The thunderous cheers for Reito's victory continue rolling across the vast Kyobi Battlegrounds.
Foxfire braziers burn brightly around the sacred arena.
Below—
Reito and Minoru complete their final bows.
Warrior to warrior.
Respect earned.
Honor preserved.
The crowd answers with another wave of applause as both fighters disappear through opposite Fighter Access Gates.
---
High above—
The group remains unusually quiet.
---
Yukito:
"..."
---
Miko:
"..."
---
Kaito:
"..."
---
A long pause.
---
Then—
Yukito suddenly throws both hands into the air.
---
Yukito:
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT JUST HAPPENED."
---
The group immediately bursts into laughter.
---
Miko points toward the arena.
---
Miko:
"NO!"
"Seriously!"
"How did he know all that?!"
---
Kaito folds his arms.
Still thinking.
---
Kaito:
"He wasn't guessing."
---
Miko:
"Exactly!"
"He was right every single time!"
---
Yukito dramatically imitates Reito.
---
Yukito:
"'You favor your right side.'"
"'You shortened your timing.'"
"'You commit more force under pressure.'"
---
He points dramatically at nobody.
---
Yukito:
"WHO EVEN NOTICES THAT?!"
---
Even Mizuki giggles.
---
Mizuki:
"It honestly felt like he was seeing things nobody else could."
---
Shiori nods slowly.
Her expression thoughtful.
---
Shiori:
"He wasn't reading Minoru's weapon."
---
A pause.
---
"He was reading Minoru himself."
---
Miko tilts her head.
---
Miko:
"How?"
---
Shiori looks toward the arena below.
---
Shiori:
"Every warrior has habits."
"Patterns."
"Instincts."
"Preferences."
---
She folds her arms.
---
Shiori:
"The difference is..."
---
"...most people notice them too late."
---
Kaito nods.
---
Kaito:
"Reito noticed them immediately."
---
Jack finally speaks.
Calm.
Analytical.
---
Jack:
"Not immediately."
---
Everyone looks at him.
---
Jack continues.
---
"He gathered information."
"He observed."
"He tested reactions."
"He confirmed patterns."
---
His eyes remain fixed on the now-empty arena.
---
Jack:
"The first half of the fight wasn't combat."
---
A pause.
---
"It was analysis."
---
The group falls silent.
---
Yukito slowly lowers his hands.
---
Yukito:
"...That's even scarier."
---
Miko immediately agrees.
---
Miko:
"WAY scarier."
---
Kaito laughs.
---
Kaito:
"I'd rather fight Gansui again."
---
Yukito points at him instantly.
---
Yukito:
"Same."
"At least when Gansui hits you, you know why."
---
Mizuki covers her mouth while laughing.
---
Mizuki:
"Poor Reito."
---
Yukito:
"No."
"Poor everyone who has to fight him."
---
That earns another round of laughter.
---
Around them—
Other spectators are having the exact same discussion.
---
"The Shinen Clan is terrifying."
---
"He barely attacked."
---
"He understood everything."
---
"I still don't know how he predicted those movements."
---
"That's not normal observation."
---
"The next rounds are going to be unbelievable."
---
The excitement spreads throughout the audience terraces.
Thousands of conversations.
Thousands of theories.
---
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
---
A ceremonial drum shakes the battleground.
---
The crowd immediately begins quieting.
---
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
---
The sacred battle bell begins moving.
---
GONNNNNNNNNNNNG.
---
Its ancient voice rolls across Mount Kyobi.
Deep.
Ancient.
Powerful.
---
At the center ceremonial platform—
Elder Renkai steps forward.
His foxfire staff glowing beneath the sacred mountain wind.
---
The entire battleground falls silent.
---
Elder Renkai raises his staff.
---
Elder Renkai:
"Warriors."
---
His voice echoes throughout the colossal arena.
---
"With the completion of the Eighth Battle..."
---
"...the First Round of the Kyobi Veilcrest Festival Tournament has reached its midpoint."
---
A wave of excitement spreads through the audience.
---
Elder Renkai:
"The sacred battleground shall now enter..."
---
"...the Halftime Break."
---
CHEERS erupt instantly.
---
Vendors begin ringing bells throughout the audience terraces.
Foxfire lanterns brighten.
Spectators stand.
Stretch.
Laugh.
Discuss the battles.
---
Elder Renkai continues.
---
"The tournament shall resume shortly."
---
"Use this time wisely."
---
"Rest."
---
"Recover."
---
"And prepare yourselves."
---
His staff strikes the platform.
---
THUD.
---
The announcement echoes throughout Mount Kyobi.
---
Round One.
Half completed.
---
Eight battles fought.
Eight winners decided.
---
And many more warriors still waiting.
---
High above—
Jack watches the battleground quietly.
---
Yukito immediately jumps to his feet.
---
Yukito:
"BREAK TIME!"
