The arena fell silent.
Two boys stood at opposite ends of the battlefield.
One surrounded by swirling wind and flickering flames.
The other surrounded by crimson fire.
Maris Fruing.
Melio Berrum.
Rivals.
Friends.
Two people who had walked through completely different kinds of pain—and somehow ended up standing beside each other.
Melio smirked.
A thin line of arrogance curled across his lips.
“So…” He tightened his fists.
“Finally.
It’s time.” His eyes locked onto Maris.
“Our fight.” Maris’ eyes burned with quiet determination.
Wind spiraled around his right arm while flames flickered around his left.
“Yes.” His voice was calm.
“Let’s see who truly stands above.” Melio’s smirk widened.
“Good.” Energy sparked around his knuckles.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.” Maris lowered his stance.
“Then let’s not waste another second.” BOOM!
Maris launched forward.
He moved like a bullet.
Wind exploded behind him, propelling his body across the arena.
The spectators gasped.
His fist was covered in compressed wind.
The air itself screamed around his arm.
Maris thought, “Fast.
Direct.
No hesitation.” His fist reached Melio’s face.
Melio didn’t move.
At the last possible instant— He raised his palm.
THUD!
He caught Maris’ punch.
The entire arena went silent.
Maris’ eyes widened.
Melio looked at him.
“Too predictable.” His other fist ignited.
A crimson glow surrounded it.
BAM!
The impact sent Maris flying backward.
He skidded across the dirt before stopping himself with one hand.
The crowd erupted.
Liberia stared wide-eyed.
“So… intense…” She swallowed.
“Their power is on another level.” Pinezoku’s jaw dropped.
“What?!” He looked at Maris.
“He stopped that attack like it was nothing!” Sophria covered her mouth.
“Maris…” Melio slowly lowered his fist.
He looked almost disappointed.
“Pathetic.” Maris remained on the ground.
Melio turned slightly.
“I expected more.” He started walking away.
“This battle is done.” Silence.
Then— Maris’ fingers moved.
Melio stopped.
Maris pushed himself up.
Slowly.
His breathing was heavy.
His clothes were covered in dust.
But his eyes were still sharp.
Melio glanced over his shoulder.
“So you can still stand?” Maris straightened.
Melio’s expression changed slightly.
“I thought you’d grown stronger.” He smiled.
“Guess I was wrong.” Maris wiped the dust from his face.
“You talk too much.” Melio’s eyebrow twitched.
“There he is.” — Years Ago A younger Maris sat alone in the schoolyard.
His head was lowered.
A group of older students surrounded him.
“Hey, Maris!” One of them laughed.
“Where’s your courage now?” Another stepped forward.
“You’re always alone.
Nobody’s coming to save you.” Young Maris clenched his fists.
He didn’t know what to say.
He had spent most of his childhood alone.
No friends.
No one to stand beside him.
The boy raised his fist.
Then— A hand caught his wrist.
Everyone froze.
Melio stood there.
His expression was cold.
His eyes were sharp.
“Hey, brat.” The bully glared at him.
“This isn’t your wrestling ground.” Melio tightened his grip.
“This is school.” The bully tried to pull away.
He couldn’t.
Melio’s eyes flickered with a faint crimson glow.
“Leave.” The bully laughed nervously.
“And what if I don’t?” A tiny flame appeared around Melio’s fist.
“Then you’ll find out.” The bully immediately backed away.
“Whatever!” The group ran.
Melio watched them disappear.
Then he turned toward Maris.
He extended his hand.
“Name’s Melio Berrum.” Maris stared at the hand.
After a moment, he grabbed it.
“I…” His voice trembled.
“I’m Maris.” Melio pulled him up.
Maris looked at him.
“Thank you.” Melio shrugged.
“Don’t thank me.” Maris blinked.
Melio looked toward the direction the bullies had fled.
“From now on…” He looked back at Maris.
“…you’re my friend.” Maris’ eyes widened.
Melio crossed his arms.
“So if they come back…” A small flame appeared around his finger.
“They deal with me.” For the first time in a long time, Maris smiled.
— Later that day, the two sat beneath a tree.
Maris looked toward Melio.
“Before you…” He hesitated.
“I never really had a friend.” Melio remained quiet.
“My family…” Maris lowered his gaze.
“It’s complicated.” Melio understood the silence behind those words.
After a moment, he spoke.
“My parents died when I was young.” Maris looked at him.
“So you’re alone too?” Melio nodded.
“Yeah.” The two stared at the ground.
Different lives.
Different tragedies.
But the same loneliness.
Maris quietly thought, “Maybe I’m not alone anymore.” Melio suddenly held out his pinky.
Maris looked at it.
“What?” Melio looked away.
“A promise.” “A promise?” “Yeah.” He extended his pinky further.
“We’ll always stand by each other.” Maris smiled.
“No matter what?” “No matter what.” Maris hooked his pinky around Melio’s.
“Promise.” Their fingers locked.
A simple promise.
A childish promise.
But neither of them knew how important it would become.
— Present BOOM!
Maris’ eyes snapped open.
The memory disappeared.
The arena returned.
Melio stood before him.
Fire danced around his body.
Maris slowly raised his fists.
Wind gathered around his feet.
Then flames erupted across his arms.
Melio noticed the change.
His smirk returned.
“There you are.” Maris looked directly into his eyes.
“This fight…” His voice became colder.
“…isn’t just about strength.” Melio’s expression became serious.
Maris clenched his fists.
“It decides our promise.” The arena fell silent.
Melio lowered his stance.
“So be it.” Fire surged around him.
Maris’ wind expanded outward.
Dust rose from the battlefield.
The ground trembled.
Foshi watched from the sidelines.
His expression was unusually serious.
He thought, “They aren’t fighting like ordinary rivals.” His eyes shifted between them.
“They’re carrying years of history into this arena.” Sophria watched Maris.
She knew something had changed.
This wasn’t the same Maris who had entered the tournament.
He had fought monsters.
He had discovered new powers.
He had faced his own weakness.
And now— He was standing against the person who had been beside him long before any of that.
Pinezoku clenched his fists.
“This is going to be insane.” Liberia swallowed.
“Those two…” She stared at the battlefield.
“They’re going to destroy the arena.” Melio stepped forward.
Maris did the same.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then— BOOM!
Both disappeared.
Wind collided with fire.
The shockwave swept across the arena.
The crowd erupted.
Maris thought, “I will not lose.” His eyes sharpened.
“I will protect our promise.” Melio’s flames intensified.
“I won’t lose either.” Their fists collided again.
CRACK!
The arena trembled.
Two rivals.
Two friends.
One promise.
And now— Only one could stand victorious.
The Ultimate Showdown had begun.