A week had passed.
Everyone continued their training and got beaten badly by Azfiq, especially Adam, who had to undergo extra training to strengthen his attacks. However, one week alone was not enough to make a significant improvement in their skills. Reality wasn't like a cartoon—where characters could power up instantly.
But at the very least, the training helped them gain more knowledge and expand their existing techniques. In the end, it all came down to their own efforts.
Zufar had just been discharged from the hospital. He wasn't able to train with the others, which put him at a disadvantage. Anis and Adam frequently visited him, keeping him updated on their training sessions. They shared details of the workouts and techniques they practiced, ensuring that Zufar wouldn't fall too far behind.
Even so, tomorrow's outcome remained uncertain. Zafrul wasn't expecting them to win—his focus was on seeing their progress. For him, the real question wasn't about victory, but whether they were truly ready to go professional.
---
The day of the match had arrived.
The arena was beautifully decorated, creating an impressive and grand atmosphere. Fighters and spectators from the southern team had also arrived, filling up the designated seating areas.
A variety of food was prepared for everyone to enjoy before the matches began. A special room was set up for the fighters to rest and prepare before their battles.
Before the competition started, both teams gathered for an introduction session. Team Bima Sakti as the host, and Team Dewata as their challengers.
---
List of Teams Participating in the Match:
Team Dewata:
1. Ren – 19 years old, male, team captain.
Long red hair tied in a ponytail, black eyes, 174cm tall.
2. Cindy – 16 years old, female, Senior 1.
Long wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, 155cm tall.
3. Xinn – 16 years old, male, Senior 2.
Spiky black hair, green eyes, 166cm tall.
4. Zhao – 15 years old, male, Junior 1.
Wolfcut black hair, red eyes, 157cm tall.
5. Ash – 15 years old, male, Junior 2.
Long blonde hair, black eyes, 165cm tall.
6. Syukri – 15 years old, male, Junior 3.
Short black hair, brown eyes, 160cm tall.
---
Team Bima Sakti:
1. Azfiq – 19 years old, male, team captain.
Spiky green hair, silver eyes, 170cm tall.
2. Lee – 19 years old, male, Senior 1.
Long straight black hair, black eyes, 170cm tall.
3. Khai – 18 years old, male, Senior 2.
Short brown hair, black eyes, 163cm tall.
4. Anis – 16 years old, female, Junior 1.
Long red hair, blue eyes, 155cm tall.
5. Zufar – 16 years old, male, Junior 2.
Short black hair, brown eyes, 168cm tall.
6. Adam – 16 years old, male, Junior 3.
Shoulder-length black hair, brown eyes, 165cm tall.
---
They introduced themselves to one another while warming up in the designated area.
Suddenly, a powerful aura filled the room, as if two forces were colliding in an unseen battle. The intense pressure came from Azfiq and Ren.
"Yo Ren, are you ready to get beaten up?" Azfiq smirked, attempting to provoke Ren.
"I see a big crowd outside. Hope you brought a medical team with you—you're gonna need them. Wouldn't want you passing out before the fight even starts."
Ren responded with a sharp glare, completely unfazed.
"I did bring professional paramedics—but not for me. They're for you. I don't think the hospitals here are equipped to save your life. I wouldn't want to miss the look of disappointment on your face after getting destroyed."
Azfiq let out a sinister grin.
"Appreciate the concern, Ren, but wasn't it your team that lost three years ago?"
Ren clenched his fist, irritation flickering in his eyes.
"That was an unplanned fight. You launched a surprise attack. This time, you won't be able to cheat your way through."
Azfiq noticed his provocation had worked.
He smirked and continued, "I don't need tricks to handle weaklings. Funny how losers always have excuses. That's why you've never won—you keep looking up at the sky, never noticing the punches coming from below."
With that final remark, Azfiq walked away toward the preparation room, leaving Ren seething with anger.
Meanwhile, the others stood frozen, stunned by the intense encounter. For many of them, it was the first time witnessing two powerful auras clashing like that. Ren remained silent and simply walked away, keeping his emotions in check.
Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Cindy stepped in to lighten the mood. Cindy was naturally cheerful and energetic. Besides being a martial artist, she was also a well-known young model.
Many magazine companies and beauty brands offered her high-paying deals to feature in their advertisements and editorials. Despite her modeling career, she had been a professional featherweight fighter for four years, with a record of 14 wins and 7 losses.
They chatted casually, sharing experiences and discussing interesting places to visit in Ellamina. Meanwhile, Xinn, who didn't enjoy socializing, quietly left the conversation and walked away. Zufar, on the other hand, had been silent since the moment he arrived.
