Foe?

*Swoosh*

Asif reappeared after dominating his match and before he could open his mouth, he was bombarded with questions from Lobian and Prince Khai.

"How strong are you?"

"Tell us the truth, what is your Elemental realm?"

"You have the Light element?!"

"Do you know what that means?"

Bryan walked over and patted their backs, "Calm down, guys."

He then turned to Asif and gave him a thumbs up, "Amazing!"

"Match: Algo Killian vs Spakrut Boall!"

"Match..."

"Match: Caro Mabog vs Bryan Pine!"

"Guess it's our turn." Algo twisted his fingers.

"This should be a piece of cake!" Bryan confidently said.

"Haha, nice one." Algo chuckled.

*Swoosh*

*Swoosh*

Just as Asif, they made quick work out of their opponents and finished their battles swiftly. Since, there are no restrictions on how many participants can enter, the average elemental stage of the participants would be assumed to be around Stage 4 of the Elemental Conclave realm.

The first round is always done to take out the average fighters and showcase the elite fighters who will then enter the eyes of the higher ups of the Aeron Empire. In other words, the Great Battle Tournament is just a recruitment event to further boost up the Aeron Empire's overall strength.

"Hey guys, I just realized that we have to take part in 100 matches." Ash suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah, and?" Lobian asked.

"Won't it take a long time to just finish the 1st round?"

"Haha, it will but that's the beauty of the Great Battle Tournament. The longer it is, the more better. It's just tradition and overall entertainment." Lobian explained.

"He's right. Civilizations from all over the Aeron starfield are here, so it would be a waste if they left so early." Prince Khai smiled.

"That's kinda amazing!" Ash said while nodding.

"Match: Ray Angelo vs Wolfen Boreal!"

Ray smiled and looked at Princess Kaya, "It's my turn."

"Do you even need me to wish you good luck?" Kaya raised an eyebrow.

"Haha, I know my brothers won't because they know I don't need it but it would be nice if you did it." Ray chuckled.

Kaya shook her head and smiled, "Fine! Goo-"

*Swoosh*

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Both Bryan and Ash started laughing at their timing.

Kaya looked at the screen and found Ray on the 88th platform. She saw him stand there with an unbelievable face.

'Haha, so cute.' Kaya naturally thought before she realized what happened.

-In the arena-

"For fuck sake!" Ray grumbled. His opponent was a creature similar to that of the European legend, the Werewolf.

*Grrr*

His opponent, Wolfen looked at Ray very menacingly and got into a battle stance. Ray calmly stood and waited for the countdown.

*3*

*2*

*1*

*Fight!*

*Whoosh*

In the blink of an eye, Ray appeared right next to the unaware Wolfen and delivered a full strength blow to his face.

*Boom*

A small shockwave emitted from the point of contact and Wolfen was plunged onto the ground. He was completely knocked out.

*Match Winner - Ray Angelo!*

-Back at the waiting lobby-

"Fascinating..." A humanoid creature mostly resembling the humans apart from the three pupils in their eyes and long sharped nails muttered while intently staring at Planet Earth's performance.

"I wonder why the Prince and the Princess are there with them but now I think they know something about them." Another one spoke.

"They're strong, Lavel." A feminine voice sounded out.

"I know, Shara." Lavel calmly nodded.

"But are they stronger than us..."

*Swoosh*

Ray teleported back to the group, still feeling weird from being teleported. Considering the fact that he has motion sickness, he is not taking for granted.

"That was fast as fuck, Ray." Ash said with a thumbs up.

"Haha, practice makes it perfect." Ray chuckled.

"Was that your raw speed or did you infuse your element?" Asif curiously asked.

"Imagine if that was my raw speed..." Ray said.

"I figured as mu-"

"It is my raw speed." Ray interrupted Bryan and deviously smiled.

"Dickhead!" Bryan grumbled.

"Impressive!" Asif complimented.

"Here, take a jelly bean." Algo offered one.

"Sweet!" Ray happily took one.

"What a weird bunch." Lobian stupidly looked at them.

"What a strong weird bunch." Khai corrected, receiving an annoying snort from him.

Kaya spoke up with a smile, "I guess you didn't need it after all."

Ray looked at her eyes and said, "Haha, maybe. So, did you watch me?"

"Aren't you being a smartass?" Kaya rebuked him.

"Sooo...?"

"Of course I did and I too observed every single move of yours. You surprised me again, this time with your speed."

"Hehe."

"So, what element did you acquire?" Kaya curiously asked.

"Will you tell me yours?" Ray smiled.

"Maybe." Kaya smiled back.

"Match: Ash Frudae vs Garu Lakong!"

"About time!"

"I'll be back in a jiffy!" The others sent him off with a thumbs up.

*Swoosh*

Ash appeared on a platform and saw a decently large white furred ape-like creature across him. The same creature was seen back at the Golden Inn in the lobby observing Planet Earth's group.

"It seems my luck is amazing today!" Garu smiled dangerously.

Ash suddenly felt something was off in the back of his mind and kept his mind on high alert. He felt the same feeling albeit on a lower level when sparring with Instructor Mariah.

'He's up to something...' Ash frowned.

"You're part of Planet Earth's team, aren't you?" Garu nonchalantly said.

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing. I wonder how they'll feel when you go back with a humiliating defeat." Garu mocked him.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! HOLY SHIT!" Ash is in disbelief.

"This dumbass likes to talk big. Show me then!" Ash flipped him off. Garu wore the same nonchalant expression, unaware of what Ash did.

*3*

*2*

*1*

*Fight!*

Garu pointed his hand at Ash and clenched it, "Bind!"

Immediately, the ground below Ash rose and surrounded his legs, imprisoning him where he stood.

'Oh, what the FUCK!!' Ash couldn't budge out of the imprisonment.

