(Previous chapter – Gauge, along with Var, Hawk Wings, Shield Maiden, the Man with No Name, and Steel Serpent, qualified for the Rafter Tournaments.)
The prelims were finally over. Gauge was in the dressing chamber, strapping on his new gear—a lightweight armor etched with flowing neon-blue digital designs. The chestplate shimmered with the bold emblem of Riftcore, the official sponsor of the tournament.
The announcer's voice boomed:"The main event is about to begin! As announced earlier, it will consist of three rounds of 1v1 battles. The matchups are ready. Fighters, once your names appear, report immediately to your designated arena!"
A holographic board flickered into the air:
Arena 1: The Flame Prodigy vs Shield Maiden
Arena 2: Aero Piercer vs The Man with No Name
Arena 3: Golden Champion vs Hawk Wings
Arena 4: Bloody Fangs vs Steel Serpent
Xerxes sat calmly at the sidelines. Someone nearby groaned drunkenly"Huuuuh… They always rig it like this. The 'champions' never face each other until the finals. At the end, they just decide winners and runners as they please. Too long since I've seen a real fight in the finals…"
Xerxes glanced at the man but said nothing. Still, the complaint left a sour taste in his mind.
Arena 1: The Flame Prodigy vs Shield Maiden
(On Stage 1, two new faces! The Flame Prodigy—who advanced despite the highest number of defeats in the prelims—versus the Shield Maiden, who crushed her opponents with devastating forcefields!)
Gauge stepped onto the stage. Waiting for him was the Shield Maiden.
"I was waiting for you," she declared firmly.
"I came here for you. I am Ceraphilla of Aegis, planet of guardians—and I shall bring you down, Mordan Gauge."
With a sweep of her arm, she unleashed a crushing wave of forcefield.
(WOAH—THE SHIELD MAIDEN DECIDES TO GO ALL OUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!)
The blast smashed Gauge against the wall, rubble exploding into the air. But as the dust cleared—
(UNBELIEVABLE! THE FLAME PRODIGY IS PUSHING BACK! HE WON'T GO DOWN THAT EASY!)
Ceraphilla snaps, summoning shimmering shields on both sides of him. But Gauge dropped his resistance increasing momentum. Pushing him into the wall with just enough force to tip her off—sending her stumbling as the shields clashed into each other, sparking a violent backlash.
(BRILLIANT COUNTER! THE PRODIGY STRIKES WITH WITS, NOT JUST STRENGTH!)
Gauge broke through her forcefield, landing lightly on the stage. He looked her dead in the eyes.
"How do you know me? Why do you want me dead?"
Her response was a massive shield conjured above him, crashing down at terrifying speed.
(THAT'S HOW WE ROLL HERE, FOLKS—NO TALKING, NO MERCY!)
Gauge blocked, but she was already in front of him, her arms glowing with runes.
"Guardian Gauntlet!" she cried, slamming her fist toward his chest.
Arena 2: Aero Piercer vs The Man with No Name
(On Stage 2, the most anticipated match! Aero Piercer—the undefeated champion who has never taken damage in the history of the tournament—versus the mysterious Man with No Name!)
The crowd roared as Aero Piercer squared off against a warrior clad in shining samurai armor, katana gleaming. The man stood motionless, radiating calm.
Aero launched himself forward—
(HERE IT IS, FOLKS! THE CLASH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN—!)
"Woah, woah—hold it!" the man shouted suddenly. Aero froze mid-attack.
"What do you mean, hold it?" Aero snapped.
The man removed his helmet, revealing a rugged human in his 40s, with long black hair and a short beard.
"I don't know how to fight."
The audience could not hear their exchange
"…What?" Aero asked, dumbfounded.
The man scratched his head.
"My father-in-law said I could only marry his daughter if I won this tournament. But I'm just a cook…"
Aero nearly lost his temper.
"Then how the hell did you get past the prelims?!"
The man shrugged.
"I bought this armor at the bazaar. The sword came free. I just stood still. No one dared attack me. They kept saying things like, 'That man! He's so calm amidst chaos. He must be powerful!'"
Aero leaned in, his voice venomous:
"Leave this arena in the next five seconds, or I'll personally bury you."
The man gulped but straightened.
"You are not worthy to face me. I shall take my leave." He walked off, head held high.
Someone in the crowd gasped:
"He just dismissed Aero Piercer… That man truly is a beast!"
(AND THAT'S IT! AERO PIERCE ADVANCES TO THE SEMIFINALS!)
Back to Arena 1
Ceraphilla unleashed a flurry of shield-coated punches, but Gauge dodged them with ease.
(SEEMS THE FLAME PRODIGY IS ON THE DEFENSIVE—WAS HIS PRELIM PERFORMANCE JUST A FLUKE?)
Gauge sighed.
"Lady, I don't want to fight you. I just need answers…"
But she summoned two towering shields on either side, trying to crush him.
(HE'S BEING SQUEEZED ALIVE! HOPE HE ISN'T CLAUSTROPHOBIC!)
With a roar, Gauge split them apart. His fists ignited—Molten Fist! Cracks spread across her barrier until it shattered like glass.
(BRILLIANT SHOW OF STRENGTH! THE PRODIGY IS READY TO END THIS!)
He blitzed forward, magma fists hammering her shields to pieces.
(WOWWW! THE REAL PRODIGY IS OUT FOR BLOOD! SHIELD MAIDEN IS BEING OVERWHELMED!)
Ceraphilla faltered. She left an opening. Gauge hesitated, then powered down his arm. A clean, ordinary punch sent her sprawling unconscious.
(AND THAT'S IT! SHIELD MAIDEN IS DOWN! WINNER OF ARENA 1—THE FLAME PRODIGY!)
Arena 3: Bloody Fangs vs Steel Serpent
Var, the Bloody Fangs, smashed Steel Serpent mercilessly with his Scarlet hammer.
The lizard barely croaked
"Hey! My name is Steel Ser—" before being launched into the walls.
He charged back in desperation, only to be smashed into the ground. He was successively pummeled by Var. Suddenly he swinged his steel tail that decapitated Var. The audience screamed—
(UNBELIEVABLE! BLOODY FANGS IS DEAD—?)
But Var's head regenerated instantly. He grinned. "It'll take more than that to kill me."
Moments later, Steel Serpent was knocked out cold.
(NO TWISTS HERE—A ONE-SIDED SLAUGHTER! VICTORY TO BLOODY FANGS!)
Var dispelled his hammer, exchanging a smirk with Gauge across the arena.
Arena 4: Golden Champion vs Hawk Wings
Hawk Wings lay bloodied, his wings torn from his body.
(A RUTHLESS VICTORY! THE GOLDEN CHAMPION REMAINS UNDEFEATED—HE IS YET TO BE DEFEATED BY SOMEONE BESIDES HIS BROTHER, AERO PIERCE!)
Conclusion of Round 1
ROUND 1 IS OVER. THE MATCH UP FOR THE SEMIFINALS WILL BE DISPLAYED SHORTLY. FIGHTERS AND REQUESTED TO ARRANGE THEMSELVES ACCORDINGLY.
The four arenas shifted, merging into one massive battlefield for the semifinals. A holographic board lit up:
Semifinals:
The Flame Prodigy vs Aero Piercer
Bloody Fangs vs Golden Champion
Next Chapter – Blazing Starfall