who with your mimicking. So your speed, defense, attack or whatever it is that Adrian mentions in his scores is on point." Lizzy commented. "Phixa you did great too, you get an 8½ in total."

"Both combatants made a great performance, and I don't usually say this." Adrian started whil Lizzy rolled her eyes and Marie snickered. "I've come to recognize Mirror's fighting style and his approach to mimicking his opponents, I have to say that he perfected his speed and accuracy compared to last year. Mirror gets 9.8 points in total; 2.5 points in accuracy, speed and evasion, and 2.3 points in defense." Adrian then gave a critique about Phixa's performance. "Phixa, since you've participated in tournaments before, you've shown potential based on your abilities. However, you need to overcome your fixation with perfection. You were enthralled with the match which is good, though you need to find a balance on how you execute your attacks. I've told the same thing to Mirror when he started participating in the Gladatorium. So Phixa, I give you 8.4 points in total; 2.5 points in speed and accuracy, 2.3 points in defense and 2.1 points in evasion."

Stella entered into the women's restroom and saw one of the janitors wipe away the lipstick from the mirror.

No

Stella saw the squeaky clean mirror before the janitor walked away with the janitor cart.

"No no no no no no." Stella blurted out in denial. "Dammit! I should've taken a snapshot!" How was she going to find her suspect now?

Baci Llus stood from his seat to go to the men's restroom while he left Micah snore. Carina took the opportunity to take a sample of Micah's saliva. The Amoebian's mouth was open while Carina took out a small, square shaped watch glass and held it while Micah's mouth hanged open, a string of saliva fell on the watch glass before the incognito spy sealed the watch glass with a cap, stood up and walked away.

"Next up in the Melee Division: Master Yin versus Ratu. The elderly yamitzu master and the little orphan boy. A fight for all ages." Eleanor announced.

"Later in the Magic Division: Ryan versus Ryo Balthyra. The summoner, or the elven swordsman? Find out after the commercial break." Johnathan announced.

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"A steep price for a mediocre product. Honestly, who in their right mind would pay for a vacuum with a mop head attached to it?" Eimy was standing nearby a stand near Ratu when she saw the advertisement. The little redhead abandoned the stand when his name was mentioned. When she looked back to where Ratu was, he was gone.

Yin headed his way to the arena while Ratu did the same. Meanwhile Ruben and Dirlu walked together, the noblewoman eyed the Cinnabarian while he stalled as long as he could.

"If this is a scam, I will file a complaint to the supervisor." Dirlu warned, Ruben gritted his teeth.

"If you want what you invested, you'll have to wait." Ruben hinted.

"We have walked around the building for 2 minutes and you've done nothing other then distract me. If I wanted to be entertained, I would've stayed to watch the tournament instead of following your fat butt around." Dirlu replied while she waved her fan.

"If it were up to me, I'd give you the money and leave this maze." Ruben lied, he wanted to keep the money and have her wonder off elsewhere, but the Victorian styled noblewoman had her eyes on her money and she wanted it back with interests.

"Then give me my 9,000ğ." Dirlu demanded.

"I only have the 4,500ğ that you gave me." He retorted.

S Penumbra was walking around, watching the perimeter when she saw the fat redhead again, only this time he was arguing with an elegant brunette.

"I want my money now!" Dirlu demanded.

"Is there a problem ma'am?" S Penumbra inquired, just his luck. Dirlu looked at the woman with an uniform.

"As a matter of fact-"

"I'm trying to return the money, but I only have half of whatever this is." Ruben showed the three 1,500ğ bills. "I only have wons, gules, rubles and dollars. I have no idea how to pay what I owe her." Dirlu looked at him while S Penumbra casted an accusatory glare at him.

"Is that so?" S Penumbra asked while Dirlu nodded in confirmation. "Follow me."

The other competitors, (excluding Hwa Hae Ji, June Lily, Stella Spacey, Shadow Vividstripe, Herring and Piros) watched as the elderly Yamitzu master and young boy arrived just in time for their match.

Alexandra flew back to where the other competitors were, once she saw Phixa crestfallen, the angel walked up to the hybrid phoenix.

"I saw the match. You were great out there." Alexandra said.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better. I bet you couldn't see the difference between him and I."

"I saw the difference by the look in your eyes." Alexandra looked at Phixa in the eyes.

⚒

Meanwhile, at the infirmary...

"I can't believe I lost, I still don't." Haeji commented.

"Me neither." Mochi second it.

"I just wanna eat something. I would kill for some food right now." Haeji whined before Herring entered the infirmary with a smile on his face.

