RING BORN

Chapter 13: The Semi-Finals Begin

After many intense battles, only four competitors remained in the Ringborn Tournament: Ren Ayashi, Ryo Alves, Pedro Costa, and Toru Tsubasa. The crowd was on edge, eagerly waiting for the semi-final matches to begin. Cheers echoed through the stadium as the announcer stepped forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now in the semi-finals! Four warriors remain, each proving their strength, strategy, and willpower. Only two will make it to the finals! The first match is Ren Ayashi versus Toru Tsubasa!"

The stadium erupted in cheers as Ren and Toru stepped onto the battlefield. Toru smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Hey, big guy, you ready to lose?"

Ren smiled calmly. "Don't worry, kiddo. I'll make sure you get a proper lesson."

The announcer raised his hand. "Ready… Fight!"

Toru, wielding the Beast Ring, wasted no time. He slammed his hand onto the ground, summoning a massive white tiger with piercing blue eyes. The beast roared, shaking the battlefield.

Ren whistled. "A tiger, huh? That's pretty cool… but let's see how strong it is!"

The tiger dashed forward, its sharp claws aiming for Ren's chest. But Ren reacted quickly, leaping backward just in time. The beast's claws barely missed him, slashing the air instead.

Before Ren could counterattack, Toru grinned and raised his arm again. "Oh, we're just getting started, big guy."

A deep, thunderous howl echoed across the stadium. The crowd gasped as a gigantic wolf, Fenrir, materialized beside Toru. Unlike the tiger, this creature radiated an intense, almost divine presence.

"That thing looks terrifying…" Hajime muttered from the stands.

Even Ryo's eyes widened. "He's summoning creatures this powerful? This might be trouble for Ren."

Fenrir charged at Ren, its sheer size causing the ground beneath it to tremble. Ren quickly rolled to the side, but Fenrir was faster than expected and slashed at him. Ren barely managed to block it with his arm, but the force of the impact sent him flying backward, crashing into the stadium floor.

Ren groaned, rubbing his arm. "Damn, that thing hits hard…"

Toru laughed. "Come on, Ren, what happened to all that confidence?"

Ren smirked, his eyes full of determination. "Guess I'll just have to get serious, huh?"

Without hesitation, Ren activated his Size Manipulation ability and shrunk himself down to the size of an ant. Toru and Fenrir immediately lost sight of him.

"Huh? Where'd he go?" Toru muttered, spinning around.

Fenrir sniffed the air, but even the beast couldn't detect Ren at that size. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.

And then—Toru suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha—!! W-What the—?!"

He clutched his stomach, laughing uncontrollably as he fell to his knees. Fenrir, confused, looked at its master in concern.

"What's happening?" Akira asked, bewildered.

Ryo sighed, shaking his head. "Ren's strategy is ridiculous but effective… he's tickling Toru."

The entire crowd watched in shock as Ren reappeared behind Toru, smirking. With one quick shove, he pushed Toru out of the ring.

Ding!

The announcer pointed at Ren. "Winner—Ren Ayashi!"

The audience exploded into cheers. Even Fenrir, despite its master losing, howled in respect before vanishing. Toru sat on the ground, panting. "Damn… I can't believe I lost like that."

Ren grinned, helping him up. "You put up a great fight, man. Those beasts were no joke."

Toru sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah… I'll get you next time."

As the crowd settled, the announcer's voice boomed across the stadium once more.

"And now, our next semi-final match! Ryo Alves versus Pedro Costa!"

The energy in the stadium shifted. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for.

Ryo cracked his knuckles and clenched his fists. "This is it…"

Pedro stood across from him, rolling his shoulders. "Let's give them a fight to remember."

Hajime grinned. "Oh, this one is gonna be crazy."

The battlefield tensed, and the crowd held their breath.

"Ready… Fight!"

To be continued…