The floating arena shifted.
Massive metallic plates rearranged themselves midair, locking into a new battlefield. Neon symbols glowed along the edges, marking national identifiers.
Riku stepped forward with Mira and Toma beside him. Bolt growled softly, sensing something off.
"This arena…" Toma muttered, checking his holo-pad.
"It's tuned for high-output cores. They're not holding back anymore."
Across the platform, another team materialized.
Three fighters.
Their leader wore a black gauntlet etched with crimson lines. His Core pulsed unnaturally—too steady, too controlled.
Behind him stood a tall woman with chain-like spirit constructs and a quiet boy whose eyes never left Riku.
The leader smiled.
"So you're the lightning boy everyone's whispering about."
Riku didn't reply. Mira's stance shifted slightly—ready.
The announcer's voice thundered across the ship.
"International Match – Arena Three.
Team Origin: Valenreich Sector.
Battle… begin."
⚔️ Scene 1 – Opening Clash
The moment the signal dropped, the quiet boy vanished.
"Above!" Mira shouted.
Bolt leapt instinctively as a blade of compressed spirit energy sliced through the space where Riku had stood.
Riku skidded back, lightning flaring.
"They're fast… and precise."
The woman slammed her gauntlet down. Spirit chains erupted from the ground, snapping toward Mira.
Mira spun, deflecting with a sharp burst of energy.
"Tch—these aren't normal bindings!"
The Valenreich leader didn't move.
He was watching Riku.
Studying him.
👁️ Scene 2 – The Real Target
"Interesting," the leader said calmly.
"Your Core isn't just strong… it's unstable."
Riku felt it then.
A pressure—like invisible hands tightening around his chest.
Bolt howled.
"What are you doing?!" Riku growled.
The man raised two fingers.
"Core Resonance Interference.
We don't fight teams. We hunt… potential."
Mira's eyes widened.
"Riku, don't let him sync with you!"
Too late.
Riku's Core surged violently, lightning spiraling out of control. For a split second—
A dark ripple flashed through the energy.
Riku staggered.
Not again…
Why does it feel heavier this time?
⚡ Scene 3 – Team Counter
"Riku—look at me!" Mira shouted.
She slammed her gauntlet into the ground, releasing a stabilizing wave that wrapped around him.
"Breathe. You're not alone."
The pressure cracked.
Bolt lunged, slamming into the quiet boy, breaking his focus. Toma fired a calculated energy burst, forcing the chain-wielder to retreat.
Riku clenched his fist.
Lightning snapped back into rhythm.
"Thanks… Mira."
His eyes hardened.
"Now my turn."
Riku vanished in a thunder flash, reappearing inches from the Valenreich leader.
"Stop touching my Core."
Their energies collided—lightning versus crimson resonance—sending shockwaves through the arena.
🩸 Scene 4 – Forced Withdrawal
Alarms blared.
"Warning: Core interference detected.
Match stability compromised."
The Valenreich leader stepped back, amused.
"So it's true… you're not ready yet."
He snapped his fingers.
Their team retreated as the arena froze.
"Match suspended. No victor declared."
As the battlefield dissolved, the man's voice echoed one last time.
"Survive this tournament, lightning boy.
Others won't be as patient as us."
🌑 Aftermath
Riku stood still, chest rising and falling.
Mira placed a hand on his arm.
"They're not just here to win."
Toma swallowed.
"They're here to take you apart."
High above, unseen observers exchanged quiet words.
"The corruption signs are faint… but growing."
"If he keeps fighting like this…"
"He may not last until the finals."
Riku looked at his gauntlet.
The lightning was still there.
But beneath it—
Something else stirred.
⚡ End of Chapter 27
Next: Chapter 28 – "Cracks in the Core"
The tournament continues.
Enemies grow bolder.
And Riku begins to realize the real battle isn't just in the arena.
Author Note
Please forgive me for today. I'm honestly very tired, and I don't really know why—but the exhaustion and laziness hit harder than usual. Because of that, I could only post a limited amount today.
I just want to ask one thing—please stay with my story until the very end.
Some of you may not know this, but I have a heart-related condition, so I don't like taking too much stress on myself. Writing is something I truly love, but sometimes my body and mind need a little pause.
When I eventually finish writing all of my stories, I hope you'll visit my YouTube channel as well.
My pen name and my YouTube channel name are the same.
Thank you for understanding,
and thank you for staying with my stories.
— MK ⚡