Shoulder to shoulder, the two of us leave the arena through the back entrance so I can get Tony to one of the seats in the audience. As we go through, a few of the locals are there waiting for us, smiling and cheering for both contestants.

"Great fight as ever, Tony!"

"Looks like your three years of training paid off, Oren!"

"Both of you, what was your overall strategy?"

The two of us couldn't help but smile but simultaneously feel uneasy because of all the attention. It's not like we've done much outside of tending Terraz's fields up until this point.

As many of the people approaching us stop in front of us to make their opinions known, one figure simply walks through them. She looks 16 years of age and about average height, 165 centimeters, I think. Her face, how should I put it, shifts between a kind and beautiful expression as well as one of grimace meant to evoke fear in her opponents. Green eyes, pale skin, and long blonde hair in a French braid wrapped in a flame-themed bandana halfway down. I know she isn't local... and yet...

"Something wrong, Oren?" Tony asks.

"Hm? Honestly, I don't know. It's..."

I look around and can no longer see the girl within the area.

"It's nothing."

And yet... she seems so familiar...

As we finally get up to the open seats, I help Tony sit down right next to Doryoko. Knowing him, despite having lots of faith in my abilities, he was probably saving this seat for me. I know he means well, but still...

"Alright, see you guys," I say to them as I head back down to the seats dedicated to the fighters.

"Stay safe out there, hijo," Doryoko says.

"Gracias."

As I take my leave, Tony turns to Doryoko.

"Did you expect him to get this strong?"

"Although he's trained long and hard, who can say? After all, I'm sure you trained hard as well, so it's not easy for me to determine 'strong' when comparing him to the rest of your generation."

"Perhaps." Tony replies. Immediately after, he chuckles, saying, "But I doubt anybody else could be Sueka."

"You don't know the half of it, Antonio," Doryoko remarks, bursting into his usual laughter.

"Hope things go well for Oren today," Tony states.

"I'd say his one victory is more than enough. Take a look down there. I don't think he has any strength left to do another fight, even if he wanted to. Sometimes small victories are the best under the circumstances. I'm sure his hermana would be pleased."

It takes me longer than expected, but I finally get down to the fighter's seating area in time for the upcoming match. Looking to my right, I see that, of the seven that passed the preliminaries, Ian, myself, and another fellow by the first name of Dante, are the only guys left in this tournament, aside from this upcoming match. If I recall, Dante is the werewolf. Regardless, his condition doesn't look too good, so I doubt he will get past the upcoming match. Honestly, survival of the fittest seems to have favored the fairer sex this generation.

"ALRIGHT THEN!!!" proclaims the announcer. "For our final preliminary match, we have a special treat for all of you! For the first time in Terraz history, we will be having two foreigners fighting for the local prize!"

(What!?)

"What!?" exclaims Ian.

"And of these contestants, let me introduce the first to you! On one side of the arena, we have this lovely young lady! Don't let her beauty fool you, for she shouldn't be taken lightly!"

Looking in the direction specified, I see the figure being mentioned walk out into the battlefield.

"YYYYEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

(WHAT!?!?!?)

Why the sudden cheer? I can't say that I...

"FLAT CHEST! IRONING BOARD! FLAT CHEST! IRONING BOARD!"

(Oh... Figures. Guess that explains why all the cheering was from guys.)

Looking out at the arena towards the girl, I see her covering her chest while showing a face invoking both anger and embarrassment...Wait...the closer I look at her...she's the girl I thought looked familiar before.

Traitor...

Hm? ... Well, it's too early for conclusions. Have to feel sorry for her either way.

"Hey, Ian, think we should do someth..."

"YEAH FOR THE FLAT CHEST!!!!"

"Et tu, Ian?"

The girls in the arena aren't exactly thrilled about this either.

"CAN IT!" screams what sounds like a girl's voice. Seems it has come from the girl in the arena. Got to say, she looks angrier than most right now.

"ALRIGHT THEN!! GUYS, YOU HAD YOUR FUN!" proclaims the announcer. "AND IN OUR SECOND CORNER, WE HAVE... What?... Um? Hold on a second?"

