Chương 17: Ace vs Rakai

It was Ace's turn. The announcer's voice boomed across the arena, filling the air with anticipation.

"Next up, we have the fiery Ace versus the Yellow Fighter, Let's see who will reign victorious today in this intense battle!" The crowd erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable. In the backstage area, Mochi clapped Ace on the back, his eyes filled with confidence.

"Good luck, Ace! Show them what you're made of!" Ace nodded, flashing a brief, determined smile before stepping onto the stage. The roar of the crowd intensified as Ace walked confidently toward the center of the arena. His opponent, Rakai, stood with his arms crossed, a grin plastered on his face. His yellow armor gleamed under the arena lights.

"I've been looking forward to this moment," Rakai said, voice dripping with challenge. His stance was casual, almost nonchalant, as if he knew the outcome already. Ace narrowed his eyes, but said nothinghe wasn't here for words. The announcer took a deep breath, calling out the countdown with energy that matched the crowd's enthusiasm.

"Three... two... one... Fight!" Ace wasted no time. He raised his hand, conjuring a ball of fire that exploded toward Rakai. The flames shot forward with ferocity, but Rakai's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint.

"Magic skill: fireball!" In the blink of an eye, he dashed to the side, narrowly dodging the first blast. Ace shot another, this time splitting it into smaller fireballs that rained down like meteors. But Rakai moved like lightningeach fireball missed its mark as he twisted and weaved effortlessly through the air, his form blurring with speed.

"Is that all you've got?" Rakai taunted, smirking. He hadn't even broken a sweat. Ace's lips tightened, and he fired a volley of flamefilled punches, hoping to catch Rakai offguard. But Rakai seemed to anticipate each move with terrifying accuracy. He dodged, ducked, and sidestepped with fluid precision. Ace's fire attacks seemed to have no effect, and his frustration began to mount. Without warning, Ace charged in with a wide, sweeping uppercuthoping to catch Rakai offbalance. But Rakai was too fast.

He sidestepped and, in one smooth motion, spun, delivering a spinning kick that struck Ace square in the chest. The force of the kick sent Ace tumbling backward, rolling across the scorched arena floor before coming to a stop on one knee.

"Is that all you have? I was hoping for a challenge," Rakai mocked, folding his arms as he stood casually, his yellow armor gleaming with confidence. Ace gritted his teeth, slowly rising to his feet. The sting in his chest burned, but he was far from finished. In that instant, Ace remembered his planthe strategy he'd used against Akaneko. His mind raced as he raised his hands, and the arena began to heat up once more. Flames erupted from the ground, spreading like wildfire, scorching the earth beneath their feet.

A vast inferno consumed the arena, and even the air shimmered with heat. The announcer, who had seen this spectacle before, winced. He glared at Ace from his post, muttering under his breath.

"Not again. Last time this cost a fortune to clean up..." But Rakai didn't flinch. His eyes narrowed as the flames surged around him. He dashed forward, eyes locked on Ace, and in a single fluid motion, he spun through the fireball Ace had hurled toward him. The fireball flew wide as Rakai connected his leg to Ace's chest, kicking the ball of fire from Ace's hands and sending him crashing backward.

Without giving Ace a chance to recover, Rakai followed through with a judo throw, tossing Ace across the burning ground with a force that left the audience gasping.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Rakai said, stepping forward, his expression still unreadable. Ace groaned as he slowly rose to his feet. His legs were shaky, and he could feel the heat still radiating from the arena. He knew he had to do something drastic. Thomas, sitting in the audience, could feel the pressure of the fight. He clenched his fists, his eyes glued to the arena.

"It's fate... Ace is going to lose. Rakai is just too strong." Even Tony and Amelia, who had been cheering Ace on from the stands, exchanged concerned glances. They both knew that Ace was struggling. His fiery attacks were being effortlessly dodged, and his moves lacked the precision and power they needed to land a hit. But despite the odds, Ace wasn't giving up.

"I'm not done yet," he muttered to himself, his voice filled with determination. He wasn't about to let this battle end in defeat. Ace made his move. Charging forward, his fists ignited with scorching flames, he aimed to close the distance between himself and Rakai. The moment Ace closed in, Rakai was ready. His own body crackled with lightning as he summoned a bolt of pure electrical energy around his fist. The two powers collided in an explosion of light and sound.

"Hah!" Rakai grinned, pushing Ace back with an overwhelming wave of force. Ace gritted his teeth, his feet sliding across the burning ground as he struggled to maintain his ground. Rakai's lightning fist surged forward again, striking Ace directly in the chest. Electricity coursed through Ace's body, and his entire form trembled with the shock. The world seemed to blur for a moment as Ace fought to stay on his feet.

