AWVW : CC : The Fighter

After a long wait, the semi-finals finally arrive.

"We're finally here, folks! The real show is about to begin!" Beidou bellowed out, a wide smile on her face as she slammed her greatsword into the ground, the vibrations riveting across the arena.

Kazuha, who stood next to Lumine as they both waited for the match, smiled. 

"Hehe... the captain seems to have high hopes for this tournament. I have not seen her so excited in quite some time."

He turned towards her, eyes growing serious as he began to talk about Lumine's opponent. 

"Your opponent has fought many rounds to get to the semi-finals. This makes him a seasoned warrior. You may well be stronger than him, but this should not give you cause to lower your guard."

"I won't."

Kazuha nodded. "Very well. Show me that you are ready to push through the storm that lies ahead."

Beidou, who had hopped off the stage and made her way to the two, tapped her foot impatiently.

"Alright, that's enough chit-chat for now. The audience is waiting. Go find the crew member that signed you up, she'll take you into the arena."

Lumine and Paimon easily found Zhuhan who was waiting for them by the ring.

"Your opponent in the semi-finals is new to The Crux Clash, but he has quickly become one of the two dark horses of the tournament. I do not doubt your abilities, but I would suggest that you make sure you are fully prepared before you begin."

Paimon chuckled before donning a smug look.

"Relax! My gal's at the top of her game, she ain't gonna lose!"

"I'm ready."

"Alright, then please enter the ring."

Lumine found herself facing a heavily built guy by the name of Rongshi. He bowed slightly, hands in a common customary greeting before speaking.

"I don't care about the prize...You're a strong opponent. That's what I'm here for."

"Alright, then I won't hold back."

"By all means."

As soon as the horn is blown, both competitors rush at each other. Lumine dodges a bunch to her face, but finds another coming up from below. Blocking it with an arm, she throws her own punch. Ronshi dodges as well, but Lumine lets her momentum carry her into a full spin that ends in a downward kick that he blocks with both arms. 

"Hrragh!" 

In a burst of energy, Ronshi pushes Lumine's leg straight up, throwing Lumine off balance temporarily. He then throws a straight that meet's Lumine's crossed arms. She skids a little ways before bending and taking a step forward. In a flurry of motion, she lands three punches that are all blocked by Rongshi's large arms.

"Haah!" 

When Lumine raises her leg, Rongshi prepares himself for a hard kick to the side only for Lumine to land two light kicks before crossing her legs around his neck. In a burst of effort, she throws him over with her leg and torso strength alone, smashing Rongshi's upper body into the ring's floor. 

Rongshi manages to get up in time to dodge another kick and rushes in, tackling Lumine's lower body. Despite his large sizes, he proves his agility by twisting himself to dodge Lumine's raining blows and slams her into the ground. 

But before he could even get a proper bunch into Lumine's stomach, she kicks his chin hard before leaping up and slamming her heel into his back, knocking him flat against the arena floor. Without letting him get up this time, Lumine hops onto his back and twists Rongshi's arm painfully behind his back while using her weight to keep him grounded.

After struggling for a few seconds, Rongshi taps out, officially ending the match.

Breathing hard, she gets off of Rongshi before offering her hand. He takes it and pulls himself up before bowing.

"I'm sweating all over. It's a good feeling. Congratulations, I was beaten by the best. I need to train harder. Thank you for the fight."

"You fought very well yourself."

Paimon, who had entered the ring now, nodded, "Right! For a moment there, Paimon was a little worried... If you had a Vision, you'd definitely be one of the strongest around."

Rongshi shook his head.

"I wanted a Vision, once, when I was a kid. People said that if you're strong enough you'll have your chance to get one. But mine never came. I lost interest, eventually. You can't depend on a Vision like you can your own body. I've fought and won against Vision bearers before. The power they have was given to them by the gods. I don't envy it."

"Huh? You mean, you didn't sign up to try to get your hands on that Masterless Vision?"

"No, I didn't. I only wanted to pit myself against other fighters and see who was the strongest. Only in defeat can you understand your weaknesses and learn from them. So, I'm pleased with today's outcome. I don't often have the pleasure of experiencing defeat."

"Wow... now that's true strength talking!"

