The winning system for this competition was best of three sets.
In Dori and Collei's match, Dori won the first set.
Then Jack stepped forward to comfort the losing Collei.
The girl rose with vigor, and miraculously, in the second set, she repeatedly chased the score against Dori, extending a match that should have ended at 21 points to 31:33 before securing the victory.
At this point, the first round of the Sumeru Beach Volleyball Tournament reached its match point.
...
"Hmph! I admit I underestimated you a little, but next, Dori won't hold back!"
"Then come on, for Jack, I won't give up!"
The two girls, pursuing a common goal, burst forth with massive elemental power projections behind them, like characters from a hot-blooded manga.
Dori's was a magic lamp, and Collei's was a serval cat.
"That is..."
"The manifestation of the Constellation, a situation that only occurs when a god's eye is developed to its extreme."
Nahida kindly explained to Dinazade.
Jack was curious about another point.
"This so-called development to the extreme should have nothing to do with strength, right?"
"Indeed, although people who have exhibited this phenomenon in history were strong, they were not the strongest of their time. Judging from the situation where a god's eye embodies a person's wish, this is most likely a manifestation of their wishes burning to the extreme."
Only then did Jack nod: "So, this battle of theirs is a battle of belief?"
"That's right!"
"What if someone loses? Will the god's eye shatter because of it?"
"It... it shouldn't be that bad."
Nahida was a little uncertain.
After all, she had been locked in the Akademiya for 500 years, had heard rumors of such situations, but had never witnessed them firsthand.
"Do we need to step in and stop them?"
Candace and Dehya stepped forward.
The two exchanged glances, both seeing worry in the other's eyes.
They both regarded little Collei and Dori as their younger sisters and were unwilling to see them suffer the fate of a shattered god's eye.
"No matter, I will intervene, they will be fine."
Jack's words were like a reassurance, calming everyone down.
Immediately after, a strange change occurred in the arena.
Large amounts of Electro and grass elements dispersed, undergoing a Catalyze reaction in mid-air. Among the surrounding sand affected, some sand particles had already crystallized to form glass.
Jack waved the others back and walked into the center of the thunderous storm himself.
At this moment.
Dori and Collei's eyes only saw their opponent standing across the net.
The volleyball, whose durability was almost at its limit, was constantly hit back and forth in the air. The elemental power entwined around it grew more terrifying, and it happened precisely at the moment it crossed the net.
Boom!!
Blinding light and intense heat erupted instantly, spreading out in three-dimensional space with the shockwave of the explosion.
The first to suffer was the volleyball net at the explosion's epicenter.
In just an instant, the net's durability was completely depleted, turning into nothingness.
Even the sand was gradually destroyed, spreading towards Collei and Dori.
Buzz~
Jack unhesitatingly activated Creation Mode at this moment.
Time stopped!
2 seconds passed.
He arrived in front of Collei.
4 seconds passed.
He picked her up and turned to walk towards Dori.
6 seconds passed.
Dori was on his shoulder.
8 seconds passed.
He carried both of them back to the crowd, his hand poised as if to snap his fingers.
Snap!
10 seconds passed.
Time flowed again.
Boom!
The explosion from the Electro-grass Catalyze reaction blasted a crater with a radius of over ten meters in the volleyball court.
As the dispersing smoke and dust were about to reach the stands, they were blocked by a golden protective shield.
"Huh, was I just?"
"Ugh! So scary, Qu Master, please hug me!"
The two involved parties reacted completely differently.
Collei was still wondering why she was standing there, while the smart little Dori had already figured out the reason for things and was sending Jack a "Dori doesn't know~" message of innocence.
"Are there any problems with your body? Do you feel anything unusual?"
Jack set them both down on the ground, and a crowd of people gathered around, curiously looking at them.
Collei somewhat unnaturally tugged at Jack's sleeve.
Being surrounded by so many people made her very uncomfortable.
"It... it should be fine, my elemental power can still be freely controlled... Eh! Why has my elemental power suddenly become so much stronger?!"
Collei's hand condensed a ball of green light.
The surface of the light ball rippled irregularly, as if it could explode at any moment.
Jack extended his index finger and carefully felt it.
Then, as if confirming something, he nodded.
"Put it away, Collei. Your elemental power has only recently evolved, and you can't control it well yet. Be careful not to blow up like just now."
Jack gently stroked Collei's head.
Collei turned to look at him and saw him nod encouragingly.
Only then did she believe that this change was not a bad thing, and after retracting her Grass Elemental Power, she continued to play her role as a quiet girl next door.
"Strange, why hasn't my Electro Element improved much?"
Dori made the same movement as Collei, but compared to Collei's Grass Elemental Power which made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, as if it were the power of the Grass God, Dori's Electro Element remained as usual, at most only slightly stronger.
Nahida subtly looked at Jack.
"Is that it?"
Jack nodded at her.
"That's right, the'seed' should have hatched."
The'seed' here refers to the Grass Elemental Power seed that Jack planted in her body.
Originally, it was subtly improving the physical fitness of the girls, but because of Collei's emotional outburst this time, her god's eye operated to its extreme and resonated with Jack's original Aralia Element, instantly evolving Collei's essence towards his direction.
Now, Collei, possessing the original Grass Elemental Power, could even be called a Grass God's relative or even a Grass God's candidate without exaggeration.
"In short, this is a good thing; Collei's Grass Elemental Power has evolved, so you don't have to worry," Jack explained to everyone.
"What about this competition?"
Dori asked somewhat impatiently.
"You both win!"
"Hmm... that works too."
Although Dori was unwilling, Jack's reward was also what she desired, and from a merchant's perspective, she didn't lose out.
"Alright, Nahida, you take care of them here for a bit; I'll take them to claim their reward."
"Okay, go quickly and come back quickly."
"Don't you know my ability? For you, it's just a second."
Jack winked at Nahida, then took Collei and Dori, who were bewildered, one in each hand.
A few seconds later.
Jack returned.
Everyone was surprised to find that Collei and Dori had changed clothes and were holding each other's arms like good sisters.
Upon closer inspection, Dori's belly seemed to be slightly bulging.
Everyone was utterly confused.
Only two people had shy expressions on their faces.
Nahida: "Idiot Jack! What others meant by reward was kissing, how could you even do the subsequent main event!"
Nilou: "The reward is actually going to a secret base to do... comfortable things? Then... I definitely can't lose!!"
Faruzan looked at her next opponent, who suddenly seemed to be burning with determination, feeling puzzled.
Nilou... isn't she not good at this type of sport?
...
Pop~
A snot bubble burst.
Layla woke up from her dream, surrounded by familiar people, but their expressions made her feel somewhat unfamiliar.
Such is life, with all its myriad forms.
"How many things happened while I was dozing off?!"
-------------------------------
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