CTS TIME: RE 250.08.27 – 6:30 AM
The Diamond Restaurant was bustling with activity. Large holographic screens displayed the countdown to the Grand Finals, showcasing the images of Blaze Deathbringer and Tenebris Thron, their legendary swords—Venom Devolos and Prime Apocalypse—glowing ominously.
But none of that compared to the real shock that had everyone whispering in disbelief.
Blaze had finally returned.
And not just that.
Serena was holding his hand.
Gasps and Whispers Spread Like Wildfire
Blaze's fan girls immediately went into chaos mode.
"Wait—Blaze is back?!"
"And he's holding hands with SERENA?! SINCE WHEN?!"
"NOOOO, MY FUTURE HUSBAND IS TAKEN!"
"Serena won?! This is a betrayal!"
"Damn, girl pulled the ultimate victory before the finals even started!"
Blaze, hearing all of this, was absolutely mortified.
Serena, on the other hand, just smirked. "Get used to it, boyfriend. You're mine now."
Blaze couldn't even argue. His brain was still rebooting from last night's events.
Jasper, watching the chaos unfold, was dying of laughter. "Oh man, this is better than any championship match."
Flame, nodding seriously, added, "Blaze won the tournament of love but lost his reputation."
As they entered the restaurant, Dante nearly choked on his food.
He slammed his hands on the table, pointing dramatically. "BLAZE! YOU'RE ALIVE?!"
Blaze sighed. "Dude, I wasn't dead."
Dante ignored him. "TWO DAYS! You were missing for TWO DAYS! I thought you got kidnapped or something!"
Talon, calm as always, took a sip of his coffee. "Relax, Dante. He was just having… other priorities."
Dante blinked, looking at Serena still holding Blaze's hand.
Then, realization hit.
"WAIT. DON'T TELL ME—"
Jasper clapped a hand over Dante's mouth. "Shhhh. Let's not break Blaze's fragile heart again."
Blaze glared. "I can hear you, dumbass."
As they all sat down, Dante suddenly grinned. "Well, now that you're back, let's have a battle! Tomorrow is the finals, so let's do a training duel!"
Blaze leaned back in his chair. "Before you fight me, why don't you fight Flame first?"
Dante frowned, glancing at the kid. "He's just a kid. I don't want to hurt him."
Flame smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "You're underestimating me."
Dante laughed. "No offense, but do you even know how to hold a sword properly?"
Flame, grinning mischievously, pulled out his sword, Necrozma.
A pulse of radiant light erupted from the blade, and for a split second, the entire restaurant seemed to shimmer in its glow.
Dante froze. "What the hell was that?"
Jasper, who had already experienced Flame's power firsthand, chuckled. "Dante, if you fight him, you might be the one getting hurt."
Dante blinked. "Wait, wait, wait—this kid is actually strong?"
Blaze smirked. "Oh, you'll see soon enough."
As everyone enjoyed their breakfast, the conversation shifted.
Dante turned to Blaze. "So, after the finals, what's next for you? Another tournament or some well-deserved rest?"
Blaze exhaled, leaning back. "Honestly… I think I'll take a break."
Talon, setting down his fork, nodded. "Makes sense. But you might be interested—there's another championship coming up soon in the Southern region. The Emerald Championship at Emerald Spacehub."
Jasper perked up. "I didn't win here, so I think I'll participate in that one."
Blaze nodded thoughtfully. "I'll think about it after the finals. Right now, I just want to focus on my fight with Tenebris."
Flame, excited, turned to Blaze. "And don't forget, my brother Rash is coming tomorrow after the finals!"
Blaze smiled. "Yeah, I know. So you enjoy today while you can. Because tomorrow… it's going to be a long day."
The countdown continued.
Only 1 day left until the Grand Finals.
Neo Rooftop – Training Battlefield
The small city below buzzed with excitement. Shops and markets were alive with preparations for the Grand Finals. Everywhere, giant holographic images of Blaze and Tenebris loomed over the streets, showing clips of their past battles. The entire city was counting down the hours to the legendary duel.
But for now, on the Neo Rooftop Training Field, another battle was about to unfold.
Flame and Dante stood face to face, their swords gleaming under the artificial lights.
Jasper, acting as the referee, raised his hand. "Alright, let's get this started… 3…2…1—"
The battle erupted in an instant.
Dante charged forward, his composite sword, Luminar, crackling with white energy. His body emitted a powerful aura, shimmering like a celestial warrior.
With whip-like speed, Luminar extended, its chain-like blade shooting toward Flame.
Flame, however, was completely unfazed.
His sword, Necrozma, glowed with radiant energy as he effortlessly blocked every single strike.
Dante's eyes widened. "At this age…? This is incredible!"
Determined to end this in one decisive blow, Dante summoned even more power.
His body pulsed with white-hot energy, and he roared: "LUMINAR!"
The battlefield trembled as Luminar's blade glowed with overwhelming intensity. A green energy barrier activated, surrounding the field to contain the destruction.
Dante leaped into the air, his final move ready.
"SHADOW… ECLIPSE!"
Luminar transformed—its chains extending, wrapping around Flame like an unbreakable cage.
But Flame smirked.
With calm confidence, he raised Necrozma, his entire body radiating celestial light.
"PLANETARY DEVASTATION!"
A massive explosion of radiant energy erupted.
The sheer force shattered the green barrier, sending shockwaves through the air.
The Aftermath – A New Champion?
