Chapter 7 Flame of the phoenix

The victory at the Inter-Regional Trials wasn’t just a win.
It was a spark.
For the first time in years, Yuto felt light. As if the skies above were no longer a graveyard of memories but a canvas for rebirth.
But glory, like altitude, is fragile.
And the higher you soar, the harder the fall.

---
A New Challenger
Three days after the Trials, the team received word from the Civic Aeronautics Council. Shiratori High had officially qualified for the National League Exhibition, a televised aerial showcase where Japan’s elite pilot schools faced off.
Amano read the letter aloud in the hangar. “First match: Shiratori versus Fūga Institute.”
Sora whistled. “They’re ranked second in the nation.”
Riku nodded. “Their ace, Kaede Hanazono, hasn’t lost in three years.”
Yuto looked at the team roster printout. A cold rush ran through him when he saw Kaede’s picture.
He knew her.
She had flown in the same tournament as his brother.
The one his brother never returned from.

---
Training Heats Up
Coach Amano’s training regimen intensified.
Double simulators. Weight-drag resistance gliding. Mental response conditioning.
“Kaede flies unpredictably,” Amano explained. “Like fire caught in a hurricane. To beat her, you’ll have to anticipate chaos.”
Yuto spent nights reviewing old flight footage. Watching Kaede’s maneuvers, her patterns, her stalls—if they could be called that.
She flew like instinct wrapped in wildfire.
At times, Yuto stared at the paused footage.
The last frame where she overtook his brother.
Then static.
He clenched his fists.
“I won’t lose to her.”
Riku stepped into the room. “You’re personalizing this. That’s dangerous.”
Yuto stood. “Some fires you can’t put out until you fly through them.”

---
Reunion
The day before the match, the teams arrived at the Neo-Tokyo Sky Arena.
The Shiratori team was inspecting their glider when a voice called out:
“Well, well. The boy from the crash returns.”
Yuto turned.
Kaede Hanazono stood tall, her silver flight suit pristine, her long violet hair tied back like a ribbon in the wind.
She offered a polite smile. “I’m surprised they let you back into the air.”
Yuto didn’t flinch. “I was surprised you were still allowed to fly after what happened.”
Her smile didn’t fade. “Blame the wind. It favors the bold.”
Riku stepped between them. “Save it for the sky.”
Kaede’s eyes sparkled. “Gladly.”
She turned, her cape fluttering behind her like a phoenix’s plume.

---
The Exhibition Match
Millions tuned in.
Two gliders per team. Live broadcast.
Kaede’s team flew in with trail firework smoke, golden and proud.
Shiratori launched in silence.
But Yuto’s heart pounded like war drums.
The course was brutal—vertical climbs, thermal rings, sudden downdrafts.
Kaede’s glider moved like poetry and peril in motion.
Riku and Yuto followed, trailing by mere meters.
Then Kaede did something no one expected—she veered upward, spiraling into the sky, abandoning the course temporarily.
The crowd gasped.
“She’s improvising again,” Riku said.
Yuto smiled. “Let’s improvise louder.”
He pulled into a counter-loop, drawing the air currents Kaede missed.
They shot forward, overtaking her partner.
Kaede returned, eyes wide. “Clever boy.”

---
Final Confrontation
The last obstacle: a twin gate dive—both gliders must pass simultaneously within inches.
A move requiring absolute trust.
Kaede dove first.
Riku’s voice crackled. “Yuto, this is yours.”
Yuto took the lead.
The two gliders rushed downward.
Meters. Inches.
Yuto’s memories surged—his brother’s final flight.
But this time, he didn’t freeze.
He burned through.
Both gliders shot through the gate, wings nearly kissing.
A photo finish.
Seconds passed.
The results flashed.
Shiratori High: Victory by 0.3 seconds.

---
Aftermath
Kaede walked over, sweat on her brow.
“You’re your brother’s shadow no longer,” she said quietly.
Yuto replied, “I never was. I was his flame.”
Kaede smirked. “Then burn bright. I’ll return.”
She left as the crowd chanted Shiratori’s name.
But Yuto looked only at the sky.
For the first time, he felt it:
Not pain. Not fear. But freedom.
And in his heart, the wings of fire beat stronger than ever.