The crowd roared. The stadium thundered with cheers as the announcer’s voice echoed across the arena:

  ??? Announcer:

  “Ladies and gentlemen! The first official match of the Striker Tournament begins now! Last year’s champions—Team X—versus the newcomers—Music Strikers!”

  Across the battlefield, Team X stood tall. Their aura was sharp, confident, and composed. Every movement they made screamed experience.

  Meanwhile, the Music Strikers stepped forward, each one brimming with a unique energy.

  ?? Makoto twirled his twin magic guns, their barrels glowing with crimson and blue enchantments.

  ??? Emily gripped her wand, elemental magic swirling at her fingertips—wind, water, fire, lightning all responding to her call.

  ?? Angel stretched her radiant wings, her holy light spilling out in pulses as she floated above the ground.

  ?? Rei cracked his knuckles, grinning as his Mona Blasters—ghostly skeletal arm-cannons—snapped into place beside him.

  Makoto:

  “Okay... No one panic. Except me. I’m totally panicking.”

  Rei: (laughing)

  “Relax, Makoto. If we die, at least we’ll die beautifully!”

  Angel: (sighing with a smile)

  “Please don’t die. That’d mess up the bracket.”

  Emily: (firmly)

  “Let’s show them that champions or not… we didn’t come here to lose.”

  As the signal horn blared, both teams launched forward.

  ?? Makoto fired first, precise magic bullets exploding mid-air to create cover and openings.

  ??? Emily summoned elemental shields, twisting wind around her teammates and launching fire blasts at Team X’s frontliners.

  ?? Angel unleashed piercing beams of holy energy, targeting their healer and disorienting their support.

  ?? Rei laughed like a madman, his Mona Blasters firing spiraling magic skulls that exploded into mini bone mines, forcing the enemy into defensive positions.

  The audience gasped—this wasn’t just raw strength. It was coordination. It was flair. It was chaos with rhythm.

  ??? Announcer:

  “Team X might be the reigning champs—but the Music Strikers are playing loud!”

  Meanwhile, back in the prep room, Sockoo, Hajime, Daka, and the others watched the screen intensely.

  Sockoo: (nodding to herself)

  “They’re holding their own… No. They’re dominating.”

  Hajime: (grinning)

  “See? We’re not just fighters. We’re performers. And the stage is ours now.”

  Let the battle begin.

  As the battle officially begins, the arena lights shift, focusing on the two figures surging forward with explosive speed—Team X's dual aces: Kimtani and Kizuki.

  ?? Kimtani dashed in with a spear wrapped in lightning, his movements sharp and rhythmic—like a thunderstorm dancing in human form.

  ?? Kizuki, on the other hand, spun dual short swords ablaze with crimson fire, creating blazing arcs that lit the battlefield like a wildfire.

  Their coordination was perfect—a tag-team barrage of lightning and flame crashing toward the Music Strikers.

  Meanwhile, the third member of Team X—Ruo—disappeared mid-step. Her form flickered, shimmered, and vanished into the shadows. A whisper of magic confirmed it.

  ??? Makoto immediately noticed.

  Makoto: “Shit. Assassin-type. She’s gone.”

  Angel: (hovering above)

  “I’ll try to detect her with holy light. Makoto, keep Kimtani and Kizuki off us.”

  ?? Makoto fired back, his magic bullets detonating mid-air to disrupt the charging aces, forcing Kizuki to block with his flaming swords while Kimtani dove into a roll to dodge.

  Emily countered instantly, twirling her wand and unleashing a whirlwind of frost-fire—a fusion of ice and flame—slamming toward Kimtani.

  Kimtani grunted as the hybrid magic clipped his leg, slowing him slightly.

  ?? Kizuki grinned:

  “Not bad for rookies... Let’s turn up the heat!”

  At the same moment—

  ?? Rei’s eyes narrowed. One of his skeletal blasters suddenly fired backwards—aiming toward nothing.

  Rei: “There you are, sweetheart.”

