February 5, 2023, Early Evening
"Phew~ That girl is so interesting."
Imara stood among the spectators, a large, tiger-sized cat beside her. Let's just say she was carrying a magical creature similar to a tiger. What differentiated the large cat from a tiger was that it was white and had a rather thick blue mane on its back. It had three long, large tails that could move freely like hands and small, cute, flapping wings on its back. Let's not forget its large, sharp claws and fangs like a sabertooth.
Many spectators standing beside her looked at Imara with impressed gazes. They knew that the creature standing beside her was a category three magical creature.
"Are you also a participant in the duel tournament, miss?" A small child asked curiously.
Imara, with her hands on her hips, smiled broadly and kindly, raising the token she held in her hand.
Town, number 11.
"Next! Participants number eleven and twelve, please proceed to the arena immediately!" Bing Ruyue, the Rat Shengxiao, shouted in the middle of the arena.
Imara waved her hand slightly at the child who had asked her, with an admiring look on the child face. It was rare in the bamboo curtain country for someone to befriend a magical creature. If there were any, they could be counted on one's fingers.
All the spectators' eyes widened as they watched Imara bring the large cat into the arena. Meanwhile, her opponent carried a machine gun in his hands. The large machine gun that was always seen in action movies. Her opponent was large-bodied and appearance looked like a famous old action movie character. A soldier whose strength was equivalent to a hundred men.
He smirked at Imara, who was smiling confidently, and her large cat. His smirk was interrupted as his eyes caught sight of the small wings on the back of the scary-looking large cat. He wondered what the purpose of the small wings on its back was.
"The sixth duel of the Zhan Dou tournament's second round is about to begin. Participants number eleven and twelve, please introduce yourselves first."
"Imara Nzinga and Nyanko."
"Hm! Rambo the legend."
Elizabeth stood among the jostling spectators after having her scrap wounds treated. She wanted to watch one match in the town before going elsewhere. She hoped Sizhu hadn't gotten his turn to fight yet so she could watch Sizhu's match.
"Tamer?" Elizabeth saw Imara with the large cat named Nyanko beside her, reminding her of one of her bodyguards in her home country.
"It seems that girl is from the African continent. There are many magical beasts there. It's very rare to see black people here." One of the spectators beside Elizabeth commented. In reality, it was true, black people were almost non-existent in China. Imara's appearance attracted attention because she was quite exotic, both in body and behavior. Even her skin not that really black. Her skin is brown-honey bright with short hair cut.
"She brought a magical beast to fight with her. I bet she can use summon techniques to call magical creatures."
"A Tamer! A tamer of wild beasts!"
"It's a shame her opponent has superior weapons. Look at that big, burly man. He's carrying a machine gun in his hands!"
Rambo heard the whispers of the spectators and became even more excited.
"Hey, young lady. You'd better surrender in this round. You and your strange cat don't stand a chance against my Pachin." Rambo raised his machine gun to his chest and licked the metal of the firearm he held.
"Pachin?" Imara shuddered in disgust watching Rambo lick his own weapon. And what kind of strange name was that? Couldn't he choose a better name?
"Sir, your taste in names, I must say... is quite unique..."
Rambo's nostrils flared at that. "Of course! This is my beloved weapon that accompanied me in hunting eight Witches in one shot!"
Imara whistled softly. "Phew~ Impressive~"
Rambo raised his chin even higher upon hearing the praise from his opponent. He even almost felt like giving his opponent the first attack.
"Thank you. You almost make me want to give you a chance to strike first."
Imara then burst out laughing. "Did you hear that, Nyanko? He thinks he's already won against us." Nyanko the cat also laughed, though his laughter was a terrifying growl.
"Are you underestimating me, young lady?" Rambo felt offended at being laughed at by his enemy. Compared to his fierce appearance, his heart was quite sensitive.
"No... it's just... we can't possibly lose." Imara said confidently, which made Rambo even more eager to defeat the opponent in front of him.
"Are you done talking?" Bing Ruyue asked from beside the arena, raising her hand. Rambo and Imara nodded simultaneously. "The sixth duel of the Zhan Dou tournament, second round, begins!"
