Chapter 46: The Battle Royale Begins

The final round of the tournament had arrived. A hush fell over the arena as the remaining competitors stepped into the ring. A mix of fear, excitement, and adrenaline buzzed in the air. Only 16 would remain by the end of the battle royale, and the stakes had never been higher.

The walls around the arena buzzed with energy, the ground beneath them shifting into a large, circular stage. Above, the large screen displayed the names of all the finalists, a mixture of students from various schools and a few unknown faces. The spectators roared with excitement, the tension palpable.

Kael, Hana, Tetsu, and Ryuu stood in one corner of the arena, their eyes scanning the faces around them. They weren't facing each other. Instead, they would be up against 8 other random competitors in 8 separate battles. Whoever survived their fight would move on to the next stage of the tournament, where the final four would duke it out.

Tetsu, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, glanced toward Kael with a grin.

"This is gonna be fun, huh? Let's see who's actually worth our time." Tetsu's words were filled with his usual cocky confidence.

"Don't get careless," Kael replied, his tone more serious than usual. He still couldn't shake the guilt of Hana's injury, and this fight was his chance to push past it. "I'm not gonna hold back."

Hana nodded beside them, her eyes focused. "We've trained for this. Let's win it together."

The Villains Squad

As the names flashed across the screen, the remaining competitors from Kurojin Tsukiro's team stood in the far corner of the arena. Three figures emerged from the shadows, their faces shadowed beneath dark hoods. No one knew who they were or what school they represented. But their presence sent a chill through the air.

They moved as a unit, each of them with a different kind of aura. One was taller, muscular with sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through everything around him. The second was leaner but exuded a dangerous calm, his hands constantly twitching, ready to strike. The third was the smallest of the trio, but there was a ferocity in her eyes that couldn't be ignored.

They were labeled simply as "Team Darkshade."

Though their team name seemed unremarkable, their energy was palpable—dark, oppressive. No one suspected that this was the elite squad from Kurojin Tsukiro's faction, but their presence, their quiet yet intense energy, was unmistakable.

They were here to win. They were here for something much greater than the tournament.

The Battles Begin

The arena split into multiple sections as the first set of one-on-one battles commenced. Kael took a deep breath as his name was called out on the screen.

"Kael Renji versus Riku Aomori!"

Riku stepped into the arena, a tall, lanky fighter with short black hair and a smug look on his face. He cracked his knuckles, ready to take on Kael with all his strength.

Kael's gaze hardened. The air around him pulsed with his energy, but he kept his composure. The crowd cheered, but Kael only had one focus: to win and prove to himself that he could control his powers.

"Ready when you are," Riku said, his grin widening.

Kael didn't hesitate. He dashed forward, closing the distance between them in a split second. He wasn't going to waste time with anything but direct action. His Will flared, and he unleashed a powerful strike at Riku, who barely managed to block it with his forearms.

But Kael's speed and power were overwhelming. He didn't hold back this time. Each attack pushed Riku further back. The crowd roared as Kael unleashed a flurry of punches, followed by an energy blast that sent Riku crashing to the ground.

"What's wrong? You were talking big before." Kael's voice was calm, but there was an edge of frustration beneath it. He had more to prove than just winning.

Riku struggled to stand, groaning. But as soon as he rose, Kael was already on him again. With a final burst of energy, Kael knocked Riku out of the ring, his body hitting the ground hard.

The arena erupted into cheers.

"Winner: Kael Renji!" The announcer's voice echoed, and Kael exhaled, his body still tense.

Hana's Battle

Meanwhile, Hana faced her opponent: a well-built boy with long, flowing hair and a fierce glare. "Hana Yume versus Shiro Ikari!"

Hana immediately moved into a defensive stance, her body poised and ready. Shiro charged at her, his fists glowing with energy. But Hana was quick, dodging and weaving between his strikes. She wasn't just fast—she was precise, every movement calculated.

"You think you can dodge everything?!" Shiro yelled, throwing a massive punch toward Hana.

Hana sidestepped, causing the punch to hit nothing but air. In the blink of an eye, she retaliated, landing a clean strike to Shiro's side. The crowd gasped as Shiro staggered, and Hana pressed her advantage, launching a series of precise strikes. Each blow was methodical and powerful.

"You're fast, but not fast enough," Hana whispered, finishing the fight with a powerful blast that sent Shiro flying out of the ring.

"Winner: Hana Yume!"

Tetsu and Ryuu's Victories

Tetsu's fight was quick. His opponent, a muscular kid named Kaito, tried to throw wild punches, but Tetsu dodged with ease, his grin widening with each failed attack. One sharp hit to Kaito's midsection, and the fight was over.

"Winner: Tetsu Akiyama!"

Ryuu, ever calm, took down his opponent, Tomo Nara, with strategic precision, using energy manipulation to trap Tomo in a barrier before delivering a non-lethal strike.

"Winner: Ryuu Takashi!"

The Villains' Squad's Battles

The mysterious "Team Darkshade" moved swiftly through their matches, effortlessly eliminating their opponents with precise, calculated attacks. They had the skill and power to overpower anyone in their way, but they kept their movements in the shadows, never revealing too much.

Their leader, a tall figure named Veyren Kurai, destroyed his opponent with a single move, a swift cut to the air that shattered the arena floor beneath him. His teammates—Raven and Lilith—were equally formidable, using agility and power to knock out their enemies without much struggle.

The Final Round

As the final 16 were revealed, Kael, Hana, Tetsu, Ryuu, and Team Darkshade remained. They stood on opposite ends of the arena, their eyes narrowing as they prepared for the next round.

The tension was unbearable, but no one knew yet what the true purpose of this tournament was. They were all just players in a game they didn't fully understand.

And Kael... Kael knew that something darker was brewing. Something much bigger than this competition.