Shadows and Secrets

The arena was still buzzing with chaos long after Draven vanished.

Lena barely registered the announcer's voice declaring her the winner. Her hands clenched into fists as she stared at the spot where Draven had stood just moments ago.

One of the Seven Commanders… was right in front of me this whole time?

Ethan's voice pulled her back to reality.

"LENA, YOU DID IT!" He waved his arms excitedly from the stands, cheering just like he had for Stella. It wasn't the same pure excitement he had for Hugo, but there was pride in his voice.

Lena took a slow breath, forcing herself to push her frustration aside.

She won. Technically.

But it didn't feel like a victory.

By the time Lena returned backstage, the tournament staff were still scrambling to restore order. Fighters murmured amongst themselves, some uneasy, some intrigued.

Across the room, Darius leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the screen with a frown. "Tch. That was a waste."

Stella, still catching her breath from her own fight, raised an eyebrow. "What, you wanted to see Lena lose?"

Darius scoffed. "No, I wanted to see what he was really capable of." His jaw tightened. "If a Dominion Commander was hiding in this tournament, it means they don't see us as a threat."

Lena ignored Darius, walking straight toward Hugo.

He had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching the big screen replay the moment Draven introduced himself.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Hugo looked at her, unreadable. "Knew what?"

Lena narrowed her eyes. "That Draven was one of the Seven Commanders."

Hugo exhaled through his nose. "I had a suspicion."

Stella crossed her arms. "And you didn't think to warn us?"

Hugo closed his eyes briefly, as if gathering his words. Then, he spoke.

"I wasn't sure." His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it. "Draven fights like an assassin. I've seen that kind of shadow-based Arcana before, but until the spy showed up, I couldn't confirm it."

Lena clicked her tongue. "Well, we have our answer now."

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. And that's a problem."

Before anyone could respond, the tournament screen flickered again.

An official stepped onto a raised platform in the waiting area. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the next matches are being postponed for a brief security review. However, the tournament will continue as planned."

A mix of relief and unease spread through the waiting area.

Lena scoffed. "Guess they don't care that one of their fighters was a Dominion Commander."

Stella shook her head. "Doesn't matter. If the tournament's still on, we focus on winning."

Lena exhaled. "Yeah. One fight at a time."

Across the room, Darius smirked to himself, shaking his head. "This tournament's turning into something real interesting."

Hugo said nothing, his eyes lingering on the screen. Draven was gone, but the Dominion wasn't.

For now, though…

The tournament wasn't over.

The tournament's atmosphere shifted after Draven's departure, but the event continued. The massive screen flickered, and the announcer's voice boomed across the arena.

"Next Match: DARIUS vs. BRUNO THE BOULDER!"

A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd, the tension from Draven's reveal briefly forgotten. Fighters in the waiting area turned their attention to the screen, some murmuring in interest.

Darius cracked his neck, stretching his arms. "About time."

Bruno, a massive fighter built like a walking fortress, stomped into the arena, his Arc-Hammer resting on his shoulder. His heavy armor was reinforced with Arcana plates, giving him an imposing presence.

From the stands, Darius' crew cheered wildly.

"LET'S GO, BOSS!" one of them shouted."SHOW HIM WHY YOU'RE THE STRONGEST!" another added.

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Wow. They're really into it."

Ethan, sitting nearby, smirked. "That's how I sounded when Hugo fought."

Lena rolled her eyes but smiled slightly.

The announcer raised his hand.

"Fighters, ready?"

Darius grinned, gripping the hilt of his Arc-Lance, Drill Fang. "Let's see if you can keep up."

Bruno slammed his hammer into the ground, causing the entire arena to shake. "I won't need to."

A charged silence filled the air.

"BEGIN!"

Bruno charged forward like a moving boulder, his Arc-Hammer glowing with Arcana energy. Darius barely dodged the first swing, but the sheer force sent a shockwave through the battlefield.

BOOM! The ground cracked beneath them.

Darius skidded back, shaking his hands. "Alright. You hit like a truck."

Bruno smirked. "Good. Then stand still and take it."

Darius scoffed. "Yeah, no thanks."

He tightened his grip on Drill Fang. The gears embedded in the weapon began to glow faintly.

Then—he shouted.

"Gear Shift: BLAST GEAR!"

A bright crimson glow surged through Drill Fang. In an instant, Darius' eyes and clothing took on a fiery red hue, his entire body radiating raw power.

Lena's eyes widened. It looked almost exactly like Hugo's Corona Mode.

"What the hell…?" she muttered.

Before she could ask, Cosmos hummed.

"It's no coincidence. That weapon was designed to mimic me."

Lena blinked, glancing at Hugo's sword. "Wait… what?"

Stella leaned in. "Drill Fang isn't just an Arc-Lance—it has three different gears that shift its abilities." She raised a finger. "Blast Gear for attack, Sonic Gear for speed, and Vortex Gear for defense."

Lena frowned. "Cosmos only has two modes. Why does that thing have three?"

Hugo, arms crossed, finally spoke.

