31 Chapter 17: S.E.T. Round 2 (1/2)

The event assistants guided everyone to the waiting rooms, silence filled the room as everyone slowly seeped in. Coming together to await further instructions the first two victors of group A got summoned to the stage...

”I know... I know... the tension can be tasted as the heat takes over the stage, man... did we have heated matches from the start! You people can't wait for the matches to continue, am I right?”

The announcer looked around as the audience began cheering and chanting for more.

”Well then... let's keep the momentum going! Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado... I present to you the victors of the first two fights in Group A.”

The announcer bowed down, quickly making a leave towards his centered seat, giving him the best view of the fight.

A woman as white as a snow stepped on stage.

Her hair was long like silk, covering her eyes.

Black as ink she brushed through her hair,

revealing a color so dark, one could think it was black, yet when our eyes met, a deep purple could be seen.

On the other side of the stage, a man with pointy ears made his entrance. Loving the crowd he got full of himself bowing down hoping to win the hearts of the audience. His long blond hair fell over his head as he bowed down. As he slowly rose his head,

he revealed eyes as deep as the forests, darker than shadows... dancing in the wind as their color emerged. Green as grass.

The man had eyebrows so long they could hit the tip of his ears. As he arose, slowly tilting his head to the side, annoyed by the presence of his opponent,

The gong sounded signaling the beginning of round two.

The man fell over, quickly using the momentum to rush towards his opponent. But the woman had other plans... she elegantly threw herself backward allowing her to dodge the man's blind approach.

In the instant she dodged she supported her body with both hands, quickly striking upwards with both legs, locking her opponents head between her thighs and slamming him to the ground.

The man, unable to react looked like he accepted his faith as she got thrown to the ground. Thinking it was over the woman stood up, as she loosened her grip on his head. When suddenly the man grabbed the woman by her Achilles heel. Making her fall to the ground. Shocked she was unable to react as her body crashed into the ground.

Gasping for air, she tried to retaliate... but couldn't.

The man slowly approached the center of the stage where she was laying. Taking his time he looked down. The announcer began to count when suddenly the man slammed his foot straight into her gut...

Now unable to even stand, the announcer began counting down.

”5...

4...

3...

2...”

Just before the countdown ended the woman stood up, slowly standing her ground and nodding that she could go on.

As the match continued the gruesome nature of the pointy-eared man came to light.

”You should have stayed down, woman.

Now you will know true pain!”

The man smiled an ominous smile as he rushed towards her. Closing in the prepared to strike, but just before he could reach the woman jumped in front of him with unbelievable speed.

The moment she stood in front of the man her eyes shifted from normal to narrow sharp lizard-like eyes.

At the back of her head horns began to form as sharp spikes grew out of her elbows.

”Hisss... You think... you can keep up? Go ahead and try...”

The woman turned around as a huge and long-tail slammed into the man, grabbing him and throwing him out with full force.

”Contest and A4 out of bounds, contestant A2 is the winner!!”

As the woman bowed down and looked around the audience, I could have sworn I saw her tongue slit in and out in an instant.

She waved her black hair back and made way for the next contestants. As she walked off stage she noticed Geo catching a glimpse and playfully winked at him.

As the matches progressed it soon became time for Geo to take center stage. As he arrived first he awaited his opponent. A young brown-haired man with bright eyes, burning with passion took the stage.

He bowed towards Geo to show his respect.

But when the gong rang he instantly jumped back, cautious of what might happen. The young man took on a defensive stance as he baited Geo into attacking him.

Knowing it could be a trap Geo quickly jumped, using the momentum to slide underneath the young man.

The young man saw this coming and slammed down his foot as he tried to retaliate.

Using the momentum of his movement Geo grabbed the young man's foot and pulled him to the ground on equal terms. There Geo raised himself on top of the man in one flowing movement allowing him to lock his head between his arms, while at the same time locking the young man's leg with both his legs, making him unable to retaliate or react to these movements whom no one had ever seen before.

The announcer began counting down. As he simultaneously slammed down on the stage.

”1..., 2..., 3..., 4..., 5... you're out!!! Geo is the winner!!

This concludes round 2 of group A, congratulations young one, if you will please take a seat back in the waiting room, we will resume with group B.”

Alessia quickly walked towards the stage knowing she had to kick off the first match of group B.

On the other side, a girl with cat ears took the stage.

Her tail playfully sweeping from left to right as she waved to the audience.

When their eyes met a spark of competition shot between them. As the Gong rang signaling the start of the match their hands quickly locked into one another.

”Hello, little one... are you here to play?”

Alessia said pushing her back towards the edge of the ring.

”Not really... Mia is here to win for her family-nyan.

So Mia has to do her best for the games!!”

Giving Alessia a run for her money, Mia stopped her in her tracks, quickly jumping away and kicking her towards the edge. Alessia tripped falling. Almost falling off the stage. She tried with all her might to push herself back as she was hanging on for dear life. As she had not yet touched the ground outside the ring, the match was still going strong.

Slowly she climbed her way up to the stage and lay down on stage, quickly grasping for air and jumping towards the center.

”We all have our reasons, don't expect me to show any mercy now that you shared your goal with me.

I want to challenge myself in finding a worthy man who can fight by my side. So I won't give this up for anyone other than myself.”

The catgirl jumped towards Alessia as she tried to push her off once more. But before she could reach her the girl got kicked up into the air.

”You think I would fall for the same trick twice? You disappoint me girl, try to find a man who can take care of you after this.”

The moment the momentum made her drop-down, Alessia jumped up towards the girl grabbing her and throwing her out.

