**OUTSIDE THE FAMILY GROUNDS**

The first round of the tournament had now concluded, and the Quarter-Finals were

slated to commence within the next hour. During that time, everyone was busy getting

refreshments, meeting with the Clan Heads, and even taking small tours around the

complex. The trainees had some time to meet up with each other as well.

Amidst all this, Gyuwhan decided his next move:

"Alright, I've seen enough. Contact Mujin-san, we're going."

"Already, Sir?" Daisuke asked him.

"Yeah. I only wanted to know their faces. When the time is right, I'll capture them

myself."

Daisuke hadn't thought for a second that Gyuwhan himself would take up the

responsibility of doing this, but he now understood just how much pent-up anger he

carried toward the two.

"Well, in that case..." Daisuke started off.

"Hm?"

"You remember what I told you about, right? The final year of Hunter Training."

Gyuwhan's eyes widened...and a sinister grin slightly rose up on his face.

"New plan..." he said. "Tell Mujin-san to stay right where he is, and when that day comes,

give me a heads up."

Daisuke couldn't help but notice the strong aura he began to sense, coming from

Gyuwhan.

"This feeling...it's just like..."

In the middle of thought, Daisuke saw a small silhouette rising up over Gyuwhan...it was

that of Ivan.

With a small smile on his face, he responded:

"Understood. I'll contact him right away."

"Let's go," Gyuwhan instructed.

"The real show is yet to begin...just you two wait."

---------------------------------------

**FAMILY GROUNDS**

**COLOSSEUM, 11:20AM**

About 10 minutes before the resumption of the tournament, everyone was getting

themselves prepared once more. Tarik had met up with his sensei near to his Waiting

Area, who congratulated him:

"Ha! Test passed, right Sensei?"

"Yup, 100 Points! That Inverse-Flow was nicely done in the end," he applauded him.

As they stood nearby the Waiting Area's entrance, Steffan glanced over at Tarik's

opponent, Saki Kirishima, who was on the inside.

"Don't go letting your guard down just yet...well, you'll lose the Semi-Finals anyway."

"you could at least ACT like I have a chance."

"If you try your hardest, you'll have a shot at winning this next match. It'll be difficult,

but I have faith in you."

"Saki-chan...she's just above Kento, right? If Jamal managed to beat him, then I just

might have a chance against her!" Tarik encouraged himself.

"Don't forget, Tarik...that girl is still a Kirishima. I'm sure you'll come to learn about that

Clan, but don't dare take her lightly."

He then wished his pupil good luck and began to leave, but not before saying:

"I don't need to tell you what happens if you lose to her."

He responded,

"Just watch me!"

Soon after this, the music playing switched up, and with the sounding of a microphone,

Katashi commenced the Second Round:

"Ladies and gentlemen, Good Afternoon once again! We're about to finally begin the

Quarter-Finals of this day's Tournament! Please, have another look at the current

standings:

WEST SECTION

Jamal Sanjuro Vs. Kinshi Yamaguchi

EAST SECTION

Satoru Yamaguchi Vs. Galib Sanjuro

Tarik Yamaguchi Vs. Saki Kirishima

The scheduled matches were: Jamal Vs. Kinshi, Satoru Vs. Galib, and Tarik Vs. Saki. Ilmar

would not be fighting in this round, since both of his potential opponents, Gina and

Amira, were disqualified.

"And for our first match, we'll be having:"

"Satoru Yamaguchi, Galib Sanjuro!"

Inside the East Waiting Area, Galib sat with his staff in his lap. He wasn't one to engage

himself in pointless battles, as he knew he had no chance of winning, but he wasn't

intending on turning down this match. As he looked over at Satoru, who was

resting/meditating for most of their break (excluding the few minutes Ilmar spent

annoying him regarding his fight with Akiro), Satoru stood up and said to him:

"I'd noticed what you did earlier in your match," he said to him.

"You did?"

"Yeah. Not wanting to put your younger brother in a situation he can't deal with...sounds

a lot like me." - as he said this, he glanced over by his brother Tarik, who looked away,

annoyed.

“Anyway, let's go,” he said to Galib as he began walking through the entrance gate.

Even though his defeat seemed inevitable, Genki still wanted to encourage his brother,

saying to him:

“Do your best, Big Bro!”

“I will,” he responded as he sheathed his staff across his back.

“Give it up one more time for Satoru and Galib as they make their way!” Katashi

declared.

