Hiroko's heart dropped as he received the news from Grandmaster Sensei. Jose and Tokido, two of their most formidable fighters, would not be participating in the final four matches. "Yes, I have word that Tokido is not at fifty percent and Jose refuses to fight without him," explained Grandmaster Sensei. The weight of this news was heavy on everyone's shoulders. "Well, I guess we are doing the finals early then," sighed Hiroko, already making plans with Grandmaster to address the situation. As they rushed to the ring to announce the changes to the crowd, Hiroko couldn't help but feel disappointed. The final four-wave had been a highly anticipated event, but now it seemed there would only be a single final match. The crowd grumbled and protested, but eventually they accepted that there would only be a final. Meanwhile, Jose and Miyako took seats next to Lionel, who had just watched the last top eight match. "How did you guys like that last match?" asked Jose as he plopped down next to Lionel. "It was pretty good," replied Lionel. "Why did you decide not to go straight to the finals? It seems like a missed opportunity," questioned Felix. "For me, it wasn't honorable to just get handed a spot in the finals without facing anyone beforehand," explained Jose. "In my opinion, that was a mistake," chimed in Kiyoshi. "Don't listen to him," interjected Lionel. "He couldn't even make it to your position if he tried." Kiyoshi shot an angry glare at Lionel before turning to look at Miyako, who sat next to him. He then sunk back into his seat, clearly flustered by Lionel's comment. "I sense someone likes someone else in this row," teased Kitaro. "What are you talking about?" denied Kiyoshi, trying to brush off the comment. "It's true, someone has a crush on someone in this row," joined in Yoko. "Okay, okay, let's bring out the finalists who have made it this far," announced Hiroko, trying to redirect the attention back to the match. "Just remember, Grandmaster Sensei will be watching from here, so no funny business in the stands," pointed out Hiroko sternly before gesturing towards the rest area. Cloven and Jared emerged from the rest area, both staring intensely at each other with a fierce rivalry brewing between them. "Who would have thought that these two would be the only fighters left from our school?" remarked Hiroko sarcastically. "I hope you're ready to lose," taunted Cloven. "Not exactly at the top of my agenda," replied Jared calmly. "Well, you better make some room for it then," retorted Cloven as he bowed his head in mock respect. "Bold words for someone about to get crushed by me," countered Jared as he too bowed towards Cloven. The tension was thick as they both got into position, their muscles tense and ready for action. Without hesitation, they launched themselves at each other with a flurry of punches and kicks. "You are quite skilled compared to the other weaklings I had to go through," complemented Cloven amidst their fight. "Not too bad yourself," replied Jared between breaths. Jared went for a backhand chop, but Cloven swiftly ducked under it and delivered a powerful kick to Jared's armpit. Jared stumbled back, holding onto his arm in pain. "Damn it, he's quick," cursed Jared. "That's right, look for his weak points like his sides and legs," advised Erik from the sidelines. Taking Erik's advice, Jared aimed a kick at Cloven's legs. In an awkward position mid-air, Cloven couldn't defend against Jared's thunder screech punch aimed at the center of his body. The force of the hit sent Cloven crashing to the ground, causing an uproar from the spectators. "What a hit from Jared!" exclaimed Hiroko in amazement. Lionel's fists trembled with anger as he watched Jared easily defeat Cloven once again. "Maybe you're just not fast enough," Kiyoshi taunted from his seat, but Lionel silenced him with a sharp glare. As Cloven stood back up, he brushed off the lucky shot to his legs from before. But Jared was relentless, going for Cloven's legs once more and this time being met with a powerful counterattack. With a deafening explosion and the ground shaking beneath them, Hiroko and the others could only watch in awe as Jared's body was battered and bruised from Cloven's ferocious blows. But Jared wouldn't give up that easily. With determination burning in his eyes, he threw himself at Cloven in different forms, catching him off guard and unleashing a series of electrifying moves. Cloven fought back fiercely, revealing his true form as an alien-human hybrid named Zyjipsue. The two fighters clashed with devastating power, their ultimate moves creating a chaotic storm of thunder and fire. The crowd roared in excitement as they witnessed the intense battle between Erik, the Thunder Wyvern, and Zyjipsue, the Inferno Prometheus. As the dust settled and both fighters lay exhausted on the ground, it was Cloven who emerged victorious. But even in defeat, Jared recognized Cloven as the strongest fighter he had ever faced. And as Hiroko presented Cloven with the trophy, he declared himself the most powerful fighter on the island. But their rivalry was far from over. Both knew that one day they would face each other again on that same stage, fighting for the title of champion. For now, it was Lionel and Kiyoshi who continued their own petty fights, unaware of the intense battles that were taking place among their friends. In the end, it didn't matter who won or lost. What mattered was the thrill of the fight, the rush of adrenaline, and the unbreakable bond forged between these fierce competitors. And as they laughed and joked with each other, they knew that their journeys were far from over.

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