Do I do it? Kenshiro's thoughts raced as he clenched his fists, standing in the middle of the field. He wasn't near the flag, but he could sense Appolo approaching it fast. He wanted to wait—wanted to save his strength for the final moment—but time was running out.
Suddenly, the ground erupted.
Massive roots burst forth, spiraling upward like a serpent of wood, snatching Appolo mid-sprint. The boy struggled, eyes wide with disbelief.
"What the hell is this? I can't move—I can't draw!"
The arena buzzed.
Announcement: Team 30 is eliminated.
Azar collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. "I'm out of Spiritual Force."
Beside him, Zanden panted, his hands on his thighs. "Me too."
Misa was on one knee, sweating. "I have a little left…"
Helia stood tall, smirking, but even she was shaking. "Too bad for you… I've got more."
But her body disagreed. Every breath stung. Every movement felt like fire.
Azar raised a trembling hand. "I can't help you anymore, Misa."
Zanden nodded. "Sorry. This is your fight now."
You might be wondering what that means, a voice echoed through the story. Spiritual Force is the energy that fuels your abilities. It's your life force. Without it, you can't attack. Without it, you're finished.
Ryju and his friends can shape their Spiritual Force into nearly anything—blades, barriers, blasts—but that's not always enough. If you face an opponent with a powerful ability and don't know how to counter it, you'll lose. And if you don't have an ability of your own, just relying on Spiritual Force won't be enough. You'll lose to someone who controls both.
The battlefield fell into silence, the last winds of energy fading.
"I only have one attack left," Misa thought, her fingers digging into the soil. "This is it."
"Stone Style: Earth Core Cannonball!"
She slammed her hands into the ground. The earth responded.
Rocks, rubble, dirt, and shattered fragments swirled toward her like planets around a sun. In seconds, they compressed into a massive stone sphere—solid and pulsing with Spiritual Force.
With all her remaining power, she hurled it.
"This is my final attack!"
Helia raised her hand, smirking through the pain. "Metal Blast!"
Their attacks collided in a glorious crescendo of force.
Misa turned to Azar and Zanden. "Get away! Now!"
"Right!" they shouted, diving back.
"This is over!" Misa roared.
Helia chuckled. "Man… I had fun with you."
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore across the clearing. Dust swallowed the sky. Trees bent from the pressure. Flames danced.
From afar—
Shun's head snapped toward the shockwave. "What was that?!"
Uzuki crossed his arms. "Hmph."
Kenji looked around, tense. "Did someone just get eliminated?"
As the smoke cleared, Misa and Helia lay flat on the battlefield, unconscious.
Azar and Zanden rushed back in.
"Misa! You okay?!" Azar cried.
Zanden grabbed her arm. "We have to go—now!"
Helia didn't move.
Announcement: Team 32 is eliminated.
Kenji's eyes narrowed. "That explosion…"
"Distracted, are we?" Uzuki said coolly.
"One Sword Style: Moon Fang Slash!"
He swung his blade. A glowing arc of crescent light soared toward Kenji.
Kenji dodged, sliding across the ground.
Shun stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "I'm done playing with you all."
From above, the Spiritual King observed. "Among all the fighters… three stand above the rest. And one of them is hiding their true strength."
Announcement: Team 37 has been Eliminated.
Shun turned back to Uzuki. "I'm done with you. Wood Style: Verdant Cage Bloom!"
Vines shot from the earth, twisting and blooming with thorn-covered flowers, wrapping around Uzuki in a dome of nature.
Uzuki growled. "What… is this?! I'm trapped!"
Shun's voice was calm, smug. "Your Spiritual Force is draining. You're finished."
Uzuki felt it—the power being pulled from him. His body trembled. "I can feel it… leaving…"
"There's no use," Shun said. "You've lost."
Kenji raised his swords. "Two Sword Style: Crimson Dragon Divide!"
With a roar, he slashed the ground, flames trailing his blades. A fiery fissure split the earth in the shape of a dragon's jaw.
Shun waved a hand. "Wood Style: Forest Barrier!"
The flames hit a wall of leaves, roots, and branches. Nothing got through.
Kenji cursed. "I can't break in!"
Inside the prison, Uzuki dropped to one knee. "One Sword Style: Moon Fang Slash!"
The slash barely scratched the vines.
"You're done," Shun said. "You're going to lose."
"Me… lose?" Uzuki's voice trembled. "I've always won. I'm not supposed to lose. Not now. I… I have to release it…"
Shun's eyes narrowed. "It won't matter."
Uzuki stood. His aura surged. "I… have… to…!"
"Makando Clan Technique: Blinded Sword Style!"
The air shifted.
A dark purple mist exploded from Uzuki's body, swirling violently. The vines snapped, blown away by the force.
Shun stumbled back. "What… is this aura? My cage… it's breaking?!"
Uzuki stepped forward, blade in hand, eyes closed, his voice calm and cold.
"It's time to get serious now. It's over."
Announcement: Team 36 is eliminated.
To be continued…