The first round ended with both Akane and Yoko entering. The exact number of competitors was now a hundred with ten from each stage in the second round.

The second round was a free for all battle with a hundred people using only a few rules. Out of the hundred, only four of them shall move on to the semi-finals. Rankings will be decided by the order one was eliminated.

It was quite the harsh competition, from a thousand to a hundred, and a hundred to four. Only a twenty fifth of the ones who passed the first round may move on to the third.

Akane had recovered from her wounds and was in top shape for the competition, Akane and Yoko had decided to join hands in this battle to ensure that they could both fight in the next rounds.

Erina had accompanied Akane and Yoko until she sat beside the duke once more.

"She has a really mature air around her, doesn't she?"

Akane poked Yoko.

"Don't poke me, but I agree. It's the same air that's around Kai."

Akane shrugged and went on top of the stage, each and every one of the hundred were accounted for. There were a variety of people there, some held spears, halberds, and staffs. The others held weapons like swords and axes while the minority held bows and shields.

They weren't using the grand stage as the platform but instead the area around it. The grand stage has apparently disappeared and they were using the floor as the place for battle. There was only a thick layer of tiles that signified the stage. It was as wide as possible and eliminating someone was quite difficult if you didn't try to push them out.

There were no starting positions but the rule was that everyone had to be on the edge at the very start of the match, it would take just one direct hit from an enemy that would send you backwards to defeat you. That was the easiest way to eliminate an opponent in this type of situation.

Akane and Yoko stood beside each other, maybe it was their imagination but the people near them made a bigger space between them than the other competitors.

The elder looked at each and every face then began to make a speech about the rules. Everyone who was present knew of these but he wanted to make sure nobody broke them.

"And the consequences for fatally injuring someone or killing them, will be personally handled by the head elder."

The elder's gaze turned sharp that left a chill with some of the younger ones save for Akane and Yoko.

"Alright, if everyone has no qualms about the rules; let the battle begin!"

The elder yelled and then jumped out of the stage.

Everyone locked eyes with each other and then leaped forward. Akane and Yoko looked at each nodder, nodded; then proceeded to run forward together.

"Haa!"

Akane kicked the person that was in front of her. Yoko used Akane as leverage to kick from above as well.

The man who got hit slid until the edge of the stage but wasn't eliminated. One of the other people saw this and kicked him off, he was still conscious but had to rest because the kick had temporarily incapacitated him.

Only a few seconds in and someone was already eliminated because of Akane and Yoko's combination.

Akane and Yoko gave each other a high five and then went back to back. They were surrounded by multiple people.

"Let's cooperate and get these two out first."

"I agree."

"I don't like it but you have a point."

Three of the people surrounding them conversed while the others nodded.

There were at five people surrounding them, they then whispered without looking to the other's face.

"So we'll have to do that."

"Yeah, though it is a bit too early; five people aren't to be underestimated."

Akane and Yoko said respectively.

The five people leaped forward at the same time and unleashed attacks, the two of them scanned their eyes for the most dangerous one and focused on him.

"Yoko!"

"Nn!"

Akane held out her arm and Yoko grabbed it, Akane focused her [Body Enhancement] on her arm and Yoko focused it on her legs to jump.

Akane spun around twice and flung Yoko towards a man using an axe.

"[Fast Movement]."

Akane followed after the flying Yoko as they both launched attacks towards the man.

Yoko came first and held out her daggers.

"[Twin Shadow Fang]!"

The daggers turned dark because of the shadows and Yoko sliced the man as she got through.

"Gah!"

The man spat out blood as the side of his abdomen had two cuts that turned dark.

"Hiyaaa!"

Akane arrived and made a dropkick into the man's wounds which left him defenseless because of the pain. Yoko jumped back and kicked him in the middle of his shoulder blades then Akane kicked one of ihs legs. The man fell down while holding his bleeding wounds, he was conscious but the pain should prevent him from moving for a while.

"Tch."

The woman beside the man who fell down aimed her bow towards the two as she clicked her tongue. Yoko immediately jumped on Akane's hands and then spun around multiple times in the air whilst slicing the arrow that came towards them. Yoko stopped in front of the woman and ducked down, then she turned around and kicked upwards. She kicked the woman's chin upwards and Akane leaped up to deliver a punch on her abdomen which sent her rolling into other people fighting.

That was two opponents down, they were quite merciless.

The three opponents weren't discouraged but were certainly left shaken, these two children in front of them had defeat two people in only under a minute. Even if they did team up against one person, they were still certainly quite good.

Akane and Yoko both leaned on each other's backs and then faced the three opponents.

They were best friends; it was only natural to trust each other. You could say that Akane's closeness to Yoko was even closer than Kai's simply because they were both girls.

They trusted each other as they faced the three opponents in front of them, even if the three of them outnumber Akane and Yoko's pairing; they were a team only formed now. There was bound to be some problems with their coordination.

"Let's attack all at once."

"Alright!"

"I'm with you!"

The three men all charged forward at once, the two of them had spears while one of them held a sword. Akane once more refitted her gloves and Yoko brandished her daggers.

The two spearmen charged forward on both sides and the swordsman leaped in from the center. The spearmen arrived first; using the long reach of the spear, they attacked Akane and Yoko. The two of them dodged by jumping in the air but the swordsman also jumped at the same time.

"[Dark Cut]!"

The swordsman slashed without reaching Akane and Yoko but a wave came out from the sword. It was pitch black and looked illusory, but it was certainly there. The swordsman's slash manifested itself and attacked Akane and Yoko.

