The arena speakers crackled to life with a cheerful announcement that made Jaimeâs entire face light up like someone had just told him Christmas came early.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special treat during our intermission! Please welcome the one, the only, STELLA NOVA!"
I had no idea who that was.
Jaime grabbed my shoulder hard enough to leave marks, his eyes practically glowing with fanboy enthusiasm.
"Satori! Itâs her! Itâs actually her! I canât believe sheâs here!"
"Who?"
He looked at me like Iâd just confessed to eating babies.
"STELLA NOVA. The idol goddess. The queen of the stage. Sheâs got a voice like angels crying and a smile that could resurrect the dead!" He paused, his expression becoming almost reverent. "Also, her abs are a spiritual experience."
Of course they were.
The lights dimmed across the entire Crucible. A single spotlight hit the center stage that had risen from beneath the platform. Smoke machines kicked in, creating an atmosphere that was probably costing someone a fortune.
Then she appeared.
Stella Nova stepped out of the smoke wearing a white and silver combat suit that somehow managed to be both practical armor and a complete fashion statement. Her hair was platinum blonde, cut in a sharp bob that caught the stage lights. Blue and silver streaks ran through it, matching the holographic accents on her outfit. She moved like water, like someone whoâd spent their entire life being watched and had learned to weaponize every second of attention.
Her opening note hit the crowd like a physical force.
Jaime nearly fainted. Marco caught him.
The song was upbeat, energetic, with a bass drop that I felt in my cracked ribs. Stella danced across the stage with backup dancers who looked like theyâd been choreographed by someone who understood how to make combat look like art. Every move was sharp, powerful, controlled.
I had to admit, it was impressive.
"Sheâs singing about never giving up and believing in yourself," Emi translated helpfully, her antennae bobbing along with the beat. "Itâs really inspiring!"
"Itâs propaganda," Skylar muttered from my other side. "Corporate-sponsored feel-good nonsense designed to make kids buy merchandise and think Hunters are heroes instead of mercenaries."
"Youâre such a cynic," Akari said, swaying slightly to the music. "Just enjoy the pretty lady singing."
Natalia said nothing, but her fingers were tapping against her thigh in rhythm. Even she couldnât resist a good beat.
I took the opportunity to step back slightly, letting the noise and music wash over me as I retreated into my own head.
Nel. You there?
Her presence flickered to life with her usual attitude.
"Oh good, you remembered I exist. I was beginning to think youâd replaced me with all your new girlfriends."
Status update. How am I doing on Nikeâs quest?
The interface materialized in my vision, translucent and barely visible even to me. The quest parameters were laid out with that clinical precision the System loved.
NIKEâS CHALLENGE - PROGRESS UPDATE
Primary Objective: Win the Inter-Guild Tournament
Status: IN PROGRESS
Sub-Objectives:
[UNBEATEN] - Remain undefeated throughout all preliminary team matches.
Progress: 2/2 Matches Won
Status: ON TRACK
[DOMINANT] - Secure victory in at least 80% of all individual challenge events.
Progress: 0/0 (No individual events completed yet)
Status: PENDING
[VANGUARD] - Maintain first-place guild ranking throughout the entire tournament.
Current Standing: 1st Place (200 points)
Status: ON TRACK
[REGICIDE] - Personally defeat Julian Valerius in single combat during finals.
Status: NOT YET ATTEMPTED
So Iâm doing fine.
"Youâre doing adequately,"
Nel corrected with her typical snark.
"Two matches isnât exactly a pattern. And you still have the individual events, which could absolutely wreck you if youâre not careful."
Whatâs the breakdown on individual events?
"Five total. Theyâre designed to test different aspects of being a Hunter. Speed trials, strength tests, tactical puzzles, Aspect control demonstrations, and one wildcard event that changes every year. You need to place top three in at least four of them to hit your eighty percent threshold."
I did the math. Four out of five meant one failure was allowed.
One.
And the competition?
"Julian, Reyna, Kenjiro, Isabelle, and about six other S-Rank potentials who want your head on a pike. Should be fun."
The music swelled as Stella hit her high note. The crowd was eating it up, thousands of voices singing along. Jaime was crying actual tears.
I reached out mentally, feeling for that other presence. The one that had shown up in my room and offered me a quest that would either make me a legend or destroy everything Iâd built.
Nike. I know youâre watching.
The air beside me shimmered, just barely. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but I saw it. Felt it.
Her voice came through without sound, sliding into my consciousness like a knife between ribs.
"Of course Iâm watching, Stray Dog. This is my investment. My show. You think Iâd miss the opening act?"
Just wanted to make sure you were getting your moneyâs worth.
"Oh, I am."
