Chapter 13-Ready, Set, Duel

After the recent attack, the world was filled with a sense of calm and peace. The "heroes'" deaths seemed to have shocked the public, and the Rogue syndicate's attacks had come to a sudden halt, making people believe that the group had been defeated. With the world feeling safer, things seemed to slowly return to normal. People went about their daily lives without fear, and business continued as usual. However, just because things seemed calm on the surface, it didn't mean that everything was back to normal. Underneath, the tensions between the "heroes" and the Rogue syndicate were still growing, and it seemed likely that their war would not remain dormant for much longer. With a new sense of harmony in the world, Kiyoshi was able to go about his training and studies at the institute of heroism without the weight of the ongoing conflict looming over him. While Kiyoshi could not fully forget the tragic events and the "hero" deaths, he found a way to move forward. In his classes and during his sparring matches, he continued to push himself and strive for excellence. But his thoughts were always partially occupied by the events of the past, and he often found himself wondering how things could have come to this point. Kiyoshi's constant worry and uncertainty took a toll on his wellbeing, and his normally exemplary grades and performance slowly slipped. However, Kiyoshi refused to give in to this feeling, pushing even harder to return to his previous heights. The institute's teachers and instructors noticed this and began to praise Kiyoshi for his hard work and dedication, while also encouraging him to take more time for himself to relax and recharge. With a bit of encouragement and a more supportive environment, Kiyoshi found that he was able to focus better and get back on track with his studies and his training. Finally, with a sense of renewed focus and purpose, Kiyoshi felt ready to take on the upcoming apprenticeship tournament. With his mind slowly returning to normal, Kiyoshi's grades and performance gradually improved until they were once again at their usual high standard. He worked hard to rebuild his life, training for the upcoming apprenticeship tournament and focusing on his studies.

As the day of the tournament approached, Kiyoshi's spirits were high, and his determination was stronger than ever. He had spent months training and studying, and he was ready to prove his worth in the competition. With his mind and body in peak condition, Kiyoshi was confident that he could defeat all of his opponents and rise to the top of the leader boards. He had worked too hard and sacrificed too much to give up now, and there was no way he would settle for anything less than total victory. Time would tell if Kiyoshi's confidence was well-placed, or if he would find himself humbled by the tournament's challenges. It had been a whole year since Ren had left the school, but the memory of that fateful day was still fresh in Kiyoshi's mind. Ren had been a beloved member of the institute of heroism, and his sudden disappearance had left a void in the hearts of his teammates and instructors. Kiyoshi had decided he would take Ren's place as winner of the upcoming apprenticeship tournament, and he was determined to bring honor and pride back to the institute. He had been training hard all year and he knew that he was ready to face any opponent that stood in his path. With the tournament drawing ever closer, Kiyoshi found himself filled with a sense of anticipation. He was eager to test his skill and prove himself on the arena, and he couldn't wait to finally face off against his peers and rivals. Ren had always been the gold standard for apprentices, but Kiyoshi knew that if he focused and gave it his all, he could be the new champion. As the day of the tournament finally arrived, Kiyoshi's nerves began to fray as he waited for his opportunity to stand in the arena. He couldn't wait any longer to prove himself. As Kiyoshi walked out to the arena, he felt a flurry of emotions. He was both excited and nervous, and his heart was racing as he took in the crowd's cheers and the sight of his opponents all awaiting the start of the tournament. Kiyoshi knew this was his moment to shine and he was ready to leave it all on the arena floor. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves, focusing his thoughts and energy on the task at hand. With a determined expression, he was ready to give it his all and prove his worth.

The stadium was filled with thousands of spectators, who were eagerly waiting to witness the apprenticeship tournament unfold. The arena itself was grand and impressive, reminiscent of a Roman gladiator's arena, with its massive size and capacity. Kiyoshi felt a bit awed as he took in the sight, taking note of the various sections and rows of seats that were waiting to be filled. The atmosphere was filled with an air of excitement and anticipation, as the crowd eagerly awaited the start of the tournament. Kiyoshi took a moment to take in the sight, before turning his attention back to his opponents. He recognized most of them, as they were his classmates and fellow apprentices from the institute. Kiyoshi was determined to prove himself and show everyone that he belonged among the best. With that in mind, Kiyoshi's focus shifted from the sights and sounds of the arena, to the task at hand, his opponents. The tournament was about to begin, and he couldn't wait to get in on the action. The apprenticeship tournament had been an event at the institution for as long as anyone could remember. It was a highly anticipated and coveted event, and it always drew crowds of spectators and participants. The tournament's format and rules would vary every year, and this year had been no exception. last year it consisted of different challenges as well as 1v1 duels between students which Ren and Kiyoshi placed first and second in. This year the preliminary rounds were a free for all, which meant that all of the students would be fighting against each other to secure their spot in the next round. The competition would be fierce, and the stakes were never higher, as only the remaining 1000 students would move on to the next phase of the tournament. The anticipation was growing, as the tournament was about to begin. The students were gathering in their respective areas, getting ready to enter the arena. Kiyoshi was amongst them, looking determined and focused. He could feel his nerves and anxiety rising as he watched his peers getting ready for the tournament. The excitement and energy in the stadium were palpable, as the crowd waited eagerly for the tournament to start. Kiyoshi took a deep breath, trying to control his nerves a bit better as he watched the minutes tick away on the clock.