Everyone was forced to close their eyes as the explosion engulfed the battlefield.
Serena and Blaze, who had been relaxing under a tree, instinctively turned toward the battle, their moment of peace shattered.
Even Talon, usually composed, muttered, "So much power…"
As the dust settled, Dante stood frozen.
His sword—Luminar—lay on the ground, detached from his grip.
Jasper stepped forward, voice still filled with disbelief. "The winner is… Flame."
A stunned silence followed.
Dante looked down at his hands, then at the sword lying before him. His mind raced.
"Luminar didn't shatter… That means…"
Before he could finish his thought, Flame extended his hand. "You are strong."
Dante, however, refused to accept reality.
"I LOST TO A KID?! NOOOO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"
"Again! I challenge you again!"
Jasper sighed, rubbing his temples. "Oh, here we go…"
For the next 23 matches, Dante kept challenging Flame.
Each time, Flame's Necrozma dominated, but Dante refused to quit.
Now, every time Luminar detached from its hilt.
By the 23rd match, Jasper looked like he was ready to drop dead from exhaustion.
Flame's energy was completely drained, while Dante—somehow—still had the will to fight.
"Come on! Just one more round!" Dante shouted eagerly.
Jasper, dropping his referee flag, groaned. "I swear, if you two don't stop, I'm throwing both of you off this rooftop."
Meanwhile, Blaze and Serena were back under the tree, watching the madness unfold.
Serena smirked. "Boys and their ego battles."
Blaze shook his head. "Remind me to never let Dante fight me. I don't have the patience for 23 rematches."
Serena leaned closer, whispering playfully. "Don't worry, boyfriend. You already won the hardest battle."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "What battle?"
She grinned, tightening her grip on his arm. "Me."
Blaze's face turned red as Serena laughed, enjoying every second of his embarrassment.
And as the chaotic training match continued, the countdown to the Grand Finals kept ticking away
With Flame and Jasper completely exhausted, lying under a tree, the battlefield now belonged to Dante and Talon.
The air buzzed with tension as the two warriors stood face to face.
Dante twirled his sword, Luminar, the chain-like blade snapping into position. His body emitted a fierce white aura, crackling with raw power.
Talon, as composed as ever, simply tightened his grip on Vybron, his jet-black katana. His sharp, analytical gaze locked onto Dante.
Jasper, still sprawled under the tree, groaned. "You two are seriously starting another fight? Just take a nap like us."
Flame, equally exhausted, waved his hand weakly. "Yeah… we're dead. Let the next generation handle it…"
But the battle had already begun.
Dante rushed forward, his Luminar extending with a fierce swing. Talon sidestepped effortlessly, his movements precise as he brought Vybron up in a counter-slash.
CLANG!
The clash sent sparks flying, the shockwave rippling through the field.
Serena and Blaze watched for a moment before deciding to leave the battlefield behind.
Serena grabbed Blaze's hand and pulled him toward the market, a playful smile on her lips.
Blaze sighed. "You just wanted to spend time with me, didn't you?"
Serena smirked. "What's the point of having a boyfriend if I don't get to enjoy annoying him?"
Blaze chuckled. "You're really making up for lost time, huh?"
The market was alive with activity, illuminated by floating neon lanterns. Couples walked together, browsing stalls selling handcrafted energy crystals, floating accessories, and even legendary blade replicas.
Serena glanced at Blaze. "So, after the championship… what's next?"
Blaze exhaled, watching the glowing advertisements reflect in her crimson eyes. "Honestly… I don't know. Maybe I'll take a break. I've been fighting for so long, I forgot what it's like to just… live."
Serena hesitated before asking, "Then… can I come with you? Wherever you go?"
Blaze looked at her, surprised. For once, there was no teasing, no smug smirk—just sincerity.
Then, without hesitation, Blaze gave a small smile. "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Serena's face lit up with happiness. Without warning, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
Blaze didn't freeze. He didn't overheat. He didn't faint.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
"Now I know what real love means," he murmured.
Serena closed her eyes, smiling. "Took you long enough, idiot."
The two of them spent the next hour wandering through the market, visiting every place where couples usually went.
They walked under the sky dome, its artificial sunset painting the world in shades of gold and violet. They shared a snack from a famous dessert shop, where Serena teased Blaze for getting sugar on his face. They even stopped at a VR booth designed for couples, where they experienced a simulated zero-gravity dance among the stars.
Blaze had never felt so… at peace.
Meanwhile, in another section of the market, Mainak, Rose, and Bolt sat on a raised platform, overlooking the glowing city below.
Bolt kicked his feet back and forth. "You guys ever think about the future?"
Rose sighed. "I don't even know what I want to become yet."
Bolt grinned. "I do! I wanna be a blader. The strongest one ever!"
Mainak leaned back, arms crossed. "I'm going to rule this universe someday."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Ambitious much?"
Mainak smirked. "Of course. My father is the ruler of the universe right now, but one day, it'll be my turn. And when that happens, I want to make this world better for everyone."
Bolt grinned. "Then I'll be your royal blader, protecting the universe with my sword!"
Rose chuckled. "And I guess I'll… figure something out."
They sat there for a moment, watching the city glow beneath them, dreaming of the future.
The Countdown to the Grand Finals
Back in the market, a giant holographic timer ticked down.
Only one day left.
The final battle between Blaze Deathbringer and Tenebris Thron was approaching fast.
The universe was watching.
And soon, history would be made.