CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 7:30 AM
A soft chime echoed through the dimly lit room as the holographic display flickered to life, casting a blue glow over the walls. The screen projected the latest tournament update:
GRAND SHOWDOWN – 24TH AUGUST
Finalists: Blaze Deathbringer | Jasper Tyros | Tenebris Thron
The display pulsed with energy, flashing images of the three warriors. Their faces were accompanied by their battle records and highlights from previous matches. Below, a countdown timer slowly ticked down to the final event.
Blaze sat at the desk, resting his chin in his hand, eyes locked on the screen.
"One more day… then it all ends."
He had fought countless battles, defeated the strongest bladers, and earned the title of champion. But this… this was different.
Jasper—his closest rival and a fierce competitor.
Tenebris—a monster in human form, wielding Prime Apocalypse, a blade of destruction that rivaled even Devolos.
Blaze exhaled, rubbing his temples. "I need to stay focused."
He wasn't afraid. No, fear had never been in his nature. But this time… it wasn't just about winning.
It was about proving something.
To himself.
To Tenebris.
To Serena.
And maybe… just maybe… to the entire universe.
Across the room, Bolt was still sprawled across the bed, tangled in blankets, one arm dangling off the edge. His quiet snores filled the air.
Rose, on the other hand, was already awake. She sat on the couch, cross-legged, brushing her hair while occasionally glancing at the screen.
She noticed Blaze's expression.
"You look serious," she commented, tying her hair into a neat ponytail. "Nervous about tomorrow?"
Blaze shook his head. "Not nervous. Just… thinking."
Rose smirked. "Thinking about the showdown? Or thinking about Serena?"
Blaze shot her a glare, but a faint blush crept onto his face.
"Shut up."
Rose giggled, placing her brush down. "Come on, Blaze. You were acting all weird yesterday. You like her, don't you?"
Blaze leaned back, crossing his arms. "…Maybe."
Rose gasped dramatically. "Oh my god, the mighty Blaze Deathbringer finally admits it!"
"Keep it down," Blaze muttered, throwing a pillow at her. She dodged it effortlessly, laughing.
Bolt stirred slightly but remained asleep.
Rose leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "So, what's the plan? Gonna confess before the match or after you win?"
Blaze smirked. "After. I want her to see me standing at the top. No doubts. No second place. Only victory."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Typical."
"But…" Blaze hesitated, his expression softening. "I don't just want to impress her. I want her to see who I am. Not just as a champion, but as… me."
Rose smiled. "That's a good answer."
Blaze sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well… let's just hope I don't mess it up."
Rose stood up, stretching. "You? Mess up? Please. You just took down Serena and Jasper. You'll be fine."
Blaze exhaled, standing up as well. "Guess we'll find out tomorrow."
The room fell into a comfortable silence as the holographic display continued counting down.
24 HOURS UNTIL THE GRAND SHOWDOWN.
CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 9:15 AM
Location: Diamond Spacehub – Restaurant
The restaurant inside the Diamond Spacehub was bustling with activity. The aroma of freshly cooked meals filled the air as bladers, travelers, and spectators gathered for their morning breakfast. Large transparent windows overlooked the glowing city below, adding to the futuristic ambiance.
At one table, Dante, Talon, Rose, and Bolt sat together, enjoying their breakfast.
Dante, as always, was stuffing his face, barely taking a breath between bites. "Man, this is so good. This might be my last meal before I challenge Blaze again!"
Bolt raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you already lose to him?"
Dante nearly choked. "That was just practice!" He coughed and quickly drank some juice.
Rose rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless." She took a small bite of her fruit pastry, looking thoughtful.
Talon, who had been silently eating, finally spoke. "There's no point challenging Blaze before the showdown. He's focused. You should be too." His tone was cold, serious as always.
Dante waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I will beat him someday." He grinned, then noticed Rose was unusually quiet. "Hey, what's up with you?"
Rose blinked. "Huh?"
"You've barely teased Bolt today," Dante pointed out. "That's… weird."
Bolt smirked. "For once, I agree with him."
Rose sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I'm just thinking about something."
