Once the commentator introduced the 2 students who would be competing in the second battle for a place in the semifinals, the elevators finally moved.
Once the elevators moved, a tense state descended on the spectator stands.
Throughout the history of Obedin Mystic Academy's graduation tournaments, the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of the tournament were always the best parts of the tournament and this one was no exception.
The best students of every graduating batch were the ones who always made it to this stage of the graduation tournament.
Though this time there were some changes and 2 dark horses made it to the quarterfinals, it did not reduce the excitement, rather with the possibility that anything could happen only increased the excitement of the occasion.
Cassandra and John's battle was a beauty, but all the spectators knew that this battle between Turan and Roland would be far more epic.
These 2 were at the top of the best students of this academy session batch.
Having fought convincingly and displayed their intimidating power against weaker opponents in the past 2 stages of the tournament, they finally met in the quarterfinals where only one of them could qualify.
Clang!
Once the elevators touched down on the arena, Turan and Roland came out without hesitation as their eyes clashed which seemed to induce sparks in the air.
Both of them were familiar with each other even before the graduation tournament, they deeply respected each other but they were determined to win which only made the atmosphere tenser.
Shing!
While looking intensely at his opponent, Turan for the first time since his debut in the tournament finally unsheathed his mystic sword for battle.
The shiny blade of the weapon reflected a dangerous silvery sheen once it was unsheathed. Turan's mystic sword was a powerful mystic weapon renowned in Obedin City, it was called the Triple Kill Sword.
Once Turan unsheathed his sword, Roland reciprocated by balancing his center of gravity to enter his taijutsu battle stance.
Once these 2 were prepared, the battle commenced!
Gong!
Once the gong was sounded, both students erupted with speed as they activated their movement techniques and rushed toward each other.
Turan rushed with extreme speed as what seemed like a purple gale followed him, while an orange gale seemed to envelop and follow Roland as he ran.
As Roland looked at his opponent, a lot of things went through his mind. Being recognized as one of the favorites to win the graduation tournament, Roland entered hoping to achieve a result that he would be proud of for life.
His life as a student not part of the privileged few was hard, but he tried his best and persevered, making the best use of what life had in store for him.
After a lot of hard work, he got to where he currently was today and he didn't intend to fall again. Though his opponent was the terrifying Turan, he did not want to lose, he wanted to enter the semifinals, and he was determined to win!
While these thoughts went through his mind, it took only a few seconds before he closed the distance to his opponent as his eyes turned a fiery red the next moment like that of a raging burning fire.
Roland smoothly manipulated and channeled his mystic energy as easily as moving his limbs as he went on the offensive without hesitation.
"Fire Skill: Fire Kicks of Destruction!"
Instantly, Roland seemed to turn into a meteor that rushed towards his opponent but Turan was calm as he defended with his mystic sword.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Turan's eyes were as calm, focused, and dangerous as those of an eagle as he coordinated his body to defend against the attacks of his opponent.
Roland did not go one-dimensionally, Turan's combat basics were too solid to be overwhelmed by such basic moves which were why he improvised.
"Martial Technique: Vibrating Palms!"
Having started using his iron shirt martial technique for defense already, Roland soon started using his vibrating palms martial technique which was his real killer move in this quarterfinal battle.
His palms struck out with the speed and lethality of a raging fire in harmattan, hiding a lot of lethal motives behind each strike as his fierce offensive kept Turan on the defensive side.
His palm kept on striking the powerful mystic sword, trying to deflect it time and time again as Roland aimed for one strike against his opponent's vitals.
Despite the fierce offensive of his opponent, Turan never relented. He rarely used his mystic energy for powerful lightning attacks, mainly using it to empower his sword attacks with lightning attributes to make the battle fast-paced.
Turan had the means to unleash powerful attacks with his mystic ability but he didn't, he wanted to savor this battle to the fullest against such a powerful opponent, he wanted to use it to hone his battle instincts more.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
While the spectators held their breaths, these 2 students went back and forth against each other for 4 minutes before Turan finally found an opening.
Once an opening appeared, he struck like a viper.
"Lightning Sword Skill: Lightning Slash!"
Crackle!
Turan's sword slash was accompanied by a mighty lightning manifestation as this attack aimed to obliterate Roland but Roland reacted.
Roland rapidly retreated as he unleashed 3 rapid Disintegration Palm fire skills at the lightning manifestation only to end up with no result.
He didn't give up though, at this moment of truth, Roland briefly closed his eyes to meditate and when he opened them, they were burning fire.
Roland suddenly threw a punch at the lightning attack.
Boom!
His body convulsed a bit as an unseen current spread through his body, dealing untold damage, but he persevered and to the shock of all the spectators, Roland was able to grab the lighting manifestation.
"Advanced Fire Skill: Energy Redirection!"
Roland released a classic in the quarterfinals!
Roland's move proved that every one of the students who qualified for this stage had hidden trump cards. He grabbed the lightning manifestation, squeezed it, and molded it to his use before redirecting it back to Turan.
Turan was shocked but he was able to react on time as he activated one of the mystic effects of his Triple Kill Sword which was a defensive effect.
Boom!
Turan was attacked by his own attack, but he was saved by his sword.
While holding his sword vertically, Turan peeped and he noticed his opponent's exhaustion after his last move. Instantly, he pounced like a tiger.
"Advanced Lightning Skill: Lightning Bolt!"
Once the blueish-white mighty lightning bolt materialized in the air, Roland's fate was sealed. The lightning bolt descended with tyrannical energy.
BOOM!
Roland was fried to a crisp after a wonderful performance, he wasn't eliminated yet though despite his terrible injuries but he could not counterattack either as Turan ruthlessly went for the killing blow.
Turan rapidly feinted to the right before unleashing a rapid finishing move horizontal slash towards his opponent's head.
Whoosh!
Before the sword could connect, the watching intermediate mystic warrior intervened and saved Roland from sure death.
After an exciting spectacle, Turan Elliot won the battle and qualified for the semifinals of the graduation tournament!
Roland Cross lost but he made a name for himself with his use of the advanced fire skill, he fought a good battle.
…
After Turan's battle and subsequent win, the first-day battles of the quarterfinals finally came to an end, the spectators returned home satisfied.
All the battles were exciting unforgettable classics, the only pity was the fact that a powerful student like Roland Cross was already eliminated from the tournament, and a lot of female spectators sympathized with him.
That day, after the battles were completed, Rex didn't have the luxury to go comfort Cassandra as he started active preparations for his own battle.
That night, he went to the Sloth bar again and had the last training with his master before his quarterfinal battle.
Time moved like the wind and in just a moment, tomorrow was here.