[14:50, Hours Later]

Crowds of people significantly made up of the press, mass together on the first floor of the Coliseum Tower building. Armored police vehicles equipped with cannons and machine guns are present. Along with them are an escort numbering in the dozens of heavily armed soldiers who semi-aggressively separate the crowds to open the streets back up. Sirens and vocal yelling can be heard all around in the mass gathering. In just thirty minutes, the finalists will meet in an honorary ' staredown' in front of the Tournament For Paradise trophy, the Auron Of Paradise.

On the top floor of the Coliseum Tower, only less than twenty active Gladiators have ever stood on it. The arena is significantly larger than the rest of the arenas, two times bigger than any sports stadium out there, including its verticality. In the middle of the arena, there is a stage with stairs going underneath it, revealing an underground room. Ace sits on a luxurious modern couch, watching the television mounted on the wall. He's sitting irritatedly in comfort, irritated he can't just go home.

Denarrow- 'I wonder if this is what those guys underneath Hostel do all day long. Thinking about it, I haven't seen them since the day they were moving in.'

The doors on the first floor reopen, causing a huge flood of people into the building. As they make their way up the building using stairs, elevators, or the building's outside tram, they start to fill up the stands of Paradise. He watches this live on the television, sourcing its camera from a helicopter's perspective. After the semi-finals, it's tradition to kick most people out the building before the staredown ceremony. ‘Most’ people including the press (though they are granted line priority) and the general public. They are then all allowed back in thirty minutes before the ceremony begins, looking to fill up the stands as fast as they can. Known as the 'Race to Paradise'.

Malala- "Who are you?"

Malala sits on the couch on the opposite side of the room from Ace. Just earlier today, she won her match against Stacy James. Defeating Stone Stace in the opening minutes of the third checkpoint.

Malala- "What's your name?"

Caught off-guard, Ace responds fast.

Denarrow- "Denarrow B. Ace."

Malala- "'B'?"

He realizes he made a mistake.

Denarrow- "As in Beethoven."

Malala- 'Was that a lie? His face just made a weird expression when he said that.'

She looks at him, and he looks anywhere else, trying not to feel awkward.

Malala- "I don't think so. You're a 'B.', as in you have the Eyes of the Demon. I asked my brother about it, he said it's classified but the proper name for the Paradise Fruit is called Sin. It's not a Paradise Fruit that's made available while signing up to be a Gladiator. I thought it was weird that any person could defeat multiple Paradisians, especially at once. Then your match against Waldu Rare all the more confirmed my suspicions. I have observed you and begun to unravel the unknown of your black eyes the world has yet to see behind that mask."

She looks at him with a face of resoluteness and waits for him to respond. Ace looked at her while she talked but then turns his head nonchalantly to face back to the television screen after she’s done. This causes her to get a little mad.

Malala- "You're not going to confirm or testify to what I said?"

She said cooly irritated.

Denarow- "Sin or not, I'm winning. There's a person out there waiting for my response to her offer and I'm already getting impatient until that day comes. I'm going to have to turn down her offer if I lose. So I'm definitely not going to when the day comes and I have to answer her, after. Not only is my relationship on the line, so is my story. This is my introduction and I'm forcing it through."

Malala- "Mhmm… We'll see."

She drops the conversation, and they wait a further thirty minutes. Above, on stage, Roberto House is giving a speech presenting the golden trophy behind him. The Auron Of Paradise trophy is a miniature golden design of the Coliseum Tower building. He then calls the Woman Devil to the stage. Malala gets up from comfort and goes upstairs and onto the stage where at least a hundred thousand are in the stands. She goes to her designated spot, left of the stage. Then hesitantly, Roberto calls out The Untitled to enter on stage. Ace gets up from comfort and puts on a blank face mask gifted from Vego, identical to the one he wears in the Ƶ-Simulation.

He goes on stage, and much of the crowd is disappointed to be unable to see his face, which was highly anticipated to be revealed. They also boo and antagonize him in quality and quantity. He ignores them and goes to his designated spot, which is only a foot away from Malala. The two stand and do a ‘staredown’ with each other. The trophy and House stand to the side between them.

House- 'He must've been the young lad sitting front row next to that journalist. Meaning that man in ridiculous disguise was Vego. I can't see his face now but everything else matches up, even his clothes. He looks just like her now that I think about it.'

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His inner thoughts don't reflect his outer expression of a fake smile. Ace pays no mind to him as he stands looking at Malala, who's looking right back at him. The tension isn't as strongly serious as it would appear on the outside. Nonetheless, everyone in the arena and in the world knows that in a week, whatever the result will be, it will forever change the world. Not exactly knowing what will happen, an unknown fate is holding the rope leading toward Paradise. For Ace, it's all the same. For he is the man who came without an epithet, and nevertheless, he is the man who will leave with many.