"It was meant to surpass Cosmos." His voice was calm, almost indifferent. "But it hasn't."

Lena glanced back at the battlefield, watching as Darius grinned confidently, the red aura around him intensifying.

Bruno, unfazed, gripped his Arc-Hammer with both hands. "More power, huh?" He cracked his neck. "Then let's test it."

The red aura of Blast Gear crackled around Darius as he lunged forward, Drill Fang spinning like a vortex of energy.

Bruno met his charge head-on, gripping his Arc-Hammer with both hands. The two weapons collided with an explosive shockwave, sending dust and energy rippling through the arena.

CLANG!

The force of the impact sent both fighters skidding backward, but neither fell.

Bruno smirked, planting his hammer into the ground to stop himself. "Not bad."

Darius grinned. "Let's run that back."

He rushed forward again, Drill Fang spinning faster this time. Bruno didn't back down, swinging his hammer in a powerful arc.

BOOM!

The second clash sent another burst of shockwaves through the battlefield. Sparks flew as Arcana energy crackled between their weapons.

Lena watched from the waiting area, her arms crossed. "Darius is hitting harder, but Bruno isn't budging."

Stella nodded. "That hammer's designed to absorb and redirect force. If Darius keeps brute-forcing it, he's gonna—"

Bruno counterattacked.

The moment Drill Fang recoiled from impact, Bruno swung his hammer in a wide arc, aiming straight for Darius' ribs.

Darius' eyes widened—he wouldn't dodge in time.

Then—

"Gear Shift: SONIC GEAR!"

A new surge of energy erupted from Drill Fang.

Darius' red aura shifted to bright blue, his eyes and clothing transforming along with it.

Lena tensed. It looked eerily like Hugo's Luna Mode.

With unnatural speed, Darius vanished from Bruno's path, reappearing to his side in an instant.

Bruno's hammer swung through empty air.

Lena's mind was racing. "It's almost like Hugo's speed mode…"

Cosmos hummed.

"It's a near-perfect imitation."

Lena frowned. "Near-perfect?"

Hugo watched the fight closely. "It copies the power. But it lacks the balance."

Stella glanced at him. "Meaning?"

Hugo didn't answer immediately, but Cosmos did.

"I am built on duality—Sun and Moon, Power and Precision. Drill Fang was designed to surpass that concept by introducing a third factor."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "And that's why it failed?"

Hugo finally spoke.

"It tries to do too much at once. It lacks the harmony needed to control its full potential."

Lena stared at the battlefield, watching Darius move at blinding speed. "So, what's missing?"

Cosmos hummed again, softer this time.

"The answer lies in the Luna and Corona Cores."

Lena's breath hitched. "The Cosmic Cores?"

Hugo nodded slightly. "Drill Fang was made to copy Cosmos, but it was never built to balance two forces like the Cores do."

Stella crossed her arms. "So, no matter how many gears it has, it can't truly match Cosmos' power."

Cosmos let out a low, almost amused hum. "Precisely."

Darius twisted mid-air, his movements sharp and fluid. He flashed around Bruno, striking at his blind spots.

Bruno gritted his teeth. "Tch—quit running and fight me!"

Darius grinned. "You sure about that?"

He vanished again, reappearing directly behind Bruno—ready to strike.

The battle was heating up.

Darius flashed across the battlefield, Drill Fang's blue aura crackling like lightning. His Sonic Gear speed made him almost impossible to hit, forcing Bruno to swing wildly with his Arc-Hammer.

From the waiting area, Stella's eyes narrowed.

"Okay… you guys keep talking about balance and two cores, but…" She turned to Hugo. "Wasn't there a third?"

Lena glanced at her. "What?"

Stella crossed her arms. "You mentioned the Luna and Corona Cores, but I remember hearing about a third one."

Hugo didn't react at first, but Cosmos let out a low hum.

Lena frowned. "Wait… the Voltra Core?"

Stella nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

A brief silence hung between them before Hugo finally spoke.

"It's… different."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Cosmos' hum grew deeper, almost ominous.

"Because it doesn't seek balance. It only consumes."

Lena felt a chill run down her spine. "Consumes?"

Hugo nodded. "The Voltra Core isn't like Luna or Corona. It's… unstable. Raw destruction. A force that doesn't just create or refine energy—it erases."

Stella frowned, glancing back at Drill Fang. "Then why does that thing have three gears?"

Hugo exhaled. "Because Vortex Gear was based on the Voltra Core."

Lena's eyes widened. "Wait—you mean—"

Cosmos hummed again. "An attempt. Not a success."

Hugo crossed his arms. "The people who created Drill Fang tried to harness the same concept as the Voltra Core—a defensive force that absorbs and redirects attacks. But Voltra doesn't just absorb. It devours. And that's something no normal Arcana core can handle."

Stella crossed her arms. "So that's why it failed?"

Hugo nodded. "They tried to take something that shouldn't be controlled and force it into a structured system. That's why Drill Fang's third gear never reached its full potential."

Lena looked back toward the battlefield. Darius was moving faster than ever, but she couldn't shake the feeling that even with three gears, Drill Fang was incomplete.

