**COLOSSEUM, 9:45AM**

**WEST WAITING AREA**

"Alright! I hope you're ready, Kinshi, because you're about to get the pummeling of

your life in the next 5 minu-"

Just as the enthusiastic Zeke was prepping himself up for his match with Kinshi, his 4

associates Jamal, Gina, Amira, and Kento all cut him off in unison:

"You're going to lose."

"you guys are cruel, you know that?"

Ilmar and Namiyo weren't present at the waiting area; instead, they were being treated

for their injuries over by the Colosseum's medical center. It had hardly been 5 minutes

since the end of their match, but it was already time for the next one:

"Kinshi Yamaguchi, Zeke Sanjuro, to the fighting ring!" Katashi announced in the

background.

Kinshi, who had been subjected to Zeke's overly-optimistic blabbering since the start of

the tournament, was now as eager as ever to finally show him just how worthless his

confidence proved to be.

"Get a move on, loser! Let's get this over with already," Kinshi snapped at Zeke as he

passed by him, entering the arena.

A tiny drop of sweat ran down Zeke's right temple as he looked back at his companions:

"At least wish me some luck guys," he said with closed eyes and a nervous smile.

"Just stay confident, and do your best," Gina encouraged.

"Don't die, I guess." - Amira sat upside down, her legs dangling over the back of the

bench she was on.

Jamal stared at him, unsure of what to say, since it was unlikely for Zeke to actually win

this match by normal means. Nevertheless, the idea of not encouraging his friend didn't

sit right with him:

"You can do it, Zeke!" he declared with a serious look on his face, which when Zeke saw

it, got the encouragement he needed:

"Thanks, Jamal," he thought to himself, sighing in relief in his heart.

Still, Jamal had been analyzing the entire time, whether there was any possible way for

Zeke to win:

“Zeke...he can definitely fight, but his specialty is the Scout position. He's more like a

supportive fighter. Him fighting someone like Kinshi is like me fighting Satoru.”

"...His only way of winning is to insert the connector..." he thought to himself as Katashi

introduced the competitors:

"Both aged at 11 years old, to the left we have Kinshi Yamaguchi, the younger brother of

the Elite Hunter, Kodaki Yamaguchi! And to the right, Zeke Sanjuro, who is actually a

close relative of yours truly!"

Zeke felt slightly embarrassed by Katashi announcing they were related, but a number

of spectators were actually intrigued to hear this.

"Oh? He's apart of Katashi-san's immediate family!"

"I still remember that match we got to saw last time."

"Yeah, Katashi might have lost to Fūdo, but it was a magnificent match!"

"I wonder how amazing they'll turn out to be?"

"I'm rooting for that Kinshi kid!"

By this point, they were standing on opposite sides in the ring. As Katashi reiterated the

rules, Zeke was strategizing:

"I wouldn't say Kinshi is much stronger than me...but he's definitely more skilled. I think he

was even practicing some special technique..."

"I can fight, but as a Scout, my most notable traits are being quick and nimble."

As Katashi asked if they were ready, the boys assumed their battle stances, looking at

each other...

"This connector will be my top priority!"

Raising his arm, then dropping it down, Katashi declared:

"GO!"

Zeke immediately grabbed his connector as soon as it appeared and started running to

the center of the ring, but when he looked up, Kinshi...was gone!

"Huh?? Where'd he-"

Before Zeke could even finish thinking, he was being swept off his feet, falling flat to the

ground.

"Ugh!" he yelled out, startled. Jumping back up to his feet, he quickly maneuvered away

from his position, looking from left to right in confusion.

The audience was just as confused as he was, though for a different reason:

"What was that?"

"He looks...confused or something?"

"It's like he didn't see that attack at all."

His fellow trainees as well, shared the audience's confusion. But only persons such as

Satoru, Akiro, the twins Maki & Saki, and Tarik were able to pick up on what was

happening: Zeke was under an Illusionary Technique. Kinshi had most likely executed it

while they were looking at each other. Surprisingly, this was the first time he'd ever used

it in battle.

Upon taking quick glances, Zeke picked up from the faces all around that his movements

seemed off to them:

They could all see Kinshi just fine.

"What the..."

"...Is this the technique he was working on?"

Being a Sanjuro, as well as being just a Trainee, it was impossible for Zeke to read any

traces of Spirit Energy at the time; he was engaging this fight in complete blindness.

Out of ideas, and desperate to win, Zeke gripped his connector and ran toward the

center of the ring, dashing to the sides as he went, in an attempt to avoid the invisible

Kinshi.

