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064 HxH: Tombbound Power
🕑 Added 2024-10-06 10:55:57 +0000 UTCIt can be said that among the many Floor Masters present, Sparka is indeed the strongest.
But...
Even with contestants that Hisoka doesn't take seriously, no matter how strong they are, they're still not on par with him.
...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the audience, eagerly anticipating the competition, arrived at the venue early in the morning, ready to cheer for their favorite fighters.
Once the official start time arrived, following the usual round of announcements and pleasantries, the match was declared open.
Following the competition's established order, Sparka was the first to enter the ring, and his fight ended quickly.
Ronnel, observing Sparka's combat style, noted how open and aggressive it was, marked by powerful hand-to-hand strikes. His entire fighting approach radiated wild strength, which garnered him a large fan base.
As Sparka easily defeated his opponent, the crowd, especially his fans, erupted into excited cheers. Amidst the noise, Sparka waved before stepping off the stage.
As he was returning to the staging area, he crossed paths with Ronnel, who was preparing for the next fight.
"Shingen-ryu disciple, don't lose now. I'm looking forward to facing you next!" Sparka said in passing, his gaze fixed ahead, not even glancing back at Ronnel.
Ronnel merely smiled, saying nothing in return.
Initially, Ronnel considered the encounter with Sparka a minor event, expecting to finish his match quickly and prepare for the semifinals, scheduled for five days later.
However, things didn't go as planned.
"Is Roquette here? If Roquette is present, please make your way to the stage!" The announcer girl sounded confused. This was the first time she had encountered a contestant who was late for the Battle Olympia.
No, if this goes on any longer, Roquette won't just be late—he'll be absent from the competition!
It wasn't just the announcer who was baffled. The officials of Heavens Arena were equally perplexed.
Typically, participants entered these tournaments for fame and fortune, and it was unheard of for someone to miss a fight.
But then again, Ronnel had proven to be an unexpected powerhouse, and his decisive, often fatal moves had scared more than a few contestants away.
Ronnel himself found the situation a bit ridiculous, as did the spectators.
In the waiting area, the Floor Master with silver hair and the Bandage Floor Master exchanged glances, clearly surprised by the day's events.
They had both expected Roquette to meet his end in the upcoming fight, but they hadn't anticipated that he'd run away from the match altogether.
Now, the Heavens Arena, furious over the absenteeism, was left wondering how to deal with the situation.
Roquette's absence was confirmed, and after a brief discussion, the announcer, smiling through her frustration, declared Ronnel the winner of the round by default, advancing him to the next stage.
This decision, of course, sparked boos and frustration among the audience.
However, their frustration wasn't directed at Ronnel, but at Roquette, the Heavens Arena officials, and the organizers of the Battle Olympia.
The fact that the Heavens Arena had failed to properly monitor the contestants' whereabouts left many questioning the professionalism of the tournament this year.
And so, amid the growing dissatisfaction of the crowd, Ronnel stepped off the stage, leaving the poor announcer to explain the situation to the irritated viewers both in the arena and watching at home.
Ironically, according to later reports, the match that Roquette missed turned out to have the highest ratings in the entire Battle Olympia.
This left the organizing committee, already dealing with backlash and ridicule, even more unsure about how to respond.
The next round of the tournament, the semifinals, was scheduled for five days later.
During these five days, Heavens Arena scrambled to mitigate the negative impact caused by Roquette's no-show, while also tightening its supervision over the remaining competitors.
Once bitten, twice shy, as they say.
However, this additional oversight led to a wave of protests, led primarily by Sparka and other fighters, causing a bit of turmoil.
In short, this year's Battle Olympia had turned into a mess.
Yet despite the chaos, the tournament had to continue. There was still honor to be earned and prizes to be won.
The looming showdown between Ronnel, who was quickly becoming the favorite among the new contestants, and Sparka, the reigning champion, raised the excitement level to new heights.
In an effort to restore the tournament's reputation, Heavens Arena spared no expense in promoting this match.
Though they paid a hefty price, the payoff was undeniable.
Across countless conversations, both online and offline, fans were calling the upcoming match between Ronnel and Sparka the most exciting and high-level fight of the entire festival.
As the controversy surrounding Roquette's absence began to fade, Heavens Arena breathed a sigh of relief, though they continued to search for Roquette.
Whether they found him or not, and how they dealt with the situation, is another story...
Five days flew by, and soon, it was time for the semifinals.
