There was a palpable excitement inside the amphitheater, it can be felt by mortals and god alike. The next match was perhaps the most highly anticipated in all of the matches so far.
It was a match between two prodigies, two individuals who have shown dominance in all of their matches, a clash of the titans as some people call it.
They have been compared with each other ever since August entered Orario and made his presence known. There was even a city wide debate on who was better between the two.
The Sword Princess who Orario had witnessed her growth as she fast tracked all the records in leveling up. Or the Gáe Bulg, the mysterious prodigy who entered the city and took it by storm as he killed a monster rex on his very first dungeon dive.
Even the gods were excited by the upcoming match-up, especially now that they discovered that one of the fighters is a master of a Thïeko óplo.
Ibri Achaa could feel the energy of the arena as he marched towards center stage, there was a smile on his face, he as well as everyone else was hype for the upcoming fight.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! IT'S TIMEEEEE!!!!" He wailed at the top of his lungs as the crowd cheered wildly. "WELCOME TO THE FINALS OF THE TOURNAMENT BRACKET B!!!"
"The stage is set for the two strongest fighters in bracket B, whoever wins this match would be facing the crown prince! The winner of the bracket A tournament! His Highness. MARIUS!!! VICTRIX!!! RAKIA!!!" he points to the prince who was sitting in the stands, smiling arrogantly as the rain of boos entered his ears.
'They really don't like him huh?' Ibri thought to himself. "Now without any farther ado... Allow me to call our fighters on stage. To my RIGHT!!! He had proven that the hype surrounding him was in fact real! Death incarnate himself! The GÁE BULG!!! AUGUST!!! KAISER!!!"
August entered the stage, calm and collected, if in his other match he was letting his mana run wild, this time it was as if it was the quiet before the eruption of a volcano. He was relaxed, unhurried with his step. But the crowd still felt the sharp aura that was surrounding the young adventurer.
Most of the crowd gulped, for reasons unknown to them, a calm, relaxed, August Kaiser was scarier than the time he entered with his mana on full throttle like on his previous fights.
He stopped in the middle of the stage, his eyes focused on the entrance on where Ais would be coming from.
Ibri unconsciously took a step back, he gulped as sweat trickled down his face. 'What a terrifying presence.' he thought as he swore he could see a dark wolf-like beast following behind August.
There was total silence inside the arena, all eyes were glued towards his person, with his spear on his side the crowd knew that they would be witnessing something amazing in this fight.
Ibri shook his head to shake off the stuffy feeling that was willing up inside his body. He then continued. "And to my LEFT!!! She had shown absolute dominance! The one blessed by the sword! THE SWORD PRINCESS!!! AIS!!! WALLENSTEIN!!!"
Ais marched to the stage and for the first time in the tournament, she marched under a pin drop of silence from the crowd. She too was calm and collected, and like August, the aura around her made the crowd feel shivers run up their spines.
Her eyes were glued towards the person in front of her, towards August Kaiser. If August is the quiet before the eruption, Ais felt like the calm before the storm.
Ibri took another step back, his heart beats faster than it ever did. His breath became stagnant as the air inside the stage became dense. He felt like he was standing beside two calamities that were waiting to explode.
For a level 2 like himself, the two beings are like gods for him, he was but an ant for August and Ais. All his preparation for making the crowd cheer and wail was thrown out the window... Right now he, all he wanted to do was to get the fuck out of these two monsters way.
"Oy!" He snapped out of his stupor as he heard a voice. He followed the sound and saw August staring at him coldly. If he hadn't peed earlier that look would have made him wet his pants. "Start the match."
He shakily nodded as he almost dropped the artifact that amplified his voice. He then spoke stuttering every syllable in his words. "L-Let the m-match... BEGIN!!!" After giving the signal he hurriedly scuttled off the stage as if his life depended on it.
The two fighters stared at each other as they heard the signal, their eyes met, and they could see the fire deep within it.
At the same time, a dome of mana formed on each fighter, enveloping the stage as they use the same technique, created by Mashima Toga.
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"Well now that's just rude at this point." Toga muttered with a strained smile plastered on his face.
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August smiled viciously as his mana raged, his intent booms making the stage shake as he let go of his power.
Ais seeing this couldn't help herself and smiled as well, her mana erupted with her intent, clashing and battling for dominance against August's.
And at the same time, the two unleashed their magic.
"Endless... BATTLE!!!" A dark violent magic erupted out of August. This time Riveria was prepared for it as she strengthened the barrier, she didn't want a repeat of what happened in the first round.
But she didn't account for Ais.
"Tempest!" Ais chanted, her magic made the space shake as the air bends to her will, she glowed a translucent green shade, mana seems to coil all around her, like an armor of tempest wind.
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Their magic clashed once again, cracks started to form in Riveria's barrier, this greatly shocked the elven mage as -by her account- her barrier can even hold the likes of Ottar for a few seconds.
She gritted her teeth as she loaded more mana into her barrier. Mending the cracks as they appear. "Finn, I need mana potions... A lot of them." she said with great difficulty as she was concentrating on her task.
Finn quickly ordered for them as he stared at the stage, there was a smile on his face, he was excited to see the two clash, much to the dismay of the elf beside him.
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Ais and August took their stance, grinning at the challenge that they were facing. Adjusting as to counter the other, countering what the other throws.
