Not long after, Specter revealed the list of matches. The crowd grew slightly noisy, nerves buzzing through them. After all, it was like a death match—if someone lost in the first round, they wouldn't be able to enter the academy and would have to wait another year.
Hikari looked at the list and realized they would all be separated until the final match. He told Vibra and Raven, "Hey, you guys, looks like I won't be able to fight Raven after all, because I'll be in the second course of the tournament, and you and Vibra are in the first course."
Raven replied calmly, "Yeah…"
Vibra glanced at him and said, "Looks like… we'll meet each other in the final."
Specter lifted the mic and addressed everyone, silencing the murmurs of the crowd. "Alright, everyone… please stay silent."
The crowd obeyed.
"Let's all enter the Colosseum and start the first course of matches."
The participants walked into the ancient building, their steps echoing on the stone floor. Everyone sat on the benches made of old bricks. Specter took a place where he could observe the matches—an area where kings or VIPs once sat.
Then…the matches began. Once again, the souls of warriors awakened among them.
The first match started: Raven faced a poison gas user. The fight was intense, the crowd cheering back and forth. Eventually, Raven won decisively; the gas user was no match for him, and Raven qualified to continue.
After two more matches concluded—featuring a variety of opponents like a sand user, a spatial manipulator, an iron user, and a water user—it was finally Vibra's turn.
Specter announced, "Alright, now for the fourth battle: Vibra Ariel versus her opponent, Fukuro Sagaki. You two may now stand on the arena and begin."
Vibra and her opponent stepped from the preparation area into the Gladiator Arena.
The battle commenced. Fukuro moved first, rushing toward Vibra while muttering something indistinct. His speed suddenly increased dramatically, and Vibra had to dodge quickly.
Fukuro stopped after missing his attack and said confidently, "Sorry, beautiful. I'm not going to hold back."
Vibra replied calmly, "Okay, you can show your full strength."
Fukuro smirked and charged again. "Okay then, don't say I didn't warn you." He adjusted his speed carefully, ensuring he stayed within the arena. Vibra dodged again, but he grazed her with a hit, leaving scratches.
She muttered to herself, "How can he be that fast… and he's only using his bare hands?"
His mysterious speed made her hesitate before using her abilities. "I can't attack him… I don't know what his real ability is yet," she thought.
Fukuro, noticing her hesitation, taunted, "You can't beat my speed, miss. Just give up."
Vibra responded, her voice slightly high-pitched but firm with resolve, "What are you thinking? Of course I wouldn't!"
Thinking quickly, she strategized. Speed… what can I use to beat him…
Fukuro, overconfident, began charging three times faster than before. His speed created clones that ran around Vibra to confuse her. Then he launched his final strike. Vibra, smirking at the last moment, activated her ability:
"Rendezvous Guardian: Vibration… Repel!"
A protective cover formed around her, invisible to outsiders, radiating high vibrations with a pink aura that matched her hair and eyes. Fukuro's strike struck the shield, rebounding back and hitting him instead.
"What… is that? I can't lose!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "Maybe there's a limit to this protection…"
Still relentless, he attacked again and again, only damaging himself. Finally, he launched his ultimate strike:
"Speed Break Buff: Galley Reckless Charge!!!"
He broke the arena floor with the sheer force of his sound-exceeding speed, crashing through Vibra's protective cover.
Before he could finish, the attack rebounded on him, sending him flying into the arena wall and knocking him unconscious. Even when the shield was broken, it bounced back the final attack as a last defense.
Vibra emerged victorious. The medical team quickly carried Fukuro to the medic room, while she returned to the preparation area. There, Raven was waiting for her.
"Oh, hey Raven! Is it your turn next?" she asked.
"Yes, it's my turn now," he confirmed. Vibra cheered him on, strengthening his resolve before he entered the arena.
Raven stepped in, greeted by thunderous applause. His opponent awaited him, and Specter announced, "Alright, this is the final match for the second round: Raven versus Vermant Zake."
Zake attempted to intimidate Raven. "You should surrender before anything happens to you."
Raven's deep, calm voice responded, refusing the offer. He would show Zake exactly what he was facing.
The battle began. Zake unleashed his ability, summoning a blue chain imbued with spiritual power. The chain wrapped around Raven, draining energy and limiting his movement.
Confident, Zake taunted, explaining how his chain would trap Raven. But Raven remained unfazed.
Seeing his chains fail, Zake activated another ability: "Spiritual Storm." Hundreds of chains whipped around him, striking unpredictably. All targeted Raven.
The crowd gasped. Vibra, sitting on the bricks of the Colosseum, watched nervously.
