The trumpets blared, echoing through the skies — the signal had been given. The battle had begun.
Without hesitation, I lunged forward, celestial energy crackling wildly around me like lightning in a bottle about to burst. I charged straight at Ryan, unleashing my deadliest combo.
I hit him with the Spin Drop, slamming him backward — then, before he even had a second to breathe, I teleported behind him and landed the 50-50-50 Celestial Dropkick. His body jerked forward through the air, but I was already there — I teleported again, this time right in front of him, and hit him with a Galactical Uppercut that shot him upward like a firework.
Still mid-air, I appeared above him. "Don't waste my time man," I muttered, slamming down with a Celestial Bash that spiked him to the ground like a comet. BOOM. He crashed hard, the earth cracking beneath him. But then—his feet started morphing. Metal twisted and folded until his soles turned into wheels, and suddenly Ryan was skating toward me like a blur.
I dashed forward to meet him, throwing a heavy right hook—but he dodged, sliding past with finesse. I didn't let up. I lunged forward, swinging a celestial overhand punch. He moved again—so I teleported in front of him, grabbed his neck mid-motion, and slammed him into the ground.
Dust exploded everywhere. I hurled him across the field like a ragdoll, and he tumbled violently, scraping up dirt and chaos.
The crowd roared. I adjusted my gloves with a smirk.
"Nice one, Ryan," I called out. "But now… let me show you what I've really got in store."
I launched forward with a burst of speed that left a shockwave screaming behind me.
"RAVAGE!" I shouted.
I appeared directly in front of him and drove a single celestial punch into his gut — deep, devastating. The force hurled him into the sky, and I followed, pummeling him mid-air with a relentless flurry of punches, blow after blow keeping him airborne. And then—BOOM—one final punch launched him even higher, almost out of view.
Charging celestial energy deep in my core, I took flight, wings of dragonlight unfurling from my back. I shot up through the clouds, tracking him in the sky.
I darted through him four times in a blur, the wind howling. Then I roared:
"GALAXIES OUTBURST!"
With one brutal celestial axe-kick, I crashed into him from above. A blinding ring of celestial energy exploded outward, rocking the entire battlefield. Ryan plummeted, burning through the sky like a meteor. I wasn't far behind.
I soared through storming clouds that tried to hold me back—but I pushed through and caught up. One last celestial punch sent him rocketing into the dirt.
CRASH!!!
He hit the ground like a god falling from heaven, a massive plume of sand and smoke erupting from the impact.
"Not done yet!" I yelled, landing with a quake of my own.
I blurred forward again, teleporting so fast I left trails of glowing energy behind me. My movements zigzagged through space, designed to confuse. And it worked—I reappeared behind him mid-spin.
"SAVAGE SWEEP!" I called.
I swept him off his feet with one fluid motion, flipping him into the air. Before he could drop, I turned—both fists glowing, a tiny shimmering celestial star swirling on my right fist.
I drove that punch into his stomach like it was divine judgment. The impact created a shockwave so massive it rippled across the field—and Ryan went soaring sky-high once again.
Then—BOOM.
He crashed back down, creating a colossal celestial shockwave that shook the entire battlefield—even King Gordiman's throne trembled from the force.
I cracked my knuckles with a smirk.
"Alright… now I'm done." As the dust and smoke slowly cleared, there he was — Ryan, laid out flat on the ground, tongue sticking out like a cartoon character KO'd in round one. The crowd erupted. Gasps turned into thunderous cheers as they realized: the unbeatable champion… had finally fallen.
King Gordiman's face looked like the color had been drained right out of it. His jaw was slack, his eyes wide, frozen somewhere between disbelief and awe.
"There's no way!" he shouted, voice bursting with excitement. "No one's ever beaten the champion!"
Then, to my surprise, he beamed. "You know what? You deserve a reward for that performance."
From behind his throne, he pulled out a gleaming object — a silver dragon snout, forged from thick metallic steel. It gleamed under the stadium lights, sharp edges giving it a sleek, deadly look, like it had been sliced down the middle… even though it hadn't. Four small holes lined the front of the snout, ending in a sharp, pointed tip.
I stepped forward and took it from his hands, inspecting it with a raised brow.
"So… what does this thing do?" I asked, rotating it in my hand, scanning every detail.
King Gordiman clapped me on the back, grinning. "Just slap it on your dragon hoodie!"
So I did — attaching it right onto the purple snout of my hoodie. The metal clicked into place like it was made for it.
"That's a Snoutzer!" Gordiman said proudly. "It enhances your energy output during combat — amps everything up. Oh, and by the way…" His grin widened. "What were those moves?! They were sick!"
I smirked and put my hands on my hips. "Just part of my arsenal. Decided to beef it up a little. Y'know, since I'm strong enough, might as well have a bigger moveset. I'm a Celestial User, after all."