However, Kinshi was keeping up with him just fine. Before he could get close to the

insertion point, Kinshi kicked him away. Furthermore, Kinshi started to attack him as he

tried standing to his feet; punches to the torso, kicks to the legs, until Zeke was right at

the edge of the ring. Enraged, Zeke yelled out:

"At least let me see you, bastard!"

Releasing the technique, Kinshi had finally come into Zeke's view, and he uttered but

three words to him:

"Right here, loser."

With that, Kinshi shoved him out of the ring, and he fell flat on his back on the grass

lawn. Kinshi on the other hand, casually walked with his connector in hand to the

insertion point. From Zeke's perspective, he only heard the beeping sound a few

seconds later, followed by cheers.

"Winner: Kinshi Yamaguchi!!"

As Jamal witnessed this victory, he felt like all hope had been immediately lost for his

match in the next round to come.

"Seriously?...I can't deal with a technique like that!..."

"Looks like you'll have a tough match on your hands, Brother," Gina remarked with

concern. Kinshi's fighting ability itself was nothing to be too scared of, but his skill at

Mana Manipulation was what put him near the level of the likes of Satoru. It would be no

easy feat for someone like Jamal to defeat him.

"Do you really have the time to be concerned about your brother right now?"

It was Amira, she was no longer sitting upside down, but standing up, waiting to enter

the arena for her match with Gina.

"Worry about yourself. At least he made it past one round...you're not going anywhere."

"As if you'd win against my Brother in the second round anyway. You won't be beating

me either," Gina immediately fired back at her.

"Pfft. Spare me the lip service." - Amira rolled her eyes and looked through the entrance,

to see the two boys returning from their match. Zeke came in first, and without saying a

word, simply sat next to Jamal. Kinshi came in after, and looking at Jamal said to him:

"You're gonna end up just like him. No hard feelings, Jamal."

Jamal remained silent.

At this time, it had been a few minutes since the previous match, and Katashi

announced:

"And now, with this 4th match, we'll have come to the halfway point of this first round.

As they make their way to the ring, welcome our first female competitors..."

"Gina, and Amira Sanjuro!"

Finally, a matchup between the same family - was the thought shared by many of the

spectators. In addition, they were female trainees. It felt refreshing for many persons

watching to see a change of pace - not many females are apart of the Hunters.

As the two emerged from the waiting area, Katashi introduced them:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome two of the most gifted female fighters in the Sanjuro

Clan: to the right, clothed in a hoodie, we have Amira Sanjuro, who boasts being among

the most physically gifted of the Hunter Trainees! Next to her, adorned in sports

clothing, we have Gina Sanjuro, and once more...this isn't even real at this point...a child

of Gadō-sama enters the ring!!"

The spectators went wild. Gadō's children were certainly forces to be reckoned with:

from the young and skillful Jamal, to the amazing Ilmar, and now Gina...what secret does

she have in store?

As the two girls faced each other, all eyes were centered on them, and Jamal in

particular was more interested than ever:

"Big Sister...I've always heard Ilmar say it, but I've never actually seen it. Can she really...?"

This thought was also shared by Satoru and Akiro: they too have only ever heard, but

have never seen Gina do it. They would soon find out, once Katashi announced:

"BEGIN!"

Amira made a beeline for Gina, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. Gina put her

guard up, and Amira hopped, spinning mid-air, and launching a heavy kick to Gina's left

side, who blocked it with her lower arm; but the blow was unusually heavy, even

pushing Gina's body a few inches away.

"Jeez! Are you a gorilla or something?"

They danced all about the ring, Amira continuing her ferocious assault, while Gina either

parried or blocked every attack.

After engaging in this manner for a while, the two girls eased up, putting some distance

between themselves. Gina was actually flashing off her arms, feeling absolutely numb

from the few attacks she blocked. Amira looked at her in astonishment; she figured Gina

could handle such attacks, but the very sight was still unbelievable.

"Are you made out of diamond?" she asked.

"I think the better question is: are you Godzilla?" she replied grinning with a few drops

of sweat running down her cheek, and trying to massage her arms.

Amira's eye twitched when she heard that.

"I'm gonna break one of them next."

As the Heads spectated this match, Gadō and Miri looked at their daughter nervously:

"If there's one thing I'll thank you for, then it's that brute body of yours. Our daughter's

bones would've been broken many times over already," Miri remarked, looking over on

her husband Gadō who closed his eyes with a nervous look.

