Chapter 455 454   - World Tournament(Part 13)　　Point-of-View: Minise Mefvis

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　　"We're down to the business end of the tournament, it's time to kick off the semi-final round! The first semi-final is Minise of the Rustlands versus Esta of Liberty!"

　　If I'm being honest, I'm a little surprised that I made it this far into the tournament...I mean, I'm now only a step away from making it to the final! How cool is that!?

　　My opponent's a crafty one though, not to mention skilled. Beating her won't be easy, but you know what, I relish the challenge...I'm looking forward to this! This tournament has really been fun, I'm glad it's gonna be an annual thing.

　　Well, I guess there's no guarantee that I'll be picked to participate next time, but I can worry about that next year.

　　Right now, I gotta focus on the opponent in front of me. After the Elemental Sages, she's the strongest of the other races, thanks to her Demonic powers.

　　"Both participants look ready to get started...so without wasting any more time, let's...BEGIN!"

　　I unleashed an intense field of sweltering heat around me as I entered my Undead Mode, my opponent realizing what I was upto as a dark mist began to form around me, before suddenly teleporting in close...and then promptly sprang back with a wince of pain as she teleported right into my field of heat.

　　As she jumped back, she fired out a wind blast from her mouth, which I swiftly countered by using my wooden vines to block her blast and then fired out ice shards from my knuckles as I simultaneously dissipated the heat around me and dashing towards her rapidly, having finished transforming.

　　She deflected my ice projectiles with her daggers, before slashing at me as I closed in on her. I ducked beneath her slash and drove my fist towards her midsection, my sharp, icy knuckles aimed to pierce through, before she deflected my thrust by parrying my knuckles with one of her daggers.

　　I then drove my elbow down as she began to raise her knee towards my midsection, my elbow slamming onto her knee and blocking her kick...owww, my arm, it felt like an electric shock went through it!

　　I then swung my fist at her face as she simultaneously slashed her left dagger at my head, my knuckles grazing her cheek and her dagger nicking the bridge of my nose as we both moved our heads out of the way just in time.

　　As my fist whizzed past her face, I strained my aim, clenched my fist and whipped my arm inwards, slamming the back of my fist onto her left ear, right as she struck my jaw with the base of her dagger handle.

　　Since we both had to abruptly redirect our momentum, neither of our attacks were full-blooded, but as I felt a twinge of pain erupt from the spot she struck, she looked slightly dazed from my hit to her ear too.

　　She then sprang back and flung both daggers at me, which missed and whizzed past either side of my head...this move again? I won't fall for it!

　　I immediately shot forward, her eyes widening in alarm as I grabbed the chain connecting the daggers and then with a flick and twist of my wrist, flung it at her in a rapid spin, the daggers audibly slicing through the air as it barreled towards her.　　Right as it closed in on her, she fired out a short but intense blast of wind, halting the spinning blades in mid-air and then swiftly grabbing the chain, before stiffening as I closed in on her with intense flames swirling around my right fist.

　　She narrowly evaded as I drove my fist towards her midsection, but in her brief hesitation as I caught her off-guard, I was able to rapidly extend my wooden vines from my left arm and grabbed her ankles.

　　Before she could react, I swiftly swung her high up into the air, eliciting an alarmed yell from her. I won't give her time to teleport or anything!

　　I then rapidly swung her towards the ground with all the force I could muster...if she hits the ring at that angle, her neck will break. Come on, let this work!

　　Right as my swing neared her towards the ground, she suddenly vanished, my vines slamming onto the floor of the arena with a loud thud.

　　I quickly glanced around to make sure she'd been teleported out, and hadn't used a teleport spell herself instead. No, there she is, outside the barrier.

　　Hm? My wooden vines, the parts that had been wrapped around her were all worn out and somewhat brittle...did she try to use her Alchemic Magic to attempt to break free? Whew, that was close. But in the end...

　　"Aaaand the winner is...Minise of the Rustlands, our first finalist!"

　　I win!

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　　Point-of-View: Rion Xester

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　　Probably shouldn't say this out loud, but I imagine that this second semi-final match is gonna be a lot more intense than the final, regardless of which of us wins this match.

　　"It's time for the second semi-final, the penultimate match of the tournament...heh, am I the only one who thinks 'penis ultimate' when they hear the word 'penultimate'? No, just me? Anyway, it's between the two with the highest power levels in the competition, Rion versus Jhin, both of Abyss!" Exclaimed Belia loudly.

　　Huh...penultimate...penis ultimate...yeah, I totally get what she means! I can definitely see that. Haha, gotta admit, that's pretty funny.

　　"Please don't laugh at that," Sighed Jhin with a look of exasperation.

　　What, he didn't think it was funny?

　　"Lighten up, man, I thought that was hilarious," I grinned as I let out a chuckle.　　"Aw, thanks! Hope you win!" Belia called out to me with a cheerful wave, before sticking her tongue out at Jhin.

　　"Ugh, just start the match already," He responded as he rolled his eyes.

　　"Wha-...don't you 'ugh' me! And don't roll your eyes at me either! Hmph! I hope you lose! Anyway...begin or whatever," She grumbled with an annoyed pout.

　　Jhin kicked things off as he blasted out a fireball at me, and as I canceled it out with a fireball of my own...a Destruction Magic blast suddenly came shooting towards me from behind the dissipating flames.

　　I swiftly sliced it in half using my axe before it could hit me, and then quickly flew up as a slashing shockwave burst out towards me, which slammed onto the wall of the barrier as I dodged it.

　　I then blasted out a huge wave of black flames from my mouth towards him, enhancing it with an intense jet of wind, he responded by charging up another Destruction Magic blast, firing it right as my flames closed in on him, wiping out most of my flames, the rest harmlessly scorching past him.

　　I swooped down as his blast shot up towards me, which he dissipated as I evaded it and before it could hit the barrier, while I charged black flames into my axe, as I rapidly zipped towards him through the air.

　　As I closed in on him and swung my axe down at him, he slashed his sword up and across, our weapons clashing with a deafening clang, the force upon impact sending out a small shockwave around us.

　　I then landed and slashed at his midsection with my axe, which he sprang over and drove his sword towards my throat as he landed on the flat side of my axe. His blade grazed the side of my neck as I quickly tilted my head to the other side, before shaking him off my axe and attempting to slash at him before he could land.

　　He suddenly fired out a Destruction Magic blast out of his mouth, forcing me to abruptly halt my slash and hurriedly use my axe to block it. I then quickly deflected the thrust of his blade off to the side using my axe handle as he drove his blade towards my stomach.

　　He swiftly drew back his blade and unleashed a barrage of slashes at me, a few grazing me as I partially deflected and blocked them, before I flicked my wrist to rapidly spin my axe around, striking the length of his blade and knocking it down, the tip going into the floor of the ring.

　　I then gripped my axe with both hands and swung it towards his left side with as much force as I could muster. He quickly pulled his sword out and raised it up to his left defensively...just as I hoped he would!

　　Right as my axe struck the flat of his blade, I took my left hand off the handle and took aim, meeting his gaze with a smirk as I fired out a powerful wind blast at his midsection.

　　He let out a sharp gasp as my attack struck him, before getting sent flying back through the air and his back slamming onto the barrier with an immense impact.magic

　　"Yeah, nice!" Cheered Belia smugly.

　　Jhin then got back onto his feet with a grimace, before meeting my gaze and responded with a wry smirk, letting out a slow exhale as he held his sword out in front of himself. Alright, this fight is just getting started...let's do this...

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