As soon as the first round free for all began, students began charging towards one another, ready to show of the hard work they had done in the past year, this year, this year was their chance to get an apprenticeship in one of the 4 hero organizations of paradise city, and they were going to give it their all to get in the top 10. Everyone was enjoying battling each other and all seemed to be struggling as time passed, but not Kiyoshi, Kiyoshi was hardly fatigued as no one dared to challenge him after last year's performance, except for a select few of course. in the midst of the chaos, there had been a few teams? although it was meant to be a free for all, it seemed some students wanted to work together to defeat some of the promising contestants, one of these groups were now charging towards Kiyoshi, their group consisted of 5 relatively unknown members. Whilst he was still confused, Kiyoshi Ready'd himself for his first battle. With his ice magic, Kiyoshi was able to keep his opponents at bay, creating a wall of sharp cold ice that blocked their attacks and slowed their movements. Kiyoshi's focus was split as he tried to face off against each of his different opponents, trying to keep them at a distance. He knew that if he let them get too close, they would be able to use their magic to attack him, and he was not taking any chances during these preliminary rounds. With his focus split, Kiyoshi was unable to fully concentrate on his attacks, and he soon began to feel overwhelmed by his opponents. With his focus divided and his opponents gaining ground, Kiyoshi was quickly backed into a corner. The ice wall he had built up around him soon crumbled, and he was forced to defend himself against a barrage of attacks from his opponents. His opponents' magic combined and coalesced together, creating a wave of elemental energy that struck Kiyoshi. He was hit by the blast, and he felt himself thrown back into a nearby wall. Kiyoshi fell to the ground, breathing heavily as he struggled to defend himself against his opponents' combined attacks.

Kiyoshi could feel himself becoming overwhelmed and outmatched, as he quickly began to run out of stamina. His opponents were all using their different kinds of magic against him, overwhelming him with their combined attacks and using their superior numbers to their advantage. With his opponents quickly closing in on him, Kiyoshi tried to come up with a plan to get himself out of this situation, but he was running low on energy and ideas. With his back against the wall, Kiyoshi tried to focus and figure out how to reverse the tide of the battle and regain the upper hand. Kiyoshi looked around for any way to escape or turn around this battle. As his eyes scanned the arena, he noticed that the ice he had used to wall off his opponents earlier had melted away, revealing a small pile of rubble and debris behind where it had once been. Kiyoshi immediately had an idea, and he quickly began to form a plan. With his remaining energy, he used his ice magic to draw water from the air and create a thick layer of ice over the arena floor. This caught his opponents off guard, as their feet froze to the ice, stopping them in their tracks. Kiyoshi wasted no time, using this sudden opportunity to charge forward. His opponents were still recovering, and Kiyoshi was able to quickly close the gap between them. With a burst of speed and energy, Kiyoshi launched a flurry of attacks at his opponents, hitting them with several sharp ice blades while they were frozen in place. This sudden and intense onslaught took his opponents by surprise, and Kiyoshi was able to quickly dispatch three of them. With his opponents weakened, Kiyoshi felt a surge of energy and confidence as he continued to push forward. Kiyoshi was able to quickly deal with most of his opponents, as the ice he had created on the arena floor had given him a huge advantage. With several swift and decisive strikes, Kiyoshi was able to take out a majority of his opponents, leaving only two left. One of Kiyoshi's opponents attempted to launch an attack against him, but the ice floor still covered much of the arena floor, and Kiyoshi was able to evade the attack, using his ice magic to slide across the ice.

Kiyoshi quickly closed the distance between them, preparing to strike his final opponents with an icy blade. He had taken them out with relative ease, and he felt a sense of satisfaction and confidence wash over him as he prepared to deliver the final blow. But what he saw next would shake him to his core. His opponents, having recovered from the initial shock of his earlier attack, launched a sudden counterattack, striking him with a series of powerful blows. Kiyoshi tried to defend himself with a wall of ice, but it was instantly shattered by the combined efforts of his opponents. Kiyoshi was quickly overwhelmed by his opponents' sudden attack, and he felt himself being knocked back by their combined strength. He hit the corner of the arena hard, and he felt the wind get knocked out of him as he struggled to catch his breath. The attack had taken its toll, and Kiyoshi felt weak and drained as he tried to stay on his feet. His opponents showed no mercy, continuing to press their attack and leaving Kiyoshi with few opportunities to defend himself. With another series of strikes, Kiyoshi's opponents finally overcame him, knocking him to the ground and putting him on the brink of defeat. Suddenly...Kiyoshi had a flashback to last year, in one of his matches where he seemed to lose against a man called Musashi, he remembered how he almost lost to Musashi and his fire magic, and how Ren had talked some sense to him from the crowd. Time seemed to slow down Infront of Kiyoshi as he reminisced, he stared at the bracelet given to him by Ren on the day of the attack on the institute of heroism, when they first met midnight blade and the Titan. He knew that if Ren saw him in this state, he would be disappointed, Kiyoshi knew he has to win, to not only make Ren proud, but also prove to himself that he didn't need Ren, he put on a brave smile on his face and was ready to give it his all, after all if he lost then he would have to accept he was weaker then Ren, the one thing they both spent hours arguing about whenever they were together...and they were always together, two sides of the same coin, and fated friends.