Was it because it was missing something… or because it was never meant to be whole?

Darius flashed around the battlefield, Drill Fang's Sonic Gear speed keeping him just out of Bruno's reach. But as fast as he was, Bruno wasn't slowing down.

The Arc-Hammer wielder planted his feet, reading Darius' movements carefully.

Then—he swung.

Darius dodged left, barely avoiding the blow. But as he moved—

Bruno twisted mid-swing, shifting his stance instantly.

Lena's eyes widened. "Wait—he's predicting Darius now!"

WHAM!

Bruno's hammer smashed into the ground just as Darius landed from his dodge. The impact sent out a shockwave of raw force, knocking Darius backward.

For the first time, he stumbled.

Bruno smirked. "I told you to quit running."

Darius gritted his teeth. "Tch. Alright, then."

He raised Drill Fang, gripping the hilt tightly. The gears along the weapon shifted again, glowing a deep green.

Then, he shouted—

"Gear Shift: VORTEX GEAR!"

A green aura engulfed him, his eyes and clothing shifting to match the new energy. The moment Bruno swung again, Darius held his ground.

The Arc-Hammer slammed into Drill Fang—

But instead of sending Darius flying, the green aura absorbed the force. The energy rippled around him, and then—

BOOM!

Bruno's own attack was redirected, the force exploding outward in a shockwave.

Stella blinked. "That's… different."

Hugo remained still, watching. "It's Vortex Gear. It's designed to absorb and redirect force."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "So, he just became a walking counterattack?"

pretty much, said Hugo.

Lena watched as Darius smirked at Bruno, the energy around him pulsing. But even with the power shift, something felt off.

She frowned. If Vortex Gear was based on the Voltra Core, then…

Her thoughts were interrupted when Stella suddenly spoke.

"Hey, Hugo."

He didn't look at her.

She glanced at him, curiosity in her eyes. "What do you know about Vengeance? And the Solstice?"

Lena turned her head slightly, watching him now too.

But Hugo said nothing.

For the first time, Cosmos didn't hum.

Silence.

Stella frowned. "Hugo?"

Still, no answer.

The battle in the arena raged on, but for a brief moment—

Something else weighed heavier than any fight.

The energy in the waiting area felt heavier now.

Lena and Stella exchanged a glance before turning back to Hugo.

"You heard me," Stella pressed. "What do you know about Vengeance? About Solstice?"

Still—Hugo said nothing.

Even Cosmos remained silent. No hum, no cryptic remarks. Just emptiness.

Lena frowned. "You were fine talking about the Luna and Corona Cores, but the moment Voltra and Vengeance come up, you go quiet?"

Nothing.

Hugo's expression didn't change, but his grip on his arm tightened slightly.

Stella huffed, frustrated. "Seriously? You—"

BOOM!

A loud shockwave from the arena snapped them back to the match.

Bruno had refused to let up, swinging his Arc-Hammer over and over again. Each strike was heavy, calculated, relentless.

But no matter how hard he hit—

Vortex Gear absorbed it all.

Darius barely moved, standing his ground as the green aura around him pulsed violently, taking in every ounce of force Bruno threw at him.

Bruno gritted his teeth. "Tch—you just gonna stand there?!"

Darius smirked. "Oh, I'm not just standing here."

The green energy around him shifted, swirling like a spiraling drill.

Lena's eyes widened. "Wait… is he—?"

Darius crouched slightly, gripping Drill Fang with both hands.

Then—

"DRILL BREAKER!"

All the absorbed force exploded outward as he launched forward, his Arc-Lance spinning violently. The arena floor cracked beneath him as he rocketed toward Bruno like a missile.

Bruno braced himself, gripping his Arc-Hammer tightly. He swung with everything he had—

CRASH!

The two forces collided in a blinding shockwave.

For a moment, it looked like they were evenly matched—

Then—Bruno's hammer cracked.

The force overwhelmed him, sending him skidding backward. He slammed into the arena wall, his Arc-Hammer falling from his grip.

The dust settled.

Bruno didn't get up.

The announcer's voice boomed.

"WINNER—DARIUS!"

The crowd exploded with cheers.

From the stands, Darius' crew went wild.

"YOU DID IT, BOSS!""THAT WAS SICK!""WE KNEW YOU'D WIN!"

Ethan crossed his arms, tilting his head. "Huh… I guess he's actually kinda strong."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Kinda?"

Ethan shrugged. "I mean, he's no Hugo, but still."

Darius flicked his now-deactivated Drill Fang over his shoulder, looking smug. "Of course I did."

As Bruno was helped off the battlefield, Darius turned toward the waiting area, his eyes locking onto Hugo.

Then, he grinned.

He pointed Drill Fang directly at him.

"Hugo! You're next."

Silence fell over the waiting area.

Darius smirked. "I'm challenging you for your title. In the finals."

Hugo met his gaze, expression unreadable.

Cosmos let out a low, almost amused hum.

The real fight was coming.

And this time—Darius wasn't holding back.