Felix made his way over to Jax and Kiyoshi. "Wishing you guys luck," he said with a small smile. "Thanks, we'll do our best," replied Jax gratefully. "Where's Lionel?" asked Kiyoshi curiously. "Probably searching through the locker room for something or getting ready for our next match," answered Felix. "Do you happen to know who we're going up against next?" inquired Jax. "Honestly, I have no clue," admitted Felix with a shrug. "Shouldn't you find out though?" pressed Jax. "Yeah, you're right. I'll go look for Lionel and get back to you guys," promised Felix before heading off. "Ready to make it to the semi-finals?" Kiyoshi asked confidently. "How can you be so sure? I heard the team we're facing next is tough," reminded Jax nervously. "Nah, they're just a bunch of edgy emo fighters," dismissed Kiyoshi without much thought. Suddenly, Tucker appeared behind them, overhearing their conversation. "Judging people based on their appearance now, are we?" mocked Tucker with a smirk. Kiyoshi felt uneasy hearing his opponent's voice from behind him. "I was planning on playing fair, but now that I know what kind of people we're up against, maybe we should play dirty too," suggested Tucker slyly. "Great job, Kiyoshi. We had a chance at winning and now that's blown because of your big mouth," scolded Jax sarcastically. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize he was listening in on us," apologized Kiyoshi sheepishly. Just then, Evelyn walked into the room. "Looks like these boys want a challenge against us," reported Tucker to her cheekily. "Oh, do they now?" responded Evelyn with a smirk. "Well, if that's what they want, we'll give them a fight they won't forget," declared Tucker. "We'll see you at the fighting stage," added Evelyn confidently as she and Tucker left the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lucas approached them with an offer. "Are you two willing to do us a favor? There's gold involved," he enticed. "Go on," urged Evelyn. "I need you guys to take out your next opponents. Literally. Kill, I like that word," said Tucker with a wicked grin. "And how much are you willing to pay us?" questioned Tucker greedily. "Fifty for both of them," offered Lucas. "Deal!" accepted Evelyn and Tucker eagerly before walking off towards the stage. Jax shook his head in disbelief while Kiyoshi tried to calm him down. "Don't worry, as long as we have a plan, we can survive this," reassured Kiyoshi calmly. "Easier said than done!" exclaimed Jax anxiously. The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, snapping the fighters out of their pre-match thoughts. "Alright, fighters, let's see who will go to the semifinals on the other side of the bracket!" The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as they awaited the first match of the day. "Give it up for the young team of Tiger Wings!" The sound of clapping hands filled the air as a group of determined-looking teenagers stepped forward onto the stage. Kiyoshi, one of the members, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and excitement at their growing reputation after their debut match. His teammate Jax, however, had a different perspective. "Don't get ahead of yourself, man; that was just the first match," he cautioned Kiyoshi. But Kiyoshi couldn't contain his excitement. "Are you kidding me? We're becoming popular?" he exclaimed. Jax shot him a disapproving look. "You sound pathetic right now, Kiyoshi," he said with a tone of disappointment. "You only fight for popularity and selfish reasons; I am fighting for my dear family who gave up their lives to protect me and my six siblings." There was a somber weight to Jax's words that silenced both Kiyoshi and the cheering crowd. "Fighting is the only way I can keep myself happy with my life," Jax added, his voice trailing off with sadness. Feeling guilty for his earlier enthusiasm, Kiyoshi apologized to his friend. "I'm sorry, Jax. I didn't mean those words as an attack," he said sincerely. But Jax wasn't ready to let it go yet. "Just stay out of my way during the match, or I will take you out along with our opponent," he warned Kiyoshi before turning away from him. As team Excalibur entered the stage, there was an awkward silence from the crowd. The team's leader, Evelyn, couldn't help but remark it. "Why aren't you guys clapping for us?" she asked with a hint of bitterness. "This worthless school," she muttered, clearly not satisfied with their less-than-enthusiastic reception. Tucker, another member of the team, seemed to share her sentiment. "Tell me about it," he grumbled. The announcer's voice broke through the tense atmosphere as he called for both teams to bow in respect to each other before starting the match. Kiyoshi and his teammates followed suit, trying to calm their nerves and focus on the task at hand. But before they could even get into their stances, Tucker launched a surprise attack on Kiyoshi, punching him square in the face and sending him crashing to the floor. Stunned and disoriented, Kiyoshi stumbled and rolled as Tucker continued his assault by kicking him in the ribs. "Get up!" Tucker yelled as he aggressively picked Kiyoshi up and threw him again. With each blow, Kiyoshi felt more pain coursing through his body and blood filling his mouth. "Kiyoshi will be ok," Tethyus, reassured Jax as they stared at Evelyn But things were about to get even worse for Kiyoshi as Tucker began