Perhaps he felt like a burden—knowing he had fallen behind in training due to his own choices. He was aware that Azfiq wouldn't go easy on him, but back then, his pride was too strong to admit defeat.
"Hey Zufar, lighten up a little." Adam greeted him, noticing how quiet he had been.
"I know you're frustrated, but you're not weak. I know you were still training while in the hospital. So come on, show some energy!" Adam added, patting Zufar's back in encouragement.
"I'm fine… I just worry that I won't be able to contribute much." Zufar replied.
"Honestly, I think you almost had Azfiq. But his ego just won't let him fall yet." Khai said, trying to lift Zufar's spirits.
"That's right! Even those of us who trained with him wouldn't dare challenge him." Lee chimed in.
"Besides, this is our first match. Even if we lose, it's fine. As long as we put up a great fight!" Lee added, grinning confidently.
Zufar felt some relief, knowing that no one blamed him.
While they waited, the official match lineup was announced. Each fight would last 5 rounds, with a 5-minute time limit per round. Only the final match between Azfiq and Ren would have 8 rounds, with a 3-minute time limit per round.
Match Order:
First Round – Khai vs. Xinn
Second Round – Lee vs. Zhao
Third Round – Adam vs. Syukri
Fourth Round – Anis vs. Cindy
Fifth Round – Zufar vs. Ash
Main/Final Match – Azfiq vs. Ren
---
The first match is about to begin. Khai seems a little nervous as the atmosphere feels like a professional match, even though it's a closed event. Xinn, on the other hand, appears calm while wrapping his hands in preparation. His true strength remains a mystery—even among the other seniors.
Cindy had previously mentioned that Xinn declined offers to join professional tournaments despite having spent five years at the martial arts center. Even the other members rarely see Xinn sparring with others. Some have speculated that Xinn might be almost as strong as Ren. That's why many had requested for Xinn to join this tournament—to finally witness his true power.
The other participants were in a special room prepared for them to watch the first match. Adam and Lee were full of spirit, cheering Khai on, hoping he would put up a strong fight against Xinn. Azfiq also joined the others to watch Khai's match. The challenger team was given a separate, comfortable room where they could watch and prepare.
---
Khai and Xinn had entered the ring. The crowd erupted in cheers for Khai, showing their support. Even Zafrul was there among the audience, rooting for him. The announcer introduced Khai and Xinn to the spectators.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most anticipated event in the Southern Martial Arts Circuit! Tonight, we witness a clash of talent, power, and pure determination — a night where skill will be tested and legends will begin to rise!"
(Crowd cheers)
"In this special invitational match, two teams will battle it out in a five-round showcase, followed by a final bout that promises to shake the very foundation of this arena!"
"And now… let's get ready for Round One!"
(Dramatic pause)
"In the red corner, standing at 163 centimeters, representing Team Bima Sakti — the agile striker with unstoppable heart — give it up for KHAIIIIII!!"
(Crowd cheers loudly)
"And in the blue corner, standing at 166 centimeters, from Team Dewata, a fighter cloaked in mystery with a five-year legacy in the dojo — please welcome the silent storm himself, XINNNNN!!!"
(Cheers and murmurs of anticipation)
"This will be a 5-minute round — no rest, no holding back! Fighters, to the center of the ring! Show respect… and prepare to give it your all!"
"Let the battle… BEGIN!"
The bell has rung. The match has begun. Khai takes a deep breath and exhales forcefully as he gets into his fighting stance. Xinn remains calm but is clearly ready as well. Both fighters lock eyes, their gazes sharp and intense, as if trying to provoke and intimidate one another.
Xinn slowly moves to the left. Khai keeps a close eye on his movements, trying to find an opening to strike. Xinn stops at the corner of the ring and makes a slow, swirling motion with his hands.
Khai sees Xinn in the corner and thinks he can trap him there. He charges forward quickly, using a feint by shifting left and right repeatedly to confuse Xinn, then launches a flurry of punches as he closes in.
Xinn deflects every single punch. His movements look as if he has a thousand hands, easily blocking all of Khai's strikes.
Khai steps back slightly and delivers a straight kick towards Xinn, but Xinn firmly catches his leg and twists it with force, causing Khai to lose his balance.
The crowd from the Dewata Martial Arts School cheers with excitement, seeing Xinn as if he's facing an easy opponent. Khai is at a loss trying to find Xinn's weakness.
Xinn wasn't in the corner by mistake—it was a deliberate move to strengthen his defense and limit his opponent's angles of attack. It was like a tactic used when fighting a bear—positioning oneself in a tight space so the bear can't fully lunge in to strike.
Xinn still doesn't move from his spot or attempt any attacks. He simply continues his hand movements, as if he's holding up a shield to deflect strikes.
