Chapter 6: The Clash of Strength and Clones
The arena was packed to the brim with excited students and spectators, all buzzing with anticipation. The tournament had already proven that no one here was ordinary — powers and skills clashed in spectacular ways, and every fight pushed the fighters beyond their limits.
Now it was time for the next match: Akia Yorozu versus Ryume Tsume.
Akia's pink hair shimmered under the arena lights as she stepped forward, her orange eyes glowing faintly. Her expression was determined but calm. The crowd had seen her powers in action before — her ability to create multiple clones that moved with perfect coordination was impressive, but so far, no one had been able to completely match her.
Opposite her stood Ryume, tall and imposing, his green eyes gleaming with a quiet but undeniable power. Unlike Akia, Ryume's abilities focused on physical enhancements — immense strength, speed, and durability — making him a powerhouse on the battlefield. His presence alone sent a chill through the audience.
The referee raised his hand. "Fight!"
In an instant, Akia's eyes flashed orange and suddenly dozens of her clones burst from her body, spreading out like a blooming flower. Each clone was an exact copy, mimicking her movements with eerie precision. The arena seemed to multiply with Akias — some darted left, others right, a few disappeared and reappeared behind Ryume.
Akia's voice cut through the noise, sharp and confident. "Keep him off balance! Attack from every angle!"
The clones obeyed flawlessly, launching a barrage of rapid punches and kicks. Their strikes came from all directions, a swirling storm of limbs designed to overwhelm.
Ryume tensed but did not flinch. His green eyes glowed brighter, his muscles flexing beneath his shirt as his power surged through him. His body moved with a fluid grace belying his size.
With a fierce roar, Ryume lunged forward, breaking through the first wave of clones. He grabbed one mid-punch and squeezed, the clone vanishing into thin smoke.
Akia's real body moved with lightning speed, darting forward to strike from above, but Ryume caught her wrist and slammed her backward with a powerful shove.
The crowd gasped. Akia's eyes widened, but she quickly regained composure.
"You're fast," she admitted, wiping blood from her lip, "but can you keep up?"
Her eyes flared orange again, and more clones materialized, this time forming a thick, swirling wall around Ryume.
"Let's see how strong you are now," Akia whispered.
Ryume's green eyes narrowed. With a deep breath, he surged his power, muscles bulging. He charged the clone wall like a raging bull.
The clones tried to hold him back, but Ryume's enhanced strength shattered them one after another. The air was filled with the sound of crashing limbs and disintegrating clones.
A few of Akia's clones tackled Ryume from behind, grabbing at his arms and legs. But Ryume's body twisted, breaking free with a powerful spin that sent clones flying like ragdolls.
Akia gritted her teeth. This was going to be tougher than she thought.
The real Akia crouched low, then sprang forward, launching a precise kick at Ryume's knee. He stumbled but caught her foot, his grip like iron.
"You won't beat me just with speed," Ryume said, his voice low and confident.
He slammed Akia to the ground and raised his fist, but Akia's clone burst in front, taking the blow and vanishing in smoke.
Using the distraction, the real Akia rolled away and summoned a giant clone — twice her size and twice as powerful in appearance. The massive clone towered over Ryume, its eyes burning orange as it raised a colossal fist.
Ryume stepped back, assessing the new threat. His green eyes glowed with renewed intensity, and he felt his body becoming a living weapon.
With a roar, Ryume charged, dodging the giant clone's swinging fist by mere inches. He leapt high and landed a devastating punch into the clone's side, the impact echoing through the arena. The clone staggered but kept its footing.
The crowd was on their feet, roaring in excitement.
Akia's eyes burned with determination as she focused all her energy on supporting the giant clone.
"Finish it!" she shouted, summoning dozens of smaller clones to distract Ryume.
Ryume fought off the smaller clones with brutal efficiency, tearing through them one by one. His green eye power heightened his senses, allowing him to anticipate each attack before it came.
Finally, with a powerful leap, Ryume grabbed the giant clone's arm and swung it into the ground with earth-shattering force.
The clone shattered into smoke and vanished.
Akia was breathing heavily now, sweat dripping down her face. "You're incredible…" she said, pushing herself up.
But Ryume was relentless.
He advanced, muscles rippling as his green eyes blazed brighter.
With a speed that surprised everyone, he closed the distance, landing a series of punches and kicks that left Akia staggering.
Her clones were thinning; her energy was nearly drained.
Seeing an opening, Ryume unleashed a final attack — a massive uppercut charged with his green eye power. The punch connected perfectly, sending Akia flying backward and crashing hard against the arena wall.
She hit the ground, struggling to move.
The referee stepped forward, raising his hand. "Akia Yorozu is unable to continue! Winner: Ryume Tsume!"
The crowd erupted with mixed reactions — some cheered Ryume's victory, others applauded Akia's fierce fight.
Ryume extended his hand to Akia, helping her up. She smiled weakly, nodding in respect.
As Ryume left the arena, his green eyes flickered with a dark intensity.
The tournament was far from over, and Ryume was only getting stronger.