Chapter 2: To The Elemental Free-For-All!

-Flashback-

(Sawano was training nonstop at eight years old.)

"Sawano's Master: Remember Sawano, what you carry within yourself is something that you cannot let be taken from you. EVER. Do you understand?"
"Sawano: Yes master!"
"Sawano's Master: Hmm.. You are ready. I shall teach you..-"

(He'd stop thinking and pause for a second but kept looking down."

-Present-

"Tsuka: Hey Sawano! You coming?!"
"Sawano: Huh? Coming!"

(As he caught up with them, he ran into one of his classmates as they both fell down.)

"Sawano: Sorry about that, you ok..?"
"???: I think so, I can hardly see where I'm going. Sorry!"
"Sawano: No worries. You look familiar!"
"???: Sawano?!
"Sawano: Akira?! It's been so long!"
"Akira: Yeah, It has! Check it out, I'm star twelve and I'm on page one!"
"Sawano: I didn't know that!!"
"Akira: Well, ya know me. A guy's got to train to a new level!"
"Sawano: Yeah, hey you're coming to the Free-For-All this Saturday?"
"Akira: You bet! I heard about you entering it, good luck bro!"

(Sawano then smiles at him.)

"Sawano: Thanks man!"

(As the two days pass by without any delays or any enemy attacks, Sawano walks to the stadium with the other fighters, looking at the large crowd of spectators. He'd go inside and begin getting his final training moments in as several other competitors looked at him. Sawano then took a deep breath as he was ready to fight without backing out.)

"I can do this. I'll try not to lose..."
"Akari: Sawano!"
(He'd turn around as he saw everyone there, watching him.)
"Sawano: You guys..."
"Referee: We're about to begin, people!"
"Announcer: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WELCOME TO THE SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY SECOND ELEMENTAL... FREE FOR ALL!!

(Everyone cheers in excitement for the free for all.)

"Sawano: Let's do this..!"
"Announcer: WE ARE HERE ONCE AGAIN TO FIND OUT WHO'LL BE THE STRONGEST IN THIS FREE-FOR-ALL! AS THE GRAND PRIZE IS FOUR MILLION YEN!"
(All fighters in the ring were then ready with their weapons and elements set for combat.)

"Announcer: QUESTION IS WHO WILL BE THE LAST ONE STANDING?!"
"???: Mind if I take a seat?"

(Kenta then looked right next to him to see one of the strongest among the Elemental Division's fighters, Angel.)

"Kenta: Empress Angel! Not at all, help yourself."
"Angel: Thank you and just call me Angel from now on, I'm not an empress."
"Kenta: Retired huh?"
"Angel: No, I resigned. Being an empress got too boring."
"Kenta: Been there- Oh its beginning!"
"Referee: READY..."

(The fighters would stare off one another as Sawano does the same.)

"Referee: BEGIN!"

(They all would then roar and charge after one another as blows and explosions echoed throughout the stadium and the crowd screamed with more excitement. Sawano battles in a three on one and keeps his ground.)

"Tsuka: Where's Sawano?!"
"Botan: Over there! Battling the big guys!"

(Sawano kept his cool and followed his pattern, avoiding and countering their attacks.)

"Fighter: This guy is unlike any martial artist I have fought. How does it even make sense?"
"Sawano: It's all about balance and training!"

(He'd sense the sneak attack and flip to avoid it.)

"Fighter #2: No way! How the hell did he sense that?"
"Sawano: Your aura is being sensed publicly. Maybe I feel a bit bad for holding back.."

(Sawano pulls his original fighting stance and begins to go on the offensive.)

"Fighter #3: GAH! HE'S MINE!"

(Sawano and the axe-welder fights as Sawano would keep dodging and evading his attacks as he's faster than the three of them. He'd then eliminate two fighters later on as he vanishes and appears behind the last fighter and knocks him unconscious with one chop to his neck pulse and kicks the unlucky fighter to the outside.)

"Announcer: THREE ELIMINATIONS FROM THE NEWCOMER SAWANO!"
"Dalton: WAY TO GO MAN!"
"Edea: THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!"
"Angel: Sawano huh? Interesting..."
"Sawano: Adversaries like them are worth watching out for..."

(Sawano then sensed multiple fast moving water serpents which was targeted towards Sawano as he then avoided them all and gave his focus towards the enemy.)

"Ash: Impressive, you might be a worthy foe. My name's Ash of the High Commission. You must be the Sawano I've heard about."
"Sawano: Correct, while we're on the topic. They did mention a powerful water elemental in this Free-For-All, guess you were the guy?"
"Ash: Indeed, I was watching your first battle against those three. They are middle-class fighters, you have more experience it seems. Sawano, I hereby challenge you to a one on one duel, I wish to see your true power. Don't hold back so bring me everything you've got."

(Sawano gets in stance, ready for combat.)