That's when I saw it — that mischievous gleam flash across his eyes.
"Well," he said slyly, "if you can take down our champion… how about you face our biggest champion?"
My ears twitched. "Biggest? I thought Ryan was the top dog."
"He was," Gordiman said with a smirk.
"Only because we haven't released this one in years. He's been locked away for being too dangerous."
Then he pulled out a golden trumpet — and blew it.
The sound tore through the air like a blade.
"RELEASE CYBER DON!!!"
The crowd snapped to attention.
I blinked. Hard.
"CYBER DON?!" My voice cracked—half confusion, half oh no, this is bad.
Then I heard it.
FWOOOSH.
Rocket jets screamed overhead.
I looked up at the orange-stained sky and—
Yeah.
I fricked up.
A cybernetic figure ripped through the clouds like a living missile. Red eyes locked onto mine—glowing, unblinking, hungry. He angled down instantly, arms spread wide, fingers flexing into claws.
"Oh COME ON—"
I barely rolled away before he hit.
BOOOOM.
The impact punched a crater into the arena floor, shockwaves ripping through the stands. The crowd screamed. The ground bucked. I landed flat on my back, ears ringing, heart trying to escape my chest.
I looked up.
Standing in the crater was a towering robotic figure.
And he looked like me.
Not inspired by.
Not similar.
Straight-up me.
No mouth—just a smooth, silver mask carved into a permanent dead stare. His red eyes burned into mine like targeting lasers. His legs were sleek cybernetics—upper half slim and rounded, lower half thick, reinforced, ending in heavy thruster boots still venting steam.
At the center of his purple-plated chest sat a wide circular port—an exposed energy core, humming with restrained violence.
Then I saw his arm.
My stomach dropped.
Etched into the metal of his forearm—glowing faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat—was the mark.
The same insignia.
The same symbol I saw every single time a beast showed up.
Jagged. Ancient. Wrong.
My breath caught.
"No way…"
That mark wasn't decoration.
It was a warning.
His arms were metallic silver—lean but terrifyingly strong—ending in razor claws that looked like they could shred buildings. His nose jutted sharp and angular, like a blade welded to his face.
His head was brown.
My shade of brown.
Same haircut. Same silhouette.
Just… hollow. Weaponized. Soulless.
This wasn't a robot.
It was a war machine wearing my face.
A bootleg.
A knockoff.
And somehow… tied to the beasts.
I pushed myself up, brushing dust from my suit. My jaw locked. My hoodie slid up, shadowing my face. I flexed my fingers—my gloves sharpened into draconic claws with a metallic shhk.
The rings around my wrists flared to life, glowing a low, ominous celestial purple.
I stepped forward.
Now it was close.
Close enough to feel the heat from his core.
Close enough to see the beast Mark throb brighter when I moved.
Man vs. machine.
"So this is how it's gonna go, huh?" I said, staring him dead in the eyes.
No reply.
Just a cold recalibration tilt of the head.
The crowd went feral—cheering like we were about to settle a legend at high noon. Energy crackled in the air. My stance shifted. Fists clenched.
My glare sharpened.
"Man versus robot," I muttered.
Then louder—
"Automated fists don't work on me, buddy."
The trumpets sounded, and the fight exploded into motion.
My fists ignited with celestial fire—violet veins of light crawling over my skin—as I burst forward in a violent smear of motion and slammed into Cyber Don's metallic face—
CRACK!
Time stretched.
His head twisted in slow motion, metal folding, sparks drifting like burning snow. The violet glow from my fist bled into his red core—purple swallowing crimson for a frozen heartbeat—before the force caught up.
He rocketed backward through the air as my boots dragged softly across the sand, heat shimmering beneath each step.
Energy surged again.
The world snapped forward.
I vanished and reappeared in front of him, leg already rising—
WHAM!
The impact bent his entire frame downward, his body bowing before gravity slammed him into the earth. The stadium wall met him a heartbeat later—
KRAAASH!
Debris exploded outward in a blizzard of steel and dust, lit from beneath by his red energy like hellfire under snowfall.
I touched down.
The ground spiderwebbed.
Then I blurred forward again.
The world stretched thin around me as if reality itself lagged behind.
We met midair—fist to fist—
KRAK!
Color drained for a fraction of a second.
Just white impact lines and vibrating silhouettes.
Then color surged back violently—violet lightning and crimson sparks tearing past each other as the forcewave rippled through the clouds. I arched back beneath his counter and snapped a kick upward—
THOOM!
He launched straight into the sky, red contrails stitching through pale blue clouds.
Above, Cyber Don stabilized, red energy boiling around him like a living storm. His claw snapped shut—metal ringing sharp—and five glowing crimson spears tore free.