Talon glanced at her. "About what?"
Rose hesitated before saying, "Blaze."
Dante nearly dropped his fork. "Wait—what?! You like Blaze?!"
Rose smacked his arm. "NO! Not like that, idiot! I'm just wondering what's on his mind."
Talon narrowed his eyes. "You think he's distracted?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah. And I think I know why."
Meanwhile, at Another Table…
At a separate table, Blaze and Jasper sat across from each other, their plates nearly untouched. The sounds of the restaurant faded into the background as they spoke.
Blaze exhaled, tapping his fingers against his coffee mug. "Alright, Jasper. I need to know. What's the next step?"
Jasper smirked. "Next step?"
Blaze rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb. I already admitted I like her. Now, I need to figure out if she feels the same way."
Jasper leaned back, crossing his arms. "Oh, so now you're serious about this? What happened to the guy who was acting all flustered yesterday?"
Blaze scowled. "Shut up."
Jasper chuckled. "Alright, alright. If you want my advice, you need to test her reaction."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "How?"
Jasper took a sip of his drink before replying. "Simple. Get close to her, see how she reacts. Try holding her hand, teasing her a little. If she doesn't push you away, boom—you're in."
Blaze frowned. "That's… dumb."
Jasper laughed. "Then what's your plan?"
Blaze hesitated. "I was just going to tell her after the grand showdown."
Jasper shook his head. "Bad move."
Blaze leaned forward. "Why?"
Jasper smirked. "Because if she already has feelings for you, she might be expecting something. If you wait too long, she could think you don't like her back."
Blaze went silent, processing Jasper's words.
Jasper continued, "Besides, you're going up against Tenebris tomorrow. There's no guarantee you'll even get a chance to talk to her after the fight."
Blaze's jaw tightened. He hated to admit it, but Jasper had a point.
"…So what do I do?" Blaze finally asked.
Jasper grinned. "Find an opportunity today. Maybe after breakfast. Spend some time alone with her, see how she reacts. If she gets all flustered—she likes you. If she acts normal… well, you'll have your answer."
Blaze sighed, rubbing his forehead. "This is more stressful than fighting in the arena."
Jasper leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his grin growing wider. "So, you're finally serious about this?"
Blaze sighed, rubbing his temple. "Yeah… but there's one problem."
Jasper tilted his head. "What now?"
Blaze looked away, his face slightly red. "I… I get nervous when I talk to her."
Jasper burst out laughing, slamming his hand on the table. "Are you kidding me?! Blaze Deathbringer, the champion, the Destroyer of Blades, the Venomous King—gets nervous over a girl?!"
Blaze scowled. "Shut up! It's different, okay?! When I fight, I know what to do. But with Serena… I feel like an idiot."
Jasper wiped a tear from his eye, still laughing. "Oh, this is gold. You, of all people, scared to talk to a girl?"
Blaze groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You're not helping."
Jasper took a deep breath, calming himself. "Alright, alright. Listen, I get it. But if you wait too long, someone else might swoop in and take her."
Blaze's jaw clenched. "That's not happening."
Jasper smirked. "Good. Then here's the plan."
Blaze leaned in, listening carefully.
Jasper held up a finger. "Step one: You need to spend some alone time with her today. No distractions. Just you and her."
Blaze nodded. "Okay… how do I do that?"
Jasper smirked. "Step two: Create an opportunity. Find out where she's going, then 'coincidentally' show up."
Blaze frowned. "So… stalk her?"
Jasper groaned. "No, dumbass! Just be in the right place at the right time. Maybe she's going shopping, training, or sightseeing. You happen to show up and start a conversation."
Blaze hesitated. "That sounds… unnatural."
Jasper rolled his eyes. "Fine. If you don't want to do that, then just ask her directly. 'Hey Serena, want to hang out?'" He made a dramatic pose. "Easy."
Blaze tensed. "I— I can't just ask her like that!"
Jasper facepalmed. "Oh my god, you really are hopeless."
Blaze crossed his arms. "What's step three?"
Jasper grinned. "Step three: Test her reaction."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "How?"