to power up, surrounded by a purple aura that signaled his transformation into half human and half Cetus - a creature of immense strength and ferocity. His black skin glistened under the lights of the arena as his feet and hands morphed into fins with purple claws. A tail sprouted from his back, and his face contorted into an at-rex shape with fur down his spine. "Oh no," Kiyoshi mumbled weakly as he struggled to regain his bearings. Meanwhile, Evelyn had her sights set on Jax. "I heard that your eyes are special, just like a person I know," she said with an eerie calmness. Jax was taken aback by her words. "Where did you get that information?" he asked, his confusion evident. "I have a friend in this tournament who told me," Evelyn replied casually. Jax couldn't understand how anyone could know such a personal detail about him when he didn't even know anyone in the tournament well enough to share it. "This tournament is fishy," he muttered to Tethyus, who nodded in agreement. But their conversation was cut short as Tucker's voice boomed across the arena, breaking their focus. "Will you guys fight already?" he yelled impatiently. Evelyn's frustration grew at his interruption. "Stay out of my business and focus on your own opponent," she snapped back. Tucker's anger flared, and he turned his attention back to Kiyoshi, unleashing his rage on him with brutal punches that felt like being hit by a train. Meanwhile, Jax had assumed his Hippogriff stance, preparing for Evelyn's next move. She charged at him with two quick punches aimed at his stomach, but he expertly blocked them with swift counter attacks. The two engaged in a fierce exchange of blows as the crowd watched in awe and terror. The match had only just begun, and already both teams were giving it their all in a battle for survival and glory. With a swift move, Evelyn lifted Jax off the ground and propelled him into the air with her legs. She called out her attack, "Shade Piercer!" as she flew straight through Jax's body. "That was too easy," she declared after successfully passing through him. As she landed back on the stage, her black aura intensified, taking on an obsidian hue. Her wings and horns also transformed, growing in size and turning black with purple accents. Meanwhile, Kiyoshi was taking a barrage of punches from Tucker. His face was battered and bloody from the onslaught. "This guy is no match for me," boasted Tucker. "How did he even make it to this tournament? Something must be wrong with the selection process." Tucker aimed a kick at Kiyoshi's head, but Kiyoshi countered with his own kick. "Are you done talking now?" laughed Kiyoshi. Tucker became enraged by his taunting words. "What did you say, you little brat?" he growled. "Maybe your ears are blocked by your own fury and you can't hear what I'm saying," Kiyoshi retorted. This only made Tucker angrier. "That's it, I'll finish you right now," he declared. He launched a tail attack, but Kiyoshi dodged and retaliated with a flip in midair followed by a hurricane kick that Tucker barely avoided. Meanwhile, a voice in Tucker's head urged him to stop playing with his opponent and just finish him off. It was Eiyuro, Tucker's spirit guardian who appeared in the form of a Water Cetus, much like Tethyus - Jax's spirit guardian. With renewed determination, Tucker captured Kiyoshi with his tail and dragged him towards the edge of the stage, boasting that this was where he would win and Kiyoshi would lose. In desperation, Kiyoshi thought about his friend Jax, who was always angry with him, and how he couldn't let him down. Suddenly, something took over Kiyoshi's body, just like in the earlier stages of the tournament. His eyes glowed purple and a tiger-like aura surrounded him. Tucker was taken aback by this new development. Kiyoshi broke free from Tucker's tail hold and launched an attack so powerful that it sent Tucker flying into the air. "Oh no, not again. We have to stop Kiyoshi before he hurts anyone else," Jax exclaimed as chaos erupted in the crowd. Evelyn attempted to calm Kiyoshi down, but in his uncontrollable state, he shot out a blast of purple energy that knocked her off the stage and rendered her unconscious. "Evelyn is out of the match," announced the referee as panic set in and officials rushed to intervene.“We have to keep going, we need more data from Kiyoshi,” insisted Lucas. The announcer nodded in agreement. Jax stepped forward, trying to calm down the berserk Kiyoshi. But Kiyoshi's roars grew louder and he suddenly lunged at Jax, punching him with such force that he flew across the platform. "I don't like our chances," muttered Tucker as he blocked a punch from Kiyoshi. He countered with his own attack, but Kiyoshi was already forming something purplish in his hands. "That's new," said Jax as he struggled to stand up. "We have to work together if we want to stop your crazy friend here," declared Tucker. "Fine, anything to stop him," agreed Jax. But Berserk Kiyoshi roared even louder and charged towards them at full speed. With a powerful strike, he punched them both in the stomach, causing them to bump heads and be flung across the stage. Jax took most of the damage from the brutal combo while Tucker managed to maintain his balance, barely taking any damage. "We can't take this lightly in Berserk mode," warned Tucker. Kiyoshi turned his attention back to Jax and charged once again. Jax rolled out of the