Chương 13: Let the tournament begin!

Mochi and Amelia sprinted toward the grand arena, their breath ragged after 45 minutes of nonstop running. The towering gates of the arena loomed ahead, and they reached them with just 15 minutes to spare. As they caught their breath, Mochi's eyes lit up as he spotted three familiar figures waiting at the entrance. It was Tony, Thomas, and Ace.

"Tony! Thomas! Ace!" Mochi called out, his excitement overpowering his exhaustion. Tony waved enthusiastically, while Thomas grinned and patted Mochi on the back. Ace, as usual, stood quietly with his arms crossed, scanning the area with a calm yet serious demeanour. Thomas's gaze shifted behind Mochi to Amelia, who stood a few steps back, unsure of how to introduce herself.

"Mochi! I assume, you spent your time wisely, growing stronger?" Mochi nodded"Yeah, I sure did I got some new moves up my sleeve and I'm ready to show them off""But, Mochi. Who's that with you?" he asked, tilting his head curiously. Mochi stepped aside, gesturing toward Amelia.

"This is Amelia. I met her in the Wild West Town. She's been a big help." Amelia smiled shyly and gave a small wave.

"Hi. Nice to meet you all." Tony's face broke into a warm grin.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Amelia. Welcome!" Thomas clapped his hands together.

"Any friend of Mochi's is a friend of ours!" Even Ace, though he was usually aloof, managed to mutter a single "Sup," before turning his attention back to the arena doors. Before the introductions could go further, a booming voice echoed from the speakers above.

"Attention all fighters! The battle brackets will be announced shortly. Fighters, please proceed to the waiting room. Spectators, make your way to the stands!" Thomas frowned, suddenly realizing something.

"Oh no… Seems like Amelia doesn't have a pass to get in!" He looked apologetic as he turned to her.

"I'm so sorry. I should've thought about that." Amelia shook her head and waved her hands dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine watching from the stands. I'll cheer on Mochi!" With that, Mochi and Ace turned and headed into the fighter's entrance. As they walked down the hallway toward the waiting room, Ace broke the silence.

"Listen, Mochi," he said, his tone low and serious.

"If we get paired up, I'm not holding back. You know that, right?" Mochi grinned, unfazed by Ace's intensity.

"Of course! And don't expect me to go easy on you either." Ace smirked faintly but said nothing more. The waiting room was packed with fighters of all shapes, sizes, and fighting styles. Some were stretching, others were shadowboxing, and a few were meditating to calm their nerves. Mochi's attention was drawn to a large, muscular man dressed in yellow who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching the room silently.

"Hey, Ace," Mochi said, nudging him.

"You see that guy? He's just standing there. Not warming up or anything. Kind of weird, right?" Ace glanced at the man and shrugged.

"Yeah, he's odd. Probably trying to psych people out. Don't worry about him."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Mochi said, though he couldn't help but feel uneasy. After a few minutes, a large holographic screen lit up in the center of the room, displaying the tournament brackets: Match 1: Ace vs. Akaneko Match 2: Mochi vs. Aoino Match 3: Mystery Man vs. Ryan Match 4: Victor vs. Kazuya Ace scoffed when he saw his matchup.

"Great. I get the weirdo with the stupid name." The announcer's voice echoed again.

"Will Ace and Akaneko please report to the battlefield! Fighters, remember: no weapons allowed!" Ace clicked his tongue in annoyance as he removed his twin blades and set them on the ground. Mochi clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good luck, Ace! You've got this!" Ace ignored him, walking confidently toward the battlefield. Up in the spectator stands, Thomas was the first to spot Ace entering the arena.

"There he is!" he said, nudging Tony and Amelia. They watched as Ace's opponent, Akaneko, stepped onto the battlefield. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The man was lean and wiry, with movements that were unnervingly catlike. His outfit was patterned like a tiger's fur, and he dropped to all fours briefly before springing up, drawing mixed reactions from the crowd. Thomas groaned, rubbing his temples.

"I remember that guy. He's a martial arts master. Tried to join my guild once, but I turned him down. Total nutcase." Tony laughed.

"What's with the cat thing?" Amelia, watching Akaneko's strange movements, added, "He's… uh… unique." Even Ace couldn't hide his disgust.

"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

"What a freak of nature." Akaneko's sharp ears caught the insult.

"Watch your mouth, boy," he hissed, his voice smooth and predatory.

"I've been perfecting my martial arts for 25 years. Don't take me lightly because of the way I'm dressed." Ace rolled his eyes and got into his fighting stance.

"Whatever, I don't really care, let's get this over with." The announcer raised his hand.

"And let the battle begin!" The crowd erupted into cheers as the match started, with Ace and Akaneko circling each other like predators sizing each other up. The arena crackled with tension as Ace and Akaneko faced each other, the crowd buzzing with anticipation. Ace stood tall, his sleeveless black tank top clinging to his skin, his arms rippling with restrained power. Akaneko, by contrast, crouched low to the ground, his movements fluid and feline.

His sharp, predatory grin revealed confidence, as if he were already toying with his opponent. The announcer's voice boomed.

"Let the match... BEGIN!" Ace wasted no time. He charged forward, his fists igniting with flames as he swung directly at Akaneko. But just as the strike was about to connect, Akaneko bent backward with uncanny grace, dodging the blow by a hair's breadth. Ace growled in frustration as Akaneko leapt into the air, flipping gracefully over his head and landing lightly behind him.

"You move like an elephant charging into a trap," Akaneko taunted, his voice laced with mockery. Ace's hands erupted into fire once more, and he spun around, aiming a fiery uppercut. Akaneko dodged with a quick sidestep, his movements almost playful.

