Announcer: Now, everyone goes get some rest. Tomorrow will be the most difficult fighting day yet.

Everyone eats their dinner and heads to bed, ready for tomorrow’s fights.

--- Chapter 122 ---

Red and Geno walk onto the field.

Geno: Red, I’m going to use everything. I wasn’t able to fight the last three rounds, so I need to impress the judges.

Red: I see, so will I then. But if your goal is to impress the judges, does that mean you don’t think you can beat me?

He says with a playful smile.

Geno: Heh, that’s funny. It’s still nice to have a fallback if something catastrophic happens.

Red: Then let me be your catastrophe.

Announcer: BEGIN!

Red’s insignia swirls around his body, forming into his speed mode. Geno’s encases around him, using insignia embodiment. Red burst forward with his spear, stabbing at Geno. The spear stabs into Geno’s armor, but he swings his greatsword, causing Red to back off. Red notices Geno’s body glow blue for a moment. He is confused for a moment, but then quickly jumps to the right, as a second Geno cuts from behind. He falls into a roll looking at his two adversaries.

Geno: By splitting my arcana in two, I could form the second into another suit of armor. Effectively cloning myself.

Red: But the drawback is you are the one who has to track and control it.

Geno: Hmph, you would be correct if you weren’t so wrong. It’s an advanced technique, one that utilizes my pact with my insignia. Because my monster and I are on good terms, I let it take control of the clone. Essentially making an Aqua Kaiser my ally.

Red: Oh I see. I guess I wasn’t taught that because I can’t control my monster.

Geno: Indeed.

Red: That’s pretty cool. But having two of you doesn't cover for your smarts.

Geno looks confused and then looks behind himself to see a second Red falling with a sword. The sword’s blade is glowing red, and he slices it through the helmet, causing the helm to slice open, but no damage to Geno’s head. This shows off the level of control Red has obtained. Geno lifts his greatsword but doesn't realize the Red behind him switched to a greatsword and stabs it through his stomach. Geno looks down surprised, but then his skin turns blue and disappears.

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Red: So that was a clone as well.

Red looks all around, his clone fighting the kaiser.

Red: Come out you coward!

As he yells this, he gets stabbed in the back. Geno pulls the blade back out. Red stumbles forward and turns around. His insignia forms around the wound, attempting to stabilize it.

Red: You damn bastard.

Geno: Surrender.

He raises the greatsword to Red.

Red: Really? We trained for how many months. Do you think I’m gonna surrender over a scratch?

Geno: Fair enough.

Geno lunges forward, stabbing it at Red. Reds insignia rises up forming a shield to block, and his clone runs in, stabbing at Geno with his sword. Geno raises his left hand, forming another greatsword, and slashing the Red clone in half. Red backs up, red lines run over his body. He then begins to run extremely fast in circles around Geno. Geno takes a defensive stance with his greatswords. Red lunges with his sword, but Geno blocks it with his greatswords. The red lines continue growing around Red’s body, and his speed increases with every second. Geno begins to sweat.

Geno: This technique. It takes a lot of concentration, but one can reach extremely fast speeds. How is this kid able to use it? I can’t even use it. But it’s fine, he can’t use the technique for long, I just have to wait it out-

His thoughts end when he realizes something. Several blades are all coming in, arcing toward his body in great numbers. Shock is visible on his face.

Geno: This many blades… How?! Can’t react, can’t react!

The blades carve into him, causing a mass of blood to explode. Red’s insignia recedes into its normal state as he pants. Geno stumbles around, his insignia also stabilizing his wounds. Geno brings his sword up, ready. Red brings his fist back, the insignia envelopes it.

Red: I haven’t used this one in a while. PERFECTED! DRAGON FIST FEAST!

He punches forward, releasing a plethora of dragon heads all going for Geno. He begins to take deep breaths and close his eyes.

Geno: Sorry master, I have to use it.

Kota in the stands realizes what he is using, and so does master Taizawa.

Kota: Wait Geno don’t!

Geno absorbs the energy around him, his armor glows blue, as it shifts to a smaller thinner set of armor.

Geno: Vassal mode.

The air around Geno goes cold, ice particles form on his armor and float in the air. The moister at his feet freeze into icy spikes. He opens up his eyes, and ice freezes over the dragons, as they fall apart into the snow. Geno lifts his sword into the air as it shifts into an icy katana. He breaks free from the ice at his feet and runs in. All around him getting covered in snow and ice. He stabs at Red, but as he does, Red grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him into a headbut. As he does, the metal rings throughout their heads. But, the energy used to put Geno into Vassal mode starts to be absorbed into Red’s body. The armor around Geno starts to contort and dissipate. The air around Red gets boiling hot. Geno’s eyes are wide in surprise, and so are Kota and the master. Reds insignia curls around his body, forming into a set of fiery armor. Red lets Geno go pulls back his fist and punches him in the stomach. Geno is launched with incredible speed right into the wall, causing a massive crater. Reds armor contorts as well, and bursts into nothing. He falls over, his face slamming into the mud.

Red: What the hell?! I- I can’t move my body. It’s in so much pain. I- I felt so powerful with that armor, but now that it’s gone… Whatever that armor was, it took an unbelievable toll on my body.

Announcer: A-and there both down! I- I don’t know how to rule this. Hm, how about, the first one to stand wins!

Red sees Geno lifting his head, his insignia forming blades to prop him up.

Red: No! I must get up!

Red lifts his hand, pushing off the ground. Despite them being incredibly fatigued by this mysterious “Vassal mode”, this was a race for victory. And the winner of the race was-

Announcer: Red! He’s up! That means he wins this slugfest! This means the next round will be upon us shortly. The ones fighting will be Yazawa from vector vs Levi from independent!