The arena blazed beneath the floodlights, its vast expanse reforged from the ruins of the team battles before it. The shattered earth had been restored, but faint scorch marks still scarred the ground—a reminder of the chaos that had raged there hours earlier.

The referee's voice boomed across the coliseum, carrying over the thrum of thousands.

"And now— the final match of the day! The singles arena finals! Aston Rhyner versus Tristan Graves!"

The crowd erupted into thunder. The stands trembled with cheers, applause, and wild chanting that rolled like waves through the massive hall. But beneath the roar, murmurs rippled like undercurrents in the sea.

"Tristan already won the team finals—odds are, he'll sweep this too."

"Yeah, but Rhyner's no pushover. That kid carried his team to the finals."

"He lost earlier because of betrayal. One-on-one? It might be different this time."

From the western gate, Tristan Graves emerged first. His presence alone ignited another roar. Cloaked in the same crimson coat he'd worn throughout the festival, he strode forward with the swagger of a champion. At his side prowled Zoom and Scylla, the Infernal Fang Cheetah and the Wave Crashing Serpent.

From the opposite gate, Aston Rhyner stepped into the light. The cheers dimmed for half a heartbeat, replaced by an odd, tense hush. Gray walked beside him. Mirage glided above them, her translucent wings shimmering in the glow like fractured glass and moonlight.

Where Tristan radiated fury and dominance, Aston emanated quiet control—a stillness before the storm.

The two stopped at the center, just short of the dueling line. Their gazes locked, neither speaking. The tension between them was palpable—thick enough to draw every spectator forward in their seats.

Then, as silence fell, a third voice rang across the field. It was calm, resonant, and commanding.

"Before the match begins," said the Vice Principal, his aged figure hovering above the arena within a veil of spatial light, "a clarification of rules."

Gasps rippled through the audience. It wasn't often the Vice Principal himself presided over a duel.

He raised a hand, and the projection beside him expanded—two silhouettes, each marked with dual spirit beast symbols.

"Both participants are registered as dual beast handlers. In standard matches, only one beast may fight. However, given the nature of this championship, and by my authority, an exception will be made."

Murmurs rippled across the stadium.

"Each of you," he continued, voice echoing through every corner, "may choose to fight with one or both of your bonded beasts. Should either of you object, the duel will proceed with a single spirit beast each. Do you understand?"

Both boys turned slightly toward him and nodded.

"Then," the Vice Principal said, tone measured, "state your intent."

Tristan's answer came first, loud and clear. "I'll use both my beasts."

Aston's gaze did not waver. "So will I."

The crowd exploded.

The Vice Principal's expression did not change, but a faint spark of intrigue crossed his eyes. "Very well. Then the final match shall proceed as a dual-beast engagement. The battle will continue until one handler yields or both of their spirit beasts are incapacitated."

His words rolled across the arena like thunder. "Prepare yourselves."

Aston exhaled slowly, his hand brushing Gray's fur once more. Mirage circled overhead, a faint glimmer rippling across her feathers as essence lines began to awaken.

Across the way, Tristan's swagger became a lot more serious, flames dancing faintly between his fingers as Zoom and Scylla emerged from a swirl of red and blue mist. The serpent's scales gleamed like tempered glass, water and fire flowing along its body in seamless harmony.

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Two prodigies. Two young dual-binders. One final clash.

The referee raised his arm, his voice almost drowned out by the storm of cheers.

"Aston Rhyner… versus Tristan Graves!"

Tristan silently glared at Aston, his smug face gone, as if remembering the last time they met—his 'win'.

The referee's hand fell like a hammer. "Begin!"

The ground shuddered as both sides moved at once—light and flame, water and shadow colliding in a burst of elemental fury.

—

The arena trembled as soon as the command to begin rang out.

Aston's eyes narrowed, breath steady despite the maelstrom erupting around him. His mind sharpened to a single line of focus—the rhythm of combat, the heartbeat between chaos and intent.

"Gray," he said quietly, voice nearly drowned by the roar of the crowd. "Don't hold back this time."

