Lucas studied his opponent and found himself quite lucky.
Out of the 8 contestants who were able to qualify for round 8, only 3 of them were in 3-Star rank including him and the rest all were in 4-Star.
And luckily the opponent that was Lucas facing currently was at the peak of 3-Star. Not that it matters.
Lucas didn't take his enemy lightly since his opponent was able to reach till this round and went all out from the beginning.
A loud sound was heard and like a flash, two silhouettes collided with each other.
Lucas's opponent mainly used fists and wore gauntlets and threw fists after fists at Lucas.
Lucas slid through the ground and avoided the fists that were thrown after him.
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM
Each of his punches created a small sonic blast as if a loud drum were beaten and the air before him emitted a crackling sound each time his opponent punched.
Lucas threw wind blades to counter the punches.
Both the pressure of punches and wind blades collided creating a chain of small blasts.
Lucas somersaulted and took a few steps back and gain some distance.
He lighted a fireball in his hand and threw it in the air. The fireball flew and reached over his head and burst into many small flames which hovered over him.
Ivan frowned as he pondered what was going on but he didn't let his guard down and raised his hands.
The mini fireball started to rotate in the mid-air and became a spindle-shaped bullet and emitting a crackling sound, he followed Lucas's command.
"Go!" Lucas spoke.
And as if all the fireballs heed his call and obeyed his command, they fall and started to accelerate toward Ivan and shot like bullets.
"Shit!" Ivan cursed as he saw the speed of the incoming fireball.
His right hand started to envelop with a white hue and his gauntlets started to shine as he poured all his energy into them.
All his mana burst through his body and all his body emitted a might pressure.
"Super Punch."
Raising his right arm and contracting it to his limit and propelling his weight forward, he punched at the incoming attack before him.
A huge fist crystallized in the air which materialised into the shape of a whitish fist and it shot towards the fireballs.
BUUUUM!
The thousand tiny bullets that were hurled in Ivan's direction suddenly felt an obstruction and a huge force hit them and they were blown away by the might punch.
The air before Ivan was seemed to split and torn apart by the punch as a concentrated mass of pressure was shot toward the bullet which not only neutralized all the bullets that came in his way but a part of the remaining momentum of the punch which still lingered, shot towards Lucas.
Lucas's eyeball narrowed and he made a quick draw and he slashed horizontally and a golden arc of light appeared and collided with the part of the pressure which was shot by Ivan's fist and completely neutralise it.
Ivan breathed the air of relief and put his weight onto his legs and propelling his weight forward, he moved toward Lucas's direction like a boxer, he shot jabs, cuts, and fists one after another like a pro boxer showing all his techniques along with the footwork as he danced on the ring.
CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!CLANG
Ivan didn't want to provide Lucas any more chances to fire his skill and decided to engage in close combat with him.
As the voice of metal collision reverberated across the arena. Many small cracks and signs of footprints that were dug on the arena appeared.
Lucas who was in defending position suddenly changes the grip of his sword by tilting it upside down and covering his sword with a golden hue, he slashed it at Ivan.
BANG!
Strong hair brushed part Ivan as Lucas's sword collided with his gauntlets and with a deafening sound, a pressure gushed out from two directions after their collision.
Ivan was pushed back a few steps. Ivan's eyes narrowed and he frowned as he saw a small dent on the knuckles of the gauntlet and he looked at Lucas with disbelief.
Lucas who was in his fighting stance lowered his sword and dropped his shoulders much to Ivan's surprise and he muttered: "Ivan, it's over."
Ivan's burrows furrowed as he looked at Lucas with a weird gaze and asked"What do you mean it's over?"
"I haven't lost till now nor have I surrendered?" Ivan spoke raising both of his fists thinking that Lucas was playing some trick.
"Our match is only beginning now." Ivan put a smile as he thought Lucas was taunting him and trying to distract him from the match but he wasn't the one to fall for these cheap tricks.
