The anticipation that had been building throughout the entire tournament had finally reached its peak.
Since the beginning of that morning, practically the entire city had been talking about only one thing.
The match between Scarlett and Rai'kanna.
Not even the finals seemed to be receiving as much attention as that confrontation.
When we arrived at the arena, I noticed that the number of spectators was even greater than on the previous days.
Some people were standing because they couldn't find any empty seats.
Others had arrived hours earlier just to secure a good view of the arena.
The annual tournament always attracted attention, but this time it felt different.
Rumors about the two warriors had spread quickly.
The Heroine of Flames.
The Daughter of the Demi-Dragon King.
Two famous fighters.
Two incredibly powerful women.
And above all, two rivals who never missed an opportunity to compete.
As we walked to our seats, I overheard several conversations.
"Who's going to win?"
"I'd bet on the red-haired woman."
"No. The demi-dragon looks stronger."
"This is going to be an incredible fight."
"Maybe the best one in the tournament."
I smiled when I heard that.
It was curious how people who had never seen either of them fight spoke with such confidence.
But I understood.
The stories circulating about them were impressive.
When we settled into our seats, I noticed that Scarlett was unusually quiet.
She watched the arena without saying much.
Rai'kanna also seemed more serious than usual.
Perhaps because they both knew this wouldn't be an ordinary fight.
Elara noticed it too.
"They're acting strange."
"They're focused."
Vespera replied.
"That happens when they truly want to win."
Liriel agreed.
"Neither of them intends to lose today."
Her assistant watched everything attentively.
"Do they always compete like this?"
"Pretty much."
I answered.
"And it usually ends with some kind of argument."
The assistant laughed.
"I'm starting to notice that."
A short while later, the announcer stepped into the center of the arena once again.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Everyone knew what was about to happen.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Applause erupted almost instantly.
"We have reached the quarterfinals of the Tournament of the Strong!"
The arena roared.
The announcer continued building the crowd's excitement for several more minutes.
The first matches proceeded as usual.
Some participants were eliminated.
Others advanced.
But it was obvious that most people were simply waiting for one particular match.
With each fight that ended, the anticipation grew.
Until finally, the announcer declared.
"Now we present the most anticipated match of the tournament!"
The crowd exploded with cheers.
"On one side..."
He pointed toward one of the entrances.
"The Heroine of Flames!"
Scarlett entered the arena.
Applause echoed immediately.
She walked calmly.
Without rushing.
Without showing any sign of nervousness.
Her gaze was fixed straight ahead.
Then the announcer pointed to the opposite side.
"And on the other side..."
Another pause.
"The Daughter of the Demi-Dragon King!"
Rai'kanna appeared.
The crowd's reaction was just as intense as before.
She entered the arena with steady steps.
Her posture radiated confidence.
When the two finally stood face to face, the entire arena seemed to hold its breath.
The referee stepped forward.
He explained the rules one more time.
No weapons.
No magic.
Only physical combat.
Both of them nodded.
Then they took their stances.
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The instant he spoke, both of them charged forward.
BOOM!
The first clash happened in the center of the arena.
Their fists collided.
A shockwave spread through the air around them.
The crowd reacted immediately.
Even without magic, the two's physical strength was astonishing.
Scarlett attacked first.
A quick strike.
Rai'kanna dodged.
Counterattacked.
Scarlett blocked.
The movements that followed happened so quickly that many people could barely keep up.
Exchanges of blows.
Dodges.
Blocks.
Advances.
Retreats.
Both demonstrated genuine combat experience.
Neither wanted to give up any ground.
Small cracks began appearing across parts of the arena floor.
Nothing serious.
But enough to reveal the force they were using.
"They're really taking this seriously."
Elara commented.
"More than I expected."
"I agree."
I replied.
Scarlett took advantage of an opening.
She landed a blow on Rai'kanna's shoulder.
The impact forced her back several steps.
The crowd reacted.
But Rai'kanna responded immediately.
She spun around.
Landed a powerful side kick.
Scarlett partially blocked it.
Even so, she was pushed backward.
Neither of them managed to establish a clear advantage.
The fight remained evenly matched.
And that was precisely why it was becoming more and more exciting.
The spectators cheered with every exchange.
Some shouted Scarlett's name.
Others shouted Rai'kanna's.
The atmosphere in the arena was completely different from the previous days.
This no longer felt like a simple local tournament.
It felt like a clash between champions.
The minutes passed.
The intensity increased.
Sweat began to appear.
Their breathing grew heavier.
Yet neither of them slowed down.
Scarlett smiled during one exchange of blows.
"You've improved."
Rai'kanna replied immediately.
"So have you."
Then the two attacked again.
Faster.
Stronger.
More aggressive.
I watched closely.
I knew both of them very well.
And because of that, I noticed something that perhaps others hadn't.
Scarlett was beginning to gain the upper hand.
It wasn't obvious.
But it was happening.
Her strikes were becoming slightly more precise.
Her movements remained steady.
Meanwhile, Rai'kanna was beginning to show small signs of fatigue.
Nothing alarming.
But enough to make a difference in such an evenly matched fight.
Liriel noticed it too.
"Scarlett is pulling ahead."
I nodded.
"Little by little."
The assistant watched again.
After a few seconds, she ended up agreeing.
The difference was small.
But it was there.
Rai'kanna noticed it as well.
So she began increasing the intensity of her attacks.
She didn't want to lose.
Not at all.
The blows became even more violent.
The arena floor suffered even greater damage.
The crowd grew louder and louder.
Then it happened.
During an incredibly fast exchange, Scarlett found an opening.
Her fist struck Rai'kanna in the abdomen.
The impact was powerful.
Very powerful.
Rai'kanna was sent flying several meters backward.
She managed to keep her balance.
But that was the first truly significant advantage of the fight.
The crowd reacted immediately.
Scarlett pressed forward.
Rai'kanna tried to respond.
But now the difference was becoming apparent.
Scarlett maintained the pressure.
She gave her no room.
No chance to recover.
Another blow.
Then another.
Then another.
Rai'kanna was still resisting.
She kept fighting.
But she was already being forced backward.
Finally, after several more moments of intense combat, Scarlett landed one final direct strike.
Rai'kanna was knocked out of the designated combat area.
The referee observed the situation.
Waited a few seconds.
Then raised his hand.
"Winner! Scarlett!"
The entire arena erupted in applause.
It was one of the biggest reactions of the entire tournament.
The two had delivered exactly what everyone had hoped for.
An incredible fight.
Scarlett was breathing heavily.
But she was smiling.
Rai'kanna remained seated on the ground for a few seconds.
Then she let out a long sigh.
Clearly frustrated.
Not because she had been humiliated.
Quite the opposite.
She had fought extremely well.
But losing was still losing.
Scarlett walked over.
She extended her hand.
After a few seconds, Rai'kanna accepted the help and stood up.
"Good fight."
Scarlett said.
Rai'kanna sighed.
"Next time I'll win."
"You always say that."
"Because it's true."
Scarlett started laughing.
That drew a few laughs from the stands as well.
When they returned to the group, Rai'kanna still seemed a little irritated.
But it didn't take long for her expression to return to normal.
She knew she had fought well.
Even without the victory.
Meanwhile, the announcer was already introducing the next matches.
The semifinals were approaching.
And when I looked at the tournament bracket once again, I noticed something inevitable.
My next opponent would be Scarlett.
As soon as she saw it too, she smiled.
A smile I didn't like one bit.
Because I already knew exactly what was going through her mind.
And I was certain that fight was going to be a problem for me.