CTS TIME RE 250.08.21 7:30 PM
Location: Diamond Hotel Restaurant
The restaurant of Diamond Hotel was lively, filled with the sound of chatter, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. The air was rich with the aroma of exquisite dishes, and the warm glow of floating lanterns gave the place an elegant yet energetic ambiance.
Bladers from across the tournament were scattered throughout the dining area, some celebrating, some reflecting on their losses, and others preparing for what lay ahead. Among them sat Talon Darkos and Rouge Blackfury, both seasoned warriors taking a much-needed break after their intense matches.
At the center of it all, Jasper Tyros, brimming with his usual enthusiasm, grinned as he leaned back in his chair.
"This feast is on me!" Jasper declared. "Eat anything you want!"
The long banquet table was decorated with an extravagant spread—juicy grilled meats, steaming hot dumplings, exotic seafood platters, vibrant fruit assortments, and a variety of desserts that made even the toughest bladers' mouths water.
Bolt's eyes sparkled as he scanned the options, practically drooling.
"Everything looks amazing! Where do I even start?!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together.
Rose, sitting beside him, gave a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jasper. This looks delicious."
Blaze, arms crossed, smirked slightly at Jasper. "You also made it into the Grand Showdown, huh? Were your matches easy?"
Jasper leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Not at all," he admitted. "Every match was tough. I had to push my limits. And you?"
Blaze shrugged confidently. "I won all my matches easily. You know, I am the champion, after all."
Jasper chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, Mr. Champion. But your final match was different, wasn't it? I watched the whole thing…" He smirked knowingly, his tone turning playful. "Serena really gave you a hard time, didn't she?"
Blaze's expression faltered for the briefest moment, a light flush creeping onto his cheeks at the mention of her name.
Jasper caught it instantly and grinned. "Oh? Ohhh?! Look at you! What's this, Blaze? Getting nervous over a girl? Serena was really hot, wasn't she? Especially when her red hair flowed in the air—man, that was a sight."
Blaze quickly looked away, his face hardening. "Tch, shut up, Jasper," he muttered, trying to shake the feeling off.
Rose, who had been silently observing Blaze, narrowed her eyes slightly. Something was different.
"He's acting strange…" she thought. "Could it be…?"
Trying to change the subject, Blaze asked, "And who was your final opponent?"
Jasper's grin widened. "Oh, he was a real beast in the arena. Super energetic, never backed down, and—" he paused dramatically, "he wields a composite sword."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "A composite sword? You mean one of those chain-blade hybrids that can shift between a solid form and flexible segments?"
Jasper nodded. "Exactly. Our match was intense. Both our blades burst twice. But in the third round, I finally took him down."
Blaze smirked. "I'd like to meet him."
Just as he said that, the restaurant doors slid open with a loud swish.
A blur of energy shot through the entrance, rushing straight toward Jasper at an alarming speed.
"JASPER!!!"
Before anyone could react, a young man with wild black and silver streaked hair stopped right in front of Jasper, his golden eyes burning with determination.
"Let's have a rematch, right here, right now!" he declared. "My Luminar will crush you this time!"
Jasper laughed, standing up from his seat. "Here he is—Dante Nightshade, everyone."
Dante turned his head, his sharp gaze locking onto Blaze. His expression shifted from playful to serious in an instant.
"So you're the champion, huh?" he said, tilting his head. "I've been wanting to fight you one-on-one."
Blaze leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "I'm always up for a challenge," he said, smirking. "But how about we eat first?"
Dante, who had been so focused on the rematch, suddenly caught a whiff of the food's aroma. His stomach growled loudly.
Before anyone could blink— he cleared the entire table in an instant.
Rose and Bolt just sat there, stunned, holding their empty plates, having not even taken a single bite.
Dante leaned back against the window, patting his stomach. "Alright! Now I'm ready for a fight!"
Bolt twitched. "That was our food…"
A Familiar Presence…
Suddenly, the restaurant door slid open again.
This time, the air changed.
A tall, elegant figure walked inside, moving with the grace of a warrior.
A charming woman, her long red ponytail swaying slightly with each step. Her crimson red eyes were sharp yet mesmerizing. A red scarf wrapped around her neck, complementing her half-red sleeveless top and fitted red shorts.