Khai presses on with his attacks, hoping to break through Xinn's defense. Suddenly, Xinn grabs Khai's left arm and delivers a powerful punch to his chest. Khai tries to break free, but Xinn's grip is incredibly strong.
Khai takes several punches and kicks in rapid succession until he's knocked to the ground inside the ring. He's nearly unconscious. Xinn doesn't follow up—he simply watches as Khai struggles to get back up while the referee begins the 10-count. Khai manages to stand just before the count is completed. He's in a weakened state, and his vision is slightly blurred.
Cheers from both sides of the audience echoed throughout the arena, encouraging their respective fighters. Azfiq had already anticipated the outcome of the match. The challengers were undeniably strong and far more experienced than the members of his team. He watched the match without the slightest hint of unease. Not everyone could reach the highest level.
"Xinn's really strong. But why didn't he just finish it earlier? Why just leave him like that?" Adam was confused about why the opponent let Khai off so easily.
"That's how they do things over there. They always give their opponent a chance to get back up and fight again. As long as someone can stand, they believe that person is still capable of fighting—until they're unconscious or dead," Azfiq explained to Adam.
The five-minute round had ended. Both Khai and Xinn returned to their respective corners and were given a one-minute rest. Khai looked like he couldn't stand again. Still, he tried his best to rise and challenge his opponent once more. He didn't want to lose without putting up a real fight.
Khai got into his fighting stance once more. But this time, he focused more on defending, trying to recover some stamina before launching an attack. Seeing this, Xinn changed his strategy. He jumped in place while stretching his body. Within seconds, he dashed toward Khai at high speed.
Khai brought his arms together to brace for defense. Xinn grabbed both of Khai's arms and forced them downward. Still holding onto his arms, Xinn jumped up and delivered a rapid series of knee strikes directly to Khai's face. Khai was thrown back, collapsing against the ropes, but the assault continued. He was already out of energy, hanging on the ropes while staring upward. The cheers from the crowd started to fade.
As usual, Xinn stepped back, observing from a distance, waiting to see if Khai would rise again. Khai tried to lift his head and stand tall. His vision was blurred and doubled, but he could still see where Xinn was. He hadn't expected Xinn to use such a technique. In that moment, he realized he still had so much more to learn.
Khai tried to stand, but his body refused to obey. He collapsed face-down onto the floor, and the referee began the count. Khai could no longer continue, and the match was declared a victory for Xinn.
Xinn began scanning the room as if searching for someone. His eyes locked onto a particular person, and he pointed directly at them.
"You're next! Make sure you're not as weak as this one!" Xinn shouted loudly toward Din. It was clear he was challenging Din to a fight.
Din simply watched without giving any reaction. He seemed unbothered by the challenge. Xinn only smiled after seeing Din's indifferent response. He then stepped out of the ring and headed to the preparation room to rest and watch the upcoming matches. Khai was carried by the medical team to the treatment room to have his injuries examined.
Adam and Anis went to check on Khai. Zufar had disappeared after watching the first match between Khai and Xinn. He felt that Xinn shared the same goal as him — to defeat Din. Zufar stepped outside to get some fresh air before his own match.
---
In the treatment room,
Khai had regained consciousness. His face and body were covered with severe bruises. But he still smiled when he saw Adam and Anis approaching him.
"Sorry, guys. I couldn't give my best. I didn't expect my opponent to be that strong," Khai said as tears began to fall. He felt ashamed to face Adam and Anis.
Adam patted Khai's shoulder to encourage him.
"Just think of this match as a stepping stone for us to become better. It's still a good experience," Adam replied, trying to comfort him.
"Exactly. We're still new. Your opponent had five years of experience. Of course, his knowledge and skills are like the sky compared to us," Anis added.
"Hmmm... No wonder Azfiq trained us so hard. Honestly, if he hadn't pushed us like that, I'd probably be in a coma right now. Hahaha!" Khai joked, trying to lighten the mood so it wouldn't dampen Adam and Anis' spirits.
Adam and Anis nodded in agreement. They laughed together as Khai shared how he felt during the match. After a while, Adam and Anis returned to the preparation area to watch Lee's upcoming match. Khai continued to rest. He still couldn't get out of bed because his body was too weak for now.
---
The match between Lee and Zhao began after a 30-minute break.
The announcer began the introductions.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the next exciting match of the day! After an intense first round, we now move into our Second Bout!"
(Pauses for crowd reaction)
"In the blue corner, representing Team Bima Sakti, standing at 170 centimeters tall, calm and composed with the strength of discipline and precision—LEEEE!!"
