"Let the battle begin!"
Gepard took a step back seeing that Bennet was going to start off aggressive. He managed to block the first strike with his arm and quickly counterattacked with a jab to the face with his opposite arm.
Bennet tilted his head just in the nick of time, but the side of Gepard's fist managed to graze his cheek. Bennet immediately retreated realising he was in a bad position, but Gepard was not willing to give him space as he lunged forward, reaching out with his hand trying to make contact and potentially freeze him. He just managed to grab hold of Bennet's sleeve, but he had to let go the moment Bennet set his arm alight.
Gepard; "Your reactions are fast, but once I find an opening it's game over."
The relentless offense continued, and everyone was quick to notice Gepard's superior strength. Once Bennet retreated further back, he expected Gepard to follow up again with the same move. However, Gepard planted his hands on the ground and ice spikes emerged which closed in on Bennet. Bennet realised his back was nearly against the wall and knew he could not retreat further.
"Flaming fist of fate!"
The force of the punch easily shattered the ice and a cold gust of wind blew back towards Gepard, forcing him to cover his eyes.
Once the wind stopped he removed his arm and was immediately struck in the face with a second flaming fist of fate, "This ends now!"
Bennet went full thrust and blasted Gepard into the wall at the opposite side of the area. Bennet clutched his arm, the pain from using two powerful attacks getting to him. Gepard fell from the wall and landed on all fours coughing.
"You're a tough one"
Bennet ignored the pain in his right arm and ran directly to Gepard who was struggling to stand up. Gepard quickly summoned an ice wall forcing Bennet to come from the side. Once he turned the corner, Gepard grabbed him by the throat and choke slammed him. Once he pinned Bennet to the ground he started freezing his neck with cryo, but Bennet responded by unleashing a pyro shockwave from his body, "Heatwave!"
All the ice including the wall Gepard made melted. Gepard was launched back and Bennet gasped for air. His face was red and he almost passed out trying to breathe. The chokehold he was in prevented oxygen from entering his body. The combustion that soon followed did not help his case as it had decreased the oxygen present in the area as well as using the remaining that he had in his body. Bennet used his arms and elbows trying to drag himself away from Gepard who was now recovering from the heatwave attack.
"It looks like all that yap about Keqing was for nothing"
Kitayuu turned around to see Raiden sitting in the seat behind leaning over his shoulder, "He is so done for"
Bennet rolled to the side as Gepard sent another cryo attack his way, but Gepard also stopped Bennet from rolling further with an ice spike, trapping him between them. Bennet tried to stand up, but fell back to the ground as he was still gasping for air. Gepard noticed Bennet's struggles and raised his palm. A frosty orb of cryo formed, cooling the air around them rapidly. Bennet realized that breathing heavily in the cold air made his throat hurt which made it even harder for him to recover. Parts of his body began to set alight with flames, but they were too weak and barely helped as Bennet could not exert enough energy without running out of breath even more.
Before he could try to get up again, Gepard brutally kicked him in the face. Blood splattered on the floor and Bennet's nose was bleeding like a waterfall. As he fell flat to his stomach, he clutched his nose as blood continued to ooze out his nostrils. Gepard did not hesitate to get another chance to strike, but at the last moment, Bennet fling his hand forward with blood splattering onto Gepards eyes. The cold air radiating from his body quickly froze the blood on his face and he had no idea where Bennet was.
