**Tokyo – Grand International Stadium, Deep Midnight**
The floodlights burned like captured stars, turning the shattered arena into a sacred coliseum bathed in harsh, unforgiving light that cast every drop of blood and every crack in the sand into sharp, heartbreaking relief. Night had claimed Tokyo completely, yet the stadium pulsed with the living heartbeat of tens of thousands of souls who had stopped breathing. The distant aurora from Paras City's earlier catastrophe still danced on the horizon—pale ribbons of gold, crimson, and silver twisting like the last prayers of a dying world, a silent reminder of the 10-year-old boy who had already saved an entire city earlier that day. The wind carried the sharp sting of ozone, dried blood, scorched sand, and the faint, salty taste of thousands of tears. Every spectator felt it in their bones: this was no longer just a tournament. This was destiny, love, sacrifice, family, and the final breath of a small dragon prince who had already given everything.
Astra lay on his back in the center of the blood-soaked sand, the holy golden sword still piercing straight through his small stomach like a cruel judgment from the heavens. Dark blood pooled beneath his tiny frame, glistening under the lights, slowly spreading like spilled ink. His chest rose and fell in shallow, painful gasps. His silver eyes were half-lidded, face shadowed and bloodied, the wild, hopeful smile he had worn moments ago now faded into a quiet, broken acceptance. At only 10 years old, he looked impossibly small against the vast arena—yet the weight of every life he had touched today rested on his narrow shoulders.
Lui stood over him, hand raised high, golden light gathering in his palm like the final judgment of heaven itself. His tired blue eyes held no cruelty—only the calm, ancient sorrow of someone who had ended far too many lives. His blonde hair fluttered softly in the night wind, black coat and red tie making him look like a weary angel of death.
"Should I finish you right now?" Lui asked softly, voice carrying across the silent stadium like a gentle but final decree. "Or give you a chance, little dragon?"
Astra's lips trembled. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His voice was weak, barely a whisper, yet it reached every corner of the arena with heartbreaking clarity.
"No need to show mercy… Finish me up."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Children buried their faces in their parents' chests. Warriors clenched their fists until knuckles turned white.
Then President John suddenly stood up in his VIP box, arms crossed, his sharp gaze cutting through the tension like a blade of unexpected mercy.
"Give him a chance."
The entire stadium erupted in shocked gasps. Whispers turned into a roaring wave of disbelief that crashed against the stands.
Blu's eyes widened, golden aura flaring involuntarily as he rose halfway from his seat.
"Why are you giving him a chance? Everything is done… He actually lost, and you won."
John turned slowly toward Blu's box, arms still crossed, voice steady and unyielding, each word measured like a king's decree.
"Let me finish my words."
Lui lowered his hand slightly, fixing his red tie with calm precision, voice respectful but firm.
"He didn't ask for it."
John's eyes narrowed, a rare spark of genuine respect flickering in them as he looked down at the bleeding child.
"He deserves a chance."
Lui gave a small, respectful nod, blonde hair catching the light.
"As you wish, my President."
Other presidents leaned forward in their VIP boxes, eyes locked on the small, bleeding boy in the arena. Yuki finally smiled through her tears—relief flooding her face like sunlight after a storm—voice cracking with raw gratitude.
"Thank you… for giving him a chance… I won't forget it. He's just a child… my little brother…"
Wano raised the mic again, her voice confident and warm, cutting through the tension like sunlight through storm clouds, filled with queenly hope.
"Alright! The fight isn't ending. We are at its peak!"
A wave of relieved cheers began to rise—people hugging, clapping, whispering prayers of thanks. Children cheered. Families wiped tears. For one beautiful moment, hope bloomed again.
But John's next words froze everyone cold, turning that fragile hope into ice.
"If Astra doesn't respond or fight within five minutes… I will allow Lui to finish him."
Yuki's smile shattered instantly. Her face turned pale, expression twisting into serious, heart-wrenching worry that made her look years older. Her hands trembled violently on the railing as fresh tears spilled.