"This is it..." Ace thought, his vision fading.

"I need to end thisnow." Despite the agony, Ace's mind sharpened, and a sudden clarity pierced through the haze. His trump card. The one technique that could turn the tide. But it would take time, and Rakai wouldn't wait for him to charge it up. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. But to Ace's surprise, Rakai didn't attack. Instead, he stood there, an amused smirk curling his lips.

"You're powering up, huh? Take your time. I want to see what you're really capable of." Ace's heart raced as he took advantage of the opening. He closed his eyes, focusing all his magical energy into his palms. His hands began to glow with fiery intensity, and as the magical power gathered, the air around him rippled with heat. A massive ball of fire began to form in front of him, pulsing with destructive energy.

"You're going to regret this," Ace said, his voice filled with both defiance and determination. He aimed the flame cannon directly at Rakai. Ace unleashed the full power of the flame cannon, sending a colossal wave of heat crashing toward Rakai.

"MAGIC SKILL: FLAMMING EARTH" The heat was unbearable, causing the very air to shimmer and distort. The fireball shot forward like a meteor, but Rakai barely flinched. To Ace's horror, Rakai reached out and stopped the attack midair with a single hand, his fingers crackling with electric energy. He barely seemed to struggle with the heat as he redirected the massive blast back toward Ace with a flick of his wrist.

"No!" Ace shouted, his eyes widening in shock. The attack flew back at him faster than he could react, forcing him to catch it midair. The heat was unbearable, and Ace could feel his hands burning. He tried to hold the blast for as long as he could, but the pressure was overwhelming. The explosion that followed was deafening. The shockwave sent tremors through the arena as flames shot into the air, enveloping Ace completely.

"Ace!" Tony shouted, his voice cracking with panic.

"No! Stop the match! He can't take that!" But the announcer didn't respond, lost in his own panic as he watched the fiery destruction unfold. Rakai, unaffected, stood calmly in the center of the arena, shielding himself with his arm against the blast. The explosion billowed outward, sending a wave of heat that could be felt even in the stands. It was so intense that even Rakai had to shield his face. For a moment, there was nothing but smoke and fire. The audience held their breath.

As the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Ace. The announcer hesitated, his voice trembling.

"It appears that Ace may have... been killed in the explosion," he said, the tension in his voice palpable.

"However, the Yellow fighter has not been disqualified, as it was Ace's own attack that caused this. Consider it selfdestruction." The crowd fell silent, the shock of the battle sinking in. Amelia covered her mouth, her eyes wide in fear and disbelief. Tony stood frozen, staring at the arena, his body numb with shock. Thomas, too, was grave, his expression filled with worry. But then, something strange happened. The temperature in the arena started to riseslowly at first, then rapidly.

Tony's hand clutched his shirt, his face flushed with heat.

"It's getting supper hot..." he muttered, his voice strained. Even Thomas could feel the heat, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he wiped them away. Backstage, Mochi was panicking, pacing back and forth.

"What happened to him? He can't be... no!" Just as the heat grew unbearable, the announcer's suit began to catch fire. With a scream, he tore it off and ran into the backstage area, shouting for the arena's antiheat defenses.

"Activate the barriers!" he ordered frantically, as the temperature checker went haywire, unable to measure the extreme heat.

"Over a hundred... no, two hundred!" the announcer yelled, his voice cracking. The heat had gone beyond control. The checker exploded from the intensity, and the crowd gasped in disbelief. Amidst the chaos, Rakai, sweating heavily, wiped his brow and finally took his shirt off, his muscles glistening with sweat. He smirked, still calm despite the rising heat.

"Looks like Ace isn't done yet," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the sky. Then, out of nowhere, a blue flame plummeted from the sky, streaking downward with incredible force. The audience watched in stunned silence as the fiery blue energy hit the ground, sending up a cloud of smoke. As the smoke cleared, the figure within it slowly became clear. Ace stood tall, his hair glowing bright blue, and his eyes burning with the same intense energy.

The heat around him was unbearable, a surge of magical energy that made the very air quiver. Amelia and Tony gasped, jumping up in unison.

"It's Ace!" Tony cried, his voice filled with joy and disbelief. Rakai grinned widely as he saw Ace's new form. His posture was different, his presence overwhelming. Ace's hair crackled with blue flame, and his body radiated a heat so intense that the arena seemed to melt under his power. Without a word, Ace stepped forward, faster than the eye could follow. In an instant, he appeared in front of Rakai and delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, sending Rakai flying backward.

Rakai bounced off the antiheat shields, his eyes wide with surprise. He quickly recovered, springing back to his feet and charging toward Ace for a counterattack. But Ace was ready. With a graceful spin, he avoided Rakai's assault and struck with another spinning kick. Rakai barely blocked the blow, but the impact was enough to send him skidding across the arena floor, leaving scorch marks in his wake.

