Jack drew in a deep breath. He transferred his weight from leg to leg, and loosened his wrist, forearms, and shoulders with a shake. He looked up at the large back in front of him, waiting on the start of the line to make its way out of the tunnel, but glad they could soak in the atmosphere. The low volume came as a surprised to the warrior. Sounds did make their way through the darkness, but it was quitter than the bustling streets he walked to get here. Maybe there was less people than Stella described. How much worse could it be compared to Evergreen? He clicked his boots on the stone walkway. A completely different feeling of the soft dirt he walked on approaching the great southern magnolia tree of competition. This felt far more expensive. Far more historical. It has to be much worse than Evergreen.

The now recognisable voice introduced the event. The massive cheers flooded the tunnel before Mo finished. The deafening volume, now surprising Jack, caused a clenching in his stomach, just before twisting it. He missed his first step in matching the walk of the giant back in front of him. A sturdy grip took hold of his shirt, alerting him to go forward. He glanced back to see the familiar golden worries of King. The grip intended to hold him back instead of driving him forward. Jack laughed to himself and took the step with a little more zeal than a normal stride. His strengthened walk also guiding him and his friend towards the light. Towards the cheers. Towards a battle.

***

Earlier...

The morning of went by briskly. By the hour they awoke, the sun already climbed a fair way into the blue and white tapestry. It could have been blamed on the warm beds and dark, silent rooms they were gifted by the arena announcer, but Jack knew the fault lay with the anxiousness that kept him up until 6 hours ago. He dragged to Tana and Ace's stall in need of food and a good motivator for the day, finding a spark of it from posters of the tournament plastered to some walls. The whispers from denizens on the spectacle schedules for later. The talks of if their favourite fighter will make it through.

Jack learned that the first day consisted of two battle royale matches lasting an hour. Four winners are chosen from each battle, and they are determined by who is standing on a pillar at the end of the time. Ace made it clear that they were not to underestimate the length of an hour since there is no other win condition. They trained for much longer, but that was always controlled. An hour of fighting can feel never ending, especially against strong opponents.

The spark he had while trudging through the city was smothered by the wave of other whispers sharing the kingdom. The Old General was almost killed last night. They tried to poison Lance. Jack learned that Lance was an ex-general last night on the walk home. Stella sharing any information she received about the extravagant head of the arena. New information from the whispers was news of a few missing soldiers. Jack stopping at different stalls, indirectly spending tokens for pieces of the story. Learning the soldiers guarded mysterious warehouses towards the centre of the city cost Jack a cinnamon roll. The rumour that they were in on everything and now running, cost him a cup of coffee. Something he never had before, but it hit a spot he didn't realise could be tampered with. His drag turned into eager step as he stopped for a hot dog with cheese to hear that the soldiers were great people and would never do that. His tokens safe after whispers confirmed they were all variations on the same two premises.

Jack arrived at the stand and wanted to gift Luna his purchases, but he had to wait on her return from a walk. A walk alone that surprised the team, but she was soon to return and Tenny was presented with samples from The Little Reaper. King had not too long arrived, already dressed in his arena clothing. His face hidden by a cloth mask and hood starting from his forehead and covered the majority of his hair. Thick brown gloves that looked far too large for him was covering past his elbows. He was eager to see Jack, but not as eager as Yuki.

The only soured face belonged to their neighbouring vendor, who seemed to hurl questions at their moustache and strong glances at Jack. The latter being dragged away by his fellow fighters, but he insisted on waiting for Stella, until Tana informed him that Ophelia went to get her from the room. They heard her training early in the morning. Ace sending them off with Tenny for guidance and meals they were to eat a couple of hours before having to go in. Conditional instructions on how to handle it depending on how they were feeling.

They would have to gather at the arena for 1 p.m. to draw lots for which group they will be fighting in. Tana had to go in at noon to get dressed in preparation. Her face was not presenting the same excitement as last night. The time until then was taken up by light training and following instructions. Yuki had to be reeled in a couple of times from Tenny. Light training. Yuki explained his situation to them. His deal with Ace, and his father's disapproval being elevated with last night's events. An uneasy kingdom being distracted by the sport they hold dear. Jack couldn't get his mind off Blue. Is this a gang dispute? How would he even find him?

