The five days passed quickly.
Soon, it was the last night before the big start.
The sky across all Universes turned red and gold.
The Arena of Supremacy was ready.
In a quiet field, under a tree, Ian sat with Barseagle and the Grand Elder. Damon, Kaelra, and Lys stood close, quiet.
A fire burned in the middle.
No one spoke for a while.
Then Barseagle broke the silence.
"So... who fights first?"
Ian looked at the fire. "That’s what I came to talk about."
At the same time, in the Arena...
The Grand Devil walked through the center of the arena floor. Her steps echoed. She raised one hand, and a long wall of light rose in the air.
It showed boxes, each with names of Universes.
On the top: Universe 1 vs Universe 12
Next: Universe 2 vs Universe 7
Then: Universe 3 vs Universe 16
The full match list was there.
The Grand Devil smiled.
Then, her voice filled the air:
"This is the fight order. The first team to battle... will be from Universe One and Universe Twelve. The rest will follow, one match at a time. No delays. No swaps."
Barseagle squinted at the names on the scroll Ian handed him.
"Universe Twelve... never heard much about them."
The Grand Elder nodded. "They’re quiet. Not much is known."
Kaelra crossed her arms. "We should expect them to be strong. The quiet ones usually are."
Lys looked at Damon. "Ready to fight?"
Damon nodded. "I’m always ready."
Ian stood. "This match will decide how far we can go. If we lose here, everything is over. The world we know... gone. Of course, as the Grand God of Destruction, even if the First Universe is erased, I won’t be implicated."
"But," he said calmly, "this is not about that. It’s about doing our best. You’ve trained. You’ve grown. You’re not just strong. You’re smart. And you’re working as one."
He looked at the three.
"Remember the plan. Don’t rush. Watch their moves. Work together."
Barseagle turned to Ian. "What about the order? Who goes first?"
Ian thought for a moment.
She looked surprised. "Me?"
"You’re good at reading your enemy. You’ll test them without giving away too much. If it’s a good match, we win fast. If not, we learn what we’re facing."
Kaelra nodded once. "I can do that."
Ian turned to Damon. "You go second. You’re good at fighting under pressure. If Kaelra wins, you keep the pace. If she loses, you bring it back."
"Understood," Damon said.
"Lys," Ian said, "you’re third. By that point, we’ll know their style. Your control and range will be key."
Lys gave a slow nod. "I’ll be ready."
"And the last spot?" Barseagle asked.
Ian looked at the fire again. "The fourth fighter... is waiting at the edge of the Arena."
But the team trusted him.
Then the Grand Elder stood. "Tomorrow, the true game begins."
Barseagle smiled, just a little. "Then let’s sleep well. We’ll need it."
One by one, they walked back to rest.
The field grew quiet.
The other Universes were busy too.
In Universe Twelve, a tall man in silver stood with his team.
"They don’t know us," he said. "Let’s keep it that way."
In Universe Two, monks sat in a circle, calm.
In Universe Seven, a girl with a harp tuned her strings.
All across the stars, teams were ready.
The sky above the Arena of Supremacy turned bright white. The light touched every corner of the 18 Universes.
A loud sound rang through the air.
"All teams, prepare."
It was Grand Devil’s voice.
"Match One. Universe One vs Universe Twelve. Come to the stage."
In the middle of the great arena, two wide gates opened.
From one gate, Universe One stepped out.
Kaelra walked in front, calm and sure. Damon followed, hands in his pockets. Lys walked slow, eyes half-closed. The fourth fighter was not with them yet.
From the other gate, Universe Twelve walked in.
Their team wore bright red clothes. They walked with loud steps, wide grins, and heads held high.
The one in front wore a gold belt and rings on every finger.
He smirked at Kaelra.
"So... these are the weak ones from Universe One," he said loud enough for all to hear.
Kaelra said nothing. She kept walking.
Damon glanced at Ian in the crowd. Ian gave a small nod.
The Grand Devil’s voice filled the air.
"Match One will begin in a few moments. First fighters, step forward."
Kaelra walked to the middle of the stage.
The fighter from Universe Twelve took a big step, raising his arms like a showman.
"You can still quit," he said, grinning. "No need to cry when you lose."
Kaelra looked at him and blinked slowly.
He kept talking. Loud. Arrogant.
"You all look weak. I don’t even need to go full power for this. You’re not worth the wait."
From the stands, the crowd from Universe Twelve cheered.
"Show her how it’s done!"
But Kaelra just rolled her shoulders and moved her feet.
Back at the gate, Damon watched.
"He talks a lot," he said.
Barseagle sat with his arms crossed. "Too much."
The Grand Elder nodded. "This kind of fighter always makes the same mistake."
Lys looked up. "He thinks he’s already won."
The red-clothed fighter raised one hand toward Kaelra.
"This is your last chance. Get on your knees and beg. I might let you walk away."
The crowd started laughing. Even fighters from other Universes chuckled.
"She hasn’t even said a word."
"Maybe she’s just here to look pretty."
Kaelra looked over at Ian in the stands.
He gave her the smallest nod.
She turned back to her opponent.
Still calm. Still quiet.
The red-clothed fighter stepped closer.
"You hear me?" he said, his voice louder. "Say something, you loser."
He walked right up to her face.
Kaelra tilted her head.
Then the Grand Devil’s voice rang out.
"The match will begin... now."