After the conversation in the moonlight, neither of them could sleep peacefully.
Kael tossed and turned in his bed all night.
Again and again, Orion's words echoed in his mind.
"You are one of the heirs…"
The boy suddenly sat up.
The Iron Blaze was lying on the table.
It looked normal.
Yet he felt as if it was watching him.
"This is ridiculous…" he muttered to himself.
Once again, Orion's words came to mind.
"The Star Core is reacting."
Kael angrily threw himself back.
"I'm not any kind of chosen one."
The next morning, he met Akira and Shiro at the training field next to the stadium.
Akira was cleaning the Shadow Cyclone.
"So?" he asked.
"So what?"
"Did you believe him?"
Kael sighed.
"I don't know."
"Neither do I," said Shiro.
"The whole thing is too crazy for me."
Akira stood up.
"One thing I do know."
"What?"
"That until I see proof, I won't believe it."
Kael nodded.
"I agree with that."
In the distance, Orion was approaching.
As usual, he was wearing a long cloak.
"Good morning."
"I'm sure it is for you," Akira grumbled.
Orion smiled faintly.
"Are you still angry?"
"I don't like it when someone shows up and claims that the end of the world is coming."
"That's understandable."
"Then why don't you tell us more?"
Orion remained silent.
"Because it is still too early."
Akira let out an annoyed sigh.
"You always say that."
But Orion did not answer.
His gaze shifted to Kael.
"Are you going to train today?"
"Of course."
"Then show me the power of Iron Blaze."
"Why?"
"Because I'm curious."
Kael did not like that answer.
Still, he took out his spinning top.
A few minutes later, they were already standing on the field.
"Three… two… one…"
"Launch!"
Iron Blaze and Shadow Cyclone hit the arena at the same time.
The two spinning tops immediately collided.
Sparks flew in every direction.
"Now! Shadow Cyclone!"
"Iron Blaze!"
The collisions became stronger and stronger.
Orion watched them silently.
Then he noticed something strange.
Every time Iron Blaze struck Shadow Cyclone, tiny red streams of energy appeared around it.
They were barely visible.
But they were there.
"Interesting…" he whispered.
"What do you see?" Shiro asked.
"Nothing."
"You're saying that again."
Orion did not answer.
The battle finally ended in a draw.
Both spinning tops stopped at the exact same moment.
"That's new," said Akira.
"Usually one of us wins."
Kael smiled.
"You're starting to catch up."
"I am?"
"Maybe."
The mood finally began to lighten.
The next few days passed almost normally.
The three friends trained together.
They laughed.
They competed.
Even Orion appeared more often.
Although he still did not say much.
One afternoon, Shiro was training alone with Frost Phantom.
He was trying a new move.
"Come on…"
The spinning top suddenly began to glow with a strong blue light.
Shiro stepped back in surprise.
"What was that?"
But the light immediately disappeared.
As if it had never happened.
The boy looked around in confusion.
He did not see that Orion was watching him from a distance.
"So it's true…" he whispered.
That evening, Orion stood alone at the edge of the city.
His gaze was fixed on the stars.
"They are awakening faster and faster…"
The wind suddenly rose.
The man turned around.
Someone was watching him from afar.
Just a shadow.
For a moment, red eyes flashed in the darkness.
Then they disappeared.
Orion's face became grim.
"So they are already here…"
The next morning, a huge crowd gathered in the city square.
Posters had been hung up.
Flags were waving everywhere.
"What's happening?" Kael asked.
"Look!" Shiro pointed.
On the largest poster, golden letters were shining.
REGIONAL SPINNING TOP CHAMPIONSHIP
Akira's eyes immediately lit up.
"Yes!"
"You got excited already?" Kael laughed.
"Of course."
"Are you taking part?"
"That's not even a question."
Shiro smiled too.
"Then I am as well."
Kael looked at the poster.
Something told him that this tournament would mean more than a simple competition.
Somewhere on the other side of the crowd, an unknown figure was standing.
His head was covered by a hood.
He slowly looked Kael over.
Then he smiled.
"So he's the one…"
The man turned around and disappeared among the people.
Kael suddenly had a bad feeling.
But by the time he looked over there, nobody was there anymore.
And the championship was about to begin.