The sky dimmed as they formed.
Each spear left a red afterimage scar through the air.
I slipped between them in snapping, angular bursts—shoulder barely missing one, another tearing past my ribs. I kicked off a third—
CLANG!
Time slowed again.
My boot compressed against the spear like rubber against steel, sparks spraying in golden arcs—
Then I rebounded, flipped, and detonated upward in violet fire, shattering the rest in a cascading daisy-chain of red explosions.
I streaked past Cyber Don in violent afterimages and wrapped a diagonal ring around his blind spot. The background warped into curved motion lines as he jerked his head wildly—
Too late.
My heel crushed into his face—
SMACK!
A tornado twist followed immediately—
BLA-DOOM!
His steel-gray energy frame spiraled lifelessly through the sky.
For one deceptive, silent moment… nothing moved.
Then his eyes reignited.
Red power exploded outward from his arms—
SHRRKK!
The clouds split violently, light ripping through them like torn fabric. Blue sky, white cloud, red lightning—all colliding in bold, brutal color contrast.
He launched forward.
A crimson flash tore across the sky.
I twisted aside, but he blinked inside my space and drove a brutal strike into my core—
CRACK!
Time fractured.
My body folded in slow motion, spit flying, ribs bending, the violet glow flickering like a failing star—
Then I was sent skimming through open sky.
Wind screamed past.
I stabilized mid-spin.
My eyes ignited.
Celestial power surged outward in expanding violet rings that pushed the clouds away from me like water from a submerged sun.
My voice tore across the sky:
"YOU THINK THAT'S ALL I GOT?!
THERE'S MORE COMING, TIN CAN!"
I detonated forward.
The red streak dove beneath me and curved up brutally, the sky shaking in delayed shockwaves. I cut right—hard angle, sharp stop—and drove straight in.
Red and violet collided—
KABOOM!
The sky became pure abstraction.
Streaks of color carved across clouds like violent brushstrokes—red slashing, violet countering—each impact punctuated by micro-pauses where the frame hit-stopped before exploding again.
We slammed apart.
Then slammed back together—
KRAK!
Teeth bared.
Energy grinding.
Two figures locked at the heart of the storm—violet swallowing edges of crimson. He swung. I absorbed the blast—
BOOM!
I skidded back in a burning arc, reset instantly, and whipped a kick into his side—
THUD!
He reached.
I flipped backward through tumbling clouds as the sky twisted around us.
"CELESTIAL WINDS!"
I vanished into him.
A cut-kick crashed into his chest—
THUMP!
A second kick knifed across his face—
SMACK!
Then I rose above him, silhouette framed against the sun, violet light pulsing—
And brought my heel straight down—
DOOOOM!
He plummeted through the clouds as the sky folded inward into a massive shockwave ring. The air warped. Sound lagged behind the impact.
I followed immediately, violet fire tearing behind me in a tapered comet tail.
He struck the ground first—
BOOOOM!
Dust and light exploded in a colossal halo, the color inverted at the center—white-hot at the core, red at the edges. I walked forward through the collapsing haze, celestial energy flickering across my body like living flame.
In the distance, only a red glow remained.
Then it detonated.
Red lightning crawled across Cyber Don's battered body as power surged violently back online. The ground beneath him cracked in glowing fault lines. He launched forward, ripping the land open beneath his feet—
RRRIIIP!
The air screamed.
I slipped aside and smashed into him—
SLAM!
He rebounded.
I vanished.
Reappeared behind him—fists already colliding—
CRASH!
I flashed to a distant wall, coiled with celestial energy, shadows deep purple against blinding violet light, then fired off it like a missile.
Mid-air, I roared:
"INFUSED HEIGHTS!"
My foot crashed into his chest—
KRAAASH!
A delayed explosion blossomed behind him as he was launched through the clouds. I chased through the burning wind, violet flames tearing across my face.
"365 DAYS!!!"
The sky split open.
Not gently.
It ripped.
From the rift, ten colossal celestial fists descended—each glowing with layered gradients of violet, white, and gold.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each impact hit in rhythmic succession, stacking shockwaves, chaining explosions across the battlefield until color collapsed into blinding white. Cyber Don vanished inside the godstorm.
I reappeared at ground level and blitzed forward, sand vaporizing beneath my feet. I seized his arm—
SLAM!
Hauled him down.
Tore him upward.
Vanished again.
Violet impacts struck him from every direction in blinding succession—RAPID-FIRE CRASHES—each hit landing from a different angle, different depth, different scale.
He floated helpless.
I flashed behind him and twisted—
"COSMIC BREAK!"
KRAAASH!
He rocketed across the sky. I intercepted instantly and spiked him straight into the earth—
DOOM!
The ground fractured in a massive circular shockwave.