"It's over!" Garu smiled and conjured a swirling water ball before it transformed into a large water spear. Without giving Ash any time to breathe, he flung the water spear at him.

"Haha, I can do the same!"

Ash invoked a bigger fire spear and threw it forward.

'Fire?' Garu frowned.

*BOOM*

Bursts of smoke quickly poured out from both the spears making contact with each other.

*Crack*

Garu closed his eyes due to the smoke and conjured up another water spear. He remembers Ash's location, so he threw another one where Ash was imprisoned.

*Splash*

The water spear flew out of the platform and hit the audience barrier. Garu didn't hear the sound he expected to hear, the sound of Ash reeling in pain.

"Fireball!"

A fireball appeared behind Garu and it was too late for him to successfully avoid it.

"Earth Wall!"

Garu hurriedly moved his hands down with his index finger outstretched, creating an earth formation to make a wall from the ground to block the oncoming fireball.

*BANG*

The Earth Wall could only lessen the momentum of the Fireball before collapsing due to the sheer power of the Fireball during impact.

*Augh*

Garu could only helplessly watch as the Fireball smack his body. He tumbled a few feet back and was on the floor, grunting in pain.

"Don't tell me that's all you got?" A mocking voice sounded out from the dissipating smoke.

Garu slowly stood up and spat out some blood, "It seems I've underestimated you."

The smoke cleared out and Ash nonchalantly stood there looking at Garu's injured body. He initially panicked a bit due to his bounded legs but then he coated his legs with flames to burst open the bindings.

"Earth Spike!"

Garu joined his hands together, creating numerous spikes from the ground before launching themselves towards Ash.

"Fire Bullet!"

Ash pointed his hands at the incoming spikes and bullets made of fire shot out from his fingertips. The fire bullets shattered the spikes, cancelling each other out.

Ash didn't stop shooting and the bullets made its way towards Garu. Garu conjured up another Earth Wall to stop constant bombardment of the fire bullets. Knowing that this would be a stalemate, Ash stopped shooting more fire bullets.

"You're dead now!" Garu menacingly said before raising his arms. A spinning water ball slowly formed, gradually getting bigger and bigger.

"I'm getting bored." Ash said while looking at Garu taking his time.

He simply pointed his palm at Garu and muttered, "Fire...Dragon!"

A dragon made of fire emerged from Ash's palm, flying straight towards Garu who was in the midst of conjuring his final attack.

"NOOOOOO!"

Garu helplessly roared in rage as he watched the Fire Dragon advancing closer and finally it struck him on the center of his body, sending him flying away out of the platform. The large spinning water ball dissipated and Garu was knocked out unconscious with smoke rising from his badly injured body.

*Match Winner - Ash Frudae!*

-Back at the waiting lobby-

*Swoosh*

Ash reappeared dusting off his shoulders and stood amongst the group with an annoyed face.

"Nice one, Ash." Ray praised him and Algo gave Ash a jelly bean.

"So, what took you so long?" Bryan jokingly jeered him.

Ignoring Bryan, Ash turned to Lobian, Khai and Kaya and said with a slight bow, "I'm sorry but I need some privacy with my brothers."

"No problem!" Lobian respected it along with Khai and Kaya nodding. The group of brothers distanced themselves until they were sure no one would hear or eavesdrop them.

"What's up, Ash?" Ray was curious.

"Yeah, this is so unlike you." Bryan was confused.

"You saw my opponent right?" Ash asked to confirm.

"Yeah, that white furry ape." Algo said with the others nodding.

"It seems he was targeting me or maybe all of us." Ash said.

"What?" Bryan was even more confused.

"He somehow knew that I am from Planet Earth and he wanted to utterly humiliate and severely injure me." Ash explained.

"That fucking dickface!" Ray uttered angrily.

"Then he definitely isn't acting alone. He should probably be in a group." Asif spoke up.

"But why would someone target us?" Algo confusedly asked.

"Yeah, it makes no sense. We haven't done anything." Bryan said while trying to think of the possibilities.

"What if it isn't exactly us but Planet Earth they're going after?" Algo assumed aloud. The rest stayed silent.

"Algo could be right. If they knock us out, then we won't be able to get the protection reward from the Aeron Empire. So their goal is to knock us out early as possible to guarantee their success of plundering our world." Ash interpreted.

"And they're just the henchmen. There must be someone above them leading all of this." Bryan said.

"Well guys, looks like we got ourselves into a dangerous situation. All I know is that we will literally beat the shit out of anyone who dares even think of doing anything to Earth." Ash shrugged.

"From observing your fight, your opponent was weak. So I can only assume that his teammates are on the same level or maybe a bit higher." Asif briefly observed.

"Regardless, they'll get fucked by us." Ray said with an intense stare.

"Now, the only problem is, are they the only group targeting us?" Algo carefully asked. The rest frowned immediately.

"There's no point wracking our brains about it now. When the time comes, we'll show them what we're made of." Ash confidently said.

"Yeah, a bag of dicks." Bryan butted in.

"Eat my dick!" Ash gave him the double finger. The brothers then went and joined back with the others.

"Everything all good?" Kaya asked Ray.

Ray smiled and said, "Yeah, just a minor mishap. Don't worry about it."

"Guys?" Ash called out.

"Yeah?" Bryan responded.

"I found his teammates." Ash said while pointing at a certain direction. They all turned and saw four creatures bearing a striking resemblance to Ash's opponents.

"Don't they look similar to the opponent that you just fought, Ash?" Lobian asked.

"Yes, they do." Ash replied.

"Are you okay, Ray?" Kaya was concerned.

Ray was frowning and his fist was clenched, feeling the anger bubbling up in him. Bryan noticed and walked over to him and patted his shoulder.

"Don't do it."