Northern Sector
Nara's crossbow fired. The bolt struck a cadet's chest plate. They went down. Eliminated.
From seemingly nowhere, Randolph materialized. His green scales had perfectly matched the rocky terrain. Camouflage. A genetic trait of his species, just like Jango's.
His claws raked across another cadet's back. They collapsed. Eliminated.
The third tried to run.
Nara was already there, crossbow aimed. "Going somevhere?"
The bolt flew. Eliminated.
"Vell executed," Nara said, actually smiling.
"Finally working together properly," Randolph replied. His scales shifted back to their normal vibrant green.
Despite everything with Polo, despite the cracks in their team, they were still professionals.
Broadcast Booth
"AND JULIAN WEIPER STRIKES AGAIN!" Larry's voice hit a pitch that shouldn't be humanly possible. "FIVE ELIMINATIONS IN ONE ENCOUNTER! A REVERSE JUMPING! HE TURNED THE AMBUSH AROUND ON THEM!"
The screens showed the replay. Five cadets had surrounded Juli. Tried to overwhelm him with numbers.
Juli had dismantled them all in under twenty seconds. Kicks. Sweeps. Counters. A masterclass in combat efficiency.
"That boy," Jango said, barely containing his pride, "just pulled off what most veterans struggle with. Five-on-one situations usually end with the one gettin' eliminated. But Juli? He made it look EASY."
"THE SCOREBOARD HAS UPDATED! JULIAN WEIPER RETAKES THE LEAD WITH FIFTEEN POINTS!"
The holographic display changed.
CURRENT LEADER:JULIAN WEIPER - 15 POINTS
Juli's Position
"Yo, blonde yout'." Javar's voice crackled through the earbud. "Me got eyes on somethin'. Strong enemy. Observin' yuh from elevation. Be on guard, zeen?"
Juli's posture didn't change. Still relaxed. But his awareness sharpened. "Where?"
"Northwest. Two hundred meters. Rocky outcrop."
"Got it."
Juli continued walking. Casual. Like he didn't know he was being watched.
Then he heard it. The whistle of something cutting through air.
An arrow. From behind.
Juli's hand shot up without looking. Caught the arrow mid-flight. Six inches from his skull.
He examined it briefly. Then snapped it in half with his bare hands.
Smoke exploded from the broken shaft. White and thick. Covered the entire area in seconds.
Juli didn't panic. Took a breath. Analyzed.
Not toxic. No burning sensation. Just visual obstruction.
He stayed calm. Didn't activate his Resonance. He wanted to measure his opponent first. Understand their capabilities.
Through the smoke, attacks came.
A punch from the left. Juli leaned back. Missed by centimeters.
A kick from the right. He sidestepped. Effortless.
Another punch. He ducked.
A combination. Three strikes in rapid succession. He weaved through all of them like water.
Then he saw an opening. An arm extended too far.
His hand shot out. Grabbed the wrist. Held firm.
The smoke began to clear, carried away by the desert wind.
And there she was.
Lyrielle Xistrith.
Silver hair. Blue tribal markings. Pointed ears. Slightly tanned skin. Those sharp, ethereal features. Her bow strapped to her back.
Juli blinked. Then grinned. "Oh. You're pretty."
Lyrielle's eyes widened slightly.
"Kade's got good taste," Juli continued, still holding her wrist. "I'll give him that."
"Prithee, unhand me," she said. Her voice was elegant, each word carefully enunciated. Almost musical.
"In a sec." Juli's grin faded slightly. "But I gotta say, I'm kinda disappointed. Smoke bombs? Ambush tactics? That's pretty petty for someone that geezer Jango ranked in the top five."
Lyrielle's jaw clenched. She yanked her arm free with surprising strength. Rolled backward, creating distance.
In one fluid motion, her bow was in her hands. An arrow nocked. Drawn. Released.
Point blank range. Maybe three meters.
Juli tilted his head.
The arrow whizzed past where his face had been. So close it ruffled his blonde hair.
Lyrielle froze.
He'd dodged a point-blank arrow. Casually. Like swatting a fly.
Fear crept into her eyes. Real fear.
She'd made a mistake. A rare, critical mistake. She hadn't understood the food chain of this Crucible. Hadn't realized who she was challenging.
