The arena was still ringing with cheers when Ben and Lorry walked off the field. Ben holstered his pistol with a satisfied nod; Lorry flexed her glowing gauntlets once before letting the light fade. The crowd's energy hadn't dipped—it had only grown louder, wilder, feeding on every brutal finish.
Support-flow users rushed onto the dirt. Soft green and gold light bloomed around Cal where he lay. Mary knelt beside him, hands already glowing, vines of healing energy wrapping his wounds. Cal winced but managed a weak grin as the pain dulled.
In the competitors' stand, Koya and Anna stood frozen, staring down at the scene.
"Wow…" Gilbert said from nearby, arms crossed. "That Ben is a really terrifying fellow. His item is on a whole different level."
He laughed—loud, self-assured. "But it can't be as awesome as mine… ha ha…"
Koya touched Anna's arm gently. "Are you okay?"
Anna exhaled slowly. "Yeah… We can't expect to always win. Just hope the defeat doesn't affect him too much."
Cal was already being helped up by Mary and the healers. He gave a small wave toward the stand—tired, but alive. Anna waved back, forcing a smile.
The boards flashed again.
"Next match: Gilbert & Anna versus Castro & Sheer!"
Anna straightened. Her hands tightened around her staff. Cal's loss still lingered in her eyes—shaken, but not broken.
Gilbert noticed. "You look nervous, water girl. You don't need to be. Not with me as your partner."
Anna took a breath.
They walked out together.
Castro and Sheer waited—earth-flow barriers already forming at Castro's feet, Sheer's ice shimmering on her fists.
The horn blew.
Begin.
Sheer struck first—spiked ice lances shot toward Anna. Anna levitated—flow lifting her off the ground. Ice missed, shattering harmlessly below.
"Such attacks won't work against my flow," Gilbert called, already airborne. His levitation let him fly, and anything he touched became weightless.
"Let's go, water girl!"
He rocketed toward Castro and Sheer at blinding speed.
Sheer threw more ice—relentless. Gilbert dodged, sword flashing, cutting through frozen spikes like butter. Castro slammed his foot down—mud surged up, thick and living, trying to swallow Gilbert's legs.
Gilbert twisted mid-air, touched the mud—levitation activated. The mud lifted, harmless, floating like clouds.
Castro charged—mud armor forming around him. Gilbert met him blade to fist. Mud blocked sword strikes, but Gilbert was faster—slash after slash, each one chipping away.
Anna hovered above Sheer. "It's me and you."
Sheer's ice fist swung—Anna blocked with her staff. Water met ice—steam hissed. Sheer pressed—right, left, uppercut. Anna dodged, parried, countered. Staff clashed against frozen wrist—sparks flew.
Both women pushed each other to the edge—dodging, blocking, attacking in perfect rhythm.
Sheer threw a heavy right fist. Anna slipped under it—saw the opening. Staff cracked against Sheer's side. Sheer staggered back a step.
Both paused, breathing hard.
"Why aren't you using your flow?" Sheer asked.
"Same reason you're not using your item," Anna replied.
Sheer smirked. Charged again.
Castro's mud slammed into Gilbert—pushed him back. Gilbert relaxed his shoulders, body loose.
"Your attacks are nasty," he said. "But really powerful. I respect you for that."
In the blink of an eye he was in front of Castro—speed so sudden the mud couldn't react.
"Bow down to my awesomeness."
Blade slashed down. Castro collapsed.
Sheer's eyes widened, stunned.
She turned—Anna was already charging, water building on her legs for speed. Sheer swung—ice fist roaring. Anna dodged, staff swinging. Water slash cut through the air—sharp, unavoidable.
Sheer blocked—ice rose to meet it. Gilbert—still airborne—sent the floating mud from his fight with Castro toward Sheer. Sheer blocked that too.
Anna kept attacking—slash after slash. Sheer blocked, but focus split. One last ice barrier rose—Anna's water slash shattered it.
Sheer staggered.
Gilbert appeared behind her—sword flashing. Sheer spun—too late. Blade connected.
She dropped.
The horn sounded.
"Winners: Gilbert & Anna!"
The crowd detonated—cheers shaking the stands. Gilbert bowed dramatically, arms wide. "Thank you all!"
Looked at Anna. "You see water girl, I told you with me the semies is assured" he said.
Anna lowered her staff—breathing heavy, but smiling now. Small, real.
In the stand, Koya clapped—quiet, proud.
Lira leaned close. "Your friend is really amazing."
Koya smiles calmly. The weapon against her back felt warm—faint, waiting.
The boards shifted.
"Next match: Julius & Julie versus Koya & Lira!"
Koya's heart kicked hard.
Lira touched her arm. "Let's go, partner."
They walked out together.
Cal walks to Anna, hands on the back of his neck. Anna gives him a big hug. Seeing this calmed koya a little.
Anna and Cal screamed support from the stands.
Koya whispered to Lira. "You remember the plan, right?"
"Use last match defense as attack," Lira replied.
The horn blew.
Begin.
Koya charged—Ikua's arm unwrapped, iron-black in her grip. Julius and Julie waited—Julius smiling wide, Julie's force field shimmering around them.
Koya swung—hard, clean. Julie's field blocked it—blue light rippling.
"Come on, Julie," Julius said. "That's unnecessary. It's her, after all."
He swung his arm. Projectiles formed—sharp, glowing orbs—flew toward Koya at blinding speed.
Lira's vines snapped out—pulled Koya back. The projectiles exploded in front of her—smoke and force.
Julius's smile widened.
Multiple projectiles formed around him—dozens now.
"Let me see how many you can block!"
He sent them forward—wave after wave.
Lira raised an earth wall—thick, solid. Projectiles crashed into it—cracking stone, shaking the ground. The wall buckled.
Others flew past—toward Koya and Lira.
Lira's vines lashed—pulling them aside, dodging. She tried to counter—vines toward Julius and Julie. Julie's field stopped them cold.
Koya moved fast—dodging, weaving. Projectiles grazed her arms—burning. She gritted her teeth.
Lira pulled her away again—more vines shielding.
Both panted, backs to each other.
"We can't attack, and we can't defend," Koya said. "What can we do against this pair?"
Julius walked through the smoke—standing in front of them. Hand raised. A massive projectile formed above him—huge, pulsing.
"Kelly underestimated you," Julius said. "I won't."
He shot it.
The orb flew—fast, unstoppable.
No time to escape. No space to hide.
Koya and Lira braced—eyes wide.
To be continued...