[Arena – Imperial vs Zeran]
Kai emerges victorious against Leo after a fierce and exhausting battle, barely managing to stay on his feet. As the crowd erupts, Imperial is challenged by his close friend Zeran, and the two step into the arena. Their battle is intense, with lightning and fire magic clashing violently. Zeran gains the upper hand, but Imperial begins to tap into a mysterious healing power. The chapter ends with Zeran launching his ultimate move, Inferno Dragon, engulfing the battlefield in a fiery explosion.
Zeran was dominating.
Blow after blow, Imperial was barely managing to stay on his feet. Each fiery strike pushed him further back, forcing him into a defensive stance. The crowd held their breath as Zeran prepared his final move.
"Inferno Dragon!" Zeran roared.
Flaming dragon-shaped arrows burst forth, spiraling through the air like comets.
Imperial's eyes widened—he couldn't dodge.
BOOM!
The arrows struck him head-on, a cascade of fire exploding across the battlefield. Smoke billowed as Imperial collapsed, unmoving.
The arena fell silent.
Then—
Commentator: "The winner is... Zeran Drake!"
The crowd erupted, cheering not just for Zeran's victory, but because the stage was now set: the long-awaited rematch of last year's final—
Kai Alden vs Zeran Drake.
Medical staff rushed into the arena, carefully lifting Imperial and carrying him to the medical room.
________________________________________
[Medical Room – Moments Later]
Imperial lay on the bed, bandaged and bruised. Ari burst in, concern in her eyes.
Ari: "Are you okay?!"
Imperial: (weakly smiling) "Yeah, I guess…"
Ari: "That fight was amazing. So don't be upset if you think you lost."
Imperial: "I don't really care about this stuff."
He glanced toward the crystal orb in the room projecting the live arena feed.
Imperial: "Is the final match starting soon?"
Ari: "I… I don't know."
They both turned to the crystal, watching as Kai and Zeran entered the battlefield.
Imperial: "I have to go. I want to watch this."
Doctor: "Absolutely not. We haven't even checked for internal fractures yet."
Imperial: "I'm fine, really—"
Suddenly, he paused. He felt… something. An odd pressure. From Ari.
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
Ari: (fake smile) "Are you not listening to the doctor?"
Imperial flinched, confused and slightly terrified.
Imperial: "Y-Yeah… Doctor's right…"
But then he looked at his wounds.
Imperial: "Still, most of my injuries… it's weird. They feel like they healed mid-battle."
Ari: "Could be your magic waves. They might've absorbed most of the impact."
Imperial: "Maybe... Yeah, that makes sense."
Ari's eyes wandered to the injuries still visible—one on his arm and one across his chest.
She paused.
Then her face turned bright red.
Ari: "Wait—your chest?!"
She slapped him hard.
Ari: "Pervert! How dare you sit shirtless in front of a girl?!"
Imperial, holding his cheek, muttered under his breath:
Imperial: "If I didn't take it off, how would the doctor treat me…"
Ari: (realizing) "O-oh… Right. That was stupid of me."
Imperial: "Honestly, that slap hurt more than Zeran's dragon arrows…"
Ari: (embarrassed but trying to sound confident) "Still! Have some manners!"
Then they turned their attention to the broadcasting crystal in the medical room, where the match was just beginning.
Kai and Zeran stood face-to-face in the arena, their magic waves surging as they sensed each other's overwhelming presence.
Referee raised his hand, signaling the countdown.
"3…"
"2…"
"1…"
"Begin!"
The signal echoed through the arena, and the battle erupted.
Zeran smirked, eyes locked on his rival. "Let's do this, Kai. Let's make this battle one to remember—more than any fight we've had before. Because I'm the one who will defeat you… and one day, I'll become the Emperor!"
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Then stop talking. Let's share attacks, not words."
Zeran laughed wildly, excitement crackling in his voice. "You're right!"
With a quick pinch of his finger, the ground beneath them ignited, transforming into a fiery battlefield. Flames spiraled around Zeran's fists as he gathered heat into his hands, forming fire gauntlets.
In a burst of speed, Zeran charged forward, his fire-coated fist aimed straight for Kai's chest.
Clang!
Kai drew his sword just in time, blocking the punch. Sparks flew from the collision.
Zeran grinned. "I guess you missed the match between me and your brother."
With a wave of his arm, he summoned a massive Flaming Phoenix, soaring toward Kai—just like he had done against Imperial.
But this time… it was different.
Kai's eyes flashed with focus. "Not today."
He slashed upward.
The fiery phoenix split in two, extinguished in midair by Kai's sword.
From the medical room, Imperial's eyes widened. "…He cut through it."
The crowd erupted in a roar.
Then Kai raised his sword again. "Lightning Swords: Clone Strikes!"
Multiple lightning-forged swords appeared around him, aiming themselves at Zeran.
Zeran quickly summoned his bow, launching a volley of flaming arrows to destroy the incoming blades. Sparks and flames collided midair in a dazzling spectacle.
"The same trick he used on Leo…" someone in the crowd murmured.
Kai took his stance again, charging forward with incredible speed.
But this time, Zeran caught Kai's sword—barehanded.
"You didn't expect that, did you?" Zeran's hand glowed brighter, melting through the blade. The sword cracked and broke.
Kai leaped back, landing hard, sparks flickering around him.
"All things aside," Kai said with a grin, "you could've just told me you wanted a fair fight without weapons. Breaking my sword? That's rude."
With a sudden burst, Kai surged forward, fists glowing with crackling electricity.
"Lightning Collapse!"
The strike slammed into Zeran's body, sending him flying backward across the arena. He crashed, rolled, and slowly stood back up, steam rising from his skin.
Then they charged again—this time in a pure, raw fistfight.
Blow for blow. Fire against lightning. Memory against determination.
In that moment, both remembered the days they trained together. The laughter. The competition. The shared dreams.
Zeran roared. "Fire Fist: Shot Burst!"
Kai clenched his fist. "Lightning Collapse—Again!"
Their fists collided.
BOOM! . Here's a quick teaser line you can use to lead into the next chapter:
"As the flames die down, only one figure remains standing… but is the battle truly over?"