"You're too hot for me to concentrate," Rakai admitted, panting slightly.

"You're like a walking volcano." He summoned more lightning, striking out with powerful bolts. But Ace moved with blinding speed, dodging every attack as if it were nothing.

"I can do this all day, Rakai," Ace said, his voice steady. The battle raged on, both combatants pushing themselves to the limit. But in the end, it was Rakai who landed the decisive blow. With a powerful back kick, he sent Ace hurtling through the air. Ace, gathering his last strength, charged at Rakai with everything he had left. He hurled a devastating punch, but Rakai caught it midair, his grip unshakable. The final blow fell.

Ace's entire body turned to charcoalblack, his form collapsing under the strain of the heat. He fell to the ground, unconscious and severely burned. Amelia's covered her mouth in pure shock she saw Ace's burned form. She rushed to the edge of the arena. Tony stood frozen, too shocked to move. Thomas, his face filled with concern, muttered under his breath.

"Please, be okay..." The medics arrived quickly, lifting Ace's scorched body onto a stretcher. Despite the devastating burns, they detected a faint heartbeat.

"He's alive!" one of them shouted, relief flooding through the room. The crowd let out a collective breath, the tension finally releasing. Ace wasn't dead. But he had paid a terrible price. The announcer, still in shock, took a deep breath.

"The winner is... Rakai," he announced, his voice subdued.

"But Ace... he may have lost this fight, but he's not done yet. Not by a long shot." Rakai, standing in the center of the arena, stared down at Ace's unconscious form. His expression was unreadable. He had won, but there was no joy in it. The real battleone of survival and recoverywas just beginning. As the stretcher carrying Ace vanished behind the arena doors, the announcer took to the stage, his voice still shaky.

"Ladies and gentlemen, after that extraordinary battle, we'll take a short break before the finals make sure Rakai is in tip top shape for Mochi for the final battle" Before he could finish, Rakai stepped forward, his intense gaze cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.

"I don't need any breaks," he said firmly, his voice echoing like thunder through the arena. His magical aura flared, crackling with yellow lightning. The crowd immediately silenced, feeling the weight of his presence. The announcer hesitated, sweat trickling down his brow.

"Uh… Rakai, the medics need time, and the arena has to""I don't care!" Rakai interrupted, his tone sharp and commanding. He pointed toward the staging area with one glowing hand.

"Scarlet Mochi! Come out and face me! Now!" The crowd gasped, the tension palpable. Rakai's call for Mochi wasn't just a challengeit was a declaration of war. Backstage, Mochi's legs trembled as Rakai's words blared through the speakers. On the monitor, Rakai stood, exuding an overwhelming magical energy that seemed to radiate through the screen. Mochi's heart pounded as he stared at the image.

"He… he wants me to fight him? Right now?" Mochi muttered, his voice tinged with fear. His mind raced with doubts, recalling Rakai's devastating strength. Then, he clenched his fists, his breathing steadying.

"No. I've come too far to back down now. This is the finals. This is my chance to prove I have the potential to become a leader of the strongest guild." Mochi stood tall, the fear in his eyes replaced by a fiery determination. Without a word, he began walking toward the arena doors. As Mochi emerged into the blinding lights of the arena, the crowd erupted into cheers. The camera zoomed in on him, showing his serious expression as he locked eyes with Rakai. The air between them felt heavy, crackling with tension.

In the stands, Amelia pointed toward the stage.

"Look! It's Mochi!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and excitement. Tony grinned.

"There he is! Let's go, Mochi Avege Ace!" Even Thomas leaned forward in his seat, intrigued.

"Let's see what he's made of against Rakai. This will be interesting." Mochi walked to the center of the arena, standing a few feet from Rakai. The two fighters stared each other down, their magical auras flaring. Mochi's magic flared faintly around his fists, while Rakai's body sparked with electricity.

"Ever since I got here," Mochi began, his voice steady but charged with emotion, "I've been scared of your whole persona...

"Your magical energy is… unreal, it's similar to the old man in a way." But now, after everything I've been through and seeing you fight, I'm not scared anymore. I'm excited.

"I've never faced anyone like you before and it fills me with." Rakai smirked, his expression fierce but respectful.

"Good. Fear doesn't belong on this stage. Show me what you've got, Mochi." The two dropped into their stances. The announcer stepped forward, his hand raised.

"This is it, folks the final battle of the tournament! Rakai versus Mochi! Fighters ready?" Mochi's flames flared brighter, while Rakai's lightning danced around him like a storm.

"Begin!"