As Sho sat in the waiting room, still recovering from his battle, Kuki stretched his arms and grinned. "Come on, Sho, Kyoko. My match is about to start. You don't wanna miss it, do you?"
Sho shook his head with a smirk. "Of course not. Let's go."
Kyoko, still deep in thought about Mon's overwhelming power, snapped out of it and followed them outside. As they stepped into the open arena, the deafening cheers of the crowd filled the air. The Colosseum was buzzing with excitement.
Jun stepped forward and raised his hand. "The next match is between Kuki Kazan of the Volcano Clan and Hima Yukihana of the Snow Blossom Clan!"
The two fighters stepped into the field, facing each other. Kuki stood tall, his sharp golden eyes locked onto his opponent. He had an easygoing smirk, but beneath that, Sho knew he took every fight seriously. Hima, on the other hand, was calm and composed, her pale blue eyes showing no emotion. Snowflake-like patterns glowed faintly on her arms, a clear sign of her mastery over ice.
The audience leaned forward, eager to see how this battle would unfold.
Jun raised his hand. "Begin!"
The moment those words were spoken, Kuki wasted no time. He launched a large fireball straight at Hima, its flames roaring through the air.
But in an instant, Hima flicked her wrist, and a wave of frost surged forward. The fireball barely had time to reach her before it was completely vaporized into steam. The crowd gasped at how effortlessly she neutralized his attack.
Sho crossed his arms. "She's fast."
Kyoko nodded. "And precise."
But then, a loud cracking sound came from above.
Hima's eyes widened as she looked up—a massive rock was falling straight toward her.
The fireball had been a decoy.
The crowd roared in excitement as they realized what had happened.
Kuki grinned. "Did you think I'd just throw fireballs at you?"
Hima didn't panic. She swiftly raised both hands, and a surge of ice shot toward the falling boulder, encasing it in thick frost. The giant rock began to slow down, layers of ice forming over it as she desperately tried to stop it.
But just as she was about to freeze it completely, Kuki was already in front of her.
Sho barely had time to react before Kuki's fist, wreathed in flames, slammed into Hima's stomach.
A shockwave burst through the arena as the impact sent Hima flying backward. Her frozen boulder shattered behind her as she tumbled across the ground and rolled out of the battlefield's boundary.
The crowd went silent for a moment.
Then—cheers erupted like never before.
Jun raised his hand. "Kuki Kazan wins!"
Sho and Kyoko were stunned.
Kyoko whispered, "That was… fast."
Sho let out a low whistle. "Yeah. I expected a longer fight."
The audience was still in an uproar, chanting Kuki's name. "That was the fastest match yet!" some shouted.
Kuki, still smirking, offered a hand to Hima. She looked up at him, surprised for a moment, before taking it.
"You knew I would focus on the fire, didn't you?" Hima muttered as she stood.
Kuki chuckled. "Of course. Fire against ice? Everyone expects it to be a battle of elements. But I prefer to fight with more than just flames."
Hima nodded. "Next time… I won't fall for it."
Kuki grinned. "I'd expect nothing less."
Sho shook his head as Kuki walked back toward them. "That was brutal, Kuki."
Kuki adjusted his glasses. "Hey, a win is a win."
Kyoko crossed her arms. "I have to admit, that strategy was pretty smart."
Kuki smirked. "Of course. What do you take me for?"
Sho chuckled. "You're still the same as always."
As the next match preparations began, Sho couldn't help but wonder—how far would Kuki go in this tournament?
And more importantly, how much stronger would they all become?