Rael once again found himself on the battle platform, this time as the first semifinalist.
His opponent was none other than Prince Arjuna.
Both of them stood across from each other, maintaining the usual twenty-meter distance as every other contestant had done before them. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the crowd, which had been murmuring in hushed tones, fell silent in the moments leading up to the match.
The Proctor's voice broke the silence. "For the semifinals, one of the restricted rules has been lifted. Both semifinalists are now allowed to use a manmade weapon. However, it is limited to weapons only, not armor or artifacts. You will have thirty seconds for preparation."
Rael glanced down at his empty hands. He didn't have any weapons with him other than training swords in his storage ring. They are useless in real battle.
With a calm breath, he summoned his Arcana spirit—the Death Scythe. The familiar dark energy manifested before him, the long, curved blade gleaming with an ethereal shine.
Arjuna, however, was more prepared. He reached into his storage ring and pulled out an earth-grade bow. Any man-made weapon is ranked based on the maximum soul energy output it can hold of an Arcana Master. For example, a rank-5 weapon, regardless of its user, can at most launch an attack with soul energy equivalent to the peak-5-star realm.
The ranks go up to rank-10 and then go into the semi-divine ranks. Earth, Sky, and Heaven. Meaning earth-grade weapons can be handled by even lower-level deities. Each such weapon is worth several cities.
It goes without saying even Rael couldn't help but glance at it for a moment of curiosity before focusing back on his weapon eventually. However, Arjuna seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, his eyes locking onto the Death Scythe in Rael's hands.
"Azrael," Arjuna began, his tone respectful yet curious, "You don't plan on using any other weapon?"
Rael shook his head, his expression unwavering. "No."
Arjuna paused, his lips turning into a slight smile. Then, in a swift motion, he returned the bow to his storage ring and summoned the Bow of Gandiva, his celestial-grade Arcana spirit. The bow shimmered with radiant light, an elegant and powerful weapon that seemed to be forged for the gods themselves.
"In that case," Arjuna said, "I too shall fight you with my Arcana spirit."
Rael raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Arjuna's smile deepened, and there was a glint of pride in his eyes. "A Kshatriya's code of honor doesn't let me do otherwise."
"Kshatriya?" Rael didn't fully understand the word but chose not to probe further. Arjuna's stance made it clear that this wasn't something he could easily explain.
Rael shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself."
With the preparations complete, the Proctor raised his hand, signaling that time was up. The atmosphere around them seemed to hum with the buildup of energy as the Proctor shot a blast of energy into the sky. The signal was clear: the match was about to begin.
The crowd erupted in excitement as both combatants focused their attention on one another, the tension was obvious. Rael's grip tightened on the Death Scythe, its dark presence more solid than ever. Across from him, Arjuna grabbed the Bow of Gandiva firmly.
The battle between the two semifinalists was about to begin.
As soon as the blast of energy lit up the night sky like a firework, Rael didn't waste a second. His feet moved with lightning speed, charging toward his opponent to close the gap between them.
Arjuna immediately took a step back, maintaining the space between them. His hand was steady as he quickly conjured an arrow and pulled back the string, launching it at Rael in a smooth motion.
Without hesitation, Rael swung his Death Scythe with such speed that the blade sliced through the air, cutting the arrow cleanly in half. The two halves of the arrow fluttered to the ground as Rael continued his forward charge, closing the distance even more.
Arjuna, prepared for this, summoned another arrow just as Rael reached him. Rael didn't give him time to aim, swinging the scythe down toward the prince.
With quick reflexes, Arjuna leaped into the air, flipping over Rael's head with a somersault. While still in mid-air, his bow was already raised, an arrow aimed directly at Rael's back.
Rael sensed the danger and instinctively braced himself, but the arrow's speed—combined with the short distance—was too fast. Confident in his tough physique, Rael chose not to dodge, instead letting the arrow strike him. He expected to put pressure on his opponent by destroying his confidence, just as he did in the quarterfinals.
The impact was, however, brutal.
The arrow sank into his back with a sickening sound, piercing through his body. Rael gritted his teeth, a painful groan escaping his lips as blood soaked his shirt, staining it a deep red.
"Argh..." Rael winced, his grip tightening around the Death Scythe as he tried to steady himself.
Arjuna landed lightly on the ground, a small, satisfied smile tugging at his lips as he readied his bow once more. "The arrows conjured by my Gandiva cannot be blocked, Azrael," he said, his voice steady. "Neither an energy barrier nor a material body can withstand them. Unless your body is made of the mythical element Adamantine, or your energy barrier is two levels above mine, there is nothing that can stop them. Your journey in this tournament is as good as over, the moment you faced me."
Rael's face darkened, his jaw clenched. This was the toughest opponent he had faced in the tournament. He had expected to win this match, especially after his recent breakthrough to the 4-star soul realm. But the reality was different. Arjuna's strength, speed, and powerful Gandiva bow were far beyond what Rael had anticipated.
But Rael couldn't afford to lose this battle, not when everything was on the line. His father had challenged him to reach the top three in the tournament, and he couldn't let that slip away. That alone was enough to fuel his determination.
But more than that—Rael wanted to face Raphael in the finals. He wanted to prove himself against his older brother, to fight him in front of thousands of eyes and show them who was truly the stronger sibling.
The thought ignited a fire within him. No more holding back. Rael's resolve hardened, and he made his move.
He raised the Death Scythe high above his head. His dark aura flared around him as the air grew thick with the pressure of his will. "Soul skill: Rain of Death," he murmured under his breath, unleashing a soul skill.
In an instant, an ominous energy surged around him.