The Obsidian Throne's grand coliseum shook with the roar of bloodthirsty spectators, their voices merging into a primal thunder that echoed off the floating pitch's rune-carved walls. The air reeked of burnt ozone and the iron tang of spilled sweat from previous matches. At the center of the arena, the tournament bracket blazed in midair—Ibukun's name now seared beside Zyrax the Shatterborn's in crackling crimson script.
Valentina leaned against the tunnel archway, her obsidian-ringed fingers tracing the edge of a contract scroll. Her lips curled into a smirk as she caught Ibukun's gaze.
*"Score today, and I'll make sure you forget every broken bone."*
The System's golden text flared:
***TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL PARAMETERS***
**Opponent:** Zyrax the Shatterborn (Academy Rank #3)
**Primary Objective:** Outperform Zyrax (Goal/Assist + Survive)
**Secondary Objective:** Land 5+ Qi-Infused Touches
**Reward:** 12,000 SP + "Celestial Reflexes" Unlock
**Failure Penalty:** -30% Qi Reserves (1 Month)
Jay-Jay's hologram flickered into view, his form now threaded with faint Qi. *"That woman's trouble. Zyrax is death."*
---
### **The Opening Onslaught**
The referee—a mountain of muscle clad in living steel, his whistle forged from a warbeast's fang—signaled the start.
Zyrax moved before the sound faded.
The demigod striker exploded forward like a catapult shot, his cleats tearing molten gashes in the pitch. Ibukun's **Field Eye (Mastery: 37%)** barely tracked the movement before Zyrax unleashed a 40-yard thunderbolt wreathed in blue soulfire. The shot shattered the crossbar, sending shards of enchanted wood raining down.
Gorath the Unyielding, their hulking goalkeeper, spat out a tooth and grinned. *"Again!"*
---
### **The Grind**
The first half was a symphony of violence:
- **Dravik Ironjaw** (center forward) absorbed three broken ribs to disrupt Zyrax's rhythm
- **Kaelis Swiftfoot** (midfield) bled from his nose but kept threading passes
- **Rurik the Relentless** (left back) sacrificed his right boot—and nearly his foot—to block a killing strike
Ibukun's first real chance came when Kaelis intercepted a pass and launched a 60-yard diag. The ball hung forever before Ibukun brought it down with a Qi-cushioned touch, only for Zyrax to arrive like a comet, his tackle sending Ibukun cartwheeling through the air.
No foul.
The crowd roared approval.
---
### **The Equalizer**
78th minute. Zyrax overcommitted.
A rare mistake—half a heartbeat of hesitation after Dravik's brutal shoulder charge. Ibukun's **Qi-Infused Step** carried him past the demigod's lunge just as Rurik's pass arrived.
Zyrax recovered with terrifying speed, his burning fist grazing Ibukun's spine—but too late.
The **Thunder Strike** connected.
The ball vaporized the net, leaving only smoldering threads.
**1-1.**
Silence. Then—
Zyrax's laughter shook the stadium. *"FINALLY!"*
---
### **The Aftermath**
Valentina awaited in the sanctum, a vial of black-market healing Qi in hand. *"Payment's due."*
The System's analysis scrolled:
***REWARDS CLAIMED***
**12,000 SP**
**"Celestial Reflexes" Unlocked**
**Qi Reserves:** 58 → 71
Jay-Jay watched as healers mended Ibukun's fractures. *"You're not prey anymore. That's the dangerous part."*
---