Chapter 31: The First Battle of the Apex Tournament


    <hr>


    The Arena Awakens


    The Apex Tournament had begun.


    And Axel was in the spotlight.


    The Helix Coliseum was massive—an open-air battlefield surrounded by towering holo-screens that broadcasted every move to the roaring crowds. The energy in the air was electric, a mix of anticipation and bloodlust.


    Axel stood at the edge of the battlefield, Tempo perched on his shoulder, his fingers tapping impatiently against his guitar-axe.


    "Big stage," Tempo murmured, golden eyes scanning the arena.


    Axel smirked. "Yeah. Hope you don’t get stage fright."


    Tempo grinned. "Only thing shaking is my next power chord."


    Across from them, their first opponent stepped forward.


    Griffin Drake.


    One of Blackthorn’s top fighters.


    And by the look of him?


    He wasn’t here to play.


    <hr>


    The First Challenger


    Griffin was built like a tank—broad shoulders, thick armor plating woven into his combat gear. His Cipher Beast, Ironjaw, was a monstrous Steel Basilisk, its gleaming silver scales reflecting the sunlight like polished knives.


    The crowd erupted as Griffin raised a fist.


    "Axel Mercer," he said, voice booming. "I heard about you. The underdog. The one with the monkey."


    Axel rolled his shoulders. "And you’re… who, again?"


    Griffin’s grin didn’t falter. "The guy who’s about to break you."


    Axel smirked. "Guess we’ll see about that."


    A loud chime echoed through the stadium.


    A voice boomed from the speakers.


    <blockquote>


    "Round One: Axel Mercer vs. Griffin Drake!"


    "BEGIN!"


    </blockquote>


    And then—


    Chaos.


    <hr>


    Steel vs. Sound


    Ironjaw moved first, its massive tail slamming into the ground with enough force to send shockwaves rippling across the arena.


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    Axel dodged left, narrowly avoiding a jagged spike of earth that erupted where he had been standing.


    Tempo leapt from his shoulder, mid-air before his feet even touched the ground.


    "Let’s turn it up," Tempo grinned.


    He strummed a chord.


    The soundwave rippled outward, slamming into Ironjaw—but barely denting its armored hide.


    Axel cursed. "Damn thing’s a walking fortress."


    Griffin laughed. "You think music’s gonna break Ironjaw’s plating?"


    Ironjaw lunged, fangs glowing with metallic energy, snapping inches from Axel’s face.


    Axel twisted away, his mind racing.


    Blues won’t be enough.


    He needed to adapt.


    Tempo’s tail flicked. "Time to get creative?"


    Axel grinned. "Yeah. Let’s mix it up."


    <hr>


    Changing the Rhythm


    Tempo’s hands shifted positions on his guitar-axe.


    Instead of a deep, rolling blues riff—


    He plucked a sharper, rawer sound.


    The air vibrated differently.


    Faster.


    Axel felt it instantly.


    His movements weren’t just smooth anymore—they were unpredictable.


    His footwork became a series of improvisations, a fight between instinct and calculated rhythm.


    Ironjaw lunged—and Axel was already gone before it struck.


    Griffin’s eyes narrowed. "What the hell—"


    Axel moved in.


    Close. Personal. Dangerous.


    His fist crackled as he struck between the Basilisk’s plated armor—


    And this time?


    The hit landed.


    Ironjaw reeled back, hissing.


    The crowd exploded.


    Axel grinned. "Guess music works after all."


    <hr>


    The Beast Fights Back


    Griffin’s smirk faded. "Alright. No more games."


    He slammed a fist into the ground.


    Ironjaw’s entire body began to glow—metallic energy spreading like liquid steel across its scales.


    Axel tensed.


    "That can’t be good."


    Tempo winced. "Yeah. That’s not good."


    Ironjaw lurched forward with inhuman speed, its body now covered in razor-thin steel tendrils, each one slicing through the air like a living blade.


    Axel barely dodged, twisting away as one of the metallic whips grazed his shoulder.


    The pain was immediate.


    His jacket split open, a thin line of blood trailing down his arm.


    The crowd gasped.


    Griffin sneered. "You''re fast, Mercer. But you''re not invincible."


    Axel gritted his teeth. "Neither are you."


    He surged forward.


    Tempo strummed again, the notes coming sharper, more aggressive.


    The soundwaves crashed into Ironjaw, disrupting its balance.


    Axel took the opening.


    He leapt, twisting mid-air, his fist glowing with kinetic energy—


    And slammed it into Ironjaw’s exposed underbelly.


    BOOM.


    The impact sent shockwaves through the entire arena.


    Ironjaw staggered.


    For the first time—it looked hurt.


    Axel landed, breathing hard.


    Griffin’s face darkened. "You little—"


    A loud buzzer cut him off.


    <blockquote>


    "MATCH OVER! WINNER: AXEL MERCER!"


    </blockquote>


    Silence.


    Then—


    The stadium erupted.


    <hr>


    The First Victory


    Axel stared at the holo-screen, processing what had just happened.


    He’d won.


    He’d actually won.


    Griffin gritted his teeth but nodded. "Guess you’re the real deal, huh?"


    Axel smirked. "Told you music works."


    Tempo flipped his guitar-axe onto his back. "And we’re just getting started."


    Axel exhaled, stepping out of the ring as the crowd roared his name.


    But as he turned—his eyes met someone else’s.


    Valeria.


    Watching.


    Smirking.


    And beside her?


    A figure in a Blackthorn uniform.


    Axel’s next opponent.


    And judging by the look in their eyes—


    This was about to get a hell of a lot harder.