The arena was alive.
Aegis Prime's coliseum stood as a monument of light and steel, seating hundreds of thousands, and today it brimmed with anticipation. The air pulsed with the roar of the crowd, neon banners of heroes rippling across massive holographic screens. Children sat on their parents' shoulders waving glowing sticks, vendors shouted, and fans chanted names as though calling for gods.
At the very center of it all stood the man they had come for—the Ultimate Hero. Providence.
He raised a single hand, and the cacophony collapsed into silence. The stage beneath him shone gold, reflecting the radiant figure like a second sun. His voice rolled out, warm yet commanding.
"People of Aegis Prime, heroes of every city, civilians who give us reason to stand— I thank you! Thank you for being here, for believing, for enduring!"
The crowd erupted, a storm of cheers.
Providence let them have it for a moment before continuing.
"Today is more than spectacle. Today is a reminder. Humanity's war with the Kaiju is endless, yes. But in that struggle, we are not divided. Heroes and civilians are not two halves of the world—they are one. Everyone is born the same, and everyone shall rise the same!"
The words reverberated like scripture. Asol wondered if this was the worldview everyone in this world had.
Beside Providence, eight figures waited in a semi-circle, each emanating a unique aura. He gestured toward them as his voice took on a reverent edge.
"Let me introduce the Heroes who will compete in this year's Tournament of Heroes!"
The first to step forward was a massive man with skin that shimmered like magma, veins glowing orange as heat distorted the air around him. He raised a fist and flames erupted skyward.
"The Magma Hero—Molten Fist!"
Next, a wiry figure in a tailored suit adjusted his glasses, with his eyes gleaming with sharp calculation. Holographic equations spun in the air behind him.
"The Smart Hero—Alberstein!"
A man cloaked in white mist stepped then stepped forward as crystalline frost crawled outward from his boots. His breath fogged the air as he gave a curt nod.
"The Frozen Hero—Ice Cliff!"
Then came a man dressed in simple robes, head shaved, a faint golden glow haloing him. His eyes were closed, yet his presence radiated serenity.
"The Enlightened Hero—Bodhi!"
The next hero carried the weight of myth itself. Clad in armor etched with runes, a hammer slung across his back, he raised his arm as thunder cracked overhead.
"The Norse Hero—Thor!"
The stage then dimmed, shadows twisting unnaturally as a figure cloaked in black appeared, eyes glowing faintly violet. Even his bow was silent as the air around him was heavy.
"The Night Hero—Yoru!"
And second to last, a figure without distinct features. Their form seemed to ripple, body shifting subtly as though it hadn't decided what it wanted to be.
"The Adaptive Hero—628!"
And the last-
The crowd screamed as a blue streak zipped across the stage, circling the others before stopping in a blur of energy, lightning crackling off his body.
"And last but not least! The Fastest Hero—Blue Volt!"
The audience thundered with applause as children screamed the names of their idols while adults cheered just as loud, swept up in the collective storm.
From the stands, Asol sat wedged between Kazuma and Aoi. He should have been impressed by the eight titans standing before humanity. But instead, his eyes drifted, unsettled. It wasn't the cheering, nor the overwhelming spectacle. It was the feeling of a gaze.
He felt it again—someone watching him. Not in the scattered way of the crowd, but directly. Purposefully. His eyes scanned the heroes until he found the culprit.
The Enlightened Hero, Bodhi.
The monk's eyes, though half-lidded, were on him. His gaze was calm, not threatening. There was no malice in the stare, no challenge. Only… awareness.
Asol's chest tightened and remembered a name—Arhat Gotami. An idol on Earth. She'd embodied something similar. Enlightenment, serenity, detachment. He remembered Fujiwara collabing with her in one of their streams. Could it be coincidence?
Bodhi's gaze moved away as though nothing had happened. Asol exhaled and tried to brush the unease aside.
Providence's voice reclaimed the air.
"These are your champions. But every champion needs a trial. Let us see who among them will rise to the top!"
A holographic bracket shimmered to life above the stage.
Molten Fist vs. Ice Cliff
Alberstein vs. Yoru
Blue Volt vs. Thor
Bodhi vs. 628
The crowd exploded again, each faction of fans shouting their hero's name, wagering, debating, buzzing with speculation as Providence raised his hand once more.
"Three days from now, the matches begin. The victors will advance until only one remains. And then... The winner shall face me! For the title of Number One Hero!"
The coliseum shook under the roar of applause. Fireworks erupted into the sky. The heroes flared their powers once more, bathing the stage in fire, lightning, and frost before bowing. After the ceremony, the heroes spilled into the plaza to meet fans. Autographs, photos, chants—it was chaos of adoration.
Aoi tugged Kazuma (Ice Mode) and Asol through the crowd until they slipped into a guarded hallway. At the end, Providence waited.