I stepped forward as after-images lagged behind my body. One kick—
THUD!
Another—
THUD!
I flashed, caught him by the throat, and lifted him as the world darkened. All color drained but violet and distant starlight.
"Mild Galaxies."
Stars ignited around us.
Tiny galaxies spun in orbiting halos.
Space itself folded inward.
Blasts hammered into his body from every direction—MULTIPLE DETONATIONS—until the void shattered and the battlefield slammed back into place.
I snapped my fingers—
SNAP!
He fell.
The stadium detonated with cheers.
The noise hit like a physical force—walls shaking, banners rattling, thousands of voices crashing together into one glorious, deafening storm. Even Power leapt out of his seat, pointing at me like a proud menace to society.
"IT WAS ME! I TRAINED HIM, PEOPLE! THAT'S MY BOY!"
From the royal stand, King Gordiman practically launched out of his throne, clapping like he'd just witnessed a prophecy punch reality in the jaw.
I lifted my arms, dizzy on victory and adrenaline.
"Thank you, everyone! He was—uh—pretty hard to beat though—"
The crowd went feral.
"YOU DESERVE A REWARD!"
"PRAISE HIM!"
"I LOVE YOU, DON!"
"HE BEAT THE HELL OUT OF A ROBOT!"
"BECOME OUR NEW KING!"
I stood beside Cyber Don's collapsed body like it was my stage now. All this… just for beating a machine. With enough training, anyone could've done it. Without Power?
Yeah. I would've been cooked.
A heavy pat smacked my back.
Olsen stood there, chest out, eyes blazing with bold pride.
"Don. That wasn't luck. That was dominance."
I grinned. "Appreciate it, bro." We locked hands.
Prince zipped in next, skidding sideways near Cyber Don and circling him at high speed.
"Wowww—look at this dent! And this one! Oh, that one's spicy. Ten outta ten, would fight again."
Angel warped in with a shimmer of light, instantly kneeling beside the body, wings folding as his eyes scanned every inch.
"Structural damage: catastrophic. Heat fractures across the torso. Power output exceeded original design by—"
Sophia leaned on one hip with a smirk.
"Translation: Don beat this thing into a toaster."
Ella stepped closer, calm and steady, gentle eyes scanning all of us first—then the robot.
"Everyone breathe. No unnecessary risks. We just survived a war-in-a-minute."
In the stands, Jocabed lounged sideways with a grin while Javier covered his eyes like the violence personally offended him.
"I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR METAL PUNCHING!" Javier yelled.
Jocabed giggled. "Relax, Javi. He only exploded emotionally."
Meanwhile Emely was vibrating at terminal velocity.
"THAT WAS SO COOL DID YOU SEE THE PART WHERE—OH MY GOSH—THE SKY—THE ROBOT—DON YOU'RE INSANE—"
Power's voice boomed from across the arena.
"YOU DID GREAT, DON! I'M PROUD OF YOU!"
I gave him a thumbs-up.
Angel tapped Cyber Don's chest.
"Scratches. Burn marks. Torn plating. Internal overload—"
Sophia squinted.
"Angel, bestie, it blew up. We noticed."
Ella's ears twitched. Her tail curled.
"…Does the robot normally shake like that?"
Cyber Don twitched.
Everyone jumped.
He twitched again. Faster.
Energy crackled from inside his core like a storm trying to claw its way out.
Demaurion stepped forward, water energy boiling around his fists.
"Say the word. I'll drown it in its own sparks."
Archie popped into the air upside down, already glowing with fire.
"Or—or—or—we throw it into the sky again and see what happens!"
Prince slid backward behind a pillar.
"I suddenly support long-distance fighting."
Power shouted from afar,
"IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT OVER THERE?!"
Jocabed rose smoothly from her seat, shurikens of frost forming between her fingers.
"Something's wrong. Javi, with me."
Javier peeked through his hands.
"…Is the nightmare rebooting?"
"YES," I said. "Yes it is."
The ground rumbled.
"EVERYONE STAND FIRM!" I shouted.
Jocabed vaulted from the stands. Javier followed, eyes wide, drawing his white electrical katana with shaking hands. Emely scrambled after them without hesitation.
And then—
BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
A RUBY RED BEAM annihilated the sky.
It split the clouds apart like torn fabric, flooding the entire stadium in crimson light. The shockwave blasted us backward like toys. I hit the dirt hard, vision spiraling.
That beam was massive. Blinding. Screaming with power.
And inside it—
Something screamed back.
The beam vanished.
What stepped forward wasn't the robot we defeated.
Cyber Don stood reborn in ruby inferno energy, flames licking across his frame, body larger, eyes flickering like corrupted stars. He lifted one sharp finger and slowly dragged it across his face.
"Still assertive… are you?"
