Chapter 253 Semifinals: Round 2!



The air was thick with excitement as the crowd roared their approval. Livia had just ended the first round of the Semifinals with a stunning display of power, and the energy in the arena was electric.

The crowd had been on the edge of their seats, caught up in the intense excitement of the battle.

Maya strutted onto the stage, her heels clicking against the icy surface, and the crowd's enthusiasm only grew louder. "Whoo-hoo! That was a hell of a 30-second show!" Maya exclaimed into the microphone, her voice echoing throughout the arena.

The crowd cheered in response, energized by the electrifying display of magic they had just witnessed.

Stomp—

Maya suddenly stomped her foot, causing the entire stage to shake and sending cracks snaking through the layer of ice that covered the floor from Livia's Domain.

Snap—

She then snapped her fingers and the ice shattered into a million tiny fragments, disappearing into the air, leaving the stage clean and clear.

"...."

"Looks like we're gonna need a bigger stage for the next round," Maya said with a shrug, her eyes fixed on the gaping crater where Livia's last attack had hit. "But let's move on to round two with this same momentum, and hope that the second round will be just as exciting as the first."

Maya paused for a moment before continuing, her tone becoming more serious. "Team Shadow Academy needs to win this round if they want to stay in the tournament and have a shot at the finals."

"The objective of this round is simple," she explained. "Participants must destroy their opponent's crystal while protecting their own. There are no elimination points; the team that shatters the other team's crystal first wins the round and earns the point."

"Now, without further ado, let's get this show on the road! Participants of round 2, get your butts up here, and let's make some magic happen!" Maya said with a wicked grin, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

She stepped off the stage and sauntered towards the edge of the stage and twirled her finger in the air, causing the entire stage to transform.

Clang—

The stage began to shift and change, revealing a new terrain. The ground became rocky, with jagged boulders and sharp cliffs jutting out of the earth. The sky darkened, and a fierce wind began to blow, making it hard to stand still.

The two teams entered the stage, and as they stepped onto the rocky ground, the safety crystal glowed once more, casting a protective shield over the entire stage. 

[You have 30 seconds to choose your desired weapon!] A robotic voice announced again, and a large underground weapon vault appeared before both teams. The students rushed to make their selection, their eyes scanning over the array of swords, shields, and other assorted armaments.

As the timer counted down, the students grabbed their chosen weapons, and the vault disappeared back underground with a soft hiss.

Clang—

The stage was now set, and the teams prepared themselves for the match ahead. A huge glass-like crystal appeared on pedestals behind each team, each emblazoned with their academy's symbol.

These crystals were the key to victory in this round, and the teams knew that they had to protect their own while trying to destroy their opponents.

The voice boomed over the speakers, echoing throughout the arena, [Get ready! The Round 2 of the Semifinals will begin in 10 seconds!]

The teams heard the announcement, and the stage came to life. The previously still crystals behind the teams began to emit a soft glow, and the audience held their breath in anticipation.

The countdown began, and the crowd joined in with excited cheers.

[10, 9...]

"Hey, Lucas!" Diana called, pulling his attention away from the crowd as the countdown began.

!?

"What?" Lucas turned to her, confused.

"You don't like the idea of them getting eliminated brutally, do you?" Diana spoke with a mischievous grin on her face, hinting at a secret plan.

Lucas furrowed his brows, "...What do you mean?"

"Hmm, I believe the shock they will receive will be even more severe than what they got from Livia's attack," Diana spoke to herself, as she readied her bow, her fingers gripping the string tightly.

!?

The rest of the team looked at her, puzzled.

[3, 2, 1!]

Beep!— The beep signaled the start of the match.

"W-Wait! What are you up to, Diana?" Lucas asked, but his words stopped abruptly as Diana, with a flick of her wrist, shot an arrow made of pure mana into the air with incredible speed.

Swish—

Lucas's gaze immediately turned to the arrow that soared into the air, his eyes widening at the spectacle.

"Arcane Volley!"

Diana muttered with a smirk on her face, activating her unique skill. The arrow she shot up into the sky transformed into hundreds of arrows with a blinding light, covering the entire sky. Each arrow was locked onto a target and glowed with deadly energy as they began to descend upon the Shadow Academy.

Swish— Swish— Swish— Swish

The spectators gasped in awe as they watched the impressive display of Diana's skill, while the Shadow Academy team was left paralyzed with fear at the sight of the incoming barrage.

"You're in for a treat, Lucas. I hope you enjoy the fireworks!" Diana taunted with a wink, enjoying every moment of the chaos she had unleashed.

!?

