The announcement of the Great Finale had changed everything.
From that very day, training at Nightfall Kingdom became more intense than ever before.
There were no relaxed moments anymore.
No excuses.
No breaks.
Only one goal—
Become stronger.
A Month of Relentless Training
Every single day, all eight of them—Daniel, Mary, David, Noah, Lily, Zoya, Lucy, and Felix—pushed themselves beyond their limits.
Not just Mr. Stone…
Even other elite trainers from Nightfall Kingdom joined in.
Each student was assigned individual training sessions.
Felix worked on precision and strategy.
Lucy improved her speed and reflexes.
Noah focused on endurance and defense.
Zoya sharpened her combat instincts.
Lily trained in coordination and support techniques.
David worked on controlling his mind-reading abilities.
And Daniel…
Daniel was personally trained by Mr. Stone.
Mr. Stone had made it clear:
"I will train Daniel myself."
Everyone understood.
Daniel wasn't just another student anymore.
He was a target.
And also… a key.
Special Training for Daniel
Daniel's training was different.
Harder.
More dangerous.
Mr. Stone pushed him every single day.
"Control your weapon," he would say.
"Don't let it control you."
Again and again.
Daniel trained with Throns, trying to make it a part of himself.
Sometimes he succeeded…
Sometimes he failed badly.
But he never gave up.
Because deep inside, he knew—
Something big was coming.
Becoming Stronger
Days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into a full month.
The difference was visible.
They were no longer the same students.
Their coordination improved.
Their strength increased.
Their confidence grew.
Together—
They had become something more.
Like a two-man army… multiplied by eight.
The Final Day Before the Competition
At last…
The final day arrived.
Tomorrow was the Great Finale.
The atmosphere was tense.
No one said it out loud…
But everyone was nervous.
A Quiet Walk
That night, Daniel walked up to Mary.
"Mary… let's go for a walk."
She looked at him for a second…
Then smiled.
"Okay."
Daniel & Mary Moment
The night was calm.
A soft breeze moved through the trees.
The academy lights glowed faintly behind them as they walked slowly.
For a moment—
There was no pressure.
No danger.
Just them.
Mary looked at the sky.
"What do you think will happen tomorrow?"
Daniel exhaled softly.
"I think… we'll pass."
He smiled slightly.
"And if everything goes well… we might even get a rank increase."
Mary smiled too.
"I hope so."
They kept walking.
Their hands slowly found each other…
And this time—
Neither of them let go.
They talked about everything.
The competition.
Their future.
Their fears.
And somewhere in between—
They forgot the danger waiting ahead.
The Day Has Arrived
Morning came quickly.
Too quickly.
The day of the Great Finale had arrived.
Everyone gathered early.
No one joked.
No one wasted time.
Mr. Stone stood in front of them.
"We're leaving."
He looked at all of them.
"We will go to the same place where your weapon exam was held."
Memories flashed in their minds.
That place…
Where everything had started.
Arrival at the Stadium
After the journey…
They reached the location.
But this time—
It was completely different.
A massive competition arena stood in front of them.
Crowded.
Loud.
Alive.
Students from different academies were everywhere.
Different uniforms.
Different weapons.
Different energies.
The eight of them looked around in amazement.
And then—
They noticed something.
A Powerful Rival
One academy stood out.
There were so many students…
More than fifteen.
Maybe even more.
Daniel frowned slightly.
"Sir… which academy is that?"
Mr. Stone followed his gaze.
"That…"
He paused.
"…is Wisdom Kingdom."
The name alone felt heavy.
Everyone remembered.
That academy was known to be one of the strongest.
Zoya whispered,
"They have so many students…"
Noah replied,
"Numbers don't decide everything."
Mr. Stone turned toward them.
"Yes, they are strong."
He looked directly into their eyes.
"But remember this…"
"Last year, Nightfall Kingdom won."
His voice became firm.
"And this year…"
"I want more of you in the Top 10."
Silence.
Determination.
Fire.
All at once.
Inside the Arena
They walked inside the stadium.
The atmosphere was intense.
Everywhere—students preparing, stretching, focusing.
Some looked confident.
Some looked nervous.
Just like them.
The Announcement
Suddenly—
A voice echoed through the entire arena.
"Good morning, everyone!"
All heads turned.
An official stood at the center stage.
"This is the Grand Finale Competition!"
Cheers filled the air.
"Are you ready?!"
The crowd roared.
Energy surged everywhere.
The Beginning
The announcer continued:
"In just a few minutes… we will begin the First Level Competition."
Everyone stood still.
Focused.
Excited.
Nervous.
"The details of the first challenge…"
He smiled slightly.
"…will be revealed shortly."
Ending Scene
The eight of them stood together.
Side by side.
Not as individuals—
But as a team.
Daniel looked at his friends.
At Mary.
At everyone.
And said softly—
"Let's give our best."