Rafael also managed to land with a stable posture. However, his expression turned grim because this made it look like they were equal.
He was still a Tier 4 human, while his opponent was Tier 2. How could he actually accept this?
Both of them stared at each other. The crowd was cheering, but both of them were fully absorbed in the match.
There was only a battle between two men; the others were irrelevant.
Rafael and Jay came at each other again.
They first struck each other's blades. Jay used his speed to make the second swing faster, but this time, Rafael managed to block it completely.
After that, both of them swung their swords again. Jay tried to push forward, but the man before him was like a huge boulder standing in his way.
Their positions gradually shifted as Rafael began to dodge Jay's attack in order to find a gap.
On the other hand, Jay started moving one step after another, adjusting his position so that he would remain faster in the clash.
At one point, Jay positioned himself next to a pillar as if planning to reduce Rafael's strike with that pillar.
However, Rafael simply swung his sword without hesitation, crushing the pillar. Unfortunately for him, Jay had taken a step back, causing the falling pillar to stand between them.
That was when Jay swung his sword, cutting through the pillar, only to be blocked by Rafael's shield.
Rafael pushed forward with his shield, causing Jay to step to the side to avoid his charge.
After that, he spun his body and used the momentum to strike Rafael's back.
Rafael hit the ground with his shield and actually used it to stop his momentum. After that, he twisted his body and swung his blade from above, pushing Jay's sword down.
"The match is going intense. Both Rafael and Jay are trying to overwhelm each other. They are using all of their strength to find a gap in the opposite party. However, none of them is giving up!" Shion explained, feeling the intensity that couldn't be described. She could only understand it after watching their fight.
It felt like they exchanged more than a slash. Even the stadium gradually became silent as if they had become more absorbed in the match.
Jay kept swinging his swords while not letting Rafael injure him. The same applied to Rafael. He had done a lot of things, but Jay simply knew when to advance and retreat.
He even struck the pillar and smashed the rock with his shield to launch it at Jay, but the latter simply showed no opening.
On the other hand, Jay remained unscathed no matter how many tricks Rafael had in his sleeve.
However, the referees noticed one thing. While a beast soul often didn't look much different than a person's normal movement, it was still easily visible.
Just like Jay's top speed that needed the Dire Wolf Beast Soul, there was a significant difference when they were used.
Yet no beast soul had been used in this match. This fight felt like both of them were trying to understand each other through their swords.
Still, they had destroyed more than ten pillars just to test each other.
The center part of the arena had become a mess. The referees couldn't help but wonder when they chose to get serious.
They continued exchanging blows after blows until a full five minutes had passed.
To everyone's surprise, both Rafael and Jay actually jumped back to gain some distance from each other.
Rafael and Jay were staring at each other. No one was saying anything, but both of them seemed to understand each other.
Jay might have been quite aggressive, but he was actually holding back so that he had enough to avoid the shield. On the other hand, Rafael had been playing it safe because that might eventually lead to his victory.
However, both of them knew that this method was the most boring. In the end, they would decide this battle according to their stamina.
If Rafael continued this way, he would be ridiculed after they let Libation Fiesta advance to the finals. After all, it would make him look like a coward. If he wanted to avoid the backlash from the crowd, he had to either overpower Jay or win heroically. During the exchanges, he realized that the former was impossible.
That was why he had no other choice but to do that.
Rafael exhaled a long breath before dropping his shield. He had gathered his resolve.
The people were confused by that action, but Jay actually smiled as if he had been waiting for it the entire time.
"Your Libation Fiesta is strong. You, too, are strong, Jay Havenson. However, I have to win this match no matter what. It's not about competition or pride. I have to fulfill my duty as the protector of the future generation of this city." Rafael held his sword with both hands.
"I know that. But I also have a reason to win… If I can't defeat you, I don't think I will be able to chase that person anymore." Jay raised his blade, his eyes containing a reminiscence of a person's back… his best friend's back.
"In that case, there's nothing to say anymore. We don't need the boring fight anymore." Rafael's expression turned grim.
"Yeah. Let our blades speak for us… Let's settle this." Jay nodded.
The audience sucked a cold breath, growing impatient.
Both of them once again rushed forward and struck each other.
The clicking sound echoed much louder than anything they had produced in the entire match.
All three referees knew by instinct. It was coming. The two contestants had finally gotten serious.
At the same time, Jay and Rafael passed each other as if nothing had happened. But a second later, a wound appeared on Jay's right forehead and Rafael's left shoulder at the same time as though both of their swords finally managed to reach each other.