PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:) PLEASE STOP BEING A GHOST READER ITS ANNOYING!

will be splitting ep 9 up sorry!! i'm busy today and could only do half <3

Everyone sat on the beds or leaned against the walls, their faces drawn with concern. Daniel paced near the window, his hands clasped behind his back, while Chozen stood beside him, stoic but alert. The hum of conversation filled the room, everyone speculating about their competition in the Sekai Taikai.

Finally, Daniel stopped pacing and turned to face the team. His expression was grim, and everyone fell silent, sensing that something serious was about to be revealed.

"We've just received confirmation," Daniel began, his voice heavy. "Terry Silver is back."

Gasps echoed throughout the room.

"And he's not just back," Daniel continued. "He's one of the senseis for Iron Dragons, the South Korean team."

The weight of his words settled over the group like a suffocating blanket. Belle, sitting cross-legged on the edge of one of the beds, froze. Her breath hitched, and she stared at Daniel in disbelief.

"Silver?" she whispered, as though saying his name out loud might conjure him.

"Yes," Daniel confirmed, his tone somber. "He's dangerous, and we can't underestimate what he's capable of."

Belle's mind raced, memories of Terry Silver flooding back. The manipulation, the lies, the violence-how he had tormented her family, pushing them to their limits. The room felt like it was closing in on her, and she clenched her fists, trying to steady herself.

She barely registered the rest of the conversation, her thoughts consumed by one question: Why didn't Axel tell me?

The sun had barely risen, casting faint light into the hotel hallway as Belle stormed through it, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. The moment Daniel had said the name Terry Silver, it was as if the floor beneath her had disappeared. Memories of his manipulations, his cold, calculating smile, and the havoc he had wreaked on her family all came flooding back. She couldn't believe he was here-worse, that he was one of the senseis for the Iron Dragons.

But what stung even more was the betrayal she felt. Axel, someone she had come to trust, hadn't told her.

Reaching his door, she didn't hesitate. Her knuckles hit the wood sharply, once, twice, three times. She didn't care if she woke him up. She needed answers.

When the door finally creaked open, Axel stood there, his hair tousled and his expression groggy. His eyes widened when he saw her. "Belle? What's-"

"You didn't tell me," she cut him off, her voice trembling with anger.

Axel blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

She stepped closer, her eyes locked on his. "Silver. Terry Silver. He's your sensei, Axel. You've known this whole time, and you didn't say a word to me."

His expression shifted from confusion to guilt. He opened his mouth, then closed it, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I... I didn't think it was a big deal," he finally muttered. "I didn't know he was-"

"Didn't think it was a big deal?" she snapped, cutting him off again. "Do you know what that man did to my family? To my dad, my friends, to me?"

Axel's shoulders slumped, and he looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "No," he admitted quietly. "I didn't know. I just thought he was another intense sensei. I didn't know he... hurt you."

Belle took a step back, running a hand through her hair as she tried to steady herself. Her anger was boiling over, but there was something else too-disappointment. "You should have told me," she said, her voice softer now but still trembling. "I trusted you, Axel."

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice almost a whisper. He leaned against the doorframe, his expression heavy with regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Belle. I swear, if I'd known..."

She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "You didn't know, but you still kept it from me. That man is dangerous, Axel. He's not just some intense sensei. He's manipulative. He's cruel. And now he's training your team."

Axel ran a hand through his messy hair, his frustration evident. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, his voice rising slightly. "If I say anything, if I even talk to you about this, Sensei Wolf will lose it. You know what he's like."

The mention of Sensei Wolf made Belle pause. She knew exactly what Axel meant. Wolf wasn't just strict-he was brutal, and she had seen the bruises Axel had tried to hide after training sessions. The thought of Axel getting hurt for something like this made her heart ache.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Axel's gaze softened, and he stepped closer to her. "I don't want you to get hurt either," he replied.

For a moment, they just stood there, the tension between them shifting into something else. Without thinking, Belle reached out and hugged him. Axel stiffened for a second before his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her hair.

"So am I," she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

When they pulled back, their eyes met, and the air between them seemed to crackle with unspoken emotions. Before she could think too much about it, Belle leaned in and kissed him. It was quick, impulsive, but it said everything she couldn't find the words for.

Axel blinked in surprise when she pulled away, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Belle..."

"Be careful, okay?" she said, stepping back. Her voice was soft but firm.

He nodded, still looking a little dazed. "You too."

Belle turned and walked away, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't look back, not even when she reached the corner of the hallway. She had too much on her mind to notice Eli standing at the end of the hall, half-hidden in the shadows. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable as he watched her disappear around the corner.

