The battle began in a flash.
Ronan lunged at Eldric like a bullet. His kick landed straight in Eldric's gut, knocking the wind out of him. Before Eldric could recover, Ronan grabbed him mid-air and drove a powerful punch into his jaw.
"Aghh!" Eldric grunted, reeling from the impact. "Damn… he's strong."
Eldric barely managed to block the next punch and countered with a desperate swing. His fist connected, pushing Ronan back slightly.
"Bitch," Ronan growled, steadying himself.
Suddenly, Muscle charged in from the side. He grabbed Ken by the leg and hurled him like a ragdoll into the wall. The impact shattered the stone.
Muscle turned, catching sight of Eldric being overwhelmed. With a roar, he launched himself into the fray and kicked Ronan with full force. Ronan snarled and raised his right hand, swirling green energy gathering in his fist.
He slammed the ground with it.
BOOM!
A massive shockwave erupted, wind slicing through the arena like a hurricane. Both Eldric and Muscle were sent flying by the sheer force. They skidded across the arena, groaning in pain.
"Wind?" Muscle coughed, struggling to get up. "Shit… this is bad."
Eldric barely stood, staring at Ronan in disbelief.
Ken took advantage and landed a heavy blow to Muscle's back.
"Hey!" Muscle growled, spinning and throwing a counter punch.
The two clashed in brutal hand-to-hand combat, fists flying, ground cracking beneath their feet. Ken lacked a gleam, but his physical combat was relentless. Still, Muscle wasn't just any fighter. He grit his teeth, powered up, and roared.
The ground beneath him cracked.
A red aura surrounded him, swirling like fire.
With a single, bone-shattering smash to the ground, Muscle sent a seismic shockwave through the battlefield. Ken was thrown into the wall like a pebble in a storm.
The crowd gasped. Even the announcer flinched.
Meanwhile, Eldric watched Ronan approach with dread.
He clenched his fists. I have to win. I have to prove I can be a gleamer…
But his kai still hadn't awakened.
He remembered the old man's training. The movements. The pain. The discipline.
Ronan charged again, fist loaded with wind energy. Eldric ducked under the strike and unleashed a kick filled with everything he had.
BAM!
Ronan staggered back, surprised. "You bastard…"
He snarled and gathered all his power in one final blow. Green wind swirled around him like a vortex. The sheer pressure cracked the walls of the stadium.
Then he released it.
The entire arena erupted. A burst of wind knocked everyone back Eldric, Muscle, Ken, even the announcer and parts of the crowd.
Silence followed.
Ronan stood in the center of the devastation, panting, drenched in sweat.
"…The winner… is Team S," the announcer finally said, standing up slowly.
Eldric blinked awake. "What… happened?"
Muscle was still unconscious. The crowd was stunned into silence.
Then, a man in a black suit stepped onto the field. His voice echoed through the stadium.
"Congratulations… to those who completed the argonauts entrance Examination."
The crowd murmured in confusion.
"What? The exam is over?" someone shouted.
"Yes," the man confirmed. "Win or lose doesn't matter. This was never just a tournament. It was a test of potential teamwork, strength, attitude. We wanted you to give your all."
Eldric's eyes widened. "So… even though we lost…"
Ken walked over, smirking. "Yeah. You passed."
"What? How do you know?" Eldric asked.
Ken shrugged. "I failed last year. I know how this works."
Muscle groaned, finally waking up. "Ugh… What happened?"
Eldric grinned and ran to him. "We passed! We did it!"
"WE DID?!" Muscle shouted, leaping to his feet. "HELL YEAH!!"
The suited man raised his hand, listing names.
"Team Z. Team S. Team W. Team R. Team I. Team K. Team G. Camila. Zion. Team X… and Team V. You have passed. Please proceed through the door behind me. The rest… we hope to see you next year."
A massive door opened behind the suited man, glowing with mystery and promise.
Eldric turned to Muscle, eyes burning with determination. "Let's go."
Muscle nodded, cracking his knuckles. "Time to become legends."
Together, they stepped forward toward their future as Argonauts.