way as Kiyoshi tried for a two-palm strike, but then Jax went for a sweep of the leg. Unfortunately, Kiyoshi jumped in the air and delivered a dropkick at an acute angle, planting Jax into the arena floor and creating a huge hole. Tucker didn't move an inch after witnessing the dramatic move on Jax. "Now it's just me against him," growled Tucker as his spikes grew longer and he charged towards Berserk Kiyoshi. He attempted to scratch him with his claws, but they had no effect. In return, Kiyoshi swung his fists, but Tucker managed to dodge them all. Their fists collided with such force that a powerful gust of wind encircled them. The crowd could feel the intense power emanating from the two fighters. Kiyoshi's hands transformed into purple tiger paws with sharp claws, while Tucker's hands also grew claws and glowed blue. "Special Move: Shadow Shredder!" roared Kiyoshi as he rushed towards Tucker. Tucker countered with his own special move: "Claws of the Water Spikes!" Their attacks clashed, creating a massive explosion that shook the arena. When the smoke cleared, both fighters were on their knees, exhausted. Tucker fell over, his GI marked with deep scratches. He reverted back to his normal form and struggled to stand up, holding onto his wounds. "He's powerful for a crazy person," admitted Tucker. Jax regained consciousness and slowly got up, his Mitsukodorian eye starting to flicker. "Kiyoshi, please stop this madness. You have the strength to overcome whoever is controlling you," pleaded Jax. But Berserk Kiyoshi turned towards Jax with a menacing growl. "It's too late for your friend," he snarled. Jax's eyes flickered again as he summoned the power of his eye. With ease, he dodged Kiyoshi's attack and asked Tethyus for advice "Does he have a weak spot?" asked Jax. "I don't think so. You must aim for his head and hope for the best," responded Tethyus. Jax nodded gratefully before jumping towards Berserk Kiyoshi. But in midair, his eye suddenly started hurting and he was caught off guard by Kiyoshi's uppercut. He crashed back down to the ground and Tucker rushed over to help him up with a sinister grin on his face. A loud roar of laughter echoed through the arena as Tucker exclaimed, "AHAHAHHAHAHA! Looks like it's just me and this thing now." Jax fell out of the ring with a defeated sigh. "Ring out by Jax Mitsuko," announced the announcer. "F*ck!" cursed Jax as he pounded the ground in frustration. "It's just me against him." “Looks like you're running low on energy to keep fighting,” said Berserk Kiyoshi. “But I'm not done yet; I'll make sure you pay for what you did to me,” responded Tucker. “You're just a failed Spirit Guardian transformation,” retorted Kiyoshi. “Well, I am standing right here in front of you,” replied Berserk Kiyoshi. Tucker charged at Berserk Kiyoshi with a flying kick, but Kiyoshi grabbed his leg and lifted him up to his face. “What exactly am I supposed to be paying for?” questioned Kiyoshi. “This is my last bit of energy, but I have to do this,” declared Tucker. With the last bit of strength he had left, Tucker called out "Waterfall ransom." A massive waterfall erupted from his hands and crashed into Berserk Kiyoshi's face with full force. Kiyoshi's face was burned by the blast and he threw Tucker out of the ring. "I'm sorry, Evelyn," apologized Tucker. He hit the ground hard on the grassy area outside the ring. Meanwhile, Berserk Kiyoshi also fell out of the ring, reverting back to his original form but remaining unconscious. Evelyn rushed over to check on Tucker. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I'll be fine," reassured Tucker. "You cost us the prize money," scolded Evelyn as she turned away from him. "I'll never forgive you for this. I could have been a wealthy woman." Tucker closed his eyes and muttered, "Those guys are good for first years." The medics from the tournament arrived and carried both Tucker and Kiyoshi out on stretchers. "After an intense battle, it seems that Tiger Wings will advance to the semi-finals," announced the commentator. "We'll take a short break before continuing with the competition." Meanwhile, Lucas remarked to his teammate, "It looks like Excalibur couldn't complete the task." "Why can't anyone defeat those two rookie teams? They're not even that powerful," complained Lucas. "Well, I guess they must be good if they made it to the semi-finals. But I guarantee that Howling Flash won't stand a chance against us." "I'll personally beat Lionel for hitting me with that door," declared Vincent. "No, Lionel is mine. I'll make him regret ever spying on us," said Lucas with a sinister grin. "What about Kiyoshi?" asked Felix to Lionel. "Why should I care?" responded Lionel callously. "Seriously?" questioned Felix. "What do you want me to say? He's not my teammate and he's weak," replied Lionel. "Anyway, we have an important match coming up after this one." Felix shook his head in disappointment. "Why are you suddenly acting like such a jerk again?" "Because I can sense a dark path ahead of him, and I can already see his future. He's just going to be a mediocre fighter getting in the way of those who have a real purpose on this island," explained Lionel. "And what is your purpose on this island?" inquired Felix. "To become the strongest fighter, like everyone else," boasted Lionel. Felix rolled his eyes in disbelief.

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