There was no doubt—this was Serena Blackspire.
She walked past tables effortlessly, heading toward the reception desk.
For a moment, everything blurred for Blaze.
Their eyes met—for only a second.
And in that moment…
It felt like everything else disappeared.
The sounds of the restaurant, the clatter of plates, even Jasper's teasing words faded into the background.
A brief but intense spark passed between them—something unspoken, something unresolved.
Then—Serena turned away, continuing toward the desk.
Blaze exhaled sharply, snapping back into reality.
"Ohohoho!" Jasper grinned like a devil, nudging Blaze with his elbow. "Here she is, looking even hotter than before! Wow, she really knows how to make an entrance!"
He leaned in closer, whispering. "Hey, Blaze, you've got a chance, you know?"
Blaze's nervous reaction gave him away immediately.
His entire demeanor shifted, and he quickly looked anywhere except in Serena's direction. "Shut up, Jasper! Why me?! Why would I—"
Jasper only grinned wider. "Ohhh, you're nervous! I KNEW IT!"
Bolt, watching all of this, deadpanned. "Why do I feel like Jasper is enjoying this more than anyone else?"
Rose, still looking at Blaze, smirked slightly to herself.
"So, even you can get flustered, huh, Blaze?" she thought. "Interesting…"
The lively atmosphere inside the Diamond Hotel Restaurant had settled into a more relaxed hum. Most bladers were either deep in conversation, savoring their meals, or in Dante's case—completely knocked out.
Dante was sprawled across his seat, arms crossed, head tilted back, snoring softly. His unbelievable speed at clearing the entire table had finally caught up to him, leaving him in a deep food coma.
Meanwhile, Jasper wasn't done teasing Blaze.
Leaning in with a mischievous smirk, Jasper nudged Blaze's shoulder. "You're still thinking about her, aren't you?"
Blaze, who had been silently sipping his drink, choked slightly and shot Jasper a glare. "Tch, shut up," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
Jasper, grinning like a devil, wasn't letting up. "Ohhh, I knew it! I've never seen you get flustered before. Man, Serena really did a number on you, huh?"
Blaze clicked his tongue, trying to maintain his usual composure, but Jasper wasn't fooled.
"You keep saying you don't care," Jasper continued, arms crossed, "but your face says otherwise, my friend."
Blaze gritted his teeth, jaw tightening. "Drop it, Jasper."
Jasper chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I'm just saying, if you don't make a move, someone else might—"
Blaze's eye twitched.
Before Jasper could say anything more, Bolt suddenly perked up.
"Jasper," Bolt said, eyes shining, "since you're so generous, why don't you give us your money card?"
Rose, catching on, grinned playfully. "Yeah, you said we could eat anything, right?"
Jasper, still smirking from teasing Blaze, tossed his card onto the table. "Sure! Knock yourselves out, kids. Go wild."
Blaze's head snapped up. "Jasper, no! Don't give them your card!"
Bolt grabbed it instantly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Too late!"
Blaze facepalmed. "You're gonna regret this tomorrow, Jasper."
Bolt grinned wickedly. "Oh, definitely. Your account is gonna be EMPTY."
Jasper just laughed. "Ah, whatever. You two have fun."
Rose and Bolt practically sprinted out of the hotel, ready to explore the market and indulge in every possible snack they could find.
The moment Bolt and Rose left, Talon Darkos suddenly stood up from his seat at the other end of the restaurant.
Blaze, who had just started relaxing, narrowed his eyes as Talon strode toward Serena, who was standing near the bar.
Jasper, noticing this, leaned forward, voice low.
"Yo… what's this?" he muttered. "Why is Talon going up to her?"
Blaze's grip on his drink tightened slightly. He wasn't sure why—but he didn't like it.
Talon stopped in front of Serena and spoke in a low voice, his expression serious.
Serena, arms crossed, listened intently, nodding once as he spoke. Then, after a brief exchange of words, she followed him outside the restaurant.
Jasper immediately turned back to Blaze.
"Well, well, well… looks like someone else is making a move."
Blaze's brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly looked away, forcing himself to stay indifferent.
Jasper, grinning smugly, leaned closer. "You better do something, Blaze. Otherwise, she'll leave you behind."
