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Description: A pathway extends from each entrance way, allowing each fighter to walk to the center platform, walking over the firey coals below. Once you reach the center platform, the pathways extend back toward the doors, starting the match.

Due to the heat this arena gives off, the stands are given a heat-resilient transparent pane to look through for the audience, thus disallowing entry into the stands. But the ceiling is open to allow the heat to vent out. The ground is now scattered with hot coal being heated by a system underneath, making the temperature in the fighting ring at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The only best place to fight on would be the 50 yards diameter stone platform in the center of the ring, standing 6 ft from the ground. Though it isn't giving off heat that would burn your feet, the sheer warmth coming from it should be enough to show that even this platform is having a hard time resisting the heat around it. To help fight against the temperatures, each fighter is only given one 20 oz. bottle of water for them to use.

Ten Count Boundary: The only ten count boundary is going above thirty feet into the air. Thus, the entire fighting area is open, with the stands being restricted off by the pane of glass protecting the audience.

Two words.

It's... unbearable.

For the swordsman, this is the type of arena he would avoid at all costs for the simple reason; The intense heat. Not even his use of arcane powers can change the influence of such monstrosity, although he could use it sparingly like some AC in a desert environment.
Still, he was feeling the unease; intense buildup of heat due to his all-terrain cloak is making the match almost one-sided already. Taking it off and having it held on his left grasp the swordsman walked in, the red hair slightly plastered over his face, and the crimson eyes belaying all that is needed to know from him;

He's in a foul mood.

Wiping off the sweat, the signs of bracers - silver hued in design and offset with some light vine-like engravings on it shined in the field while he rolled up his sleeves to let a bit more air to cool his senses. Warm it may be, at least there's the passage of wind to ease the burden the swordsman is already feeling.

And there, he sees his foe.

"Why am I not surprised..." He mutters under his breath, the two worst combos coming into play. Rushers just from seeing the gears worn by the foe, and particularly the intense heat does not make this match easier to win than it is to just endure.
Raising his head and giving a holler;

"Looks like the judges are intent to burn us into crisps, aren't they?"

The flask of water could be seen strung near the right side of his belt, along with one of his blades on the hip, while the other is worn on the left. Sheathed and not yet readied for the fight at hand.

"What's next? Aerial combat? Now THAT would be epic, but..."

What would be happening to Katsu's bracers would probably have a similar influence to the swordsman's bracers. Although used differently in their methods, the swordsman merely paused while unsheathing both his blades, keeping his cloak still draped over his left arm.
Resorting back to the same old style he almost always uses, the left blade is held in a reverse dagger-hold, the right held normally as he twisted his head a bit, gazing at the surroundings to check the terrain.

Since he won't be able to use his powers here easily...

He'll have to play dumb. It's not easy gathering whatever moisture there is in this type of heat, but slowly and surely the bracers he wore seemed to reflect some shades of light as it hummed alive with rhythm, giving off a faded, bluish glow proportional to the amount of moisture he could muster.
For the time being, the glow could be said to be almost minimal, not even close to the pale glow he usually has in a normal terrain. But it is still there, heated as it is.

He eyed the foe. If he could turn the foe into his own source of energy...although absurd and unorthodox, it wouldn't be a viable measure to use, mainly with the rules and regulations enforced in this tournament.
Damn. So what about the bottle of water that was given to most of the other contestants as well? Certainly the judge wouldn't have given him one just because he is good with water...or would they?
The terrain tells otherwise.

"Well."

He shifts to a simple left side stance, narrowing his eyes with a demeaning gaze.
Connection....on.
The almost invisible blue glow started to spread around him. Slowly, but surely, the swordsman readied himself for a possible confrontation in melee combat.

"The spectators are waiting."

Around the same time, the swordsman delivered a slash.
So far the distance may be between the two, but with the faded glow permeating into his gears, into his cloth and into the ground -- He was testing just how much moisture he can collect at once, and start from there.

Water - heated as it is and in minute quantities, gathered about on the edges of his blades. Compacting the amount into a form that is flat, able to extend considerably and be as sharp as possible like the blades themselves, the swordsman was increasing the reach of his blades by letting the moisture act as a gap measure for his weapons reach.
So what the swordsman could reach in distance without the use of water, and the reach with it...
A short moment or so before Katsu closed the distance between the two to just ten feet, a cut would probably be felt by the foe by then, near the lower areas of the left torso.

Very weak it was, that it would only give the impression of a paper cut, at most cutting through the skin, but no further than that.
If allowed by the foe, it would be a very good means to decieve him, as if he has the advantage in ranged combat. Also as well, it would give the swordsman one thing to note about;
He'll have to fight the opponent closer in order to utilize the moisture fully to his advantage.
If not, well...

The right blade would be held parallel to the ground, pointed towards the foe but held to the side as if readying a stab. The left, shrouded by his draped cloak, would be - in assumption, the blade that would initiate contact once the foe starts to rush into his blades' weapon range.
The left blade would be held to the front side of his left hip, the butt-end of the handle pointed towards the foe's right torso.

But first, he needs to see Katsu's reaction before the swordsman starts to decieve the foe.

The swordsman slashed again.
And again.
And again, throwing more of those small strikes towards the lower area of the foe's body. Some near the hips; most aiming for the legs.

At most scratch marks, the swordsman is getting a rough estimate on how powerful the slashes were by gauging the foe's response. Once the foe has reached a reasonable distance - say, a few meters away, the swordsman too started to run but in another direction, sideways from Katsu's charge.
He was running in a circle around Katsu's left, stopping the decieving slashes temporarily while biding just a bit more time to gather more moisture for use.
The cloak fluttered against his arm whilst he ran, covering up the direction on where his left blade is pointed towards while more bluish light gathered, more strongly illuminated than the last time and foreshadowing a possible use of something...chilly, to sway the heated ground.