"Yoko!"

Yoko held on to one of Akane's arms and went forward to intercept the slash with her daggers. Akane dropped down and decided to fight the spearmen.

Yoko redirected the slash after knowing Akane was already out of range. The swordsman was surprised but quickly wielded his sword once more as they fell down.

The two spearmen thrust their spears forward and Akane managed to grab onto the spears with her arms. It was quite dangerous; but with her skill, it was enough.

Akane pulled in the spears closer to get close to the spearmen but they released the spears contrary to Akane's expectations and leaped forward without weapons.

Yoko was using the shadows to attack the swordsman who could defend from any angle he was targeted from. Although the man with the axe they took out earlier was certainly the strongest, he wasn't the most skilled.

When Yoko attacked from the side, he redirected it. When Yoko attacked from the front, he parried. When Yoko attacked from the back, he blocked. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

Just then, the swordsman suddenly faced Yoko who was in the shadow and slashed out. Yoko blocked with her daggers but was knocked back towards Akane. Akane was also forced to retreat because the spearmen retrieved their spears and cornered her.

"Looks like we're in a bit of a predicament."

"The swordsman is the most skilled but the spearmen are the most annoying."

Akane pointed out.

"Akane, buy me twenty seconds."

"...Are you sure you can take them out?"

"Certain."

"Alright."

Akane suddenly leaped forward.

"[Fast Movement], [Double Cast]."

Akane didn't want to use this as there was still quite a big fight ahead of them. But if she lost now, what purpose would reserving her strength do?

Akane vanished from the spearmen's field of vision but the swordsman's eyes followed her as if she was only walking.

Akane kicked the floor while she leaped towards the swordsman, she spun around in mid-air a few times to build momentum for her kick. Just when the kick was about to reach, the swordsman's arms flowed so smoothly that they felt like water.

Akane was startled by his technique and couldn't move. The swordsman took this opportunity to use the hilt to knock her out. Akane dodged it with a few backflips but the spearmen arrived.

The spears thrust forward in two different directions, the swordsman used [Dark Cut] in between them.

"Dammit!"

Akane cursed and used her gloves to block the attack. Clashing of metal could be heard as [Dark Cut] had hit the metal plate on the back of her hand.

Her hands felt numb but she shook them to regain control.

"It's over. Before defeating an opponent, a swordsman must give his name, it's only proper courtesy. My name is Kuroshi Sawaki, the man who defeated you."

Sawaki raised his arms and sliced down with the sword, it was a bigger version of [Dark Cut]. It felt as if all his power was molded into it.

Akane tried to dodge but knew that the only chance she had of dodging was to use at least eight times her speed. But in that very moment, Akane closed her eyes. The expected attack didn't arrive but instead she felt the arms of someone carrying her.

"Sorry I'm late."

"Geez, you could've done that earlier."

Yoko carried Akane and placed her down on the side.

"I wanted to master this skill before using it, I can't teach it to anyone because it appears to be a natural skill though."

Yoko didn't appear to be looking straight but could see the three in front of her clearly.

"This isn't something that enhances my strength but it can enhance my movements."

Yoko leaped forward, the spearmen attacked from the side but Yoko evaded it with minimal movements. The spearmen furrowed their brows at this, she always used to jump to avoid it but now she could suddenly evade it as if it was the most basic thing in the world.

Sawaki leaped and sliced down from the side but was dodged as if it was simply nothing. Her eyes seemed to be avoiding to look at anything straight but other than that, her movements were even better than before.

Akane had her eyes wide open, how could she have dodged so well?

But that wasn't the time to sit still; Akane also joined in and engaged the swordsman.

A brief exchange with Yoko using their eyes said that Yoko wanted to take on the spearmen.

"I'll leave them to you."

Akane whispered and passed Yoko and began to fight with Sawaki.

"Yeah."

Yoko charged forward and dodged each and every one of the spearmen's attacks, the ones she couldn't dodged were deflected by using her daggers.

One of the spearmen lost his composure and began to rapidly strike with his spear, naturally he became exhausted.

Yoko took this opportunity and ran up towards him with her daggers.

"You fool!"

The other spearman yelled but the spearman who lost his composure got knocked out into unconsciousness when Yoko had cut him all over his body and kicked his neck.

"You're next."

Yoko shot out from her position and used zigzag movements go near.

The spearman yelled.

"I'm not as stupid as that guy! [Dark Thrust]!"

It's the same move from that man...

Yoko dodged the spear narrowly and began to attack from all directions using the shadows.

Akane was currently locked into close combat with the swordsman, when the swordsman striked, Akane blocked. When Akane striked, the swordsman parried. It kept continuing for a few minutes until Akane had gained an advantage but that was quickly went downhill as the swordsman lured her in for another attack.

"[Dark Cut]!"

The swordsman, Sawaki used [Dark Cut] at point blank.

"[Smokescreen]!"

Akane barely deflected [Dark Cut] as the [Smokescreen] covered the place they were fighting on.

"Petty trick!"

Sawaki sliced in a rotation and flung the smoke away but was met with the sight of nobody being near him.

"I'm sorry but please go down for me."

Akane suddenly appeared behind him and knocked him down.

"Gah!"

Sawaki instantly stood up and brandished his sword, Akane still wasn't there. Another hit on his side, Sawaki slashed out nearly instantly but only sliced air.

"Fine, take this!"

Sawaki stabbed his sword on the floor and a huge shockwave spread out.

"Let me see if you can take this technique!"