Chapter 5: The Real Tournament
The real tournament
As the first matches ended, Aria-sensei raised her hand again, commanding silence across the roaring arena.
She smiled.
"This tournament…" she said, her voice echoing,
"…is no simple school event. Every three years, this grand competition is held—and students from schools across all of Japan come to fight."
Gasps ran through the first-years.
Ryker narrowed his eyes.
He hadn't expected it to be this big.
"In the beginning stages," Aria continued, "your own school will fight together as one team. You must prove yourselves worthy—to qualify."
"And if you qualify…" her voice softened, "then powerful guild leaders will join your team for the real battles ahead."
The entire arena buzzed with excitement.
Suddenly, from among the second-years, a voice rang out.
"Sensei!!"
Everyone turned.
It was Shin.
Standing tall, confidence radiating from him.
"I want to fight right now," Shin said casually, hands in his pockets. "Let me fight a team."
Aria raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And which team do you want to fight?"
Shin's smile sharpened.
"King's team."
The arena exploded with whispers.
Fighting King's team was crazy. Even upperclassmen wouldn't dare challenge them like this.
Aria's smile grew.
"You alone?"
"No," Shin said, turning slightly.
"I'll join Sol Yoshida's team."
Another shockwave of noise ran through the students.
Sol Yoshida—another monster.
The two geniuses teaming up against King's unstoppable squad?
This was about to get interesting.
King's Team
Kenta — the team's frontline bruiser.
Shin Kazuto — the second strategist, silent and deadly.
Amelia — powerful ice mage.
Hiroshi — defensive wall and tank.
Arisu Nakamura — the flexible fighter/mage.
Saki Nakamura — healer and Archer.
Mio Amagiri — backup healer, pure support.
They stood together calmly, unshaken.
King smiled faintly when he heard Shin's challenge, eyes burning with hidden excitement.
"Interesting," King muttered.
"It's been a while since anyone dared."
First-Years' Area
Ryker crossed his arms, watching Shin walk to Sol's side.
In his mind, a single thought passed:
"He really is the genius of the school."
Shin was confident for a reason.
And Ryker…
He wasn't planning to sit back and watch for too long, either.
Sol team vs King team
Left side – Ryker's Team.
Ryker Tensai – calm, unreadable, his black coat flowing as he walked.
Izumi Nakamura – sucking on a lollipop, eyes half-lidded but dangerous.
Sol Yoshida – hands in his pockets, a wild grin on his face.
Tatsuya Jin – smirking, his aura cocky but sharp.
Shin – silent, hands in his jacket, already analyzing every possible outcome.
Right side – King's Team.
King – the powerhouse. Rumored to rival instructors. Stoic. Untouchable.
Shin Kazuto – tactical genius, known for perfect combat calculations.
Amelia Hiroshi – speed and sword expert, never missed a slash.
Arisu Nakamura – a calm but terrifying controller of ice magic.
Saki Nakamura – elite archer, support and offense.
Mio Amagiri – ranked top 3 healers in Japan.
The student hushed.
Aria-sensei stood on a floating platform above the arena.
"This is a special match. First-years against second-years. The Genius Five vs. The Reigning Kings."
Her voice rang through the arena like thunder.
"No killing. But everything else is allowed."
She raised her hand.
"Begin!"
The Battle Begins
In a flash, King's team launched forward.
Amelia vanished—her speed like a blur of light.
Arisu raised her hand—the temperature dropped instantly as ice spikes erupted from the ground.
Saki fired three arrows at once, all aimed for vital points.
Mio began her buffs, golden light wrapping around her team.
But Ryker's squad didn't flinch.
Tatsuya's hands lit up, lightning crackling across his knuckles.
Shin whispered, "Zone A, collapse the pattern."
A sharp shockwave of gravity pulsed outward—breaking Arisu's ice path mid-formation.
Sol laughed—his hair flaring with wild energy.
Then
Sol activated his Mad Skill.
His pupils dilated, and his veins glowed a strange crimson-blue.
"Mad Drive."
He vanished.
BOOM!
