It's starting to get exciting!

   The large black dome covering the arena loomed over the stands, its imposing structure amplifying the intensity of the duel about to unfold. From their vantage point, Luna, Bel, Sakura, and Finn could see the entire dome, its sleek, dark surface gleaming under the stadium lights. Massive screens displayed every detail of the battle inside, ensuring that no spectator missed a single movement.

   On a raised platform nearby, the referee stood with her ever-energetic demeanor, her commentary keeping the energy in the crowd alive. Cheers, applause, and buzzing chatter swelled and ebbed like crashing waves, the anticipation so thick it seemed to vibrate in the air.

   Luna leaned forward, her posture calm, though her sharp eyes betrayed her focus. 

   “It’s finally started,” she remarked softly.

   Bel, seated beside her, bounced in his chair, his tail twitching in thrill. 

   “This looks really exciting!” he exclaimed, his wide eyes glued to the giant screens.

   Sakura, sitting next to Finn, glanced down at the boy with a smile as warm as ever. “How do you feel, Finn? Isn’t it too loud for you?”

   Finn shook his head, his face glowing with enthusiasm. “It’s awesome! I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

   Sakura chuckled and gave him a gentle pat on the head. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

   The image on the screens shifted, showing Sora darting through the dense forest terrain inside the dome. Sakura tilted her head, her expression growing thoughtful. 

   “Hey, Luna,” she said, “If I remember correctly, you mentioned once that you, Sora, and Bel lived together in a forest before, right?”

   Luna gave a calm nod. “That’s right. We lived together in the forest for a few months.”

   “That's why, this terrain gives Big Brother an advantage!” Bel, quick as ever to interject, puffed up proudly.

   “Not really." Luna shook her head gently, glancing at him with a small frown. "In a field like this, finding your opponent is difficult for both sides. Normally, that would balance things out. But Liam’s golems can spread out and cover a much wider range, while he himself can keep distance.”

   “Oh… right.” Bel’s grin wavered, his ears drooping a little as he thought about her words. 

   But right after, like a spark reigniting, his face lit up again. He clenched his fists with renewed determination. 

   “In that case, there’s nothing to worry about!”

   Luna looked at him for a long moment, then her expression softened, a rare, warm smile touching her lips. 

   “You’re right.” 

   Sakura blinked, a little confused by their exchange. 

   “Why are you two so happy about this? Isn't it terrible situation for Noah?”

   Luna turned back to the screen, her eyes steady. “Master is the kind of person who shows his full potential only when pushed into the worst situation.”

   Bel nodded firmly, his tail wagging. “That’s why Big Brother won’t lose.”

   “I see…" Sakura’s lips curved into a smile at their conviction. "Then I’ll look forward to it.”

 * * *

   Running through the forest, I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed. “This is supposed to be a duel,” I muttered, ducking under a low-hanging branch, “but it feels more like a game of tag.”

   My pace slowed slightly as I scanned the dense terrain, keeping an ear out for any movement. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig—my senses picked up on it all. The problem was, I had no idea where Liam was.

   Suddenly, from behind a tree just ahead, a massive stone hand shot out, aimed directly at my face. My body reacted on pure instinct—I slammed my heels into the dirt and leaned back hard, barely dodging the incoming blow as it whooshed past me. It was so close I could feel the air shift around my face.

   “That was close!”

   Before I could even catch my breath, I spotted movement above me. My eyes locked onto a group of stone figures perched on the branches of a tree, their jagged forms almost blending into the forest. They were armed with crude stone spears, each one aimed right at me.

   “Damn,” I cursed internally. My body was still leaning from the last dodge—I wouldn’t have time to move again.

   Without thinking, I reached into one of my deck holders, to take out Arcana. It flared with a gray light as it shattered in my hand. A magic tentacle shot out, latching onto a nearby tree just as the spears came raining down. I felt the rush of wind as I was yanked out of harm’s way and flung to a safe distance.

   I landed on a patch of moss, crouched and ready for another attack. For a moment, I just sat there, catching my breath. Sweat trickled down my temple, and I wiped it away with the back of my hand.

   “I can see that Liam’s taking this seriously,” I muttered, standing upright and brushing off my pants.

   His talent in golem magic is really something else. Their numbers, the quality of their movements... Only someone with enough skills and a large amount of mana would be able to pull this off. 

   That guy is truly a monster.

   I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m really lucky to fight him,” I said, my excitement building. It wasn’t every day you got to go toe-to-toe with a one-man army.

   Reaching into my deck holders, I pulled out eight cards. They lit up with a bright yellow glow as I threw them into the air. The cards shattered mid-flight, transforming into electric spears that crackled with raw energy. With a quick wave of my hand, I directed them at the golems and shot them with high speed.

   BOOM! 

   The combined force of the electric spears erupted in a powerful explosion, ripping through the area and sending debris flying.

   I stood back, admiring my handiwork. “Looks like the training on the simulator paid off.”

   I couldn’t help but reflect for a moment. Over the past two months, Zephyra had me using the battle simulator she kept in the basement. It was brutal, but effective. There, I’d honed my body, practiced martial arts, and learned to wield magic reflexively—without overthinking every move. Luna trained alongside me, and she was no slouch. In fact, in one-on-one fights without magic, she beat me every single time. The thought made me chuckle to myself. That training had turned out to be invaluable.

   The smoke from the explosion began to clear, and I narrowed my eyes. From within the haze, more golems emerged, their silhouettes growing sharper. This time, they weren’t armed with spears—they carried swords. Their jagged blades glinted ominously as they advanced toward me with mechanical precision.

   “No rest for me, huh?” 

   Reaching into my deck holders again, I pulled out two cards. They glowed with a familiar gray light before shattering, the fragments reforming into two gleaming swords. I twirled them in my hands, the weight of the blades feeling perfect.

   Gripping the hilts tightly, I locked eyes with the approaching golems. My adrenaline spiked as I charged straight into their ranks.

   “Let’s see what you’ve got!”