The crowd went absolutely feral.

Hanae walked onto the center platform wearing a modified instructor’s uniform that somehow looked like formal wear and battle gear simultaneously. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with amusement as she waved at the screaming masses.

She was beautiful in that effortless, dangerous way that made smart people nervous.

"Thank you, Maximus!" Her voice carried across the arena without any apparent amplification. Some kind of sound manipulation, probably. "Welcome, everyone! Students, faculty, honored guests, and the millions watching from home! Today marks the beginning of something special!"

More cheers.

She waited for the roar to die down, a small, knowing smile playing at her lips as the noise gradually ebbed to a buzz of anticipation. "Before we begin the tournament proper, we have a tradition here at New Vein Academy." Her voice took on a more formal weight, the tone shifting from entertainer to educator. "The student who scored first on the entrance exam delivers the State of the Year address. A moment for them to speak to their peers about our shared journey. To reflect on where we’ve been, what we’ve survived, and to set the tone for what comes next."

My stomach dropped.

It was a freefall, plummeting sensation that reached all the way down to my goddamn shoes.

Oh.

Oh no.

I felt Natalia’s eyes on me before I even turned my head.

"This year’s honor goes to someone who’s already made quite the impression," Hanae continued, her grin widening like she knew exactly what she was doing to me. "Someone who entered this academy six months ago with nothing but raw potential and a dream. Someone who’s survived things that should have killed him." She paused for dramatic effect, her amethyst eyes sweeping across the crowd. "Twice."

Natalia’s hand squeezed my arm, her grip firm and grounding.

"She’s talking about you," she murmured, low enough that only I could hear over the rising murmur of the crowd.

"I figured that out, thanks," I muttered back, my jaw tight.

My mind was already racing, calculating, reframing. This wasn’t just a speech. This was a stage. A platform.

And Hanae had just thrown me into the spotlight whether I was ready or not.

"Would you please welcome to the stage! The man who needs no introduction! Satori Nakano!"

The roar was physical.

I handed my bat to Natalia. "Hold this."

"Don’t fall off the stage."

"Your confidence in me is touching."

I walked toward the center platform where Hanae waited, her smile knowing and slightly wicked. The distance felt like miles. Every step brought fresh noise from the crowd.

I climbed the stairs and stood beside her.

She leaned close, her perfume something floral and expensive. "Try to keep it under ten minutes. Any longer and people get bored."

"Got it."

She stepped back and gestured at the microphone.

I looked out at the sea of faces.

Twenty thousand people.

More cameras than I could count.

Millions watching from home according to the broadcast.

The entire student body of New Vein Academy spread across the arena in their guild colors.

And front and center, in the VIP section, Seraphina Vance sat with her hands folded in her lap, her ice-blue eyes locked on me like targeting lasers.

Right.

No pressure.

I gripped the microphone.

The crowd noise swelled again, a tide of cheers and screams and what sounded like someone yelling marriage proposals.

I waited.

Two minutes, I’d decided. Let them get it out of their systems. Let them scream until their throats hurt. Let them think they know what’s coming.

The noise was overwhelming. Girls in the front rows were crying. Guys were chanting my name like I’d already won. Signs waved across every section.

I caught sight of Kimiko and Luka in the family section. Kimiko had her hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Luka stood beside her, beaming with pride so obvious it hurt to look at.

The two minutes crawled past.

Finally, blessedly, the crowd started to settle.

I raised the microphone.

"Thank you."

My voice echoed across the arena, amplified by whatever magic Hanae had woven into the sound system.

"Thank you for coming out here to support your school. To support us. All of us." I gestured at the assembled guilds. "Whether you’re here in the stands, watching from home, or streaming this on your phone while pretending to work, we see you. And we’re grateful you’re here."

The crowd ate it up.

Cheers rippled through the sections.

I waited again, letting them settle.

Then I looked at the other guilds.

The Strikers smiled back, friendly and open.

The Vipers watched with cold assessment.

The Phantoms radiated contained violence.

My gaze landed on Reyna.

She stood with her arms crossed, her emerald eyes locked on mine, her crimson hair moving in the breeze.

Something passed between us. Recognition. Challenge. Hunger.

I let the moment stretch.

Then I turned to the Sentinels.

Julian stood ramrod straight in his perfect armor, his sapphire eyes burning with barely contained fury.

I stared at him.

The arena went quiet.

Not silent. But quiet enough that my next words would carry.

"As for my competitors from the other houses," I said, my voice dropping lower, harder, "make all of this worth it for me."

The crowd erupted.

Julian’s face went the color of old blood.

Reyna’s smile was sharp enough to cut glass.

And somewhere in my head, Nel laughed like a maniac.

That’s my scumbag, she said.

I stepped back from the microphone and walked off the stage.

Hanae caught my arm as I passed. "You’re going to be trouble."

"That’s what they keep telling me."

I returned to my team.

Natalia handed me my bat. "That was audacious."

"That’s what I was going for."

Skylar grinned. "You just declared war on live television."

"Good. Let them know it’s coming."

Emi bounced on her toes. "That was so cool! Did you see Julian’s face? He looked like he was going to explode!"

"He probably was."

Cel stood close, her expression unreadable. "You realize you just made yourself the primary target for every guild here."

"Yeah. That was also intentional."

Akari laughed. "I like it when you’re stupid and confident. It’s very sexy."

"Focus," Isabelle said from behind us. "The opening ceremony is concluding. The first event starts in thirty minutes."

I looked up at the scoreboard.

INTER-GUILD TOURNAMENT

DAY ONE: QUALIFICATION ROUNDS

TIME TO FIRST EVENT: 00:28:47

The entire arena held its breath.

Five guilds.

One crown.

And every single person here thought they knew how this would end.

They were all wrong.

But they’d figure that out soon enough.