The arena buzzed with excitement long after Eratz's overwhelming victory over Ryder.
The air was thick with energy as the remaining challengers prepared for their matches. Spectators chatted animatedly, still amazed by the two young men's performance.
"Did you see how fast he was?" someone exclaimed.
"Unbelievable! I want to fight like that too!" another agreed.
After a while, Ryder woke up and learned about his defeat.
He bite his lips, but then went back to his group.
"Hey."
Eratz turned to him.
"Ah, finally awake?"
They exchanged a warm grin under the relieved gaze of their friends, and then Ryder extended his hand.
"You fought really well earlier. I completely panicked, but next time, I'll give you a real fight."
Eratz shook his hand.
"I'm looking forward to it. You made me use my strongest mode, that's already good for me."
Ryder grinned.
"Please, don't try to compliment me, sometimes you don't realize that it's worse."
"Yeah, that's the point."
Nearby, Zara clapped her hands.
"Great job today, everyone! Let's keep this energy going!"
Backstage, the other challengers felt both inspired and anxious. Eratz's display had ignited a competitive spirit among them, it was now a matter of leaving a good memory.
Milo stood nervously near the entrance to the battlefield, taking deep breaths to calm himself. His heart pounded, but he was determined. He glanced over at Mercury, who gave him a supportive nod.
"You've got this, Milo," she mouthed.
He smiled back, feeling a bit more confident. His opponent, a tall boy who had also lost his previous two matches, smirked at him.
"Ready to lose again?" the boy taunted.
Milo straightened up.
"Suck doesn't it?" he replied firmly.
The battle began.
Milo summoned his light fairies, fluttering around him like tiny stars. His opponent released a snarling fox and a hulking boar, both looking fierce and ready to attack.
"Fairies? Again?" the opponent scoffed. "This will be easy."
From the sidelines, Mercury clenched her fists.
"Come on, Milo," she whispered. "You're stronger than that."
Milo focused hard.
"Fairies, let's go! Formation Flower!"
Everyone could hear his shout and all frowned and shook their head.
The fairies zipped through the air, leaving trails of light. They danced around the fox and the boar, confusing them.
"Attack them already!" the opponent yelled, frustration creeping into his voice.
The boar charged, but the fairies swooped down, flashing bright lights in its eyes. The boar stumbled, disoriented.
The fox leaped toward Milo, growling fiercely.
"Now, Cosmetic Wave!" Milo commanded.
One of the fairies emitted a high-pitched sound that made the fox yelp and back off.
"Yes!" Mercury cheered softly, a smile spreading across her face.
In the stands, Zara blinked faster.
"Hold on... He's given a name to his attacks?"
"Why flower and cosmetics?" Ryder added.
The opponent was getting even more frustrated.
"Boar, send this idiot back to school!"
The boar reared up and slammed its hooves into the ground, sending shockwaves toward Milo.
"Fairies, show me the world!" Milo shouted.
The fairies grabbed Milo and lifted him just above the shockwaves. The crowd gasped.
The crowd was completely stunned, then a few chuckles crossed the stands.
"What the hell is this battle?" someone exclaimed.
Zara's face became a little blurry and she leaned back toward Eratz.
"Maybe you did well by showing him a little reality."
Eratz glanced at her with a frown, then back at the battle.
'What do you mean? Cosmetics Waves is pretty cool... Naming the attacks... that's a revolutionary idea...' he thought.
As the shockwaves passed beneath him, Milo landed back on the ground.
"Now, Prism Beam!"
The fairies gathered together, their lights merging into a brilliant beam that shot straight at the boar. The boar groaned and collapsed.
This time, the crowd was a little more surprised and some cheers started to rise. Eratz's eyes sparkled as he processed the neatness of that last name.
"Uh?! Hey, get up!" the opponent shouted desperately.
But it was no use. The boar was out of commission.
The fox, seeing its companion fall, hesitated. Milo seized the opportunity. "Fairies, Stardust Shower!"
The fairies sprinkled sparkling dust over the fox, disorienting it. It whimpered, tail between its legs, before slinking away.
"Finish it! !" Milo called out.
The staff made the announcement everyone became dying to hear.
"Winner: Milo!"
