Akira cracked his neck. Luka rolled his shoulders.

No words. No hesitation.

Akira's scythe split into two curved scimitars, blood dripping from their edges.

"Burning Blood. Lost Slashes."

A storm of crimson slashes erupted around Luka, closing in fast.

Luka darted through the chaos, his movements sharp and efficient. He twisted, ducked, and sidestepped, the slashes carving deep scars into the ground around him.

Got you.

Then, the blood splatters exploded.

The arena shook, and smoke engulfed the battlefield. Luka skidded to a stop, his eyes scanning the haze.

"Hmm. Not bad." Sakura remarked.

"You're getting serious," he muttered, lowering his stance.

Where is he?

Above him, Akira moved silently through the smoke. His scimitars had shifted again, now twin hooks linked by a pulsating rope of blood.

Luka's gaze flicked around, but he didn't look up.

This is really bad. Where is he?

The hooks lashed out, piercing the back of Luka's collar.

"Hey, Jack Frost!" Akira's voice echoed.

Don't tell me.

Luka's head snapped upward.

Too late.

Akira yanked the rope, launching Luka into the air. In a blur, Akira closed the gap and drove his fist into Luka's chest. The impact sent Luka flying, his body slamming into the ground outside the boundary line.

"Akira wins!"

Akira landed smoothly, wiping blood from his hand. Luka groaned, sprawled on the dirt.

"Nice try," Akira said with a grin, walking away as the crowd erupted.

"Nice try." Luka mocked.

"2nd Semi-Finals, Akarui vs Sakura!" Mr. Sigan called out.

"Okay."

I stood up. Took a Deep Breath. And walked to the centre.

Sakura was already there.

I'm dead meat.

"Start."

But I'm not going out without a bang.

she slammed her hands down.

"Hell Fire!"

The ground shattered under her command, and an inferno erupted like a volcanic geyser. A swirling vortex of fire roared toward me, consuming everything in its path. The heat was unbearable, like being trapped inside a furnace. The air crackled with energy, the fire tearing through it with destructive intent.

My shadow pooled beneath my feet, quivering like liquid ink before splitting open.

Shadow Portal.

The void swallowed me whole, and the world blinked out. For a fraction of a second, there was nothing—no light, no sound, only the cold emptiness of the portal.

Then I was spit out high above the battlefield.

The air up here was cool and sharp, a stark contrast to the chaos below. I saw the Fire Storm spiral wildly, obliterating the space where I'd been standing moments ago. Sakura's head snapped upward, her sharp gaze locking onto me.

"Perfect."

I raised both arms, and the darkness coiled around me like venomous serpents, growing jagged and serrated as they spiralled outward. With a sweeping motion, I hurled them down.

My katana materialised.

"Deranged Slashes!"

I need to break her defences.

The blades weren't precise—they were wild and chaotic, slicing through the air with unstable fury. Each one carved a jagged path toward Sakura, howling as they descended.

Sakura planted her feet firmly, her flames surging upward in response. They spiraled around her like a blazing cocoon, forming an almost impenetrable shield. The first few slashes collided with it, sparks and embers scattering like shattered stars. But my assault didn't let up. The relentless storm of slashes tore into her defenses, the shield flickering under the pressure.

Then Sakura stepped forward, thrusting her arms outward.

"Fury Flames!"

Got you.

The storm detonated, an explosion of fire rippling outward with terrifying force. My slashes disintegrated mid-air as the shockwave rushed toward me.

I crossed my arms, and the shadows surged upward in a protective barrier. The flames slammed into the shield, their searing heat making the darkness quiver and tremble. For a moment, the fire threatened to break through.

I gritted my teeth, pouring more energy into the shield until it held.

Come on. I don't have enough chi for a realm. Guess I got to make do.

The flames subsided, and I dropped back to the ground, the impact cracking the stone beneath me. Sakura wasted no time, her hands already weaving through the air. The ground beneath her erupted into blazing rivers of molten flame, snaking toward me with terrifying speed.

I didn't flinch.

