Chapter 31: The Ninjala Tournament Elite Stage!

2 days had passed and on Monday, the Elite Stage begins and it take effect after school.

In class, "Only 3 students made it to the Elite Stage, Kappei, Emma and Davis. Give them a round of applause." Sensei Tatsu announced as all cheered for them.

"Do your best guys!" Vega told them.

"Yeah! You got this!" said Archie.

"Alright now, it's time for class." Sensei Tatsu announced but everyone groaned about it. "What. Was. That?" He asked with a strict face and everyone took out their books.

"Much better." He then began the lesson in which its mostly revision.

Elite Stage...

"Welcome to the Elite Stage! From the 20 blocks, the 20 ninjas survived and are to be pitted against each other in a one-on-one battle! 3 minutes to defeat each other and the winner advances to the Finale Stage!" Coach Spruce announced as at the bleachers, all the freshmen have gathered to watch their peers battle it out.

"On the scoreboard, it'll show us the match-ups. Yeah don't worry, it was reprogrammed for this one." Coach Spruce announced and soon enough on screen, shuffling took effect and 10 seconds later, "DING!"

"No way...I'm going against Ryotarou?!" Emma could not believe her eyes as the fortuneteller snickered in amusement.

"Whoa! It's me versus you bro!" Davis told Kappei.

"I've been waiting for the day to come! Let's do this!" He replied back and they fist bump each other.

"And with the match-ups decided, let the Elite Stage begin!" Coach Spruce announced as all cheered for it.

Match 1

The first match begins with the female student with the electrokinesis power against the other female student with the phantom power. The phantom is summoned to frighten her but she closed her eyes and shocked the entire inner section zapping her opponent by surprise and because of that, she's defeated.

"Nanami of Class 1-H wins the match!" Coach Spruce announced.

Match 2

The second match is between the gatling cannon student, Gunner and the student from Class 1-K. Once ready, the female student slammed the ground and a Fortress Wall made out of stone emerged.

"Piece of cake." Gunner morphed his right arm and reduced the wall into rubble in seconds and blasted the student out.

"Gunner of Class 1-G wins the match!" Coach Spruce announced and he roared in victory and fired his weapon in the air. A flock of birds soon fell around him dead. "Oops." He exclaimed sheepishly.

Match 3

The blazing speedster student easily won the match by blazing around his opponent and she was unable to get close and electrocute him and at the right time, "SHING!"

"Reiji of Class 1-D wins the match!" Coach Spruce announced as he cheered and blazed around in victory.

Match 4

The griffin student versus the werewolf student. In a summarized way, the griffin student won the match thanks to his size, strength and ferocity. The werewolf student didn't stand a chance.

"Tyrone of Class 1-F wins the match!"

Match 5

"Okay...I'm next." Emma knew this fight will be a challenge as she got into the inner section. "POOF!" A smokebomb took effect revealing Ryotarou. "This, is going to be so entertaining..."

They drew their Iaitos and got into their fighting stance. Once ready, Emma charged but Ryotarou used his fan and unleashed a powerful, magical force pushing her back as she fell. Grabbing her weapon, she jumped up for an attack but he smiled and, "TING!"

"The divine shield around me is active." He thought as Emma could see that her weapon hit something invisible. "What is going on?" She thought and was pushed back. "AH!"

Getting up, she charged again while doing some dance moves and even jumped over to flank him but he took action and pointed his fan at her and she felt herself floating in the middle of her jump. "What is going on?!" She wondered and, "BAM!" She ended up slammed on the ground as at the bleachers, Kappei observed the fight with concern as Emma got up. "Huh...you're still determined to fight me even though you're at a disadvantage..." Ryotarou thought as Emma charged again and same thing, was pushed back.

She then charged again and as she tried to flank him on the left side, he lifted her and threw her back. Same action when she tries to do the same thing on the right. "Why continue to fight me? You sure don't back down easily..." Ryotarou thought as Emma observed him. "What should I do...how will I defeat him..."

She then closed her eyes and cleared her mind. "I need to feel the flow...the rhythm...the melody...the groove..." She then opened her eyes and started dancing around while approaching him. Ryotarou set his eyes on her movement pattern but, "Grrr...too many dance moves. Fancy and elegant...grrr...what is going?!"

Emma continued dancing and even paused for a headspin. All at the bleachers watched in awe even Kappei and Gumchi. Even the senseis and Coach Spruce were speechless as back there, "I got you!" Emma danced some more and then, flipped herself over and Ryotarou realized it. She swung her Iaito at him and it was a direct hit.

"Nice! Finish him Emma!" Kappei cheered but back there, "It seems I have underestimated you. Now I know why you were dancing around..." Ryotarou got serious and created his magic pentacle as it enlarged itself and Emma is inside it. "You came this far Emma. But it's all over now!" Ryotarou then tapped his Iaito on the ground via the tip and the pentacle glowed and, "IOOOOOOOM!"

"EMMA!" Kappei shouted and soon enough, she's seen lying on the arena floor defeated and out of the inner section.

"Ryotarou of Class 1-B wins the match! And with that, we'll take a 15 minute break and after that, we'll settle the remaining 5 matches!" Coach Spruce announced as Kappei made his way to her. When he got there, he helped her up. "Emma...how are you feeling?"

