Magic Trick

"ISN'T IT CONDESCENDING OF HARU TO TAKE ON THAT GIANT BUDDHA SPIRIT BEHIND CHANNARONG WITH THAT TINY FOUNTAIN PEN?"

Shamil's question made sense, actually. Really, Haru?

"But we'll see. Haru might have other attacks with that pen," Furkan said.

"But wait… He used that pen already earlier. If he uses that again even for another attack, he might be disqualified," Shamil uttered.

But when Beam ran towards Haru, Haru threw the pen on the lava, which as a result, it melted.

"Oh, no, Haru!" I whispered. "What is he going to use?"

"Well, for starters, since he's intelligent enough to get away with this, his brain," Ellis replied.

Right now, Haru is not doing anything. He's just standing there, and Beam is on his way to attack him.

"Oh, Channarong is taking advantage of this moment. Look! He's not holding back to take it!" Furkan commented.

"Whew!" Shamil reacted. "I feel like Haru Hoshino is up to something."

I hope Shamil is right. Haru can't just stand there.

"You're gonna lose!" Beam said as he and his spirit being attacked Haru, but Haru flawlessly glided as they swung their swords. It's as if Haru was dancing. The Buddha had a lot of hands and Haru avoided all its hits. 

"What are you up to?" Beam said.

"You'll find out real soon," Haru replied until he held both Beam's swords. As Beam stopped moving, the spirit stopped moving as well. Surprisingly, Haru's top was cut into pieces, making his body revealed in the open.

"Whoa…" I reacted.

"Nice abs," Ellis bit his lip after saying that. "I think he's been working out. He's getting leaner every day…"

Haru then pulled both swords from Beam's hands even if his hands were bleeding. He threw them to the lava lake. Then, he crossed his fingers against Beam's, and now they're palm to palm. Haru then held Beam's hands tight as he absorbed the same power that he had. 

"Holy smokes, will you look at that! Haru had the same Buddha spirit behind him with many hands as well!" Furkan shouted.

"But his Buddha is blue, which is a different one. Channarong's Buddha is gold, though," Shamil described Haru's buddha.

"Technically, it's not gonna be considered as a repetition of an attack since Haru is the one using that, and not Channarong for the second time," Furkan analyzed.

"But it's a good strategy, yes? Using your own power against you," Shamil added. 

Since both of them didn't have weapons to use, they brought out weapons of their own. Beam took out a long staff with a sharp blade at the tip. 

"This is called ngao in Thai," Beam said, and he struck it to his palm. Afterwards, the Buddha behind him had the same weapons in all of its hands. 

Haru then conjured a silver dagger with a short curved blade. He pierced his palm with that and suddenly, all the hands of the Buddha behind him held the same weapon he had. 

"This is a jambiya from the Middle East," Haru said. 

"What's with Haru and why does he like little things?" I murmured.

"Great choice. You just confirmed your loss," Beam then rushed towards Haru and struck him with those staffs. Haru then jumped really high, since it reached higher than where we're sitting, and threw the daggers towards Beam. 

Haru controlled the daggers, so wherever Beam goes, the daggers follow. But Beam did something to deal with it. 

He jumped in the lake of lava, with the ngao's blades first, then he bounced using the tip of the staff to the ring. But the daggers followed the staff, and due to their strong force, Haru wasn't able to control them back as they melt down to the lake of lava. 

Now, both of them don't have weapons… again. 

But looking at the both of them, they're so exhausted. They've been moving around the half-ring and exerting too much power. Imagine, they have to show different powers and not repeat them to avoid disqualification. That's really challenging!

"Both of their weapons are gone. What weapon they will be using this time?" Furkan asked.

"Looks like they answered you right away, partner, " Shamil said as he pointed to the half-ring.

Haru removed the Buddha behind him and just stood still. Beam, on the other hand, brought out a torch lit with fire. He then burned his hand quickly, which caused him excruciating pain, but then the Buddha had those fireballs on its hands! Beam was burning up right now! 

"Haru, what are you doing?" Ellis shouted. "Don't just stand there or you're gonna be burned waffle real soon!"

I'm already trembling in my seat. Haru was still calm, even though he looked really hot right now, without wearing a top. I don't know if I can watch this!