As soon as Bing Ruyue's hand dropped, the sound of a machine gun firing continuously was heard, mercilessly shooting at Imara and Nyanko.
Dust billowed high. Rambo didn't know if his shots had hit the opponent.
He soon found out after hearing Nyanko's rapid footsteps charging from the side.
"Die, you strange cat!" The machine gun aimed at the running Nyanko, who moved in agile zigzags, successfully avoiding the barrage of bullets. Then, a second later, he charged at Rambo!
Rambo instinctively raised his heavy machine gun, seeing Nyanko's dangerous claws. But what he didn't expect was that the large cat's claws contained wind magic.
Zrat!
One swing of Nyanko's claws destroyed his beloved machine gun named Pachin into pieces of metal.
"PACHIIIIN!!!" Rambo screamed in sadness and anger. He managed to avoid Nyanko's second claw attack.
"You've ruined my Pachin!"
Rambo pulled out two pistols from his waist, shooting at Nyanko just one step in the air.
Bang! Bang!
Gunshots were heard, blood splattered on his hands.
Both of Rambo's hands were pierced by two bullets.
Imara, with her characteristic wide smile, still stood in her place without moving an inch. In her right hand, a homemade pistol had just fired a bullet. White smoke came out of its muzzle.
"You!?"
Rambo fell to the ground, and Nyanko immediately sat on him, placing his large, sharp claws on Rambo's cheek.
"Surrender, sir. Nyanko loves to scratch people's faces."
"Hiii! Alright! Alright! I surrender! I surrender! Please don't kill me!" Rambo squirmed in fear, pinned down by Nyanko's large body. Seeing Rambo's terrified expression, Nyanko licked his entire face.
"Blegh!"
"Winner of the sixth elimination duel! Imara Nzinga and her cat Nyanko!"
Bing Ruyue raised Imara's hand, who was holding her homemade pistol. Nyanko immediately stood back beside his master.
"That girl... I feel like I've seen her somewhere before." Elizabeth tried to recall the face of the honey-skinned girl who was now smiling sweetly. But it was no use. She couldn't remember her.
"We're going to the finals, Nyanko!"
"Grauw!"
"Zhan Dou! Zhan Dou! Zhan Dou!"
***
A few minutes ago. At the Hunter headquarters. In the courtyard of the Hunter headquarters.
Pavilions with unique temple-like architecture surrounded the arena. The courtyard of the Hunter headquarters was a spacious area where many Hunters lined up neatly every week to get missions or report back to their superiors after completing missions.
There are many units within the Hunter organization. Information and technology units, tracking units, reconnaissance units, armory units, main line units, support units, and even special units and food supply units. For ordinary academy magic students who have just graduated, they are usually placed in reserve units to learn their jobs more deeply before joining other units.
In addition, there is also Unit Ten, which is filled by young winners of the tournament each year. Unit Ten mostly consists of the ten winners of the Zhan Dou tournament from previous years who have graduated and are now working as Hunters.
Because their talents are far different from ordinary Hunters.
"Co-contestants number seven and eight.. Pl-please introduce yourselves."
The five-star Hunters who supervised the Hunter headquarters were the Rabbit and Dog Shengxiaos.
The cute, shy woman named Qu Guanglao and the rough-mannered man Zhang Fei.
Qu was a short woman with pastel light blue hair, straight down and parted in the middle. Tied in low twin tails.
"Fatar Tuthankhan. Yo. We meet again. Cousin."
"Amon Ramses. Following me here? You ungrateful child?"
Fatar and Amon seemed to know each other. Amon wore a displeased expression while Fatar was the opposite. He grinned widely, seeing Amon as his opponent.
Their clothing styles were similar, though Fatar's skin color was darker, black-bluish, while Amon's was dark brown.
Their hair colors were also different. Fatar had messy dark blue hair while Amon had short, spiky gray hair with a rather long fringe.
Both raised their hands. Fighting bare-handed.