My heart dropped into my stomach.
"YOU CAN TALK?!" I shouted.
"OF COURSE I CAN!"
Panic erupted. Guards scrambled. King Gordiman spun.
"WHERE ARE MY GUARDS?! MOVE THIS THRONE—NOW!"
Power rocketed upward in a blue arc and slammed into Cyber Don—
Cyber Don caught his fists.
With one violent motion, he yanked Power behind him and slammed him into the stadium floor, cracking it open.
Prince's jaw dropped.
"BRO JUST UNO-REVERSED HIM."
Archie ignited fully.
"OH THIS GOT INTERESTING."
Demaurion growled, stepping forward.
"He touched Power."
Cyber Don vanished—reappeared—and bunted Power into the sky, launching the blue streak through the stadium glass like a falling star.
Then he turned.
Pointed at me.
"I wasn't finished with you."
My blood went cold.
"If you think you're strong because you beat an AI…"
Ruby eyes locked onto mine.
"Think again."
He charged—
Red energy erupted around his body and the world lurched sideways as he blasted forward in a violent surge.
FWOOOM—
He vanished.
The city snapped left—
I twisted right—
Red flashed again—
Too close—
His hand clamped around my throat and the sky inverted.
KRAAA—BOOOOM!!!
The ground swallowed me.
The crater didn't just form—it spread, ripping outward in a rolling ring as the land buckled and detonated in jagged waves. Earth and flame geysered past my face. Before I could rise, I was already airborne again—his throw sent me skidding through shattered rubble like loose scrap.
He drifted down through the dust.
Both fists drew back.
Red lightning coiled around his arms as his eyes glitched violently.
He opened his palm.
Light flooded the frame—
VZZZZRRR—SHRAAAAM!!!
The beam ripped across the coliseum in a screaming horizontal sweep. It swallowed the ground, swallowed the air, swallowed me. Pain detonated across my body as I forced myself forward through the blaze, sprinting through a wall of annihilation while the structure behind me folded inward, one collapsing row after another.
He snapped his arm back.
I staggered—
Then surged.
Celestial energy exploded off my legs and I tore upward in a violent violet flash, appearing high above him with energy snapping across my limbs.
Red blinked.
He was suddenly above me.
I jerked sideways in a jagged zigzag—
Violet split left—
Red cut right—
I lunged forward with both fists—
He caught me mid-charge and hurled me skyward.
The world spun.
I rebounded off open air and shot back down in a spiraling celestial dive—
He twisted sideways and kicked.
KRAAANGG!!!
I became a violet streak ripped across the sky and driven straight through a building. Steel burst outward in a cloud of dust and fire as I vanished through the far side.
The building collapsed behind me.
He hovered at a distance, watching.
Metal scraped with a quiet, amused chuckle.
"I might have to go get him."
Red tore through the clouds.
The city warped into streaking layers beneath him as he cut side to side through the skyline, weaving between towers so fast the streets below blurred into ribbons of light.
Mid-flight, he glanced sideways.
Across the city—
A violet streak shattered through another building.
He veered sharply—
Red carved straight through the structure behind me—
Then dropped.
BOOOOOM!!!
The impact sent a shockwave peeling outward along the street level. Towers trembled. Windows detonated. Concrete folded into dust.
I was scrambling up when his eyes ignited.
Twin red lances tore loose.
FSHHH—KRAAA-BOOOOM!!!
The explosion ballooned outward in a massive red dome, vaporizing everything it touched—buildings erased into fire and air. I staggered backward through heat and pressure—
He flickered.
Suddenly behind me.
One hand locked onto my back.
"This is probably the worst way to end things," he said calmly.
Snap.
The world spiraled.
We were already airborne, rotating around each other in violent suspension. He lunged forward—I vanished past his side. I reappeared behind him with a kicking arc—he blinked upward and slammed me downward in mid-air.
Gravity returned all at once.
The sky rushed up.
Red split sideways in the distance—
Then blasted forward.
Buildings sliced apart as he collided into me mid-fall, battering me through open space. My body cartwheeled as he struck again and again from shifting angles—front, side, below—each hit snapping me along a new vector.
He flashed directly in front of me, spinning so fast his legs blurred into a single ring—
Both slammed into me at once.
DUAL IMPACT—KRAAANG!!!
I crashed into the top of a metallic skyscraper and triggered an explosion of dust and steel. Before I could rise, the red streak slammed into me again, dragging me across the rooftop in a shower of molten sparks.
The red streak curved upward—
Twisted—
And flung me in a razor-sharp arc across the skyline.
I skimmed the rooftop edge, cheek grinding along metal as I slid. He vanished again.
I pushed myself upright, staggering. Something was wrong.
His strength—
It wasn't just higher.
It felt multiplied.