"Sawano: As you wish. I won't go easy."

(Both men enter a standoff before charging at one another, Ash using his sword to slash Sawano but he'd counter and dodge with every reversal he can think of off his feet.)

"Kenta: Well would you look at that, Ash is in the match."
"Chimon: Which reminds me, who's watching the stadium?
"Kenta: Ah don't worry Sumizaki, Konnor & Frederick are watching the stadium."
"Akari: Ash?"
"Kenta: Ash is one of the strongest High Commission fighters. He's quite talented with a blade
and he's been itching for a real fight. So Sawano could achieve his wish."
"Akari: Yeah, but the one thing we know about him. He doesn't know when to quit."
"Kenta: I'm aware. His speed and strength are compatible with Ash."

(They'd continue fighting as both men do not break a sweat then his swords clash with his Sawano's armored gauntlets.)

"Ash: Throughout all my opponents, neither has survived against me for this long. Except you, Sawano. You're indeed worthy to see me at my full power!"

(They'd both separate on opposite sides of the ring.)

"Sawano: Finally, let's kick things up a notch."

(As several fighters had been eliminated, one hundred and sixty three fighters remained, including Sawano and Ash. Water begins to explode from geysers that appear at the ring's corners and Ash begins to transform. Ash's water freezes itself into armor becoming twice as indestructible as regular armor.)

"Ash: This is my Oceanic Armor. Twice as durable as my regular armor!"
"Sawano: Cute, yet clever. As for you. It's time I revealed my blade.. COME FORTH AT ONCE!

(Sawano raises his hand high into the air as several markings appeared on the ground and explodes a massive amount of his elemental power which was revealed to be fire. Sawano is then seen gripping the spawned HellBlazer then slashes away the wall of flames.)

"Sawano: This is my blade.. HellBlazer!"
"Ash: Now things are getting fun..!"

(Both men return to combat this time much faster and stronger too. Ash and Sawano keep fighting as things get more intense.)

"Kenta: So Sawano's a fire elemental?"
"Chimon: I figured he wouldn't say what his element is so I assumed he'd show us personally up close if things got interesting to his tastes."

(Dalton then though of something weird.)

"Dalton: Something's not right."

(Akari looks at Dalton, confused.)

"Dalton: Sawano has elemental power now yes... But now why am I sensing a larger power inside him? Also, isn't it very weird that his fire isn't become vaporized by the water?" 
"Akari: ...That is weird...!"
"Dalton: What if Sawano's flames is a coverup..? Could this mean a dangerous element?!"

(Sawano then dodges another water serpent from Ash as he'd land a large cut on his Oceanic Armor and had Ash back away from Sawano.)

"Ash: Impressive... even when you're holding back a lot of power, you've managed to land a hit on me. You're more than just a worthy opponent. What also impresses me is your flames, how are they not burnt out? Either way, it's time to get serious!"

(Ash began to go all out as he launched a barrage of water spears and arrows towards him.)

"Sawano: Time to use my defense!"

(He'd vanish faster than the naked eye can see, dodging every single attack.)

"Sawano: Incursed Shadow!"
"Announcer: WITH OVER FIFTY FIGHTERS REMAIN IN THIS FREE-FOR-ALL, THE ATTENTION IS GOING ON TO SAWANO VS ASH AND THINGS ARE PICKING UP!"
"Akari: Incursed Shadow?"
"Dalton: A custom move, but with the way things are picking up Sawano has a chance of-"

(Explosions are heard outside the stadium, causing Sawano to lose focus and ends up stabbed by a few spears which causes his flames to die out.)

"Sawano: GAH...!"
"Tsuka: Oh no!"

(He'd fall on one knee as he suffered the damage and the water began to wash out his flames.)

"Kenta: Konnor, report what's going on out there?"
"Konnor: It's the terrorists of the order! They're trying to get into the stadium!"
"Kenta: Damn it.. Sumizaki, Frederick! Get to Konnor's side, we got attackers trying to get into the stadium!"
"Both: ON IT!"

(Sawano got up and began to fight again, the sizzling of his flame remains as Ash comes in for a direct slash through him.)

"Akari: ....!"
"Ash: You were a formidable enemy. You fought well, Sawano, but you cannot stay in this Free-For-All any longer."

(He charges his water blade for one final slash.)

"Ash: This ends now! The Sea Of Shadows: Relic Rush!"
(Then Ash dashes towards Sawano with his blade ready to strike until Sawano gets up with his red and black eye exposed.)
"Sawano: LIKE HELL IT DOES!"

(Ash gasps then loses focus due to his right eye as Sawano forcefully grabs his armor then trips and punches deeply into the ring with his fist engulfed in flames. The debris quickly scatters, then Ash appears lying on the ring floor, knocked unconscious inside a crater.)

"Sawano: Let me make myself clear, I might've been down but I'm not out.. and I don't fall down to anyone!"

