The stadium was still shrouded in silence.
The spectators watched the events in stunned silence.
The golden light that had appeared a few minutes earlier had disappeared, but everyone could feel that something had changed.
Kael looked at Iron Blaze.
The peonza was still emitting a faint red glow.
"What is going on…?" he asked quietly.
Orion looked at him with a serious expression.
"The power of the Star Core has awakened."
"From now on, nothing will ever be the same."
Ryujiro stepped forward.
"Enough talking."
A smile appeared on his face.
"I want to see how much you've improved."
Kael clenched his fist.
"You want to fight?"
"Exactly."
Everyone in the stadium turned their heads.
"A battle!"
"Now?!"
"Here?!"
Even the announcer looked stunned.
"This isn't part of the program…"
Reizen smiled faintly.
"Interesting…"
"Show me, Kael."
Orion tried to step in.
"Stop!"
"Not now…"
Ryujiro interrupted him.
"It's already too late."
He slowly took out his launcher.
Kael did the same.
The two boys stood facing each other.
Akira watched them excitedly.
"This is unbelievable…"
Shiro looked at them grimly.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
The stadium screens automatically lit up.
KAEL VS RYUJIRO
The crowd shouted together.
"THREE!"
"TWO!"
"ONE!"
"GO SHOOT!!"
Iron Blaze and Dragon Vortex flew into the stadium at the same time.
CLANG!
The first collision was so powerful that sparks flew everywhere.
The two peonzas circled at incredible speed.
Ryujiro smiled.
"That's all?"
"I expected more."
Kael lunged forward.
"We're only getting started!"
Iron Blaze suddenly began to accelerate.
A trail of flames followed behind it.
"Iron Blaze!"
"Flame Rush!"
The red peonza slammed into Dragon Vortex with full force.
BOOOM!
Ryujiro didn't move.
"Dragon Vortex…"
"Dragon Cyclone!"
The dragon peonza began to swirl.
Fire and wind merged together.
The two peonzas collided again.
KRAAANG!
The entire stadium shook.
Akira was astonished.
"They're monsters!"
Shiro spoke quietly.
"No…"
"This is only the warm-up."
Ryujiro's smile grew wider.
"Time to fight seriously."
Kael felt it.
Iron Blaze began to tremble.
As if it were responding to its owner.
"Iron Blaze…"
"Special Move…"
The peonza blazed with a dazzling red light.
Every light in the stadium began to flicker.
A pillar of flames erupted from the ground.
From the crimson flames, a gigantic fire creature slowly emerged.
It overshadowed everyone.
Its blazing armor burned intensely.
Its enormous claws glowed crimson.
Everyone in the stadium froze.
"The spirit of Iron Blaze…" Orion whispered.
With a mighty roar, the fire creature charged forward.
At that very moment, Iron Blaze also rushed forward at full speed.
BOOOOOOM!
Ryujiro's eyes sparkled.
"Finally!"
"Dragon Vortex!"
"Dragon Inferno!"
Dragon Vortex summoned a crimson vortex.
The next moment, a gigantic red dragon burst out of the peonza.
Its massive wings swept across the arena.
The dragon's roar echoed throughout the stadium.
The two spirits stood facing each other.
The fire creature attacked with its gigantic fist.
The crimson dragon breathed fire.
BOOOOM!
The shockwave from the collision swept across the stadium.
The spectators held tightly onto their seats.
Akira could only say:
"This…"
"This is unbelievable…"
Shiro looked at Frost Phantom.
The peonza glowed faintly.
"It's like…"
"Mine is reacting too."
Reizen watched the battle carefully.
"They're still holding back."
Kael shouted again.
"Iron Blaze!"
"One more time!"
The fire creature leaped high into the air.
Its fist was engulfed in flames.
With all its might, it slammed down.
Dragon Vortex's dragon crossed its claws.
KRAAAAAAASH!
Both spirits were pushed backward.
The peonzas also moved apart.
Ryujiro smiled.
"You've become stronger."
"But you're still not ready."
Kael panted.
"Neither are you."
The two peonzas accelerated once again.
They circled in the center of the stadium.
The air vibrated around them.
At that moment, Orion sensed it.
Something was approaching.
He looked up at the sky.
The clouds began to swirl once again.
Above the distant mountains, the golden light shone once more.
"Aurelion…"
Orion slowly nodded.
"He's watching us."
Reizen clenched his fists.
"Then he'll make his move soon."
Ryujiro smiled.
"Then we don't have much time."
Everyone in the stadium knew.
This battle was only the beginning.
To be continued in Chapter 13…