“The stadium erupted into a deafening roar as the announcer took to the stage. The intense energy of the crowd could be felt throughout the arena, their excitement palpable. "Let's give both opponents a round of applause," the announcer boomed over the cheers and whistles. Showing impressive sportsmanship, the audience clapped and cheered for both teams."And now, let's invite our next challengers to the arena!" announced Marius Yates, his strong Scottish accent adding an air of excitement to his words. Marius had striking yellow eyes that seemed to glint like pythons in the light. His curly orange hair was styled in wild spikes, reminiscent of licking flames. Standing at an average height with a muscular build, he exuded confidence and strength. His pale skin only served to highlight his vivid features. He wore a bright purple GI with a black belt emblazoned with a fierce python logo on the back. Marius' partner, Gavriel Kovach, stood tall and stoic beside him. His rounded blue eyes gazed out at the sea of people, almost resembling rare turquoise stones. His silky grey hair cascaded down his back in gentle waves, evoking images of a mysterious hood. Despite his slim frame, there was a quiet power about him that demanded respect. His light skin contrasted against prominent cheekbones and large feet. He wore a sleek black GI with a grey belt cinched around his waist. As they made their way to the center of the arena, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of sound. Hisses and hoots filled the air as they showed their support for Revolution Pythons. Excitement crackled in the air as they prepared to face their opponents in what promised to be an epic battle. The announcer's booming voice echoed through the stadium, introducing the next deadly duo in the tournament: The Skyhawks. Cheers and applause erupted as two girls flew out from below the fighting stage. One of them effortlessly performed a backflip, showcasing her agility and strength. "Are you ready?" asked Rose, her voice filled with determination. "Yeah!" replied Sawako with two thumbs up and a confident smile. Sawako, a Japanese girl with almond-shaped amber eyes, exuded power and grace. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, with two strands framing her face and falling over her eyes. Her stocky build only added to her imposing presence, highlighted by her tan skin and small ears. Her Gi color was a rich mahogany, adorned with a pristine snow-white belt. Beside her stood Rose Otani, a French girl with elegant features and a fierce gaze. Her silted rose-pink eyes were fixed on their opponents, ready for battle. Her thick brown hair fell in straight locks around her shoulders, styled in a sophisticated manner. Standing tall, she possessed an average build with long arms that contrasted with her non-muscular frame. Her distinctive bushy eyebrows added an air of intensity to her appearance. Her Gi was a striking teal color, complete with a cream belt and the image of a hawk emblazoned on the back. Together, Sawako and Rose made up the formidable team known as The Skyhawks - dangerous fighters who were not to be underestimated in the ring As Marius sneered at them with disdain, Rose's face flushed with anger. She couldn't believe he had the audacity to call them weak. Marvis, on the other hand, seemed to relish in their discomfort as he continued to hiss out his plan without any hesitation. Rose didn't know who to trust or what to do in this tense situation. Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts and emotions as she tried to figure out a way to stand up for herself and her friends without making things worse. "All right, fighters, please take your bow," the announcer's voice boomed through the arena. The two teams of fighters bowed respectfully to each other, their eyes locked in determination. "Begin," the announcer declared, and the fight was on.Gavriel charged at Sawako with a powerful punch, but she expertly blocked it with her forearm. Sawako swiftly dodged his following palm strikes, her movements fluid and graceful. She then attempted a sweep, but Gavriel's muscular legs proved too strong and her kick was ineffective. In return, Gavriel countered with a swift kick that sent Sawako flying back. "He is tough," Sawako gasped as she caught her breath. Meanwhile, Rose and Marius were locked in their own intense battle. Their fists and feet flew at each other in a blur of motion. "You've got some skill for a woman," Marius taunted Rose. "Oh really? Let me rearrange the 'woman' part for you," Rose retorted with a smirk. Before Marius could react, Rose's fist connected with his gut with surprising force. He doubled over and let out a pained sob before falling to his knees. " Aww! What a punch," Marius hissed through clenched teeth. Sawako rose back up to her feet and joined the offensive, determined to