Stray ideas and idle talks got him to the arena. Narrow corridors and dim lights took him to a large holding room. Lance looked good and excited at far end of the room, joined by the current champion. Mo and Tana stood on a stage along with a few other girls. Tana confident in her uniform. A confidence and happiness that Jack didn't expect to see after her expression this morning. She was owning her role, dressed in a white cloth draped over her shoulder to her short matching hip skirt. Her navel flourished with a white pearl. Her happiness eased Jack's nervousness. Stella and Ophelia's expressions made him envious that they had none, but King and Yuki fared much worse.

The kingdom's voice giving them commands on what to be done. Their names placed in a box and another box contained the numbers one and two. A random name and number being picked and written down on a chalk board behind the girls. Girls that immediately rushed out after the last name was scribed. Jack, King, and Yuki would be in the first bout. Stella and Ophelia scheduled for after. No more than 20 minutes was spent into room again before the they were ushered to rooms they could get ready in, and a bit more time until they were guided to dark tunnels, listening to the Mo's theatrics.

"THE RUMBLEEEEEEEE IS READYYYYYYYY! Today is the beginning of the second round of Null Qualifiers! In light of very recent events, we would like to honour those soldiers that are missing and wish for their safety. We also want to let everyone know that Mr. Lance is doing well and to show that...Let's welcome him out along with the brave warriors in today's FIRST BOUT!"

Jack finally made it into the sunlight where King's hesitance consumed him. He paused for a second to catch all he could with his eyes. The opening above them revealing the changing clouded tapestry. The towering hands emerging from the ground to attack it. The ancient architecture slowly changing to new replaced stonework the closer to the stage his eyes travelled. The collected faces rushing towards them like an avalanche.

They made their way towards the giant collection of tiles laid into a circle. Each competitor spaced far apart on the perimeter. The stylish old man emerged from the tunnel with them. His poise expressed in his walk behind the last warrior in line. The crowd's eruption fuelling the smile raising his sunglasses. Lance made his way to the centre of the ring with two girls to his side, one being very familiar.

Her silvers locked onto King and Jack and her cheerful smile and wave made the other competitors stare at them with a completely opposite expression. Tana danced with her hands alone, reflecting the other beautiful girl as the ex-general raised a massive tile from the ground and placed it to the side. He turned a dial embedded into the concrete and placed his hand flat onto a metal plate next to it. Pitch black pillars lifted four tiles, just off the edge of the ring and in each of the cardinal directions from the centre. The tiles now standing at least 8 meters above them. The procedure didn't seem efficient, but the theatrics was unmatched. The old man revelling in every moment.

"For the newcomers and those that love my voice. The four warriors standing on those pillars by the end of the hour are the victors." Jack's eyes followed the former general walk towards a large hourglass far off to the side, in between two tunnels. A weirdly dressed soldier guarding it. Jack turned his head to notice that uniform lightly spotted upper edge of the wall. All holding a dulled shield with a uniquely shaped black and deep purple mass placed at the centre. More Null Metal than Jack has seen in his life. The sight confirmed that they are fighting in the right place.

"The rules are the same as everyday rules, with the exception of a ring out. Competitors are allowed to fight until the hour has ended once they don't break any rules. Let's count down our favourite official and get this battle started. With me everyone! 3, 2, 1."

Lance spun the glass. The first grain of sand slid through the narrowed centre. The first red orb brushed Jack's hair. He rolled past the few following mimics. A fist emerged from his periphery, but a woman charged ahead of him with green in her palm. Which was coming first? Warriors clashed just to the side of them, the distance was menial. A slight lean to the left allowed his body to be guided by the fist. His shoulder sliding on the tile a couple of meters before he scrambled to his feet. His cheek letting him know that he was overthinking but not enough to feel like he messed up. He needed a plan.

***

"It is madness down there huh?" Tenny said on Ace's shoulder.

"Yea, almost like a battlefield. That is something I couldn't prep them for. They need to calm down and remember that they aren't going to die. Thank you, that would be 3 tokens," Ace said handing a sandwich to someone finding their seat. Luna was strapped to his back and collected the payments before dropping them into a hidden pouch pinned between them.

"Let me give you a hand," Stella said from behind him.

"Oh, you sure?" Ace passed out another sandwich and thanked them for their patronage. "Shouldn't you be prepping? Where is Ophelia?"

"She has to get her gear, and a few of her fighter friends are watching from the tunnels." Stella walked beside him but focused on the match below. Ace was working his way down, so it was difficult to pinpoint her comrades while following.

"That sounds like a great opportunity to miss for some sandwiches." Ace laughed.

"Analyse the fight with me. I'll help you out and you answer my questions. You know me better than they do. I want your help."