The shadows wrapped around me again, spiralling inward and outward in a chaotic dance. This time, I wasn't dodging. I extended both hands, and the air around me warped. One hand pulled inward, the other pushed outward.

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"White Hole! Black Hole!"

First the Black Hole manifested. Swallowing the flames and the molten lava. The heat started subsiding.

Wait a minute. Oh no. I know what he's going to do!

"White Hole."

All that was sucked came out like the Big Bang was happening all over again.

Sakura's molten rivers were caught in the pull, twisting and spiralling into the void like threads being unravelled. But she wasn't idle—her flames surged again, fighting against the opposing forces.

"Flames of Hell!"

The ground split open beneath her, fire erupting in massive columns that surged toward me with relentless aggression.

"White Hole."

The energy surged outward, colliding with the flames in a blinding explosion. The shockwave rattled my bones, and the arena was consumed in a storm of light and heat.

When the smoke cleared, Sakura and I were both still standing, breathing heavily. Her flames flickered, and my shadows rippled, both of us visibly pushing our limits.

"Not bad," she said, wiping sweat from her brow.

I stepped forward, shadows coiling around me like a living cloak. They writhed and twisted, forming jagged edges that hummed with violent energy.

"God Force!"

The entire battlefield darkened as the shadows surged upward, a towering wave of black that blotted out the light. Sakura's flames flared in defiance, her form glowing like a lone star in the darkness.

The wave crashed down.

Sakura thrust her arms outward, her flames surging in one last desperate attempt to hold it back. The collision was cataclysmic—fire and darkness clashed with explosive force, the arena trembling under the impact.

For a moment, it was impossible to see who had the upper hand. The two forces struggled against each other, neither willing to give an inch.

I got to break this. But how?

"Infernal Spiral!"

The ground split open beneath her, and from the chasm erupted a vortex of fire, a towering cyclone that twisted and raged toward me with impossible speed. The heat was suffocating, an oppressive force that seemed to sear my lungs just from standing near it. The battlefield was bathed in an angry orange glow, and the roar of the flames was deafening.

The shadows beneath me shivered, responding to my intent. I threw a hand out, and they surged upward like a tidal wave, forming a massive portal between me and the incoming inferno. The flames hit the portal, vanishing into its void like a river plunging into an abyss.

I can't keep this up.

"Shadow Portal!" I growled, pouring energy into the technique.

The shadows consumed the fire, swallowing its destructive force, but the strain was immense. My knees buckled slightly as I redirected the exit point, spitting myself out high above the battlefield.

The air up here was cool, a stark contrast to the inferno below. From this vantage, I could see the full scope of the destruction Sakura had unleashed. The arena was scorched and broken, molten rivers cutting through the earth like glowing veins. And at the centre of it all was Sakura, her head snapping upward as she spotted me.

There you are.

"Not bad, Hikaru," she called out. "But you're not escaping!"

With a flick of her wrist, a barrage of flaming projectiles erupted from the ground, shooting toward me like meteors. I barely had time to react, twisting in the air as the first fireball screamed past, close enough to singe my hair. The second and third followed in quick succession, and I summoned the shadows again, their inky tendrils wrapping around me like armour.

"Deranged Slashes!"

The katana materialized in my hands, and I didn't hesitate. Swinging wildly, I unleashed a storm of chaotic slashes, each one carving through the air with unstable energy. The slashes collided with the incoming fireballs, detonating them mid-air in violent bursts of light and shadow. Embers rained down, but the momentum was mine now.

Got you finally.

I angled my descent, diving straight toward Sakura with my blade raised high. She saw me coming and slammed her hands together, the flames around her surging upward in a protective cocoon. The fiery shield was almost impenetrable, a swirling barrier of heat and light.

The shadows around me coiled tighter, sharpening into jagged edges. I drove my blade downward with a roar, the energy of my attack tearing through the fiery shield like a cannonball through glass. Sparks and embers exploded outward as I broke through, landing just feet away from her.

Sakura's eyes widened, but only for a second. She thrust her hand forward, a torrent of fire erupting from her palm. I twisted to the side, the flames grazing past me as I closed the distance. My shadows lashed out, forming tendrils that struck at her from every angle.

