CHAPTER 9:THE RINGBORN TOURNAMENT BEGINS

Chapter 9: The Ringborn Tournament Begins

The sun rose high in the sky, casting golden rays over the horizon. The world had been waiting for this day—the beginning of the first-ever Ringborn Tournament. It was the event that would define the strongest among the new generation of superpowered individuals.

Ryo, Akira, Hajime, Ren, and Yuuma woke up early, filled with anticipation. Today was the day they would prove themselves. They packed their things and headed to the stadium, which was located in a remote, highly secured area to prevent any unnecessary destruction in the cities.

On the way, Akira couldn't contain his excitement. "I can't believe this is actually happening! We're gonna be fighting against Ringborns from all over the world!"

Ryo smirked. "Yeah. I just hope we don't get eliminated too early."

Yuuma stretched his arms. "Tch, don't worry, I'll carry you guys if needed."

Ren chuckled. "We'll see about that."

Hajime stayed quiet, his eyes sharp with focus. He had one goal in mind—to test his strength against the best.

As they reached the stadium, their jaws dropped. It was massive. The stands were filled with tens of thousands of spectators, and giant monitors displayed the faces of each participant. The entire world was watching—from ordinary citizens to government officials and even military leaders, all observing the potential of the Ringborns.

Back at home, Akira's mother, Ren's parents, Hajime's family, and Ryo's grandmother sat in front of the television, eager to see their loved ones perform.

The announcer's voice echoed through the stadium.

"WELCOME TO THE FIRST EVER RINGBORN TOURNAMENT!"

The crowd erupted into cheers. "OHHHHH! HOLAAAA! YEAHHH!!!"

Cameras zoomed in on the battlefield, a massive circular arena with different terrains randomly generated for each match. The rules were simple: a contestant would lose if they were knocked out, forced out of the ring, or surrendered.

The first match was about to begin.

Match 1: Haruto (Teleportation Ring) vs. Dimitri (Telepathy Ring)

Haruto, a young fighter with quick reflexes, cracked his knuckles. "Alright, let's see what you got, mind reader."

Dimitri, a tall and lean fighter from Russia, smirked. "You won't even touch me."

The referee raised his hand. "BEGIN!"

In an instant, Haruto teleported behind Dimitri and launched a powerful punch. The crowd gasped at his speed, but before his fist could make contact, he suddenly stopped—his body frozen in place.

Dimitri's smirk widened. "I told you, you won't touch me."

Haruto's eyes widened as he struggled to move. His body started walking on its own toward the edge of the ring.

"He's controlling him!" Akira exclaimed.

Ryo clenched his fists. "Telepathy is overpowered…"

Haruto fought back, trying to resist, but his feet stepped over the boundary. Match over.

The crowd roared in excitement as the announcer declared, "WINNER: DIMITRI!"

Haruto collapsed onto his knees, frustrated. Dimitri walked past him and patted his shoulder. "You put up a good effort, but you were doomed the moment we started."

The next match was up.

Match 2: Ren (Body Ring) vs. Mateo (Strength Ring)

Ren cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. His opponent, Mateo, was a bulky powerhouse from Argentina, with arms as thick as tree trunks. The moment they stepped onto the battlefield, the crowd could feel the tension.

The referee raised his hand again. "BEGIN!"

Mateo was the first to move. He dashed forward, closing the distance in a blink. His fist shot out, aiming straight for Ren's gut.

BOOM!

Ren barely managed to block with his arm, but the sheer force sent him sliding back several meters, leaving cracks in the ground.

"Damn… he's fast for a big guy," Ren muttered.

Mateo didn't give him time to recover. He rushed forward again, unleashing a series of rapid punches. Ren dodged and weaved, but a well-aimed kick sent him flying.

The crowd erupted as Ren crashed into the wall, his mouth dripping with blood.

"REN!" Akira shouted.

Ryo tensed. "He's strong… but Ren hasn't used his real power yet."

Ren groaned and stood up, wiping his mouth. "Okay, you wanna play rough?" He took a deep breath, and suddenly—his body began to grow.

His muscles expanded, his height increased, and veins pulsed all over his arms. He activated Body Expansion Mode, making him a giant.

The stadium fell silent.

Then, Mateo smirked. "Fine, let's go big."

Mateo's Strength Ring glowed, and his muscles bulged even further. He vanished from sight and suddenly appeared behind Ren, landing a powerful punch to his back.

Ren stumbled forward but quickly regained his balance. He turned and grinned.

"My turn."

Ren bent his knees and curled himself into a ball—then spun at high speed.

Ryo's eyes widened. "No way… is he—"

Ren launched himself at Mateo like a bowling ball, spinning with incredible velocity.

Mateo tried to block, but Ren slammed into him with a loud BANG!

The impact sent Mateo flying out of the ring, crashing into the stadium wall.

The crowd went wild. "WINNER: REN AYASHI!"

Ren stood up, brushing the dust off his body. "That was fun," he said with a smirk.

As the announcer prepared to call the next match, Ryo clenched his fists. The tournament had only just begun, and the fights were already intense.

He had to get stronger.