Lucas sighed and told Ivan to look up.
Ivan subconsciously raised his head and looked up and shouted.
"What the hell!" Ivan exclaimed with mixed feelings of horror and surprise.
He looked up to see thousands of fireballs hovering around his head and were spinning rapidly.
And if it wasn't enough and he looked around to see mini small fire bullets hovering in the air, behind him.
He was covered with fireballs from all around and from all directions which were waiting for Lucas's order to come crashing down on him, just with a command and he would find himself rained with a fireball.
A deep sigh escaped from his lips. Even though he would be able to take care of one side there was still a fireball in another direction and if it wasn't enough he had to still face this monster.
Even Roman failed to defeat him. Roman can beat him with one hand still he failed to defeat Lucas.
Ivan raised his hand and spoke, "I surrender."
Lucas nodded his head and turned to leave the stage when he heard a voice"Hey, don't lose in the semifinal. It would look bad on me if you lose."
Lucas chuckled on hearing his words and spoke"Of course. Don't worry. I don't plan on losing from the beginning."
.......
With this, the 8 round was over and it was time for the most anticipated and heated battle.
The Semifinal whose approaching was enough to shake Cyprus.
Moreover, within 3 4-Star, a boy with mid-3-Star making it up there surely raised everyone's expectation.
Lucas walked through the corridor while trying to act normal and ignore the heated gaze as much as possible.
While many looked at him with awe and admiration.
Some mud heads were looking at him with an angry and nasty gaze as if he had stolen their girlfriends.
Lucas trying to put up a stoic face quickly shoved them away and made his way into the room.
As he sat on the bed, a long sigh escaped from his mouth.
The atmosphere in the academy had changed so much that Lucas was barely finding anything recognizable.
Nearly nine months ago, when he entered the Academy, no one gave a shit about him but now he felt quite cumbersome as if every activity of him was being watched and monitored.
Even a simple sneeze from him is enough to start a heated discussion.
"So, this is how the limelight feels. Why do people find it quite pleasing, especially the nobles who are always looking for ways to get their names highlighted."
Thinking about this, Lucas chuckled.
All the nobles he had met recently were not arrogant or haughty like he thought them of.
Wilson, Briana and now Ivan. Lucas found them quite good and easy to interact with.
Yeah, except Roman.
Every time Lucas saw Roman after defeating him, that guy looks at him as if he is his blood nemesis.
Lucas can't shake off this eerie feeling that the boy is literally after his blood and may try something funny.
It may not now but that guy is likely to hold a grudge.
As Lucas was lost in wondering about the recent events, his phone rang suddenly.
Ring...Ring...Ring...
Lucas's eyes glowed suddenly and his expression became quite lax and happy and he picked up the phone.
"Hello mom, how are you?" Lucas asked with a happy tone.
"Oh! My baby, I am fine. How are you?"
"Do you know how sacred your mama is nowadays? Yesterday I saw a small clip of your fight and saw you reached the semi-final."
"Are you fine? Are you injured? Why did you even participate in the tournament in that weak body of yours?"
Lucas's lips twitched as he heard his mother rambling and scolding him and even asking him to forfeit if it is dangerous he thought 'Mom your son had reached the semi-final. He is not weak. Moreover isn't it a waste to forfeit after reaching here?"
Still, he was quite happy on hearing her worried voice. Previously he felt a knot in his heart that they were not his real parents but after his future self-explanation that origin of the soul is the same, he was able to see them properly as his parents.
After speaking about many things and sharing his recent experience in the Academy but hiding his atrocious deeds, he took her about his father.
"Mom, where is the father. I haven't received any words from him. You and he always fight to talk with me but I can't hear his voice." Lucas asked curiously.
"Yeah, your father is out of town for some work. That's why I took the opportunity to call otherwise he wouldn't let me have a proper conversation with my son."
Lucas paused for a moment and spoke"Mom, is there any trouble. Is this the reason you and father didn't come here?"