The gym felt heavy with the weight of tension as the first match began. The air was alive with the buzz of spectators, their murmurs and cheers bouncing off the walls as Demetri stepped onto the mat. Across from him stood Diego, a fighter from Furia de Pantera whose reputation for ruthlessness preceded him. Demetri took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling as he bowed low, a mark of respect ingrained in him through years of training.

Diego, however, stood still. His sharp, cold eyes locked on Demetri as he slowly raised a clenched fist high in the air, his stance rigid and unyielding. The silent defiance hung thick in the air, and the absence of a bow was not lost on anyone, least of all Demetri.

A flicker of confusion crossed Demetri's face, but he shook it off, settling into his stance. Feet planted firmly, he focused on the fight ahead. The referee's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Fight!"

Demetri sprang into action, launching a front kick aimed at Diego's midsection. But Diego moved like lightning, blocking the strike with a swift downward motion that echoed through the room. The force sent Demetri stumbling slightly, and before he could recover, Diego closed the gap between them, landing a precise jab that barely grazed Demetri's cheek.

From the sidelines, Belle leaned forward in her seat, gripping the edge. She couldn't hide the frustration bubbling in her chest as she watched Demetri struggle to keep up. "Come on, Demetri! Do something!" she shouted, her voice slicing through the noise of the crowd.

Diego's movements were fluid, each strike precise and deliberate. He was relentless, pushing Demetri back with a barrage of punches and kicks. Demetri's defenses began to falter, his blocks growing slower with each attack.

Eli clenched his fists, his jaw tight with concern. "Demetri, tag me in!" he yelled, his voice rising above the roar of the audience.

Demetri glanced at him, sweat dripping from his brow, and shook his head firmly. "No! I got this!" he called back, though his voice wavered slightly, betraying his uncertainty.

Belle's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "Seriously, Demetri?" she muttered under her breath.

Diego's smirk grew as he pressed his advantage, reading Demetri like a book. When Demetri attempted a sweeping kick, Diego sidestepped effortlessly, countering with a spinning high kick that whizzed past Demetri's head. Demetri ducked just in time, but it left him exposed. Diego delivered a swift, brutal kick to Demetri's face, sending him staggering backward. Blood trickled from Demetri's nose as the referee's whistle blew.

"Point!" the referee declared, his hand shooting up to signal Diego's victory for the round.

Demetri stumbled off the mat, clutching his face as frustration and embarrassment etched into his expression. Belle clenched her jaw, torn between concern for her friend and her annoyance at his stubbornness.

Sam was next to step onto the mat. Her stance was low and grounded, her focus sharp. Within moments, she darted forward, delivering a sweeping kick aimed at Diego's midsection. He dodged gracefully, but she followed up with a low sweep that forced him back. Sam's persistence was unrelenting, and she managed to land a solid kick to Diego's side, making him stumble.

Diego, now visibly annoyed, tagged in his teammate Maria, who wasted no time charging into the ring. Maria fought with ferocity, her strikes sharp and aggressive, forcing Sam onto the defensive. Sam dodged and blocked with precision, waiting for the perfect moment to counter. When Maria swung too wide, Sam capitalized, grabbing her arm and twisting it to land a clean punch to Maria's side.

"Point! 1-1!" the referee announced.

Sam quickly tagged in Eli, who stormed into the ring. His determination was palpable as he squared off against his towering opponent. The crowd roared as the fighters clashed, Eli delivering a sharp kick aimed at the opponent's leg. But the boy blocked it with brute force, countering with a heavy punch to Eli's stomach that sent him staggering.

The match continued to escalate, with Eli refusing to back down despite his opponent's overwhelming strength. Frustration rippled through the crowd as Eli ignored repeated calls from Kenny to tag him in.

"Hawk, tag in Kenny!" Sam shouted, her voice tinged with worry.

But Eli shook his head, his focus unwavering. Instead, he turned and tagged Robby in. The decision sent a ripple of shock through the team. Kenny's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth pressing into a hard line.

"What are you doing?" Robby asked Eli, his voice filled with confusion.

Eli shrugged, stepping off the mat without a word.

The rest of the match unfolded in a blur of chaos. Robby faced off against another Pantera fighter, holding his own for a time but ultimately succumbing to the relentless onslaught. The referee's voice rang out one final time.

"Point! Winner, Team Pantera!"

The announcement hit like a punch to the gut. The crowd erupted in cheers for Pantera, while Miyagi-Do's team stood in stunned silence.

Miguel stormed over to Eli, his frustration boiling over. "Why didn't you tag in Kenny when you had the chance?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger.

Belle was close behind, glaring at Eli. "That was a shitty move," she snapped, her arms crossed tightly.

Eli rolled his eyes, unfazed. "He just got here. You expect us to trust him?" he shot back defensively.

