As the stands filled with eager spectators, John and Alex stood by the participants' spectating area, leaning forward, eyes glued to the match about to unfold. The energy from their own battles lingered, but the thrill of watching the other fighters compete was undeniable. They had Collin and Jordan in front of them—a Mira bender versus a fire-specialist from Ignis Peak—and it was sure to be intense.Collin stood in the ring with a relaxed smile, radiating the same easy confidence he'd displayed since their arrival. Across from him, Jordan was already heating up, flames licking at his fists as he prepared himself.John glanced at Alex, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "So, ready to go over my strategy from earlier?" he teased. "Precision energy strikes? Not exactly your style, I'd say."Alex chuckled, nudging John with his elbow. "Hey, give me some credit! That was some fancy footwork you pulled off, I'll admit. Though, it looked like you were struggling to get past that guy's size—what was he, Brick's cousin?"John rolled his eyes. "Not the first time I've had to take on a human tank. Anyway, what about you, Mr. Special Move? That last hit was incredible. How long have you been working on that?""Oh, you mean the concentrated energy strike?" Alex stretched his arms, pretending to be nonchalant. "Just a little something I've been cooking up. Figured it would help against speed demons like Brad.""Speed demons?" John grinned. "From what I remember, he was practically dancing circles around you by the end."Alex laughed, shrugging. "Yeah, but in the end, he didn't expect the knockout. Timing, my friend—that's key. Speaking of timing..." He trailed off as Collin and Jordan squared off, the tension in the air thickening.Jimmy's voice boomed over the loudspeaker, riling up the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have Mira's rising star, Collin, known for his uncanny precision and versatility—versus Jordan, Ignis Peak's blazing powerhouse! Let's see which flame burns the brightest!"The crowd roared as the match began. Jordan wasted no time, igniting his fists and launching himself toward Collin with a fierce cry. Collin simply tilted his head, an unsettling smile spreading across his face as he sidestepped Jordan's first attack."Oh, he's quick," John murmured, narrowing his eyes."Not just quick," Alex replied, his tone suddenly more serious. "Collin's reading him."With fluid grace, Collin dodged another punch, moving just enough to avoid the fire without losing his stance. Jordan, now visibly frustrated, ramped up his attacks, sending a series of rapid, fiery jabs toward Collin. But each attempt was met with the same effortless evasion."Oh, he's toying with him," John observed, a hint of unease creeping into his voice.Alex nodded slowly. "It's like he's waiting for the right moment to go in for the kill."And then it happened. Just as Jordan threw a particularly powerful fire blast, Collin sidestepped once more and raised a hand, creating a shimmering, glass-like barrier in the air. The fireball collided with it, dispersing harmlessly. Jordan's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Collin shot forward, grabbing him by the wrist and twisting it at an awkward angle."Whoa!" Alex leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the ring. "Did you see that? He blocked the entire blast and turned it against him!""Yeah," John muttered, a hint of discomfort in his tone. "But look at Collin. He's... enjoying this."Collin's grip tightened, and Jordan grimaced in pain. With a smile that bordered on sadistic, Collin whispered something inaudible to his opponent, his voice laced with amusement. Then, with a swift motion, he released Jordan, stepping back as if offering him another chance to attack.Jordan, clutching his wrist, glared at Collin, flames reigniting in his hands. He charged again, fueled by frustration, but Collin simply sidestepped and retaliated with a swift kick to the back of Jordan's knee, bringing him to the ground. The crowd winced as Jordan's knee hit the floor with a resounding crack."He's definitely got some power behind that smile," John muttered, crossing his arms. "This isn't just a fight to him—it's like he's playing.""Yeah," Alex agreed, unease crossing his face. "It's like he's trying to break him, not just beat him."Jimmy's voice cut through the tension. "And there we have it! Collin's precision and patience have Jordan on the ropes—can Ignis Peak's bender find a way out of this corner?"Jordan struggled to rise, but his movements were sluggish, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Collin watched him, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Then, with an almost casual flick of his wrist, the ground shifted beneath Jordan and trapped his leg into a hole. As Jordan tried to come back up, Collin flicked his wrist once more, and this time a wave of golden energy pressed into Jordan, pinning him down with sheer force. Jordan tried to get out.. but it was clear that he couldn't."Stay down," Collin said, his voice barely audible but filled with cold finality.The crowd fell silent as Jordan lay motionless, pinned by Collin's unyielding energy. After a tense moment, Jimmy's voice filled the arena. "And that's it, folks! Collin of Mira is our victor!"The crowd erupted in cheers, but John and Alex exchanged uneasy glances. Collin had won, yes, but the way he'd dragged out the fight left a strange feeling lingering in the air."Well," Alex said, leaning back, "I guess that's one way to win.""Yeah, but he didn't just win—he dominated," John replied, his gaze still fixed on Collin as he left the ring. "I don't think he was even trying his hardest. He just... wanted to watch Jordan squirm."Alex frowned, mulling over John's words. "We should keep an eye on him. If that's how he handles opponents in the prelims, he might be a bigger threat than we thought.""Agreed," John said, his face set with determination. "Something about him feels... off."They sat in silence for a moment, watching as Collin disappeared into the crowd. This tournament was turning out to be more intense than they'd anticipated, and Collin had just added another layer of intrigue—and danger—to the mix.