We stood in the training grounds, the atmosphere thick with anticipation. Our first match was against Tonikawa's team. I could feel the tension in the air as our opponents stepped forward.
Tonikawa's team was composed of four individuals:
- **Tonikawa**: The leader, ranked 530,283,532, with a confident smirk on his face.
- **Kaito**: A tall guy with a lean build and sharp eyes. He was ranked 593747382.
- **Mina**: A girl with a calm demeanor, her eyes calculating every move. She was ranked 493739310.
- **Hiroshi**: A muscular guy with a fierce expression. He was ranked 392838839.
Kael-sensei stepped forward, "Remember, the use of Tricks is allowed, but don't go too far. Now, let the battle begin!"
*The First Round: Ryota vs. Tonikawa*
Ryota confidently stepped forward, facing Tonikawa. He flashed his usual grin, "I'll take this one. Let me show you why I'm the strongest."
Tonikawa smiled, "We'll see about that."
As the battle began, Ryota charged at Tonikawa, but something was off. Tonikawa swiftly dodged Ryota's attacks with ease, using his Trick, *Shadow Slide*. This allowed him to move through shadows, appearing and disappearing at will.
Ryota, growing frustrated, tried to land a hit, but his efforts were futile. Tonikawa's shadow movements were too fast. With a swift move, Tonikawa reappeared behind Ryota and landed a heavy blow, knocking him down.
Ryota tried to stand up, but the blow had been too strong. The audience burst out laughing as Ryota, the self-proclaimed strongest, lay on the ground defeated.
Tonikawa smirked, "Looks like you're not as strong as you think."
Ryota struggled to his feet, his pride shattered.
"I-i didn't show my full power beca-because now is not... the t-time." Ryota-san was struggling to speak.
*The Second Round: Amara vs. Kaito*
Amara stepped forward, determination in his eyes. He faced Kaito, who had a confident look, clearly believing this would be an easy match.
Kaito's Trick, *Piercing Wind*, allowed him to create sharp wind blades that could cut through almost anything. He started the battle by launching a series of wind blades towards Amara.
Amara, however, was ready. He activated his Trick, *Spectral Veil*, creating a semi-transparent barrier that slightly distorted sound and light. The wind blades hit the barrier, but instead of cutting through, they were deflected off, losing their momentum.
Kaito, surprised, tried to find a way around the barrier, but Amara was quick to adjust. He moved the barrier to block each of Kaito's attacks, frustrating him. Finally, Amara saw an opening and rushed in, using the barrier to distort Kaito's vision. In a swift move, Amara landed a punch, knocking Kaito off his feet.
Kaito tried to recover, but Amara's precision and quick thinking left him no chance. Amara won the round, leveling the score.
*The Third Round: Yuri vs. Mina*
Next, it was Yuri's turn to face Mina. Mina, with her calm demeanor, activated her Trick, *Mirror Image*. This allowed her to create a clone of herself that mimicked her movements.
Yuri, not intimidated, activated *Echo Step*, leaving afterimages of herself as she moved. The battlefield quickly became chaotic, with Mina and her clone chasing after multiple versions of Yuri.
However, Yuri used this to her advantage. She strategically placed her afterimages to confuse Mina, making it difficult for her to tell which one was real. In the end, Mina attacked an afterimage, leaving herself open. Yuri took the opportunity to strike, knocking Mina down and securing the victory.
*The Final Round: Felix vs. Hiroshi*
Finally, it was Felix's turn. He faced Hiroshi, the muscular guy who seemed confident in his brute strength. Hiroshi's Trick, *Stone Skin*, made his body as hard as rock, allowing him to absorb heavy impacts.
Felix, however, remained calm. He activated his Trick, *Phantom Blade*, creating a blade of pure energy from his fingertips. The blade glowed with a faint, ominous light.
Hiroshi charged at Felix, believing his Stone Skin would protect him. But Felix was ready. He met Hiroshi head-on, swinging the Phantom Blade with precision. The blade phased through Hiroshi's Stone Skin as if it was nothing, delivering a powerful blow that made Hiroshi stagger.
Hiroshi tried to counterattack, but Felix's agility and the versatility of the Phantom Blade allowed him to easily dodge and strike back. In a matter of moments, Hiroshi was on the ground, unable to continue the fight.
Felix stood victorious, his calm demeanor never faltering.
"I don't think there's any need for another round, since Komaru's team will win regardless if they lose or not." Kael-sensei, therefore declared us the winners.
Kael-sensei nodded in approval, "Well done, Komaru's team. You all fought well."
We were one step closer to increasing our ranks and proving ourselves in this academy.
*Lie Counter: 1*