Scene — Airplane Window, Midair
The airplane hummed like a living creature beneath Leo's feet. He pressed his forehead to the window, watching cities shrink into a mosaic of lights and asphalt. From the air, China looked familiar yet startlingly new—slick skylines, layered highways, and stadiums glittering like distant stars. Twenty years seemed compressed into a single decade; the world had grown sharper, faster, louder.
Leo (muttering)
"I can't wait to see the stadium."
The thrill — the smell of the arena, the roar of the crowd — made the old, raw excitement in his chest flare hotter than the jet engines below.
Scene — Airport, Welcome
At the airport, Chen Wei waited. Tall, confident, ever-smiling, and a friend Leo could trust with his life. Wei gave Leo a quick, teasing hug.
Chen Wei
"You look the same. Same stubborn hair, same terrible jacket sense. When will you ever change?"
Leo (slightly embarrassed)
"Sorry—training's been everything. Tournament prep. You know how it is."
As they walked side by side, cameras swarmed them. Flashes strobing like a second sunrise, microphones thrust forward.
Reporter 1
"Leo! Your father was the World Martial Arts Champion. How did he die? And who are you now?"
Reporter 2
"Chen Wei — is he ready for the tournament?"
Leo (calm, steady)
"I'm Leo. My father was killed. I'm here to take his place."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
Crowd Voice
"So the champion's son comes with no training? Brave or foolish?"
From a distant screen, Kaito Jin watched, a slow, cold smile forming.
Kaito Jin
"Still the same. No training, full of bravado… enough to test."
Scene — Park, Rest and Training
Once the media subsided, Wei led Leo to a park by the river. They sat on a stone wall; the city's pulse slowed for a breath.
Leo (teasing)
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Chen Wei (scratching his neck)
"There's someone. She comes by sometimes. I've wanted to ask her for months, but I'm useless at that."
Leo (smiling)
"Bring her this time. If she visits, I'll drag you over and make you confess."
Leo
"By the way, what spirit beast did you inherit?"
Chen Wei
"Water Dragon. The river-blood of China. A good match for your Lion."
Leo (softly, a little wistful)
"I wish I had my mother's Phoenix… she died when I was born. If I'd had even a trace of her, maybe I'd have known her."
They dropped to the grass, sparring like children: fists slicing the air, waves of force bending the wind, clothes sticking with sweat, lungs burning. Laughter mixed with effort, each strike a reaffirmation of friendship and strength.
Scene — Chen Wei's Mother, Scolding
Chen Wei's Mother
"Enough! I know you're preparing for the tournament, but don't come in like wild beasts! Fix your clothes, and I'll sew your uniforms too."
The smells of cooking and the whir of machines filled the room. Leo let himself be cared for like a younger brother, heart quieted by the warmth of home.
Scene — Night, Balcony
At night, on a narrow balcony overlooking the river, Leo stared at the stars. The world had changed, but the fire of determination burned as fiercely as it did on the mountain cliff a year ago.
Leo
(whispering to the night)
"I won't lose… not in two weeks."