Part 2
After the first round, the matches continued one after another, filling the arena with thunderous bursts of energy and flashes of power.
The results arrived quickly.
Reiji Tsuguri defeated Selene Navarro without much trouble.
Hikaru Tsukishiro fell to Anya Volkov, the Russian representative.
The crowd erupted in cheers as the digital scoreboard displayed the names of the four semifinalists:
Yoruka Itsuki, Akari Tsubasa, Reiji Tsuguri, and Anya Volkov.
In the expectant silence of the coliseum, everyone knew… the best was yet to come.
Akari Tsubasa stepped into the center of the arena, radiating a contagious charm that clashed with the cold aura of her opponent, the Russian representative, Anya Volkov.
From the analyst booth, Touma watched the data projected onto his Astra Lens by Ellie.
"Anya Volkov… Vladimir Bermir Military Academy. Astra Core: Unknown," she read in a neutral tone.
Touma raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like the Russians take confidentiality very seriously."
"Would you like me to hack into Bermir's database, Master?" Ellie asked with total composure.
Touma chuckled.
"Thanks, Ellie, but I'd rather avoid having the KGB trace me for accessing classified data."
"As you wish. Canceling infiltration protocol."
His smile slowly faded as he glanced back at the screens.
"From what I saw in the previous rounds, her abilities are very similar to Reiji's."
"Indeed, Master," Ellie confirmed. "Both manipulate ice energy through their Astra Core. However, the Russian's crystallization appears to be purer."
Touma leaned back in his chair, stretching with his arms behind his head.
"That might cause Akari some trouble… we'll see how she handles it."
His eyes returned to the center of the arena just as Professor Eleonor Duval made her entrance, captivating the audience with her elegant presence and vibrant voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome our semifinalists!
Akari Tsubasa of Seisen versus Anya Volkov, the Ice Lady of Bermir!"
The coliseum roared once again, the cheers rumbling through every corner of the stadium.
Before everyone's eyes, the Soviet girl extended her hand with grace, and from a swirl of freezing mist, she materialized a massive mace of pure ice.
The weapon stretched into a chain of crystalline fragments, forming a flail that shimmered under the sunlight. Just looking at it commanded respect.
Akari, on the other hand, simply adjusted the wraps around her hands. Her face, far from showing fear, lit up with a grin of pure excitement.
"What a pretty toy," she murmured, cracking her knuckles.
Eleonor Duval raised her arm high.
"Let this be a clean battle!"
"On your marks!"
3… 2… 1…
"Let's fight!" she shouted firmly.
This time, it was Akari who made the first move.
Her foot slammed against the ground as she launched forward with incredible speed, leaving behind a crimson trail of energy.
When she closed in, Anya lifted her flail and swung it down in a devastating arc.
Akari barely dodged it, the icy air grazing her face by mere inches.
The impact was deafening.
The ice flail struck the ground, creating a massive crater and instantly freezing the entire surface around it.
Jagged ice spikes burst upward like spears from the cracks.
"Whoa!" Akari yelped, sliding clumsily across the ice before tumbling to the ground.
Even so, she quickly got back up, brushing off the dust with a bright, eager grin.
"Now that's what I call a good warm-up!"
Anya said nothing.
Her expression remained unreadable as she raised her mace again.
With a smooth, circular motion, she began to spin it above her head, generating a powerful current of freezing wind.
The cold gusts swirled around her, forming a spiraling blizzard—a true ice tornado that enveloped her completely, making it impossible to approach.
From the analyst booth, Touma watched the scene intently.
"Looks like she's creating an absolute defense field…"
Ellie nodded as the data refreshed.
"Confirmed. Surface temperature: below minus forty degrees. If Akari steps in there without protection, she'll freeze solid in seconds."
Touma sighed, crossing his arms.
"Well… that'd be a problem for any normal person."
"And for her?" Ellie asked.
"She's not normal," Touma replied with a grin.
"Even so, Anya knows Akari's weakness is range combat…" Ellie added, reminding him.