Her tone carried genuine amusement.
"That stunt with Kenjiro? Using your own body as a projectile? That was new. Creative. Suicidal, but creative. The Audience loved it."
The Audience can kiss my entire ass.
"Careful. Some of them might take you up on that."
Stellaâs song reached its climax, and she struck a final pose that had half the crowd on their feet screaming. The other half was already screaming. Everyone was just screaming at different volumes.
I refocused.
The semifinals. Natalia and Skylar against Reyna and Kira.
Nikeâs presence shifted, becoming more serious. More focused.
"Youâre worried about your queen."
She can handle herself.
"I didnât ask if she could handle herself. I asked if you were worried."
I didnât answer immediately. Down on the stage, Stella was bowing, soaking in the applause. The backup dancers were filing off. The lights were coming back up.
Yeah. Iâm worried.
"Good. That means youâre not completely dead inside yet."
Nikeâs voice carried something that mightâve been approval.
"But hereâs the thing, Stray Dog. You canât fight her battles for her. You canât step between her and every threat. You want to build a kingdom? Then you need to trust that your queens can defend themselves when youâre not there to catch them."
Sheâs going against Reyna. Thatâs not some random scrub.
"Exactly. Which means if Natalia wins, she proves herself. If she loses, you learn something about where you need to strengthen your court."
Nike paused.
"Either way, you stand back and let the chips fall. Thatâs what it means to lead."
I hated that she was right.
Hated it almost as much as I hated the knot forming in my stomach at the thought of Natalia getting hurt.
Nel chimed in, her voice softer than usual.
"Sheâs a Rank Ten Covenant, Satori. Youâve imbued her with abilities. Sovereignâs Mandate is actively buffing her stats right now just from proximity. Sheâs not the same girl who walked into that first Gate with you months ago."
I knew that. Intellectually, I knew that.
But knowing something and feeling okay about it were two completely different animals.
Fine. Iâll stay out of it.
"Liar,"
Nike said, though she sounded amused rather than angry.
"Youâll stay out of it until the exact moment you think sheâs in real danger. Then youâll do something monumentally stupid and probably heroic. Thatâs who you are."
You say that like itâs a bad thing.
"Itâs not bad. Itâs just predictable. And predictability, Stray Dog, is how people die."
The warning hung in my mind as Stella Nova finished her final bow. The crowd was still going wild, chanting her name. She blew kisses to the audience, her smile bright enough to power the entire arena.
Then her eyes found me.
Just for a second. Just long enough for her to wink.
What the hell?
She sashayed off stage with her backup dancers, and the lights shifted back to the arena proper. Maximus Hypeâs voice boomed across the speakers again.
"What a performance! Letâs give it up one more time for Stella Nova, everyone!"
The crowd obliged with another wave of noise.
"Now then, folks, weâve got ninety minutes before our semifinals begin! Grab some food, place your bets, and get ready for what promises to be the most intense matches of the day!"
The arena began to empty slightly as people headed for concessions or bathrooms. My team didnât move.
"So," Akari said, breaking the silence. "That was a thing."
"She winked at Satori," Celeste observed, her tone carefully neutral.
"She winked at everyone," I said quickly. "Thatâs what performers do."
"She winked at you specifically," Natalia corrected, her temperature dropping about ten degrees. "I saw it."
"Your possessiveness is showing, Nat."
"Good. It should."
Emi fidgeted beside me, her hands twisting together. "Does anyone else think itâs weird that they scheduled a concert right in the middle of a tournament?"
"Itâs a ratings thing," Juan said without opening his eyes. He was somehow sleeping standing up again. "Keep the audience engaged during downtime. Prevent channel switching."
"Also gives fighters time to recover," Isabelle added, appearing at my shoulder like a ghost. "Strategic rest period disguised as entertainment."
I glanced at the scoreboard. The semifinals bracket was displayed in massive holographic letters.
SEMIFINALS - TAG TEAM DUELS
Match 1: Nakano/Okoye (Onyx) vs. Valerius/Sanders (Argent)
Match 2: Kuzmina/Amane (Onyx) vs. Cabana/Tanaka (Phantom)
My jaw tightened.
Natalia saw it. "Donât."
"Donât what?"
"Whatever youâre thinking. Donât."
"Iâm just thinking that youâre about to fight someone who wants to electrocute you into next week."
"And youâre about to fight Julian, who wants to erase you from reality itself." She stepped closer, her voice dropping so only I could hear. "We both have our monsters to fight. Thatâs the job."
She was right. Again.
I pulled her in for a quick kiss, tasting mint and something cold that was just inherently Natalia. When we broke apart, the frost around her had receded slightly.
"Kick her ass," I said.
"Obviously."