Okawa sprinted towards Kyaga and struck upon him. Kyaga, who managed to defend the attack just in time now pressed his blade against the one of Okawa, who defiantly had the upper hand.

Just when Kyaga could only barely hold up against Okawa, he slid to the right and tried to hit Okawa from the right in his torso.

But then… 'tuck'

The crowd around them started to cheer, but Kyaga just froze.

He felt a strike on his left side and looked down on his body. Okawa managed to strike him before he could… He now looked up to Okawa, who had an arrogant smile on his face.

"That was fast." He said, trying to disrespect Kyaga. And it worked perfectly on the now angered and still disbelieving Kyaga.

'How?' Is the only thing he thought.

"What's up Kyaga? You didn't think I would beat you that easy, huh?"

"Shut up Okawa!" Said Kyaga. "You want a rematch? I just got warmed up."

"Nah thanks, I'm fine!" Said Okawa laughing. "I need to warm up for the real opponents, and you aren't a good fighter to practice with."

He just turned around and walked towards the other practice fields.

'What a jerk!' Thought Kyaga.

The still cheering crowed followed Okawa. The only one who was still standing on her place was Kyaga's mother. Kyaga started to walk towards her.

"I said you shouldn't do this." She said in a caring voice.

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"Yeah, I know." Said Kyaga defeated. "I'm just a loser in the real world."

"Don't say that!" Said his mom indignantly. "You're not a loser by any means!"

"Mhh…" He didn't say anything, because he didn't want to argue with his mother, even though he was sure that even his mother knew that he was just a loser outside of AOS.

Kyaga sighed. "Let's just look at his games."

His mother smiled at him. "Yeah, let's just do this."

The tournament consisted of 5 rounds: sixteenth final to final.

Okawa easily managed to get to the semi-final, when Kyaga noticed that it was already past 23 o'clock.

"Mom?" His mother looked over to him. "You know that it's almost 0 A.M., don't you?"

"Yeah, Kyaga." She answered him a bit absent because she looked at Okawa, who was fighting his semi-final opponent.

"You said we will be home by then so I hope you keep that."

She looked over to him. "When this will take longer than expected, then we will stay for that time."

"But mom! You sai-"

"It doesn't matter what I said Kyaga. Family goes first!" She turned over to the game again.

'Family first?' Thought Kyaga to himself and almost laughed. 'Everyone in AOS is more family to me than my step-dad and step-brother.'

"Then Imma go by myself."

"Sure thing." She said, again absent.

Kyaga already walked out of the door when his mom realized what he just said, and did.

She immediately stood up and walked towards the door through that Kyaga just left. "Hey Kyaga, wait!"

Meanwhile, Kyaga already was on the street, thinking of a plan how he could reach his house without needing longer than an hour.

He turned around a corner when his mom sprinted out of the door. "Kyaga!" She couldn't see him, nor could he hear her voice anymore. She sighed "I'm such a bad mother."

Kyaga remembered that one of his school friends lived nearby. He thought that he could maybe lend a bike from him, so he did just that.

His friend was a bit confused but agreed under the condition that he would return his bike tomorrow. 'No problem' Thought Kyaga. Tomorrow was no school anyways, so he had time for that.

He rode the bicycle home and was just in time. 23:47

He grabbed himself a bottle of water and drank a bit on his way upstairs. The bicycle ride made him a bit exhausted.

He got out his phone to text his mom that he was home. His mom already sent him about 30 messages, asking if he's fine.

He threw his phone on his bed and lay down. He grabbed over himself to take his VR-Force.

'The last time, huh?'

He sighed and even had to hold back a tear.

"Why…"

He put the 'glasses' on his head and plugged in the Power- and LAN-cable.

"Start!"