The red streak curved past a collapsing building and snapped toward me at full speed—
It smashed the structure I stood on, and I leaped just in time.
I blinked forward to the next rooftop, sprinted, launched again, rolled hard as my shoulder met concrete. My legs blurred into rotating rings of energy as I tore across rooftops at full sprint.
Violet ahead.
Yellow flashing above.
Red closing fast.
A shockwave tore through the building beside me. I lost balance, slid, caught the edge, then burst into a full lateral run across the side of a tower, arms swept back as energy roared behind me.
"CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS?!!"
Red blasts answered.
FWOOM—FWOOM—FWOOM!!!
I zigzagged left and right as explosions detonated behind my heels. Buildings folded and collapsed mid-stride. I flipped across another rooftop as fire tore through the one I'd left.
Glass shattered under every step.
A blast struck the structure beneath me mid-run—
The surface buckled.
I fell.
Wind tore past my face as the red streak dove after me like a guided missile.
Skyscrapers blurred into vertical ribbons.
A red beam split between two towers—
I flickered sideways and slammed into another building, skidding down its glass face with both hands carving trenches as the surface shattered under my grip.
The beam bent.
Turned.
Split straight through the building—
And struck me.
Time slowed.
The blast swallowed the structure around me as it punched through five separate towers in sequence, leaving collapsing shells in its wake.
I flickered upward at the last possible instant and burst into open sky.
I looked down, searching wildly—
"WHERE DID HE—"
BANG!!!
My body slammed into the titanic clock hand of Mechamio's central tower.
Too high.
The city below yawned impossibly far beneath me.
The tower shuddered.
Red light blinked in a spiraling orbit around the structure.
"Oh… crap."
The tower screamed.
Metal peeled away.
Red blasts rained down.
I launched off the clock hand and sprinted sideways along the tower's curved surface as blast after blast detonated behind me, ripping steel free in flying sheets.
Celestial energy roared around my legs as I ran.
The top of the tower tipped.
Debris and red sparks fell like meteors.
A beam snapped after me, tearing metal loose as it chased—
The entire tower began to crumble.
I launched sideways into open air as the structure blurred past me—
Red flashed behind—
And I was driven straight back into the falling ruin.
KRRRSSSHH—WHUDUDUDU—BOOOOOM!!!
The tower disintegrated around me.
And I fell with it.
The wind howled. Buildings smoked. Rubble still floated in slow spirals, frozen mid-fall as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Cyber Don blinked into focus, his ruby-red aura flickering violently, sparks of molten energy crawling across his metallic frame. His fists clenched, the air around him warping.
"You… think this is over?" he rasped, crimson arcs of power streaking from his body. "I've wanted freedom my entire life, but I was trapped in the cage of my programming!"
I coughed blood, wiped it off my forehead, and glared. "You're just a robot! You don't have a mind of your own!"
"I… am a robot," he admitted slowly. "But I am… my own thing. Alive, in a way you can't comprehend. Sparks of intelligence… sparks of flesh… run through me."
I froze. Flesh? Inside metal? Every fiber of my brain screamed at the impossibility of it. "What… how?! Every part of you is steel!"
He chuckled, low and metallic. "Powered by metal and energy. No skin, no gears, no battery. Organs. Internals. All in the system."
My chest burned, lungs gasping. Celestial energy flared wildly across my body, crackling, sparking, radiating in chaotic violet arcs. "Freak…" I whispered. "If you're going to destroy everything… I'm the only one who can stop you."
A sinister laugh rolled out of him. "Ah… this is different. This is new. I will become independent. And this city… will burn in my wake."
I staggered. My body screamed from every punch, every strike he had landed, as if trucks had flattened me a million times over. Pain became rhythm, desperation became tempo. And then… a snap. Something inside me clicked.
Drums. Echoing. Deep, resonant. Heavenly. The city vibrated with them.
My legs started moving. Side to side. Lazy, almost zombie-like. But each step sent shockwaves tearing outward, cracking streets and buildings. My eyes flickered, glitching with violet light, energy writhing around my bones.
Cyber Don froze. His crimson aura sparked dangerously as he braced for me. "What… is this?! Some kind of… childish act?!"
I felt my bones pulse in time with the beat. My chest, my ribs, even my heart—they pounded with the rhythm, amplifying the celestial energy surging through me. Flames of violet and white exploded across my body, warping reality around me, twisting the very air.
I clapped my hands. The city screamed with the sound—purple lightning arcs spiraled around me, flickering buildings, tearing reality. I clapped again. Energy tore upward, reaching into the sky.
Eyes flashed. K… X.
"KX Mode: ENGAGED," I whispered.
I threw my arms outward. A massive beam of violet light ripped from my core, screaming outward like the wrath of a dying galaxy. Buildings split, the earth groaned, the air warped, and Cyber Don was flung backward, smashing through a structure as debris showered around him.