(The crowd roars in excitement as Sawano began to regenerate his wounds.)

"Tsuka & Akari: WAY TO GO!!!!"
"Announcer: WHAT A POWERFUL TAKEDOWN BY SAWANO!! ASH IS OUT AND DONE FOLKS!"
"Edea: Wait..!"

(Tsuka sees a fast figure moving to take out multiple fighters in its path then charges towards Sawano which triggered everyone else to warn him.)

"Tsuka: SAWANO LOOK OUT!!!"

(The fast moving figure quickly stabs Sawano through his chest as he barely had a chance to turn around but was revealed to be Crystalline.)

"Crystalline: Checkmate.."

(She'd drop Sawano and tossed his motionless, bleeding body around and Akari begins to cry a bit to what just happened in front of everyone.)

"Akira: No.. Sawano.."
"Klaus: Did... She just..-"
"Toni: Kill him...?"

(Tsuka stood watching as she was silent the whole time.)

"Chimon: He's still alive."

(Sawano coughs up a pile of blood, somehow still alive and he begins to get up as the crowd begins to cheer once again after silence.)

"Crystalline: Kid.. don't get up.. You know I have to kill you to finish this you know? And consider this your final breath, you're out of luck going up against someone like me. Ash may have done the hard part but now.. All I've got to do..."

(She'd walk towards the weakened Sawano and start blasting him across the ring which made him lose an awful lot of blood.)

"Sawano(Thinking): Why.. Why does this always happen..? I'd always get made fun of, I'd always be beaten to a pulp... I'd always have my friends look out for me.."

(He'd remember a tiny bit more of his memories with his friends until the day he and his sister were separated.)

"Crystalline: I'LL FINISH YOU RIGHT HERE!"
"Sawano: No one.."

(His aura glowed black to red as he powered up in intense fury, remembering his sister's final words before separation.)

"NO ONE.. understands what I went through... THE PAIN I'VE SUFFERED... I swore to myself and my father, I WILL NEVER LOSE.."
(The crowd saw Sawano's aura as they were surprised to wonder what would happen next.)
"Crystalline: SAY YOUR PRAYERS KID! DANCE OF THE THOUSAND SHARDS!"
"Sawano(Aloud): AND I.."
"Crystalline: RAAAHHHHH!!!"
"Sawano: WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU!!!"

(A massive shockwave has formed, knocking the shards back and Crystalline and shaking the entire stadium as Sawano screams in intense rage his entire body becomes engulfed in flames. Everyone started in shock at the full extent of his rage-fueled element.)

"Akari: SAWANO?!!?"
"Chimon: ...!!"
"Kenta: Holy.. sh-"
"Dalton: What is that..?"
"Tsuka: ..."
"Crystalline: HIS POWER JUST SHOT THROUGH THE ROOF.. NO..!"

(Sawano launches himself in the air, casting a tornado of fire then he'd begin to transform as every single one of his veins were turning black then his entire right side of his face turned black with his right eye completely red.)

"Sawano(Beast): I'll finish you.. YOU'LL DIE HERE."

(Sawano and Crystalline battle in a jaw-dropping fight as Sawano continues fighting back but suddenly began striking faster and harder per attack he delivers towards Crystalline. Konnor, Sumizaki and Frederick continues fighting off the Encursed Elements outside of the stadium then Chimon gets up and completely stares at the fight as gusts of wind was able to reach the stadium seating which did not bother him one bit.)

"Kenta: What is this..?"
"Chimon: Sawano was hiding this...?"
"Tsuka: Sawano's element.. This isn't just fire, this is something far more deadlier than that..."

(Kenta watched in full amazement.)

"Crystalline: AHHHHH!!! I'LL END YOU!"

(Sawano and Crystalline fight all over the arena into the clouds where thunder and lightning boom from within the dark clouds. Crystalline swings her sword at Sawano but he'd melt it into a liquid with immense heat being released from his aura then he grabs Crystalline then dives at full power back to the ring.)

"Crystalline: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU..?!"
"Sawano(Beast): What am I..?"
(Sawano charges his fist into a powerful blast.)
"Sawano(Beast): WHAT AM I..? I AM THE GUY WHO WILL BLOW YOU TO HELL! INFERNO THRUST!!!"

(He'd punch a combustible blast into Crystalline's face as the entire ring shines brightly then explodes as a whole wall of debris builds and a massive wall of flames appear from the ring and explode across the arena which scared almost all of the spectators. The debris then later on clears out as Sawano was revealed to continue his brutal assault on the brutally defeated and beaten Crystalline by punching her repeatedly as blood continued to be splattered which also left her unconscious and closer to death. The crowd stares in shock as Sawano continues but later on stops then suddenly powers down but collapses as the fighters stopped and stood there in fear of what they just witnessed.)

"Announcer: We need medicals on the field ASAP...!"