A Day of Rest Before the Storm

The competitors were given a full day to recover. Some spent their time strategizing, others trained, and a few simply rested.

For Haruto, Kai, and Rin, the break felt more like the calm before a storm.

“Haruto,” Kai said, stretching his arms behind his head. “Tomorrow is gonna be rough.”

Rin leaned forward, her eyes sharp. “They’ve seen what we can do. We’ll be targeted And Haruto!.”

Haruto remained silent, gripping his pendant, and Smiled. ” Don't worry I can maintain myself holding back… no matter what.”He muttered.

......

Stage Two: The Arena of Havoc

The next morning, the second stage began.

This time, the competitors found themselves standing in a massive floating arena, divided into six shifting zones each with different environments:

 • Zone One – A raging thunderstorm field

 • Zone Two – A lava pit with unstable platforms

 • Zone Three – A frozen tundra with blizzards

 • Zone Four – A forest maze with moving trees

 • Zone Five – A gravity-altered battlefield

 • Zone Six – A mirror dimension where illusions twisted reality

The voice of the Grandmasters echoed across the battlefield:

“Welcome to Stage Two. Your goal—survive. Only six teams will advance to the final stage.”

The Battle Begins – The Siblings Unleash Their Power

The moment the signal sounded, chaos erupted.

 • Tenshou Academy’s Satsuki Jr. immediately used his Strategist Eye, scanning for weak targets.

 • Kagutsuchi Academy’s team launched volcanic eruptions across Zone Two.

 • Hoshiyama Academy’s team froze the battlefield in Zone Three.

But the real shock came from Fujikawa Academy’s team—Kai and Rin Takahashi.

Rin’s Awakening – Blizzard Aura Blue Lightning Unchained on her feet

As the battle escalated, Rin’s eyes burned with electricity.

The moment an enemy targeted Haruto, she moved.

CRACK!

With a single step, she vanished, reappearing in front of an opponent from Tenma Academy.

“Wha—”

Before they could react, a devastating lightning strike shot from her fingertips, shattering the battlefield beneath them.

Ami, watching from the control room, stood up.

“That’s not an A-rank ability.”

Satsuki Senior crossed his arms. “No. This is something else, She has leveled up.”

Kai’s Unstoppable Force

While Rin’s lightning tore through the battlefield, Kai took on multiple enemies alone in the gravity zone.

His fists, reinforced with earth energy, created shockwaves with every punch.

One of Hoshiyama Academy’s best fighters, a student named Renji, lunged at him—only to be met with a devastating counterattack.

BOOM!

Renji was sent crashing through three zones, eliminated instantly.

Haruto—The Unseen Target

As the battle raged, Haruto stayed back, observing.

They’re protecting me… but at this rate, they’ll become the main targets.

And that’s exactly what happened.

The remaining teams, realizing the danger of Kai and Rin, shifted their focus.

Tenshou Academy, Hoshiyama Academy, and Kagutsuchi Academy all formed a temporary alliance.

Their goal?

Eliminate Team Fujikawa.

The Battle Turns Against Them

With over nine fighters attacking at once, the siblings struggled.

 • Kai blocked an onslaught of ice and fire attacks, his body starting to weaken.

 • Rin dodged multiple magic spells, but she was running out of energy.

Haruto clenched his fists.

I can’t let them fall because of me…

He took a deep breath.

Then, he stepped forward.

The Mysterious Counterattack

Just as a fire-enhanced blade from Satsuki Jr.’s teammate came for Rin.

Haruto moved.

His speed blurred, and before anyone could react.

CLANG!

He caught the blade with his bare hand.

Satsuki Jr., watching from the other side, narrowed his eyes. That wasn’t normal.

Haruto exhaled, releasing the blade, stepping back as if nothing happened.

Kai and Rin looked at him, confused.

“Haruto…” Rin whispered.

But before they could speak—

The Grandmasters’ voice echoed.

“Six teams remain. The second stage… is complete.”

Aftermath – The Truth is Getting Closer

As the battlefield disappeared, returning everyone to the main tournament grounds, whispers filled the air.

 • “Haruto… caught that blade with his hand.”

 • “Wasn’t that Satsuki Jr.’s God of Sight?”

 • “Is he really just an enhanced fighter?”

Meanwhile, in the dark monitoring room, Ami and Satsuki Senior watched the replay of Haruto’s movement.

Ami whispered, “He made exactly the same speed again.”

Satsuki Senior smirked. “Yep. That was the movement of someone who is around B-Rank.”

Haruto clenched his fists.

He had avoided using his full power, but for how much longer for Ami to acknowledge him?

………