The rain was heavy, but the festival was still moving forward. The water fell hot, sending steam curling off the stone floor. Everyone in the Land of Water understood what that meant.
Murmurs rippled through the streets and stands of the arena.
"Is he actually here?"
"No one's seen him in almost ten years."
"He brings a storm that never stops until he leaves..."
Rumors swirled, all circling the same man — someone whose existence was no secret: the Third Court Angel of the Land of Waves.
Zephyr stood at the center of the stadium and cleared his throat. "For those unaware of the storm — and why we continue despite it — it comes with the arrival of a man long unseen. Everyone, please welcome the Second Son of the Sea... Yagura Momoshin!"
The crowd exploded as a figure descended from above, stepping onto raindrops as if they were solid. He had dark blue hair, a bored expression, a toned frame, and a massive scimitar strapped to his back. Yagura touched down on the arena floor and raised a hand. Instantly, the storm died — and so did the crowd's cheering.
"He's an extra layer of protection for our final match of the first round," Zephyr continued. "This one will be the heaviest yet. So, I ask you all to enjoy yourselves."
With that, both Zephyr and Yagura vanished, reappearing in their seats above the arena.
"Yagi, meet the new set of Visionaries," Zephyr said, motioning toward the group.
Yagura examined them briefly, then bowed. "A pleasure to meet you all. I hope you fulfill our Master's expectations."
Heartz stood and bowed in return. "We should be the ones bowing to a Court Angel. It's an honor to meet you."
Yagura chuckled. "These ones are quite different from how you were, Master Zephyr."
Zephyr rolled his eyes and sat down — just as the announcer's voice thundered across the stadium.
"WELCOME BACK ONCE AGAIN!! AS MASTER ZEPHYR SAID, THIS MATCH WILL KNOCK YOU OUT OF YOUR SEATS! EVERYONE, PLEASE WELCOME THE LONG-AWAITED... ASURA KAPEHEART!"
The stadium fell silent.
Ice-cold.
A man stepped into the arena wearing a tight black shirt and cargo pants, a spear resting against his shoulder. Short black hair with purple tips. A serious face. Reptilian, slit-like eyes.
He walked to the center of the arena and looked straight up — first at Loretta, then at Erenyx — his gaze cutting into both of them.
"You two know him?" Yagura asked.
They both shook their heads.
"Well, uh..." the announcer stammered, but pushed forward. "NOW, EVERYONE PLEASE WELCOME HIS OPPONENT — TOBII FAREWELL!"
The crowd roared as a boy, young-looking and calm, floated into the arena with a tome drifting at his side.
"A magician!?" Erenyx said, confusion rising in her voice.
"Yeah," Heartz replied. "This kid knows magic."
Magic is different from chi. It's something you must be born with — not something you can train into. The moment you enter the world, your magical limit and potential are already set. Even with an artifact to boost your power or capacity, if you aren't naturally gifted, it won't change a thing.
Chi, on the other hand, comes from nature. It draws in the life force around you and bends it to your will. Magic creates from nothing. Because of that, magic stands above chi in raw capability.
Tobii's arm crackled with power as a magic circle formed in front of him. "Great Fireball." A massive sphere of flame roared toward Asura — who didn't move. He waited until it was inches from his face, then split it cleanly in half with a single swing of his spear.
Asura stepped once and vanished. Magic circles hidden across the arena floor erupted, a chain of explosive traps shaking the stadium. Tobii spun around, desperate to spot him. "CHAIN LIGHTNING!" he yelled, lightning bursting from the circles on his palms, chasing after Asura — but he was too fast, slicing the bolts apart while his body remained a blur.
"BARRIER MAGIC!" Tobii shouted, a dome snapping into place just in time — only to shatter a heartbeat later as Asura materialized and drove a kick into his chest. Tobii pinwheeled through the air, and before he could fall out of bounds, Asura appeared behind him, slashing upward with his spear, his aura flaring dark purple and blowing the clouds apart.
"FALL, DAMMIT!" Tobii roared, slamming Asura into the ground with gravity magic. Dirt and stone buckled under the force. Tobii floated downward, flipping through his tome, but under the crushing weight Asura began to rise — slowly at first, then violently, forcing himself upright through sheer will.
"WHAT!? STAY DOWN!" Tobii screamed, summoning a lightning strike that hammered Asura back into the crater — but even that didn't stop him. Asura pushed upward even faster than before, standing tall with his spear in hand.
"I'll show you real gravity," Asura said — his first words of the match. "Fall."
His chi crashed down like a tidal wave. Tobii slammed into the ground so hard the arena floor split apart. "Rise." Tobii shot upward again, and Asura blitzed after him, attempting to skewer him from below. Tobii threw up a triple-layer barrier; the first layer cracked instantly, horror flooding his face.
Then Asura appeared behind him.
One kick sent Tobii hurtling toward the earth like a falling star.
Erenyx jolted awake, gripping the railing. "What the hell!? He's faster and stronger than Isshinano and Sorren!?"
"He can't be human! He has to be mixed with something!" Heartz yelled, joining her.
Zephyr chuckled. "You're right... to my knowledge, he's the last remaining person alive with natural Elder Dragon blood running through his veins."