He puts the microphone down, and those of us in the arena hear a few details involving the private discussion: "Is this correct?" and "You sure this is a good idea?" After a short while waiting for confirmation, the announcer returns and picks up the microphone.

"Sorry for the delay. AND NOW, PLEASE WELCOME THE SON OF OUR SPONSOR, DARIUS DIVES!!!!!!"

"EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?!?!?!?" says the audience in unison.

At the open entrance to the other side of the arena, no doubt about it, there's the asshole from earlier today. Have to say, the T-shirt and jeans he's wearing now seem to fit his personality more than that formal suit earlier.

"And now, if you would be so kind, may we have a word from our sponsor?" asks the announcer. "What made you want to participate?"

"When I came to Terraz, I heard a lot of good things that, sadly, have yet to meet my expectations. Someone needs to show them what a good time is really like."

(Asshole.)

Even so, I can't get what Doryoko said about this guy out of my mind. Even if he's a jerk, he's still the son of a business sponsor. Not only that, even if money isn't an absolute necessity here in Terraz, good business relations with nearby cities is still important. If he loses, all he has to do is complain to his father and... No, I doubt this guy is that immature. But still...

(Alright, blondie. What's your next move?)

Darius then turns towards his challenger. "Now, what brings a washboard like you to his dump?"

(Please, don't say that to her, man. Read the mood.)

"Flat...chested..." she quietly but agitatedly says under her breath.

"Come on! Nothing to say? How boring!"

"Flat...chested..."

"Can we get this over with already?" Darius jeers.

"Oh, right! Ahem, AND NOW LET THE FINAL MATCH OF THE PRELIMINARIES...BEGIN!!!!"

"Now then..." says Darius, "Allow me to show you the difference between the instinctual beast and the superior man!"

While saying this, Darius makes a fist with his left hand and moves it close to the area of his chest where his heart is located.

"COME FORTH, MY HALL!!" he exclaims, pressing his clenched hand to his heart.

(WHAT!? He's awakened his hall!!!!)

As I explained before, music can be used to control one's rhime. However, with proper training, people can awaken something called a "hall" within themselves. This causes their bodies to naturally surround an area of a varying radius with their own rhime. While in their respective hall, the creators' bodies naturally produce a song of their subtone by causing their thought waves to be heard. It's an ideal way of performing rhime techniques in rapid succession while also weakening the strength of opposing rhime tones. We in Terraz spend all year preparing food for Angelia, so we don't have the time to train to awaken such things. All I can say is this...

I don't think he'll go down as easily as we would wish.

Bound to a empty world void of pleasure

Hold on, charge it...

Gaaaddaaa! goes the sound of drums emanating from Darius' body.

Gaaaddaaa!

All eyes are on Darius. With each beat - a spark and yellow rhime.

Gaaaddaaa! Gaaaddaaa!

Gada!

More rhime. More sparks. Louder drums.

Gada!

Louder.

Gada!

More rhime.

Gada!

More sparks!

Gadagadagadagada!

NEOW! goes the sound of an electric guitar and, with it, a shockwave of sound. This rhythm, I think it was categorized as "pop" in the First Age.

With this note on the guitar, Darius' rhime disperses all across the field. A tint of yellow all around us. Even the slightest of movements give off very weak static electricity. This...is the world within a hall...

The hall of an electric tone.

"Electric Drive: !" Darius yells out.

Look all around you.

You don't meet standards.

What makes you worth my time?

While the vocals play, the guitar continues its rift in 2/4 time. Darius raises his hands to the sky.

Life comes only once.

Sparks continue to build up in between Darius' hands.

Why waste it on others?

And begin to create a sphere.

You cannot take what you give to heaven.

"Now, bow before me!" Darius orders the girl.

He throws down the sphere he's created to the left of her, and the ground begins to shake upon collision. When the shaking ends, a small fault line is created. One deeper than what an animal tone can make. However, the girl just looks at Darius, angered but otherwise unfazed.

"That was a warning shot. Prepare to fall to the next one!"

(He's toying with her...)

