Chapter 34: The Final Part 1

After freshening up, we made our way downstairs.

Luna glanced at us. "Aren't you guys having finals tomorrow?"

I shook my head. "No, it's on Saturday."

"So… the day after tomorrow?" she clarified. "Apart from training, are you guys actually prepared? I watched who you guys are up against and they're really strong."

I smirked. "Don't worry. We're strong too. Jason has mastered his weapon abilities with the guild's help, and I'm not exactly weak either. We're going to win."

Luna crossed her arms. "If you say so."

"What about you? How's school?" I asked.

She sighed. "Stressful. That's it. Just stressful."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, that was plain."

Jason chuckled. "Nothing more to it?"

"Nope," she said flatly.

I shook my head, amused. "By the way, how did you know we were on the rooftop?"

She shrugged. "I asked the house AI."

I nodded in understanding. "Figures. Since you're also registered as an owner, it didn't alert us."

With that, we finished eating and headed to bed.

---

The Next Day

Jason and I trained again, pushing ourselves harder than before.

Finally, the day of the finals arrived.

We made our way to the Ranker Organization, where the finals were being held. As we entered the arena, the sheer size of the crowd was overwhelming. The stands were packed with excited spectators, and even more drones hovered overhead, ready to capture every moment of the event.

The atmosphere was electric. The audience chanted the names of both teams—The Duo Gods and Frost Fang—but it was clear that Frost Fang had more support.

The announcer stepped onto the stage, his voice booming across the arena. Alright, everyone, it's time for the finals!

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"But before we begin," he continued, as always, if you want to support your favorite team, head over to the betting booth! Place your bets, and if you win, expect huge returns!

As soon as the betting booths opened, people rushed forward, eager to place their wagers.

"We all know who's winning, right?" someone in the crowd shouted. "The undefeated duo—Frost Fang! They've dominated this competition back to back!"

"Yeah, but don't forget about Jason from The Duo Gods," another person argued. "That guy can literally blow up the entire arena with one shot from his high-tech plasma gun!"

"And Ragnarok is a master at adapting to any situation!" someone else added.

"But what's the point?" another voice countered. "Frost Fang's Shiro can freeze the entire arena in seconds! And his wolf partner, Gon, isn't a pushover. If he goes into beast mode, he'll tear right through their ranks!"

The crowd continued to debate as the announcer raised his hand for silence.

Now, let's introduce our finalists!

The stadium roared with anticipation.

"On the left, the undefeated champions, the aces of this competition—Shiro and Gon, the Frost Fang!"

The audience erupted in deafening cheers.

"And on the right, the team that may look like underdogs, the team that might seem like they're struggling—but haven't lost a single match!"

He raised his hand dramatically.

Ragnarok and Jason—the Duo Gods!

The crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch as the final battle was about to begin.

Ragnarok and Jason stood across from their opponents as the arena's barrier activated, locking them into the battleground. The crowd roared in anticipation, eager to witness the clash between The Duo Gods and the undefeated Frost Fang.

Through the telepathic link in their earrings—gifts from Mr. Xavier—Ragnarok spoke to Jason.

"We should limit our talking during the match. Let's use this to communicate instead."

"Agreed," Jason replied, pulling out his customized duo pistols. He tossed Ragnarok a new pair of dual daggers.

Ragnarok caught them midair, inspecting the craftsmanship. "What did you do to them?"

"Upgraded them," Jason said smugly. "They now have built-in skills: Backstab increases attack power when striking from behind, and Defense enhances durability. It should withstand Shiro's ice—unless he pushes into the extreme negatives."

"If he does, we'll have bigger problems than broken daggers," Ragnarok muttered.

The announcer raised his hand, and with the toll of the battle bell, the finals had begun.

The Battle Commences

"I'll handle the wolf. You take Shiro," Ragnarok instructed.

"My pleasure," Jason replied. "I've been waiting to test all my prototype weapons on him."

As soon as the match started, Gon let out a guttural growl and transformed into his beast form—his body expanding, muscles rippling, and razor-sharp claws extending. His crimson eyes locked onto Ragnarok.

Without hesitation, the two warriors charged at each other.

Ragnarok gripped his daggers tightly, aiming for Gon's eyes, knowing it was a critical weak point. But as they closed the distance, he realized Gon's claw strike would land before his attack.

For a split second, Ragnarok debated—Should I take the hit and go for the damage?

Then, something about Gon's stance shifted.

It was a feint.

Ragnarok instinctively ducked, barely avoiding a vicious swipe. Gon twisted in midair—unnaturally fast—and immediately lunged again, faster than before.

I barely dodged his claws aimed for my heart, while the sound of gunfire echoed through the packed stadium.

Jason unleashed a barrage of plasma shots, explosive rounds, and armor-piercing bullets. Each shot was calculated, aimed at weak points, designed to overwhelm.

But—

CRACK!

Every single attack was stopped by towering walls of ice.

The audience watched in disbelief.

"He's blocking everything."

"Jason is pulling out insane weapons, but Shiro hasn't even moved an inch!"

"Is this guy even human?!"

Jason's frustration grew. He pulled out a high-powered sniper rifle, one with armor-piercing explosive rounds.

He took aim—

BOOM!

The bullet tore through the air like a comet—slamming straight into Shiro's ice wall.

For the first time—Shiro slightly narrowed his eyes.

The bullet froze in place.

A second later—

BOOOOM!!!

The explosion blasted the ice apart, sending shards flying in all directions.

Gasps erupted from the stands.

"HE BROKE THROUGH?!"

Jason smirked. Got you.

But as the smoke cleared—

Shiro was still standing. Untouched.

And then—he sighed.

"A whole week… and this is the best you can do?"

Then—

BOOM.

A pulse of absolute zero erupted from Shiro, and the battlefield froze in an instant.

The arena fell silent.

The once-solid ground had transformed into a landscape of razor-sharp ice formations. Towering frozen spires spiraled into the sky, distorting the battlefield into a labyrinth of jagged frost.

Shiro raised his hand.

"You are standing in my domain now."

"Ice Dungeon."

A gust of freezing wind howled across the arena, and then—

The battlefield moved.

The ice walls shifted on their own, trapping Jason inside a constantly changing maze.

Spears of ice shot from every angle, forcing him to dodge midair.

Even Gon, the unstoppable beast, slowed for a split second—not because he was afraid, but because the battlefield itself was shifting unpredictably.

The audience exploded.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! HE JUST TURNED THE ENTIRE ARENA INTO HIS PLAYGROUND!"

"This isn't just magic—this is CONTROL!"

"Is this even a fair fight anymore?!"

Jason took flight, barely avoiding an ice spike aimed at his back.

Ragnarok gritted his teeth as the battlefield betrayed him—the ground suddenly cracked beneath his feet, throwing off his balance as Gon lunged.

Jason's mind raced. This isn't a normal fight anymore.

"Jason! He's not just making ice—he's controlling everything! We're fighting the arena itself!"

Jason clenched his fists. For the first time in the tournament, it felt like they were truly on the back foot.

But then—he smirked.

"Yeah? Then let's break it."

The real fight had just begun.