Zake, convinced he had won, laughed at Specter. "Hahaha, I've won!"
Specter whispered to himself, "Did you? It would be a shame if he loses without fighting back."
Raven had already moved. Behind Zake, he said coldly, "Don't assume overwhelming attacks will stop me from winning."
Before Zake could react, Raven kicked him to the side, sending him flying. Then, summoning his divine powers, Raven used:
"Divinity Forge: Divine Sword."
A great sword of radiant energy formed in his hands. He charged at the still-flying Zake, slamming him into the ground with tremendous force. Raven followed with an elegant yet reckless spinning kick, shattering the arena floor further and finishing the match decisively.
The crowd erupted in applause. Specter announced, "With that, today's first course has ended. We'll reconvene in two more days for the final round."
Not long after, at the entrance of the Colosseum, Raven spotted Vibra and Hikari again. This time, a blue-haired teenager stood between them, seemingly part of their conversation. Curious, Raven walked over and greeted them.
"Hey… guys, what are you talking about?" Raven asked, his voice calm yet carrying a hint of curiosity.
Vibra noticed him immediately and smiled faintly. "Oh, it's nothing. We're just talking about tomorrow's course."
Hikari, eager as always, interjected with a grin. "Yeah, because tomorrow will be our turn to fight against each other—and even him." He nodded toward Raven.
Raven's interest piqued, and he glanced at the blue-haired teenager. "And you… who are you?"
The teenager straightened and spoke with a smooth, calm tone. "Nice to meet you… I'm Azure Tsukoyomi. You can call me Azure."
Raven nodded, acknowledging him. "Right… so tomorrow you guys will compete next. What about those of us who already finished today?"
Hikari chuckled and explained with his usual straightforwardness. "Well… you can do whatever you want tomorrow. You could watch us fight, or… you could go on a date with Vibra?"
Raven blinked in surprise, his mind briefly pausing at Hikari's unexpected suggestion. He glanced at Vibra and noticed her face glowing with excitement, a hint of happiness that made Raven's heart skip slightly.
Confused, Raven looked back at Hikari. "Wait… why'd you even say that?"
Hikari simply grinned mysteriously, his words vague, almost like a teasing clue. "Just… think about it."
Raven looked back at Vibra, uncertainty mixing with curiosity. "Uh… I think I might have some free time to do that, but—"
Before he could finish, Vibra interrupted without hesitation, her voice warm and genuine. "It's okay! I'd really love to, for some reason… so tomorrow, we can go together."
Raven's expression softened slightly at her words, realizing that Vibra's excitement wasn't just playful—it was heartfelt. She gently tugged at his sleeve, inviting him to walk with her back home.
"Alright," Raven replied, nodding. "Let's go, then."
Before they left, Raven, Vibra, Hikari, and Azure exchanged a few more words. They laughed lightly about trivial things, and Hikari teased them again, making Raven roll his eyes while Vibra giggled. Azure, meanwhile, maintained his calm demeanor, quietly observing their interactions, occasionally offering short remarks in his smooth, composed tone.
Once the brief conversation ended, Raven and Vibra began walking together through the streets of Agnes City. The path home was serene; the sun continued to lower, casting long shadows along the streets. Vibrant flowers and small trees lined the sidewalks, making the city feel peaceful, almost welcoming, despite the tension of the trials.
As they walked, Raven glanced at Vibra, who seemed unusually cheerful. He felt a small warmth in his chest, a feeling he couldn't quite name. Vibra, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, as if walking alongside Raven in this quiet moment was just as thrilling as facing powerful opponents in the Colosseum.
"You know," Vibra said softly, breaking the comfortable silence, "I think tomorrow will be fun. Watching everyone fight… and maybe spending some time together."
Raven nodded slightly. "Yeah… I suppose so. It's rare to have moments like this during all the chaos."
Vibra glanced at him, her pink hair catching the fading sunlight. "I'm glad we can walk together like this. Even just for a little while."
Raven allowed himself a small smile. "Me too."
They continued down the street, side by side, their steps falling into a quiet rhythm. Eventually, they reached a familiar intersection near Raven's apartment. They paused for a moment, both aware that their paths would soon diverge from Hikari and Azure.
"See you tomorrow, Raven," Vibra said warmly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"See you, Vibra," Raven replied, his tone calm but carrying a subtle undertone of fondness.
With that, they parted ways—Vibra continuing in her direction while Raven walked toward his apartment, the city lights gradually flickering on as the sun dipped below the horizon. The day had been long and exhausting, but as he looked back briefly, Raven couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation for what tomorrow would bring.