"Okay deal." Ace took a few steps down. "Sandwiches! 3 tokens a sandwich. Soyu's legendary sandwiches for today's legendary fight! Try our new version with ground meat. It's great for those of you that rather cheer than chew! Get your sandwiches!"

"Soji should fire you." Stella shook her head.

***

The Hummingbird green dashed towards a group of three. The shortest of the trio faced him first, with a technically standard combination of punches missing. His step already in the guard of the aggressor. Tight uppercut to the body revealed his back that Jack used as a springboard. Boot to the knee of the tall one, and a knee to the body of the muscular one. Jack flowed between their hesitant attacks. Their unfamiliarity of fighting a single opponent in close combat played to his advantage. Three reduced to two, then one, and Jack remained in the centre of the fallen warriors.

He glanced at the hourglass where a soldier scattered a stray red orb. He glanced to his friends fending off attacks. Yuki raised his dark shield and wedged the dark mimic staff into a groove formed in it. The attacks bursting on the shield but the young warrior not moving. King in a similar situation but the orbs tearing apart pieces of leather from his forearms. A few fighters abandoning the ranged attacks, ran at the two.

Jack sprinted towards them with the hope of interception, but that felt unlikely. A wind walk would be ideal, but with so many people moving, the fear of being intercepted himself rang in his mind. Lightning would get there, but he would be drained for the rest of the match. Blue. Blue collected in his palms as a step turned into his base and he threw the channel of water causing a few attackers to stop and one to block the spell. Jack stationed himself to face the challengers while the other two met his back to fend off the sides, while they all tried to get a small distance from the edge.

"I am sorry, I can only defend. This is really overwhelming." Yuki panted.

"I don't know what to do," King added.

"Me too. It feels too chaotic. I am getting pushed around too," Jack finished. A few moments of silence told him that no plan would be that simple, but the time he got to think about the plan felt like a clue already.

"Watch out!" King pulled Jack out of the way. A boot collided with his raised forearm before blasting him out of the ring and into the dirt. A cutaway made from his drag path. Iris was in between them now. His fist was fast and almost caught a retreating Jack. The attack receded into an elbow that slammed into the propped shield of Yuki, sending an echoing thump to those in the front row.

"Iris has launched the newcomer Ren out of the arena. Is he telling the rookies it's time to go home? As he squares up with debut fighters Ed and Yuki."

Jack stepped in towards him. The large man easily throwing Jack's own punch towards the ground. "Wait Ed. I just wanted to test you a bit, but it's best not to fight right now. I came to tell you guys to be patient, or you will get into fights that can cost you the rest of the tournament. Today is only one day, and we barely cracked a quarter of the hour."

Jack nodded his head and lined up next to Iris. King slowly making his way back up and Yuki finding his spot in the new huddle. Their eyes peeled, but no one looking their way. Jack glanced at the big guy on their side for now, the smile stretched on his face. Jack could tell that even in this chaos, that man was in his territory, and no one wanted to trespass. He was glad for the respite.

"That's enough rest for you rookies." The woman's first step was mesmerising. Technically perfect in the distance she closed and timing with her two edgeless swords crossing towards Jack's chest. The boy grabbing the blades with mana strong hands. His boots sliding on the tile towards the edge.

"Brutus just tossed Aster out of the ring. It was quite Brutal if I say so myself. Oh! Titania has attacked Ed the rookie. Her aggression holds no bounds. The Earth Queen!"

***

"So, what is the best tactic here? It all just looks like chaos," Stella asked.

"It's the same as always. The best plans are the ones suited for you, or—" Ace was cut off.

"The ones best suited against the opponents," Stella said.

"And that is very difficult when there are so many opponents."

"So do I stay aggressive like Titania? The one that just attacked Ed. That is more my style."

"It's not aggression without a purpose. In a fight like this, the important thing is conservation right." Ace waited for a head nod. Tenny reached for a snack after the hard work of a couple sales. "Titania is attacking at the start and demonstrating her power, so others would hesitate to attack her. Why risk it? Iris can conserve his energy more consistently. The attacks are more frequent, but that initial expenditure isn't required. It depends on who and how they challenge him. We can't forget that those two are legends of this place. Their situations can be ideal."

"It's just whatever feel right then. I feel calmer on the offensive and thinking less. Our friend down there likes to be calm and analyse everything." Stella smiled.

"Or it looks like the best plan can be demonstrated by our white-haired friend." Tenny drew their attention back to the match.

