The Moonlight Hero

Chapter Six: Hero's Tournament Underway!

Niko jumped high into the air, his yellow lightning trailing behind him. Denki stood still, his eyes closed. Kouki disappeared from sight. Nakamura stood still, scanning her surroundings. Niko suddenly sped right next to Nakamura, and Kouki reappeared, kicking Niko in the stomach. Niko coughed hard, clutching his stomach as he flew into the wall of the small arena. Nakamura's violet eyes were glowing. Denki suddenly appeared right in front of Kouki. As Kouki attempted to teleport, Denki grabbed his leg, and they disappeared. Niko jumped back towards Nakamura as a building outside exploded. Smoke billowed from a tall skyscraper as it collapsed on itself. Nakamura shot backwards, and a glowing purple bow appeared in her hands. She pulled back the string, a purple arrow materializing out of thin air. Niko landed and held his hand out as the arrow released, almost instantly making contact. An enormous explosion erupted from the point of impact. The smoke blocked the view of the camera. As the smoke cleared, I could see seven blocks of the city, including the arena, completely flattened. Nakamura and Niko were both unconscious.

Denki appeared from the rubble, throwing Kouki upwards. Kouki corrected his trajectory as Denki jumped up at him. He kicked out, and it landed on the side of Denki's head. Denki was sent into a building, which exploded on contact. Denki emerged once more, visibly beaten up. Kouki teleported behind him, but Denki saw this coming. He jumped and twisted around while Kouki as mid-kick, wrapping his legs around Kouki's neck and midsection. Denki twisted the rest of the circle, and brought Kouki down head first. Kouki was knocked unconscious.

"Team Niko and Denki are victorious and will move on to the next round!" Rei yelled through the loudspeaker. Denki picked up Niko and walked off the field. Rei announced the next battle.

The next battles were not very exciting, very little happened. Mostly mid-range powers, like low tier strength boosters, which were pretty common. There was a telekinetic power user, but their skills and control did not match their power. Finally, it was time for my match.

I walked out on the field, which was now a forest. I couldn't see my opponents, but I knew that they were directly in front of me. "Match begin!" Rei yelled through the mic. Instantly a column of fire burst past me. Now I knew why they'd pick this stage for our battle. Trees and bushes rapidly caught fire. I tried to produce fire from my own hands. Didn't work. It must not have been a direct attack towards me. I looked behind me, my partner nowhere to be seen. I turned around and ran in a wide circle, keeping my distance. 

From my right, I saw a blur of orange and yellow speeding past me, a column of red fire propelling from behind. I whip around and discharge a high voltage ball of electricity. It missed where I'd thought the yellow and orange haired boy would go. I see a blur of black and red speed right next to me. I jump to my left, but it's too late. My mask is gone, torn off my face, and a light cut leaked crimson blood down my cheek. I sent a column of lightning toward my attacker, who was presumably Hako. It also missed. Fountains of fire erupted from the ground, hastily coming closer. I jumped to one of the trees, and then jumped off of it high into the air. I focused on my arms, and electricity swirled around them. Then I opened my palm, and black bolts of lightning struck the field. I landed hard on the ground after the attack, breathing heavily. A column of fire rushed at me, and I quickly thrust my palm out. The flame engulfed my body, but it only burned for a single, agonizing second. I stepped out of the column of fire and shot my own black flame toward the source. The heat of my fire almost made the other column seem cold. The red fire ceased, and now a black fire ravaged the forest. I could hardly make out what the announcer was saying. 

I heard the whistle of a knife flying through the air, and I stepped forward. I swung my leg backwards, catching Hako in the stomach. He flew backwards, hitting a tree that promptly toppled over. Hako got up, a mask now over his face, protecting him from the smoke. His long, spiky black hair moved with the wind, his red eyes glowing and boring into my own. I took a defensive stance as he slashed his arm with the knife. A crimson red tendril sprouted from the cut, and Hako pointed forward. The weapon of his own blood shot towards me, a sharp pointed tip taking aim. I jumped to the side, but the blood curved. It shot through my right shoulder, and retreated for a second attack. I dropped to my knees, clutching the new hole that had been formed in my shoulder. I couldn't move my right arm at all. As the second attack came, I held out my hand, and a shard of black ice trapped the tendril mid-strike. The tendril was immobilized. I stood and shot fire towards Hako. He dodged and slashes himself across the other arm. Another tendril shoots toward me. I focused on my arm, and a column of fire blasts out, engulfing the tendril. I push even harder, and the diameter of the column of fire erupting from my hand increases. Hako fell to one knee, turning pale. The heat from the fire melted the ice, and the tendrils retracted back into his body, the cuts sealing themselves. Hako passed out.

"Team Artemis and Tenya have defeated team Hako and Ah'to! They will advance to the next round!" Rei said over the speakers. I walked back to the entrance, the forest almost completely engulfed in flames. I had no clue who was on my team. I guess Tenya was taken out by the first column of fire. I spot Tenya laying in the grass to the side, obscured from where I'd stood in the beginning by a bush. I picked her up and headed toward the infirmary.

Because of the nature of the damage Tenya had received, Niko and I stayed with her until she woke up. After she woke up, Niko left, but my shoulder had to be treated. I missed the remaining doubles matches.