"No… no… five minutes? He's bleeding… he's only ten…"
Wano's mic almost slipped from her fingers, her confident mask cracking as she stared down at the tiny figure.
Blu gritted his teeth so hard the sound echoed in the box, golden aura flaring wildly.
Uraka observed Astra's tiny, broken form, voice low and heavy with quiet dread.
"This is really serious… Astra is seriously injured. It's almost impossible for him to even stand properly. He's just a kid…"
Blu stood up abruptly, slamming his hand on the railing, voice roaring across the stadium with raw, desperate mentor's love.
"Astra!!! Don't stay like a coward! Fight! Win! Don't give up!! I trained you for this!! You are my student—my hope—show them what Paras City's power truly is!!"
Yuki shouted at the top of her lungs, tears streaming freely, voice breaking with a sister's fierce, protective love that echoed like a prayer.
"I am with you Astra! I always was!! Please respond! Please do something!! You're my little brother… my family… I can't lose you after everything we've been through!!"
Astra's fingers twitched slowly on the sand. The holy sword still pierced his stomach, fresh blood leaking with every shallow breath, staining the arena floor like spilled stars.
Wano's voice cracked over the mic, filled with queenly strength and maternal worry that made her sound like a mother pleading for her own child.
"Astra! Remember one thing! You aren't alone!!! We all are with you!! Paras City, the jungle, everyone who loves you—fight for us!!"
Lui glanced at his watch, voice calm but final, each second ticking like a countdown to heartbreak.
"You have exactly four minutes."
Yuki breathed heavily, clutching her chest as if her own heart was being pierced.
"We need to do this fast… please, Astra… wake up…"
Uraka stood up fully, pink aura flaring like a rising dawn, voice fierce and emotional, cracking with the pain of a fellow dragon who had lost too much.
"Come on Astra!! We all are supporting you!! You are a legend, a prince, a powerful being! A mythical dragon!! Don't lose like that!!! See your pride, not your power!! Remember the promise you made to Sensei Sai before he left—'I will never give up'! What happened to you?! Stand up! Fight again!! Don't let your big sister watch you fall!!"
John narrowed his eyes, arms still crossed, watching silently.
And then the unexpected miracle began.
One by one, every single person in the stadium began to stand.
Maids dropped their trays with clattering echoes. Workers froze mid-step, turning toward the arena. Children climbed onto seats, waving tiny fists. The entire crowd rose like a tidal wave of unified hope.
"Come on Astra!"
"Show him what you are!!"
"Don't give up like that, kid!!"
"Everybody believes in you—don't let us down!!"
"Don't down yourself, Prince!! You saved our city today!!"
The stadium filled with a roaring chant that shook the very ground. The night itself seemed to tremble under the weight of their voices—thousands of hearts beating as one for a 10-year-old boy.
Astra's hand moved slightly… then stopped again, fingers curling weakly in the sand.
Lui looked at his watch again, voice cutting through the roar like a blade.
"Three minutes…"
Wano shouted into the mic, tears in her eyes, voice breaking with raw emotion.
"Astra!! You are the hope of Paras City!!! Don't let anyone kill you!! Yuki loves you so much! Please don't die like that—she can't accept your death!! At least awaken for her!! For the sister who held you every night!!"
Uraka's voice cracked with raw emotion, fists raised high.
"Forget the prize! Show them what the power of pride is!! You are more than power—you are heart!!"
President Triel suddenly stood up from her chair, raising her hand high, voice elegant yet filled with unexpected warmth.
"I… also support Astra. He has shown more honor in defeat than many show in victory."
The other presidents turned to her in shock.
Before Lappa could speak, Leopard forced himself up despite his injuries, voice booming across the stands with a warrior's respect.
"Astra didn't just prove he is unshakable… He also forgave me and didn't kill me when he could have. He is powerful, unshakable, a true legend. He deserves my respect and support!! Stand up, kid!!"
