Two full days of the second round had passed.
Two days of battles.
Two days of cheering crowds.
Two days of peaceful, uninterrupted matches…
And two days without a single appearance from Nightveil.
A strange, uneasy calm settled over Nexara.
People whispered that maybe—just maybe—the threat was gone.
But no one truly believed that.
◆ ◆ ◆
*Evening at the Arcwell Estate*
After watching the Second match of the day, Raze returned home with a heavy heart.
Tomorrow was the final match of Round Two.
*Astra Noire vs Raze Arcwell*
The world already considered Astra the certain winner.
A prodigy powerful enough to stop a falling meteor.
A girl born with a gift far beyond humanity.
And Raze… had no Nexas.
He stood alone in the reinforced training chamber, the Starbreaker suit glowing faintly around him.
He clenched his fists.
"Just a little more output control… if I can stabilize the radiation flow, I might… *might* be able to keep up with her speed."
He activated the Starbreaker's internal core—
**WHRRRRRMMMM—**
Blue-white Abyss Alloy energy surged through the suit, rippling outward like a heartbeat.
Raze gritted his teeth and adjusted the flow.
"Come on… come on… hold steady—"
A spark of unstable radiation jittered—
Then steadied.
He exhaled in relief.
But then—
"Raze."
Luna stepped into the chamber, arms crossed, watching him with sharp eyes.
"You're pushing too hard."
"I'm fine."
"You always say that before collapsing."
Raze said nothing.
Luna stepped beside him and tapped his helmet lightly.
"Listen… we all know Astra is strong. That's not the point."
Raze lowered his gaze.
Luna continued softly:
"You always underestimate yourself. But you've grown more than any of us. Don't forget that."
Raze nearly smiled.
From the corner, Lily sat with her plush toys, legs swinging.
"Big brother's gonna win because he's the coolest!"
Raze sighed.
"That's not how battles work, Lily."
"It's how *my* battles work."
Her logic once again meant nothing and everything at the same time.
Raze laughed under his breath and turned back to his training.
Tomorrow… he would face Astra.
Tomorrow… he would show everything he had.
Even if the world believed he had no chance.
◆ ◆ ◆
*Inside Principal Leonel's Office*
While Raze trained, a far more serious atmosphere filled the academy.
Principal Leonel sat at the head of the table, surrounded by top instructors, security chiefs, and several hero operatives.
Stern faces.
Cold silence.
A single problem tying them all together.
Nightveil.
An instructor spoke first:
"Nightveil has done nothing so far. Not a message. Not a disturbance. No sightings."
Another added:
"This silence… it's unnatural."
Titanheart, arms crossed, replied:
"Nightveil doesn't disappear. He waits. He plans. If he intends to strike again, he will choose a moment that guarantees maximum impact."
The room fell quiet.
Principal Leonel nodded gravely.
"And tomorrow… is the perfect moment."
A projection displayed the match list.
**Round Two Final Match — Astra Noire vs Raze Arcwell**
The strongest natural talent.
The boy with the mysterious technological suit.
Two rising stars of the academy.
A match the entire nation would watch.
Leonel spoke, voice low:
"If Nightveil intends to disrupt the tournament, tomorrow is the most strategic moment."
Instructors stiffened.
"So we should expect something?"
Leonel shook his head.
"We prepare for the possibility. Not the certainty. But—"
He tapped the table.
"Everyone will be on high alert. Barrier engineers, security bots, hero operatives on standby. No blind spots. No assumptions."
He looked around the room.
"Tomorrow, we protect the academy with everything we have."
They all nodded solemnly.
◆ ◆ ◆
*The Night Before*
At the Arcwell estate, training gradually slowed.
Raze powered down the Starbreaker, chest rising with exhausted breaths.
Luna handed him a towel.
"Tomorrow's big," she said.
Raze nodded.
"…Yeah."
She smirked lightly.
"Don't embarrass the Arcwell name."
"Thanks for the emotional support."
Luna laughed and ruffled his hair.
Lily ran over, hugging him tightly.
"Good luck tomorrow!"
Raze crouched and hugged her back.
"Thanks, Lily."
Outside the window, Nexara's skyline glowed softly—
peaceful, gentle, silent.
Too silent.
The world held its breath again.
Tomorrow would decide more than a winner.
Tomorrow would show whether peace was real…
or just the quiet before the storm.
And with that thought, the night passed.