While they walked to the ring, Satoru said to him:

“How about this…if your Staff remains intact within the first 10 seconds, I'll give you

this match.”

Galib’s eyes widened, as he looked at Satoru who was looking straight ahead.

“…10 seconds?” he asked to verify.

“Do you accept?”

It was quite possibly the best offer one could hear: to keep his staff away from Satoru

for only 10 seconds. But, on the other hand, it brought up the question of what kind of

technique was it that Satoru had this much confidence in.

Nevertheless, Galib accepted:

“Sure.”

Over by the opposite Waiting Area, things were a tad bit more lively; Akiro had come

over from his waiting area, wanting to kill time with his closer friends, Ilmar, Kinshi and

Gina. Since he'd lost, there was no reason for him to stick around in any particular area.

While they sat around, Kinshi posed a question:

“So, do you guys think Satoru’ll give him a chance?”

“Satoru isn't a mean person y’know, Kinshi,” Akiro responded. “But, he does want to

beat Ilmar, so naturally he won't allow any losses.”

“What do you think, Namiyo?”

Namiyo had returned from the medical chamber during the break, so Kinhsi asked him

the question as well. “You saw Galib’s first match on the cameras, right?”

“Yes, I saw, and my thoughts are the same as Akiro’s.”

“Satoru most likely sympathizes with the way Galib prevented his brother from

winning, since it would mean he'd be the one fighting Satoru instead,” he expounded.

“I see…then again, it looked like Genki didn't wanna win either,” Kinshi responded.

“I still can't believe you two dumb-dumbs went and got disqualified,” Ilmar expressed

disappointedly, looking at Gina and Amira.

“Well, it's not like we could beat you anyway, so it's fine, isn't it?” Gina tried to defend.

“At least try,” he scowled.

By this time, the two arrived in the ring, and Katashi introduced a change in gameplay:

“Sorry if this might surprise you all, but for these matches, we'll be doing things a little

differently…go on ahead, Tenchi-sama.”

At Katashi’s signal, Lord Tenchi weaved a hand sign similar to what he performed at the

beginning of the tournament, and activated a technique. Suddenly, the tournament ring

underwent a change: the southern end of the ring began to extend, and it stretched all

the way down to the southern wall. The insertion slots in the middle of the ring were

also removed, and they reappeared on the wall where the ring had stretched to.

“What an amazing technique!”

Members of the audience were all astounded by Tenchi’s expertise.

“How is this stuff even possible?...”

Even the trainees admired, saying,

“Tenchi-sama really is on a different level…”

Katashi then continued, explaining how these next matches were to be played:

“These matches will be quite similar to the previous ones, in that you're required to

insert your connectors into the slots. At the beginning of the match, you start here at the

center of the Colosseum, and you're required to run to the end and plug in your

connector.”

“However, competitors are not prohibited from attacking each other as they make their

way.”

“Also, competitors have a total allotted time of 30 seconds to get to the end of the ring,

and insert their connector.”

Hearing this new play format, the trainees bickered among themselves:

“Oi oi, come on, is this the first year of Training all over again?” Kinshi asked nervously.

“Well, the time limit isn't bad…I'm sure even Tarik could manage this just fine,” Akiro

commented.

“Yeah…the problem is that second rule.” Ilmar pointed out. “While you're running, you'll

have to fight, which pretty much gives you less time than 30 seconds.”

“I mean, in the case of you and Satoru, then this is exactly like the first year’s training,”

Kinshi joked.

“The rules remain mostly the same,” Katashi added. “Now…are you ready?”

As they stood in the ring, preparing to start, they thought to themselves:

"I guess that bet with Galib’s off then...nothing more I could possibly do for you," Satoru

thought.

"There goes my chance, I guess. Anyway, I doubt he'll be the one to attack me, so I'll just..."

as Galib left off in thought, Katashi set them off:

“BEGIN!!”

Grabbing his connector, Satoru flew off in a flash, almost 8 meters away from Galib in an

instant. This was more or less expected; in the first year of training, the top performers

in the daily runs were none other than Ilmar and Satoru. They pretty much always

competed with each other.

As Galib followed behind, with both his staff and connector in hand, he was trying to

keep himself calm:

"Clear mind...focus your energy...I'll have to put my all into this move."

About 15 seconds had now passed, and Satoru was nearing the southern wall. At this

point, it hardly seemed like a competition. It looked like he would have won with no

issues at all, until…

"Alright...it's all or nothing!"