"Electric Drive: !"

No matter how I see things

I know I want it all.

The rules of the world do not apply

when you can create them yourself.

Give up. Give in. Bow down.

Darius throws another sphere, but this time to her right. Another warning shot.

"Too scared to react! Very well! If you won't entertain me, LET'S END THIS..."

"Flat-chest!"

........!!!!!!!

"Electric Drive: !"

"If you know what's good for you..." the girl says slowly, with agitation.

"DON'T!..."

She slowly leans backwards with her head up to the sky.

"CALL!..."

While she is speaking, red rhime begins to build in her mouth. Wait...red rhime? A fire tone?

"ME!..."

An angry fire tone...!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(OH SHIT!!!!)

"FFFFFFLLLLLAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTT!!! Fire Drive: ERUPTION VOICE!!!!"

With that, she quickly turns her head to Darius and opens wide. From her mouth, a great pillar of fire erupts with the flame directed straight at Darius! Seeing this, Darius jumps to the left out of way before getting hit. Behind him, the entire wall goes up in flames and melts!

"WHAT!?!?" yelps Darius in great surprise. "How can she be so strong in my ha....!"

"Fire Drive: ERUPTION VOICE!!!"

Seeing the flames coming, Darius throws his sphere directly towards the girl's fire. As the two collide and fight for supremacy, sparks and embers fly across the field with the air getting dry and electrified. I've seen impressive animal tone fights, but this is on a completely different level! Even inside a hall of another rhime tone, the girl's fire remains strong!

(Who IS that girl!?)

Darius, as dumbfounded as myself, starts showing both fear and dissatisfaction with this output.

"This isn't fair! I have the hall! I am stronger! YOU...CANNOT...WIN!!!"

"Electric Drive: !"

However, right before he begins to create his new sphere...

"DOOORRRYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With her battle cry, her pillar of flames, although weakened, breaks through Darius' previous sphere and slams into her intended target.

"GGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

As soon as the pillar of fire hits its mark, the hall around us begins to disappear. To think anybody could single-handedly beat a hall creator without using a hall of their own! As the pillar simmers down, Darius, whose body is blackened with burns and much of whose clothes has turned to ash, simply stands there, dumbfounded. It would seem she held back when she hit her target.

"This...is...im...poss...ible....How...could...I...Dar...ius...lose...to a...commoner?"

With these last words, he falls to the ground face first. He remains motionless for a short amount of time. Until...

."..aaaaaAAAANNNDDD WITH THAT! THE WINNER IS OUR FOREIGN CONTESTANT! MISS MYDREA TSUMETEI!! CONGRATS!!!"

I swear, something about her seems way too familiar. I just...don't remember why.

Mydrea turns to leave the arena and heads towards my location alongside the remaining contestants. As she continues to walk in our direction, she seems to be eyeing me the most. For what reason, I do not...

"Electric Drive: !"

"Huh?"

"What?"

Sensing danger, Mydrea cartwheels to her right to dodge a significantly weaker sphere. Turning around, both she and I can see Darius struggling to his feet.

"You have not won!...You cannot win!...I am Darius Dives! I ALWAYS WIN!!!"

"DARIUS, ENOUGH!!" warns the announcer. "The battle has been decided! No fighting outside of an official match among contestants is permitted!"

"Silence!" Darius cries out. He rushes towards Mydrea as fast as his injured body can go.

"Electric Drive: !"

At his command, Darius' fingertips get enveloped in electricity. With this enhancement, Darius recklessly continues to attack Mydrea with poorly executed punches that she easily dodges.

"Stop running away!"

Oh boy...things really are getting...

...!!!!!!

"AAaa!!" I yell as I suddenly feel a surge of pain through my chest.

Trying to suppress the pain, I place my hand upon my heart and grip my chest tightly. But, as soon as I do...I see...

I see this girl and Darius continuing their fight, but at a slower speed.

(Oh no, not again!)

It's happening again...Just like...many...of...my dreams...

Continuing to hold my chest tightly, I watch the fight and see the girl dodge Darius's feeble attacks.

