Heifer looked at her other team member then closed her eyes. "Go out there. Unless August steps out, I'm not wasting my energy just for them to throw him out when I'm too tired to fight."
"But Heifer..! This isn't just any student! That's Nina!" Heifer's teammate said.
Nina sighed and crossed her arms. "Are we just gonna sit around and complain or are we gonna get this over with..? I'm starting to get bored."
"Your cousin is just as much of a hot head as you are, Arch." Archer's friend chuckled.
Archer gave a nose exhale then looked at me with his arms crossed. 'Neither he or Heifer are stepping out...Heifer is usually always willing to fight. Why is she suddenly not fighting and what's up with August. Is he meditating..?'
I opened my eyes then looked at Nina. "C'mon! We have an outing planned at 3 today."
"I'm trying but no one is stepping up." Nina said then sighed. "Guess we gotta cancel that nail appointment girls.."
"Aww.." April sighed.
Heifer pushed her teammate forward then closed her eyes. "Stop wasting time and take your loss like a true hero. Don't be like Julius and his failed team."
The girl inched forward and looked at Nina. She clutched her staff then mustered all the courage she could. The looked back and noticed her twin sister nodding at her.
"Mina!~ We are princesses from North Emerald, we won't lose! Believe in yourself and your magic!" Mina's twin said, encouraging her.
Mina smiled then looked at Nina. She got into her stance then her earthly energy began to radiate from her body. 'VI is right...We are Princesses... wanting to finish our story and avenge our kingdom. Team August is stacked with powerhouses, but if just one falls...We might pull this off...'
Nina stopped looking at her nails then looked at Mina. "Are you ready..?"
"Yeah!" Mina said.
"Begin!" Ms. Ray called out.
Mina immediately began to blast bolts of magic energy at Nina, but Nina evaded each one easily. Mina grunted softly then charged up earth energy then she began to use the sunlight to supercharge her attack. Mina bellowed and released a beam of earth energy at Nina. Nina closed her eyes then smirked and dodged the beam.
'She's so fast..! She hasn't even thrown an attack...' Mina said.
"Showing off her agility I see..? Seems like she's got some pride huh?" Archer's friend said.
Archer watched Nina closely. Since she and Lily were his family, he held them to a higher standard than others. As much as he didn't want to, he counted on my team winning every match.
Mina sighed and lowered her staff. "I can only do so much as a magician if my target is faster than my magic...but unless I have to, I will use my swordsmanship!"
Nina watched Mina and noticed her summon her magic sword. She reached in her back pocket then pulled out a pair of fingerless gloves and put them on.
"By the honor of the kingdom of North Emerald...I, Mina, Princess of North Emerald, will see to your defeat!" Mina said then got into her stance.
Nina looked at Mina then placed her hands in her pockets then wind energy flowed around her. "Alright, Princess Mina. Let's see what you're all about."
Mina lowered her stance then dashed toward Nina and bellowed. She swiftly slashed, but Nina dodged the attack and glid backwards using her Wind Manipulation. Nina kicked twice, sending wind blades toward Mina. Mina dashed forward and sliced both of them in two then slashed at Nina's legs.
Nina boosted herself in the air using her wind then flew down with a powerful axe kick. Mina blocked the attack then grunted loudly. Mina managed to push Nina back then slashed at her. Nina perfectly timed her block, managing to cause Mina to recoil back then she landed a powerful kick on Mina's stomach. Mina coughed then was blown away into a wall.
Mina's sword and aura disappeared and she was out cold. Nina exhaled and her wind energy disappeared.
"Match over! The winner is Nina! One point goes to Team August!" Ms. Ray said.
VI hurried toward Mina and checked up on her. She picked her up and carried her to the sidelines. She looked at Heifer, noticing she wasn't impressed with Nina's performance. She looked at Nina then looked at me.
"Heifer...We are down two and they are up four. We need you to take one of them out." VI said and made sure her sister was in a comfortable position.
"And have them throw out August..? You're stronger than Georgia and the other half to Mina. You can take on all three of them at your current strength. You and Mina are my aces. It was just unfortunate that she was pinned against Nina." Heifer said.
VI grunted softly then noticed Lily walking forward. "I guess...but I've got my work cut out for me. I feel like it's better for you to go out there and defeat August first then we clean up later."
"Not possible. I don't know if you've noticed, but August is slowly growing stronger." Heifer said.
VI looked at me and noticed me bathing in the sun. "He's just sunbathing? Does this connect with his power?"
"It does, taken he let it be known that he's a Zodiac Knight. Using the sun, he's able to grow his potential higher. I have nothing to counter that other than my own strength. As long as I'm not on the field, they won't send him and I can keep thinking of a strategy just in case you do lose." Heifer said.
VI nodded then walked forward. "Makes sense. You owe me big time."
Heifer looked at VI then closed her eyes. "Your wish is my command, Princess."
VI walked forward then summoned her sword. "Even though it's just a Mock Tournament, everything feels like it's onto me to win this. However, this battle is to show who's ready and who isn't. I've seen the news, but it doesn't impress me! I am VI, Princess of North Emerald, and slayer of the Emerald Dragon. I won't allow you to defeat me.."