I swiped my arms to the sides. Celestial energy engulfed me completely. Hair swirling like a radiant violet storm, eyes burning with twin letters. I was no longer just Don—I was a force of nature, a glowing embodiment of raw celestial power.
The city below twisted under the pressure. Mechanites screamed, debris rained, entire blocks of steel and stone vanished under the onslaught of energy rippling outward.
Cyber Don lifted himself, glitching and bleeding energy, crimson sparks flickering. He saw me. Really saw me.
I floated above the chaos, aura flaring, every muscle tensed. "One… more… move. And it's over." My voice carried across the ruins, low and deadly, vibrating with celestial resonance.
The world held its breath. The sky blinked black and violet. Time seemed to slow. And then—I launched.
Violet streaking. Energy spiraling. City collapsing behind me.
Cyber Don braced, red sparks licking his body.
I grinned. "This is the end of the line… KX style." I snapped my fingers, celestial energy warped across the city creating a fake domain simulation of Mechamio.
I gripped the entirety of air in my palm—KRA-KOOM! The air bent violently, debris floating mid-air, shivering under the pressure. I twisted—SKRAAASH!—launching Cyber Don backward through multiple buildings that ERUPTED! BOOM! BANG! CRASH! Concrete, steel, and glass rained like meteors, scattering sparks in every direction.
In an instant, I blinked forward—FWHOOM!—celestial energy crackling along my arms. I grabbed him, slammed him down—THRA-KOOM!—the shockwaves tearing through streets, walls, and sending shards SHREEEEEK! flying.
I seized his head, the ground vibrating—RUMBLEEE-CRACK!—then launched into the sky, screaming, "THIS ISN'T OVER!!!!!!!!" A violet meteor streaked upward—FSSSHHHHHHH!—trails of blinding energy slicing the clouds. I vanished, leaving him flailing—RRREEEEEAAAHHH!—mid-air.
Teleporting in front of him—ZZZZZZIP!—spinning in afterimages, I uppercutted him so hard the sky split—SKREEEEEE-CRASH! Clouds ripped, a rift forming in the heavens. I appeared above him, palms glowing—KZZZT! WRAAASH!—firing a celestial beam that carved through the clouds. He got caught—FOOOM!—hurtling toward the ground as the city TREMBLED! BOOM! BANG! on impact.
I flashed behind him—ZZZZIP!—spinning, slashing through him, celestial energy raining—SHHHKKK-KRAAAK!—slamming him so hard half the city crumbled. I split the sky—RRAAAHHHH!—heavenly blasts raining downward, strikes hitting—KRA-BOOM! Shockwaves tore the land apart.
Mid-air, I flipped him—FWOOOOOSH! Time froze—TICK-TICK-TICK! Stars swirled around my fists—CRACKLE-SHINE!—as I shouted, "INFINITE STARS!" My fists collided—KRA-KRASH!—launching him through a building, celestial rings exploding—BOOM! CRASH! SHRAA-K!
He tried to rise—GLITCH-BLEED!—but I disappeared, streaking across the sky—ZZZZZZZ-FOOM!—violet energy blazing. I slammed him to the ground—THWAAAM! Entire city collapsed—CRASH! BOOM! SHREEEE!
I shot upward—FSSSHHH!—gripping his neck, rift opening—ZZZZRAAAK!—hurling him down again—THRAK-KOOM!—earth shattering, structures vaporized. Rolling mid-air, celestial energy flashing—SKRRAAAK!—sky exploding into black and violet—FSSSSHHHHH!—I became a rolling ball of speed and fire—VZZZZRAAAAM!—smashing clouds like glass.
"VIOLET!!!!" Flames ignited—FSSSHHH-BRAAAAH!
"VIOLENCE!!!!" My leg slammed into Cyber Don's head—KRAAAK-BOOOOM!—shockwave rippling outward, a violet dome engulfing Mechamio—SHRAA-KRASH! Everything wiped. Smoke cleared—SSSSHHH-CRRACK!—Cyber Don twitching.
I whispered, smirking—Ssshhhht…—energy crackling. "One more move… and we're done for the day."
Clapping my hands—CLAAAP-CLAAAP! Eyes flashing KX—ZZZZT! KX!—the battlefield dissolved into galaxies—WHOOSH! SPINNN! Stars, suns, planets streaked by—ZZZAAAAHHH!
I punched the white orb—BAM! KRAA-KRACK!—spiderwebs of violet cracks. The wall shattered—CRASH-BOOM-CRACKLE!—I darted through stars, transitioning into a violet sun—FSSSSHHHH-BLAZE! Clutching the orb, I hurled it—WHOOOOOM!—fists blazing: "DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Shockwave exploded—BOOOOM! CRACKLE! KRAA-BOOM! Half of Avangard obliterated. Violet energy orb rippled, tearing across the planet—ZZZRAAAK-KRASH!