  His blast collided with a faint shimmer—Ruo's silhouette flickered into visibility for a split second as she dodged the explosive ghost shot, re-cloaking and leaping to the other side.

  Angel’s wings flared.

  She whispered a chant—“Reveal, by divine gaze.”

  Her eyes glowed golden as waves of holy light pulsed outward.

  ?? Angel:

  “She’s circling Makoto. Rei—flank right!”

  Makoto spun, unloading a barrage of suppressing fire as Reileapt to the right, both trapping Ruo’s position.

  ? With a crackle of tension—Kizuki re-engaged, slamming fiery blades against Angel's light shield while Kimtani went for Emily.

  ??? Announcer:

  “And it’s chaos on the battlefield! Team X’s dual aces are applying heavy pressure—but the Music Strikers aren’t cracking! In fact—they’re countering beautifully!”

  Backstage, Sockoo clenched her fists, eyes locked on the screen.

  Sockoo:

  “Don’t let them shake your rhythm. Stay in sync. Stay in control.”

  Hajime smirked.

  “…Heh. Now this is getting fun.”

  As the battle raged on with Kimtani and Kizuki clashing with Angel and Emily, and Ruo dancing invisibly around Rei’s and Makoto’s coordinated counterattacks—a sudden blur cut through the battlefield like a missile.

  THWOOOM!!

  ?? A beastly figure landed in front of Makoto, tongue hanging out wildly, breathing like a predator. His eyes were manic, and his grin stretched unnaturally wide. His presence instantly shifted the tone.

  Makoto’s eyes widened.

  “…What the hell?! He’s fast! Almost Hajime-level speed—!”

  ?? Rei’s blasters shifted direction.

  “Another one?! That ain’t on the roster!”

  ??? Announcer:

  “WAIT A SECOND! SHINGAI, LAST YEAR’S BERSERK ENTRY, HAS CRASHED INTO THIS BATTLE! Looks like Team X pulled a secret weapon!!”

  ?? Shingai’s magic flared up, the ground beneath his feet darkening like ink splattering from his aura.

  Makoto: “He’s using… Corrosion Magic?!”

  The ground turned black and bubbled—metal started melting, grass withering just from his presence. Even the air started to smell acidic.

  ?? Emily backed up quickly, shielding Angel.

  “That stuff’ll burn through ANYTHING! Makoto, don’t let him touch you!”

  ?? Makoto’s mind raced.

  (If he’s Hajime’s speed, I can’t let him close the distance.)

  He jumped back, summoned dual frost-enhanced guns, and shot a spray of freezing bullets toward the corrupted floor—but the corrosion ate through the ice, turning it to mist.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Shingai lunged.

  His body was feral, low to the ground like a beast, tongue flailing and hands clawed.

  Makoto barely dodged, using a backflip and mid-air shot to throw off his momentum.

  But Shingai vanished again—his speed overwhelming.

  ? Suddenly—he was behind Makoto.

  “Gotcha~”

  ?? Rei’s blaster fired just in time, hitting Shingai in the back. The shot didn’t pierce—but it pushed him off-balance.

  Makoto gasped, sweat trailing.

  “…He’s a freak. I can’t keep him off without close-range backup!”

  Backstage, Hajime stood up.

  “Okay. No. I’m done watching.”

  Sockoo: “Hajime—don’t.”

  Hajime: “No. That guy’s moving like me, but with zero control. He’s just a copycat, I ain’t watching a faker rage on desu .”

  Back in the arena, Makoto and Rei locked eyes, nodding.

  Makoto: “Alright, Bones-for-brains… combo plan B?”

  Rei: “With extra boom?”

  Makoto: “With extra boom.”

  As Shingai growled and dashed in again, the two fired in perfect sync—one suppressing, the other baiting—

  But Shingai only smiled wider.

  As the intense battle raged on, the camera cut back to the sidelines—where Hajime was nervously watching while gripping the railing, his usual confidence completely goneunder the burning gaze of one girl.