***

Jack ducked the swords again. Her agility wasn't the most frightening, but her technique left little gaps. That and the extraordinary strength behind her swings had Jack completely retreating. He felt his breath betray him for a second. He had no control. He retreated during sparring sessions and fights many times, but he can't step how he wants. Different battles and waiting warriors all forced his path and energy. The idea of fighting her wandered around his mind. How much time left? Where is the timer?

"You have time to look other places..." Titania was inches from him. Where did this speed come from? "Quite brave of you rookie."

Jack wrapped around her before her arms could create its arc. Her strength pressing into his muscles, Jack wasn't sure if his bones were bending, but mana glued his fingers together.

"...and Rexem has been taken down by Angelica. What a combination! Now we have the Daiyuian warrior going after the sly Ren, who has been avoiding fights by running outside the ring for most of the match. Is the rumble ready, can Liu catch him?"

Jack released and looked for his companion being chased. He was saving his mana, but a small burst of green was needed to create some distance. Jack turned his back and dashed away, using the three from earlier as barriers. Unhappy with seeing him again, and using them, gave reason to chase.

"Running from me, just upsets me for some reason." The Earth Queen only took two steps towards them when she crossed her swords and barely braced the impact of Iris's punch. It still took her to one knee, but she was able to keep the fist from advancing. "You want to fight me this early in the match, Iris? Is that a good idea?"

"I am just giving the fans a show. You worried Earth Queen?"

"You know I am not, Flower Boy."

"Iris and Titania meet! They are going to need some more space! Now it's a show!"

Jack saw competitors' eyes focus behind him after hearing Mo's excitement. Good. He weaved through paused combatants, sometimes over, each of them returning to action like Jack's presence freed them from a trance. He wondered if he would have been lost in the clash of icons like them. Of course he would, but now he had to get to King and get rid of these three chasing him.

"I got them Ed!" Yuki cut the men off with a solid shield strike. His tactic of supporting the heavy shield with the dark staff stopped the tall one's attacks. Yuki took a step towards him but then circled to the side. Fluidity is the key, Tyr told him. Most would think that he will struggle to move, especially if he sells it. Selling is what he does. The black staff smashed into the guard of the tall one, only causing him to take a few steps backwards. Three opponents in front of him caused his grip to tighten. They moved first, fanning out. Two hands on the staff and wide footwork helped him stay low and rhythmic while dancing between the three. Yuki's strikes pushing them back far enough that no fist came close. His heart was pounding, but he couldn't stop the corner of his mouth from curling.

"Taking a break from the titans, it looks like we have a rookie holding off three fighters! Is he getting some assistance? Wait, what is the Ren doing? It is like a dark magic turtle. What is everyone else going to do?"

Yuki felt heat reach his fingertips, and his stomach hollow. A simple curled corner broke into a large smile. This feeling was a taste of greatness. It must be amazing to be a titan. The men inched forward, but their focus betrayed them when a yellow pillar blasted the three in a line out of the ring. A masked man running on the pillar slid his boots in front of the young cook. His fist aimed at the red hair. Yuki raised his shield without a staff support but followed the momentum to ease impact.

"The Jester has been on a roll today. Rookie after rookie have been knocked out by him today. Is this the Rookie Killer's last challenge in the remaining minutes?"

"You usually pick fights with big guys and lose. Why are you after newcomers now?" Yuki asked the man fixing his mask. A white mask that asymmetrically held opposite emotions. Half of the mask was a hollowed smile, the other, a hollowed frown.

"I can't lose them all kid. I have to make it look believable to keep it up." The mask lunged forward. His first strike was crisp, but avoidable. The man placed his body on the shield as Yuki quickly sent mana to his feet in an attempt not to buckle. The Jester's hand whipped around the guard but only catching Yuki on the shoulder before the cook created distance.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, but I'm not just another rookie for you to kill."

"You say it like you have a choice." The Jester rushed at him again. The strikes each had a long delay to them. It was as if each move depended on the one before it, with enough time for Yuki to set his defence in stone, but his combinations still feeling like water. Expressive and following any path it wanted to. His legs crossed over each other as if he would stumble, but then an upward palm strike would pummel the dark shield.

Yuki taking more steps back, until he pushed forward with a shield strike. The Jester danced around it. Yuki spun his staff around his hip causing his opponent to dance back. Mana flowed through Yuki's limbs, the moment he was waiting for. He was never great with Mana Strengthening, but the lightweight weapons Opti made for him was easy to swing around. The smoothness and flexibility of the attacks clearly surprised the mask man that tried to pull away from his own attack. A dark staff crashed into his shoulder.

