The roar from Gilbert and Anna's victory was still echoing off the arena walls when the boards flashed again.
"Next match: Ben & Lorry versus Min & Willy!"
The crowd settled just enough to watch. Ben and Lorry took their positions at one end—Ben bare handed at the time, Lorry with reinforced gauntlets that glowed faintly with defensive runes. Min and Willy stood opposite: Min calm, mist already curling from her fingertips; Willy hefting a massive hammer, grin wide and reckless.
"Begin!"
Min stepped forward once. Mist poured from her body like smoke from a dying fire—thick, rolling, swallowing the arena floor in seconds. Visibility dropped to nothing. Gasps rippled through the stands.
Ben and Lorry backed up to each other, battle stance and gauntlets ready. "Stay close," Ben muttered. "Don't let them separate us."
In the mist, Willy moved.
He was a predator now—silent footsteps, hammer low. He circled once, twice, then struck. The hammer swung in a wide arc. Hits Ben and drives him back. Lorry lunged to cover, gauntlets flashing. Willy was already gone.
He appeared behind Lorry—hammer overhead. She blocked, but the impact rattled her bones. She staggered. Willy pressed—strike after strike, relentless. Lorry dropped to one knee.
Ben spun, fist through the mist. "Show yourself!"
Willy laughed—low, echoing. He backed Ben toward the flag rise. Ben pulled his item--- a pistol, from his belt—small, flow-charged. He fired twice into the fog. Sparks lit the mist like lightning bugs.
Willy grunted—hit. He stumbled. Min closed in from the other side, mist thickening around her.
Ben turned, pistol raised. Uses his, flow-Sight—his eyes glowed briefly. He saw her outline through the haze. Three quick shots. Two missed. The third struck Min in the shoulder.
Mist thinned.
Ben fired once more—final shot. Min collapsed.
Willy tried to rise. Lorry—still on one knee—lunged, gauntlets slamming his hammer aside. Ben finished him with a shot to the shoulder—non-lethal, but enough.
The horn sounded.
"Winners: Ben & Lorry!"
The crowd went wild—some cheering the comeback, others stunned at how fast the mist had turned against them.
In the competitors' stand, murmurs spread.
"That pistol was nasty," someone said.
"Min's mist is usually unbeatable. Ben saw right through it."
Koya watched in silence. Lira beside her twisted a vine nervously.
"Flow combos are everything," Lira whispered. "One wrong move…"
Koya nodded. "We won't make one."
The announcer kept the pace merciless.
"Next: Castro & Sheer versus Merrow & Addin!"
Castro's earth-flow raised barriers; Sheer's ice-flow froze them solid. Merrow's magnetic pull tried to wrench weapons from hands; Addin's laser bursts cut through stone. But earth and ice held. Castro pinned Merrow; Sheer flash-froze Addin's legs.
"Winners: Castro & Sheer!"
"Next: Gordon & Elly versus Julius & Julie!"
Gordon's fire roared; Elly's healing light patched burns. Julius's projectiles rained down—sharp, fast. Julie's force field deflected flames. Gordon pushed too hard—projectiles pierced his guard. Elly couldn't heal fast enough.
"Winners: Julius & Julie!"
The crowd was frenzied now—excitement thick enough to taste.
The boards shifted.
"Next match: Ra'an & Jacob versus Ash & Pius!"
Ra'an walked onto the field like he was already bored. Jacob followed, chains coiled around his wrists.
Begin!
Ash sent a sonic wave—air rippling. Ra'an stepped forward. Light energy circled the ground—visible only to him. In a blink, he was in front of Ash. Fist to throat. Ash choked. Ra'an punched hard—Ash hit dirt.
Before Pius could reacted Jacob chains holds him tight. Ra'an vanished again. Reappeared behind Pius. One strike to the back of the neck. Pius dropped.
The horn sounded before the crowd could fully process it.
"Winners: Ra'an & Jacob!"
The stands erupted—some cheering the speed, others murmuring in awe.
In the competitors' stand, whispers flew.
"Over before it started…"
"Ra'an's teleport is unfair…"
Koya felt eyes on her.
She looked up.