"That's it?"

"Fury Flames!" she shouted, her entire body igniting in a burst of energy.

The explosion knocked me back, my shadows recoiling as they hissed against the heat. I landed hard, skidding across the ground and digging my heels in to stop myself. The ground was searing beneath me, and my breaths came in ragged gasps.

Sakura didn't let up. The ground beneath her glowed as molten rivers erupted, snaking toward me with terrifying speed. She was relentless, her flames consuming everything in their path, forcing me onto the defensive.

But I wasn't here to just survive.

"White Hole!" I roared, extending one hand.

The air in front of me exploded outward as a surge of energy burst forth, obliterating the molten rivers in its path. The sheer force of the blast pushed Sakura back slightly, her flames flickering in response. I followed up immediately, raising my other hand.

"Black Hole!"

The air behind her twisted and warped, the gravity pulling at everything with merciless force. Her molten rivers were dragged toward the void, twisting and spiralling into it like threads being unravelled. Sakura planted her feet, fighting against the pull as her flames surged in defiance.

"Flames of Hell!" she screamed.

The ground split open beneath her, columns of fire erupting with renewed intensity. The heat was overwhelming, and I had no choice but to drop the Black Hole, focusing all my energy on the White Hole to counter her attack. The two forces collided in a blinding explosion, the shockwave rattling my bones.

When the smoke cleared, we were both still standing, but barely. Sakura's flames were dimmer now, and my shadows rippled weakly around me. We were both at our limits, but neither of us was ready to back down.

"Let's end this," I said, my voice low but steady.

Sakura's flames roared one last time, forming a blazing phoenix that screamed toward me with unstoppable ferocity. I summoned the last of my strength.

"God Force!" I roared, charging with everything I had.

The phoenix grew larger and brighter and hotter.

The two attacks met in the centre of the battlefield, their collision splitting the sky and shaking the ground. The explosion was cataclysmic, a blinding storm of light and shadow that swallowed everything.

When the dust settled, Sakura lay near the edge of the battlefield, her flames reduced to flickering embers.

From the sidelines, Akira gripped the edge of his seat. "How are they still fighting?"

"Shut up and watch," Kaede snapped, her eyes glued to the match.

My legs shook as I stood.

Sakura rose too, her movements deliberate and slow.

Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished.

Before I could react, she reappeared behind me, her fists blazing with renewed fire.

Suddenly, something clicked—a primal instinct kicking in. My body moved on its own, my arm shooting up to block the incoming strike, my face still turned the other way.

What? H-he blocked it?

Seizing the moment, I grabbed her wrist and flung her over my shoulder, slamming her into the ground in front of me.

This isn't enough to finish her.

Her flames reignited in an instant, propelling her upward with a burst of fire from her feet. She stopped just shy of the boundary line, her balance impeccable.

That was too close. I got to up my game.

She blinked—and I was already in front of her, my fist aiming straight for her midsection.

Sakura twisted at the last second, narrowly dodging the attack. My momentum carried me dangerously close to the border.

I shifted mid-air, using the shadows to propel myself back.

Hmm. Think.

I spun, driving a kick into her back. The impact sent her flying diagonally into the air, spiralling upward.

I can't let her recover.

I launched myself after her, closing the gap in an instant. My hands grabbed hold of her shoulders as I dragged her down with me. The two of us plummeted like meteors, the air crackling with the force of our descent.

The ground shattered on impact, a crater forming beneath us as Sakura hit the ground.

Before she could react, I grabbed her by the collar and flung her toward the edge of the circle.

She tumbled, skidding across the ground—and crossed the boundary.

Mr.Sigan's loud voice rang out. "Akarui wins!"

I collapsed onto my back, staring at the sky. Every part of me ached, but I couldn't help the smirk that spread across my face.

From across the battlefield, Sakura groaned. "You're insane, Hikaru."

"And you're stubborn," I shot back, laughing despite the pain.

"Alright! Akarui take a 10 min break. After that we will resume to the Finale. Akarui vs Akira!"