"Methinks..." Lyrielle lowered her bow. "I shall engage thee no further. Our confrontation must needs be preserved for the finals. If thou wouldst grant such clemency."
Juli stared at her for a second. Then tried to mimic her tone. "Uh... me-also-thinks that's a good... uh... needful—" He stopped, shaking his head. "Nah, that's too complicated. I can't do that."
In his ear, Javar was cackling. "SMART CHOICE, MON!"
Juli's hands went back in his pockets. His expression shifted to something smoother. More confident. "Smart choice. Good girl."
The words came out so naturally. So effortlessly. That same casual charisma his secret step-father had. That ability to command a room with just a few words and a smile.
Lyrielle's cheeks flushed bright red. "I... thou art most..."
"I am Lyrielle Xistrith," she managed, trying to regain composure. "Of House Xistrith. One among the five great noble families that holdeth dominion o'er—"
"Cool," Juli interrupted, grinning. "That's actually really cool. Very fancy."
Then his expression shifted to something more mischievous. "Oh, by the way. My cat friend says hi. He's got a massive crush on you."
The delivery was so blunt. So random. So completely out of nowhere.
Lyrielle's face went even REDDER. "Thou... thou speakest in jest, surely?"
"Nope. Dead serious. Dude wouldn't shut up about you."
"The Felinari warrior hath expressed... affections most earnest?"
"Yep. His tail does this wagging thing. It's hilarious."
Javar was DYING in the comms. "BLOODCLAAT! WHY YUH TELL HER LIKE DAT?!"
"What? He REALLY likes her!"
Lyrielle tried to regain her composure. "Then I... I suppose I wouldst be most honored to encounter him in fair combat during the finals."
"He'd like that."
Then the horn blared.
CRUCIBLE CONCLUDED. SIXTEEN CADETS REMAIN. ALL FINALISTS PROCEED TO TRANSPORT SHUTTLES.
The announcement echoed across the arena.
It was over. Just like that. Anticlimactic.
Juli looked around. "Huh. That's it?"
"It wouldst appear our trial hath concluded most abruptly," Lyrielle agreed.
"Guess so." Juli started walking toward the extraction point. Then paused, looking back. "See you next week, Xistrith."
"Fare thee well, Weiper. May our next encounter proveth more... conclusive in nature."
"Looking forward to it."
The Scoreboard
The massive holographic displays updated across the galaxy. All sixteen finalists. Ranked by points.
CRUCIBLE FINALS QUALIFIERS:
1. JULIAN WEIPER - 15 POINTS
2. LYRIELLE XISTRITH - 13 POINTS
3. POLO ROSSI - 10 POINTS
4. KADE THE FIFTH - 10 POINTS
5. STONE JACKSON - 8 POINTS
6. JAVAR - 7 POINTS
7. PAMELA VORS KIEL - 6 POINTS
8. ST. NARA VALERIYER - 5 POINTS
9. C'LUPPO CHECHCHERIN - 5 POINTS
10. MIKI HAYES - 4 POINTS
11. CALLUM MCGEE - 4 POINTS
12. HANNA VAN QUINCY - 4 POINTS
13. RANDOLPH - 3 POINTS
14. ABIGAIL WINSLOW - 2 POINTS
15. T'SHABALA SANI - 1 POINT
16. EDDIE GOODMAN - 1 POINT
TOURNAMENT FINALS BEGIN IN ONE WEEK
LOCATION: ARIES SQUAD HOST PLANET
FORMAT: SINGLE ELIMINATION BRACKET
MAY THE STRONGEST PREVAIL
Viewing centers across the galaxy erupted.
Cheers. Groans. Arguments about seeding. Debates about matchups.
In the broadcast booth, Larry was barely coherent. "THESE SIXTEEN! THESE ARE OUR FINALISTS! ONE WEEK! ONE WEEK UNTIL THE TOURNAMENT OF THE CENTURY!"
Jango leaned back, soda in hand. "Gonna be one hell of a show."
On Aries, the host planet, preparations were already beginning. Arenas being constructed. Media setups being finalized. Security being tripled.
The strongest generation of cadets in decades.
Sixteen warriors.
One champion.
The galaxy was ready.
The finals were coming.