The morning sun blazed over the floating coliseum, its golden light refracting through the crystalline waters beneath, casting shimmering patterns across the arena floor. The air hummed with an electric anticipation—today, the Grand Ocean Tournament would crown its champion. The stands were packed, a sea of faces from every corner of the kingdom, all waiting with bated breath for the final clash.
The crowd's roar was deafening as Princess Saya stepped onto the arena, her silver hair catching the light like liquid moonlight, her ceremonial armor gleaming with the crest of the royal family. She moved with the grace of a warrior born, her sharp violet eyes locked onto her opponent.
Across from her stood Kaito Sensaki, his tattered cloak fluttering in the salt-tinged wind, his skeletal mask hiding everything but his piercing blue eyes—eyes that burned with an intensity that belied his small frame.
The referee raised his hand, and the noise of the crowd dimmed to a hush.
"Final match—three rounds! First round: pure combat! Begin!"
### Round One: The Unyielding Shield
Saya moved first—a flash of silver, her fist encased in swirling water, the power of the ocean itself enhancing her strike. She closed the distance in an instant, her attack aimed straight for Kyota's ribs.
He didn't dodge.
CRACK.
Her knuckles are connected with brutal force. The impact echoed through the arena, a sound so sharp it made several spectators flinch. The crowd gasped.
Kyota didn't flinch.
He took the hit without so much as a grunt, his feet planted firmly, his body absorbing the blow as if it were nothing.
Saya's eyes narrowed. "Why won't you fight back?" she demanded, her voice sharp with frustration.
Kyota exhaled slowly, steadying himself. "I don't hit women."
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Some scoffed at his words, others whispered in confusion.
Saya's lips curled into a sneer. "Foolish pride."
She struck again—this time a spinning kick that slammed into his side with enough force to send a normal man flying. Kyota skidded back, his boots grinding against the stone, but he didn't fall. A thin trickle of blood seeped from beneath his mask.
The crowd murmured. This wasn't a fight—it was a beating.
But Saya didn't relent. A barrage of blows rained down—knees, elbows, open palm strikes—each one cracking against Kyota's guard. His arms trembled under the assault, his muscles straining, but he refused to counter.
"You're making a mistake," Saya hissed, driving a fist into his gut.
Kyota doubled over, coughing, but still, he didn't strike back.
The round ended with Kyota on one knee, breathing heavily, his body battered but his spirit unbroken. The crowd was silent, unsure whether to cheer or jeer.
### Round Two: The Awakening
The referee's voice cut through the tension. "Second round—unrestricted water spells!"
Saya didn't hesitate. She raised her hands, and the ocean itself seemed to answer her call. The water beneath the coliseum churned violently, rising in great spirals around her.
"High-Class Water Magic: Seraphim's Wings!"
Brilliant, translucent wings of water burst from her back, lifting her effortlessly into the air. A sword of liquid moonlight formed in her grip, its edge shimmering with deadly precision. The crowd roared—this was the power of royalty, the strength of the Water Kingdom's heir.
Kyota remained still.
Saya dove.
Her sword arced down in a blinding slash—Kyota barely raised his arms in time. The blade sheared through his cloak, ripping it away and exposing his frame.
His hood fell.
And the crowd screamed.
His hair—once black—was now white as snow, his eyes burning with an eerie blue fire. A girl in the stands, hidden behind black glasses, stiffened. Her breath caught in her throat.
That hair... those eyes...
Could it be... Kyota?
But why is he called Kaito Sensaki?
Saya froze mid-air, her wings faltering for just a second. "You—"
Kyota's voice was different now—deeper, colder as if something ancient had awakened within him.
"I told you... I don't hit women."
Then—he lost control.
A pulse of energy erupted from him, a shockwave of raw power that forced Saya back. The ocean beneath the arena boiled, great geysers of steam erupting as if the sea itself feared him. Kyota's hand glowed, steam and water swirling around his fist, tinged with cursed blue flames.
"Calamity-Level Water Art..." His voice echoed unnaturally, carrying across the coliseum like a storm's warning. "Dragon's Maw: First Form."
Saya barely had time to react before Kyota vanished.
He reappeared behind her.
She whirled—but he was already gone again.
A hand clamped onto her armored shoulder.
"Enough."
With terrifying ease, Kyota—an eight-year-old boy—lifted the twenty-year-old princess off her feet. The crowd watched in stunned silence as he carried her, bridal-style, toward the edge of the arena.
Saya struggled, her wings thrashing. "Put me down!"
Kyota ignored her. Step by step, he walked to the boundary line—and gently set her down outside the ring.
"I keep my promises," he said softly.
The arena erupted.
### The Crowd's Revelation
The girl in the stands—disguised, unnoticed—clutched the railing so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her heart pounded.
It's him. It's really him.
But why is he here?
What is he fighting for?
Kyota turned away, his hair already darkening back to black, the blue fire in his eyes fading. The referee, stunned, finally shouted:
"WINNER BY RING-OUT—KAITO SENSAKI!"
The cheers were deafening. The king himself stood from his throne, eyes alight with something between intrigue and wariness.
The announcer's voice boomed: "Tomorrow—Kaito Sensaki will face the Water King himself for the legendary Water Stone!"
Kyota pulled his hood back up, hiding his face once more.
But one person had seen the truth.
And she wouldn't forget it.
Kyota, without a word, turned back. He went out of the stadium and said in his mind,
"I need more patience. This way of fighting will cause me trouble. Man, I wish Rin was okay. It's nearly nine years few more months from now."
The voice in the crowd got low and low as he stepped further and further.