CHAPTER 10:AKIRA'S REDEMPTION

Chapter 10 – Akira's Redemption

The atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying. The crowd roared as the announcer took the stage once more, his voice booming across the arena.

"Next up, we have Akira Tanaka versus Zen Fujita!"

The audience erupted into cheers. In the stands, Akira's mother watched nervously, her hands clenched together in prayer. This was the moment she had always hoped for—her son proving to the world, and more importantly to himself, that he was strong.

Akira took a deep breath and stepped onto the battlefield. His fingers trembled slightly, but he clenched them into fists, remembering all the moments in his life when he had been scared. The teasing from classmates, the way he had always run from danger, and the feeling of helplessness—it all weighed on him. But today, he would change that.

Opposite him, Zen Fujita stood tall, flashing a confident smirk. His sharp features and cool demeanor made him an instant favorite among the crowd, especially the girls.

"Zen! Zen! Zen!" the audience chanted.

Zen soaked in the attention, winking at a few admirers before turning to Akira.

"No hard feelings, but you don't stand a chance," Zen said casually, stretching his arms. "Lunar Ring users are on a different level."

Akira didn't respond. He only tightened his fists, ready for the fight to begin.

The referee raised his hand. "Match—BEGIN!"

Zen wasted no time. His Lunar Ring glowed with a faint silver aura as he activated his abilities. Instantly, Akira felt his body grow lighter—he was floating.

"What—?!" Akira panicked as his feet left the ground.

Zen grinned. "Lunar Manipulation. You can't fight properly if you're weightless."

With a flash, Zen leaped forward, delivering a powerful Lunar Punch straight into Akira's stomach. The impact sent Akira flying backward, crashing hard onto the battlefield floor.

The crowd gasped, but the girls continued cheering for Zen. "Zen! Zen! Zen!"

Akira coughed, struggling to get up. He could barely believe how strong Zen was.

Zen casually dusted off his sleeves. "You're weaker than I thought," he said with a disappointed sigh. "Let's just end this quickly."

He raised his hand, summoning a glowing Lunar Slash, a crescent-shaped energy attack that shot toward Akira.

BOOM!

The attack landed directly on Akira, slamming him into the ground.

"Akira!!" Hajime shouted from the stands.

Ren clenched his fists. "Damn it, get up!"

Akira's mother gasped, covering her mouth in shock. The battlefield was silent for a moment, and it seemed like Zen had already won.

Zen turned to the crowd, raising his arms. "That's how it's done."

But then—

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

A sudden roar of determination echoed across the battlefield.

Water erupted from the ground, spiraling around Akira's body. His wounds slowly healed as he stood up, his eyes now glowing with a deep blue hue. His Water Ring pulsed with energy.

Zen's confident smirk faded. "Oh?"

Akira clenched his fists. "I've had enough of being weak!"

With a swift motion, he summoned a massive Tsunami Wave, hurling it toward Zen.

Zen dodged, flipping through the air with ease. "Not bad, but—"

Before he could finish, Akira launched another attack—a Water Slash—which cut through Zen's defensive stance.

Zen gritted his teeth. "Damn it—!"

Akira combined both attacks, creating a Tsunami Slash. The massive wave engulfed Zen completely, slamming him onto the battlefield.

BOOM!

The impact shook the entire stadium.

The referee raised his hand. "The winner is… Akira Tanaka!"

Silence.

Then—

"WOOOOAHHHH!" The crowd erupted into cheers.

The girls who had cheered for Zen moments ago fell silent, while Akira's mother jumped up, clapping with tears in her eyes. "That's my son!"

Akira walked off the battlefield, his body still pulsing with energy. For the first time in his life, he felt strong.

Hajime grinned. "Nice one, scaredy-cat."

Ren chuckled. "Guess we underestimated you."

Ryo nodded. "That was amazing, Akira."

Akira smiled, feeling something new—pride.

But the celebrations didn't last long. The announcer's voice boomed again.

"Next match—Seichi Fujiwara versus Ryo Alves!"

Hajime patted Ryo's back. "Good luck, Ryo."

Ryo clenched his fists and stepped onto the battlefield. This was his moment.

Would he finally unlock his true power?

The battle was about to begin.