---
Miko:
"Here we go..."
---
Kaito sighs.
---
Kaito:
"What's your first idea?"
---
Yukito points dramatically toward the bustling festival terraces below.
---
Yukito:
"Food."
---
Everyone immediately laughs.
---
Meanwhile—
Far below—
The sacred arena rests beneath the watchful gaze of Mount Kyobi.
Waiting.
For the battles yet to come.
---
— HALFTIME BREAK OF ROUND 1 BEGINS — 💯🔥
The thunderous energy of the Kyobi Battlegrounds slowly begins changing.
The battles have paused.
The warriors have retreated.
And for the first time since morning—
The festival breathes.
---
Across the colossal audience terraces—
Thousands of spectators begin stretching.
Talking.
Laughing.
Discussing every battle they witnessed.
Families wave toward relatives seated in distant sections.
Children excitedly reenact sword strikes using wooden sticks.
Merchants begin moving through the aisles carrying trays of snacks and drinks.
Foxfire lanterns sway gently beneath the mountain wind.
The atmosphere feels lighter now.
Warmer.
Alive.
---
Far below—
Arena attendants continue restoring damaged portions of the battleground.
Spirit inscriptions glow beneath ancient stone.
Cracks mend themselves.
Broken pillars slowly reform.
Everything preparing for the second half of Round One.
---
High above—
Jack rises from his seat.
The others follow.
Shiori stretches her shoulders.
Kaito cracks his neck.
Miko hops down from her seat.
Yukito dramatically throws both arms upward.
Yukito:
"FINALLY."
"My legs were beginning to forget what walking feels like."
Miko immediately points.
Miko:
"You literally fought today."
Yukito:
"Exactly."
"That's why my legs deserve respect."
---
Kaito shakes his head.
Kaito:
"Your legs deserve nothing."
---
Yukito places a hand over his chest.
Pretending to be wounded.
Yukito:
"Such cruelty."
"After my heroic victory."
---
Mizuki giggles softly.
Shiori sighs.
Shiori:
"He's recovered already."
Jack smirks.
Jack:
"He recovered five minutes after the battle."
---
The group begins moving down the audience steps.
Around them—
Hundreds of spectators are doing the same.
Streams of warriors and visitors slowly flow toward the battleground exits.
The mountain district beyond waits for them.
Filled with food stalls.
Shops.
Games.
Foxfire markets.
And countless festival attractions.
---
As they walk—
Yukito suddenly folds his arms.
A thoughtful look appears on his face.
A rare sight.
Everyone notices immediately.
---
Kaito:
"...Why do you look serious?"
---
Yukito frowns.
Still walking.
---
Yukito:
"I'm still confused about Reito."
---
That immediately catches everyone's attention.
---
Miko nods rapidly.
Miko:
"ME TOO."
---
Shiori glances toward Jack.
Jack already looks deep in thought.
---
Yukito scratches his head.
Yukito:
"I've fought plenty of people before."
"I understand speed."
"I understand reflexes."
"I understand experience."
---
A pause.
---
Yukito:
"But that wasn't any of those."
---
Mizuki nods softly.
---
Mizuki:
"It felt different."
---
Kaito folds his arms.
---
Kaito:
"Almost like he already knew what Minoru was going to do."
---
Miko shivers slightly.
---
Miko:
"That's the creepy part."
---
She points dramatically.
---
Miko:
"He kept saying things before they happened."
---
Yukito immediately points too.
---
Yukito:
"EXACTLY."
---
"That wasn't normal."
---
"He literally explained Minoru better than Minoru explained Minoru."
---
The group laughs.
But none of them disagree.
---
Jack remains silent.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Remembering every movement from the battle.
Every reaction.
Every expression.
Every pause.
---
Then he finally speaks.
---
Jack:
"It wasn't prediction."
---
Everyone looks at him.
---
Jack:
"What he did was more complicated."
---
A brief pause.
---
Jack:
"He wasn't guessing."
---
"He was observing."
---
"He noticed patterns."
---
"Habits."
---
"Timing."
---
"Instincts."
---
Kaito blinks.
---
Kaito:
"That sounds impossible."
---
Jack:
"It should be."
---
His eyes narrow slightly.
---
Jack:
"But somehow..."
---
"He did it."
---
Silence follows.
---
The mountain wind passes through the stone pathways leading away from the battleground.
Festival banners flutter overhead.
Foxfire lanterns sway softly.
---
Ahead—
The massive exit gates of the Kyobi Battlegrounds come into view.
Beyond them—
The festival district spreads across the mountainside.
Bustling.
Colorful.
Alive.
---
And somewhere among the crowd—
The answers surrounding Reito Shinen may be waiting.
---
Still discussing the mysterious battle—
Jack and the others finally pass through the great battleground gates and enter the bustling festival pathways of Mount Kyobi.
The halftime break has officially begun.
— TO BE CONTINUED