"Kappei...I wish I was...a lot stronger..." Emma replied as she lay herself on him. "If only..."

"Cheer up Emma. You did great." Kappei told her. "No matter what kind of power you have, you're always a true ninja."

She felt peace from him as she smiled some more even resting her head on him when, "Dude. Some show you're putting." Orion called out to Kappei as he, Kitou and Davian snickered at this. It was at that moment that Emma realized her actions and panicked as she ended up pushing Kappei away as he fell onto the field. "KSH!"

"Ow...was that necessary?" He asked as he got up. "S-Sorry!" She hurried away so flustered that she went to the female restrooms.

Match 6

The student with the pocket dimension power really is packed as he unveiled various weapons and gimmicks enough to destroy all kinds of earth creations from the geokinetic student. This was difficult for him and after a while, he lost.

"Baron of Class 1-C wins the match!" Coach Spruce announced and he drank a large soda.

Match 7

The wild vine student had an easily victory as her vines went into a frenzy, tangling the Class 1-E student to negate his shuffling power.

"Victoria of Class 1-J wins this match!" Coach Spruce announced.

Match 8

Alec is in this match and his opponent is the one with the eyeball that he just spawned. He fired a colour ray at his eyeball but it was ineffective. In response, the eyball analyzed Alec and then, "I think victory is mine. Eye of Accuracy!" The student ordered and the eyeball fired lasers. Alec dodged a few but the eyeball fired at a faster rate now as soon enough, "KSH!"

"Isaiah of Class 1-K wins the match!" Coach Spruce announced as he smiled in victory while Alec felt down. "Damn...I gotta train harder." He thought to himself as he looked at the bleachers to see Ryotarou nod at him. "You did well Alec." He thought as he fanned himself a bit.

Match 9

The kinetic energy student imbued energy on his blade and unleashed his kinetic waves on his opponent which is the student from Class 1-C as she created Energy Rings around her arms and launched them all. Energy attacks clash and collide for some time until the winner has been decided.

"Sylvester of Class 1-E wins the match!" Coach Spruced announced. "And now, the last match is on!"

Match 10

"Finally mate. It's our turn and this time, we'll finish what we started!" Davis told Kappei as they entered the inner section.

"Davis. Wanna make this a match an honourable one?"

"In what way?"

"We fight without our powers. We duel head on!" Kappei suggested.

"I like the sound of that! Reminds of that movie I saw."

"I know. Well then, may thy blade slash and strike!"

"Nice one! May thy blade slash and strike!"

The 2 got ready and once the signal is given, they charged and clashed their Iaitos onto each other. All watched as they unleashed their full strength.

"They seem evenly matched!" Jeong described.

"Their speed, agility, reflexes and power are something!" said Archie.

"They ain't holding back also!" said Cruz.

Back there, Kappei found an opening and struck Davis. He got up, dodged an attack and struck him on the thigh. They clashed some more and then, Kappei struck on the right arm and Davis struck him on the left arm. This fight without using their awakened powers went on for 2 minutes as all continued observing their moves. Now they're starting to tire out.

"Still good to go?" Davis asked.

"I got plenty more moves left!" Kappei replied.

They smiled with respect and charged for more swordplay even using reverse grip. Everyone was moved by their honour and respect to each other to the point that cheering took effect.

"Wow! Their fight sure is inspiring! Some cheering for Kappei, others cheering for Davis and me and the 10 senseis here are twitching because we can't decide who to cheer for!" Coach Spruce and literally, he and the senseis are twitching as they looked at each other wondering who to cheer for.

Only 30 seconds left and by now, Kappei and Davis are nearly exhausted. "Just like before, one last strike to end this!" So they got ready and charged through each other!

All watched as they did it and at that moment, "Ah...I lost..." Davis fell on the ground defeated.

"Kappei of Class 1-A wins the match! And that concludes the Elite Stage! Tomorrow is the Finale Stage and this is gonna be epic!" Coach Spruce announced and cheered at the same time.

"ALRIGHT! I'm in the Finale Stage!" Kappei cheered as he walked to Davis and gave him his hand. "Heh. The win is yours. For now. Because when we duel again, I'll be the one to take the win!" Davis told him. "Also, all the best and win this for our class mate!"

"You bet I will!" Kappei and Davis then shared a hug as everyone applauded for their honourable fight. And with that, the Elite Stage is concluded. "Also, our fated battle is near...I can feel it...the future has already been decided..." Ryotarou thought with confidence.

Aftermath...

"So these are the 10 finalists entering the Finale Stage..." Principal Bingram observed the results from his personal computer in his office and he noticed Kappei. "The one with the ancient power...how will you fare on this one? Hmmm..."

"Looking forward to it." Vice-Principal McKenna stated.

"Indeed." He agreed as he saved some of his files and documents in the PC, shut it down and they left the office for school day is over.

20 ninjas entered the elite stage and now, 10 ninjas enter the finale stage.

I even made a Dune reference. Not the part 1, but the part 2. Pretty epic the 2 movies are.

Next up is the finale stage where there'll be plenty of action, awakened power usages and the fated battle that Ryotarou predicted...