(Crowd cheers)
"And in the red corner, representing Team Dewata, young but fierce, with eyes that burn like fire and speed like the wind, standing at 157 centimeters tall—ZHAOOO!!"
(Crowd roars louder)
"This match will be 5 minutes per round, up to 5 rounds, or until a knockout! Fighters, prepare yourselves… and may the best warrior triumph!!"
(Bell rings to signal the start of the match)
Zhao jumped onto the ropes and spun mid-air before landing gracefully on the ring floor.
"Let's do our best, Brother Lee!" Zhao said energetically, hoping to gain some guidance from Lee as he was still a junior.
"Alright, I hope you'll be willing to share a little bit of knowledge during this match too. Let's treat this as a learning experience for both of us," Lee replied with a calm smile.
They had gotten to know each other backstage earlier. Zhao was cheerful, much like Cindy. He had only been in martial arts training for just over a year, but was selected for this tournament because his teacher considered him a prodigy. Within just a few months, he had already become sharp and quicker than most others. He was one of the most agile and talented among the new students.
Both fighters got into their respective stances.
"As the junior, allow me to make the first move, Brother Lee," Zhao said politely. He was naturally friendly and respectful.
Lee simply nodded in agreement. Despite Zhao's status as a newcomer, Lee stayed cautious—he didn't know the full extent of Zhao's abilities.
Zhao dashed toward Lee at high speed. As he neared, he quickly veered to the right toward the ropes, using them to gain momentum. He bounced from one rope to another like a spring, creating erratic movements. Lee tried to follow Zhao's trajectory, but eventually couldn't keep up as Zhao's movements became faster and more unpredictable.
After a short moment of ricocheting, Zhao launched himself straight toward Lee with a flying kick. Lee managed to dodge the first strike. But Zhao rebounded immediately and landed a sharp kick right into Lee's left rib. Lee was thrown to the side of the ring from the impact. Zhao continued his high-speed movement relentlessly.
"His attacks rely on extreme speed. But that kind of movement demands high stamina. There has to be a point where he slows down," Lee thought to himself as he struggled to get back on his feet.
Suddenly, an idea struck him—something to stop Zhao's troublesome momentum. As he stood up, Lee focused closely on Zhao's movements, this time relying more on his hearing to predict which rope Zhao would bounce off next. After a few moments of observation, Lee moved toward the ropes and stepped on one, pulling it down and releasing it just in time to create a large open gap.
Zhao was caught off guard but couldn't stop himself—he was still mid-air. He passed right through the opening Lee created and flew out of the ring, crashing straight into a stack of tables set up nearby, disappearing underneath the pile.
The audience froze, stunned with wide eyes and open mouths. Azfiq burst into uncontrollable laughter, rolling on the floor as he pounded it repeatedly. Ren and the others looked on awkwardly, unsure how to react.
The referee rushed over to check Zhao's condition. It appeared that he had lost consciousness beneath the wreckage. The referee quickly called in medics and a few helpers to lift the tables and declared Lee the winner.
Lee raised his right hand high, wearing a proud expression. Many of the spectators supporting Team Dewata were visibly displeased with the bizarre outcome. Azfiq was still laughing, now with tears in his eyes as he slapped the floor.
Zafrul facepalmed, but deep down, he was cheering wildly over Lee's unexpected win. The match tally was now tied. The match ended in just two minutes. Many in the audience were clearly dissatisfied with how it unfolded.
"We came to see a real fight, not some circus clown show!" some shouted angrily, throwing drink containers and trash toward Lee.
Lee simply closed his eyes and walked toward the prep room. He looked at his teammates and gave a thumbs up.
"Ez clap," he said casually before heading to the locker room.
"Let them say what they want. A win is still a win," Azfiq said with a serious face, patting Lee on the shoulder.
Lee nodded in agreement.
Adam and Anis remained silent. They had seen how Azfiq was laughing hysterically earlier during Lee's win, and now he was acting all serious, as if nothing had happened.
The next match was scheduled to begin in thirty minutes, but the audience was still unhappy with the previous match and started demanding that round three begin sooner. The announcer tried to calm the crowd, but they ignored him.
"QUIET!!! SHOW SOME RESPECT TO THE HOST!!!"
A deep, thunderous voice filled the hall, accompanied by a powerful presence that swept across the room. Everyone immediately fell silent.
The voice came from an elderly man in his 50s, with a massive, muscular physique and a fierce expression. He was the Grandmaster of the Dewata Martial Arts School—a former champion of the Silat Gayung Tournament, having won the title eight times during his prime.
He was both feared and revered by martial artists far and wide. The chaos died down, and the crowd quietly waited for the next match to begin.