Kiyoshi refused to give up, despite being on the verge of defeat. He pushed himself to the limit, using his remaining strength and the bit of stamina he had left to break out of his opponent's chokehold. Kiyoshi used what was left of his ice magic to create a wall of sharp icicles that hovered above and circled around him, acting as a protective barrier to ward off his opponents' strikes. He then used the wall of icicles and his remaining mana reserve to unleash a powerful attack that knocked his opponents back, creating an opportunity for him to counterattack. With his opponents still reeling from his counterattack, Kiyoshi quickly closed the distance between them and struck one of his opponents with a sharp blade. Taking the initiative, Kiyoshi launched a series of powerful strikes at his final opponent, pushing them back and managing to land several critical blows. With his opponent weakened, Kiyoshi quickly closed in for the final strike with a final barrage of attacks. His relentless onslaught was too much for his opponent to handle, and Kiyoshi managed to finally emerge victorious from the battle. As Kiyoshi panted after his battle, he tried to regain his composure and catch his breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another apprentice running in his direction, intent on finishing him off while he was wounded and exhausted after his previous fight. Kiyoshi sensed their magic as they drew nearer, and the look in their eye made it clear that they were planning on ending this fight quickly. Kiyoshi was tired but not willing to give up, and he quickly gathered what strength he had left as he prepared himself for yet another fight. Still weakened from his previous battle, Kiyoshi could already feel the strain of using up what little energy and mana he had remaining. But he refused to back down and he was determined to fight even in his injured and weakened state. Kiyoshi quickly assessed his opponent's fighting style and their magical capabilities, and he prepared himself to deal with their attacks. With a deep breath, Kiyoshi braced himself as his opponent dashed towards him, ready to deliver the final strike that would end him.

But Kiyoshi didn't go down so easily, as he quickly used his ice magic to create a thick ice barrier that blocked his opponent's attack. Kiyoshi's opponent was taken aback by the sudden and unexpected barrier, and Kiyoshi took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack of his own. He struck his opponent with a powerful ice blade, catching them off-guard and stunning them. This allowed Kiyoshi to quickly close the distance between them and press his attack, landing a series of powerful blows that left his opponent stunned and weak. With his opponent weakened and on the brink of defeat, Kiyoshi took the opportunity to press his advantage. He quickly dashed towards his opponent and prepared to strike them with a decisive blow, when suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling his name from the stands. Kiyoshi turned to see his former mentor and teammate Ren standing at the sidelines, watching the fight intently. Kiyoshi immediately recognized the look of pride and admiration in Ren's eyes, and he was filled with a mix of emotions, as he recalled the memories of their previous battles together. Kiyoshi felt a rush of emotion fill him as he caught sight of Ren in the stands, standing out among the crowd with his dark cloak and mask. Despite the changes he had undergone, Ren was still the same person to Kiyoshi, and he felt a deep connection to him. He was proud that Ren had come to watch his match, despite their differences, and he felt a sense of determination to make Ren proud of him. Looking up at Ren from the arena floor, Kiyoshi felt a sense of pride swell within him, and he knew that he couldn't let Ren down. Kiyoshi felt a surge of mixed emotions as he heard the announcement being made. He was relieved that he was one step closer to his goal, but at the same time, he felt a wave of anxiety and worry wash over him. Knowing that only 1000 students remained meant that the tournament would be much more challenging from here on out. Kiyoshi knew he had come this far, and he would have to use all of his skill and knowledge in order to survive to the next round. He took a moment to collect himself and steel his resolve before Kiyoshi heard the voice of the announcers announce the end of the day, and the end of the preliminary round. As the arena cleared out, Kiyoshi was left alone on the battlefield, his mind racing from the many emotions he had experienced during the day. He looked out to the empty arena, and he took a moment to rest and collect himself. As the voices of the announcers faded and left the arena in quiet, Kiyoshi felt a sense of relief wash over him, as the initial round of the tournament had finally come to an end. He took a deep breath and tried to prepare himself for what came next. He tried looking for Ren, but of course, he had disappeared, but Kiyoshi was not saddened, he was glad that at least a hint of the old Ren who was his best friend remained in the now cold menacing figure that was in the crowd of the arena.