Whoooosh!
Ito dashed forward, white aura blazing around him.
The stone shot into the sky, vanishing into the sun's glare.
Gakurei stood calm in the center of the ring.
As Ito closed in, Gakurei caught his wrist mid-charge and spun, using his momentum to fling Ito aside.
Skidding across the circle, Ito steadied himself and lunged again—this time lower, aiming for Gakurei's center of gravity.
But Gakurei stepped back and redirected him with a sharp pivot, hands never striking, only guiding.
The two clashed again and again—grabs, twists, quick footwork, neither landing a blow, neither losing ground.
BOOM!!
The stone smashed into the earth with a deafening thud.
Both still inside the circle.
Breathing heavily. Unmoved.
"Okay, that's enough."
Zayden stepped forward, hands in pockets, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Now it's your turn, Kajin."
Kajin rolled his shoulders with a smirk.
"Heh… guess I'll show you how it's done."
Kajin closed his eyes, taking a calm breath as he began to focus.
Slowly, his white aura started to rise—thin at first, then spreading evenly around his body, steady and controlled.
There were no sparks, no wild movements—just a clean, quiet surge of energy building up with purpose.
Ito's eyes watched him steadily, his expression unreadable as he studied his brother's movements.
With a sharp breath, Kajin opened his eyes and raised the rock high above his head.
In one smooth motion, he threw it upward—his arm cutting through the air.
FWOOSH!
The rock shot into the sky like a bullet, leaving a faint streak of white light behind.
Kajin stood confidently, pulling out a thin booklet from his pocket.
With a smug grin, he held it up. "Before we start, I brought something just for you."
Gakurei squinted. "What the hell is that?"
Kajin tossed it to him. Gakurei caught it and looked at the cover—"How to Make Your Little Sister Happy – Beginner's Edition."
The silence hung heavy for a moment. Then Gakurei exhaled through his nose, shoulders slumping.
"…Damn it," he muttered, stepping out of the circle without another word.
Kajin blinked. "Huh?"
Holding the booklet tightly, Gakurei said with a straight face, "I've been trying for years.
If this works… it's worth more than anything."
And with that, he walked off solemnly, flipping to page one.
Zayden blinked twice, expression blank.
"…What else can I even expect from him…" he muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead in disbelief.
Ito, Sara, Shion, and Eriska stood frozen in place, eyes wide, speechless.
Not a single one of them could process what had just happened.
The rock landed with a sharp BOOM, sending a burst of dust into the air.
Small cracks spidered out from the impact point, and a shallow hole formed beneath it—not too deep, but marked.
Zayden looked at the aftermath and let out a long exhale.
"…What Kajin did doesn't count," he muttered, shaking his head.
"YOU IDIOTS!!"
Eriska's furious scream echoed across the clearing.
She leapt to her feet, eyes blazing like she was ready to incinerate both of them on the spot. "This is supposed to be a challenge, not a comedy show!"
She stormed forward in a fury—but Shion quickly stepped in, grabbing her by the arms.
"E-Eriska, Calm down! Calm down!"
He tried to hold her back as she struggled. "He's not worth it, Eriska! Just ignore him!"
Eriska hissed through clenched teeth, practically steaming. "Why am I even watching this…"
Kajin, unfazed, simply rolled his shoulder and smirked.
"No problem. Then let's see who makes the bigger impact, brother."
Ito nodded firmly, eyes steady.
"Yeah."
From the look of the impact, it was obvious—Kajin's stone had caused more damage than Ito's.
The cracks stretched wider, and the shallow hole it left behind was noticeably larger.
Zayden crossed his arms with a sigh. "Well… guess we have our winner."
Kajin smirked, folding his arms proudly.
"Told you, lil' bro—I don't hold back."
Ito didn't show it on the outside—his face was calm, almost unreadable.
But inside… a storm was brewing. His chest tightened, breath catching as the weight of failure coiled around his gut like a vice.
Did I… really lose? Just like that?
The thought echoed, sharp and cruel.
Images of Chief Kaito's stern eyes, his heavy words, and that one promise Ito made echoed in his mind like a drumbeat.
His hands curled into fists at his sides.
He couldn't let it end here. Not like this.
Not when so much was riding on this.
Not when he swore—no matter what—he couldn't let their only chance slip away—not because of him.
A breath caught in his throat. The weight of their hopes, their trust—it pressed down on him like a mountain.
He stared at the cracked earth where the stone had landed, Kajin's mark clear and undeniable.
He had lost.
Zayden scratched the back of his head, stepping forward with a sigh. "Well… looks like Kajin wins the round."
The words stung. They felt final.
A gentle hand rested on Ito's shoulder from behind.
"Are you alright, Ito? You were spacing out," came Sara's soft voice.
"Huh?"
Ito blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Oh… sorry. It's nothing."
"Ito, don't worry. You can take my flag," Sara said, her eyes meeting his with quiet determination.
"Huh? But what about you then?" Ito asked, his voice laced with surprise.
"Don't worry about me," Sara said softly, stretching out her hand with the flag toward him.
"Just take it."
Her voice was steady, but the look in her eyes said everything—she believed in him.
"No, stop." Zayden stepped in, holding out his flag. "Ito, take mine. That way, you and Sara can both continue. Honestly, I've never been all that into this tournament stuff to begin with."
"No, wait—both of you," Shion cut in quickly, stepping forward. "Ito, you should take my flag. I wasn't even able to join the tournament on my own. Coming this far… it's all thanks to you guys."
He smiled, a hint of warmth in his voice. "I already had so much fun with everyone. That's why you should go on."
Ito's breath hitched as the three extended their hands toward him, each holding out their flag.
For a moment—just a moment—relief washed over him.
His chest loosened, like he could finally breathe again.
He could still move forward. He still had a way.
They were giving it to him, just like that.
But then… something in him clenched.
His gaze dropped to the flags. His fists curled.
"No…" he muttered, almost too quietly.
Sara's brows furrowed. "Huh?"
"I can't," he said louder this time, shaking his head. "I can't accept this."
Zayden blinked. "Why not? You'd still be in."
Ito took a shaky breath, words trembling out of him. "That's just it. I'd still be in—but I wouldn't have earned it."
He looked at them, eyes stinging.
"What would be the point if I move forward on someone else's strength? I promised Chief Kaito… if I lose, we'll never be allowed to enter again. That wasn't just my fight. It was for all of us."
His voice cracked.
"I failed. And if I just take your flag and pretend I didn't… then that promise, everything we fought for—it means nothing."
The silence that followed felt heavy, like the air itself had dropped.
Sara looked down, her hand still frozen mid-air.
Shion lowered his with a quiet exhale. Zayden scratched his cheek, biting back a sigh.
"Everyone, get ready!"
Host Rock's booming voice echoed across the forest clearing, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"We're just four minutes away from the final round!" he announced, his tone sharp and energized.
"Many of you have already secured your flags… but there are still some who haven't!"
His voice dropped into a more serious cadence, almost like a warning.
"If you don't hurry… you won't make it to the next stage!"
A wave of energy stirred through the remaining students scattered throughout the forest.
Some sprinted through the trees, clutching their flags like lifelines.
Others glanced around in panic, searching for teammates or chances to snatch one.
Time was running out.
The pressure was rising.
And the final round—was just on the horizon.