When Beam was just a few meters away from Haru, Haru just raised his right hand and shouted, "Stop."

Beam obliged. Then, Haru pointed at the screen. "Look."

At the list, there were three parts where "Buddha" was mentioned, but with different weapons and screenshots. Beside it is the timer that says there's still twelve minutes left before the match ends.

"Of course! How could we miss it?" Shamil tapped his forehead. "Beam used the Lokeshvara spirit three times already, but with different weapons."

"Still, the Buddha was present in each attack, unlike Haru…" Furkan explained all the types of attack that Haru did. They were all varied, from the type of weapon used and even the powers that came out of them. 

"The battle was so intense, we missed those details," Shamil added. "Jang-mi, what will be our verdict for this battle?"

Jang-mi stood up and consulted the council about this matter. After a while, Jang-mi went down and approached the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, the council has decided. We will abide by the rules. It is listed on our screen that Channarong Chaisongkhram used the Lokeshvara with three different weapons. Therefore, Channarong Chaisongkhram is disqualified. The winner of the last match for this cluster battle is Haru Hoshino of Manhattan team!" 

All of us jumped for joy upon hearing that! Two-one! Manhattan team brought home the bacon! I feel so happy right now!

Beam put off the Buddha and approached Haru. He shook hands with him and it seemed that he accepted his defeat. "Did you aim to use the rule from the beginning?"

"I didn't, until I felt like I couldn't defeat you with my techniques, so I copied you. With that, you can feel that you'll be facing an equal power," Haru said. "But honestly, I can't really copy yours perfectly, that's why it turned out blue."

"I thought you had a different version of Lokeshvara," Beam uttered.

"It became that way, since you're the only one who can summon the real one. So, as a result, you wanted to prove to me that yours is stronger, so you had to use the Lokeshvara once more. At first, the list was not updated, but when the image of the Buddha appeared for the second time, that's when I figured."

"Okay, but why do you have to make me do it again, if you already knew?"  Beam followed up.

"You ripped my shirt," Haru said with a serious tone.

Beam grinned. "I'm sorry, though, but you looked ripped, anyway."

"Ooh," I reacted.

"Hey, Pad Thai! You're cute, but you gotta find your own Waffle!" Ellis screamed at the top of his lungs.

Jang-mi continued with the announcement as all of the members of each team approached the half-ring. Ploy wasn't there as she was still in the infirmary to rest. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of our first cluster battle, the Manhattan team! The Manhattan team will advance to the next part of the competition." 

All of them shook hands and greeted each other peacefully. In all fairness, the Thai team were really kind and gentle. They took their defeat wholeheartedly, and without any ill feeling towards Fei, Jia, and Haru. 

"Two days from now, we will be having our next cluster battle and it will be decided by the Team Selector on the screen."

After that, all teams were in this montage where all of us in our battle stance, wearing our battle costumes. The pictures of each team were shown in a form of roulette. Then it stopped with… 

"Tirana team!" Jang-mi announced. "We have Kaltrina Hysenbelliu and Flutura Hysenbelliu."

Kaltrina and Flutura approached the half-ring, and greeted by Fei, Jia, and Haru. 

Jang-mi spoke right away. "Then, the team that they will be facing is…" 

The roulette on the screen moved again and it stopped with…

"Marseilles team!" Jang-mi yelled. "Let us all have Corentin Saint-Pierre, Enzo Saint-Pierre, and Philippe Saint-Pierre!" 

The three men jumped to the half-ring and they all greeted the Hysenbelliu sisters. 

"Since the Tirana team only had two members, they either had to win both of their matches. Otherwise, in case of a tie, one of them has to fight once more to determine the winner," Jang-mi explained.

I think Ellis and I have the same situation with the Albanian sisters. That's what we're gonna do in case there would be a case that we are to face a team of three. 

"See you again in two days. Thank you very much and good day!" Jang-mi closed today's competition. 

Fei, Jia, and Haru went near us together with Taki, Taka, and Tiberion. We congratulated them and we decided to have a celebratory dinner later. I can't wait!

But I'm sensing an air of awkwardness between Ellis and Haru… 

Hmmm… Intriguing!