Fūdo had knowledge on the two girls' capabilities, and decided to elaborate:

"Amira is as strong as your average Sanjuro, but her secret is actually the Body

Reinforcement Technique. In the brief moments where she attacks, she activates the

technique to gain that extra output, then deactivates it immediately after. That isn't easy

to do, but the payoff's a beauty; she suffers no backlash at all when performing it that

way. She's a true genius."

"Gina doesn't have great fighting ability, neither has she mastered Reinforcement: but,

her body's very strong, like Mother pointed out. Also...she inherited that technique."

Back in the ring, the two girls were staring each other down. In the back of her mind,

Amira was wary of Gina: even though she was given the Specialty she received, this was

more of Ilmar asking their Sensei to give her that Specialty, in addition to nobody ever

seeing Gina use it. Was Ilmar overreacting?

Dying from being so mentally and physically alert, Amira yelled out to Gina, saying:

"Can you stop stalling and just do it already?"

"?" - Gina was initially blank.

"Do what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

While Gina slowly came to the realization of what she was referring to, Amira glared at

her...feelings beyond alertness began to arise, in the middle of the match. Personal

feelings.

"...Does she think she's in a position to be holding back here?"

"I swear...that attitude of hers just pisses me off. Always acting like you're better, acting like

such a pretty girl. All because you're the Head's daughter."

"Gina...I'm going to beat you here...I'll show you the difference between us! I'm not losing to

someone like you!"

"My control isn't the best...but, fine. I'll show you."

Extending her thumb, middle, & index fingers, with her ring and pinky bent toward

the tip of her thumb, while spreading her feet, Gina added,

"Don't regret it."

Dashing toward her almost recklessly, Amira shouted in anger:

"I won't regret destroying you!"

In that moment, Amira had unconsciously activated a much more powerful

Body Reinforcement to use against Gina. Amira got behind her, and was about to deliver

a kick to her nape from midair: when suddenly, there was a flash of purple, and Gina

was now encircled by a wall of dark purple flames-!

Flame Control. · 加具土命 (Ka-gu-tsu-chi)

Amira's eyes widened, as did the eyes of the Trainees and all spectators: Gina could

actually use the ancient Purple Flames! But the biggest downside...was the fact that she

could not control this technique. She had no power over the Flames' temperature,

neither could she direct their paths or do anything as advanced as someone like Fūdo

could: Amira was still in midair, her leg heading straight for the wall of flames, unable to

move any other direction. Amira...could actually die here! Katashi was running full

speed toward them to try and grab Amira.

"Amira!!" Jamal and a few other trainees yelled out for the life of their classmate.

Suddenly there was a black flash; someone appeared in the ring, right next to Gina...it

was her elder brother Fūdo! He held out the palm of his hand, and uttered a phrase:

Quench. · 消費 (Shou-hi)

In a moment, the wall of flames completely disappeared. At the same time as this

happening, Katashi had arrived, lunging at Amira and grabbing her, both of them

landing a few feet away from Fūdo and Gina's position. The flames were consumed, and

Amira was safe.

Fūdo however, immediately gave his sister a sharp forehead flick.

"Oww!!" she yelped out.

"Don't do that again, you nutjob," he instructed before immediately returning to the

spot where the Heads were.

"Impressive, Fūdo," Emir remarked. "You got down there faster than I expected."

"I mean, you're faster."

"I know, I know."

Upon helping Amira to sit up, who was feeling the backlash from using Body

Reinforcement differently, Katashi announced to the audience:

"After considering that last engagement...I've come to the conclusion that both

competitors had employed the use of deadly force against each other. As I explained in

the beginning of this tournament, the very thought of killing is against the rules."

"For this reason, competitors Amira and Gina Sanjuro are now disqualified!"

There was silence in the audience for a moment, but eventually, applause filled the

Colosseum. It was unfortunate that the two girls suffered disqualification, but they were

praised for the display of abilities that had been put on.

As Amira sat on the ring in anger, Gina slowly walked over to her, sorrowful, unsure of

what to say.

"I'm...sorry, Amira."

Amira was unresponsive for a while, but eventually answered her while looking away,

saying:

"I tried to kill you too, y'know."

"I don't just mean that...I'm sorry if I've ever upset you, in any way," she responded.

Hearing this, Amira was shocked, but she didn't show it on her face. Gina actually cared

about how she made others feel?

As if ignoring what she just heard, Amira simply demanded of her:

"Just help me up already," she said as she lifted her left hand. Smiling, Gina helped her

up, and they both walked back to their waiting area. After a few minutes, Katashi

announced:

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we've concluded half of the first round. Now,

we're about to move on to the Right side of the Fixtures. Our next matchup will be none

other than..."

"Akiro Sanjuro, Satoru Yamaguchi!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**