Ais shifts her lead leg to her left, August placed his spear slightly to the right.
Ais moved her rapier slightly down, August countered by shifting his weight to his front.
They were calculating and adopting to each other's stance, constantly changing to get an advantage. As they both know that the slightest of one would lead to controlling the tempo of the fight and by doing so, the match as a whole.
Their movement, like an intricate dance, stubbornly taking the lead and initiative out of each other's hands. Battling for control as they view their strength to be equal.
'She's baiting me.' thought August, as Ais revealed an opening for him to take. A pretty obvious one at that. 'She's inviting me to take the first move... Well who am I to decline that offer?'
August rushed at Ais, taking the first move, his spear glowed a violent red as he loaded mana in it.
Ais tightened her guard whilst pouring mana into her blade as well, she also loaded mana into her legs as her feet dug deep into the ground, preparing to take August's attack.
August inches away from Ais made a quick step to his left, vanishing for Ais's view, appearing at her right. He then slashed vertically as his spear traveled at blinding speed straight for the sword princess's mid section.
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'That's a masterful faint.' Toga who was watching on the sidelines thought so.
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"A good first step... Nothing Ais couldn't handle though." Finn nods in appreciation at August's sudden move. But at the same time he also could see Ais moving along with August.
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Ais spun to her right and blocked the spear, she then slid inside August's guard rendering his reach advantage null. Her pummel then traveled towards August's face.
August twists his hands and blocks the incoming blunt force strike with the spear's body. He then used his feet to sweep the legs of Ais, kicking down on her calf.
Ais raised her right leg, checking August's kick, their shins connected with one another as a painful thud echoes all throughout the stage.
The two of them pushed at the same time, gaining distance and space for them to use their weapons against one another. Obviously having the same idea forming inside their minds.
August stabbed straight to Ais face, the female adventurer doing the same, Ais with her speed advantage due to using a rapier and August with his range due to the longer reach of his spear, their weapons arriving at their respective target at the same time.
August leaned his head to the right, Ais leaned her head to the left, both dodging the stabs at a similar fashion.
A crimson line appeared on both of their cheeks, as blood trickled down all the way to their smiling lips.
"A-AMAZING!!!" Ibri Achaa who was also tasked with commentary for the finals screamed as the crowd cheered wildly. "THESE TWO HAVE LEFT EACH AND EVERYONE OF US IN THE DUST AT HOW FAST THEY WERE MOVING!!!"
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Marius sat at the end of his seat, his hands clench the arm rest as it cracked under his strength. This was unacceptable, he should be the one who stands to top. These two trash our nothing compared to the majesty that is him.
Yet no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he can't deny the strength of the two. It pisses him off to no end. He can't wait for tomorrow to come. He can't wait for him to destroy whoever wins in this match to show that he is the superior being out of all.
His sword vibrated in agreement, feeding not his ego. "Even you agree don't you Mistilteinn?" an angry maniacal smile formed on his lips as veins bulge on his forehead. "Trash like them are nothing to us."
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The two fighters pull their weapons back, and not wasting anymore time, launch a barrage of slashes that seemingly bends their weapons at speeds that cuts through the air.
Their weapons clashed as sparks flew with each hit, metal against metal, mana against mana, they moved faster and stronger as the fight continued.
Ais blocked an overhead strike, she felt her hands vibrating as a pinching pain developed on her palms. Ignoring it, she countered, delivering a quick lunging stab towards August.
August moved out of the way, but Ais wasn't done, to his surprise, Ais sword bent and curved following him. 'The sparrow?!' August mused as he hurriedly placed his spear in between him and Ais's sword.
August was pushed back slightly, his feet skidding in the ground as his palms felt sore as he received the attack.
Not to be outdone August unleashed a bending strike of his own as he gripped his spear at the very end and slashed upward towards Ais, showing precisely how he held the advantage when it comes to distance and space. His spear bent from left to right and Ais used the guard of her rapier to block the incoming slash.
They continued their exchange as Toga's technique became their main point of attack. Their respective weapons bending in their every strike, prying each other's guard.
Each one of their strikes are poised to end the fight, yet their defense held true, not allowing for even a single one to connect at their intended target.
A violent dance of which one false move would likely end the match as a whole. And for Ais and August, it was an exhilarating feeling.
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"Damn prodigies!" Toga spoke bitterly as he watched the fight, it was a tough pill for him to swallow. Seeing two fighters use the technique he had created with ease.
Witnessing the fight made Toga accept -as hard as it is- that his time was really over. He was an old relic, try as he might, he can't deny that the two fighters on stage are better than him and would take his technique to new heights... One he couldn't achieve no matter what.
'I guess it's time to hang up my sword.' he thought. 'I leave the future to you two.' He expanded his mana dome, finding Denki watching the match with an awestruck look on his face. 'Selfish as it may come, I'll leave my legacy and fire to you Denki... You may not realize it yet, but you stand along with these monsters.' a small chuckle escapes his lips as he imagines the future.
With it... Mashima Toga's adventures ended as the old samurai declared his retirement and the end of his journey as a swordsman.
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***
Chapter 72 is done now, how do you guys like the story so far?
Please leave a comment, a review and feedback so I can improve on writing this fanfic. every little thing helps as it allows me to see your preference on things and would help me write a better fanfic for you all to enjoy.
thanks for picking up this fanfic. hope you guys like it.
good day, love y'all.