Amelia was knocked out of the air, spinning backward. She skidded across the ground.
Before King could move, Izumi was already behind him, landing a precise punch laced with raw pressure magic.
King staggered back—surprised.
Tatsuya faced Shin Kazuto, lightning clashing with calculated martial strikes. "You think too much, genius."
Shin Kazuto smirked. "And you think too little."
They clashed—blow for blow.
Meanwhile, Ryker stood still—watching. Calculating.
Arisu sent a blizzard toward him.
He blinked.
And in the next instant he was gone.
Appeared behind her.
"Don't blink around me." Ryker whispered coldly.
A clean blow to her neck dropped her unconscious.
Saki fired three more arrows
Sol caught them mid-air. With two fingers.
His smile was twisted now. "Mad Drive"
He vanished.
Reappeared midair.
"Heaven Breaker."
He dropped a foot down like a meteor.
BOOOOOOM.
The ground shattered. The field cracked open like an earthquake.
Dust rose.
When it cleared, King stood in the center, bruised, shirt torn.
Izumi licked blood off his lip.
"You're tougher than you look."
King's eyes finally sharpened. "I wasn't taking you seriously."
Ryker stepped forward.
"I was hoping you would."
The final clash was about to begin.
Ryker vs. King.
The Final Clash – Ryker vs. King
The world fell silent.
Even the crowd forgot to breathe as Ryker Tensai and King faced each other at the heart of the broken arena.
Dust swirled around them.
King cracked his neck.
"You're strong. But you're still a kid."
Ryker said nothing.
He simply raised his hand—and space around him shivered.
Pressure exploded.
The ground beneath Ryker's feet cracked like glass.
The air grew heavier, thicker, almost unbreathable.
King charged.
His body moved like a cannonball—pure power, pure speed.
Ryker didn't move.
BOOM!
King's fist slammed forward—a direct hit aimed for Ryker's face.
But the moment his fist touched Ryker—
The world slowed.
King's punch froze midair.
His eyes widened.
"…What?"
Time.
Ryker had slowed time itself in a radius around him.
Ryker whispered softly, so only King could hear:
"You're fast. But I'm faster than time."
And then—Ryker moved.
One step.
One flick of his finger—
CRACK!
King's body was blasted backward, skipping across the battlefield like a stone across a lake.
The crowd erupted.
"WHAT WAS THAT!?"
"He didn't even punch!!"
Aria-sensei smiled faintly from her floating platform.
(So he's finally using a part of it… his real power.)
King coughed blood but got back up—smiling wildly now.
"This is fun!" he shouted. His aura exploded.
A golden, raging energy surrounded him.
A technique only third-years and guild members used—
King's Awakening Skill: Titan Mode.
He grew taller, denser, muscle swelling, magic overflowing.
The ground shook under his steps.
He raised both fists, golden shockwaves trembling through the air.
"COME AT ME, RYKER!!"
Meanwhile
Sol, Izumi, Shin, and Tatsuya stood on the side, watching.
Sol cracked his knuckles, grinning.
"I wanna fight too, but... this is Ryker's show now."
Shin smirked. "Let's see how far Ryker pushes him."
Tatsuya nodded. "King might actually go serious."
Izumi sucked on a new lollipop.
"Or Ryker will end this in the next three moves."
Back to the Battle
Ryker lifted one hand.
No weapons.
Just five fingers.
King roared, swinging both golden fists like two collapsing suns.
Ryker stepped forward—casually.
First move.
He pointed one finger at the incoming force—
And all the air pressure vanished.
King's attack hit nothing—the space warped around Ryker's body.
Second move.
Ryker closed his hand into a fist—
And threw a clean, straight punch.
It didn't look fast.
But the moment it landed—
A delayed shockwave exploded.
King's golden aura cracked like glass. His Titan Mode wavered.
His body crashed into the stadium walls—burying deep into stone.
Silence.
A full minute passed.
Then, slowly, King pushed himself out of the rubble, breathing hard.
Blood trickled down his forehead.
He smiled.
"...You win."
And Ryker falling unconscious