The second day of the tournament began even more bustling.
News of the first fights had already spread throughout the academy. Many students were now paying closer attention to certain fighters who had stood out.
Among them were three names that frequently appeared in conversations:
Draven
Zayra
Kaedor
The arena was full again when the instructors called the next participants.
Draven calmly watched from the stands as some fights took place.
Some fights were quick.
Others lasted longer, showcasing different fighting styles and energy manipulation.
But then the instructor announced:
— Number 17 against number 31.
Draven stood up.
It was his turn again.
Zayra looked at him.
— Good luck.
Draven replied calmly:
— I won't need it.
He walked to the center of the arena.
But this time the atmosphere was different.
His new opponent was already waiting.
It was a dwarf.
Short, but extremely robust.
His arms were as thick as tree trunks, and he carried a heavy combat hammer made of dark metal.
His name was Bromgar.
Among the students, he was known for two things:
absurd physical strength
advanced manipulation of earth energy
Some students began to comment.
"This fight is going to be tough for Draven."
"Bromgar can take blows that would knock anyone down."
"And that hammer… I've seen him break stone with a single blow."
Draven watched calmly.
The dwarf also analyzed him.
Then Bromgar spoke in a deep voice:
"I heard you knocked down your first opponent with one blow."
Draven replied:
"He opened a gap."
Bromgar smiled.
"I don't open gaps."
Start of the fight
The instructor raised his hand.
"Combatants ready?"
They both nodded.
The hand fell. — Begin!
Bromgar wasted no time.
He slammed his hammer into the ground.
The earth's energy spread across the arena.
A layer of stone began to cover parts of his body, forming something resembling natural armor.
Some students reacted.
— He already started using that!
— His defense is absurd!
Draven observed attentively.
"So that's how he uses his energy."
Bromgar advanced.
Despite his heavy body, he was surprisingly fast.
The hammer descended with force.
Draven dodged.
The impact shattered part of the arena floor.
Stones flew to the sides.
Bromgar spun his hammer again.
Another blow.
Draven dodged again.
But this time he counterattacked.
His fist struck the dwarf's arm.
The impact echoed.
But Bromgar barely moved.
He laughed.
— See?
— No openings. Testing the Defense
Draven took a few steps back.
He activated Observation Haki.
Now he could better sense his opponent's movements.
Bromgar attacked again.
A sequence of heavy blows with the hammer.
Each impact shattered the arena floor.
Draven dodged by centimeters.
But this time he was analyzing something specific.
"It's not real stone…" The Great Sage replied.
Condensed earth energy forming a defensive layer.
Point of greatest concentration: chest and shoulders.
Draven nodded slightly.
Then he advanced.
His fist was enveloped in Armament Haki.
He struck directly at the dwarf's chest.
The impact was strong.
But the earth energy armor resisted.
Bromgar pushed Draven back with the hammer.
— This won't work.
Draven calmly replied:
— Let's test it.
The True Strength
Bromgar raised the hammer above his head. All the earth's energy around them began to concentrate on the weapon.
The hammer became enveloped in a thick layer of stone.
Some students tensed.
"That blow is dangerous."
"If it hits, it's over."
The hammer descended.
Draven didn't dodge.
He advanced.
His fist was enveloped in Armament Haki combined with Conqueror's Haki.
The two attacks collided.
The impact echoed throughout the entire arena.
A shockwave scattered dust and small stones.
For a second, no one could clearly see what happened.
Then the dust began to settle.
Bromgar was standing.
But something had changed.
A crack ran through the stone armor on his chest.
He took a step back.
Then another.
Then he fell to his knees.
The earth's energy slowly disappeared from his body.
The instructor raised his hand.
"Combat over!"
"Draven wins!" The arena erupted in murmurs.
"He broke Bromgar's defense!"
"That armor is almost impossible to penetrate!"
"What kind of blow was that?"
Draven simply took a deep breath and left the arena.
But as he walked back to the stands…
He felt that gaze again.
Kaedor.
The lion-man was smiling now.
Not a smile of amusement.
But the smile of someone who was finally certain of something.
He murmured to himself:
"So it's you."
"My opponent in this tournament."