Aiko hurriedly handed her ticket to the counter and rushed inside the stadium.
She had dropped Karina off at school before rushing here.
Aiko (thinking): "Thirty minutes have already passed. I hope Kaito's okay…"
She entered the stadium and quickly sat in her seat. Then her eyes locked onto the massive screen in front of her. Four separate screens were being streamed simultaneously. Each one is streaming different fights.
Aiko (thinking): "Ohh… they're streaming Kaito's team!? Woah! That horde looks strong — it must be A-tier."
Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she smiled softly, feeling nostalgic. She imagined herself on that screen.
Aiko (thinking and smiling, excited): "Kaito… you can do it."
Scene shifts to Kaito's perspective.
Surume: "Kaito, stay back!"
Akira: "Let's charge in. Surume, forget about him — focus on that thing!"
Kaito (Deep breath): "Fine, I'll stay back for now."
(Thinking) "I'll come in when they absolutely need me, hehe. I'll make a hero's entry."
The dragon swung its tail toward Akira, but she swiftly dodged. Then it slashed its massive claw at Surume, who blocked it with her shield. Akira countered immediately, slicing off one of the dragon's fingers.
Dragon: "GRAAAAR!"
Kaito: "Wow… they're really going at it. I wish I had popcorn right now."
Akira began climbing up the dragon's back, but the crystals embedded in its spine suddenly launched towards her—
Akira: "Oh crap! Wasn't that just for show!?"
Six or seven crystal shards flew toward Akira. She deflected most of them midair, but one managed to pierce her leg.
Blood splattered. Akira crashed to the ground, unable to stand.
Akira (frustrated): "Damn it! Come on, Stand, Akira… stand!" [Health: 73%]
Surume: "You got way too overconfident."
Akira (frustrated): "I am sorry. Just give me a moment…"
Akira starts bandaging her leg with the bandage she got from a chest. The dragon regenerated its empty crystals almost instantly. Then it slashed again at Surume. Surume went full defensive. She blocked every crystal with her shield. But—
Surume: "My shield won't hold much longer!"
While Surume is busy blocking the crystals, the dragon swung its tail at Akira, but she couldn't dodge it. It hit her directly, and she flew and smashed into a tree. Akira coighs blood. [Health: 49%]
Surume: "AKIRAA!"
Kaito: "Hey, Akira. Be careful. Can I enter now?"
Now the crystals attacked Surume from the opposite side of her shield. She tried to block it, but the other side's crystal got her shoulder, stomach, and many other places.
Surume: "Ark!!!" (coughing blood)
But she stood up.
Surume: "R-Ru..n Kai...to you have to revive us."
Akira was still on the ground, unable to move. The dragon raised its other claw to finish her off—
But at that exact moment, Kaito appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the dragon's claw mid-swing. The ground cracks beneath him from the pressure. He smiled confidently.
Kaito: "Sorry for interrupting your pride. But this isn't a game anymore. Now, just leave the rest to me."
Akira (shocked): "What!?... How!?... Impossible."
Kaito clenched his grip tighter, pulled the dragon's claw toward him, and slammed it against the ground, cracking the ground.
Kaito: "Hehe… but turning impossibles to possibles is my job."
The dragon roared and charged again, slashing its claw toward Kaito. Kaito caught it with his bare hand, then threw a devastating punch that shattered the claw completely.
Akira (thinking): "Who is this guy really? Is he a human?"
Kaito: "You asked if my punch could break a stone, right?"
Akira: "B-but… that's impossible… without...aura!"
Surume (grinning): "I knew it. You're not the Supreme King's son for nothing."
Scene shifts to the arena.
Everyone in the audience was stunned. No one said a word — not even the announcer. The silence was deafening… until—
Aiko (shouting, excited): "WAY TO GO, KAITO!!!"
The entire crowd erupted in cheers.
Spectator 1: "This year's candidates are unbelievable!"
Spectator 2: "No way, yohoo!"
Scene shifts back to the battlefield.
Kaito leaped high into the air and landed a heavy kick straight into the dragon's face, making it spit blood.
Dragon (loudly): "ROOOOAAARR!"
everyone nearby 1km felt it, heard its roar. Even rin and naoki.
Rin (shocked): "What's happening?"
Then the dragon looked up and opened its mouth wide. Purple aura began swirling within — forming a massive black and purple sphere. The energy crackled violently, expanding every second. Reality itself started to blend. Heavy wind blows.
Kaito (shocked): "What… is it creating?"
Akira (startled): "It's… an Abyss Nova."
Surume (panicking): "No way! Kaito, be careful! Don't touch it with your bare hands!"
Kaito: "Oh—okay, but… why is this here? That's impossible for an A-tier horde!"
Surume: "No, it is possible. Some A-tiers can use it. Oh no… It's getting bigger and bigger. Is it planning to wipe us all out!?"
Akira forced herself up, raising her sword. Cyan aura radiated around her.
Akira: "HAAAAAAAA!" (She kept charging power, pure cyan aura gathering in her sword. She looks determined)
Surume: "Can you use it?"
Akira (screaming): "AAAA! OF COURSE I CAN..."
