After the chaos of the quarterfinals, the stands were packed tighter than ever, the crowd eager to see blood, sparks, and legends cshing.

  Phil waddled into the arena, throwing his stubby arms wide. “Alright, folks! Here it is—the semi-finals! First match: in this corner, the calm, calcuting tactician, the guy who scares me with how much he pns—Helios! And in the other, the icy storm who looks like she’d cut me in half for calling her cute—Kurai!”

  The stadium erupted, cheers and jeers shaking the air.

  Up in the stands, Skuld leaned over the railing, cupping her hands to shout. “Give her a good beating, Helios!”

  Helios’ expression softened into a rare chuckle. He turned, his cold blue eyes sliding toward Kurai. “I had pnned to forfeit, but now I suppose that’s out the window. Hard to disappoint a fan.”

  Kurai’s gaze was colder than steel. “All this time, you’ve been begging for me to beat you. Now, the opportunity is here.”

  Helios tilted his head, smirk tugging at his lips. “So many people around us, Kurai. Shouldn’t we talk about things like that when we’re alone?”

  She blinked, not catching the innuendo. “Alone? We rarely have time together. Only here do I have the freedom.”

  Helios ughed, sharp and genuine. “Ah—you really didn’t get it.”

  Phil groaned, dragging a palm down his face. “Are the lovebirds done arguin’? Can we fight now?”

  The crowd howled with ughter.

  Kurai’s jaw tightened. “Lovebirds?”

  Helios’ smirk widened, unbothered.

  Phil blew his whistle. “Match start!”

  Light burst across the stage.

  In Helios’ hand materialized Equilibrium, two-toned in silver and bck, sun and moon fused into one seamless bde. Its banced design gleamed under the Colosseum torches, the keychain charm swinging with quiet grace.

  Across from him, Kurai raised her arm. Shadows gathered like smoke, twisting and writhing, coalescing into a weapon of dread.

  The Silver and Bck Shadow Sovereign took shape. The hilt was sleek bck metal etched with purple designs, the grip wrapped in white cloth and threaded with silver chain. The bde itself was long, serrated along the edges, the purple core glowing with malevolent energy. Silver teeth spiraled at the end, gleaming like fangs. Dangling from the hilt was a silver heart charm scarred with a bck X, glowing faintly as if feeding on the shadows.

  A ripple of unease swept the crowd. Even from the stands, the weapon’s aura radiated a sinister dread, pressing on their chests like an unseen weight.

  Zack whistled low. “That… weapon looks even darker than before, definitely not friendly looking.”

  Helga snorted. “Looks like a butcher’s tool.”

  Tempest only smiled faintly. “Fitting.”

  Helios’ smirk deepened as he twirled Equilibrium once. “Sharp as ever, Kurai.”

  “Save your words,” she said coldly, sliding into stance.

  The two moved as one.

  Steel shrieked against steel as Shadow Sovereign met Equilibrium in a crack of sparks. Helios parried cleanly, the banced edge of his keybde deflecting Kurai’s jagged strikes. Her weapon struck with a predator’s rhythm—quick, cutting sshes that left trails of purple shadow in the air. His bde moved like water, redirecting with elegant efficiency, every arc precise.

  “Warming up, are we?” Helios said, voice calm even as sparks danced between them.

  “You think you’re the only one who can measure an opponent?” Kurai countered, pressing harder.

  They broke apart, circling.

  Kurai lunged again, Shadow Sovereign sshing in a downward arc. Helios twisted, meeting the bde with the ft of Equilibrium, sparks scattering in golden and violet showers. He slid the weapon aside, answering with a clean thrust. She caught it on the serrated edge of her keybde, twisting, forcing him to pull back.

  The crowd roared with every csh.

  “C’mon, Helios!” Skuld screamed, smirking as she cupped her hands around her mouth. “She hasn’t even touched you yet!”

  Zack added, grinning. “Don’t let her boss you around in the ring too, man!”

  Phil stomped a hoof, shouting from the sideline. “Quit flirtin’ and fight like ya mean it!”

  The crowd ughed, eating it up.

  Helios chuckled under his breath, his smirk never fading. “You’re not very popur today.”

  “Neither are you,” Kurai replied ftly, forcing him back with a heavy strike that cracked sparks across the stone.

  They came together again, bdes fshing in rapid succession. Helios’ style was one of finesse: clean, efficient, each parry deflecting her momentum, each counter measured. Kurai’s on the other hand was relentless: jagged cuts, sharp angles, pressing with relentless aggression, the serrated edge shrieking as it scraped against his banced steel.

  The tempo climbed. The warm-up had become something sharper, faster, neither yet releasing spells but each testing the other’s intent.

  Helios leaned aside from a ssh aimed for his neck, his bde spinning down to catch her low sweep. “Wow, you’ve really been waiting for this, haven’t you?”

  Kurai’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t ftter yourself. At this rate, you’ll lose miserably.”

  Helios ughed, twisting Equilibrium free and flicking sparks into the air. “Then I suppose I should take you seriously.”

  Their next csh cracked like thunder, both pushing harder.

  From the stands, Tempest smirked faintly. “They’re not even close to their real strength yet. Why waste time with this dispy?”

  Helga snorted. “Doesn’t matter. Even their warm-up could knock a lesser fighter unconscious.”

  On the arena floor, Kurai struck again, Shadow Sovereign carving a jagged arc. Helios stepped into it, Equilibrium sliding across hers with a hiss, their weapons locking tight. Their faces were inches apart, the crowd roaring with anticipation.

  Helios’ voice was soft, audible only to her. “Careful, Kurai. If you keep gring like that, people will think you’re enjoying yourself.”

  Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Then I’ll have to end this quickly.”

  Helios only smiled.

  They shoved apart, both sliding back across the stone, weapons raised. The crowd cheered louder, sensing the warm-up was over, the real fight about to begin.

  Phil shouted from the sidelines, waving his arms. “Alright, enough forepy! Give the crowd somethin’ worth their munny!”

  The Colosseum howled in approval, the sound of thousands demanding escation.

  Helios twirled Equilibrium once, its silver-and-bck bde gleaming in the torchlight. Kurai’s Shadow Sovereign pulsed with purple energy, jagged edges dripping shadow like venom.

  The warm-up was done.