take down Gavriel. But he lifted himself into the air and delivered a ruthless double kick that sent her crashing to the ground once again. Meanwhile, Rose attempted another kick to Marius's head, but he quickly caught her foot and used her momentum against her by flipping her over and delivering a powerful soccer kick to her stomach. Rose went flying and landed in the stands amidst gasps from the crowd. "Remember, both feet must hit the ground out of bounds. It is not counted if only one foot touches outside the ring," reminded the announcer, as the match resumed. Rose jumped back onto the stage, ready to continue the fight. "Ready, Twilight?" Rose asked her spirit guardian. "Ready!" came the response in her head. Rose's energy began to surge and glow with a teal hue as she channeled her power. Her arms gradually transformed into wings and her face took on a hawk-like appearance, complete with sharp claws for feet. With a piercing screech and a gust of wind, Rose's transformation was complete. "Fascinating," remarked Jax, watching from the sidelines. "I've never seen a human and their spirit guardian merge like that before." "That is an incredible display of power," added Lionel, impressed by Rose's new form. On top of a nearby hill, a mysterious figure in a black cloak observed the match with keen interest. His eyes glowed silver with the symbol of Mitsukdorian, the family bloodline he belonged to. "This power is absorbing," he mused to himself. Meanwhile, Sawako regained consciousness on the ground and looked up to see Rose in her majestic hawk form. "Unbelievable!" she exclaimed in awe. "But your eyes should be on me," Gavriel interjected as he launched another attack at Sawako. She quickly wrapped her legs around his arms and spun him around like a top until they both stumbled to the edge of the fighting stage. In an impressive display of balance and strength, Sawako managed to kick Gavriel off the stage while falling as well. "Draw," declared the announcer, signaling the end of the intense battle between these skilled fighters. The rules were clear: if two fighters fell off the stage, they were both disqualified. And now, with only two combatants left on the platform, the fight would continue in a brutal one-on-one fashion. Marius hissed with determination as he powered up, a pulsating purple aura surrounding him. In a matter of minutes, he transformed into a monstrous hybrid of man and snake - his body now sporting a long tail and his head morphed into that of a deadly shovel-headed serpent. Rose charged towards him, but Marius effortlessly slid under her, tripping her up. Frustrated, she took to the air, but Marius quickly wrapped his scaled body around her wings and yanked her back down to the ground. "You cannot escape me," Marius sneered. But Rose refused to give in. "Oh yeah? Watch me," she retorted as she unleashed her special move: Violent Storm. A powerful gust of wind erupted from her wings, causing the crowd to cover their faces as debris flew everywhere. Marius was blown off the stage and sent flying into a nearby light pole, struggling to regain his footing. But he wasn't down for long. With a wicked grin, Marius countered with his own special move: Chaos Fang Strike. His fist glowed with an eerie purple energy, transforming into a vicious set of fangs as he aimed for Rose's gut. The punch connected with a sickening thud, causing Rose to shake with pain. As she stumbled forward, Marius slithered under her again and delivered a sharp kick to her back, sending her sliding across the ground. Determined not to be defeated so easily, Rose quickly got back up and wiped away the blood oozing from her wounds. "Lucky shot," she spat out between gritted teeth. But Twilight reminded her that she needed to aim for the head if she wanted to win. "I know," Rose replied, her voice filled with determination. But as she went in for another punch, her stamina gave out and she missed, leaving herself vulnerable to Marius' attack. He dodged her punch and retaliated with a powerful blow to her chin, sending her flying backward and out of bounds "Ring out!" the announcer declared. "The Revolution Pythons are the winners! "Marius strutted off the stage, laughing at his victory. In the backstage area, he taunted Lionel and Felix, calling them weak amateurs who would be easy to defeat. But Felix wasn't having it. "I bet if we fought right now, you'd see my strength," he growled. But Lionel intervened before things could escalate any further. "Calm down, Felix," he said, placing a hand on his teammate's shoulder. "There's no point in unleashing your energy now. Save it for when we're on the fighting platform." As Marius and his partner Gavriel walked away, still chuckling at their opponents' weakness, the tension between the two teams only grew stronger.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.