The tdown reached its clusion. “Three... two... one... and the winner is Roselle!”

  The crowd cheered for Roselle’s hard-fought victory, but she wore a ptive look. Her gaze shifted to her on, which had returo its inal form once she reverted from her transformation.

  In a quiet moment of refle, Roselle whispered to herself, “Thank you, my friend. We did it, together.”

  Amidst the cheering crowd, Roselle felt a strange sensation. It was as if the world around her began to blur and fade, and she found herself looking down at her hands. Instead of the familiar sight of her on, she could swear she had seen a cuddly teddy bear in her grasp.

  For a brief moment, memories from her past life resurfaced. It was of a time when teddy bears were her most cherished panions. Roselle shook off the memory and smiled while exiting the arena.

  Roselle sat back with her sisters iands.

  “Roselle, you never cease to amaze me,” Risebelle said with a warm smile. “You’ve grown s, and that battle was something else. You keep getting stronger, I…I’m genuinely impressed.”

  Roselle blushed at her sister’s praise. She replied, “Thanks, Risebelle. It’s all thanks to you. You and Runebelle have always supported me.”

  Risebelle ral face turo a smile, which seemed pyful. “Well, don’t get too used to hearing my praises. It’s not every day I show my softer side.”

  Roselle chuckled, “You’re right; it’s a rare sight. You’re usually all seriousness.”

  Risebelle nodded but turned her head. “You know, Roselle, I have to fess something… I’m a little jealous.”

  Roselle raised an eyebrow. “Jealous? But why? You’re incredibly strong.”

  Risebelle face Roselle and looked serious. “I know, but the truth is, I ’t keep up with you anymore, and not just you. Runebelle has beeing strooo. I’ve seen it, and I ’t deny it any longer. You both surpassed me, and now…well, I’m probably gon left in your dust.”

  Roselle shook her head. “That’s not true, Risebelle. You’re still strohan me in many ways.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what makes you say that?”

  Roselle leaned in closer. “Your strategid, Risebelle. You’re a brilliant strategist. That’s something I learn from you. In our first-round match, I may have won, but it was because I mao catch you off guard. Your ability tize is something I deeply respect.”

  Risebelle blushed and closed her eyes with a soft chuckle. Roselle looked somewhat fused but found it cute. Risebelle said, “Tell me more.”

  Roselle smiled and tinued, “You always have a pn, even in the heat of battle. You know how to turn any situation to your advantage.”

  Risebelle opened one eye, grinning. “Keep going.”

  Roselle ughed. “Okay….You’re also the one who keeps us grounded and focused. You’re the glue that holds us together.”

  Roselle moved closer and ed her arms around Risebelle in a warm hug. “I love you, Risebelle.”

  Risebelle’s eyes widened in surprise and a blush appeared on her face. She quickly tried to pose herself. “H-Hey, I didn’t say to get all seal!”. Her serious demeanor returned, but there was a hint of warmth in her eyes. “Thank you, Roselle. I appreciate it.”

  Roselle pulled back slightly, smiling at Risebelle. “You deserve it,”

  The match was about to begin. The announcer boomed. “Well, howdy, Ladies as! Get ready, ’cause the showdown’s ’bout to light up the Grand Arena like a Fourth of July fireworks dispy!

  A spotlight went on MuilerG. “In the left er, we’ve got the one and only Muiler G, a fighter so quick that she makes a lightning bolt look like it’s movin’ in slow motion!”

  A spotlight the down own Cha. “And in the right er, we’re lookin’ at the fierd Champion Cha! This here warriot a will of iron and a sword that crackles with thunder like a summer storm rollin’ in!”

  The announcer spun around and then said, “So, grab your seat a ready to whoop and holler, ‘cause the a’s fixin’ to get hotter than a pepper patch!”

  Muiler G, known as Mui, approached Cha with a polite and fident smile. Her purple hair flowed down her back, atire exuded both elegand bat readiness. She stood before Cha, her eyes log onto Cha’s with a sense of respect for her formidable oppo.

  Mui spoke softly. “Cha, it’s a pleasure to meet you otlefield. I’ve heard quite a bit about your skills and your victory in st year’s Eastern Annual Tour. You’re here to make a statement, aren’t you?”

  Cha, dressed in her aqua-colored battle attire, looked at Mui with a glint of excitement in her eyes. “Oh, I’m always ready food fight, Mui. You look strong, and that makes it even more iing. Let’s give the audience a battle to remember!”

  “Let the battle, Begin!”

  Upon Str’s word, Muiler G and Cha drew their bdes. Their o in a resounding csh, sending sparks flying in all dires

  Muiler G and Cha engaged in a high-speed sword fight. Cha’s bde moved with swiftness and finesse, while Mui’s on showcased a unique bat style, bining speed and strength. The two warriors dodged, parried, and tered each other’s strikes with incredible reflexes.

  Cha’s bde sshed through the air in a series of rapid strikes, pressuring Mui with a relentless assault. Her attacks were both ferocious and precise. She aimed to break through Mui’s formidable defense.

  Mui, however met Cha’s onsught with expert precision. Her bde defelected Cha’s attacks with a well-practiced ease.

  Mui’s bde glowed with dark purple energy. She executed a powerful strike that sent Cha s into the air despite her sword blog the attack. Cha’s eyes widened upon being lifted off her feet.

  While Cha was suspended in mid-air, Mui wasted no time. She unleashed a barrage of needles from the sheaths on her shoulder pads. These needles shot through the air and homed in on Cha with deadly accuracy.

  Cha used her bde to deflect the ining needles. While she swatted away the projectiles, it was a challenging task. The needles seemed to e from all dires, and she could only parry so many at a time.