"I refuse to lose..." Darius yells to her.

The girl continues to effortlessly dodge his attacks and shows no signs of fatigue or concern.

."..to a FLAT-CHEST!!"

(SHIT!!)

I look to the girl again and see her expression change from calm to utterly enraged. As she dodges another one of Darius's punches, she kicks him in the chest, knocking him back a few meters. She then jumps into the air and spins until her feet are pointing towards the sky.

"Fire Drive: Volcan Kick!" she shouts. And with this, her feet become engulfed in fire.

"Take this....!!!" She yells.

She then begins to use the fire from her feet as a form of propulsion to increase the speed of her spinning.

."..you BASTARD!!!"

And performs a drop kick directly on Darius's face.

PAKA!!

With this sound being heard, Darius slams into the ground, covered in blood and nearly unconscious, possibly even on the point of death. Watching the spectacle, I release my hand from my chest in order to cover my mouth because of nausea.

As soon as I release my chest, the battle goes back to where it was before I touched my chest.

"I refuse to lose..." Darius again yells out, continuing his assault.

(What was...? Wait, Darius! Don't say...!)

."..to a FLAT-CHEST!!"

(No! No! No! No! NO!)

Just like before, the girl's face shows utter hate. But, if what I saw happens... What of Terraz's reputation!? And even if I don't like the guy, does he really deserve to have a near death, if not death-dealing, experience!? I remember glimpses of my dream once more. The loss of my father. The loss of my sister. So much death. So much undeserved death. Death... Death...!

(No...I refuse to let this happen!!!!!!)

I get out of my seat and run into the arena as fast as my weakened state permits.

"Oren!" shouts Ian. "What are you doing!?"

The girl kicks Darius in the chest.

(Stop!)

She spins until her feet at pointing towards the sky.

(Please stop!) I think, running towards the two fighters. I look and see she is closer to me. If I am fast enough...

"Fire Drive: Volcan Kick!"

"Take this!"

(Stop! Stop!)

"Take this....!!!"

(No! NO!)

."..you BAST...!"

"SSSTTTTTOOOOPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

"What?" both Darius and the girl exclaim in surprise.

At my current max speed, I jump towards the girl and tackle her halfway through her drop kick. The two of us crash onto the ground and roll over each other for a few meters until we stop and I am leaning over her. It seems my cloak got torn a bit during the tumble, and she has lost her bandana. Looking up at me, her expression is one of surprise and anger, but she is blushing.

"Get off me!" she screams and kicks me in the chest, knocking me back up to a standing position.

"Have you no self restra...?"

"Electric Drive: !"

I turn around to see another sphere heading in the direction of the girl. Doesn't he know when to stop? I look back at her once more. She's strong. She could take it. She even deserves it, considering what she was about to do to this asshole. But... But I... Why? Why must things be this w...

"Oh, confound it!!" I yell...

...and jump in front of the sphere.

GGGGYYYOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With the electricity flowing through me, I feel as if every cell in my body is bombarded by knives. I cannot tell if anyone around me is saying anything, as all I can hear is the ringing in my ears, coupled with my own voice screaming at the top of my lungs. After a few seconds of agony, the pain suddenly stops. I...cannot feel any part of my body. I...feel too weak. I... I...

I fall backwards onto the ground. My sight is beginning to....

"Look what you've done!" I hear the girl's indignant voice.

"But...but...I didn't...I didn't mean..." Darius retorts. For the first time, I seem for hear guilt in his voice.

Looking up at the sky with my failing eyes, I see the girl's silhouette jump over me and land a few centimeters in front of me. I attempt to lift my head to get a better look at what is going on between the two and...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Her hair!!!!!!!!)

With the bandana removed, I can see her hair clearly. Long and wavy all the way down her back. Blonde for much of it from the top. But, halfway down her back, her hair begins to change color. From golden blonde to bright orange, and from bright orange to crimson red the rest of the way down. Crimson red. Crimson red in the shape of...

...The shape of a great phoenix. Now, there is no mistake. As my mind fades, I can only be certain of one thing. This girl is...

...She is...the one... from my...dre...am....