The evening sun painted Silvercrest in shades of gold and crimson as I stood on the hotel balcony. Tomorrow's finals location was visible from here, it was the grand arena, currently being prepared for the final match.

"Can't sleep?" Seraphina walked onto the balcony, her body was healing but still weeks from full recovery.

"Thinking."

"About Adrian?"

"About everything. Felix dead. Victoria missing. You injured. All this cost, and for what? A tournament victory?"

"For the platform it provides." She positioned her wheelchair beside me. "After tomorrow, win or lose, everyone on the continent will know your name. That's power. Real power."

"If we win."

"When you win," she corrected. "I've seen you both fight. He's stronger, but you're smarter and right now, smart beats strong."

"Kaeel said Adrian's breaking, and that I should exploit that."

"Do you want to?"

I considered. "Yes. Use every advantage, although another part says that's too far, that exploiting someone's mental breakdown crosses a line."

"Which part is the villain?"

"Both, probably. That's the problem with being a villain. Every choice questions your ethics."

Seraphina laughed softly. "You know what I realized watching your match today? You're not really like other villain. You're just honest about your methods. Real villains don't agonize over ethics."

"What am I then?"

"Someone trying to survive in a world that decided what you were before you got a say." She looked at the arena. "You face the person the world decided was a hero before he got a say. That's the real fight, not you versus Adrian. But two people fighting against their predetermined roles."

"Heavy thoughts from someone on painkillers."

"The painkillers make me philosophical." She started wheeling back inside. "Get some sleep, Hadeon. Tomorrow you change everything. Might as well be rested for it."

After she left, I checked the system one more time.

[FINALS: 12 HOURS]

[CURRENT STATUS:]

Team Condition: 75% effective

Enemy Condition: Unknown, possibly compromised

Psychological Factors: Significant

[ARIA'S PREDICTION REMAINS:]

Someone dies in finals: 68% probability

Identity: Unknown

Cause: Unknown

Prevention: Unknown

[RECOMMENDATION: Fight cautiously]

[RECOMMENDATION: Trust your team]

[RECOMMENDATION: Remember why you're doing this]

I looked at the sunset. At the arena. At the city full of people who had no idea cycles existed or that their lives were scripted.

Tomorrow I'd fight Adrian and tomorrow one of us would win.

And tomorrow, maybe, we'd both start breaking free of the roles we'd been assigned.

The system chimed one more message.

[GOOD LUCK, HADEON]

[YOU'VE COME FURTHER THAN I EXPECTED]

[WIN OR LOSE...]

[YOU'RE ALREADY CHANGING THE STORY]

I smiled despite the tension. "Thanks. I'll try not to disappoint."

The sun set. The stars came out. Somewhere in the city, Adrian was probably having similar thoughts. Or not, tomorrow would decide a lot of things.

I should probably get some sleep. Instead, I stayed on the balcony, planning for every contingency I could imagine.

Because that's what villains did.

We prepared.

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

Dawn broke over Silvercrest like a blade of light. I woke to someone pounding on my door and Damian entered before I could respond, his face urgent.

"Young Master. We have a problem."

I was already pulling on my armor. "What kind of problem?"

"Three resistance members didn't report in this morning. The ones Lucille assigned to perimeter watch." His jaw was tight. "We found two of them, dead with their throats cut, it is definitely a professional work."

My hands stilled on the buckle. "The third?"

"Still missing."

The League was moving again? Before the finals?"

"Lock down the team and make sure no one goes anywhere alone. Lucille?"

"Already organizing security and she's very furious."

"Good. A furious Lucille is effective Lucille." I finished strapping on my gear. "The finals are in three hours. If the League is going to strike, it'll be..."

"During the match to cause maximum chaos and maximum casualties." Damian nodded grimly. "We're prepared. Everyone who can fight is positioned, but Young Master..."

"What?"

"If they attack during your match, you'll be in the arena and totally exposed, unable to retreat to threats."

"Then I'd better win fast." I picked up my sword. "Or convince Adrian to stop fighting me and start fighting them."

"You think he will?"

I grinned. "I think when the real enemy appears, even heroes can see clearly."

The Grand Arena of Silvercrest had been built three centuries ago to host the Continental Games. It could seat fifty thousand people comfortably, and seventy thousand if they packed in.

Today, it held thousands of people.

Every seat was filled and people standing in the aisles. Hanging from balconies. Packed into viewing platforms that groaned under the weight. The largest crowd in tournament history yet.

To watch a hero fight a villain.

I stood in the preparation chamber beneath the arena, listening to the roar of the crowd above. It sounded like the ocean. Like thunder. Like the world itself was watching.

"Nervous?" Seraphina asked. She was doing stretches, testing her injured leg.

"Terrified."

"Good. Fear keeps you sharp." She winced as her leg protested. "This is going to hurt."

"You don't have to fight, Hannah can... "

"Don't finish that sentence." Her eyes were hard. "I'm fighting. End of discussion."

Lucille entered, face dark. "Perimeter is as secure as we can make it. Kaeel's people are watching the VIP boxes. Aria is positioned with clear sightlines. But Hadeon..." She hesitated.

"Say it."

"If the League attacks, we won't be able to reach you immediately. The arena barriers will trap you inside until the match is called. You'll be on your own."

"Then we'd better not lose."

Marcus finished checking his enchantments. "Disruption crystals are ready. Communication earpieces active. Emergency evacuation runes placed." He looked up. "Everything that can be prepared is prepared."

Ravenna sat in the corner, eyes closed, conserving mana. She opened them. "I can feel it. Something is wrong with the mana in the arena, it's twisted and corrupted."

"League magic?"

"Maybe, or something worse." She stood carefully. "Whatever happens up there, stay close to me, my void magic can disrupt most attacks. Probably anyway."

"Probably?"

"I've never fought some enemies before, there's a first time for everything."

The announcement echoed through the chambers. "TEAMS TO STAGING AREAS. FINALS BEGIN IN FIFTEEN MINUTES."

This was it.

I looked at my team. The people I'd fought beside, bled beside, nearly died beside.

"No speeches," I said. "You all know what we're facing. You all know the odds. You all know why we're here."

"To beat Adrian," Marcus said.

"To prove ourselves," Seraphina added.

"To change things," Ravenna finished.

"To survive," Lucille said quietly.

"All of that." I drew my sword. "But mostly? To show everyone watching that predetermined roles don't matter. That the villain can stand as an equal to the hero. That choice matters more than destiny."

"Very inspirational," Marcus said. "Can we add 'and try not to die'?"

"That too."

The doors opened. Light flooded in and the roar of the crowd became deafening. We walked toward the arena.

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