“Stop!” Cristy’s voice cracked through the garden. She rushed forward, skirts brushing against the grass, hands raised as if she could physically push the tension apart. “Please, both of you. This isn’t necessary!” Michael didn’t take his eyes off Gerald. Gerald didn’t take his eyes off Michael. “Go inside, Cristy.” He said calmly. “No!” She snapped, something rare and fierce flashing across her usually gentle face. “I will not watch my husband and my son tear each other apart either!” Michael exhaled slowly. “Mom, step back.” “Michael!” “Please.” His voice wasn’t harsh or angry. It was protective, and that alone made her pause. And that pause was enough. Gerald moved first. It wasn’t dramatic. There was no shout or warning, just a sudden shift of weight then he was in front of Michael, fist cutting cleanly through the air. Michael barely brought his arm up in time. The impact was solid, heavy and controlled. Gerald fought like a man who measured every movement. Michael

The search spread across the estate quickly. Soldiers moved in small groups with rifles raised, checking every structure, every shadowed corner, every storage shed and hallway they could find. Adrian moved faster than the others, his jaw was tight as he scanned the grounds. They had already lost seven civilians, seven! The number repeated itself in his mind like a hammer striking metal. To keep the search organized, the soldiers had gathered all the remaining civilians and lined them up in the main courtyard. The long wooden dinner tables had been pushed aside, and the people now stood in a quiet, frightened group under the hanging lamps. Some clutched each other in fear, no one spoke. The soldiers formed a perimeter around them to ensure a Franchester couldn’t blend in. Adrian walked past them quickly, his eyes scanning every face out of habit before continuing his search. Somewhere on this property, a man with a rifle and a broken mind was walking freely, and he knew exactly h

Terra. Palace district. The training field behind the compound had long since been beaten into hard earth. Footprints overlapped everywhere, dust hung lightly in the air, and the fence surrounding the space rattled every time a body struck the ground too hard. In the center of it all, two figures moved fast. Fists collided with forearms and boots scraped the dirt. Mira lunged forward again. Her movements were sharp and aggressive, like a blade swinging without a sheath. She drove a straight punch toward Gordon’s chest, then followed immediately with a hook aimed at his jaw. Gordon blocked both with calm precision. Jace stood off to the side with his arms crossed, watching silently. Mira didn’t slow down. She stepped in again, throwing a rapid combination, left, right, another right, then a sweeping kick meant to knock Gordon’s legs out from under him, but he shifted slightly. Her kick cut through empty air. Before she could recover her footing, his palm struck her shoulder. It

“She’ll bite for sure…” Barry continued nervously. “Mira’s desperate for supplies right now. If Michael passes on this invitation, she’ll enter without hesitation.” Max bit his lower lip. “And if she wins, which we all know she will..” He didn’t finish the sentence, Adrian did. “She gets access to Aurora’s technology network.” Max nodded grimly. “That would undo everything we’ve worked for. We’ve spent months cutting her off from resources. If she gets those supplies, it’s like starting the entire war over again.” Adrian slowly looked toward Michael. “No.” He said firmly. “We can’t let that happen.” Then he shrugged slightly. “But it’s not our call.” He pointed at Michael. “It’s up to our general here.” Everyone in the room looked at Michael, his fists slowly tightened at his sides. He hated everything about this, he had no interest in entertaining rich spectators looking for violent amusement, nor did he want to play into the government’s manipulative strategy. But Mira… That w

Meanwhile in Terra. The atmosphere inside Mira’s strategy chamber felt far less composed. The glowing screens displayed the same tournament rules Michael had just read, but Mira looked like she had already grown tired of staring at them. She finally pushed her chair back and stood up. “All these rules are overloading my brain.” She complained and rubbed her temple as she stepped away from the screen. “As if I don’t already have enough rules to deal with.” Jace walked over and handed her a bottle of water. “You should take it easy, team leader.” Mira scoffed immediately, “Yeah, right.” She twisted the cap off the bottle and took a small drink before tossing it back onto the table. “I’m handing that over to you.” Jace blinked, “Really?” Mira shrugged casually, “Yes. Why?” Jace scratched the back of his neck with his mechanical arm, the metal fingers lightly tapping against the joint as he thought. “It’s just…” He said slowly and looked at her. “You never leave decisions to me u