”Out of bounds! Winner Group B round 2 is Alessia Scarlet!!”

As she left the stage others quickly finished their matches making room for Group C.

Group C quickly moved through their matches allowing Raiden to stand on stage. Arriving he found out that his opponent was raring to go. A very broad man with scars on his chest slammed his fists together. Looking closer it became clear the man had scars all over, even covering his eyes.

”What could have happened to the man? Wel...

No time to worry about others, I have to win this.”

Raiden slammed his hands together and loosened his neck. A smirk formed as he was unable to contain his excitement. As both took on their stances the gong signaled the beginning of the match.

Raiden instantly closed in on the blind man,

But the peculiar thing was the fact that the man hadn't moved an inch. Yet... there were no openings.

Unsure of what to do, Raiden became cautious.

Wanting to know how the man would react and the range of his moves, Raiden decided to swiftly brush past his head with his foot.

But before his foot connected with the man's head the man ducked down dodging his attack and instantly closed in with a grappling move.

Slamming Raiden to the ground.

The man laughed loudly.

”Hahaha... though I didn't see that coming? Boy... who's still wet behind the ears. Let me tell you,

I got these scars fighting Chimera Bears.

The most ferocious of bears in the capital.

I honed my senses, which is why I learned to fight without my eyesight.”

Overjoyed Raiden answered back.

”Amazing!!! So you earned those scars going head to head with life-threatening creatures? That's truly amazing!! Oldtimer, you have earned my respect.

Now... prepare for a serious pummeling!”

Raiden steps in with gentle and silent movements, making it unable for the man to perceive where his opponent might be.

To counter this, the man inhaled the air around him deeply, creating an arc around him with the flawed and gentle movement of his arms.

”You'll soon know what I'm capable of the boy!!”

The old man said while gently exhaling the build-up air from inside.

Raiden swiftly tried to connect a blow to the old man's liver, but soon found that it got parried just as swiftly. The man wasn't joking in the slightest. He was powerful. Even so much that he began overpowering the young man.

Raiden tried to land strike after strike as his fists began flying more rapidly towards the old man, increasing his speed and trajectory he turned around the man, knowing this should land a blow.

After a flurry of blows dust whirled up blurring the vision of the contestants and spectators making it unable to see what was happening.

Raiden became out of breath as he gasped for air, hoping he at least did some damage he lowered his fists smirking as if victory was at hand.

He lowered his fists with a long silent exhale as he couldn't go on anymore. The taste of victory was close, was he able to win?

Raiden collected his thoughts as the dust cloud began fading... at the other side of the stage, a silhouette became visible. As realization slowly crept in Raiden stood there shocked in disbelieve.

The man... the old man which he was certain to have hit multiple times, so many times that victory was inside his grasp...

Yet... now... all seemed a lie, the man sat on the edge of the stage, cross-legged taking his time as if nothing had happened. The man slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark empty sockets a void that led to nowhere.

Shocked by disgust Raiden backed away as fear rushed over him. Dread quickly froze him in place as Raiden realized the sockets weren't empty at all!

”What... The... Hell...?!”

Raiden screamed, unable to grasp what he saw.

As it all became too much Raiden's eyes began rolling backward. The shock had proven to be too much as strength slowly faded from his legs.

The man laughed revealing a huge and crooked smile. What Raiden made him lose it completely was the fact that the old man seemed to not have one but three wide grins. The sockets who seemed to be empty had sharp fangs inside.

The man now laughing out of pure amusement slammed his belly. ”Hoho... Hahaha...!!

The young man sure has never seen creatures like us, has he?”

The man cracked his neck widely.

*crack, crack*

The man pumped up his muscles and made a swift step towards his opponent instantly closing the distance. With a kind smile, the man came eerily close to Raiden. Whispering something in his ear only he could hear.

Terror had completely taken over Raidens mind.the man gently slapped and held his shoulders with his hands. Opening his eyes once more...

The black void behind the teeth revealed an even darker purple center as the old man's eyes took shape.

”Boy, do yourself a favor and forfeit this fight...

You have a bright future, don't throw it away by fighting me. Let me liberate you, my child.”

Killing intent rushed through Raiden as the man then proceeded to gently let Raiden down the arena making him lose the battle.

Still, in shock, Raiden was unable to move,

unable to think... Draven rushed to his aid.

As he held Raiden is his hands Raiden barely could only utter a few last words.

”No...no, more... The... Emptiness... Nothingness... is... coming.”

The medics quickly rushed to Raiden's aid as he collapsed shortly after. Postponing the match of Group D for a while.

As the announcer got clear that Raiden was recovering steadily we all continued the matches.

As the matches steadily progressed Yami's turn came once more. Getting pumped and ready for her match she quickly took the stage. On the other side, a familiar face took the stage.

It was Kai! One of her fellow tribe members. Kai always had processing talents as he had to take over the role of tribe leader one day. His black short hair accentuated with his grey-white ears, his light and dark blue eyes gave off the feeling that he had matured at an early age.

Kai took on his stance without a word towards Yami.

Maybe he didn't recognize her as she had changed a lot recently? Yami did the same even though she found it odd that he didn't recognize her.

The gong ran as both leaped towards each other.

Strike after strike got parried, blocked, countered or dodged proofing to be an even match up.

Finally, their hands locked into one another allowing a small window to breath. Both looked at each other straight in the eyes when Kai realized not by appearance but by the sweet fragrance of her hair who he was fighting.

He lowered his guard for a small moment during the doubt that was visible on his face.