As Galib ran, he began twirling the staff in his right hand, and gripping it firmly, he

shouted-

“Now-!“

BODY REINFORCEMENT! • 身體強化 (Shin-tai Kyō-ka)

With all his might, he chucked the staff like a spear, right toward Satoru! As it flew

toward him at full speed, even creating a whistling noise as it pierced the air, Satoru was

not only prepared to dodge…but to do something much more unexpected:

"Hmph...not bad, Galib. But guess what..."

Satoru left off in thought as he quickly threw his connector aside and dropped himself to

the ground, spinning his whole body around with both arms, and at the very moment

Galib’s staff was approaching:

"Body Reinforcement."

With an instant boost in physical strength, Satoru launched his leg into the air, and

completely snapped Galib’s staff in two!

"I can manage that technique too."

As Galib looked on in utter amazement, he had stopped moving completely. Now sunken

to his knees after using the technique, he simply watched…as Satoru grabbed his

connector once again, and sped toward the wall.

“Winner: Satoru Yamaguchi!!”

Cheers rang all about, as everyone witnessed first-hand the unparalleled talent of

Tenchi’s son. There was nobody around who wasn't cheering for Satoru.

“To think he can even manage Body Reinforcement…” Gadō remarked in admiration.

“Well, he can only use it for about a second, so it doesn't take a toll on him,” Emir

informed. “I taught him a little on how to use it.”

“I see. These youngsters…they're all amazing.”

Back in the ring, as Satoru was leaving, he walked over to Galib who was kneeling and

looking down, and stretched a hand to help him up:

“You gave it your all, even when you couldn't win…I respect you, Galib.”

Galib didn't even know how to respond at first. He could do nothing but marvel at

Satoru’s character:

"It's like...he's so much stronger than us, yet he treats us like his own family

sometimes...behind your unrivalled skills, there's such a calm, responsible, caring heart..."

Taking Satoru’s hand, he simply responded:

“Thanks.”

As they left, Katashi quickly moved on to the next bout, which was:

“Jamal Sanjuro, Kinshi Yamaguchi, approach the ring!”

Finally, his time had come once again. However, his battle wouldn't prove to be the

easiest. With a technique like Kinshi’s, coupled with Jamal’s absolute lack of Spirit

Energy and its benefits of sensory awareness, this seemed like a more futile battle than

one with Satoru himself. However, Jamal maintained his focus, breathing slowly with his

eyes closed, until his opponent’s voice interrupted him:

“Don't think I'll be going easy on your brother; Ilmar, Gina,” he warned them.

They didn't respond, but his gaze met Jamal’s, and he said to him:

“Don't blame me for whatever happens to you.”

With that, Kinshi walked to the entrance gate, and as Jamal stood up, his brother

reminded him, saying:

“Oi, Jamal. Remember what I told you, right?”

“You're fighting me.”

With a nod, his kid brother responded,

“Yeah.”

As they proceeded to the ring, the audience cheered them on, mostly happy that they

got to see Jamal again, who they hadn't seen since the very first matchup. A few were

glad to see Kinshi again as well. Now on the ring, Jamal was in thought:

"He’s probably activated that technique already...as soon as we start, he'll vanish into thin

air, even though everyone else can see him just fine," he thought.

"I might really lose here."

"...But.

"Why is it..."

"...That I don't feel like I'll lose at all?" he asked himself, as he glanced over to his side at

Kinshi, who carried a confident smirk.

“What, you ready to forfeit?” he asked him, with a smirk on his face.

“Not at all,” he responded as he lifted his hand, clenching a fist.

In the other waiting area, Tarik looked on in eagerness. He was sure that if it were him,

then Kinshi’s technique wouldn't pose much of a threat, but as for his friend Jamal who

had zero Spirit Energy…it seemed hopeless.

Still…he had hope.

"Jamal...don't lose!"

“Competitors, are you ready?” Katashi asked them.

They looked on in silence toward the distant south wall…and Katashi gave the signal:

“GO!!”

They both ran off at the same time, grabbing their connectors the moment they

appeared. They were neck and neck for a few seconds, until, from Jamal’s point of

view…Kinshi faded away out of sight. The Illusion was now active.

“That technique again,” Fūdo remarked among the Higher Ups.

“I've been wondering, it seems a lot like…”

“You're right,” Tenchi responded. “It's called Blind Deception.”

“It's a technique that’s actually derived from a trait of the Soul Barrier, which allows for

the barrier and everything inside it to be erased from view. You witnessed this firsthand,

when you invaded the Orochi Gang’s hideout.”

