The last echoes of the recovery bay's hum faded as the arena lights dropped into absolute darkness. For a moment, nothing existed—no crowd, no fighters, no sound except the low vibrating heartbeat of the Stone Colosseum. Then, with a thunderclap that shook dust from the rafters, the lights roared back to life.
The battlefield was gone.
All of it.
The floating platforms, the shifting terrain, the chaotic landscape that had been twisting itself around the fighters for dozens of chapters—all of it had been swallowed whole by the arena's transformation.
What replaced it was startlingly simple.
A massive, perfect square of stone flooring.
Forty meters.
Flat.
Unbroken.
No walls except the high, unyielding barrier that trapped everything inside.
No hiding places.
No environmental tricks.
No gimmicks.
Just stone and blood and fists.
Jimmy shouted into the microphone before Julian could even inhale.
"THEY HAVE TO FIGHT ON THIS?! THIS IS THE BRUTALIST DREAM!"
Julian adjusted his headset calmly.
"This is the traditional B.U.D.D.I.E.S. final phase arena. Simple. Harsh. Efficient. Expected to produce a high mortality rate."
Jimmy slapped the desk. "I LOVE IT."
The crowd exploded with approval.
Then, the air hummed—energy gathering toward the center. A golden pillar shot upward, unfolding holographic screens like banners above a battlefield.
A deep voice—not Jimmy's, not Julian's—boomed overhead.
"FINAL SIXTEEN CONFIRMED. BRACKET REVEAL BEGINNING."
The crowd fell into a hush so thick it muffled breathing.
The first two portraits appeared side by side.
Jake.
Bumble.
Jake screamed on sight.
"WHY?! WHY IS THIS MY LIFE?! WHY HIM?! WHY THE BOT?!"
Bumble clapped his metal hands together, sparks flying out like confetti.
"JAKE AND BUMBLE—BEST FRIENDS FIGHTING FOR HONOR!"
Jake turned to Swift in horror. "Can I change my name? Can I fake my death? Swift please—PLEASE!"
Swift patted him gently on the shoulder. "It won't be that bad."
"BUMBLE WILL NOT HOLD BACK," Bumble added helpfully.
Jake collapsed face-first onto the stone.
Above the arena, betting odds lit up.
Jake: 40:1.
Bumble: 25:1.
Jimmy yelled, "THE BETTING ODDS HAVE NO MERCY EITHER!"
The next pair appeared, and the arena fell still as death.
Wolf Queen.
Mira.
Wolf Queen's lip lifted in a smile that held too many teeth.
Mira's expression didn't change—but her fingers twitched, readying for a strike that hadn't even begun.
Crowd bettors shrieked as odds flickered:
Wolf Queen: 2:1.
Mira: 5:1.
Blood would spill. Everyone tasted it already.
Next matchup.
Wolf King.
Giga-Ronin.
Wolf King laughed—just one sharp bark of anticipation.
Giga-Ronin's systems clicked, one by one, as his HUD calibrated combat projections.
"REPAIR COMPLETE. TESTING WOLF KING DURABILITY PARAMETERS."
Wolf King flexed his claws.
"Good. Make it interesting."
The two fighters stood like mountains waiting for the first tremor.
Betting odds:
Wolf King: 1.5:1.
Giga-Ronin: 4:1.
Stone trembled beneath the weight of the incoming war.
The bracket spun again.
Jade Killington.
Raze Vorkenn.
A human shotgun vs an emotionless bladedancer.
Raze did not blink. Did not breathe. Did not react.
Jade rolled his shoulders with wild confidence, grin stretching dangerously wide.
"Alright, mate. Let's see if I can make you smile."
No one bet against Raze lightly.
Odds:
Raze: 3:1.
Jade: 12:1.
The crowd teased Jade ruthlessly. Jade blew them kisses.
Next.
Swift.
Grim Bleakwood.
Grim materialized behind Swift, silent as a ghost.
Swift nearly fell over.
"WHY is he allowed to sneak up on people?!"
Grim said nothing. His breath was as cold as the void.
Swift swallowed hard. The memories of Bones' illusions still clung to him, but he'd unlocked power since then. New scales. New wings. New potential.
He stood up straighter.
"I'm ready."
Odds glowed:
Grim: 3:1.
Swift: 6:1.
Jimmy shouted, "THAT DRAGON KID BETTER GET HIS HEAD IN THE GAME!"
Two new portraits.
Ember Claw.
Tundra Lynx.
A duel of fire and ice.
They exchanged a respectful nod. No hatred. No rivalry. Just two warriors bound by honor and the promise of a perfect fight.
The crowd loved it—perfectly even odds.
Ember: 4:1.
Tundra: 4:1.
Then—
Shadeclaw.
Iron Tempest.
Iron Tempest stomped once. The stone vibrated.
Shadeclaw snarled, fur bristling, eyes blazing with primal challenge.
Steel vs fang.
Odds:
Iron Tempest: 3:1.
Shadeclaw: 5:1.
The audience roared. Coins, credit chips, and holo-cards flew as bets placed at record speed.
Then the screen slowed.
A spotlight flared across the arena.
Danny's portrait appeared.
Opposite him—
Korra Voidstride.
A teleportation duelist with a crystalline smile and deadly precision. She flickered across the arena instantly, appearing behind Danny with a whisper-soft, "Hello."
Danny jumped.
The betting board glitched.
Danny's odds displayed:
???
Julian frowned. "That is… mathematically rare."
Jimmy threw his arms in the air. "EVEN THE ODDS SYSTEM CAN'T MEASURE DANNY'S POWER LEVEL!"
Korra smiled. "Let's have fun."
Danny nodded awkwardly. "Uh… okay."
The bracket was complete.
Eight matches.
Sixteen fighters.
One stone arena.
The crowd burst into a frenzy.
Wolf King cracked his neck.
Wolf Queen adjusted her claws.
Mira exhaled, ready.
Swift clenched his fists.
Jake cried softly.
Bumble waved at the audience.
Shadeclaw roared.
Jade spun in a circle.
Danny tried to remain calm while Korra kept teleporting around him like a hyper cat.
Stone floors vibrated.
The energy of thousands of spectators pulsed like thunder.
Julian's voice descended through the arena:
"All matches will occur within this stone combat square. No obstacles. No hazards. No excuses. Only strength."
Jimmy shouted:
"LET THE BLOOD ON THE STONE DECIDE YOUR FATE!"
The scoreboard boomed the first matchup:
MATCH 1: JAKE VS BUMBLE
Jake fell backward.
Bumble spun like a Beyblade.
The crowd roared with laughter and excitement.
The gates to the arena opened.
Jake was pushed forward by Swift and screamed.
Bumble walked proudly onto the field.
The chapter ends as the stone square brightens under harsh arena lights, promising brutality, chaos, and spectacle.
Sixteen fighters.
Eight matches.
Fate had begun its march.