"Haeji, you're not gonna believe this. I found a woman giving away free food." The young fisherman brought free samples from different foodstands. "Then I searched for other foodstands and this is what I could get." Herring showed a sample made out of cold cuts, another one of cheese and crackers, another sample of a cereal brand, another one of almonds, another sample of green chips, and a sample made out of applesauce.

"Yes! Gimme gimme!" Mochi meowed.

"No, me first!" Haeji interjected as she took the applesauce sample and licked the small plastic cup dry.

"I also saved this sample for you. It came from a stand called Hansel's Pretzels." Herring gave the sample to Haeji. "Now I know why many were fighting for the samples. They taste delicious."

The hostess paid close attention to the fights and made the decision to ask the defeated combatants for another option to stay in the tournament. Annabell and Eros were walking together before the human evolution requested her faithful companion to bring lunch, "Eros, can you buy one of those delicious pretzels?"

"Yes, lady Luna." The white wizard replied before he headed to one of the foodstands. Natalie approached the brunette Annabell waited for Eros to return with the food.

"Hello," the hostess greeted, Annabell was surprised to see the host herself talking to her.

"Hi." Annabell smiled.

"I came to ask if you wanted another chance to stay in the tournament?" The hostess inquired, giving a genuine smile.

"Do you really mean that?" Annabell asked her, hoping that it wasn't a sick joke.

"Absolutely. I want to make sure that the participants have a great time at the Gladatorium."

"What do I have to do?"

"It's simple. You can participate at a fighting match with the other defeated contestants. If you win, you have another chance to fight in the arena." The hostess explained.

"Is that all?" Annabell asked.

"Basically, you have the option to accept or decline the offer." Natalie reminded her.

"I accept!" Eros heard Annabell's voice when he brought the food, including the pretzels.

"Did I miss anything?" Eros inquired.

"I offered her another chance to participate, you can come watch her fight tonight." Natalie responded then looked at the human evolution, "All she has to do is sign up."

The grey haired wizard saw the lady smile. "Eat first, you will need your strength to fight tonight." Eros handed Annabell her lunch.

"I will be in my office if you need me." Natalie informed them before she walked away. Eros saw Annabell beam.

"I can't believe it, Eros! I have a fighting chance to stay." Annabell put a hand on his arm.

"If you say so, m'lady." Eros said before she watched the hostess walk on the hall before a couple of strangers crossed before she disappeared. "Let's go take a seat before the food turns cold." He suggested as Annabell followed him.

Eros wasn't much a fighter, but he lived long enough to know that fighting tournaments don't give defeated fighters a second chance to fight for the grand prize. The offer sounds too good to be true.

A bearded man with a janitor uniform walked past the reception to find a closet that stored cleaning products. He took out a disinfectant spray, a glass cleaner, a spray cleaner, rubber gloves a mop, a squeegee, a bucket, floor cleaner, and bleach, then pulled out a janitor cart to start his shift after a long vacation. When a blonde receptionist came out of the receptionist, he was happy to see him.

"Hey, Jecamiah! Long time no see." Geoffrey greeted the bearded janitor. Jecamiah, an average looking man with auburn hair with a slightly round shape, an intuitive man that spoke his mind. Recently, he received a calling in life, with a pocket sized bible in his front pocket to keep God close to his heart.

"I had to take a leave. Tell me, how are the others?" Jecamiah asked, despite knowing that they were still up to their own devices.

"Y'know, the usual. Patricia is still patroling around the stadium during her breaks. Akane and Jane are talking about beauty products and other stuff. Buid and Goung just started working here. Sam is still slacking off, and Vilma found a new target for her hit list." Geoffrey replied casually.

"Vilma is wasting her time with her vendetta." Jecamiah commented as he pushed the janitor cart.

"I've already told her that, and she told me to buzz off and to not cross her." Geoffrey stated.

"If she keeps going down that road it will be the death of her." Jecamiah replied while he headed to the men's restroom while Geoffrey followed him.

"Don't remind me, I actually met a creep that looks the Grim Reaper with a cheap cosplay. I overheard him and Vilma make plans to harm one of the contestants and let a Reptilian win the tournament." Geoffrey mentioned.

"A reptilian!? Has she lost her mind!?" Jecamiah bellowed, dropping the mop.

"You know Vilma." Geoffrey crossed his arms.

"I'm referring to Nat! She is in charge of the stadium, and she's allowing demonic creatures enter the Gladatorium as if this place was a night club." Jecamiah bent over to grap the mop handle, irate.

Geoffrey watched Jecamiah burn out his anger in cleaning the bathroom, including the stalls, mirrors and sinks.