[17:31, 05/26/2040, A Week Later]

[Round 8th]

Brooklyn and Jameson Georgian sit at a table inside of a restaurant. Nearly everyone sneaks a glare at the two. Brooklyn doesn't notice, but luckily James does and plays guard dog intimidating almost everyone that goes by or stares for too long. An average-sized man with short brown hair, white skin with a tan of brown, and hazel-green colored eyes pulls an empty chair up and sits at the table. He wears an all-white outfit with an apron and a big puffy top hat, fitting for a chef.

Xen- "What can I do for you little sister?"

He has a neutral friendly face, but Brooklyn doesn't give the same energy back. She is not saddened or angered, but for reasons relating to her family, she unconsciously rejects them and refuses to properly look at any of her fellow kin.

Brooklyn- "The round burger please."

Xen- "And anything for the… werewolf?"

James puts his paw on the menu, pointing at the five-pound steak. He then points his nose at it and stares back at the chef. Xen broadens his eyes in amazement at the dog's intelligence.

Xen- 'I was joking earlier, but is this wolf really smart? Is there a person in there?' "Is it your new pet?"

Brooklyn- "It's a he. He's my roommates."

Xen- "Interesting. Has dad talked to you recently."

Brooklyn- "Not since New Years."

Xen- "How bout from any of the others?"

Brooklyn- "I saw Luke last month."

Xen- "Well, spoiler, dad is coming to the Hostel soon. I don't know when but me and Randy think he's planning on another dinner."

Brooklyn- "It hasn't even been six months yet."

Xen- "I know but I think it's about the Lockdown. But that’s it. I have nothing else to share about it."

She sighs.

Brooklyn- "Thanks Xen."

Xen nods in confirmation, gets up, and leaves. Brooklyn looks at his back, leaving, and then looks at the big flat-screen television placed above the bar. All five large televisions display the analyst shows that always comes before the actual fight. Olivia comes walking fast into the restaurant, and sits in the empty chair that Xen had left behind. Immediately, Brooklyn's face brightened up.

Olivia- "Sorry I'm late. There's lots of car and foot traffic right now."

She looks at James, still trying to get used to an animal of his size. She pets him in a form of hello.

Brooklyn- "No probs."

Olivia- "So…"

She begins rubbing her hand against James' fur as she speaks.

Brooklyn- "What?"

Olivia- "I saw your brother as I was comin in, what d'you order?"

Brooklyn- "A round burger."

Olivia sticks her hand up to get a waiter's attention and asks him for a round burger with a soda.

Olivia- "Did all he do was take your order?

Brooklyn- "Yes."

Olivia- "You're a bad liar but whatever."

She looks the other way, making Brooklyn feel bad about lying.

Brooklyn- "He said dad is planning to come to the Hostel. Meaning there is going to be another dinner."

Olivia- "Oof. That's rough."

Brooklyn- "I know, today is…."

Olivia- "Today is fine. Just cause of your dad, doesn't mean that you aren't on winning streak."

Brooklyn- "What do you mean?"

Olivia- "You finished all of your side projects for this month, and all your school work until finals. Doing all that and finishing early, you're too good at this life thing."

She blushes just a little bit after her friend said nice things about her.

Brooklyn- "Thanks, I guess it's not all that bad. And the fight too."

Olivia- "That's right and I didn't know you became interested in the tournament either."

Brooklyn- "Of course, I am in the Heavenly Gambit."

Olivia- "Then you must be rooting for the Auron Goose."

Brooklyn- "I've heard of that title before. What is that?"

Olivia- "The Auron Goose is awarded whenever there is a Gladiator who appears to look like a clear winner from the start. Because these types of variables ain't desirable in a betting system, no one is allowed to place a bet on them. If the Auron Goose loses, the tournament is somewhat more balanced. If not, the Auron Goose wins, then everybody gets their money back from what they betted. Which is why everyone wants Malala Hawk to win to get their money back. Otherwise, the three people who betted on The Untitled win eight trillion urodollars. Damn, I'm startin to talk like my papers."

Brooklyn- "Eight trillion, that's two point six trill a person."

Olivia- "Exactly. The Heavenly Gambit was originally projecting six trillion but the turnout this year soared thirty-five percent than expected."

Brooklyn- "It was a good idea to bet on The Untitled then."

Olivia- "Exactly, it was a good idea to- Wait what?"

In the basement of the Hostel, the Ball Players gather around the television, ready to watch the match. On the first floor, most of the Holladay Hostel's residents, including Nami Vince, gather in the living area, ready to watch the match. Handu Brazee is alone at one of his safehouses somewhere downtown with a couple of beers open, pre-celebrating before the actual match. Veno Vego sits front row of the match, without a disguise this time. He looks down the seating aisle and over to his right making eye contact with Roberto House. He makes a short wave and fake smile at him, which doesn't appease any type of friendly reaction back. House rolls his eyes and looks away, wanting the match to start already.