"A-Ah Shit! T-These monsters are making all our efforts to enter the semifinals go to waste," one of the Shadow Academy members spoke, witnessing the sky suddenly filled with arrows approaching them.

The shield-bearer kept his shield in the air to protect himself and his teammates while defense mages began to cast a semi-circular barrier before them.

"C-Crystal! The Crystal is important, cast a barrier on it too!" The shield-bearer ordered.

The defense mage nodded and quickly began to cast a barrier surrounding the crystal. The Shadow Academy was not going to let the Soreh Academy get the upper hand easily.

Meanwhile, the team Soreh Academy stood in their position, their eyes widened in awe, witnessing Diana's attack. 

"Oh, I forgot to mention that arrows also contain potent poison. So, they will eliminate slowly and painfully," Diana suddenly said with a sly grin, her eyes fixed on the arrows gleaming with mischief.

!?

The whole Soreh Academy team looked at her in shock. They couldn't believe that Diana would go to such lengths just to win the match. Lucas, in particular, was not comfortable with the idea of eliminating their opponents brutally.

Tud— Tud— Tud— Tud

The hundreds of arrows began to hit the ground and met the shields and barriers cast by the mages continuously. The Shadow Academy was holding up well, but the pressure was beginning to show as their shields and barriers started to crack from the continuous onslaught.

Crack— Crack

Lucas gritted his teeth, seeing his opponents in such distress. He couldn't let this go on any longer. He reflexively stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the crystal. He knew that it was the key to victory in this round.

"Blazing Spear." He muttered and suddenly, his whole spear was now covered in flames, thanks to his unique skill. The heat from the flames radiated around him as he readied himself to attack.

"Fire Blast." He shouted as he charged his spear and ran forward before hurling his spear toward the crystal with all his might.

The spear flew through the air like a flaming comet, leaving a trail of fire behind it. Lucas's eyes were fixed on his target as he poured all his strength and mana into the attack 

Swoosh—

Time seemed to slow down as the Blazing Spear hurtled towards their opponent Crystal at breakneck speed while the team Shadow Academy was still grappling with the hail of arrows descending upon them.

Swoosh—

The spear hit the barrier protecting the crystal, but it pierced it easily and hit the crystal with a thunderous boom.

BOOM—

The crystal shattered into countless pieces, each one radiating a bright light that engulfed the stage. But the blast didn't stop there. The shockwave from the explosion sent the Shadow Academy team flying forward.

And the once impenetrable shields and barriers they had cast shattered immediately, leaving them vulnerable to Diana's attack.

Swish—Swish—Swish—Swish

As the Shadow Academy members stumbled forward, they were met with another deadly attack from Diana's arrows.

The sound of the mana arrows raining down on the helpless Shadow Academy team was deafening. The projectiles made contact with their targets, creating holes in their bodies and covering the stage with pools of blood.

"AHHH!"

The agonizing screams of the Shadow Academy students echoed throughout the arena, and soon they were teleported outside the stage, eliminated from the match.

"...."

Beep!—

A beep signaled the end of the match, declaring the victor of round 2.

[Team Shadow Academy's crystal has been destroyed! Round 2 Has Ended, And The Winners Are Team Soreh Academy!]

[Diana Has Eliminated A Member Of Team Shadow Academy!]

[Diana Has Eliminated A Member Of Team Shadow Academy!]

[Diana Has Eliminated A Member Of Team Shadow Academy!]

[Diana Has Eliminated A Member Of Team Shadow Academy!]

[Diana Has Eliminated A Member Of Team Shadow Academy!]

Silence filled the air as the spectators watched in awe and disbelief as the Soreh Academy team pulled off a merciless move that not only destroyed the crystal but also eliminated their opponents.

Lucas stood in disbelief, watching the chaos unfold before him. His plan to destroy the crystal and spare the lives of the opposing team had failed miserably, and he couldn't help but feel responsible for their gruesome fate.

"...Well, this was unexpected!" Diana muttered, her eyes glittering with amusement. "But don't worry, I'm not that cruel. The arrows were not coated with any poison or anything like that. They were just regular mana arrows! I hope my little prank didn't cause too much panic," she added with a playful smirk, glancing over at Lucas to gauge his reaction.

!!

Lucas's face twisted with anger at her callous attitude, but he quickly composed himself and went to check on the eliminated Shadow Academy members. They were already being tended to by the medical staff.

"Hehe, maybe Ares will reward me for my excellent performance, right?" Diana giggled with glee as she left the stage, leaving the rest of her team standing there in stunned silence as they hadn't even taken a step forward before the match ended.