Surume: "Kaito! Break the crystal on its neck! I'll cover you!"
Kaito: "Roger that!"
Surume: "Akira, go for its neck directly!"
The Abyss Nova was devouring everything — trees, wind, debris — growing even larger.
Surume blocked the flying crystals to protect Kaito, using her shield as she ran forward. She crouched low near the dragon's leg.
Surume: "Kaito!"
Kaito stepped on her shield and launched himself upward at high speed. He smashed his fist straight into the dragon's neck, shattering the crystal core.
Dragon (in pain): "ROOOAAR!!!"
A crystal shard flew toward Kaito's stomach — he barely dodged it, grazing his side.
[Health: 94%]
He backed off as the dragon continued charging the Abyss Nova.
Finally, it fired the massive blast straight toward Akira.
Surume: "Akira! Now!"
Akira (screaming): "HAAAAAAAAA!!! HEAVEN SPLITTER!!!"
Kaito: "Wait— Isn't that Mr. Takeshi's signature move!?"
Scene shift to Tetsuo and Takeshi...
Takeshi (excited): "Woaah, see Tetsuo. That's my daughter... She will become the next Supreme King."
Tetsuo (smiles): "No, my son will..."
Akira slashed directly into the abyss nova. Her cyan aura clashed with the dark energy, causing a massive shockwave.
Akira: "AAAAAA!!! DIE, YOU STUPID DRAGON!!!"
Her aura flared even more, eyes glowing cyan.
With her full strength unleashed, Akira cleaved the Abyss Nova clean in half.
The unstable energy exploded, sending two massive blasts flying far away.
Then Akira charged once more, slicing clean through the dragon's exposed neck.
The dragon let out a final roar before collapsing.
[Notification: Congratulations! +10 points added. Total: 28.]
Surume: "Good job, Akira! She hugged her tightly."
Kaito: "Whoa, that was insane! But… why so many points?"
Surume: "Wait, let's check the history log."
[Akira defeated A-tier horde +10]
[Akira defeated David +3]
[Akira defeated Sora +2]
[Akira defeated Tashiki +1]
[Naoki defeated D-tier horde +1]
[Rin defeated D-tier horde +1]
[Rin defeated B-tier horde +5]
Akira (awkward laugh): "Hehe… I guess those two halves of the Abyss Nova landed on some other teams."
Surume (giggling): "Those poor souls…"
Kaito: "But that 'Heaven Splitter' was so cool!"
Akira (blushing): "I-it was nothing really… and, um, sorry. I underestimated you."
Kaito (smirking): "It's okay, I'm kinda used to it."
Akira: "But how did you do that? Without aura?"
Surume: "Same question here."
Kaito: "I don't have Aura Flux, so I trained my muscles. That's all."
They looked at each other,
Surume: "Let's check the loot."
[2x Healing Potion, 3x Grenade, 2x Iron Sword, 1x Shield,
2x Gauntlets, 2x Smoke Grenade, 1x Speed Boost Boots]
Surume: "Let's use one healing potion now. She pointed at Akira's leg. Akira, you're bleeding. Take half of it."
Akira: "Okay…"
Surume: "Kaito, take these gauntlets and one smoke grenade. Akira, take this sword, these boots, and one smoke grenade. I'll take the shield and the other iron sword."
Akira: "Now I feel upgraded. Thank you, stone sword. You should rest now."
She placed her old sword on the ground.
Kaito: "You haven't thanked me yet"
Akira (annoyed): "Thanks, you idiot."
Kaito (wearing the gauntlets): "Wow… this black and purple gauntlet looks awesome! It really suits me, doesn't it?"
Surume (giggling): "Yeah, it does. Let's move on — we're almost at the castle."
They began walking ahead.
Scene shifts to Aiko.
Aiko (thinking): "Kaito's become just like his father. (She smiled.) He's a grown-up now.
Tetsuo… you're watching him too, right?"
Scene shifts to Tetsuo.
Takeshi: "I didn't expect that… but my daughter helped the most."
Tetsuo (smiling): "You haven't seen anything yet, Takeshi."
(Thinking) "I'm proud of you, son."
(Looks upward and thinking) "Dad… are you watching us?"
Suddenly, the holographic leaderboard appeared on-screen. A name was at the top for so long — the #1 spot with 103 points.
Tetsuo: "Wait… isn't that the one who entered solo?"
Cut to that person — Haruto.
He slashed through an A-tier horde effortlessly — one strike, no struggle. Then continued walking forward, noticing two figures ahead.
Haruto (To himself): "They are all weak. But I have to hurry."
Scene shifts to Rin and Naoki. They, too, noticed someone approaching from the opposite direction.
In the blink of an eye, the figure passed by them without even glancing.
Both froze in place.
Rin (terrified): "What… was that?"
Naoki (nervous): "I think I saw a person…"
Rin: "Why didn't he attack us?"
Naoki: "I—I have no idea. But he's dangerous… I can feel it."
Rin: "Then, since he's not targeting us, we should move forward while we still can."
Scene shifts back to Tetsuo.
Tetsuo (concerned): "Why isn't he attacking any people? Why only hordes?"
To be continued...