"Is that all you've got?" he said, circling Ace like a predator stalking its prey. Ace gritted his teeth. He wasn't used to being underestimated.

"Let's see you dodge this!" he shouted. Magic skill: Fire ball! He conjured a fireball in his palm and hurled it at Akaneko. With reflexes like a cat's, Akaneko caught the fireball between his hands. His grin faltered for a split second as the heat made him recoil.

"Hot, hot!" he hissed, quickly tossing the fireball back at Ace. Ace dodged, the flames brushing past his arm and singeing his tank top.

"You're seriously starting to piss me off!" he yelled, conjuring another fireballthis time larger. Akaneko's grin widened.

"Temper, temper," he purred. Ace hurled the massive fireball with all his strength, aiming to end the fight with one powerful attack. Akaneko leapt high into the air, flipping once again to avoid the blast, which exploded against the arena floor, sending embers and smoke into the air. From the stands, Thomas leaned toward Amelia, watching the match intently.

"Do you see what's happening?" he asked, his voice low. Amelia hesitated, unsure if she should speak. She didn't want to be rude about Ace's performance.

"I… I don't know," she said softly. Thomas gave her an encouraging nod.

"Go on. Say what's on your mind." After a moment's pause, Amelia replied, "He's not thinking. He's just attacking without a plan." Thomas watched carefully.

"Exactly. He's letting his emotions take over, and Akaneko's using that against him." Back in the arena, Ace continued his relentless assault, launching fireball after fireball. Akaneko dodged each one with ease, his movements fluid and graceful. The crowd watched in awe as the martial artist seemed to dance around the flames, leaping, flipping, and twirling to avoid every attack.

"You're not even trying to aim!" Akaneko called out, his voice full of mockery.

"Is this the best your generation has to offer? What a disappointment!" Ace growled, his frustration boiling over.

"Shut up!" he shouted, throwing another fireball. Akaneko dodged again, this time darting forward and delivering a sharp kick to Ace's chest. The impact sent Ace stumbling backward, the wind knocked out of him. Akaneko landed gracefully and stood tall, his grin now more smug than ever.

"You're strong, kid, but strength means nothing without control." Ace cursed under his breath, clutching his chest. Akaneko didn't give him time to recover. He darted forward, his movements a blur, and unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches. Ace blocked as many as he could, but each blow pushed him closer to the edge of the arena. From the stands, Tony leaned over to Thomas.

"He's got Ace cornered. One more hit, and it's over." Akaneko paused, standing just inches away from Ace. He tilted his head mockingly.

"You're just a cocky brat. with no discipline, no strategy. Your generation is soft." Ace's eyes blazed with fury.

"Say that again, I dare you." Akaneko smirked.

"You're soft kid." Before Ace could react, Akaneko spun on his heel, delivering a powerful kick aimed to send Ace out of the arena. But Ace's instincts kicked in. He ducked under the kick and rolled to the side, creating distance between them. As he stood up, a grin spread across Ace's face.

"You talk too much, you know that?" He slammed his hands into the ground, igniting the entire arena floor in flames. The heat was intense, forcing Akaneko to leap into the air once more to avoid the fire. But this time, Ace was ready. As Akaneko descended, his smug expression turned to panic. His foot grazed the flames, igniting the hem of his pants.

"GAH!" Akaneko screeched, landing awkwardly and immediately beginning to flail around the arena. His movements, once fluid and graceful, were now frantic and chaotic. He slapped at his burning pants, hopping from foot to foot.

"Hot! Hot! HOT!" The crowd roared with laughter as Akaneko sprinted in circles, his arms flailing wildly. His usual composed demeanor was completely gone as he desperately tried to extinguish the flames. Even Ace cracked a grin, watching the spectacle.

"Not so graceful now, are you?" Akaneko finally dropped to the ground, rolling back and forth in a desperate attempt to put out the fire on his rear.

"STOP LAUGHING!" he shouted at the crowd, his voice highpitched and panicked.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Ace seized the opportunity. As Akaneko struggled to regain his composure, Ace raised both hands to his mouth, conjuring a stream of blue fire.

"Show's over," Ace said,"MAGIC SKILL: FLAMETHROWER!" The blue flames roared across the arena, catching Akaneko midroll. The impact sent him flying out of the ring, his charred and smoking body landing in a heap on the ground outside the arena. The crowd erupted in cheers as the announcer declared,"The winner: ACE!" Ace stood in the center of the arena, breathing heavily, the flames around him dying down. Without acknowledging the crowd, he turned and walked toward the waiting room, his expression unreadable.

In the stands, Thomas, Amelia, and Tony let out a collective sigh of relief.

"That was too close for comfort.." Thomas said. Amelia nodded, her eyes wide.

"He really pulled it off…" Ace strode into the waiting room, his expression as stoic as ever. His tank top was slightly singed from the intense heat of his battle with Akaneko, but he looked otherwise unfazed. Mochi rushed up to him, his face lighting up with a wide grin.

"That was awesome, Ace! You really turned it around at the end!" Mochi said, giving him an enthusiastic thumbsup. Ace didn't stop walking. He scoffed, his lips curling into the faintest smirk.

"Hmph." he muttered, brushing past Mochi without another word. Mochi blinked, scratching his head.

"Man, what's his deal? Always so grumpy all the time." Before Mochi could dwell on it, the announcer's voice crackled over the speakers.

"Next up: Mochi versus Aoino! Fighters, prepare to enter the arena!" Mochi's heart raced with anticipation.

"Alright, time to do this," he said, taking a deep breath.