The stadium rose from the land like a sleeping giant.
Built at the edge of the mountains, it was neither fully modern nor ancient—steel frameworks reinforced with stone, banners hanging from massive pillars carved with symbols of past tournaments. Thousands of seats wrapped around the arena in a perfect circle, forming a place meant not just for battle, but for judgment.
This was where legends were made.
And where some were buried.
Outside the main gates, the world was already alive.
Crowds gathered from every direction—fighters, spectators, merchants, media drones floating quietly above. Different languages mixed into a single restless hum. Everyone carried the same feeling in their chest:
anticipation.
At the far end of the road, Leo walked forward calmly.
His hands were in his pockets. His posture relaxed.
But the air around him felt… heavy.
Each step he took pressed faint cracks into the stone path beneath his feet, as if the ground itself recognized him.
Chen Wei walked beside him, glancing around.
"So this is it," Chen Wei said. "Bigger than I imagined."
Leo didn't answer immediately.
His eyes were fixed on the stadium.
Somewhere inside it—
his future waited.
Somewhere far away—
his past still bled.
"You nervous?" Chen Wei asked lightly.
Leo shook his head.
"No," he replied.
"I'm focused."
Chen Wei smiled, but his eyes were serious. "Good. Because whatever happens in there… we won't be the same after."
Leo nodded once.
At the same time—
On the opposite side of the stadium, another presence approached.
The crowd unknowingly parted.
A man walked through them without touching anyone.
Kaito Jin.
His long coat swayed gently with each step. His expression was calm—almost bored. No killing intent leaked from him, yet the fighters who sensed aura instinctively stepped aside.
Kaito looked up at the stadium.
"So this is the stage," he murmured.
His lips curved into a faint smile.
"Leo…" he said quietly.
"Let's see how much you've grown."
High above, dark clouds slowly gathered, circling the sky as if drawn toward the arena.
Inside the stadium walls, the battlefield waited—silent, patient.
The gates had not yet opened.
The tournament had not yet begun.
But destiny was already seated.
And it was watching.
---
Author's Note
This tournament is important.
Very important.
After this arc ends, Volume 1 will be complete.
I want to be honest with you all—
I cannot guarantee when Volume 2 will come.
If this story receives support, reviews, and encouragement,
I will bring Volume 2 no matter what.
But if there is no support…
I don't know how long I can continue.
I tried to bring something different.
I wanted to bring animation and storytelling from Nepal to the world.
But sometimes it feels like I failed everywhere.
If one day I stop writing,
please remember—
I truly tried.
Also… after this battle, once the tournament ends, I might release a 12th chapter.
In that chapter, I will explain a little about how power works across the universes, and I'll show all forms of the main character, his friend, the villain, and reveal their names and abilities in detail.
Thank you for reading till here.
Your reviews mean more than you think 🙏