The Day Before the Tournament – Silvergate Coliseum Training Grounds
Zairon stood in the center of the private training arena the girls had access to — a place only top contenders could use. Towering walls surrounded the vast space, rune-etched barriers flickering with energy, capable of absorbing even the deadliest of blows.
Selene, Aria, and Nyla stood opposite him, stretching and preparing, each radiating fierce determination.
Zairon, meanwhile, was pacing in slow, exaggerated circles, arms folded, head tilted with a grin.
"You three better train hard," he said, dramatically pointing to the sky. "Tomorrow, the world will witness legends rise — and obviously, I'm the main character. You're lucky I allow side characters to share the stage."
Aria rolled her eyes. "You're insane."
Zairon smirked. "No no — I'm enlightened."
Without warning, he slammed his foot into the ground, launching forward with a mad grin.
"Time to test the Crimson Crescent!"
He leapt high into the air, spiritual energy surging around him like a tidal wave. The girls looked up, bracing as the pressure spiked.
"Crimson Crescent — prototype version!"
He swung his blade. The energy condensed into a fiery arc, burning crimson and gold, streaking down like a falling star.
BOOM!
The ground split open in a fifty-meter line, exploding into rubble. Dust clouded the arena. Even the barrier shimmered violently as it absorbed the remaining force.
Selene, blinking through the dust, muttered, "That was… only a prototype?"
Zairon landed with a thud, arms crossed, cloak fluttering behind him.
"Tch. Only 10% formed. I expected it to cut through space. This is a disappointment."
Nyla laughed, tossing him a water flask. "You're a lunatic."
"A visionary," Zairon corrected, drinking with dramatic flair. "Someday, the world will name calendars before and after my existence."
Training resumed with more control. Zairon sparred with each of the girls, observing their techniques, even mimicking a few. Selene's precision, Aria's elemental flares, Nyla's speed — he studied it all, then added his signature chaos.
"Let's mix all three, add a dash of madness, and boom — that's how a Sovereign fights."
By nightfall, they sat beneath a tree near the coliseum's edge, looking out over Silvergate's glowing skyline.
Selene sighed. "Tomorrow… we'll probably face nobles, beastmen prodigies, or battle maniacs."
Zairon leaned back, arms behind his head.
"They can all come. The more the merrier. I need to measure how far I've come before I start stepping on the heavens."