CHAPTER 92 — The First
— FIGHT!
The moment the referee said the word, the entire stadium erupted.
BOOOOOOM!
Akamaru moved immediately.
He didn't run.
He almost glided across the arena.
His hand reached into his equipment and pulled out a card.
Zayn narrowed his eyes.
— Already?
Akamaru smiled.
— I warned you.
He threw the card.
— SURGE CARD RECORDER!
The card spun through the air.
White light surrounded it.
Then—
FWOOM!
A gigantic sphere of white energy materialized above the battlefield.
It was enormous.
Several cards floated around it, slowly rotating like satellites.
The sphere began descending toward Zayn.
BOOOOOOM…
The ground vibrated beneath its energy.
But something was strange.
It was moving slowly.
Very slowly.
Zayn looked at it.
Then looked at Akamaru.
— That's it?
Akamaru smiled.
— Don't celebrate too soon.
The sphere continued moving forward.
Zayn placed his hand on Borealis.
— Well…
He pressed it.
TCHAK!
Green light erupted around his body.
The bracelet projected its holographic interface.
The silhouettes of several Primals appeared around him.
Zayn didn't wait.
He immediately selected a form.
— CANNONBALL!
FWOOM!
His body was completely covered in green energy.
His legs disappeared.
His arms retracted.
His body rapidly transformed into a massive, compact armored form.
Within seconds…
Zayn had become Cannonball.
The Primal looked like a gigantic living sphere covered in thick armor.
He curled himself completely inward.
Then—
BOOM!
He launched himself forward like a cannonball.
The white energy sphere passed just behind him.
FWOOSH!
Cannonball rolled across the arena at incredible speed.
The crowd erupted.
— HE DODGED IT!
— AT THAT SPEED?!
Akamaru's eyes widened slightly.
— He's fast…
Cannonball kept rolling.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ground shook with every rotation.
He was heading straight toward Akamaru.
— Too late!
Cannonball accelerated.
Akamaru immediately grabbed another card.
— Not so fast!
He threw it onto the ground.
TCHAK!
The card sank into the arena.
A massive energy wave spread beneath Cannonball's feet.
Zayn sensed something.
— Huh?
BOOOOOOM!
A gigantic force erupted from the ground.
Cannonball was lifted violently into the air.
Then pushed backward.
— WOOOAH!
His body spun through the air.
FWOOSH!
He was sent flying several dozen meters.
The crowd screamed.
— ZAYN!
Cannonball slammed into the ground.
BOOM!
He rolled again.
And again.
And again.
Finally, he stopped against one of the arena walls.
Akamaru caught his breath.
— I told you I wouldn't make this easy.
In the stands, Rodrigue stood up slightly.
— He really sent him flying!
Yojuro carefully watched the battlefield.
— But Zayn isn't injured.
Kai, sitting beside him, smiled.
— He'll come back.
Zayn got back up.
Cannonball shook his body.
Then immediately started rolling again.
— AGAIN!
BOOOOOOM!
He launched himself forward.
Akamaru's eyes widened.
— Again?!
Cannonball charged straight toward him.
Akamaru threw another card.
Then another.
Then a third.
TCHAK! TCHAK! TCHAK!
Several cards appeared around Cannonball.
— SURGE!
Waves of force erupted.
Cannonball was pushed backward.
But this time…
He used the momentum against itself.
He rolled sideways.
Then onto one of the arena walls.
BOOM!
He climbed along the wall.
Akamaru looked up.
— What is he doing?
Cannonball reached almost the top.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
He launched himself from the wall.
He descended at an even greater speed.
Akamaru stepped backward.
— Seriously?!
Cannonball was coming directly at him.
Akamaru threw several cards.
Energy spheres appeared.
But Cannonball smashed through the first.
Then the second.
Then the third.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
He kept going.
Akamaru jumped aside.
Cannonball passed right beside him.
FWOOSH!
Akamaru turned around.
Cannonball had already changed direction.
— He can control his trajectory while rolling…
Yojuro nodded slightly.
— Yes.
Kai smiled.
— Zayn has improved.
Robin, sitting several rows away, watched the fight carefully.
— He's using his speed and the rebounds to compensate for Akamaru's attacks.
Cynthia watched as well.
— But Akamaru hasn't used all his cards yet.
Blanche crossed her arms.
— That's probably what he's waiting for.
Nefaria never took her eyes off the battlefield.
— Zayn is waiting too.
Akamaru suddenly pulled out several cards.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then five.
Zayn, still in his Cannonball form, stopped.
Akamaru smiled.
— This time…
He threw all the cards.
FWOOSH!
Massive energy explosions appeared around Cannonball.
Zayn was surrounded.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dust filled the arena.
Akamaru remained focused.
— Did I get him?
Silence.
Then…
BIP.
Green light appeared in the middle of the smoke.
Akamaru's eyes widened.
— No…
Cannonball emerged.
Still standing.
Or rather…
Still in his spherical form.
Zayn returned to his human form.
The green light disappeared.
BIP. BIP. BIIIIIP.
Zayn looked at Akamaru.
— That was fun.
Akamaru wiped the dust from his face.
— You're kidding.
Zayn raised his bracelet.
— But now…
Borealis opened.
The face of another Primal appeared.
Zayn smiled.
— I have something more suitable.
He pressed it.
TCHAK!
Green light engulfed his body.
His appearance immediately changed.
His body grew.
Crystal armor covered his limbs.
Dark purple and violet plates formed across his body.
Sharp crystalline spikes emerged from his shoulders, back and arms.
His eyes began to glow.
The ground cracked beneath his weight.
BOOOOOOM!
Zayn had transformed into…
CRYSTAL EDGE.