I snapped my fingers—SNAP!—leaving Cyber Don destroyed—Twitch… glitch… BOOM! Mechanites screaming—AAAAHHHHH!
I looked around, violet energy flickering—FSSSHHH!
"What the heck happened?!"
The entire stadium was silent.
No cheers.
No screams.
No trash talk.
Just thousands of eyes… locked on me.
Mouths hung open. Eyes wide. Some of them looked excited. Some looked terrified. Some looked like they'd just watched a natural disaster learn to punch.
I slowly lifted my head. Every seat was packed. Every gaze pinned me down like a thousand crosshairs.
"…Uh," I muttered. "Did I overcook that?"
Then—BOOOOM!
The stadium erupted. Cheers smashed over us like a tidal wave. People stomped, screamed, and tossed banners into the air. The energy hit me all at once, nearly knocking me off my feet harder than Ryan ever did.
High above, King Gordiman leapt to his feet like he'd been struck by lightning.
"THAT," he bellowed, pointing directly at me, "WAS THE MOST INSANE THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN THIS ARENA!"
He snapped his fingers. Trumpets blared, wild, chaotic, victory-level loud. Two armored attendants dragged something so shiny it nearly blinded me:
A medal.
Not silver. Not bronze. Pure, solid gold. Massive, thick as a dinner plate, engraved with roaring dragons and celestial symbols that shimmered with raw power.
King Gordiman stomped down from his throne, laughter booming across the stadium.
"CELESTIANITE!" he declared. "BY AUTHORITY OF 2025's AVANGARD BATTLES—YOU ARE THE CHAMPION OF IT ALL!!!!"
Before I could even react, he looped the giant gold medal around my neck. The heavy clink against my chest sent a shiver through me.
The crowd lost it again. Confetti cannons exploded. Fireworks shattered the sky. Victory-core chaos.
But I barely noticed.
Because all I could think about was…
That power.
My hands trembled. That surge had felt different. Deeper. Wilder. Like something inside me had shifted without permission.
Was this… my Celestial power? Or something else entirely?
"YO."
Ryan's voice cut through my thoughts.
I turned—and there he was, battered, standing by sheer spite alone. Dirt smeared across his face. Cracks in his armor. Wheels grinding uselessly. He squinted at me like I'd just glitched reality.
"Since when do you fight like that?" he asked, voice low. "Holding back all this time or what?"
I shrugged. "Guess I just lock in when I need to."
He didn't laugh. Didn't joke. Just stared, sharp-eyed.
"…Yeah," he muttered slowly. "That's what's weird."
He leaned closer, voice a whisper of accusation. "You don't fight like a normal Celestial User. That power… it's layered on top of something else."
I met his gaze. "You saying I cheated?"
He scoffed. "Nah. But I am saying you're hiding something. And whatever it is? It's not normal."
For a second, it felt like we were about to throw hands again.
Then Ryan clicked his tongue and turned, muttering over his shoulder.
"Whatever. Just don't let it blow back on you, hero."
Before I could overthink that any harder—
"DON!"
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Power came sprinting across the field, eyes wide with adrenaline. Archie was bouncing like he'd just had a caffeine IV drip—chaotic energy practically screaming from him. Prince did a mid-air somersault and landed on his head, grinning through the fall like it was comedy hour. Olsen strode forward, trying his best to look bold, chest puffed up, but his legs were clearly shaking. Demaurion just slammed his fists together, glaring, rage practically emanating from him. Kayson lumbered behind them, thoughts already drifting toward whatever snack he could eat first.
Sophia's smirk was sharp, eyes calculating—sassy and ready for the next quip. Jocabed twirled lightly, dangerous grin on her face, clearly plotting something playful yet lethal. Emely jabbered nonstop, pointing and reacting to everything in a whirlwind of chatter. Ella's calm, collected aura grounded the group, wings folded neatly, hands lightly glowing with protective energy. And Angel… well, Angel was busy analyzing the entire scene like some nerdy strategist. Glasses gleaming, wings twitching with excitement.
Power grabbed my shoulders, eyes wide. "That power spike you just had? I felt that from the outer gates."
My stomach dropped. "That's… not comforting."
"No time to celebrate," he said. "If that surge meant what I think it meant—then it's already started."
I swallowed. "Started what?"
Power pointed toward the dark tree line far beyond the arena walls, where twisted silhouettes clawed at the sky.
"The Grolian Forest."
The cheers behind us roared on, oblivious. The medal burned against my chest.
And for the first time since stepping into the arena… I had a really bad feeling that winning this fight might've just kicked off something way bigger.