Kai's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Kaito, his face pale and speechless. He muttered under his breath, "It's...it's really him..." The crowd's cheers and chants faded into the background as Kai's mind reeled with the sudden revelation.
The Guild Master, Goro, raised his hand, silencing the crowd. "Is Kaito your leader, Kieran?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Kieran smiled, seeming to savor the moment. "Yes, he is," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "And he's the one who will be facing Kai."
Kaito strode confidently towards one of the guild members holding an orb. The Guild Master's eyes snapped towards Kaito, his expression warning. "Kaito, wait!" he shouted.
But Kaito didn't hesitate. He reached out and touched the orb, his eyes locked on Kai's. The air seemed to charged with anticipation, the crowd holding its collective breath.
And then, in an instant, the orb exploded in a burst of light and energy. The sound was deafening, like a crack of thunder on a stormy day. The guild member holding the orb stumbled back, clutching his injured hand.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, chanting Kaito's name. The Guild Master's face turned red with anger, but he forced a smile onto his face. "Kaito Ryujin, SSS-rank adventurer!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the arena.
Kaito walked calmly towards Kai, a smirk on his face. Shinji, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his eyes locked on Kaito. "Kai, are you friends with Kaito?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.
Kaito's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "Friends with who?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain. "This loser?" He spat out the words, his eyes locked on Kai's.
Shinji hesitated, remembering Kai's lie. "Sorry to tell you this, but Kai lost his memory, so he might not remember you" he said.
Kaito's smirk returned, his eyes glinting with amusement. "How convenient," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's see how long you can keep up that act, Kai."
Kaito leaned in close to Kai, his voice barely audible as he whispered, "We both know that you still have your memories, and that you remember me. I mean, your face tells me everything."
Kai's eyes widened, his pupils constricting in shock. His face paled, and his lips parted slightly, as if he was about to speak. But no words came out. He stood frozen, his eyes locked on Kaito's, his expression a mixture of fear, shock, and confusion.
The Guild Master's voice cut through the tension, "Get our injured guild member to the guild healing room, now!" As the guild member was led away, the Guild Master shouted, "Time's up, and Lila from the Nobles is still not here. She's been eliminated, making Shake the winner!"
Shake jumped onto the stage, raising his arms in triumph. The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices echoing off the arena's walls.
The stage was a massive, elevated block of stone, raised high above the surrounding floor. It was a sturdy, imposing structure, with steep sides that dropped sharply down to the ground below. The stage was surrounded by a sea of cheering spectators, all packed tightly into the tiered seating that ringed the arena.
Kai and the Guild Master stood outside the stage, but not with the watching crowd. Instead, they were positioned at the center of the arena, with the stage looming above them. They had a clear view of the combatants, and could see every detail of the battles unfolding above.
The Guild Master now standing below the stage, shouted, "Next match, Shinji from the Nobles versus Kieran!" The crowd cheered as Shinji and Kieran made their way onto the stage.
As Shinji stepped onto the stage, his eyes flicked towards Kai, who still stood frozen, his eyes fixed on Kaito. Kai's lips moved silently, his voice barely audible as he muttered, "It's really him..." Shinji's expression faltered for a moment, his eyes filled with concern for his friend. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the battle ahead.
Kieran, on the other hand, seemed to be savoring the tension. He smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement, as he faced Shinji. The air was thick with anticipation, the crowd holding its collective breath as the two opponents faced off.
The Guild Master shouted, "Are you ready, Shinji and Kieran?" Both opponents nodded, their faces set in determined expressions.
The Guild Master took a deep breath, his voice rising to a crescendo. "Then... fight!"
Shinji began thinking what Kai had told him before, maybe Kai was right and Kieran isn't as powerful as the elder wolves that I fought back then.
Just as Shinji was still thinking, Kieran suddenly disappeared, reappearing in front of him, holding his sword and aiming straight at Shinji.
Shinji's eyes widened in shock as he backflipped backwards, dodging the sword and throwing one of his daggers at Kieran. But Kieran dodged the attack by jumping sideways, his body twisting in mid-air to avoid the dagger.
As Kieran landed, he launched himself at Shinji, his sword raised high for a strike. Shinji dodged to the side, avoiding the attack by a hair's breadth. He sprinted towards his dagger, which had lodged itself in the ground, and snatched it up in one smooth motion.
Kieran was hot on his heels, his sword raised high for another strike. Shinji spun around, using his momentum to power a swift slash at Kieran. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through Shinji's arm.
Shinji quickly followed up with another attack, his dagger flashing in the light as he struck at Kieran's exposed flank. Kieran parried the attack with his sword, his movements lightning-fast as he countered with a swift strike.
The two combatants exchanged blows, their movements a blur as they clashed in a flurry of steel and movement. Shinji threw his second dagger at Kieran, aiming straight for his chest. But Kieran dodged the attack by ducking downwards, the dagger flying harmlessly over his head.
As Kieran stood up, Shinji sprinted towards his dagger, which had lodged itself in the ground. Kieran was right behind him, his sword raised high for another strike. Shinji snatched up his dagger and spun around, using his momentum to power a swift slash at Kieran.
Kieran blocked the attack with his sword, the blades clashing in a shower of sparks. Then, Kieran's eyes narrowed, and his breathing slowed. A faint, pulsating glow began to emanate from his body, growing brighter and more intense with each passing moment.
As the glow reached its peak, Kieran's body was surrounded by a fierce, crimson aura. With a mighty roar, Kieran launched himself at Shinji, his sword flashing downwards as he formed an X slash, he shouted " Diagonal X Slash". Kieran's sword blast a wave into the air, its trajectory unwavering as it hurtled towards Shinji.
Shinji raised his daggers, but Kieran's attack was too powerful. The attack struck Shinji's daggers with incredible force, sending them flying out of his hands. Shinji stumbled backward, his arms numb from the impact.
Kieran's sword continued its downward trajectory, and Shinji was unable to defend himself. The blade sliced through the air, mere inches from Shinji's chest. Shinji's eyes widened in terror as he realized he was about to be struck.
But it was too late. Kieran's sword struck Shinji with incredible force, sending him flying backward. Shinji's body soared through the air, crashing into the crowd and sending spectators scrambling for cover. The impact was tremendous, and Shinji lay there, dazed and disoriented, as the crowd erupted into chaos.
Kieran stood tall, his crimson aura blazing with intensity. "Okay, now I'm serious. Get back to the ring, Shinji. I'm honestly disappointed, Kai. Is this the best your team has to offer?" Shinji slowly stood up from the crowd, his eyes locked on Kieran.
Kai, who had been silent the entire time, finally smiled and looked at Kieran. "You know what, Kieran? I'm honestly happy that your team leader was one of the three heroes. Because now I get to beat the hell out of one of the three heroes, while Shinji beats the hell out of you."
Shinji, now standing up, looked at Kai and grinned. "Guess you were right, Kai. He isn't as powerful as those elder wolves back then. So let me teach him some manners."
Kieran's face turned furious, his aura flaring with anger. "I'd like to see you try, Shinji."
Kaito, who had been watching the exchange, looked at Kai and sneered. "So, you're going to beat the hell out of me, Kai? You don't really think that you were ever more powerful than me, do you?"