  ?? Sockoo was glaring at him.

  Arms crossed. Fiery cat aura subtly flickering around her. Silent. Dead silent.

  Hajime noticed. Slowly turned.

  Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he gave a shaky smile.

  Hajime:

  “Hehe… uhh… Sockoo-chan... I-I may have slightly underestimated their secret weapon… y’know, totally didn’t expect a corrosion freak with my speed… not entirely my fault—right?”

  ?? Sockoo didn’t say a word. Just narrowed her eyes.

  Hajime:

  “O-okay okay I admit it!! My strategy wasn’t perfect! But in my defense, who the hell brings a literal chemical cheetah to a fair team battle?!”

  Bondo, nearby, leaned over whispering to Amy:

  “…Should we help him?”

  Amy:

  “Nah. Let him die.”

  ?? Hajime gulped hard, still feeling that aura like a furnace behind him.

  Hajime (nervous grin):

  “Rage… on… desu…”

  Sockoo exhaled slowly… then turned back to the screen, still clearly pissed.

  Hajime dropped to his knees in relief, whispering:

  “She didn’t kill me… Thank the gods…”

  Yu leaned in:

  “She’s definitely saving it for later.”

  Hajime:

  “WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!”

  As the battlefield grew more intense, Rei dodged a spinning blade of light from Kizuki and nearly got grazed by Kimtani’s fire barrage. While sliding back, he shouted toward the sidelines:

  Rei (complaining):

  “OI! I thought Hajime said to save secret weapons for the final round! Why are we getting chased by turbo-charged psychos in ROUND ONE?!”

  Makoto (firing magic bullets):

  “Bro, they’re literally the champions! Everyone is a secret weapon here!”

  Across the field, Emily blocked Kimtani’s flame sword with a wall of ice while Angel soared upward, casting a blinding light spell toward Ruo’s last seen position.

  Emily (snapping):

  “FOCUS, Rei! Less whining, more blasting!”

  Angel (calm but stern):

  “Please complain after we survive this.”

  Rei grumbled under his breath while summoning another set of Mona Blasters, firing a sweeping wave at Kizuki to buy space.

  Rei:

  “First I get dormed with Makoto the menace, now I’m fighting three cracked champions and getting scolded by literal angels. What is this life?!”

  Meanwhile, from the sidelines, Hajime facepalmed.

  Hajime:

  “This is why I wanted to be on the main team…”

  Sockoo, without turning:

  “You’d be simping over Kimtani and get one-shot.”

  Hajime (defensive):

  “Rude—accurate—but rude!”

  Back in the fight, Rei took a deep breath, shook off his complaints, and locked eyes on Kizuki.

  Rei (grinning):

  “…Alright then. Let’s go skeleton mode.”

  Time to turn the tide.

  As the battlefield raged on, Makoto narrowed his eyes, teeth clenched. He had been playing it defensive for too long, and now the pressure was mounting. He saw Kizuki preparing another piercing wind slash to cover Kimtani—and that was it.

  Makoto (furious):

  "Alright... ENOUGH!"

  He slid back, clicked a switch on his wrist, and a blazing red magic cartridge loaded into his gun. Flames began to swirl around the barrel as it charged.

  Makoto:

  "You wanna see a boom? I’LL SHOW YOU A BOOM!!"

  BAM!

  The gun let loose a roaring fire bomb with a spiraling trail of heat. Kizuki’s eyes widened, but before she could fully dodge—

  KABOOOOM!!!

  The explosion erupted like a mini-volcano, hurling debris and shockwaves across the battlefield. Kizuki was sent flying, crashing into the barrier wall with a hard THUD.

  She was out cold.

  Kimtani (shocked):

  "...Kizuki!!"

  Ruo, still cloaked in invisibility, hesitated for a moment, but quickly refocused. They couldn’t let emotions ruin their teamwork.

  Makoto spun his gun and pointed forward, smoke rising from the barrel.