"It looks like The Rookie Killer has met his match. Yuki clearly able to make an impact. Wow! Iris has Titania on the ropes. How will she fair with one sword against The Wildflower!"

"You are much nimbler than I imagined. How are you swinging such heavy weapons around?" The Jester asked while dusting his clothes off.

"It is just how good I am." Yuki recited the line Tyr gave him for questioning. The truth being Opti's ability to coat things in dark magic. Lightweight materials covered in a thin spell but still as hard as dark mimics. They said that only a few creatures in the world can do that, and this one will last a couple of hours.

Yuki was grateful for the opportunity. He dashed in with a trust towards The Jester's chest. He was grateful for the tools. The Jester closed in and elbowed the dark shield. He knew that they wouldn't be around forever, that this was a temporary blessing. Yuki danced with the staff well enough to make his opponent take a few steps back. Even though it wouldn't be here forever, he still got to fight in the ring with a bit of safety; he got to show his will to his father watching from the stands; he understands what it will take to be a warrior and if he wants to walk the path. The Jester showed his expertise with a barrage of earth pillars guiding Yuki's dodges to a direction. A blue orb crashed into the shield, but without time to staff support, the boy crashed to the ground. He rose to his feet instantly. The cheers of the crowd elevated with his. His feet steady and staff in front. He was going to stop The Jester.

He was going to fight in the arena again. Help them get home quicker by his own to hands. He was going to be a warrior.

***

Jack was grateful for the assist in removing the three pursuers. His golden eyed friend spotted his arrival and dashed towards him. His newer friend twisting around to give chase, but her feet planted, and grin formed when she noticed her charging opponent. King and Jack crossing paths with their palms slapping against each other in acknowledgement.

"We have around 10 minutes. You should last that long," Jack called back.

"Got it! I'll go for it."

Jack moved into his opponent's confidence zone. Her forearms stunning every attack and palms striking at Jack's dodging head. Her left finally able to push her foe a few steps back. Jack immediately raised his guard instinctively, but no strike came, Liu still planted in her spot waiting on him.

"I figured you would have tried to save your friend, and I did want to fight you, but how can you defend such a cowardly weakling," Liu called to him.

"He is cowardly, but far from weak. He just hasn't found that ambition like you have." Jack walked to her guard and took a wide stance himself. Liu raised the back of her hand to face Jack, just off of his right shoulder.

"That's bullshit and you know it. Anyone who is supposedly strong and can't use it, is just disappointingly weak. Show me your strength, Ed." Jack mirrored her motion and placed his hand on hers. Their eyes locked.

"Taking a break from the titans, it looks like we have a rookie holding off three fighters! Is he getting some assistance? Wait, what is the Ren doing? It is like a dark magic turtle. What is everyone else going to do?"

King was already on a pillar, with a dark orb covering him and the entire platform. Spells burst on the bubble, weapons bounced off the bubble, but boos made its way inside through any flow of air it could. The combatants realised the spiteful echoes didn't mean anything. Ren had won. Now there were three left. Most of the arena entrants scrambled for the remaining three, with few keeping their flow of combat.

"Go!" Liu yelled. Her strikes powerfully pushed air past Jack's ear. In front of his nose, some even pushing on his forearms protecting the side of his face. His two fists clenched at his temples and core folding and releasing like a spring, kept him away from most strikes, but he was clearly out matched in this position. Her movements were a mechanism to deal a deadly strike. It reminded Jack of being in the forge. Each process leading to another, with nothing in sync. Just methodically moving from step to step as her elbow founds its place first, then here forearm took her already directed wrist towards him. There was no use of momentum, but complete reactive precision. Jack felt like he was getting used to the logic, but she was getting used to his rhythm. Her foot steadily planted while Jack felt like he couldn't keep his down. He had to. He was committed to this bout and the look in her eyes made him want to win at the challenge. The smirk made him want to dominate. The chin made him realise her defence was open.

He weaved under her strike and raised his knuckles to the clouds, but before it got there, it was softened by her palm. Her hand directed the punch in almost a 90-degree angle when her elbow dropped on the bridge of Jack's nose. His sight taken away by his flinch, only returning to view the blurred tile.

Fuzzy red on tiles? Fighting. Yes, he was fighting. Fighting. Liu, move. On the ground he is? Yea, right, no left. Chin. Yea, yea fighting Liu. Nice.

Jack rose from the ground with the same right hand aiming at blue skies, this time it was stopped by Liu's chin. Jack's sights sharpened, and blood pumped. Liu's backstep after the blow wasn't creating any distance, The Hummingbird darting at her with a combination of blows embedding into her body.