Milo stood there, stunned for a moment. Then he broke into a huge grin, jumping up and down.
"Yes!!! I did it!! I won!!!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, many of them on their feet.
Mercury felt a tear prick at the corner of her eye. She quickly wiped it away, not wanting anyone to see.
"Thanks God... Finally!"
As the final matches ended, the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the arena. The challengers gathered in the main hall for the results.
The head examiner stepped onto the stage.
"Thank you all for participating. Out of all the challengers, twenty-seven have passed and will receive their Beast Master licenses."
A hush fell over the crowd as he began calling names.
"First, Eratz Pandora."
Without a surprise, Eratz was called first. He walked up to receive his license, and applause filled the room.
"Next, Jaden."
Jaden smirked as he accepted his license.
"Ryder Crow."
Ryder pumped his fist as he went up.
"Sia Verizion."
Sia moved to the stage.
Mercury's heart sank deeper with each name called, her fingers tightening around the edge of her jacket. The names continued until only one spot remained.
"And finally, the twenty-seventh Beast Master is... Mark Zelman."
A tall boy with glasses nervously walked up to accept his license.
When the final name was announced and it wasn't Milo's, Mercury felt a lump form in her throat. She turned to her brother, who stood staring at the ground, his shoulders stiff and his hands balled into fists.
"Milo..." she began softly, reaching out to touch his arm.
He looked up, forcing a shaky smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"It's okay," he said, his voice strained but trying to sound upbeat. "I did my best."
She could see the sheen of tears welling up in his eyes, but he blinked them away quickly, swallowing hard to keep his composure. His attempt to act tough only made her heart ache more.
Zara approached them cautiously, her expression filled with sympathy.
"Milo, I'm so sorry," she said gently. "But don't be discouraged. You showed real promise today, and that's what counts."
He gave a slight nod, his gaze dropping back to his feet.
"Thanks," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Just then, Eratz stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Milo's shoulder.
"Hey, you fought incredibly well out there, You did win a battle after all" he said, his eyes meeting Milo's. "You have real talent. We'll just work on that, ok? I'll help you train on whatever you need... And you'll help me with something I want to try."
Milo looked up, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes.
"Really?" he asked, his voice tinged with both surprise and longing.
Zara glanced at Mercury, for some reason, Eratz seemed to always be the only one succeeding in reaching Milo.
"Absolutely," Eratz affirmed with a confident smile. "I believe in you. We're in this together."
Ryder joined them, clapping a supportive hand on Milo's other shoulder.
"Count me in too," he said warmly. "We'll make sure you're more than ready next time."
Surrounded by their encouragement, Milo's tough facade began to crumble. His lower lip quivered slightly as he tried to hold back tears. Mercury pulled him into a gentle hug.
"We're here for you," she whispered. "Always, I'm very proud of you."
He closed his eyes, his tears finally escaping down his cheek.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice cracked. "All of you."
As the crowd around them started to disperse, Zara looked at the group joyfully.
"Maybe we should hold off on celebrating tonight, let's wait until Milo gets his license."
Ryder nodded in agreement.
"Good call, can't believe you wanted more today after all of these battles."
Zara offered a warm smile.
"Well, I haven't fought, but alright then, it's decided. Let's meet tomorrow morning at the agency for the medical tests and official introductions. We'll start fresh."
The others agreed, and as they began to part ways, Eratz gave Milo's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Come after school, we'll start too."
Milo managed a genuine smile this time, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I will. See you all tomorrow."
Mercury wrapped an arm around Milo as they walked away.
That night, as the stars began to dot the sky, the group dispersed with a renewed sense of purpose. The day had been rich in emotions and now the door for the real competition world was open.
Outside, the sky was filled with stars. Eratz walked with his eyes on the beauty of the ocean of stars.
Roger walked next to him.
"You did great today, your aunt will be shocked when she'll hear how strong you are."
Eratz smiled.
"Thanks... This is really the start of everything for us."
Roger nodded.
"I'm proud of you."
Eratz looked at him seriously.
"I'm going to change our lives, Uncle. Everything will be better."
"I know you will," Roger replied, patting his shoulder. "Let's go home."
They walked away, the sounds of the arena fading behind them.