"The next match will be Jeremi Naeme from Spirit East versus Kotobagari Ruisu from Spirit West," S.E.I.D. announced as the arena was prepared for the next confrontation.
"You two ready?" Migan called out to the approaching competitors.
"Yeah," Jeremi replied with his characteristic emotional flatness, though something in his posture suggested a tension that hadn't been there before.
Ruisu stepped into the ring with a confident swagger, but his eyes immediately darted toward the South section where Anjero's team was sitting. A strange smile crossed his face as he looked directly at them.
"Hahaha," he laughed suddenly, then turned back to the referee. "I give up."
"WHAT THE HELL?" the crowd erupted in confusion and disappointment.
"Well, folks, we have our first resignation from the tourney today! The winner is Jeremi Naeme from Spirit East!" the announcers declared, though their voices carried obvious bewilderment.
Jeremi's expression didn't change, but his eyes followed Ruisu as the Spirit West student walked away from the arena without explanation. Something about the forfeit seemed to trouble him more than the easy win
"OK then, S.E.I.D., next match," Migan announced, clearly eager to move past the anticlimactic moment.
"The next match will be Mashū Mori from Spirit South," S.E.I.D. declared.
"Finally, I'm up!" Mashū exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement as he stood from his seat.
"Versus Suna Kessho from Spirit North," S.E.I.D. concluded.
"OK, both fighters ready?" Migan asked as the competitors entered the ring.
"I've been ready to fight someone," Mashū replied with enthusiasm, his dual spirits already beginning to flicker around him in anticipation.
"I'm so honored to fight someone with such a beautiful aura! Please show me more," Suna said with genuine appreciation, his flamboyant personality on full display.
"Uh, OK," Mashū replied, clearly unsure how to respond to such an unusual opponent.
"OK, ready! Set! FIGHT!"
**Mashū's Battle**
"OK, show me that beautiful aura again!" Suna called out immediately.
"No need—I try to fight without it," Mashū replied, preferring to rely on his martial skills first.
"OK, suit yourself, pretty boy. CRYSTAL SOLDIERS! Go get him, boys!"
The arena floor erupted with humanoid figures made of pure crystal, each one moving with perfect coordination as they advanced on Mashū. Their faceted forms caught and reflected the arena lights, creating a dazzling display.
"Awesome! You might be fun to fight after all," Mashū said with genuine excitement as he began dismantling the crystal constructs with practiced efficiency.
His martial arts training served him well as he systematically shattered each soldier with precise strikes, the crystal forms dissolving into glittering powder upon defeat.
"Is that all you got?" Mashū taunted as the last of the first wave fell.
"Mmm, I'm glad you asked! SHARD STORM!" Suna replied with dramatic flair.
A massive tornado of razor-sharp crystal fragments erupted around the arena, creating a whirling dervish of deadly beauty that threatened to slice anything caught within it.
"That doesn't look good! JACKPOT!" Mashū activated his luck spirit, his movements becoming supernaturally precise as he weaved between the flying shards with impossible grace.
The storm continued for nearly a full minute before finally dissipating, leaving Mashū unharmed but clearly impressed by the spectacle.
"Man, you're kinda lame. I need more competition," Mashū said dismissively, though his respect for Suna's creativity was evident.
"Sure, look around," Suna replied with a mysterious smile.
"I don't see anything but little crystal shards around the ring," Mashū observed, scanning the arena floor.
"Isn't it beautiful!" Suna exclaimed with artistic pride.
"You're so weird. I guess I'll just end this then," Mashū said, preparing to advance.
"Not so fast! CRYSTAL SOLDIERS!" Suna called out again.
This time, however, the crystal shards scattered around the arena reformed into an army of constructs far larger than before. Dozens of crystal warriors surrounded Mashū, their numbers seemingly endless.
"Woah, there's so many. Bring it on! REVENGE RUSH!" Mashū's silver aura exploded around him as Retaliare's spirit took partial control.
"There it is... just as elegant as my crystals," Suna said with genuine admiration, watching Mashū's fighting technique with the eye of a connoisseur.
Mashū moved through the crystal army like a force of nature, each strike enhanced by his revenge spirit's fury. But instead of diminishing, Suna seemed to grow more appreciative with each display of skill.
"You're so impressive! I might start liking you," Suna called out during the battle.