"Brother!"
Aoi launched at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You were amazing out there!"
Providence laughed, holding her tightly.
"I wasn't expecting you here, Aoi. I thought you'd still be tied up on Earth continuing the search for the Saviours!"
"We were," Aoi said quickly. "But Kazuma brought me back."
Providence turned to boy next to her. Kazuma (Ice Mode) extended a hand.
"I promised I'd keep her safe."
Providence clasped his hand firmly with his eyes narrowing with gratitude. Asol, meanwhile, watched in silence, curiosity stirring.
Then Providence's gaze shifted.
"And who might you be?"
Aoi leapt in again before Asol could answer.
"This is Asol! The one I told you about."
Recognition lit Providence's face.
"Ahh. That Asol. The one who brought down the Saviors' leader!"
His voice boomed warmly.
"I'm a big fan of your work! It's an honor meeting you!"
The words should have been praise. However to Asol, they felt heavy. Too heavy. The memory of that fight, of what it cost, it knotted in his chest. And the nausea he was feeling. His lips tightened as he tried to get a few words out in order not to disrespect the man standing in front of him.
He could feel the Providence's overwhelming Aura. Aoi and Kazuma didn't seem to feel any sense of nauseating affects. Was that the gap in power that they had in comparison to Providence?
"Thank you... It's also an honor meeting you as well. Your sister has also told me of some of your greatest achievements during my time knowing her!"
The Hero smiled at Asol's attempt at praising him.
"Is that so? Haha!"
Asol, feeling sicker, quietly excused himself from the group. Neither Aoi nor Kazuma protested as they had business here. He slipped away unnoticed.
The plaza outside was still chaos—fans clustered around heroes like moths to flame, cameras flashing, voices overlapping. Asol lingered at the edges, hands shoved into his pockets. His eyes wandered, unfocused, until a thought struck him.
Heroes… Idols. Were they so different?
He remembered scheduling concerts for Fujiwara, negotiating appearances, calculating fan reach. The screaming, the devotion—it was identical.
"They're both so similar…"
Then he froze as a small figure caught his attention. A ragged silhouette weaving through the crowd. The little girl. They made eye contact as the girl slinked away.
"Hey!"
He yelled out before shoving forward, slipping between clusters of cheering fans. But the girl was fast, darting between legs, vanishing into the fringes of the plaza. He followed until the crowd thinned, the noise fading and found himself in a quiet courtyard. Water fountains shimmered under the artificial sun, trees swayed gently, and the noise of the coliseum seemed far away.
And there, seated calmly on the fountain's edge, was a familiar face.
Bodhi, the Enlightened Hero.
The Enlightened Hero lifted his head as his eyes met Asol's once more.
"You came."
The words were not surprise, nor question. Just truth. Asol hesitated asking.
"How did I-"
"Come. Sit by me."
Bodhi patted the fountain beside him. To his own bewilderment, Asol obeyed. He sat, and only then realized what he'd done. His brow furrowed.
Why did I listen?
Bodhi smiled faintly, as though reading the thought.
"Because you simply needed to."
"You're awfully cryptic..."
"I am only plain."
Silence stretched as water trickled softly.
"You're not with the others?"
"I do not seek fame nor glory. I simply am. And I value the serenity here."
Something about the honesty was disarming as the hero tilted his head.
"You were following someone?"
"A girl..."
Asol admitted.
"She looked like she needed help."
"Perhaps she led you here."
Asol frowned hearing it.
"You're saying it wasn't chance?"
"Is anything really?"
Bodhi's eyes softened. Then they sharpened, gazing at him with strange intensity.
"Your Aura is intriguing. Chaos and order intertwined like thread. Light and dark in equal measure. Few carry such contradiction."
Asol stiffened.
"I sense your suspicions of this world."
Asol hesitated. Then he sighed.
"Everything feels… surreal. Too perfect. Like I'm waiting to wake up."
For the first time, Bodhi's smile flickered, almost imperceptibly.
"You are not wrong to feel so."
Before Asol could press, voices called from behind.
"Asol!"
Aoi and Kazuma called out, waving to him, but as he turned back—Bodhi was gone.
"You were talking to someone?"
Kazuma (Ice Mode) asked.
"Yeah. One of the heroes."
Aoi blinked.
"You were just sitting there. Talking to yourself."
Asol's stomach dropped.
Was he ever there at all?
"Come on!"
Aoi said, tugging his sleeve.
"We're staying at my brother's place until the tournament's done!"
As the three left the courtyard behind, a small head poked out from the bushes. The little girl. Her lips moved, struggling. A faint grunt escaped, garbled, unfinished.
"As…ol…"
The name died on her tongue, but she smiled anyway.