"The tribal conflict in our kingdom will never end. Well, even though it's actually very easy to resolve. Give Egypt to us and return to your desert homeland. Immigrant."
Amon did not answer directly, his eyes serious.
"I don't know what my predecessors did. But what happened in the past is in the past. The kingdom in the present is mine. Mine alone."
"Heh, already acting like a king? So arrogant. It's a shame I have to knock that arrogance out with my fists right here, right now."
"In your dreams."
"Oh, I've dreamed hundreds of times where we dueled and I beat you to a pulp repeatedly."
Amon clenched his fists.
"Why? Feeling scared?" Fatar relentlessly provoked Amon. Making every vein in his opponent's body tense with emotion.
"I don't want to repeat the same mistake as before."
"Too bad it's not up to you to decide."
"Uh-um.." Qu Guanglao, who had been standing beside the arena, raised her hand high. Ready to start the duel, but seeing the two contestants talking back and forth, she hesitated to lower her hand.
"Quickly, let's start, sweet girl. Our prince can't wait any longer to be beaten half to death." Fatar grinned.
Qu Guanglao nodded slightly. "Th-the fourth round elimination duel of the Zhan Dou tournament, second phase.. B-begin!" She lowered her hand.
Immediately, both cast their respective elemental magic spells.
"أنا بتوجه للنار الأبدية بتاعة السما، ولّع إيدي، واحرق عدوي لرماد.
"(I turn to the eternal fire of the sky, ignite my hand, and burn my enemy to ashes.)"
"بِسمع همس الأرض اللي بيجيب الهوا.
خَلّي قوّة العاصفة تنساب في إيدي.
وخلّي الإعصار يطيح بأعدائي.
"(I hear the whisper of the earth that brings the wind. Let the power of the storm flow into my hand. Let the tornado strike down my enemies.)"
Both contestants created elemental gloves. Amon with glowing red fire, Fatar with swirling dense white wind.
As soon as both finished casting, their feet lunged at each other.
THUD! THUD!
The sound of punches echoed as embers and strong winds exploded when the blows landed on each other's faces.
"Whoa! Close-range fighters! Close-range fighter duel!"
"What's more, they're using elemental magic instead of body-strengthening magic!"
"Normally, those who use bare-handed martial arts would prefer to cast body-strengthening magic rather than elemental magic when fighting."
"Fighters from the desert are indeed different! They have a unique fighting style!"
The spectators, mostly Hunters because the arena was located in the Hunter headquarters' yard, cheered enthusiastically. A small portion were academy students, and an even smaller portion of that small portion were residents of the lower city. Watching two people punch each other was an exciting spectacle. Their mouths were open as they enthusiastically shouted 'Zhan Dou'. Making the atmosphere more lively.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
BOOM! Boom!
The two exchanged blows three times before jumping back together, maintaining their distance.
Amon's right cheek was bruised, and fresh blood flowed from his nose. The same went for Fatar. Both were bare-chested, so bruises on their waists and stomachs were visible from just three attacks.
"You've improved a bit, spoiled prince. But your technique is always simple. That's why you'll always be weaker than me."
Amon wiped a cut on his cheek. In addition, his right stomach and waist also had small cuts. The cuts weren't just one, but quite a few in a single blow.
The swirling whirlwind hands on Fatar's hands had a blender-like effect when he landed his punches on an opponent's body, causing small, tearing cuts. Furthermore, he could control the wind within a certain range, creating explosions that sounded like cannon blasts.
"Always so much talk. How many times have you challenged me to a duel and still lost, huh?"
Fatar grinned widely. The bruise on his cheek was accompanied by a rather painful burn. He licked the bruise on his cheek.
"Don't be arrogant yet, spoiled prince! In the palace, I always held back my strength. But here! No one will protest if I kill you! Tonight I will beat you to a pulp!"
Amon and Fatar charged forward together again.
Then, as soon as they were one step apart, they exchanged high-speed blows.
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
Both launched a barrage of punches, the sound of the blows landing echoing loudly like war drums.