Lily summoned her Cross then it transformed into a sword of light. "As a fellow Lioness, I won't let August nor myself down!"
"God..." Nina said and lowered her head. "I will never call myself that shit..."
"C'mon~ It's like we're royalty~" April giggled.
VI smiled and giggled a bit. "I get it because outside of this you're The Pride, I understand where your sudden courage came from...however it takes more than Courage to take me down!"
"You may begin!" Ms. Ray called out.
Lily watched VI and VI watched Lily. Neither side made a move until Lily dashed toward VI and bellowed as she slashed swiftly. VI blocked the slashed then pushed Lily back then went for a slash. Lily clashed with VI multiple times before entering entered a blade lock with her.
"Those two are evenly matched...VI's skills with a blade even rival some of us seniors and she's only a junior. To match with Lily who's been training under a real Battle Angel her entire life..." Archer's friend said.
Archer watched Lily closely then noticed her determined she was to win. 'Ever since yesterday...I could see that spark in her eyes more. August, just who do you think you are..?'
VI and Lily pushed each other away then Lily slashed and VI barely blocked, getting marked in her arm. VI grunted as she looked at the scratch on her arm then rushed forward and used a burst of speed to move around faster than Lily could see. She began to land near invisible slashes on Lily and Lily could do nothing but take the damage. VI appeared in front of Lily then bellowed, her earthly energy raging around her body.
"Burst Skill: Emerald Slash!" VI bellowed then landed a powerful Emerald Slash on Lily.
Lily groaned as she was blown away then crashed into a wall. Everyone watched in anticipation, waiting for the smoke cloud to clear.
VI looked at her arm, noticing it was shining. She grunted as Lily teleported in front of her. Lily landed a powerful palm strike on VI, blowing her away with a pulse of light. Lily stood up straight then her gauntlets shined.
"The Mark of Light. All of my attacks now deal double the damage and I can now use Lightspeed Warp. I hope you're ready to see what I can really do." Lily said then her gauntlets shined brightly.
VI stood up and looked at Lily, seeing the pride in her eyes of now having the courage to show her true potential. 'She's an actual threat now...I need to find a way to get this marking off me..!'
Lily lowered her stance then teleported toward VI, going for an uppercut. VI noticed then dodged Lily, but Lily swiftly elbowed VI's stomach then landed a powerful body blow with the back of her fist. VI groaned as she was knocked back then she used at burst of speed to appear behind Lily then slashed down.
Lily teleported above VI then slammed a sphere of light against VI's back then a bright light shined. A massive light explosion happened and everyone watched in awe. Lily looked surprised seeing a log had taken VI's place.
"You won't defeat me!" VI yelled as she was above Lily then landed a powerful Emerald Slash on Lily's back, blowing her to the ground.
VI landed on the ground and panted then fell onto one knee. She looked forward then noticed a flash of light. She slowly stood up then groaned as light speed attacks began to hit her.
Lily teleported in front of VI then began to charge up an attack. "Angelic Arts, Second Stage: Heavenly Hand Barrage!"
Lily staggered VI with the first strike then began to rush VI with attacks at light speeds then knocked her away with one last attack. VI grunted as she hit the ground then rolled onto her side. Her aura disappeared and Ms. Ray watched in awe.
"Battle over! Lily win! One point to Team August!" Ms. Ray said.
Lily panted softly then fell onto one knee. She was exhausted now since she used most of her energy on her Angelic Arts. She was about to walk toward the sidelines, but Heifer stopped her by blocking her with a wall of roots.
"You aren't going anywhere." Heifer said. "It's time to clean up."
Lily knew Heifer wasn't going to let her walk away so she summoned her Cross and got ready. 'She knows how my power works so just marking her won't be enough. I have enough energy for one more Angelic Arts, so I'll end this quickly!'
"You may begin!" Ms. Ray called out.
Lily dashed toward Heifer then slashed at her, but a shield of rocks protected Heifer. Lily retreated back then she transformed her Cross into a spear of light and rapidly thrusted her spear at Heifer. Heifer used her Earth Shield to block each attack then closed her eyes.
"Weak." Heifer said then parried Lily.
Heifer charged forward and rammed into Lily, blowing her away. Lily recovered then slashed swiftly, but Heifer dodged her attack and struck Lily with her knee. Lily coughed a bit then was blown away. Nina grunted and caught Lily and noticed Lily was out cold.
"Match over! Heifer wins! One point to Team Heifer!" Ms. Ray said.
Heifer looked at me then her eyes shined. 'I'm here now, August. What is your next move..?'
April placed her hand on my chest, keeping me from standing up. "I got this...I still have to make her pay for coming over uninvited."
Heifer looked at April then her cloak flowed with the wind. "You are no challenge to me, April. Turn away and bring August out."
"Before you fight the leader, you got to get through us like how we patiently waited to get to you. You defeated a tired Lily... but I'm not tired yet. I'm still ready to rumble..~" April said then her eyes shined.
Heifer sensed April's energy had increased then closed her eyes. She kicked April back then openef her eyes. "Hmph...show me what you can do then."
April smirked then got into her stance. "Bring it on..~"