"It's not io give up. Quitting is not an option."— Sakura Haruno, Naruto: Shippuden

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  "Thank you, Roy-sama!" Lux excimed, approag Roy with a grateful smile.

  "Well, we did e together. But three of your teammates have been eliminated," Roy said, stroking his . "It'll be dangerous to tih only two members."

  "It's alright. We weren't pnning to win anyway," Lux replied with a carefree shrug.

  "Oh?"

  "Because Roy-sama is here! You'll definitely win!" Lux's eyes sparkled with admiration.

  "Well, we're heading back to our base now. What about you?"

  Lux's expression fell.

  Her team's strategy relied oeammates stalling for time while she charged her ultimate attack.

  But now, with three members go would be nearly impossible for them to colleagic Stones.

  Even if they survived the remaining three days, they wouldn't be able to reach the top four.

  Lux quickly regained her cheerful demeanor.

  "Roy-sama, I don't think we tinue. But I'm very grateful to you. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have even made it to the Bde Dance," she said sincerely.

  Ever since Roy defeated her team, she had bee a devoted admirer.

  They had trained hard aed the team with the Beast spirits just to participate in the Bde Dah Roy.

  "Roy-sama, please fulfill my wish!" Lux handed him her Magic Stone.

  "Are you sure?" Roy was surprised.

  "Yes, we've made up our minds. We'll be cheering for you," Lux replied with a smile.

  Roy accepted their Magic Stones.

  "If you have any wishes, tell me. I'll grant them," he promised.

  Lux's eyes widened in surprise and joy.

  "We'll be waiting for your triumphaurn! I'll tell you my wish then," she said with a pyful wink, her cheeks slightly flushed.

  Then, she and her remaining teammate dissolved into particles of light aeleported away.

  "They forfeited," Cire ented.

  "Let's do our best, for their sake as well," Roy enced them.

  "Yes." The girls nodded.

  They returo their base.

  Fortunately, it hadn't been attacked.

  ...

  The day, after a good night's rest, the girls were full of energy.

  "Look, someohis with a messenger spirit," Ellis announced, holding up a sade of animal hide.

  She uhe string, revealing strange symbols that resembled snake-like patterns.

  "What nguage is this?" Roy asked, fused.

  "I have no idea," Ellis admitted.

  "Holy, you guys..." Cire sighed, then expined, "It's the script used iern cultures. You should have learhis in the basic courses at the academy."

  "I-I'm not good with nguages," Ellis mumbled, her ponytail drooping.

  Cire, being the diligent student, began reading the letter fluently.

  Her expression turned serious as she reached the end.

  "What's wrong? What does it say?" Ri asked.

  "It's a challeter. From the Fods," Cire replied grimly.

  "The Fods?!" Ellis gasped.

  The Fods were the representatives from the Quina Empire, a powerful nation in the east.

  And they were a team of formidable Elementalists.

  The Quina Empire had a longer history thahe Ordesia Empire and had a record of impressive victories in past Bde Dances.

  The Fods were known for their exceptional teamwork.

  And their ace, Shao Fu, who wielded the Sacred Beast "White Tiger," was a renowned warrior.

  Besides the Inferno, they were sidered one of the stroeams iour, alongside the Draia Dragon Knights and the Holy Spirit Knights of Lugia.

  "Their base isn't far from here. They've already defeated most of the teams in this area. It seems we're the only ones left," Cire expined.

  "What does the challeter say?" Ri asked curiously.

  "They're challenging us to a duel in a ral location," Cire replied, rolling up the scroll.

  The Bde Dance wasn't just a martial arts petition or a test of strength.

  It was also a sacred ritual performed by noble maidens, a dance dedicated to the Elemental Lords.

  Therefore, when teams wao have an all-out battle, it was ary to issue a formal challeter.

  It was currently the fourth day of the main tour, and most teams had already established their bases and strengtheheir defenses.

  In the initial stages of the tour, most battles were ters or ambushes.

  But now that the tour had progressed, teams would likely start issuing challeo break the stalemate.

  "So, what do you think?" Roy asked, gauging their reas.

  They could ighe challenge, but...

  "We have to accept," Cire decred after a moment of sideration. "Refusing a challenge would damage the reputation of Areishia Spirit Academy and Headmaster Greyworth."

  "I agree with Cire."

  "They have some nerve!"

  "Let's crush them!"

  As Roy had expected, the girls were eager to fight.

  Roy had no objes either. There were only three days left iour, and he was curious to see the fighting style of the Eastern team.

  "They've set the duel for tomorrow m. Ellis, please send a messeo the Fods with our acceptance," Cire instructed.

  "No problem!" Ellis nodded and summoned her wind spirit, Simh, to deliver the message.

  ...

  ...

  Meanwhile, deep within the forest, far from Team Scarlet's base...

  A clearing had beeed by felling numerous trees.

