(Sky-God Arena — Finals Day Broadcast)
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen across the universe!" Derek's voice rang out like thunder through the Sky-God Dome, amplified to perfection. "Whether you're watching from the stands or tuning in via GalaxyNet from a cozy living room, welcome to the grand finals of the Interstellar Circuits!"
"It's all been building to this, Derek" Lee followed up smoothly. "Months of training, a week of grueling matchups, thousands of teams across the stars—and now, only two remain. Geneva Academy versus Rodova Military Academy. The ultimate showdown."
"And when asked about what this year's circuit meant to him," Derek added, "Captain Yu Shen of Rodova said this final was twenty-two times more important than any other. Because it's been twenty-two long years since Rodova last lifted the Circuits Cup."
"And they might not get to do it this year either," Lee replied with a grin, leaning forward with anticipation. "Because Geneva Academy is here with fire in their eyes, five Grandmasters on their roster, and absolutely no plans of backing down."
The Sky-God Arena roared with life.
Seating rows packed to the brim, the upper decks vibrated with chants and excitement.
Children clutched plush figures of Su Yang and Leo Skyshard while adults waved Rodova and Geneva banners with equal pride.
The merchandise stalls lining the entry gates were nearly overrun, with vendors barely keeping up with the demand for limited-edition circuit jerseys, elemental glow sticks, and action figure collectibles.
Even the food stalls were inundated—long queues forming for deep-fried Nebula rings, solar corn cobs, and the iconic Frost-Crystal Shakes of the Sky-God Arena.
"And just look at this place, Derek," Lee said, pausing as the camera panned across the interior. "If you're not here, you're missing history. The energy, the pressure, the noise—it's electric."
The feed transitioned into the highly-anticipated crowd cam.
First to be displayed was Dupravel Nuna himself, the infamous Guildmaster of the Black Serpents, sitting stone-faced in the VIP section, dressed in a tailored obsidian cloak.
Then came Mu Jianlong, the legendary Patriarch of the Mu Clan, his presence alone enough to silence the crowd within a ten-meter radius. An aura of command surrounded him like a sovereign halo.
The Arcane Priestess, Crystal Storm, appeared next—her skin glowing faintly with the soft shimmer of stardust enchantments as she smiled gracefully at the camera.
And finally—
Fairy Twix.
The GalaxyNet sensation blew a flirtatious kiss and gave her audience exactly what they expected: an exaggerated squeeze of her cleavage followed by a playful wink that sent her live viewership count skyrocketing.
"Classic Twix," Lee muttered with a chuckle. "Bet she just broke the chat servers."
"Back to the action," Derek said, as the feed returned to the main platform where both academy principals now stood.
Dressed in ceremonial robes, they each held one end of the gleaming golden trophy—engraved with the names of all past champions—and slowly lifted it together before placing it on the center pedestal.
A fanfare erupted. Trumpets blared. The crowd roared.
"This," Derek said, as the camera zoomed in on the trophy, "is what they're fighting for."
"Well… this and the honor of being called champions," Lee added with a grin. "But mostly the trophy."
The battle was moments away. And history was ready to be written.
—-------------
Meanwhile, within the Rodova locker room
The air was thick with nerves and anticipation, yet also strangely calm, like the quiet just before a storm. Each fighter was in their own corner, preparing in silence—adjusting gloves, tightening grips, fixing their uniforms—when Yu Shen finally stood up and walked to the center of the room.
"Everyone," he said, voice low but firm. "Come in. Just for a moment."
The others exchanged glances but didn't question it. One by one, they stood and circled around him. Leo, last to rise, walked over slowly and stood at the back, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Yu Shen took a deep breath.
"Regardless of the final result... I—I just want to say that I'm proud of all of you."
The weight in his tone immediately shifted the mood as everyone in the room knew that it wasn't like him to usually get emotional.
"In your own way, you have all worked very hard throughout the year. And I acknowledge your efforts. Every late night. Every bruise. Every setback."
Leo quietly rolled his eyes, not dramatically, but just enough to register his indifference. He didn't say anything, and nobody noticed, however, in his view, emotional pep-talks had no place before battle as they did nothing except clouding clarity.
But Yu Shen looked like a man finally letting something out that he'd been carrying too long.
"I have no doubt in my mind," he continued, eyes glancing briefly at Su Yang and then Leo, "that even if I can't do the job this year... Yang and Skyshard will surely win it all for us next year."
He paused, swallowing slightly.
"But I want to win it this year. I want history to remember me as the captain who led Rodova to glory again. So please... help me."
"Yes, Captain!" Minerva shouted first, fist raised.
"Yes, Captain!" Enzo echoed, his voice full of conviction.
Yu Shen smiled faintly. "You're all mature. So I won't tell you how to fight. Just remember... Today, most people in the universe are watching you. So don't do injustice to your own legacy by making dumb mistakes."
His voice softened now.
"Take risks if you have to. Trust your instincts. But keep your head about yourself. And most of all... have fun."
A silence lingered after his words.
Then, with a commanding nod, Yu Shen clapped once.
"One last chant. Let's make it count."
They huddled tighter, arms overlapping, as the chant rang out through the locker room walls.
"STRENGTH ABOVE ALL!"
"HEART BEYOND STRENGTH!"
"RODOVA FOREVER!"
Yu Shen broke the huddle slowly, acknowledging each teammate one by one—a firm embrace for Minerva, a quick nod and shoulder tap to Leo, a squeeze on the arm for Enzo, and a grin to Su Yang.
Then he turned and walked toward the tunnel.
It was time.
Match one was about to begin.
—---------
*PHISSSHHH—!*
The entrance gates to the battlefield slid open with a hiss, the ground trembling beneath the thunderous roar of the crowd as the first fighter of the finals made his appearance.
Yu Shen.
The Rodova Captain stepped out onto the field with poise and grace, the sleeves of his black robe fluttering gently in the wind as he waved calmly to the fans, his usually stern face softening into a rare, almost boyish smile.
"YU SHEN! YU SHEN! YU SHEN!"
The chants began near the front rows and quickly spread across the stands like wildfire, rippling through the masses as thousands upon thousands of supporters cried his name in unison.
"AND IT'S THE RODOVA CAPTAIN KICKING THINGS OFF!" Derek's voice cracked with excitement through the commentary feed. "THEY'RE NOT MESSING AROUND—RODOVA'S GOING STRAIGHT FOR THE JUGULAR!"
But before the echo of his words had faded, a second gate opened on the opposing side of the battlefield.
*THUD—*
*THUD—*
Out walked Captain Ramos, the figurehead of Geneva Academy, clad in his sleek reinforced crimson armor with both blades strapped across his back.
His walk was heavy, each step deliberate, his eyes locked squarely on Yu Shen from the moment he appeared.
"Wait a minute… hold on… IS THAT—?!" Lee gasped.
"It IS! IT'S CAPTAIN VERSUS CAPTAIN! RAMOS VS YU SHEN FOR THE OPENING MATCH!" Derek shouted, nearly lifting out of his chair. "THE FINALS COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BIGGER START THAN THIS!"
The crowd's volume spiked yet again, like a second explosion of emotion detonated across the arena. Fans of both academies leapt to their feet, waving their banners, punching the air, their cheers drowning out the sound of even the arena's internal comms for a few seconds.
This was it.
Two captains. Two mega academies. One final match to decide the title.
And it was all starting… now.