Fire and wind created explosive spheres every time they landed a punch or parried a hand. Both stood in a firm stance. For some reason, Fatar smiled broadly, enjoying it, while Amon's brows furrowed even more.
Thud! THUD! BOOM!
Amon began to use his footwork; he hit Fatar's left hand, which was aimed at his waist, then countered with a straight punch to the chest and stepped one step to the side while delivering a hook from the right.
Slap! Fatar anticipated it first; he hit Amon's right hand, which was launching a hook at his face. He rotated his foot out from in front of Amon and punched from Amon's open side. If it was fast close-range footwork, Fatar was an expert. Three punches landed on Amon's upper, middle, and lower left waist, causing him to spit a little blood from his mouth.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
"COUGH!"
Fatar smiled broadly, pleased to see Amon's pained face. The blender-like cuts on his waist increased and began to bleed quite heavily.
Amon kicked to the side, but Fatar blocked it and jumped back, creating distance before, a second later, he charged back like a hungry wolf.
"YOU ARE JUST A SPOILED PRINCE!"
The wind in Fatar's hands spun like a drill and struck Amon directly in the solar plexus. THUD! Amon's feet were lifted into the air, and his body was thrown far, almost hitting the transparent wall of the arena boundary.
Amon knelt on one knee, coughing and breathing heavily. That punch not only bruised his solar plexus, but deep inside, he felt his solar plexus had shattered. And that made it difficult for him to stand up and breathe properly.
"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN!"
Fatar lunged, chasing Amon. Although Amon's head was bowed as he tried to regulate his breathing and press on his shattered solar plexus, he raised both hands forward with open palms. He clapped once.
Clap!
BOOM!
A large fire explosion erupted the moment Fatar lunged after Amon. Even so, Fatar didn't care that his face and body were burning. In his mind, he only wanted to finish Amon off.
"YOU WEAK, SPOILED BRAT!"
From behind the large fire explosion, Fatar extended both wind drills forward, tearing through the large fire explosion in the air.
"Yes, I am a spoiled prince..."
THUD! Amon got up first, ignoring the excruciating pain in his chest. He stood up to the side as Fatar broke through the explosion of fire from his hand. His right foot immediately launched a side kick and hit Fatar, who was charging without knowing Amon had already stood up beside him.
The kick successfully hit Fatar's nose, breaking it. Amon then launched a right hook, hitting his opponent's solar plexus.
"Ugh!"
"Yes, I shouldn't have been born.."
BOOM!
The hook was accompanied by an explosion of fire in his hand, sending Fatar flying twenty steps backward. He spat blood as he was thrown into the air.
Amon chased him, giving him no chance.
"Yes, I'm a weak spoiled child.."
Seeing Amon in front of his face as Fatar balanced his body on the ground, he immediately launched a quick straight punch without thinking.
Punch after punch, but Amon took them all with his body. Meanwhile, he prepared one strong punch at his side.
Amon's chest was now covered in cuts and purple bruises. Even so, he was unfazed. Gathering burning fire for one last attack.
"But! I have carved determination into my heart! I will become stronger from tonight. I will become stronger than my father. I will become stronger than anyone in this world!"
"AMON!"
Fatar desperately gathered wind all over his body as protection from Amon's deadly attack.
But one straight punch, burning with hot fire, easily tore through the wind protection in front of Fatar's body.
BLAZE! CRAT!
Amon's hand successfully pierced Fatar's solar plexus, making a hole.
Their bodies were covered in red blood and gray smoke.
"You beat me again. Cousin." Fatar smiled. He smiled proudly at Amon, who was getting stronger.
Amon hugged the back of Fatar's head.
"Yea."
Fatar fell to the ground while Amon still stood tall.
"T-the duel is over! The winner is Amon Ramses!"
Qu Guanglao immediately panicked and ran into the arena to heal Fatar, who was breathing his last.
He was unconscious, while Amon raised his clenched fist.
"Whoa.." The spectators just could gasped in awe. They were speechless and amazed. The duel just end, and they begin to shout again.
"Zhan Dou! Zhan Dou! Zhan Dou!"
***