  In the ter of the clearing stood a magnifit Eastern-style temple.

  This was the base of the Fods, the representatives from the Quina Empire.

  The team members were gathered before the temple, kneeling before their princess.

  "My generals, share your thoughts with me," a voianded from behind a thin curtain.

  The speaker was Linfa, the third princess of the Quina Empire and the ander of the Fods. She was even smaller than Mil.

  Three girls, k before her.

  "Princess Linfa, I believe it's uo fight Team Scarlet at this time," one of the girls, dressed in a green outfit, decred.

  She was Rao Rin, the Elementalist who wielded the Sacred Beast "Azure Dragon."

  "Why? Expin yourself." Linfa's voice was ced with displeasure.

  Rao, however, tinued calmly, "With your strength, Princess Linfa, and the bined might of the Fods, we could easily crush that insignifit team. However, I'm ed that if we exhaust ourselves fighting them, we might be vulnerable to an attack from the Crimson Princess and her Inferno."

  "I uand... Hakua, Shao Fu, do you agree with Rao?"

  "If Rao says so, then I agree."

  "I just want to fight strong oppos. The rest doesn't matter."

  Hakua, the Elementalist who wielded the Sacred Beast "Bck Tortoise," and Shao Fu, the Elementalist who wielded the Sacred Beast "White Tiger," expressed their opinions.

  "Asking you two for your opinions ointless," Linfa sighed from behind the curtain.

  Rao, suppressing her frustration, tinued her sel.

  "Princess Linfa, please resider. Although Team Scarlet is an unknown team, they are not to be uimated. We have already collected enough Magic Stoo advao the finals. There's o take unnecessary risks."

  "I uand, but..." The princess's voice was troubled.

  "I've already sent them a challeter."

  "What?! Why did you do that without sulting us?! I've told you many times to discuss important matters with us first!"

  "Well, aren't we discussing it now?"

  "We should discuss it before making decisions!" Rao retorted, her respect for the princess momentarily fotten.

  "Send a messeo cel the challenge immediately!"

  "I forbid it! A promise is a promise. We 't simply withdraw a challeter!"

  "You... you're right. But..." Rao eechless.

  Shao Fu patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. As long as we work together, we defeat both Team Scarlet and the Inferno."

  "It's not that simple! Don't you know that Team Scarlet is the team with that male Elementalist? I heard he eveed Leonora Lancaster. Even if we defeat him, it won't be easy," Rao warned.

  "Yes! That male Elementalist!" Linfa suddenly raised her voice.

  "Princess Linfa?" The girls looked at her in fusion.

  "I sent that challeter to elimihat wicked tyrant! To deliver justice!" Linfa decred, her voice filled with anger.

  "A wicked tyrant?"

  "Yes! You must have heard the rumors. That infamous tyrant, Roy, not only surrounds himself with pure and i noble girls, but he also forces them to..." Linfa's face flushed slightly.

  "I've indeed heard those rumors..." Rao shuddered, recalling the absurd stories.

  "I heard that the Night Demon King forces i girls to do unspeakable things every night! And even worse, he makes them wear knee-high socks!"

  "That's... disgusting."

  "Absolutely perverted." Shao Fu and Hakua frowned.

  "And not only that, during this Bde Dance, after defeating a girl, that Night Demon King, not satisfied with just that, even stole her first... first..."

  "Her first kiss?"

  "Hakua! Don't say it so bluntly!" Rao scolded, her own face turning red.

  "Anyway... we have to elimihat Night Demon King as soon as possible! We 't worry about the Magic Stones now!"

  "You're absolutely right!"

  "Wait, shouldn't we hear Rion's opinion?" Shao Fu suddenly interjected.

  Rion Sharma was the st member of the Fods, the Elementalist who wielded the Sacred Beast "Vermillion Bird."

  She was currently on a mission to scout the Inferno's base.

  Rion was supposed to return before their meeting, but she was o be seen.

  "Could something have happeo her...?"

  "Rion is not like you. She's cautious. There's no way..."

  ...

  "I am grateful for your trust, Princess." A calm voice suddenly came from the forest.

  "Rion, you're back! Why are you so te?"

  "We were worried!"

  A girl with red hair and a crimson outfit emerged from the trees.

  She walked towards the curtain and k. "I have returned after pleting my mission."

  "Good. Report on the Inferno's movements," Linfa instructed.

  "Ren (Rubia Elstein) aeam seem to have collected a signifit number of Magic Stohey are currently defending their base. I believe they io keep their Military Spirit in top dition for the final round. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to attack Team Scarlet."

  "So there's nothing to worry about... Excellent! It's decided thehe Fods, will set out to elimihat wicked Night Demon King, Roy!" Linfa decred.

  The irls nodded in agreement.

  But no oiced the sly smirk on Rion's face as she bowed.

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