From the stands, the Sanda twins' voices cut through the arena noise.
"What did he say?!" they demanded in unison.
"Win, Mashū!" Ichiji shouted.
"Yeah, kick his behind!" Tekai added.
"My, how rude and unsightly women. They should be ashamed," Suna observed with disdain. "Anyways, let's end this, what do you say? SHARD STORM!"
"I'm not done fighting just yet," Mashū declared, grabbing one of the crystal soldiers and hurling it directly into the tornado.
The construct was immediately shredded by the whirling fragments, but this gave Mashū the opening he needed.
"Qoyntauz JACKPOT and Retaliare REVENGE RUSH!" he called out, activating both of his spirits simultaneously.
Golden and crimson energy swirled around him as he began moving with impossible speed and precision, destroying crystal soldiers faster than Suna could create them.
"What the hell?" Suna gasped as his beautiful constructs were systematically obliterated.
"The more enemies I have to fight, the stronger and faster I get!" Mashū explained as his dual spirits fed off the chaos of combat.
"He... he's destroying all my beautiful soldiers. I can't beat this guy," Suna said with growing despair.
"Hahahaha, you're next!" Mashū called out as he shattered the final crystal construct.
"Don't punk out now!" he added, advancing on his opponent with his dual auras blazing.
But instead of continuing the fight, Suna simply fell to the ground with a blank stare, overwhelmed by the destruction of his artistic creations.
"I... I give u..." Suna began to say.
Suddenly, Mashū collapsed as well, his dual spirit energy completely depleted from the sustained use of both Qoyntauz and Retaliare.
"And Mashū is down!" the first announcer called out in shock.
Mīgan rushed over to check on him. "He's unconscious!"
"And the winner of this match is Suna Kessho from Spirit North!" both announcers declared.
"Oh, of course I won! I'm just too pretty to lose! Hohoho!" Suna said, suddenly recovered from his despair and striking a dramatic pose.
**Team Reaction**
In the stands, the Seishin South team watched with mixed emotions as their teammate was carried away on a stretcher.
"The fool used up his energy using both spirits at once," Kamira observed with a mixture of frustration and admiration.
"It was impressive, though. It's probably the longest he's kept both maintained without fainting," Anjero pointed out.
"I do have to give him props for that, though. Just wish he'd won so we could stay undefeated," Kamira replied.
"I mean, someone was bound to lose. Just didn't think it would be Mashū," Romaji said thoughtfully.
"I had my money on Shinkei, low-key," Kamira admitted.
"Hey! Why me?" Shinkei protested.
"Well, you're the newest one here, so it was an easy pick, is all," Kamira explained pragmatically.
"Hm, I guess. I still feel bad for him, though," Shinkei said, watching as Mashū was taken to the medical facility.
"I've known Mashū for some time. He'll be fine once he gets something to eat," Kamira assured them.
"Well, let's keep chugging along! S.E.I.D., if you'd please," Mīgan announced from the arena floor.
"The next match will be Jūryoku Space from Spirit West versus Diana Gale from Spirit North," S.E.I.D. declared.
"I wonder who that is? Wait, I thought her name was Ashuri?" Anjero said with confusion.
"Dang, I think she lied to us, bro," Shinkei observed.
"But why, when we were gonna figure out her real name sooner or later?" Anjero wondered.
"I was just poking fun at you all, lol," Diana called out from the competitor area, her voice carrying easily to the South section.
"Ms. Gale, please get down here," Migan instructed.
"Of course!" Diana replied, moving toward the arena with the same otherworldly grace they remembered, though now her deception added a layer of mystery to her already intriguing presence.
"Both fighters ready?" Migan called out as the competitors took their positions.
As the next match prepared to begin, the tournament had already proven to be full of surprises. Unexpected forfeits, dramatic reversals, and hidden identities were becoming the norm rather than the exception.
And with each match, it was becoming increasingly clear that the competition was about more than just school pride or individual achievement. Forces were moving behind the scenes, and the true stakes of this tournament were still being revealed.
For Seishin South, their perfect record had been broken, but their resolve remained strong. Each victory and defeat was teaching them something new about themselves and their opponents.
The tournament would continue, but the innocence of simple competition was rapidly giving way to something far more complex and dangerous.
And Diana Gale's mysterious interest in Anjero was about to become much more significant than anyone had imagined.