The Crystals

Flirtic somehow managed to cut all the vines and started to dash again.

"Suffocating Vine Lump!" IV used.

Vines, thicker than average humans, grew from different parts of the ground and covered Flirtic from all directions. He tried to slash his way out of it but there were too many vines.

"Damn, it's so suffocating in here," said Flirtic to himself, "The squeezing pressure is increasing every second. I guess he is adding more vines by each second. I have to escape before it becomes impossible."

'Slashing storm!' Flirtic used, but this time he moved unidirectionally while applying the move which let him free from all the vines. But that counteracted only half of IV's strategy. True that he found himself outside of the lump but also outside the stage.

The bell rang!

"Wow! What a clever strategy! He trapped Flirtic in that lump and moved the lump outside the platform," Zohaifa complimented

"He is my student after all," said Luna.

Lazuli glared at Zohaifa, "Can't you keep your mouth shut?"

"Sorry," said Zohaifa as he sheepishly grinned and bit his lips.

"Now, go! Both of you!" said Lazuli.

"Oh yeah," said Zohaifa, "My next fight is with Marium." Zohaifa got up with excitement and rushed to the participants' building.

Flirtic and IV were using the healing Crystal. Flirtic seemed disappointed and IV had no change in expression before, during, or after the fight. But perhaps the gloomiest of them all was Marium. Zohaifa wanted to congratulate IV but his concern for Marium made him forget that.

Zohaifa and Marium walked side by side to the platform. Zohaifa said to her, "Are you okay Marium?"

"Yes," answered Marium emotionlessly.

"Are you sick or something? You look gloomy. You can share it. We are not real enemies or anything," said Zohaifa.

"No, I am fine," replied Marium.

Zohaifa raised one of his eyebrows in confusion and said, "So, you sure you will be able to fight with your all?"

���Yes," said Marium.

They both stood face to face on both sides of the platform.

"Wow! Lazuli's daughter will be fighting her student? I wonder which one will win," said an audience.

"Marium is a seven-year-old kid. Zohaifa is 15 years old. You can't expect her to give much of a challenge to Zohaifa," replied another.

"Yeah, you are right," said another.

The bell rang!

Marium rushed towards Zohaifa in a zig-zag pattern and tried to hit him from the side. But she telegraphed too much and thus Zohaifa could counter her easily. He returned with a right cross and slammed her to the ground. But she managed to hold her footing.

"Ouch! So hard," said Marium.

She kept repeating the same pattern and got battered by Zohiafa, who was frowning the whole time. But his eyes showed disappointment. Lazuli and Luna watched the match with shock. Was Zohaifa this skilled all along or was Marium not that good to begin with?

After a while, Marium's face was bruised but Zohaifa still doesn't have a scratch on his body.

"Come on, Marium," said Zohiafa, "How much longer do I need to wait till you show me the 'Light Velocity?'"

"O-oh, okay," replied Marium with a little stutter.

Her body radiated yellow light and her zig-zag motion continued but this time with 'Light Velocity'. She suddenly attacked Zohaifa with from behind. But Zohaifa endured it and came back with a harder punch which slammed Marium to the ground.

Marium tried to stand up while shaking.

"Enough of this!" Zohaifa threatened, "You think I can't notice it. How dare you hold back against me! You think you are doing me a favor?"

"Sorry," Marium said in a choked voice, "This tournament was something important to you. I wanted to let you go as far as possible."

"Yes, this tournament is important to me. Because I want to prove my worth to Lazuli," answered Zohaifa, "You think you are helping me by holding back? How can I show her my full worth if I am not pushed to my highest limit."

"He's still on with that?" Lazuli asked to herself.

"What is he talking about?" asked Luna.

"Nothing important. Not to me at least," answered Lazuli.