“It's quite similar to Steffan’s Thin Ice Technique, but less refined. Your physical

presence is erased, but traces of your energy aren't. For someone like Jamal, however…”

“I see,” he responded. “I wonder how he plans to fight this…”

Back on the ring, Jamal raced to the wall in complete blindness, maintaining his guard

for every single second. The state of suspense he was put in as he awaited the first

attack could drive one into madness.

"Put up the most serious face that you can...I'm gonna knock you right out of this ring!"

Kinshi declared in his thoughts as he moved next to Jamal, ready to strike him:

"You're finished-"

As Kinshi lunged in with his elbow…Jamal dodged it!!

?!

"WHAT THE-?!"

There was no mistake…Jamal completely avoided an attack he could neither see nor

sense.

This shook Kinshi for a moment, but he quickly gathered his bearings and ran up to him

once more,

"No, that must have been a fluke...yeah! There's no way he could have seen that! But this

time, I'll definitely-"

This time, Kinshi attacked with a roundhouse kick from behind…and to his

bewilderment, Jamal evaded this attack as well!

"...WHAT’S GOING ON HERE??" Kinshi went into a state of panic.

Even the trainees themselves were clueless as to how Jamal was doing this:

“How is he…?”

“Kinshi’s technique is active, right?”

“Did he mess up somehow?”

The only person who wasn't shaken by that sight, was Ilmar.

“Hey, what's going on, Ilmar?...” Zeke asked him.

Smirking, he responded,

“Nothing…we just trained.”

They all looked at him…but they weren't accepting what they just heard from him.

“Cut the crap, Ilmar,” Akiro responded in disbelief. “Jamal has no Spirit Energy, and he's

under an Illusionary Technique. How can he react to Kinshi’s attacks?”

“Akiro…” Ilmar started off,

“You lack the ability to perceive your surroundings, and all that you're left with are your

5 senses. But, there's something that exists beyond those 5 senses: a kind of 6th sense

that majority of people could never come to realize, let alone master. Do you know what

it is?”

“…”

“Hey…are you serious?” Akiro asked him.

“Yep.”

“…Pure instinct.”

To react to these attacks…Jamal relied on nothing but instinct. Having trained with his

brother extensively, his body had become used to battle, memorizing how and when to

move, and being able to tell what kind of move an enemy will make, even if they are not

seen for a moment. Naturally, instinct was never perfect, but it was all he had at his

disposal in this fight…and furthermore, it worked.

As the chase between the two went on, Kinshi grew more aggressive, and started to

attack more ferociously:

"I don't know what you're doing, but let's see if you can keep that up forever!"

As the attacks grew more frequent and intense, Jamal started to have a harder time

reacting to them. His instincts could only do so much for him, in addition to the fact that

this was something he was only recently familiarized with. Slowly, he started to block

more, rather than dodge. With about 10 seconds left, they were still a ways off from the

wall. Jamal began to pick up the pace. Kinshi had to do something quick, to prevent

Jamal from winning:

"I underestimated him...I have no idea how’s he's been able to do this..."

"But, I can't let him get to that wall...even if I'm gonna lose, there's no way I'll let this weak

kid beat me!!"

In one final attempt, Kinshi swiftly crept up on Jamal’s right side, and was about to

attack. Jamal anticipated and was prepared to react, when suddenly, he felt an attack

coming from the left – Kinshi’s first move was just a decoy! He was mid-air, and swung

his leg downward to strike down Jamal. As his foot was about to make contact…

“Got you.”

*grab*

!!

Jamal grabbed Kinshi’s leg in both hands! And, not only that –

"BODY REINFORCEMENT!"

Boosting his strength for an instant, Jamal spun and threw Kinshi off to the side of the

ring, who was centimeters close to falling off, but held on to the ledge. But in the

meantime, with only 5 seconds remaining, Jamal had arrived at the wall and inserted his

connector!

“I won't lose.”

Before Katashi could even say anything, cheers came up from all around, even among

the trainees. Even Fūdo who was still by the Heads’ location had to yell out: “That's my

brother!!”

The boy’s classmates couldn't believe what they'd just witnessed:

“Hey…no way…” Kinshi gazed, laying at the edge of the ring.

“He actually…” Zeke was left speechless with widened eyes.

“…”

“Like I said, he's fighting me next,” Ilmar said with a chuckle.

And finally, Katashi put the icing on the cake by announcing:

“Winner: Jamal Sanjuro!!”

**TO BE CONTINUED**