After breakfast, Ryu, Kai, and Ai wasted no time, heading straight for their training grounds. The reality of the upcoming Chunin Exams had finally hit them. They weren't just training for fun anymore—this was about proving their worth.
Kenshiro watched them go, his sharp eyes analyzing their forms.
Ryu still had raw potential, but lacked proper chakra control. His immense energy was wild and untamed, like a beast waiting to be unleashed.
Kai was a genius in combat—fast, precise, and dangerous—but his heart was clouded. Revenge. It burned inside him like an unextinguished flame.
Ai was the most composed of the three. She lacked overwhelming power but made up for it with precision, intelligence, and strategy.
Kenshiro sighed. They have a long way to go.
---
Meanwhile, Ghesso, ever the carefree rogue, had somehow found himself surrounded by young ladies near a bustling market square. His violet eyes twinkled as he spoke sweet, exaggerated compliments, making the local women giggle and blush.
Just as he was about to get a kiss on the cheek from a particularly bold kunoichi, a thunderous voice shattered his moment.
"OI! GHESSO!!"
Ghesso froze mid-flirt.
Turning slowly, he spotted Kenshiro standing a few feet away, arms crossed, smirking.
"If you don't leave now, I'm telling them who you REALLY are."
Ghesso's blood ran cold.
The kunoichi, intrigued, tilted her head. "Oh? And who exactly is he?"
Kenshiro grinned.
Ghesso teleported next to him instantly, placing a panicked hand on his shoulder.
"Alright, alright—I apologize! My bad!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
The kunoichi blinked in confusion, watching as the legendary sage fled the scene like a guilty criminal.
As they walked away, Ghesso's tone shifted from his usual flirtatious nature to something serious.
"I want to train the Nyxarion vessel."
Kenshiro stopped walking. He turned his head slightly, his Akarugan flickering beneath his headband.
"Ryu?"
Ghesso nodded.
"The kid doesn't even know what he's carrying inside him. If you keep sealing his power, he'll never learn to control it. He needs to learn how to use that chakra for his own favor, before it consumes him."
Kenshiro exhaled heavily.
"I've been worried about him too. And Kai." His voice grew lower. "Kai's walking down a dangerous path. He reminds me too much of myself, but with more hatred."
Ghesso sighed, stretching his arms behind his head. "Revenge. From Atomic Slicer, huh?"
Both men stood in silence for a moment. The weight of the past hung between them.
They both knew what revenge could do to a man.
As the two mentors discussed their students, Jasper, Seinna, and Serena walked through the Kasai Clan market.
Jasper wasn't paying attention to his surroundings.
His eyes kept drifting toward Seinna's wristwatch.
It was a Hyperion Defender model, meaning—unlimited access to interdimensional networks.
In other words…
Jasper could finally stream the Grand Finals of the Emerald Championship.
Talon. Phi. The battle he NEEDED to see.
But there was one massive problem.
He would have to ask Seinna for it.
His pride screamed in protest.
No. I'm not asking her for ANYTHING.
As if she could read his mind, Seinna suddenly tilted her head toward him and smirked.
"You want my watch."
Jasper's entire body stiffened.
He looked away. Ignored her. Kept walking.
Seinna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Oh, come on. Just give up. I KNOW you want to watch some fancy battle."
Serena snickered.
"You're actually dumber than Blaze."
Jasper pretended not to hear them, but inside, his brain was screaming.
Seinna, seeing his stubbornness, grinned mischievously.
"Tell you what," she said. "I'll let you use my watch… BUT."
Jasper's eye twitched.
Here it comes.
"You have to watch the stream while holding my hand, sitting under a tree."
Serena immediately BURST into laughter.
She even clapped her hands. "HOW ROMANTIC~"
Jasper's face darkened.
He wanted to die inside.
Watch the championship? Yes.
Hold Seinna's hand? Absolutely not.
His brain was at war with itself.
PRIDE: We do NOT need her damn watch.
DESIRE: But the Grand Finals, bro…
PRIDE: RESIST, YOU IDIOT.
DESIRE: Swords. Battle. Glory.
Jasper gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached.
Seinna enjoyed every second of his suffering.
Serena watched like an entertained spectator.
Jasper exhaled slowly.
"…No."
Seinna blinked. "No?"
"I'll find another way."
Seinna chuckled. "Alright. Suit yourself."