  Makoto (grinning):

  “Stay down, sweetheart.”

  From the sidelines, Hajime slowly gave a nod, visibly impressed.

  Hajime:

  “Alright Makoto… I see you.”

  Sockoo:

  “…Still not letting you on main team.”

  Hajime (pouting):

  “Whyyyyy!?”

  The crowd roared as the announcers shouted about the first knockout of the match. But it was far from over—Kimtani’s flames burned brighter with fury, and Ruo, still unseen, was planning something lethal…

  As the battle pressed on, Angel flapped her glowing wings, hovering just above the chaotic battlefield. Ruo, still cloaked in invisibility, darted through the shadows like a ghost, his presence marked only by faint magical distortions.

  Angel (focused, to herself):

  “I can’t sense his body, but I can sense… his intent. His mana. It flickers when he moves.”

  She closed her eyes briefly, letting her wings shine brighter. Holy Magic wasn’t just for healing—it could reveal what shouldn’t be seen.

  Suddenly, she slammed her staff into the ground.

  Angel:

  “Holy Flare: Halo Burst!”

  A blinding circle of light magic erupted from her position, expanding outward like a pulse. The moment it touched Ruo, a shimmer flickered in the air—his form briefly outlined in golden light.

  Ruo (gritting teeth):

  “Tch…!”

  He backed off, trying to retreat, but Angel had locked in.

  Angel (voice firm):

  “You’re not hiding from Heaven’s eyes.”

  She flew up higher, staff glowing brighter. “Let’s end this.”

  Angel:

  “Divine Cross Strike!”

  She hurled a cross-shaped burst of holy light downward. It struck the ground, and then—BOOM!—it exploded in a radiant wave, engulfing the area Ruo was hiding in.

  Ruo's scream echoed faintly, and his body hit the ground, knocked out and now fully visible, his invisibility shattered.

  Crowd:

  “OOOOHHHHHH!!!”

  Rei (from the sidelines, mouth open):

  “She really just God-sniped the invisible man…”

  Makoto (still aiming):

  “Remind me never to prank her again.”

  Angel landed gracefully, staff at her side, breathing calmly.

  Angel (quietly):

  “Two down…”

  Now only Kimtani and Shingai remained—and they were angry.

  Emily (blinking, dumbfounded):

  “Wait… hold on… WHERE did you get that staff?!”

  Angel (tilting her head innocently):

  “Oh? This?” [She holds it up with both hands, still glowing lightly.] “It’s always been with me. I just don’t pull it out unless I really need it.”

  Emily (squinting, dramatic):

  “Girl, you’ve been healing with your hands this whole time like a budget cleric and then you suddenly drop a holy laser cannon like it’s Tuesday?!”

  Makoto (muttering to Rei):

  “She just Divine-sniped an assassin and now she’s acting like it’s casual…”

  Rei (grinning):

  “I think she’s secretly terrifying. In a really polite way.”

  Angel (giggling lightly):

  “It’s a sacred artifact. My grandmother passed it down to me when I was ten. She said only use it when your heart is ready.”

  Hajime (from the sidelines, eyes wide):

  “…Okay, what is with everyone having trauma-powered magical heirlooms lately?”

  Sockoo (gritting teeth):

  “Focus! We still have Shingai and Kimtani!”

  Emily snaps back into position, eyes still darting to Angel’s staff.

  Emily:

  “…We’re gonna talk about this later, Angel. Like, deep talk. Midnight tea levels.”

  Angel (smiling warmly):

  “Of course. Let’s win first.”

  The battle wasn’t over yet… and now Team X's dual aces were staring down the Music Strikers, fire in their eyes.

  Rei cracked his knuckles, a sly grin spreading across his face as he stepped forward.

  Rei:

  “Alright, Kizuki, time to see what the skeleton’s got under the hood.”

  He summoned two glowing, bluish pistols—his Mona Blasters—floating at his sides, humming with energy.

  Rei (confidently):

  “Let’s dance.”