Parallel Memory

“The winner of the final match is Hiro!”

The referee announced, raising Hiro’s arm in victory. The crowd erupted into cheers, clapping and shouting in excitement.

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The group of girls who were rooting for Hiro jumped up and down, hugging each other in excitement. They were really worried for a minute when Misha overwhelmed Hiro.

Hiro, on the other hand, was panting heavily, his body drenched in sweat. He looked at Misha’s unconscious form. The winner could have been anyone and this time it was him. His classmates were more dangerous than any other school combined.

Zion and Misha had pushed him into a corner even though he outranked them. While happy about his victory, he also felt that he needed to train more in order to also win next time. What’s more, he knew that there was someone who was much stronger than him.

The medic immediately came and took Misha away. They were already ready for this situation as they knew from previous battles that the fight between Ace Academy participants would surely leave someone seriously injured which indeed became true.

There were also healers healing Hiro. They could not take him out yet as he had to receive his trophy and give a speech. Thanks to the healers, Hiro was able to hold on until the awards were given even though it could be postponed for another day.

Meanwhile, the audience was still cheering, celebrating Hiro’s victory. It was a truly thrilling match and they couldn’t wait for the next one.

The audience erupted in applause, standing up and cheering for everyone who gave them such an exciting fight. In them, they could see a bright and safe future for humanity. With such talent, they were not afraid that other races would dominate them.

“That was amazing!”

One man shouted, clapping his hands together. He had come here expecting Hiro to dominate every match like in previous rounds. Unexpectedly, Ace Academy had other talented fighters who could very well stand against Hiro.

In the end, Hiro won but it was not easy for him like many expected. He went through more trouble than all the other troubles combined in the previous round.

“I’ve never seen a fight like that before! Are they really just students? Are you sure that they are professional Explorers?”

A woman exclaimed, still caught up in the excitement of the battle. Others were still analyzing the fight.

“Hiro’s technique was incredible, but Misha’s movement was really elegant and powerful. Pity that she collapsed from exhaustion.”

A group of guys was discussing, nodding in agreement. It was really a pity that Misha collapsed and they were not able to witness a more amazing fight. Her efforts in this fight earned her great respect.

“It was definitely a close match. Either one of them could have won. I was secretly cheering for Misha Kanon. She has definitely become my idol.”

A girl added, her eyes still glued to the arena. Even the fighter who lost had earned the greatest respect and admiration from the spectator.

As the fighters made their way out of the arena, the audience continued to cheer and applaud, amazed by the incredible display of skill and determination. They knew that they had witnessed something truly special, and the memory of the fight would stay with them forever.

*****

“Good job! You’ve made our academy proud.”

Professor Mia said when Hiro returned. Their school had already won when the Top-8 round was finalized. The only students from another school were in Rank-D + and she didn’t possess any threat to them.

Even so, they managed to gain even more respect and admiration from people due to the skills displayed by their students in the following fights. Their students had shown that they were much more powerful than other schools.

Hiro was also greeted with enthusiasm by other students and professors.

“Congratulations Hiro, you did an amazing job out there!”

Said Professor Theo, clapping him on the back.

“Thanks, Professor Theo. I couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone.”

Hiro replied, feeling grateful for the encouragement.

“Congratulations, Hiro! You really outdid yourself!”

Said one of the students, also patting him on the back.

“Yeah, you really showed them what our academy is made of.”

Added another, grinning widely. They were really underestimated and condemned by others, but that all will change. All the humiliation that they suffered was worth it and they showed everyone what they are capable of.

Hiro felt a rush of pride and satisfaction at the praise from his fellow students. He had trained hard for this competition, and it was rewarding to see that his efforts had paid off.

“Thanks, guys. But it wasn’t just me. We all worked together as a team to get here.”

Hiro replied, acknowledging the contributions of his teammates. It was not just words but the truth. He could not imagine the situation where Zion and Misha were from other schools and he would have to fight them. He could not have made it past the first round if that was the case.

Moreover, he felt that he was able to become this strong because of the pressure from those friends. And he was also grateful for the help that everyone provided when things turned bad.

Professor Mia nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. Every one of you played a critical role in this victory. You should all be proud of yourselves.”

The group basked in their success. Several of them were participating for the first time in this tournament, and they had managed to do something that many would only dream of.

Just like Professor Mia said, every one of them who participated did a fantastic job and the school administration was proud of them.

A recruitment team from different guilds was also aiming for Ace Academy participants. Comparatively, they were much stronger and felt that they could help their guild rise further up.

After giving some time to celebrate, awards were given one after another. Many people who deserved awards were absent though.

Like Misha who came second and Lisa and Zion who had been considered third. And all the awards were also for Ace Academy. Other schools could only watch and clap as Ace Academy took home not only the title of the champion but also second and third.

Hiro was also given an opportunity to say some words about his winning this year’s Tournament Of Academies.

Hiro stood on the stage, the trophy gleaming in his hands as he looked out at the audience. He felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, but he knew that this was a moment he would never forget.

“I want to thank my teammates and our professors for all their support and encouragement throughout this tournament. Without them, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”

He took a deep breath and continued, “I also want to thank all the other competitors for pushing me to my limits. It was an honor to compete against such talented opponents and I hope that we will compete again in the future.”

Hiro paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

“This is really a proud and joyous occasion for me. I never thought that I would be able to win in one of the most difficult tournaments.

Finally, I want to thank Ace Academy for giving me the opportunity to pursue my passion and hone my skills. This victory is not just mine, but it belongs to all of us.”