(Semi-Finals – Sky-God Arena, Match 1)
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" Derek’s voice rang out across the Sky-God Dome, clear and energized.
"Welcome to Day Six of the Interstellar Circuits, and more importantly—welcome to the first Semi-Final match!"
"The air’s different today, Derek," Lee added smoothly. "You can feel it. This is no longer just a tournament—it’s a war between the four finest academies in the galaxy, all fighting for a spot in the grand finals."
"And what a way to kick things off!" Derek continued. "It’s Rodova Military Academy versus Clarence Military Academy—two powerhouse teams that have proven themselves at every stage so far."
"This match might very well be more intense than the finals, Derek," Lee said with a grin. "Because we have inside information confirming that Rodova’s star archer, Minerva, is not match-fit today. Despite being present on the Rodova bench, she is reportedly not expected to be rotated in."
"That’s right," Derek confirmed. "Minerva took a heavy blow during the quarterfinals, and although Rodova’s doctors have done everything they could to get her back to peak condition, she’s reportedly not recovered enough to be subbed in."
"That effectively makes this a pure three-versus-three showdown," Lee noted. "Three Grandmasters from Rodova, versus three Grandmasters from Clarence—and that, folks, is about as even as a fight gets."
"You’re not wrong," Derek said. "And if you look back a few months, Clarence came within a hair of defeating Geneva Academy in the Pre-Circuits Friendlies. That tells you everything you need to know about their caliber."
"This could be Rodova’s toughest test yet," Lee agreed. "They might not even make it to the finals this year—"
At this point, there was a brief pause in the commentary as the camera feed cut to a sweeping overhead shot of the packed Sky-God Dome, showcasing the thunderous crowd in all its glory.
"And how do you know it’s the Semi-Finals?" Derek asked rhetorically. "You know it because of the very special spectators joining us here today."
"Sitting high up in the Royal Box is none other than Monarch Chris Sanders," Lee announced. "He’s here today with his harem of beautiful women, enjoying the fights the brave young warriors put before him"
"And just a few rows over," Derek added, "we also have the acting head of the Du Clan—Patriarch Du Marino himself— and just look at that aura, Lee. You can practically feel it through the screen."
"The gravity in the arena definitely shifted when he walked in," Lee said. "Undoubtedly one of the most important people in the universe currently, and he’s here today to support his son Du Tufan, from Geneva"
"That man isn’t just powerful—he’s a walking legacy. And speaking of legacy, both academy principals are also here today, sitting side by side. They’re waving to the crowd now, putting on a smile—but you know they’re feeling every inch of pressure deep down."
As the camera returned to the center of the battlefield, the arena lights dimmed just slightly—before flaring again in a golden hue as the first fighter emerged.
"And there he comes!" Derek announced, his voice surging with excitement. "Out walks Su Yang for Rodova! The Academy’s underclassmen prodigy, who seems to be given the very important task of scoring that first win, by Captain Yu Shen!"
"I think that’s a brilliant choice by Captain Yu Shen, we haven’t seen much of Su Yang’s skills at all in this tournament so far.
And hence, he can pull off some interesting surprises now that could throw Clarence fighters off their game plan—" Lee added, as Su Yang pumped his fist in the air to hype up the crowd who were chanting his name in support.
—----------
SU YANG!
SU YANG!
SU YANG!
The crowd erupted into thunderous chants, his name echoing across the arena as Su Yang stepped out onto the stage—and he basked in every second of it.
"Yeah, baby! Now that’s what I’m talking about!" he shouted, pumping his fist in the air, flashing his signature grin as he played to the roaring audience.
Unlike the more reserved fighters who shrank under the spotlight, Su Yang thrived in it. He didn’t just tolerate the attention—he fed off it as moments like this were exactly what he prayed for, as the energy of the crowd only made him stronger.
GU LAN!
GU LAN!
GU LAN!
The Clarence supporters chanted as his much tinier opponent walked out into the arena with a mage staff in hand.
Compared to Su Yang who looked like a demon in human form, his 5’8’’ opponent looked like a baby in comparison, as the size difference was almost comical.
"Hello brother Su…. May the best fighter amongst us win—" Gu Lan said in a meek voice, as Su Yang instantly frowned.
"Agh shut-up tiny, I’m gonna smash you to a pulp! So stop with the kindness—" Su Yang replied, as the Rodova Supporters and the Neutrals roared at his comments.
"Alright, enough smack talk…. Take your positions—" The referee instructed, as both Su Yang and Gu Lan took their starting spots, allowing the referee to signal for the start of the match.
—---------
"Begin—"
As soon as the referee’s voice rang out, Gu Lan wasted no time, launching himself 40 feet into the air in a graceful vertical ascent, his robe fluttering beneath him as he rose higher.
"Gu Lan takes to the skies immediately!" Derek narrated. "He’s trying to gain control of the field from the start by going airborne!"
"He’s gone all the way up to the legal arena limits, at 40 feet.
And although flying so high will constantly drain his mana, it’s worth it if it gives him more time to prepare his spells—" Lee added, as it seemed like Gu Lan’s game plan was to stay out of Su Yang’s reach initially and take his time to prepare some of his stronger spells.
However, Su Yang didn’t even blink when he saw Gu Lan rise so high, as with a sharp breath and a flex of his calves, he exploded upward in a vertical leap that shattered expectations.
*BOOM—!*
A shockwave erupted from the ground as Su Yang soared after him, using a movement skill called [Double Jump] to gain a second burst of lift mid-air.
"Wait, what?! Su Yang’s in the air!" Derek gasped. "That’s [Double Jump]! He’s attempting to close down a 40-foot gap with pure leg strength and a mid-air technique!"
"Gu Lan’s whole game plan just got shredded," Lee added. "He thought he’d get more time to prepare his spells if he went airborne, however, he surely did not expect this kind of vertical reach by Su Yang. What a display of athleticism by the Rodova Youngster!"
*SHUA*
Still in mid-air, Su Yang raised his sword and brought it crashing down toward Gu Lan like a falling meteor, as eyes wide with panic, Gu Lan hastily conjured [Arcane Dome], the shimmering barrier forming just in time to absorb the brunt of the descending blow.
*BOOOOM—!*
The collision sent a ripple of energy across the air, as Gu Lan was thrown downward like a comet, crashing into the ground below.
*Crash*
The impact created a shallow crater of sand, and while Gu Lan emerged from it mostly unharmed thanks to his barrier, his composure was visibly shaken.
He’d thought he could dictate the pace, however, he was now on the back foot before his first spell could even charge.
"That was surely not the opening Gu Lan wanted," Derek said. "He was planning to wear Su Yang down from the air—but that vertical dominance is gone now."
"And look at Su Yang," Lee added. "He’s not even breathing hard. He just jumped to the legal flight ceiling and forced Gu Lan into a grounded exchange. But he doesn’t even look fazed"
*TAP*
At this moment, Su Yang landed lightly in front of his stunned opponent, rolling his neck, as he smiled casually.
"What’s the matter, high-flyer?" he taunted, tapping his blade on his shoulder. "Out of altitude?"
Gu Lan didn’t answer. His hands flickered with light as he prepared a new spell, but the smile on Su Yang’s face only widened.
The real fight had only just begun, and Su Yang wanted to put on a power show for his fans.
He had not gotten a proper chance to shine in this tournament so far, so he was taking this opportunity to do exactly that.