Jasper leaned back. "Get close to her. See how she reacts when you touch her shoulder, stand a little too close, or tease her. If she blushes or gets flustered, boom, she likes you."
Blaze groaned, covering his face. "This is stupid."
Jasper smirked. "No, this is genius. You want results, right?"
Blaze exhaled, staring at his half-finished breakfast. "Fine… but what if she doesn't like me?"
Jasper shrugged. "Then you move on. But honestly? I think she does."
Blaze looked up. "You do?"
Jasper smirked. "Yeah. She argues with you, teases you, and actually talks to you. If she wasn't interested, she'd just ignore you."
Blaze sighed, tapping his fingers against the table. "I guess that makes sense…"
Jasper nudged him. "So, what's it gonna be? You gonna man up or keep running like a coward?"
Blaze smirked slightly. "I'm not a coward."
Jasper grinned. "Then prove it."
Blaze took a deep breath. "Alright… I'll do it."
Jasper clapped him on the back. "That's the spirit! Now, let's find out where our lady in red is."
Blaze gulped. "This is gonna be a disaster…"
Jasper chuckled. "Oh, definitely. But it'll be hilarious to watch."
CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 10:30 AM
Location: Diamond Spacehub – Shopping Section, 3rd Floor
After breakfast, everyone went their separate ways.
Dante and Talon headed to the rooftop training grounds, eager to sharpen their skills. Their blades clashed against each other in the morning sunlight, sending echoes of battle across the city.
Meanwhile, Rose and Bolt wandered outside the restaurant, where they spotted Mainak, standing near a large holographic display that advertised upcoming events.
"Hey, Mainak!" Bolt called out, waving excitedly.
Mainak turned, flashing a grin. "Oh, you guys are free? I was just about to check out the city market. Want to come?"
Rose's eyes lit up. "Yes! I wanted to explore more of this place anyway."
Bolt nodded. "Let's go! Maybe we can find something cool."
And with that, the three of them set off towards the marketplace, disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Back inside the spacehub, Blaze and Jasper finally stood up from their seats, stretching their arms.
Jasper smirked. "Alright, lover boy. Time to get to work."
Blaze groaned. "Why do I feel like this is going to be embarrassing?"
Jasper patted his back. "Because it is going to be embarrassing. But that's why I'm here—to make sure you suffer properly."
Blaze rolled his eyes. "Just help me find her, idiot."
Jasper chuckled. "Relax. We'll find her. We just have to—"
Suddenly, a group of fan girls spotted Blaze from across the restaurant.
"There he is!" one squealed.
Blaze paled. "Oh, hell no."
Jasper laughed. "Run."
Without hesitation, Blaze bolted out of the restaurant, Jasper following behind him. The group of girls chased after them, calling out his name, some trying to take pictures.
Blaze and Jasper sprinted through the hallway, dodging people left and right.
"Is this what fame feels like?!" Blaze yelled.
Jasper grinned. "You tell me, champ!"
After a few minutes of running, they managed to lose the crowd by slipping into a side corridor. Blaze leaned against the wall, panting.
Jasper smirked. "Alright, now that we've escaped your fan club, let's get back to business."
They spent the next hour searching every possible location—training areas, food courts, even the observation deck—but there was no sign of Serena.
Blaze sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Maybe she's in her room."
Jasper shook his head. "Nah, if she's anything like you, she wouldn't be sitting around doing nothing."
Just as they were about to give up, Jasper suddenly grabbed Blaze's shoulder. "Wait. Look over there."
Blaze followed his gaze and—
There she was.
Serena stood in the shopping section on the third floor, scanning through a display of stylish outfits. She held up a sleek black jacket, examining it in the light.
Blaze's heart skipped a beat.
"There she is…" he murmured.
Jasper smirked. "Took us long enough. Now's your chance."
Blaze gulped. "What do I even say?"
Jasper groaned. "You talk to her, dumbass. Like a normal person."
Blaze hesitated, adjusting his jacket. "Alright… here goes nothing."
Jasper grinned, giving him a playful shove. "Go get her, lover boy."
Blaze took a deep breath and stepped forward, his pulse quickening with every step.
To be continue..