"It looks like The Rookie Killer has met his match. Yuki clearly able to make an impact. Wow! Iris has Titania on the ropes. How will she fair with one sword against The Wildflower!"

Jack continued his barrage, no idea which fist was making its way towards her next, just the feeling that she had to go down. He didn't think about the steps, and definitely didn't think he was the one ending up on the ground. Her hands wrapped around his wrist after a high jab and dragged his armpit to her shoulder. Her twisting core and rising hip, guided Jack's feet above him and then his back on to cold tile. Air rejected his lungs on impact. No time to call more in when his opponent was bringing a fist at his throbbing nose. His knuckles guarded the injured area and his other hand quickly hovered over the tile. Yellow climbing on each other to reach his palm, but it was running away, reaching for the sky. The yellow compressed into a pillar and ran from the ground into Liu's chest, her feet dangling as the pillar held her up.

Jack rose to his feet and finally drew in his breath. His opponent wiggling off the spell and landing on her feet, her hand gripping on to her chest. Jack took his time walking towards her, waiting for energy to close his fist. He replaced the short inhales for an attempt of a long one. He needed energy.

"It looks like two minutes. Let's see who takes the other three, by the end, or can someone get Ren out of that shell!" the voice boomed.

Jack sprinted towards the wincing opponent. His fist following the momentum, aimed at her chin. She ducked and weaved, abandoning her style for a moment to mimic's Jack's earlier escapes, until the back of a large man crashed into both of them. The mammoth taking his slow time getting to his feet, but Jack couldn't afford to wait. He pulled his way from the pin and dragged to his moving feet. Feet moving to the empty pillar of the east, sporting a bald man with a smile.

Others ran past him, and more were already in the air towards the man trying to summon yellow. The defensive spell only erecting a wide wall to the height of his knees. Jack chuckled as he looked at the dark pillar holding up the singular tiles. The singular tiles that can't hold many wisps, and yellow wisps can't flow through dark wisps. Tough luck for those that didn't understand, but Jack understood the spell that would take him to victory. One shot.

Green collected in his right palm, his feet still taking him towards the eastern pillar. More green. Okay, some fire. He felt his left arm numb, and his feet weaker. All energy went to holding the orb drawing in specs of red. His feet stumbled, but he used his shift in motion to throw the spell forward. The green sandwiched between luminous red dart from his palm and spread in dozens of directions, each branching into dozens more. The spell crashed into the chest, backs, shoulders, any appendage of those in its way, and still travelling towards the panicked man on the eastern pillar.

"Lighting! Ed just blasted everyone away with lightning!" The excited voice energised the crowd. It seemed to have worked for Jack as well, allowing him to summon just enough green to blast him into the edge of the tile. His chest pressed flat on the stone with his feet dangling. He gripped the edges with both hands and inched his way up finally making it to one knee, until his supporting hand failed him and his back rested flat on the tile. His eyes focused on the drifting clouds until a red orb zoomed a foot above his face. A place he was supposed to be if he could stand. His neck guided his eyes to the man charging from the left. An elegantly dressed warrior with flowing blonde hair, soaring at him with a red orb in hand. Jack sighed. Damn, he almost made it.

It was only the blink of an eye, but floating in front of him was the back of a chef carried by a green trail. The warrior crashed into Yuki's shield with red particles scattering like fireworks. The force sending both competitors to the ground.

"That is it! Time is up! What a spectacular match, and what a spectacular finish as the red hair rookie stopped Jean from getting to Ed. The rookie that wore his heart on his head today and showed up a hero. Yuki, The Heart Hero has allowed Ed to join the other winners! Stand tall for those that can, we have Iris The Wildflower, Titania The Earth Queen, The Dark Turtle Ren, and The Thunderbird Ed! Congratulations!"

The crowd erupted for a split second before being slowly interrupted.

"...yea, I just came up with Heart Hero..." The kingdom's voice was distant. "I like it, but I was worri..."

"Mo, the amp!" a familiar voice yelled.

"Damnit!" The awkward pause was soon forgotten by the unstoppable cheers as people made their way off the stage.

***

"That was a hell of a way to finish." Ace laughed and looked at Stella. "I believe you can top it, but don't forget your rules."

"Yea, no ice, but it will be tough to beat that performance." Stella sighed. "I will just have to completely dominate. Wish me luck."

"I like the sound of that!" Tenny yelled.

"You don't need it. Go crush them," Ace said. The Reaper nodded.