Announcer: Red vs. Levi. Let the semi-finals BEGIN!

--- Chapter 127 ---

Red and Levi leap in, Red creating his sword, and Levi dipping his fist in the sand. Red and Levi unleash a flurry of attacks while dodging the other’s offensive. Red’s sword and Levi’s fist eventually clash, sending each other flying back. A smile appears on both of their faces. They both seem they are enjoying themselves, mutual respect for the opponent. Red forms his speed mode, before running in with the newly formed spear. The two continue to dodge, waiting for the opponent to slow, and slip up. And eventually, one of them does, or so they thought. Red stabs the spear forward and cuts Levi’s shoulder, but he grabs the spear and punches Red in the face. This sends him flying back. Red stumbles to his feet and looks up at Levi. He gives him a smirk before snapping his fingers. The spear glows and the staff portion wraps around his arm, and the blade portion turns to a miniature dragon head. Red creates another spear.

Levi: I’ve never fought an insignia user before. It seems pretty handy. This fight is going to be fun!

Red: Agreed.

Red begins to stab at high speeds, but Levi is able to dodge, even with his right arm restrained. Red creates a third spear in his left hand and continues the assault. The intensity of the assault is well handled by Levi, however, his cloak begins to be cut in some places.

Levi: I can’t keep this up for long. He’s good.

Levi reaches down and grabs a large handful of sand. He throws it up to mask his escape. Levi jumps back, but as he does, Red’s spear comes flying, piercing the veil of sand.

Levi: How did he know where to throw it?!

Levi moves his head to the right, barely dodging it. However, the spearhead catches his hood and pulls it down. Revealing his medium-length blonde hair, and bright yellow eyes. This revelation however carries a lot more weight in the stands.

Hiro: No way, isn’t that…

Elias: I- how?! But he’s…

Sole: Dead.

Ame: You guys know that kid?

Hiro: I was young back then, so I don’t really remember him well. But he was a powerful and promising kid within the Sataro clan. He was even the wielder of the lightning dragon insignia and had two arcanas. One is the body seals and the other… I don’t remember but it was powerful.

Elias: Several years back, he met his end on a mission.

Luna: Then how is he…

Elias: I don’t know.

Sole: I think I know what’s going on here. I remember he had a younger brother, who wasn’t born with an Insignia or even body seals. However, we have yet to see If that’s the case, the resemblance is uncanny.

Elias: I see, now that you say that, I remember him having a brother as well.

The sand begins to settle. The two look at each other.

Levi: Red was it? Your pretty good man.

Red: Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself.

Levi unclips the collar of his cloak and pulls it off, revealing his muscular physique, and black tight-fit tanktop. Red throws his right spear at Levi. Levi begins to dodge to the left, but the insignia wrapped around his arm forces him into the line of trajectory. Levi grits his teeth and grabs his shirt. Pulling it to the left and he teleports out of the way and out of the ensnarement. He lands to the left and runs in fast.

Red: I see, there’s the teleportation. But according to what Luna said, he grabbed his shirt there, and he did the same here, but why.

Levi gets in close and throws a few punches before landing a direct hit to Red’s stomach.

Red: That punch, I felt the first one but then it was like a bunch more punches on the same spot all at once. Is that his arcana? If so, then how did he teleport? Does he have two arcanas or…

Sole: I see, Levi’s arcana is incredibly similar to his brothers.

Elias: I was just thinking that. Red’s in for a difficult battle if he can’t figure it out. It will be hard even if he does, to be honest.

Hiro: I don’t get it, what is his arcana.

Red: Ha! I got it!

Red leaps to his feet.

Red: I’ve figured out your arcana!

Levi: What? How the match only just began. A bluff? He doesn’t seem like the type to bluff though. Oh, yeah? What is it?

Red: It seems when you touch me, you can pile up punches, and you can also teleport. So you either have two arcanas that fit those descriptions. Or, you’re able to stop time temporarily.

Levi smirks.

Levi: Welp, I tried to keep it a secret but I guess the cats are out of the bag. My arcana is “Temp-Time”. This allows me to stop time temporarily when I hit something or someone.

Red: What’s the sand for then?

Levi: I use the sand to both bluff and make sure I hit the same place in time to stop to keep the secret as long as possible.

Levi explains, untying the rope around his waist and causing the sandbags to crash to the floor. He gets into a stance and waits. They stare each other down before Levi runs in. He throws a swift jab at Red, punching him in the face, suddenly realizing Levi is now in the air. While in the air, he throws a kick, sending Red flying again. As Red tumbles across the ground fall toward a teleported Levi who kicks him again. Red stabs his spear in the ground, stopping his movement, but right as he does, Levi appears in front of him and kicks him yet again, sending him into the wall. Red stands up and looks at Levi. His speed mode drops, returning to his normal clothes and form. In his right hand, his dragon blade forms. Then red lines appear all over his body, and two exoskeleton-like wings appear on his back. He gets ready and leaps towards Levi, and he begins to fly toward him at high speeds. He swings at him, slicing at fast paces. Levi dodges most of the attacks, only gaining a few scrapes. Levi leaps back, and as he does, Red punches forward, his hand enveloped in red energy forms into multiple dragons.

Red: Perfected! Dragon Fist Feast!

As these smaller dragons attack him, he dodges left and right, moving around swiftly to avoid being hit. After the dragons finish, Levi takes a slight sigh before seeing Red’s hand and arm swell and form into a large dragon head. It opens its mouth and forms a fireball.

Red: Dragon Fire: Meteor!

The ball launches toward Levi who dodges out of the way but sees it begin to explode on impact. This causes Levi to use his “Self-Inflicted Time Stop” to avoid it. Red’s dragon head begins to grow, even more, sweat gathers on Red’s brow.

Red: This is my ace. Dragon fire, it’s hard to control, but it’s super powerful. Dragon Fire: shooting star!

A small fireball forms in its mouth, and it streaks at incredible near-incomprehensible speeds, forcing Levi to use the self-inflicted again. The dragon’s head grows even larger, to a point where Red looks like he is having trouble controlling it. Red pulls a small piece of paper from his pocket and places it on the dragon’s arm, causing it to retract and disappear. Red floats down to the ground. Both Red and Levi are panting from exhaustion. Levi lifts his hands and places them together, forming several crude and rough hand signs.

Red: Wait, isn’t that archaic magic?!

Red becomes nervous, as he is using very old magic.

Red: How do you know archaic?! What are you planning on doing?!

Levi gives him a smile. Red hears something rustling beside him. He looks down at the sandbags, as they quiver. Suddenly they explode sending him flying. The sand whirls around in a flurry around Levi, obscuring him from Red’s sight. The sand slowly approaches Red. Red gets a sudden burst of confidence and lifts his sword. Red closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. The handle of his sword grows and circles around his arm, and gains a red aura. He opens his eyes, pupils are now a bright red.

Red: Wrath blade: Blazing inferno!

The blade turns to pure fire as its blasts out, covering the battlefield in intense flame. The sand falls as glass particles, exposing a burned Levi. Levi begins to move for a second before Red comes in. Red’s right hand is covered in the red insignia, and grown extraordinary large. He grabs and restrains Levi. Since he’s restrained, he is unable to use his temporary time stop.

Announcer: And there we have it! Red moves on to the finals! Up next we have Hiro vs Leo!