The Colosseum's energy shimmered and pulsed as Lucien's clone raised his hand, his abyssal eyes scanning the gathered participants. The first round had been a spectacular display of power, precision, and strategy, and now it was time for something more chaotic.
"Round Two," he announced, voice low but carrying across the arena, "will be a team-based tag battle. Whoever touches the back of their opponents scores a win. No fatalities, but all other abilities are fair game. The arena… is now your playground."
Aelira, perched atop the Nax peak disciples' platform, clutched the railing and squealed in excitement. "Papa! Papa! This one's going to be fun, isn't it?"
Lucien's clone smiled, watching her energetic enthusiasm. "Fun, indeed," he murmured, fingers brushing his chin. "But let's see if the little ones can handle chaos without falling apart."
The Colosseum's platform expanded, morphing into a massive, labyrinthine terrain. Floating platforms, twisting towers, and shifting corridors formed a massive playground, designed to encourage mobility, teamwork, and unpredictability. The spectators could see entire sections rotate, flip, or vanish entirely, responding to the energy of the combatants.
From the edges of the arena, the teams assembled. On one side, the Nax Academy peak disciples: Hoshigami, Hayato, Rei, Shunji, Akemi, and Kojiro. On the other, a coalition of Azure Blue's prodigies, including Shirogane Tatsuya, Ayame Hoshikawa, and other notable talents whose skills had been whispered about across the planet.
Lucien's clone hovered slightly above the platform, watching. The first round had taught him a lot about their limits, and now he would observe how they worked as a team under pressure.
"Begin."
The arena erupted in motion.
Hoshigami moved first, her partially awakened metaphysical senses allowing her to detect hidden opponents in the shifting terrain. She dashed across a floating bridge, a soft glow trailing her movements as she aimed to tag Ayame, who had conjured multiple mirrored illusions to obscure herself.
Ayame smirked. "You think you can catch me that easily?" With a flick of her wrist, illusions exploded outward, forcing Hoshigami to adjust mid-leap. But Hoshigami's eyes glimmered with insight, and she twisted in midair, striking one of the illusions—and behind it, Ayame's real form was revealed, narrowly dodging Hoshigami's hand.
Hayato leapt over a crumbling platform, wind blades slicing the air as he launched a diversion toward Tatsuya, forcing him to evade. Meanwhile, Rei unleashed a concentrated wave of destructive energy, blasting through a tower segment where one of the Azure Blue disciples had tried to hide, sending rubble cascading down.
"Focus!" Rei yelled to Hoshigami as he bounded past her, slicing a floating platform in two to create a path for her to continue the chase.
Akemi warped space in front of her, creating temporary corridors that allowed Shunji to flank an opponent. "You're too predictable," she called out, "try catching me in this corridor." Shunji's calm, precise movements let him intercept her without harm, placing a hand briefly on her back and scoring a point before she teleported away.
From above, Lucien's clone laughed softly. "Good… they're learning coordination, speed, and improvisation. But chaos always reveals who is truly in control."
Aelira bounced in her seat. "Papa, look! Hoshigami is so fast! Can she catch that one?"
"I see it," Lucien's clone replied, watching the tactical movements. "But it's not just about speed, little one. It's about prediction and flow… and control of the battlefield."
Meanwhile, the Azure Blue prodigies tried to strategize, forming temporary alliances to corner the Nax disciples. But the peak disciples adapted with uncanny synergy. Kojiro analyzed attack patterns, sending counter-energy blasts while Rei disrupted formation. Hayato and Hoshigami moved fluidly, tagging targets in tandem and retreating before a counter could land.
"Hey! Stop moving so fast!" one prodigy shouted, frustrated, "I can't even keep track of you two!"
Hoshigami smirked mid-leap. "Then maybe you need to improve your perception."
From a distance, Tatsuya hurled a concentrated lightning strike, forcing Hayato to slice it with wind energy just as Shunji and Akemi flanked the attackers from both sides. Multiple points were being scored simultaneously, chaos mixing with precision as the battlefield itself warped under the influence of powerful auras and metaphysical manipulation.
Aelira clutched her seat, eyes wide. "Papa… they're amazing! It's like a dance!"
Lucien's clone chuckled, his grin showing slight amusement. "Yes, little one. A deadly, chaotic dance." He observed the flow, already calculating potential improvements in his clone's own Tian Quan applications for when he would intervene.
The arena rumbled as more spectators from nearby planets focused their attention on the spectacle. Floating over the Colosseum, light refracted across the platform, creating shifting shadows that could easily hide or reveal combatants. Each twist and turn forced participants to adapt instantaneously.
Ayame attempted a risky maneuver, warping to the top of a rotating tower to dive toward Hoshigami. But Hoshigami, anticipating the trajectory, shifted mid-leap and tagged her with a barely perceptible touch. The crowd erupted into applause as points were tallied.
Hayato darted across the battlefield, tagging multiple opponents while avoiding counterattacks with a combination of wind blades and acrobatic flips. Rei's energy attacks shattered incoming attacks, clearing space for Kojiro to snare another participant.
Lucien's clone, from above, clapped slowly. "Good… excellent control. Observe, Aelira. This is how skill, strategy, and coordination blend. This is why I raised them."
Aelira beamed, her little shoulder pet Umbra nuzzling her. "Papa… I want to be that strong too!"
"You will be," Lucien's clone said softly, his gaze distant yet warm. "But for now, watch. Learn. Grow."
The first half of the tagging round continued like a whirlwind, the peak disciples adapting flawlessly to each new challenge. Azure Blue's prodigies were strong, yes—but these students from Nax Academy had the advantage of training under the guidance of Lucien himself, even partially awakened to the metaphysical plane.
Hoshigami and Ayame circled each other, each step precise, eyes locked. A soft wind carried the energy of their movements across the Colosseum, visible as ripples in the shifting ether. Hoshigami feinted to the left, Ayame teleported to the right, and then Hoshigami countered with a sudden burst of metaphysical energy, tagging Ayame on the back once more.
"Enough…" Ayame whispered, slightly winded, eyes narrowing in both respect and frustration. "You… you're not like anyone I've ever faced."
Lucien's clone hovered above, smiling faintly. "Good… that's what I like to hear. But the round isn't over yet."
As the tagging continued, points racked up in rapid succession. Allies coordinated, rivals adapted, and the spectators' excitement grew. The battlefield was alive, a living entity powered by energy, skill, and sheer determination.
Aelira waved excitedly at Hoshigami, shouting, "Go big sister! Tag them!"
Hoshigami smirked back. "I've got this… and you better remember, little one, to watch carefully."
Lucien's clone laughed softly, arms folded. "This… this is exactly why chaos breeds growth."
The Azure Games' second round had begun, and the storm of movement, energy, and skill had only just started. With tagging points being scored, alliances forming and dissolving, and the entire Colosseum reacting dynamically, the mortals and disciples alike would remember this round for lifetimes to come.
And in the distant seats, watching with his abyssal eyes, Lucien's clone allowed a faint smirk to show. This… is only the beginning.