The tournament continued.
Match after match unfolded beneath the roaring stadium lights. Explosions of Quirks, flashes of power, and clever strategies filled the arena.
And now—
It was his turn again.
...
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Gunshots echoed across the stadium.
Sniper stood tall at the arena's edge, twirling his revolver before slamming it back into his holster.
"Well slap some spurs on my boots!" he hollered into the microphone. "Looks like we finally reached the showdown y'all been hollerin' for!"
The crowd roared.
"Two lightning-fast riders fixin' to clash in the middle o' this dusty arena!"
He pointed dramatically toward the stage.
"Ren Takeda versus—"
He tipped his hat.
"Miss spiral-storm herself—Nejire Hado!"
The stadium exploded.
Cheers thundered through the stands.
On the arena floor stood Ren.
Across from him floated Nejire Hado, her long blue hair drifting lightly in the air as she hovered above the ground.
She smiled brightly.
"Let's give it our all, firstie."
Ren met her gaze calmly.
"That depends on you."
Nejire blinked.
"Depends on… me?"
"It depends on whether you can make me use my all."
She tilted her head, confused.
"What—"
Bang!
The match began.
...
Crackle.
Crackle.
Electricity gathered instantly at Ren's fingertips.
Thin arcs of white lightning danced across his hand.
Let's test this.
He flicked his fingers forward.
The energy shot through the air like a crackling projectile.
CRACKLE!
The lightning streaked toward Nejire.
Her eyes widened.
A golden spiral burst from her body as she launched herself sideways.
The attack passed where she had been a fraction of a second earlier.
She barely dodged it.
Hmm… Ren thought. Not bad.
Still…
He flexed his hand slightly.
I'll need to refine it.
Electricity began gathering again.
But Nejire wasn't going to give him time.
"I'm not letting you do that!"
She thrust her hand forward.
"Nejire Wave!"
A spiraling blast of golden energy surged toward him.
Ren simply raised his other hand.
And unleashed electricity.
A massive discharge erupted forward.
The two attacks collided.
BOOOOM!
A violent shockwave blasted outward across the arena.
The stadium gasped.
"WOOO-HOO!" Sniper shouted. "That little lightning colt ain't backin' down from a Big Three hurricane!"
Ren narrowed his eyes slightly.
That took more energy than expected.
He had used over forty percent of his output just to neutralize that attack.
She's strong…
No wonder she's one of the Big Three.
Suddenly—
"Nejire Wave!"
More spiraling blasts rushed toward him.
Ren smirked.
The electricity in his hand changed shape.
Condensing.
Sharpening.
"Storm Spear."
A spear of pure lightning formed in his grasp.
He swung it forward.
SHHHHH!
The electric spear sliced through the incoming golden waves, tearing them apart.
Sniper nearly jumped out of his boots.
"Land sakes alive! Did y'all see that?!"
"That young gunslinger just forged a spear outta pure lightning!"
The crowd erupted.
It looked ridiculously cool.
Nejire floated there, eyes sparkling.
"Firstie… your Quirk is so cool…"
Ren shrugged casually.
"Yeah. I know."
The spear dissolved into sparks.
But he wasn't done experimenting.
Electricity began gathering in his palm again.
A dense sphere of energy formed.
Nejire saw the opening.
She shot forward.
"Pike!"
Golden spirals wrapped around her arm, forming a massive drill-like lance of energy as she charged him.
But—
THUN!
Thunder echoed.
Ren vanished.
Nejire's attack pierced empty air.
She spun around instantly.
Ren stood at the opposite end of the arena.
As far away as possible.
In his hand—
Electricity compressed into a blinding point.
Dense.
Violent.
Unstable.
"Fulgurite," Ren muttered.
He released it.
A lightning bolt exploded across the arena.
KRAAAAACK!!!
The beam tore across the battlefield.
The concrete floor scorched instantly.
Where the lightning passed—
The surface melted and crystallized into glass.
Nejire's eyes widened.
"Nejire Flood!"
She unleashed everything she had.
A massive spiral torrent of energy erupted forward to meet the lightning.
The two forces collided.
WHOOOOOOOOM!!!
The largest shockwave yet tore across the stadium.
Blinding light consumed the arena.
For several seconds—
No one could see anything.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Then the light slowly faded.
The result appeared.
Nejire Hado was kneeling on the ground.
Her body trembled.
Injured.
Exhausted.
Across from her—
Ren stood calmly.
Not a single scratch on him.
He looked slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry…" he said.
"I got a little excited and overdid it."
Nejire laughed weakly.
"Haha…"
And collapsed unconscious.
Sniper stared at the scene in disbelief.
Then he suddenly raised his revolver.
Bang!
"Winner of the match—REN TAKEDA!"
The stadium erupted.
Cheers shook the stands.
"He beat one of the Big Three!"
"Ren Takeda!"
"Ren Takeda!"
"Ren Takeda!"
The chant thundered across the arena like a storm.
To be continued...
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Before anyone complains about Ren having used forty percent of his output against Nejire, Ren is just chilling. He just threw some electricity randomly.