NOVEL NEXT Episode LXXIII: Defending Against the Gold
Perched atop platform H1, Cloven was engrossed in perfecting his punching strikes. Izaski approached him, a look of concern etching lines onto his narrow face. "Perhaps you should consider some rest; we have a team battle today," he suggested.
Cloven, however, remained unfazed. "I'll manage. We need to put our best foot forward if we wish to emerge victorious in this tournament," he replied without missing a beat in his practice.
With dark blue eyes framed by thin eyebrows, Izaski's features were sharp and distinctive - from the turned-up nose to the angled lips. His shoulder-length curly hair was usually tamed into a braid. Despite weak arms and legs, he carried his heavy torso with grace and had an average-sized feet that bore his weight evenly. He wore seven rings on his dominant left hand - each symbolizing an ex-lover - and dressed in a black gi adorned with a red belt boasting four stars. The Kirin logo embellished on its back added an air of mystique.
"Do you know who we're up against today?" Izaski asked, attempting to draw Cloven out of his focused state.
"I don't need to know because they're already losers against us," retorted Cloven without even turning around.
Shaking off Cloven's nonchalance, Izaski decided to head towards the café. "Want anything?" He asked casually.
"No thanks," replied Cloven as he continued punching the air with unwavering determination.
Alone at last, Cloven confided in Zyjipsue about his aspirations for their team Royal Gold to reclaim their title as Zokor champions.
Zyjipsue simply laughed it off but Cloven remained steadfast in his resolve. His teammates arrived at the platform hours later including Nuno Watt and Ashtiani Kiyoko – a girl with a lean face, cleft chin, and curly blonde hair. She had toned arms, a broad torso, and short legs. Her silver gi was accented with a three-star yellow belt and an alligator logo on the back.
Eventually, their competitors arrived at the platform. The crowd hushed as one of them stepped forward, introducing himself as Junji Yoneya. He had a square face softened by a gently shaped jawline, a short nose, large ears, rosy cheeks and narrow lips. His large yellow eyes were framed by thick eyebrows that sat above blue-black dip-dyed hair. Piercings adorned his left earlobe and lower lip while his powerful torso was complemented by long legs. He wore a yellow gi with a green four-star belt along with a Drake logo on its back.
Cloven inquired about Junji's team but received an evasive response. The referee announced the fighting conditions - it would be one-on-one combat.
Junji laughed haughtily at this revelation but Cloven stood firm in his resolve to win. As they bowed to each other and assumed their fighting stances, the tension between them was palpable.
The battle began with Cloven launching an offensive punchber, Cloven found himself unable to make any headway.
"What sorcery is this?" Cloven demanded in disbelief as he which Junji blocked effortlessly without taking any damage. Despite repeated attempts to land successful strikes on Junji's star shield that displayed a mysterious counter num watched his flaming punches being absorbed by Junji's shield causing the counter number to increase.
Junji merely smirked as he activated his special move: Star Shield – absorbing all of Cloven’s attacks and converting them into energy for himself before retaliating with a devastating punch that sent Cloven sprawling onto the ground.
Despite being battered and bruised from the exchange, Cloven managed to pick himself up determinedly while Junji explained his shield's ability to convert attacks into energy.
Cloven could only yell in frustration as he realized the magnitude of the challenge that lay ahead.
The protective barrier materialized once more in front of Junji. "We'll need to tread lightly around that shield," Cloven warned Zyjipsue, his eyes never leaving the gleaming obstruction before them.
Zyjipsue snorted in response, "You don't have to tell me twice."
Junji's lips curled into a smirk. "I already told you, I don't need a team to take you or your comrades down."
Cloven ignored the taunt, his mind racing as he tried to strategize a way around Junji’s impenetrable shield. A plan formed and he shared it with Zyjipsue. "I'll lure him into using it, then hit him with everything I've got."
As if on cue, an intense red aura enveloped Cloven's body before he morphed into a half-human and half-Prometheus hybrid. His voice echoed throughout the arena as he announced his next move, “Ultimate Move: Inferno Blazing Combo Max!” His fists ignited with a red light that quickly erupted into fierce flames.
"Bad idea," Junji retorted coolly as a yellow aura swirled around him protectively. He revealed his true form – a fusion of human and drake with an imposing bushy fox tail trailing behind him – while introducing himself as Keros the Star Drake.
With another smirk, Junji declared, “Now let's level this playing field.” He activated his own ultimate move: Tail of the Star Shield. The previously smooth surface of his shield transformed; spikes jutted out from its surface and its size increased significantly.
Cloven lunged forward but was stopped by the menacing shield before he could reach Junji. As he recoiled from the impact, Junji laughed triumphantly. His shield vanished and in its place was his fist glowing ominously with yellow energy which he directed towards Cloven.
Cloven managed to block the punch just in time, his flaming fist meeting Junji's mid-air. Seizing the opportunity, he drilled his other flaming fist into Junji's stomach. Blood splattered from Junji's mouth as he was sent flying into the air. As he descended, Cloven launched a fireball in his direction resulting in a massive explosion.
Smoke billowed from Junji's prone form as it rolled across the ground. His gi was torn and singed but his shield remained intact, now boasting a hundred-fold strength multiplier. He rose to his feet shakily, "That was close," he admitted with a grimace.
Cloven turned around then, gasping for breath after expending most of his energy on that attack. "That should have finished you off!"
Junji chuckled weakly as he too struggled to catch his breath. "You almost had me there, but my shield saved me just in time." Determination hardened his gaze as he declared, “Time for me to end this.”
His ultimate move: Star Ringer was activated with a flourish of his hand over his chest where a yellow sphere formed before flattening into a disc shape. With an arrogant grin at Cloven, he hurled it towards him.
Cloven stood still as the disc whizzed past him and exploded behind him out at sea causing rain to pour down on them and drenching the platform they were standing on.
"The rain will weaken your fire moves," Junji pointed out smugly.
"We'll see about that," retorted Cloven before lunging at Junji with an Inferno Uppercut aimed at his gut. The impact sent Junji crashing onto the muddy platform below them.
"I lost... without my team watching," murmured Junji sadly as his body began to fade away until nothing remained of him on the platform.
The referee announced the result of the match, “Junji Yoneya has fainted. Therefore, Royal Gold advances to the top sixteen.”
Cloven watched in confusion as Junji's team approached the platform only to disappear just like their fallen comrade. A voice echoed from nowhere lamenting, "It seems that our knucklehead lost before we even had a chance to size up our opponent."
Meanwhile, at the tournament's control center, one of Sensei bowed before Grandmaster Tom and reported, “Sir, another fighter group has disappeared from the tournament upon fainting.”
The Grandmaster put on a faux sad expression. "I need to go and watch the tournament myself to see what is happening." When one of Sensei suggested halting the tournament for investigation, he dismissed it with an evil grin. "No need for that. Let the tournament play itself out."