With the arena restored, both participants took the stage. The audience was excited as ever with their constant encores. Once they've taken their respective sides, a bow was shared with the crowd as the match was about to start.
"It's an honor to actually make it this far and get to face you. I heard alot about your intense battles each year. Excuse my thrill, but I just can't help myself when I'm face to face with the runner up throughout all these tournaments."
Gale looked at them with her head tilted to the side. "First I'm ever hearing that someone is glad to fight me. You mustn't be from around here." She didn't expect to get a compliment out of anyone during the tournament, but it seems some people are opening up a little.
"Maybe not my parents, but you could say that it was fortunate that I didn't have to experience what they went through to get here..." She looked down for a moment, but quickly shook her head. "Besides all of that, I never got to see any of your matches, but I've heard plenty stories about them.
You're probably confused but in short, I guess you can call me a fan of yours." This surprised Gale, who wasn't really expecting much recognition from a local. Lately however, it does seem that things are changing for the siblings.
"Ehh~... More or less to say the least. If you're really telling the truth here, I suppose it wouldn't be such a bad idea to hang out after all of this is over and done with." She scratched her chin timidly as what seemed to be sparkles glisten in the horse's eyes. Maybe her vision was playing tricks on her.
Kazumi couldn't believe the opportunity she was just given. She let's out an embarrassing neigh as she couldn't hold in her excitement much longer, gasping before covering her mouth. "Aha... Sorry about that... That was a little out of pocket for me."
She squirmed in place for a moment before smacking her cheeks together. "Ok... If you'll allow it, then I'll humbly accept the offer. Though I suppose we should already get this match started before people start making assumptions..."
She seemed worried about something, but Gale paid it no mind for the moment. "You're an odd one; that's for certain. But you're right... I do have an opponent waiting for me at the finals and a sister that needs a little scolding once all of this brushes over."
Both contestants readied their signature stance as the Announcer leaves the platform, signaling the staff to begin the match. Once the gongs went off, the awkward atmosphere between the two dissipated near instantly with both fighters leaping into action. However, it was Kazumi who had the advantage in covering more distance, giving her the window of opportunity to land the first attack.
It didn't bother Gale in the slightest as she kept up the pace, reacting with the swipe of her tail. However, Kazumi was able to jump back and with a snort, returned with a swift kick. This only seemed to make Gale more interested, despite the disappointment in her opponent's striking power.
"Heh... Not bad, but you're not gonna be dancing around forever." She slammed her tail down against the floor, causing the ground to shake, which caused Kazumi to slightly lose her footing. Taking advantage of this, Gale caught her opponent with a powerful punch, almost sending them out of the ring.
It may have been the end of the round right there if it wasn't for Kazumi's solid footing, holding her ground at the edge. "Just as I expected from someone like you. I better pay close attention if I plan on keeping up; so ready or not." There was a breeze that blew across the stage as Kazumi gets into her stance.
With a swift leap, it almost appeared as if she vanished in an instant, making her movements difficult to keep track of. Gale was then struck in the jaw, followed by her torso. The impact made her cough up air, reeling back a few steps before catching a glimpse of Kasumi before getting kicked in the face.
"You're actually a lot quicker than my sister. I better stop testing the waters if I intend to win this." Her grin grew wide with the acknowledgement of her opponent. Kazumi was a bit shook by the reaction but remained headstrong, seemingly disappearing with a single step.
Gale knew what to expect this time, stomping the ground as hard as she could, causing the arena to quake before slamming her tail downwards to cause pieces of released debris to hoist into the air. It may have appeared as just a random act of property destruction, but in the arena, it was considered an optimal tact to gain an advantage. Her eyes dilated as something came into its vision and that was the signal she needed to take action.
"There!" She thrusted her fist forward, connecting squarely with Kazumi's chest, forcing them to catch their breath. Another fist came flying into Kazumi's face, sending her across the arena floor. However, Gale wasn't done with her assault.
She chased down her opponent and before they could recover, she scooped them off the floor and swung the full length of her arm to clothesline them back down. It was then followed by a tail flick, sending them to the other side of the arena. The audience already knew that this was a trademark for the beast they call 'Riptide'.
It didn't seem to look good for the equine fighter, but she still got up on her hooves, taking a firm stance. Before Gale could advance further, the air around Kazumi began to sharpen. An emerald hue enveloped her body as she readied herself by pressing down on her right hoof.
The moment she made a step, the surrounding air burst outwards, causing Gale to drag slightly from the sheer force of the wind. In less than a second, Gale felt something sink deep into her stomach, causing her to gag. Everytime she caught a brief glimpse of her opponent, she was already struck before she can even react.
The audience found themselves at the edge of their seats as Kazumi continued to relentlessly blitz her opponent. It honestly wasn't looking good for Gale as every missed attack made was returned with several blows pelting at her body. "You're not gonna like it when I get my hands you! Just you wait!"
At this point, Gale only grew more and more infuriated with every missed attempt. Her stern grin soon turned into violent grimmace, but something else was starting to take place. The Announcer and Serpent Maiden were the first to immediately take note of the event.
Clouds began to cover the sky above, followed by a feint rumbling that gradually got louder until it was obviously audible. The sky darkened, enshrouding the area in a menacing shade that raised concern among the masses. Only a few of them actually knew what was happening. This was no regular storm...
An ear-deafening roar frightened the audience as the surrounding are started to thicken. Droplets of water would rain down, making heavy splashes as they hit the surface. The sound of thunder echoed out, sending a spine-tingling sensation within anyone who wasn't aware.
The entire atmosphere around the arena turned into something menacing. Those that knew gulped in anticipation for what's about to take place. Kazumi couldn't help but to halt herself, nearly choking from the density of the surrounding air.
Her ability proved futile in this hostile environment as every attempt caused her movements to become less than impressive from what they were before. Within that realization, she was struck in the gut with a powerful knee. The impact alone kept her reeling but the assault was far from over.
A swift tail strike sent Kazumi across the arena, but she still kept herself from ringing out. She gave it her best despite her limited speed, but the raging torrent proved to be more than she bargained for. To put it into perspective it was like watching a small child uselessly flailing against a full-grown adult.
With one final fist to the face, Kazumi was sent towards the arena's edge once again. Some couldn't decide whether she was brave, or downright stupid for continuing with what's the equivalent of a one-sided massacre. Tensions rose as Kazumi slowly got to her feet,remaining firm in her stance.
Gale found herself impressed by Kazumi's sheer will. Out of respect, she gathered every fiber of her being to put everything she had into this final attack. Thunder began to crack as the winds picked up, swirling rain throughout the air. With the clench of her fist, the sky cleared as it seemed that the storm's entirety welled itself within her hand.
Kazumi sensed the sentiment and geared up for a last resort as well. With the surrounding area now stable, she gathered as up as much air as possible, swirling it around her fist and feet. The staredown between them seemed to last forever. However, the crowds anticipation was soon answered as both fighters made a lunge towards one another with the sole intention of finishing the match.