Gray flicked its tail, azure eyes gleaming like the morning sky. Its claws dug into the stone, faint rifts spreading beneath its paws. The air itself seemed to recoil—like the beast had stopped pretending to be a kitten.

Above them, Mirage beat her wings once—just once—and the entire arena was washed in refracted light. The Fractured Halo ignited around her, expanding into a shimmering ring of crystalline shards. Each shard pulsed with prismatic brilliance, casting fleeting reflections that danced across the field.

Feeling the frost, the Infernal Fang Cheetah, blurred into motion—one heartbeat and it was gone, a streak of fire arcing across the battlefield. The heat from its passage scorched the stone, drawing gasps from the audience. The Wave Crasher Serpent, slithered in a wide spiral behind it, water and flame intertwining in its wake, boiling steam filling the gaps between their movements.

Zoom's first strike veered inches off-course. Its claws grazed only afterimages. Mirage's optical interference scattered its momentum, turning its flawless rush into misjudged swipes.

Tristan's gaze faltered for a split second. "Tch… that owl."

From the clouds of prismatic light, Mirage dove, spectral feathers glinting with frost and fire essence she'd drawn from the ambient chaos.

Scylla reared, water spiraling around its form. It absorbed the blow but hissed, steam bursting upward as it retaliated with a serpentine whirl—Spiral Torrent! Twin jets of boiling water surged toward Mirage.

But the owl was gone.

Mirage twisted midair, wings beating soundlessly as the water jets sliced through her afterimage. She countered instantly, feathers glowing as she spread them wide.

The air shimmered.

Beneath her, both of Tristan's beasts faltered—their speed and aim momentarily staggered as ripples of essence disarray coiled around their cores.

Aston's voice cut through the chaos, calm and clipped. "Now."

Gray moved.

The cub leapt, its form blurring, claws dragging thin lines of light through the air. It didn't roar—it sliced through silence itself, materializing beneath Zoom's trajectory.

Zoom tried to pivot. Too late.

The sound came after the strike—the hiss of air splitting. A faint red line bloomed across Zoom's flank, essence flickering erratically from the precision cut.

Tristan's eyes widened for the briefest instant before narrowing, jaw clenching.

He thrust his hand downward, aura flaring red-hot. "Scylla! Hydro Laser!"

The Wave Crasher Serpent coiled and slammed its body into the ground, opening its mouth to fire a thin line of water. It cut through the stone floors and lifted it up, targeting Mirage.

The crowd roared, half in awe, half in terror.

Mirage swept sideways, but the cloud of frost she generated was cut in half. The coldness felt by Tristan and his two beasts thawed.

Mirage reappeared behind Scylla, halo shards orbiting her like a crown.

"Strike!" Aston barked.

Gray charged through the haze, claws glinting like blades of midnight. The cat slammed into Scylla's flank, carving deep gashes through the serpent's scales. Steam exploded in all directions.

Tristan reacted instantly. "Zoom, intercept!"

The cheetah roared, bursting into flame as it darted toward the tiny cat. Its claws ignited midair, leaving streaks of molten light as they collided.

The cat and cheetah clashed—speed versus precision. Every movement blurred, each impact ringing like metal against metal. Sparks scattered, smoke trailing behind their flurries.

He reached out mentally, his connection with Gray pulsing. The kitten's eyes flickered—cold determination flooding its aura.

Gray lunged once more. Its claws traced a silver arc—but instead of finishing the strike, it twisted mid-motion and vanished into shadow, Mirage's halo masking its trajectory.

The audience gasped.

Tristan scanned the ground, heat shimmering around him.

Gray reappeared from beneath Zoom, claws raking upward in a flash of obsidian.

The cheetah howled in pain, thrown aside.

The crowd went wild.

Mirage's halo flared again—its light dimmer now, the strain evident in the flicker of her feathers. Aston could feel her exhaustion through their bond.

Tristan, however, looked calm. His blood sang in the firelight, his mouth slowly formed a maniacal grin..

"I don't want to reveal this, but you're strong, Rhyner. Zoom! Scylla! Skill Concerto!"

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