Paimon applauded, eyes shining in amazement. Lumine nodded as well, in agreement.

As Rongshi went to grab his clothes, he turned back towards Lumine one last time.

"If you have the chance in the future, please come and spar with me again. I will be stronger next time."

"Of course."

"By the way... do you know who else made it into the finals? ...Is it gonna be someone even tougher than you?"

"You weren't here to watch?""No, we were running errands for someone", Lumine replied, thinking back to the commissions from the Adventurer's guild.

"Whether they'll be as tough as me I don't know... But what I have heard is that they're extremely quick and agile. Have you heard of 'Lancer'?"

"Yeah, we saw his first round."

"Well, it was apparently him against another extremely quick opponent. Whatever the case is, I believe Lancer came out on top. Anyway, don't get too cocky."

With that, he left.

"There he goes...Maybe we should ask around, see what we can find out about Lancer. Paimon thinks we'll definitely need to up our game if he's like Cu."

Scanning the Arena, Uncle Yun caught Lumine's eye and she made her way towards him.

Uncle Yun, who had woken up, was talking with a couple of his friends before noticing Lumine.

"Ah, it's you, haha! I watched your match. What a stunning performance! I was eliminated in my first round sadly."

"Maybe you'll do better next time? Anyway, what do you know about Lancer?"

"Oh, he's the same one who defeated me. He is a formidable opponent, quick on his feet and very strong. Although I didn't falter a bit, he still defeated me quite easily and I could tell he was holding something back. I was out of my league there. Still— I'm sure he'll be no match for you, haha!"

Lumine nodded in thanks before leaving.

"Hey, let's go ask Kazuha and Beidou! Maybe they know something!"

The two found Kazuha and Beidou on the outskirts of the Arena. Kazuha nodded in greeting before congratulation them.

"You gave an outstanding performance. Truly commendable. I could sense that you are not familiar with bouts of this kind, and it could have cost you the match. You are used to a sword no? But you were quick to adapt, and managed to claim victory over your opponent. That is a most invaluable skill."

"You are very observant."

"In fact, I discerned this not from what I saw, but what I heard — the ground beneath your feet and the pattern of your breathing. But it is nothing remarkable, for I discerned nothing more than Captain Beidou did."

"Ahaha, he's right. But in my case, I was purely relying on previous experience. I guess not using your elemental powers or your blade must be quite new for you, huh?

"It sure is!"

"We wanted to ask about who our opponent will be in the final round. Do you think they'll be stronger than the one we faced in the semi-finals?", Paimon asked.

"Not exactly. Contenders that reach the finals aren't necessarily "stronger," they tend to have something unique about their style. But this guy is definitely very strong. His largest skill seems to be his speed and superior techniques. It's also obvious that he's seen his fair shares of battles. What's the matter? Worried that you've bitten off more than you can chew this time?"

"It's vital that we make it to Inazuma."

Kazuha then cut in.

"If that is the case, then I have a proposal for you. Let's go somewhere a little quiet, shall we? I haven't properly introduced myself yet. In the land of Inazuma, I was a wandering samurai."

"Uh, yeah, we could tell that from your getup. But at the same time... When you talk, you don't really sound like someone who's used to waving a sword around", Paimon replied.

"It is true that I am versed both in literary and martial traditions. But on the straggling path of a wandering samurai, is there harm in acquiring a surplus skill? I do not mean to flaunt my martial prowess, but I myself have witnessed reputable fighters hailing from across the lands. I do possess some knowledge regarding your opponent's shown skillset. Given your talents, a few hints from me will be all that's necessary to bring your opponent down."

"Hang on! Don't you think you're bending the rules a bit there?" Beidou complained.

"Gathering intelligence is an essential part of any duel. You must know your enemy. Besides, our favorite here has fought many battles on their journey from Mondstadt. Such impressive feats require more than just bravery alone."

Paimon nodded, "You betcha! Huh, wait a second. We never told you that we've been to Mondstadt!"

Kazuha smiled mysteriously. 

"Hehe, does one not leave a trail when traveling through the wild? In return, nature also leaves its traces upon you. However, there is only so much that can be discerned from these traces. I sense that many things about you elude me still... These are the things I am curious to know about. Come with me. Some post-match entertainment is in order."