Touma nodded, recalling Shizuki's words.
'No matter how strong Tsubasa is, against someone like Eva Strassburg, she wouldn't stand a chance. Long-range battles… are still her blind spot.'
Each time Akari tried to get close, the blizzard punished her with countless tiny cuts of ice—like a storm of frozen needles threatening to turn her into a popsicle with the slightest mistake.
"Akari, can you hear me?" Touma's calm voice echoed through the intercom.
"Loud and clear, Touma," she replied, crouching behind a chunk of ice for cover.
"I'm guessing you've realized you can't break through that blizzard. Anya knows it too, if you rush in like that, you'll freeze in seconds."
"Yeah… kinda noticed that already," she said with a nervous laugh.
Touma sighed.
'Clearly not. She was definitely planning to punch her way through…'
"See her feet?" he asked.
Akari glanced down carefully. Anya's boots were fixed to the ground, anchored in thick ice.
"Yeah, I see them. They look… really heavy?"
Touma rolled his eyes.
"Exactly. If you can destabilize her footing, we might open a gap in her defense."
A spark lit up in Akari's eyes, her grin returning, more confident than ever.
"Got it!"
She placed both hands on the ground, focusing all her energy.
"Paw Paw! Bear Earthquake!"
Her arms slammed down with tremendous force, as if a giant invisible bear had struck the earth.
The roar shook the entire stadium.
The ground quaked violently, and the arena floor began to crack beneath the Russian's feet.
Anya lost her balance. Her icy mace halted mid-spin as she tried to steady herself—but it was already too late.
The blizzard burst apart in a shower of glittering frost, and when she lifted her gaze, Akari was already in front of her.
"Paw Paw! Bear Fist!" she shouted with a radiant smile.
Akari's fist struck Anya square in the torso, unleashing a shockwave that rippled through the entire stadium.
The Russian girl was sent flying backward, crashing into the containment wall and leaving a visible dent on the battlefield.
The crowd held its breath for a moment… until the referee raised his hand.
"Anya Volkov is knocked out!"
The coliseum exploded into cheers and applause.
Akari lowered her arms, panting heavily—but her smile could have lit up the entire stadium.
"And that concludes the first semifinals," announced Professor Duval, her voice echoing through the speakers.
"Victory goes to Akari Tsubasa of Seisen!"
The roar of the crowd still thundered through the arena as the scoreboard lit up again, revealing the next matchup:
Reiji Tsuguri vs. Yoruka Itsuki
The audience fell silent.
At one end of the arena, Reiji rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles, eager to fight. At the other, Yoruka stood still, her kimono gently fluttering in the artificial breeze of the dome.
"I've been waiting for this," Reiji said with a confident grin. "I won't hold back, Itsuki—I need to fight Tsubasa."
"Sorry to spoil your fun," she replied calmly, not even taking a combat stance, "but you're not on my list of interests."
The countdown began.
3… 2… 1… START!
Reiji shot forward like a bullet, his fists blazing with blue energy. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he advanced, releasing a torrent of raw power.
But Yoruka didn't move.
At the very moment Reiji was about to reach her, she slightly shifted her katana… and the air itself warped.
A line of light cut through the space between them, like a glowing thread slicing reality apart.
Reiji froze mid-step, gasping.
His body trembled, and a thin line of blood trickled down his cheek.
He hadn't even seen the strike—he'd only felt it.
"What… was that? Is her Astra Core really that strong?" he muttered in disbelief.
Yoruka lowered her gaze, a faint flicker of irritation in her eyes.
She slowly sheathed her katana.
"Tch… years of training, and all I get is some idiot saying that…" she muttered under her breath.
Seeing the overwhelming difference in power, Eleonor Duval raised her hand and declared the result.
"Victory goes to student Yoruka Itsuki!"
Reiji clenched his teeth in frustration. He knew—they weren't on the same level.
Without a word, he turned and left the arena, his brow furrowed in silent defeat.
Yoruka simply turned away and walked off the field, indifferent to the crowd's cheers.
In her eyes… there was no emotion left.