Blaze sat at the table, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the polished surface, his gaze fixed on his untouched drink. Jasper, leaning forward with a knowing smirk, waited for him to react.
"So... you're just gonna sit here?" Jasper finally broke the silence, raising an eyebrow.
Blaze exhaled sharply through his nose, annoyed but refusing to respond.
Jasper's grin widened. "Man, she's right outside. You're really gonna let her walk away just like that?"
Blaze gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the strange tightness in his chest. He wasn't sure why he cared—but he did. And that bothered him more than anything.
Jasper chuckled. "You're fuming inside, aren't you?"
Blaze stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back with more force than necessary.
Jasper smirked. "That's what I thought."
Without another word, Blaze turned toward the exit, his footsteps heavy.
The night sky over ExoHorizon City was illuminated by neon signs and holographic billboards, casting a soft glow over the streets.
Just outside the hotel entrance, Talon Darkos stood facing Serena Blackspire, his arms crossed, his tone calm yet firm.
"You fought well today," Talon said, his gaze steady. "But you rely too much on raw power. If you focus on refining your precision, you could push past your current limits."
Serena, clearly exhausted, sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Talon, I know where you're going with this… but not tonight. I'm dead tired."
Talon didn't seem offended, only nodding slightly. "I get it. But if you want to win next time, you need to train harder."
Serena smirked tiredly. "Next time, huh? You really think I'll lose to Blaze again?"
Talon met her gaze. "If you don't improve, yes."
Serena clicked her tongue, but she didn't argue. She knew Talon was serious—he wasn't the type to waste words.
Just as the conversation was wrapping up, Blaze pushed the door open and stepped outside. His sharp crimson gaze immediately locked onto Serena and Talon, standing just a few feet apart.
Serena noticed Blaze first, her eyes widening slightly. "Blaze?"
Talon turned his head, his expression unreadable.
Blaze's eyes flickered between them. "What's going on?" His tone was casual, but there was an underlying edge to it.
Talon, completely unfazed, shrugged. "Nothing concerning you, Deathbringer. I was simply offering Serena a match."
Blaze narrowed his eyes slightly, shifting his gaze to Serena. "And?"
Serena sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "And I told him I'm too damn exhausted to spar after what we just went through."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "You? Tired? I thought you said no one could beat you."
Serena shot him a glare. "Shut up, Blaze. I just burned through half my stamina trying to defeat you."
Jasper had followed Blaze outside, watching the scene unfold with a knowing smirk. "Damn, man, she really put her all into that fight. Maybe she does have a soft spot for you."
Serena's face turned a shade darker, and she pointed at Jasper. "You shut up too!"
Talon sighed, uninterested in their bickering. "Fine. No match tonight. But don't get complacent, Serena. If you really want to surpass him, you'll need more than just firepower." With that, he turned and walked off toward the city.
Now that Talon had left, the tension in the air shifted. Blaze and Serena stood face to face under the neon-lit sky, the flickering lights casting soft shadows over their features.
Serena crossed her arms. "You didn't have to come out here, you know."
Blaze shrugged. "Maybe I just wanted to see if you were still standing after that beating."
Serena scoffed, flipping her untied red hair back. "You're so full of yourself."
Blaze smirked. "Took you this long to notice?"
Serena rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
For a moment, silence hung between them, the distant hum of the city filling the space.
Then, in a much softer voice, Serena murmured, "That was the hardest fight I've ever had."
Blaze's smirk faded slightly. "Same here."
Serena blinked, surprised. "Wait... seriously?"
Blaze glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Don't let it go to your head."
Serena chuckled, shaking her head. "Too late."
Jasper, leaning against the doorway with a sly grin, clapped his hands together. "Wow. That was cute."
Blaze glared at him. "Shut up."
Jasper laughed, slapping Blaze on the back. "Oh, man, you're so doomed. She's totally in your head now."
Blaze exhaled sharply, walking past him toward the hotel entrance.
Jasper nudged Blaze's shoulder. "So, when are you gonna ask her out?"
Blaze didn't answer.
Jasper grinned. "Ohh, you're really thinking about it now, aren't you?"
Blaze sighed. "I swear, I will throw you off this balcony."
Jasper just laughed harder.
To be continue...