Days Left Until the Tournament: 16
The wind at Stratos Haven was stronger than usual that morning. It carried a crisp edge, almost as if the skies themselves were reminding the crew:Time is ticking.
The squad awoke one by one in their shared floating home, a large sleek structure nestled between two gravity pillars, powered by a gentle core that pulsed with life every few seconds. The place had become their second home — with four personal rooms, a training hall, a map room, and a rooftop skydeck perfect for watching the world float by.
✦ Morning Plans & Restlessness
Ren sat at the table first, still half-asleep, poking a small stack of Cloudbean Toast. Sakayanagi soon joined him, dragging her chair with a tired grunt.
"Sixteen days." she muttered, tying her hair up."Still feels like not enough."
Kaelen came in shirtless and drenched in sweat. He had already been up, apparently. "I went on a run through the upper towers. The old monks up there said something strange..."
Shigan raised a brow. "What'd they say?"
Kaelen shrugged. "That the sky thins before the storm thickens."
Ren smirked. "That sounds like monk talk for: Get ready."
✦ Midday Activity: Personal Combat Simulations
With the thunder tournament approaching, the group decided to split off for the day and focus on different things that challenged more than just physical strength.
✧ Sakayanagi
She entered the Gravity Chamber, a training room where pressure increased with every minute. Her goal wasn't to use her flames — it was to train her raw motion, footwork, reflexes. Without powers."If I can move clean under pressure, I won't freeze when the arena turns against me."
She practiced dodging floating stone spears in a tight corridor while gravity crushed down harder and harder, sweat sliding down her jaw as she refused to give in.
✧ Shigan
In the map room, Shigan practiced battle calculation drills. He projected holographic scenarios based on previous realm tournaments — guessing enemy moves, countering traps, predicting team fights.
"If we face a trial like the Wheel again... knowing how chaos flows is better than just swinging punches."
✧ Kaelen
Kaelen, with his sharp memory and Ecodian bloodline, worked on translating ancient battle logs. Deep in the Haven's library, he discovered a scroll labeled:
"Minds that bend the Skies"Tactics of warriors who learned how to turn their weaknesses into strength during tournaments.
It was mostly old riddles, but one line stood out to him:
"Sometimes the strongest move is the move no one sees coming."
✧ Ren
Ren, meanwhile, stood alone on the skydeck with Umbra next to him, silently mimicking his movements. He didn't summon weapons. He didn't cast shadows.
He practiced stance. Timing. Flow.The rhythm of his body. The art of controlling power without always using it.
Later, he summoned one shadow — his smallest — and trained in complete silence, letting only instinct guide him.
Then, quietly, he whispered, "I will lead them right."
✦ Evening: Group Training & Strategy Talk
By sunset, the whole group met up on the rooftop, where Raidon had prepared a simulated arena using energy nodes.
"Alright," he said. "Let's put all of it together. You'll fight in rotating pairs, no powers for the first five rounds."
The goal was simple:
Sharpen the person, not the power.
They traded blows, learned each other's rhythm, gave feedback, corrected forms, and even argued a little. But by the end of it, they were laughing, bruised, and more connected than ever.
✦ A Little Surprise Before Bed
That night, after dinner (today's feast included Skygrain Pudding, Crystalberry Slush, and Spiced Leaf Wraps), the magical table carpet gave a soft flicker.
A parchment appeared, golden trim glowing faintly.
"Tournament Arena Rotation Unlocked."
They all leaned in. The first arena location had been revealed:
Round 1 — The Spiral Cloud ArenaA floating battlefield that rotates every two minutes, with shifting platforms, wind traps, and zero ground support.Falling means elimination.
"We better start jumping more in training." Shigan chuckled.
✦ Final Thoughts
As the stars settled above Stratos Haven, Ren stood at the edge of the deck again, the wind brushing through his hair.
"Sixteen days left," he whispered to himself, gripping the edge of the railing."Let the sky rotate. We're gonna stand firm."
To be continued...