"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we're at the business end of the tournament now, it's time for the first semi-final!

Fellow rookie Hunters, who also happen to be former classmates at the Hunters Academy, face off to earn a spot in the final!

It's Kaivel Intrix versus Ariella Velle!"

"Remember, no holding back," Ariella greeted me with a smile, as we stepped onto the arena.

First time I'm seeing her in person in nearly five months, and that's the first thing she says?

Well, I suppose it's fitting, given the circumstances.

"Right back at you. Bring it on," I grinned in response, the barrier forming around the arena.

Now, then...it's finally time to see how much stronger she's gotten. Let's have a look, Appraisal.

Wow, she really has improved tremendously. Her current stats, in comparison to what they were the last time I used Appraisal on her, are:

HP: 363 -> 486

MP: 470

Strength: 360 -> 491

Agility: 430 -> 602

Vitality: 366 -> 481

Perception: 423 -> 586

Power Level: 402,000 -> 519,300

Potential: 945,000

I'm basically on the same level as her mow, my stats are only marginally lower than hers are.

Actually, with the ten percent boost my physical stats get when I wield Desecrator, my Agility and Perception are a bit higher than hers.

The gap between us was always so wide back when we were at the Academy, but now, I'm on even footing with her.

I feel a rapidly rising sense of anticipation welling up inside me. This is going to be fun...!

"Alright, everyone, it's about to begin, let's count it down!" Exclaimed the announcer, raucous cheers erupting as the countdown started.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"FIVE!!!"

"FOUR!!!"

"THREE!!!"

"TWO!!!"

"ONE!!!"

The instant the countdown ended, I drew Desecrator and my gun out as Ariella slammed her fists together and shot towards me, flames erupting around her fists as she chanted.

She swiftly veered across to the left as I took aim and fired out a Pulse Bullet at her, evading the projectile before ducking down and getting low as I fired another one at her, the bullet shooting over the top of her head and brushing a few strands of her hair.

She sprinted forward while staying low as the bullet shot past her, before I swiftly holstered my gun as she closed in on me and leapt forward, driving her left fist towards my stomach as she chanted...

"[Double Flame Strike]!"

I shuffled across to the left as fast as I could, her first strike grazing my right side as I evaded it, before I caught her right wrist with my left hand to stop her second strike, her fist coming to an abrupt halt before she met my gaze with a beaming smile.

She wrenched her wrist free of my grasp with a sharp twist of her arm, before rapidly spinning around and whipping her heel up and across towards the left side of my head.

Her foot whizzed over the top of my head as I ducked, before slashing at the back of her calf as her leg zipped over me, my swing coming to a halt as she blocked the blade with the back of her fist.

She lowered her leg and quickly pulled her arm back as my blade cut through her gauntlet, before springing back several paces and getting some distance, trickles of blood running down the back of her hand, the edge of my blade having inflicted a shallow cut.

Hm, looks like that exchange was her trying to get a read on how we measure up against each other at our current levels, she's testing the waters.

<You should have used Mana Pulse when you grabbed her arm>

I didn't have it charged up when I grabbed her, and she broke free of my grasp before I could. No matter, this fight's only just getting started.

My turn to attack.

I cracked my neck with a tilt of my head before racing across the arena towards her, flames erupting around her fists as she raised her arms up defensively.

I got low and leapt forward as I closed in on her, slashing at her stomach.

She sprang back to evade it, a small cut appearing across her armored tank top as the tip of my blade nicked the material, before she swiftly lunged forward and drove her left fist towards my head.

I grimaced as I quickly tilted my head across to the left, feeling slight burns across my right cheek as the side of her fist grazed my skin, before I drove my left hand up towards her solar plexus.

She quickly swung her right knee up while simultaneously driving her right elbow down, bringing the thrust of my arm to a halt as she trapped my forearm between her knee and elbow, a twinge of pain erupting across the middle of my forearm as her joints slammed onto the top and bottom of my forearm simultaneously.

I let myself fall backwards while simultaneously sliding my right foot forward and across, striking her left heel, her eyes widening as she overbalanced and began to fall.

I pulled my arm back as her grip on it with her knee and elbow loosened, before I swung my arm behind myself and planted my palm on the floor of the arena, pushing off to launch myself into a backflip, my feet skidding back as I landed, as Ariella simultaneously hit the floor.

I shot towards her as she scrambled back onto her feet, before she quickly crossed her arms in front of herself as I leapt forward and drove my knee towards her as I closed in.

My knee slammed onto her crossed arms, her feet sliding back across the floor of the arena upon impact, a slight grimace on her face before she lowered her arms as she came to a halt, a smile spreading out across her lips.

"No doubt about it, you've definitely caught up to me, we're more or less on even footing now. I'm having so much fun...I won't lose!" She declared, as she shot forward.

As she closed in on me, she swung her left arm out at an angle as I unfurled a rapid diagonal slash at her neck, the back of her hand striking the side of my blade and deflecting the swing, before she drove her right fist towards my stomach.

I swiftly thrust my left arm forward as my blade narrowly missed her neck, slamming my fist against hers, before we both swung our heads forward simultaneously, our forehead colliding against each other with a sharp thud.

The two of us sprang back and got some distance, both of us smiling as we met each other's gazes. Seems we're both enjoying ourselves, and this is still far from over.

"Alright, that should be enough of a warm-up, don't you think?" She remarked with a smile, as she slammed her right fist against her left palm.

"Yeah, I'd say so," I nodded in response, as I swung my blade across with a smile.

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