Dabura stood as well, voice heavy but sincere, the anger of his own loss softening.
"As Izuko's death and my loss still anger me… at least I can say that Astra should win. He fights with a purity we have forgotten."
Lui's voice cut through like a blade once more.
"You have exactly one minute."
The crowd's shouts grew louder, the night shaking with their roar. Line by line, every voice united in a desperate, loving chant.
"Astra wake up!"
"Do something!!"
"You are going to die!!"
"This can't be real!! We believe in you!!"
5…
4…
3…
And then the last, desperate shout from Yuki—voice raw, breaking, filled with a sister's love that echoed like a prayer to the heavens.
"Astra!! Please!!! Don't lose!! I need you!! You're my everything!!"
John stood fully now, arms still crossed, voice final.
"Time's up… As I said… five whole minutes is done. He hasn't even opened his eyes… It means… he is done."
The stadium fell into a heartbreaking, deathly silence. The roaring chants died away, leaving only the wind and the sound of hearts breaking.
A small whisper brushed Astra's ear—soft, familiar, like a mother's final words carried on the wind.
"Astra… Make Aoi's leaving, Sai's going, Honokage's leaving… your weapon… Instead of sadness… Do it, Astra!! For me… for Yuki… for everyone who loves you…"
Lui began walking slowly toward him, calmly settling his gloves, voice gentle but final.
"Alright… You are done, little guy."
Astra's heart beat faster—thump… thump… thump… each beat a defiant drum against death.
His tiny hand twitched, then rose shakily, fingers curling around the hilt of the holy sword still embedded in his stomach.
Yuki's eyes widened, voice a hopeful whisper that carried to the stands.
"I can feel… he is trying… please… please wake up…"
Lui stopped, observing him with quiet surprise, blue eyes widening slightly.
Then, with a surge of raw, desperate will that could only come from a child who refused to let his family cry anymore, Astra grabbed the edge of the holy sword piercing his stomach—and pulled it out in one violent, agonizing motion!
The sword shattered into golden dust instantly. Blood gushed from the wound in a bright fountain, spraying across the sand.
Astra coughed violently, blood pouring from his mouth in thick streams.
Then silver flames erupted around him—burning away the fresh blood in an instant, cauterizing the wound with a hiss of steam, leaving only raw scratches and bruises on his small body.
Astra breathed heavily, silver fire flickering from his lips and glowing in his eyes like twin stars reborn.
John's eyes widened slightly, voice laced with genuine surprise.
"He isn't done yet?"
Lui cracked his knuckles, a small, genuine smile forming for the first time, respect shining in his tired blue eyes.
"Interesting… You are not done yet. Then we will enjoy the fight even more."
The entire stadium exploded with renewed cheers—louder than ever, voices shaking the night sky like thunder, tears of joy mixing with the earlier sorrow.
"Astra!! You did it!!"
"He's standing!!"
"Our prince!! Our dragon!!"
Astra's eyes snapped open fully, glowing bright silver, small chest heaving as he forced himself to his feet on shaky legs.
His voice rang out—weak, pained, but filled with unbreakable fire and the pure heart of a 10-year-old who had just remembered why he fought.
"I am not done yet… The fight isn't ending!"
The crowd roared in triumph, the night wind howling in celebration.
Yuki fell to her knees, crying tears of pure relief and love, hands clasped over her heart.
Blu's golden aura flared brighter than ever, a proud, emotional smile breaking across his face as he whispered.
"That's my student…"
Wano raised the mic high, voice triumphant and tearful.
"The fight continues!!!"
Lui's tired blue eyes met Astra's glowing silver ones—respect, challenge, and quiet understanding passing between them like two warriors who had both seen too much.
The night wind howled.
The final battle had truly begun.
And a 10-year-old dragon prince, bleeding, exhausted, but standing tall, refused to let it end.