She tapped her watch casually and pulled up the live stream. The battle was already starting.
Jasper's fingers twitched.
His soul was in agony.
Serena, still laughing, patted his shoulder. "You're really gonna break soon, huh?"
Jasper closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and kept walking.
***
Ryu lunged forward, fists clenched, trying to land a clean hit on Kai. His movements were wild, full of passion, but also full of openings.
Kai, on the other hand, remained composed. His red Yamigan eyes flickered, analyzing every single movement Ryu made before he even finished making it.
DODGE. COUNTER. STRIKE.
With a single sidestep, Kai effortlessly dodged Ryu's punch and delivered a swift kick to his stomach, sending Ryu skidding backward in the dirt.
"Damn it!" Ryu coughed, pushing himself up.
Ai, standing nearby with her arms crossed, sighed. "You'll never beat him, Ryu."
Ryu's eye twitched. "Why not?!"
Ai smirked slightly. "Because Kai's a genius."
Kai flicked his wrist, spinning his kunai lazily. "I don't even need to use my Yamigan for you, loser."
Ryu growled. "One of these days, I swear I'll kick your—"
He didn't finish, because at that moment, something far more interesting happened.
Jasper sat under the shade of a massive tree, arms crossed, clearly frustrated.
Not at the training.
Not at Ryu and Kai's childish bickering.
But at himself.
His body resisted, but his mind… his soul… just wanted to watch the damn Grand Finals.
He could hear the whispers in his head.
Just ask her, idiot.
No, screw that. I'll find another way.
There is no other way. Give in. Give in.
…But my pride…
SCREW YOUR PRIDE. THE BATTLE IS LIVE.
Jasper exhaled sharply through his nose.
Then—he gave up.
With heavy steps, he moved to the tree where Ryu, Kai, and Ai were training, letting himself fall into a seated position.
Seinna, of course, was already waiting.
She watched him with amusement, one eyebrow raised, arms crossed.
"Finally broke, huh?" she teased.
Jasper ignored her.
Without another word, he reached for her wrist—but stopped.
His fingers hesitated over her watch.
The realization hit him.
He had to touch her.
His jaw clenched. Damn it.
Seinna's smirk grew.
"Oh, don't be shy, Jasper. You can hold my hand properly, you know."
Jasper grumbled under his breath. "Shut up."
Finally, he grabbed her hand.
The instant his fingers brushed against her gloved skin, he flinched slightly.
Her hand was soft, yet firm from years of combat training.
The half-gloves she wore only added to the contrast—smooth, bare skin meeting the rough material of reinforced fabric.
It was…
Distracting.
But he forced himself to focus.
He quickly typed something into her watch.
Nothing.
A password screen appeared.
Jasper's eye twitched violently.
Seinna leaned in closer, grinning.
"Forgot about that, didn't you?"
She moved even closer, her silver hair brushing against his arm, as she entered the password herself.
And then—she moved even closer.
Before Jasper could even react, she rested her head against his shoulder.
His entire body stiffened.
Panic.
Absolute panic.
Ryu, Ai, and Kai—all watching—burst into laughter.
"H-Hey, Jasper, you look so cozy!" Ryu teased.
Kai smirked, shaking his head. "Pathetic."
Even Ai had a small amused smile. "Seinna, is he your new pillow?"
Seinna hummed contentedly.
"Oh, don't mind me," she said sweetly. "I'm just enjoying this moment."
Jasper gritted his teeth.
But he couldn't move.
Because if he moved, he'd be admitting it bothered him.
So instead—he did the only thing he could.
He ignored everything and focused on the screen.
Finally, the livestream loaded.
Jasper's world narrowed as the familiar holographic arena appeared before his eyes.
He leaned forward instinctively, eyes glued to the screen.
Seinna smiled.
She had won.
Jasper was too focused to even realize…
He was still holding her hand.
Meanwhile, Serena had quietly left the training grounds.
She walked alone, heading back to the hotel room.
Her hand instinctively touched her stomach.
I still can't believe it.
Her thoughts swirled in her head.
Blaze should be here.
I need to tell him.
But… will he even come back?
What am I supposed to do now?
She let out a soft sigh, shaking her head.
I'm not alone anymore.
The weight of those words finally sank in.
For the first time in her entire life…
She wasn't just fighting for herself.