The crowd went silent for a moment.
Then—
— WOOOOOOOOAH!
Akamaru stared at the new form.
— So that's it…
Crystal Edge slowly raised his head.
His expression was completely calm.
Akamaru grabbed a card.
— All right.
He threw it.
TCHAK!
A massive energy blast rushed toward Crystal Edge.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion completely engulfed the Primal.
Akamaru clenched his teeth.
— Got him!
The smoke cleared.
Crystal Edge hadn't moved.
No injury.
No crack.
Nothing.
Akamaru froze.
— …
Crystal Edge simply looked at his own body.
Then at Akamaru.
— It's useless.
Akamaru frowned.
— What?
Crystal Edge stepped forward.
BOOM.
Every step made the ground tremble.
Akamaru threw another card.
Then another.
Then another.
BOOM!
FWOOSH!
KRAAASH!
Energy attacks struck Crystal Edge from every direction.
The crowd screamed.
But the Primal kept walking.
Calmly.
Without accelerating.
Without even trying to dodge.
The explosions covered his body.
Yet they did absolutely nothing.
Yojuro watched carefully.
— He isn't even trying to dodge.
Kai crossed his arms.
— Because he doesn't need to.
Rodrigue's mouth opened slightly.
— That's terrifying.
Robin nodded.
— Akamaru is wasting his energy.
Akamaru was beginning to breathe harder.
— No…
He threw another card.
— SURGE CARD RECORDER!
A huge amount of energy appeared.
It rushed toward Crystal Edge.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion shook the arena.
Even the stands trembled.
Zayn still hadn't moved.
The smoke slowly cleared.
Crystal Edge was still there.
Akamaru was exhausted.
He looked down at his remaining cards.
Then back at Crystal Edge.
He understood.
— I can't…
Crystal Edge appeared in front of him.
Akamaru looked up.
The Primal calmly placed one hand against his shoulder.
BOOM!
A controlled shockwave passed through Akamaru's body.
He was thrown backward and slid across the ground.
He tried to get back up.
His legs trembled.
He placed one hand against the ground.
— I…
He tried again.
But his body couldn't keep going.
The referee approached.
— Akamaru!
Akamaru slowly raised his head.
He looked at Crystal Edge.
Then smiled.
— I surrender…
The referee immediately raised his arm.
— THE FIGHT IS OVER!
Silence.
Then—
— ZAYN IS THE WINNER!
The stadium exploded.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Zayn remained still for a few seconds in his Crystal Edge form.
Then green light surrounded him.
BIP.
BIP BIP.
BIIIIIIIP.
He returned to his human form.
Zayn looked at Akamaru.
— You okay?
Akamaru was sitting on the ground.
He smiled.
— Yeah.
Zayn extended his hand.
Akamaru grabbed it.
Zayn pulled him back to his feet.
— Good fight.
Akamaru nodded.
— You too.
In the stands…
Yojuro smiled slightly.
— He won without using all his power.
Kai crossed his arms.
— Crystal Edge is really difficult to deal with.
Robin added:
— Especially for an opponent who relies heavily on ranged attacks.
Rodrigue raised both arms.
— ZAYN IS FIRST!
Blanche applauded.
— Well done.
Nefaria looked at Zayn.
— Efficient.
Yojuro looked toward the giant screen.
The standings had appeared.
CROWN OF ASH — GROUP STAGE
1 — ZAYN
4 POINTS
2 VICTORIES
0 DEFEATS
Zayn looked at the screen.
Then raised his fist.
— YES!
The crowd answered immediately.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Zayn smiled.
In another section of the stadium, Azel watched the result.
He slowly applauded.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Then nodded.
— Good, Zayn.
On the enormous screen…
An image of Zayn appeared.
His fist was raised.
Underneath it, gigantic letters appeared:
WIN!!!
The stadium erupted once again.
But inside the VIP section…
The atmosphere was completely different.
Friedrich von Eisenberg sat beside Arthur Blackthorne.
He watched the screen without saying a word.
He had just watched Zayn win.
Without relying on a large amount of Fumetsu.
Because of Borealis.
Friedrich clenched his jaw slightly.
— Incredible…
Arthur turned toward him.
— What?
Friedrich looked at the screen.
— He won again.
Arthur remained silent.
Friedrich continued:
— Without that artifact…
He paused.
Then looked at Arthur.
— He'd be nothing.
Arthur didn't answer immediately.
Friedrich continued, as though trying to justify what he had just witnessed.
— All that power comes from that bracelet. It's not really his strength.
Arthur kept looking at the screen.
— Maybe.
Friedrich frowned.
— You don't agree?
Arthur remained calm.
— I didn't say that.
Friedrich looked at Zayn again.
On the screen, his face was still displayed.
WIN!!!
Meanwhile, Zayn was leaving the arena.
Yojuro was the first to greet him.
— Congratulations.
Zayn smiled.
— Four points.
Yojuro nodded.
— And no defeats.
Kai approached behind him.
— Not bad.
Zayn turned toward him.
— Not bad?!
Kai smiled.
— What do you want me to say?
Zayn laughed.
— You're all the same!
Robin approached as well.
— Crystal Edge was impressive.
Zayn looked at his bracelet.
— Azel recommended it.
Yojuro glanced toward the screens.
— And now you're first in your group.
Zayn raised his fist again.
— First!
Akamaru, who had just left the arena, raised one hand.
— Enjoy it while you can.
Zayn turned around.
— Why?
Akamaru smiled.
— Because the next stage probably won't be this easy.
Zayn was silent.
Then his smile returned.
— Good.
He looked toward the giant screen.
The tournament was continuing.
And now…
Everyone knew his name.