Ra'an stared straight at her—intimidating, cold. His lips curved in a slow, dangerous smile. Then he turned and walked off the field.
Koya's grip tightened on the wrapped haft.
The boards flashed once more.
"Next match :Koya & Lira versus Kelly & June!"
Koya's heart skipped.
Lira tapped her arm. "Let's go, partner."
They walked out together.
From the stands, Anna and Cal screamed support.
"You got this!" Anna shouted.
Cal cupped his hands. "Show them!"
Koya breathed slowly. "Number 9 in the top ten. Just great."
Kelly waited on the field—lightning crackling between his fingers, confident smirk. June stood beside him, sword in her arm.
The horn blew.
Koya charged.
Kelly fired a lightning blast—bright, jagged. Koya dodged left. Another blast. She rolled. Third blast—she stumbled, off-balance, couldn't dodge the lighting blast.
Lira's vines snapped out, wrapped Koya's waist, yanked her back.
"Thanks," Koya panted.
Kelly sends more and more lighting blast, though difficult, Lira helps them both to avoid all, using vines and stone walls.
Crowd energy and excitement was off the charts.
Lira created distance between them. Both she and koya panting and breathing heavily.
"We need to find a way to avoid his attacks and get closer"... Koya says
Kelly smirked wider. "Up close then."
He moved—blink-fast. Lightning aura around him. Koya and Lira had no time to react. He punched—Lira flew backward from the shockwave.
Koya swung. Kelly dodged, lightning pushed koya to ground, close to Lira. He flew upward, gathered energy—massive electric bolt forming overhead.
He threw it.
The bolt struck.
Koya and Lira screamed—electrocution burned through every nerve. They collapsed together.
From the stands, Cal and Anna froze in horror.
Ra'an's smile widened.
Students nearby muttered.
"Obvious win for Kelly… Why did she even bother?"
"Flowless freak…"
Kelly landed, smirking. June walked over. "Didn't even have to lift a finger."
But under the pain, something shifted.
Ikua's arm grew warm—hot, insistent. Energy flowed—not lightning, not flow, something older. Koya's body jerked. The pain receded. A calm wave spread outward—soft gold rimmed with crimson—shattering the lightning clinging to her skin.
The arena went dead silent.
Kelly's smirk vanished. "Impossible."
Ra'an's smile disappeared.
The Golden Guardian, high in her seat, leaned forward. Behind the mask, a small smirk. "Let the show begin," she murmured.
Kelly flew at koya—full speed, fist aimed at her face.
Koya moved.
She dodged—clean, fluid. Kelly's eyes widened. Attacks again, koya dodges, keeps attacking but couldn't land a fist on koya,strength, speed, senses all sharpened to a razor edge, body moved like it was in a trance, total disbelief on koya's face.
Kelly tried lightning again, she dodges.
Then she struck—Ikua's arm connected once, twice, three times. Each hit landed with impossible precision. Kelly staggered. Koya didn't stop. The weapon moved like an extension of her will.
The arena was silent—no cheers, no gasps. Just stunned breathing.
Kelly tried lightning again. Koya sidestepped, counter-struck. He flew back.
June and Lira couldn't intervene or even react, totally frozen in surprise.
Koya lands a critical attack, knocks Kelly down. Koya froze, staring at her palms, breathing calmly.
June snapped out of shock rushed towards koya to attack— Lira vines caught her mid strike. Koya spun—pure instinct—swung once. June dropped.
The horn sounded.
"Winners: Koya & Lira!"
Silence held for three full seconds.
Then the arena erupted—screams of joy, disbelief, pure shock. Students leapt to their feet. Some cried out in happiness. Others sat stunned.
Cal and Anna didn't hold back—cheering, hugging, laughing.
Meriosa—watching from the stands—smiled. Not cruel. Respectful.
Ra'an stood rigid—enraged, confused, fists clenched.
Koya stared at her hands. The weapon was quiet now. Warm. Almost proud.
Lira ran to her—joyful, breathless—hugged her tight.
"We did it!"
Koya hugged back—shaking, stunned, alive.
She looked up at the roaring crowd.
For the first time, she didn't feel like a freak.
She felt seen.
To be continued...