The cheers erupted once more as the arena lights blazed brightly. The semifinals had begun.

“Four contestants remain! Two decisive matches! Who will advance to the final?” shouted the announcer.

“Contestant number one, Lyemo, versus contestant number four, Ircos!”

The crowd erupted instantly. Some stood, others clapped enthusiastically.

“Blurstroke against Behind the Chaser? This will be exciting!” “Lyemo’s a master of deception, but Ircos... he’s like a ghost!”

Noen straightened in his seat. “This will be tough for Lyemo.” “Two powers that both rely on positioning,” Xiara murmured. “But Ircos never looks panicked.”

The referee raised his hand. “Get ready!” “Release the seal rings!” “Begin!”

Lyemo immediately sprayed ink across the floor, creating a thick black fog. The ink spread quickly, forming a confusing spiral pattern. Ircos remained still. Then vanished.

The crowd roared. “He disappeared!” “He’s behind Lyemo!”

Lyemo spun quickly, spraying ink behind him. But Ircos had already swapped positions, appearing on the left side. Lyemo swept, but struck only air. Ircos vanished again.

Lyemo began drawing patterns on the floor with ink—circles and lines that looked random but actually formed a perimeter trap.

Noen narrowed his eyes. “He’s building his own arena.” “Blurstroke isn’t just misdirection. It’s spatial control,” Xiara replied.

Ircos appeared outside the ink circle. He stepped lightly, then vanished again. Lyemo waited. His left hand was ready to spray ink in any direction.

Suddenly, Ircos appeared behind Lyemo, but Lyemo had already spun, spraying ink toward Ircos’s chest. The ink splattered against Ircos’s armor. He looked slightly rattled and stepped back, then vanished again.

The crowd roared. “He hit him!” “Lyemo can read his movements!”

The battle dragged on. Five minutes. Six. Seven.

Lyemo grew tired. He seemed to give up on using fresh ink. He touched the floor, pulling remnants of ink from his earlier patterns.

Ircos appeared again, this time atop a pillar. He leapt down, aiming to sweep Lyemo’s legs from behind. Lyemo jumped, but landed on slick ink. His foot slipped.

The crowd laughed. “Ha! He slipped on his own ink!” “Blurstroke backfired!”

But Lyemo hadn’t touched the ground yet. He twisted in midair, spraying ink beneath his body to cushion the fall.

Ircos appeared again, this time in front. Lyemo sprayed ink toward his face. But Ircos swapped positions—appearing behind Lyemo, tapping his shoulder swiftly.

Lyemo spun, but his body had already lost balance. He fell.

The referee raised his hand. “Contestant down! Winner: Ircos!”

The crowd roared, some rising to their feet.

“That was the most complicated fight!” “Lyemo almost had it. But Ircos... he’s like a shadow that can’t be banished.”

Orimo gazed at the arena, eyes glistening. But he smiled faintly. “Well done, Brother. You’ve come this far.”

The cheers still echoed after the referee announced Ircos’s victory. Some spectators stood, clapping loudly, while others kept laughing at the memory of Lyemo slipping on his own ink.

“That was hilarious! He built such a cool arena, then slipped on it himself!” “Don’t underestimate him though—Lyemo almost won. Ircos was just incredibly patient.” “Blurstroke is impressive, but Behind the Chaser... insane, like something that can’t be driven away.”

On another side of the stands, the mood was more serious. An old man shook his head slowly. “That wasn’t just a physical fight. It was a duel of strategy. Lyemo didn’t lose because he was weak, but because Ircos was calmer.” A child beside him cheered brightly. “I support Ircos! He’s like a ninja!”

Noen turned to Xiara. “The crowd seems divided. Some admire Lyemo, others are already in love with Ircos. If they’re being talked about this much, could both of them rise in tier because of all the attention?” Xiara shook her head. “It’s not that simple. Even if the match was spectacular, it’s still not enough.”

The crowd’s shouts shifted into chants of names. “Nareen! Nareen!” “Kaeren! Kaeren!”

Applause thundered. Some spectators blew small trumpets, making the atmosphere even louder. Heated debates broke out:

“If Nareen can pull out the truth, Kaeren won’t be able to hide!” “Don’t be so sure. Kaeren’s voice can knock someone down without touching them. That’s scarier!” “But truth shakes people from within. Who could withstand that?” “If Kaeren’s ultrasonic hits, anyone will collapse!”

On the big screen, replays of Lyemo vs Ircos continued. The scene of Lyemo slipping on his own ink was replayed three times, making part of the crowd laugh again. Meanwhile, the faces of the semifinalists waiting in the contestant room were shown. Nareen sat with white thread spinning around her finger. Kaeren kept his head lowered, eyes sharp, mouth tightly shut.

Noen muttered, “Look at them... none of them seem relaxed.” Xiara added, “Of course. The next fight could last even longer than the last.”

The announcer climbed back onto the podium, his voice booming. “Ladies and gentlemen, get ready! The second semifinal match is about to begin! Nareen versus Kaeren!”

The cheers erupted once more. Loud, heated, full of anticipation. All eyes turned to the arena, waiting for the two figures to step forward.

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