  Mui, meanwhile, took advantage of Cha’s predit. She leaped into the air, aiming to meet Cha at the peak of her ast Mui prepared to unleash a devastating ssh, bining her bde and her mastery of thread and needle magi a lethal bination.

  Cha had to make a split-sed decision, choosing which threat to prioritize. She couldn’t avoid both Mui’s ssh and the ining needles.

  Roselle’s eyes were wide with . “Cha ’t dodge them all!”

  Risebelle, oher hand, leaned forward with. “Damn, Mui is good…”

  Runebelle with usual gloom, focused ily och. She watched every move with a keen eye.

  The needles closed in and Mui’s bde approached. This is when Cha’s lightning energy surrounded her own sword. With a fierce thrust, Cha’s bde met Mui’s, causing a burst of sparks as their swords cshed. Cha twirled around with incredible speed, hitting eaui’s hidden dark threads.

  With each twirl, ot only stopped the ining needles but also disrupted Mui’s trol over them. The threads snapped one by one, rendering the needles powerless.

  Mui found herself plummeting to the ground. Cha, oher hand, nded gracefully on the arena floor.

  The announcer boomed through the stadium, filled with excitement. “Folks, did y’all see that? Cha just put on a show that’d make a rodeo ’s head spin! With each twirl, she not only khose needles right outta the air but also sent Mui’s whole strategy into a tailspin!”

  Mui got ba her feet and wore a smile. “You’re impressive, Cha. It’s clear why you’re the Champion of the Eastern Tour. Your certainly are beautiful with the way you wield yhtning power.”

  Cha waved off the pliment with one hand. “Oh, don’t give me too much credit, Mui. I’ve still got a lot to learn. You’re one of the four Elite Guards of the Western Kingdom, after all. This battle is a true challenge for me.”

  Mui gave her a smile. “Accept the pliment, Cha. You’re the first person who’s mao y threads from my needles. It throws off my strategy immensely.”

  Cha raised an eyebrow. “Really? I wouldn’t have thought I’d be the oo disrupt your strategy so much.”

  Mui’s smile grew slightly. “Believe it. My threads are a crucial part of my bat style. Disabling them throws me off band forces me to rethink my approa the fly.”

  Cha shook her head. A smirk came to her. “If I mao disrupt your threads, it’s only because you gave me the ce to do so. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other tricks up your sleeve.”

  Mui chuckled. “Well, they don’t call you the champion for nothing, do they?”

  Cha briefly closed her eyes and built up her energy from within. When she reopehem, a fierce gre repced a smile that was normally kept on her face. Her bde seemed to hum with a vibrant, yellow aura that crackled with energy.

  Cha’s attacks became more intense. Cha’s sshes came with such power that they pushed Mui back step by step. The sheer strength behind each strike forced Mui tle. Mui soon found herself being knocked around the grand arena.

  The announcer excimed, “Well, Cha’s bringin’ the thunder! She’s ked up the iy to eleven! Mui’s gettin’ tossed around the Grand Arena like a ragdoll!”

  Cha’s Her yellow aura-infused bde danced with every csh of their bdes. Mui made an effort to try ter-attag, but Cha responded by moving swiftly and striking with sheer force. Eaui’s strikes seemed to find nothing but air, while Cha’s calcuted movements nded precise hits.

  Cha’s relentless assault caused the damage on Mui to stack up rapidly. Mui’s usual smile faded from her face.

  Realizing the need for a ge, Mui focused her energy and began to el dark energy around her bde. Her swlowed with a dark, menag aura, signaling a shift in her bat style. Mui mao match Cha’s for a csh of bdes.

  Mui gritted her teeth. Her eyes narrowed in fierce tration. For a brief moment, the two warriors seemed evenly matched. Their bdes were locked in a struggle of strength; however, Cha remained cold and focused. She gave Mui a mean look while pressed forward.

  Despite Mui’s efforts, Cha’s superior strength began to prevail. She forced Mui back step by step, pushiowards the barrier that surrouhe arena.

  Cha took an ued step back, whientarily threw Mui off bance. Seeing this as an opportunity, Mui thrust her sword forward and shouted, “Kyosa!”

  A dark wave surged from Mui’s bde, r toward Cha with relentless force. Cha, with a swift movement, eled her lightning energy, unleashing a powerful wave of her own from her sword.

  The two forces collided in a dramatic csh. The dark wave and the lightning surge cshed. The ground trembled beh the arena.

  In the end, Cha’s lightning wave overpowered Mui’s dark wave with a blinding fsh. The lightning surged through Mui’s attack, striking her with a thunderous force. Mui was thrown back. Her body arg through the air before crashing against the barrier behind her. Mui then fell onto the arena floor.

  Mui got up slowly. Once she made it to her feet and took a few breathes, she saw Cha charging toward her. Mui wore a smile. “My, My, My…You’re quite relentless…”

  Mui’s soft smile didn’t waver. She k was time to reveal her trump card. With a swift and practiced motion, she raised her bde and decred, “Overturn, Kyosa!”

  In an instant, Mui’s bde had dark circles appearing in the middle, ected by a line of deep shadows. The bde’s color shifted into greyish hue, and a tremendous surge of energy emanated from it.

  Cha’s eyes widened. She could sehe incredible power that now radiated from Mui’s on. Their bdes met with an explosive burst of energy, creating a dispy of light and power that filled the arena.

  In the midst of their exge, a bright fsh erupted, temporarily blinding the spectators. When the light dissipated, it became clear that Cha had been wounded. A deep gash marred her shoulder, and Mui now stood on the opposite side of where she had been moments before.

  Mui chuckled. “Impressive, Cha. But the tides of battle have been turned.” Mui decred fidently, “From this point forward, I trol the battlefield.”