Chapter 282: Quarter Finals [3] The first quarterfinal match began soon after the opening ceremonies concluded. In an ironic twist of tournament fate, the initial bout featured the two competitors Noah had encountered during his training the previous evening—Hiroshi, who had politely invited Noah to join their group practice, and Kenji, who had criticized Noah’s supposed arrogance for declining their offer. The bracket arrangement had created an immediate clash between the competitor and his more judgmental training partner, forcing them to face each other in the quarterfinals. Hiroshi entered the ring with the same respectful composure he had shown the night before, bowing formally to both his opponent and the assembled judges. Kenji approached the match with visible aggression, it was clear that he did not like the bracket matching. "This should be interesting," Noah said to Ichigo as they watched the pre-match preparations. "These two have a good relationship with each other, I wonder if it will be strained by whatever the outcome is." Ichigo smiled before saying. "Aye man, just know that if we face each other in the finals, and you win, I would not be upset." Noah laughed shakinf his head with a wry smile. "You must be really confident in reaching the finals, huh?" This time Ichigo did not reply, simply being content with smiling. The contrast between respectful competition and personal vindication would determine not just who advanced to the semifinals, but which training methodology proved more effective under tournament pressure. The judges called for positions as both competitors drew their practice swords, ready to battle it out. The battle concluded with Hiroshi’s decisive victory, his skill proving superior in the end. His technique remained composed throughout while Kenji’s aggression led to certain mistakes that cost him crucial points. Kenji’s face flushed with obvious anger and embarrassment as the judges announced the result. Despite his internal turmoil, he maintained enough sportsmanship to approach his opponent for the traditional post-match acknowledgment. "Congratulations," Kenji said through gritted teeth, forcing the words out. "You better win this tournament, Hiroshi." Hiroshi nodded in return. "I will." As Kenji stepped down from the competition platform, his eyes caught Noah observing from the spectator area. The sight of the man who had rejected their training invitation now watching his defeat sent a surge of humiliation through him. ’He’s probably laughing at me inside,’ Kenji thought bitterly. ’Thinking that even after all that training, I still lost. That arrogant bastard probably thinks he is so high and mighty now.’ "What are you looking at?" Kenji shouted, his voice carrying across the venue as he strode toward Noah with his fists clenched. Several spectators turned to observe the developing confrontation, sensing the tension building between the eliminated competitor and another quarterfinalist. Noah shrugged casually, indifferent to Kenji’s words. "I was just looking around. Not necessarily at you." The dismissive response only inflamed Kenji’s wounded pride further. Before he could escalate the situation, Ichigo stepped protectively between them. "Hey man, calm down," Ichigo said with a friendly smile. "Noah didn’t mean to offend you. We’re all competitors here." Kenji slapped Ichigo’s extended hand away roughly. "Move aside! This doesn’t concern you!" Ichigo’s perpetual smile faltered for a brief moment, his eyes hardening at the dismissal. But within a second, his grin returned, as if nothing had happened. "I’m trying to help defuse this situation," Ichigo replied, his tone remaining pleasant despite the underlying steel. "There’s no need for confrontation after a good match." Before the tension could escalate further, tournament officials intervened. The head referee approached with a stern expression on his face. "Competitor Kenji, you need to leave the venue immediately," the official declared. "Disrupting other participants is grounds for disqualification from future events. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that." Security personnel flanked the referee, making it clear that compliance wasn’t optional. The stakes had suddenly shifted from personal grievance to potential career consequences in the martial arts community. Kenji glanced at Noah once more, his jaw still tight with frustration, before turning toward the referee with forced composure. "I apologize for the disruption. I will take my leave now," he said, his voice strained but controlled. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦 The security personnel maintained their positions as Kenji walked toward the exit, his shoulders rigid with suppressed anger. Several spectators watched his departure with obvious disapproval at the display. Ichigo watched him leave before shaking his head with genuine confusion. "Geez, what was that about? The guy completely lost it over a simple glance." Noah observed the retreating figure thoughtfully. "Wounded pride, probably. Losing in front of an audience is hard enough without feeling like someone’s judging your performance afterward." "Still doesn’t excuse taking it out on random people. Especially when you weren’t even doing anything wrong." The incident had drawn attention from tournament officials and spectators alike, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere that lingered even after Kenji’s departure. Several competitors exchanged glances, recognizing that such behavior reflected poorly on the martial arts community’s reputation for discipline and respect. "Thanks for stepping in," Noah said to Ichigo with genuine appreciation. "That could have gotten uglier if officials hadn’t intervened." "We’ve got matches to focus on instead of dealing with sore losers." The tournament announcer’s voice echoed across the venue, calling for the next quarterfinal match to begin, effectively shifting everyone’s attention back to the competition where it belonged.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Three fights remained in the quarterfinals. Unlike the earlier rounds, the organizers hadn’t announced the matchups beforehand, likely to increase suspense and anxiety among the remaining competitors. The uncertainty meant Noah could very well face Ichigo in the next round, a possibility that existed within the realm of possibility. In fact the chance was pretty high. With six contestants left, the chance was not small at all. The announcer called names for the second quarterfinal match, revealing two competitors Noah didn’t recognize from his previous observations. Both fighters demonstrated solid technique, but one clearly possessed superior skills that gradually wore down his opponent’s defenses. The match concluded with a decisive victory for the winner, whose name was announced as Liam.