In the next phase of the battle, Josh pulled a long magical staff with a light blue crystal at the top, and then began to cast a spell with it, his voice resonating with a Latin-like cadence. “Speculum complicatum!” (Folded Mirror!)

  He declared, and a shimmering, translucent barrier of arcane energy materialized, surrounding him, Blue Lock, and Steel Titan.

  Steel Titan, trapped within the barrier, scoffed. "You think these little magical tricks will save you?" he boomed, his voice echoing within the confined space.

  Josh's expression remained calm, though his eyes glowed with barely restrained power. "You can try to break out if you want," he replied, his tone deceptively light. "But you'll have to deal with Blue Lock first."

  Steel Titan huffed dismissively. "That will be no challenge," he declared, his confidence unwavering. The A-Rank villain then rushed at Blue Lock, a blur of motion and raw power.

  Blue Lock met him head-on. He conjured constructs of pure energy, forming massive, metallic fists around his own. The two titans clashed, their blows sending shockwaves that shattered the earth beneath their feet. Rock and debris exploded outwards with each impact, a testament to the sheer might of their combat. Blue Lock delivered a flurry of devastating punches, each one a hammer blow of pure energy, while Steel Titan countered in kind, his own strikes carrying the weight of a collapsing avalanche.

  The battle was a brutal ballet of power, a clash of titans that pushed both hero and villain to their limits. Eventually, Blue Lock landed a particularly vicious blow to Steel Titan's jaw. The impact was so severe that one of the villain's back teeth was dislodged, flying through the air like a discarded pebble.

  Teel Titan, sensing the shift in momentum and realizing that he was on the verge of losing, made a desperate attempt to escape. He turned and lunged towards the barrier, intending to break through and find another innocent victim to use as leverage. Blue Lock, seeing his intent, was about to give chase, but Josh raised a hand, stopping him.

  Before the hero could question the action, he then saw the Steel Titan suddenly flying beside him, much to his and the villain’s own confusion, as if he hadn't left at all. Ivon then tried to fly upwards, attempting to escape into the sky and above the clouds, but found himself, disoriented and upside down, once again within the confines of the barrier .“What have you done?" Steel Titan demanded, his voice a furious roar.

  Josh's expression turned to that of a sly game master as he explained. "The spell, 'Speculum complicatum,' creates a dimensional barrier that reflects the space of anything trapped within back to the center point. It's to prevent you from not only running away but also from targeting our comrades again, never mind innocent people."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Steel Titan snarled, his face contorted with rage. "You dare to interfere in my battle!"

  Josh's calm demeanor vanished, replaced by a fierce anger. "Interfered…?" he retorted, his voice hard and unforgiving. "You are the one trying to kill people who are already beaten, so don’t you dare criticize me, you fucking hypocrite!”

  Blue Lock, still catching his breath, nodded in agreement. "Couldn't have said it better myself." He turned back to Steel Titan, his eyes blazing with renewed determination. The shirtless hero then charged again, unleashing a barrage of energy-enhanced attacks. Steel Titan, desperate, fired a point-blank eye-beam blast, hoping to overwhelm the hero. Blue Lock, however, was prepared. He conjured a multi-layered blue energy shield, deflecting the blast and using its force to propel himself forward, crashing into Steel Titan and pinning the villain to the ground with a mighty impact that shook the entire area. This left the A-Rank villain momentarily stunned, unable to move.

  Blue Lock raised his other, free arm, and a shimmering energy blade materialized, crackling with power. He stood over the defeated villain, the weapon poised.

  Von, however, merely smirked, a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes. "So, this is it, then?" he taunted, his voice laced with mocking laughter. "Are you actually going to kill me, hero? Or will you spare me… like the weak child you are?"

  Blue Lock's arm began to shake, the energy blade wavering. He hesitated, his face a mask of internal conflict, and then glanced at Josh, expecting to see shame or judgment.

  Yet to his surprise, the teen's expression was calm, almost serene. There was no judgment in his eyes, no condemnation. Instead, there was a strange sense of anticipation, a silent acknowledgment of the weight of the decision Blue Lock was about to make

  After a few agonizing moments, Blue Lock dispelled the energy blade.

  Steel Titan, still pinned, seized on the perceived weakness. He laughed, a harsh, triumphant sound. "I knew it! Even after everything I threatened, after everything I've already taken from you, you're still the cowardly little boy who can never bring himself to take another life, even when he has nothing to lose!"

  Blue Lock remained silent, his chest heaving with exertion. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and weary. "I may be a coward," he admitted, "but I doubt you'll live much longer after you face justice in a court of law." With a final surge of energy, he encased Steel Titan in a multi-layered blue energy containment field, a prison of pure energy and compressed power.

  However, before the villain could be taken into custody, a crimson beam of light shot down from above, striking Steel Titan. The blue containment field flickered and dissipated, freeing the villain as Blue Lock and Josh looked up, a massive, sleek, black metal ship descended from the sky, its form ominous and imposing. Similar ships appeared, bathing the other captured villains in the same red light. The villains, Steel Titan included, were then teleported away, their bodies dissolving into a burst of red digital particles, before the ships vanished.