Kenny stepped forward, his voice low and biting. "Trust me to what? Not get my ass kicked like you and Demetri?" His smirk was cutting, and Belle, despite her frustration, couldn't argue with his logic.

Demetri scoffed, his temper flaring. "Oh, yeah? Like you'd do better? You disappeared when things got tough and came back conveniently when Silver's gone."

"Demetri! Enough!" Belle shouted, her voice ringing out as she stepped between them.

The argument escalated until Robby intervened, shoving them apart. "This isn't about Kenny. I lost the match," he said bitterly before walking off, frustration etched into every step.

As the team stood in tense silence, Eli muttered one last jab under his breath, his words laced with venom. "Says the one dating the enemy."

The words hit Belle like a slap, freezing her in place. Miguel turned to her, his expression confused and hurt. "What?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Belle's throat tightened as she turned to face him, her stammering response hanging in the air.

Belle turned slowly, her heart racing and throat tightening as if it were caught in a vise. "Wh-what?" she stammered, her voice trembling with disbelief. The words didn't make sense in her head, and yet Eli's accusing tone made them impossible to ignore.

Eli's lips twisted into a smirk, his voice oozing with sarcasm. "Yeah," he sneered, arms crossed as he leaned back slightly, watching her reaction like a predator watching prey. "I saw you and that kid Axel kissing. Don't even try to deny it." His sharp gaze bore into her, as though he'd just exposed a deep betrayal.

The ground felt like it shifted beneath her feet. Belle's stomach dropped, a nauseating wave of panic crashing over her. The accusation hit like a punch to the gut, leaving her reeling. She opened her mouth to respond, to defend herself, but the words lodged in her throat, stuck somewhere between shock and indignation.

She cast a desperate glance at Miguel, hoping for some sort of support or understanding, but her heart sank further when she saw the look on his face. His brows were furrowed, his mouth pressed into a tight line, and his dark eyes shimmered with unmistakable hurt.

They had just broken up, and now Eli was saying she'd moved on with someone else?

Eli rolled his eyes, letting out a short, bitter laugh. "Yeah, I knew it," he muttered, his tone heavy with disbelief and disdain. His expression screamed that he didn't believe a word she said-or rather, didn't care to listen.

Miguel remained silent, his gaze fixed on her like he was trying to piece together the situation but finding only disappointment in what he saw. The air between them thickened with unspoken tension, their once-easy connection now strained under the weight of Eli's words.

Belle felt like screaming, denying it, explaining. But the intensity of Miguel's hurt gaze froze her in place, and Eli's smugness made her feel trapped.

No one said another word. The silence that followed was deafening, the tension heavy and suffocating. Then, as if on some unspoken agreement, they all turned and walked away.

Their footsteps echoed in the quiet, but Belle barely noticed. Her mind raced, replaying the moment again and again, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on her chest like a boulder. There was no resolution, no closure-only the raw ache of fractured trust and words left unsaid.

Belle stood by the refreshment table, filling her cup with water. The steady trickle was the only sound in the moment-until a familiar voice broke through.

"Wow," Miguel said, his tone biting as he approached. "You moved on quickly, huh?"

Belle froze, her fingers tightening around the cup. She didn't turn immediately, needing a moment to compose herself. When she finally faced him, her eyes met his, and she saw the anger and hurt simmering just beneath the surface.

"It's not like that, Miguel," she said quietly, her voice steady but laced with guilt.

Miguel crossed his arms, his lips pressing into a hard line. "Oh, really? Because it sure seems like that. Eli wasn't lying, was he? You and Axel."

Belle sighed, feeling the weight of his words like a lead blanket. "Axel and I aren't dating," she said carefully, her voice low. "We're just... talking."

Miguel's expression hardened, his jaw clenching as he scoffed. "Talking?" he echoed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "You mean you just happened to start talking to some random guy on the beach?"

Belle hesitated, her throat tightening. She felt his eyes on her, demanding an answer, but the truth would only make this worse. "I-" she began, but he cut her off.

"When did this talking start, Belle?" he demanded, stepping closer. His voice was quieter now, but it carried more weight.

Belle looked away, the guilt clawing at her chest.

Miguel let out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp enough to cut through her silence. "The night we broke up," he said, more of a statement than a question. "It was, wasn't it?"

She didn't answer, but her averted gaze was all the confirmation he needed.

"Unbelievable," Miguel muttered, shaking his head. His fists clenched at his sides, his shoulders tense as if he were holding himself back from saying something he'd regret. "We barely had time to figure out what went wrong, and you're already out there, talking to someone else."

Belle's voice was barely above a whisper. "It wasn't planned, Miguel. I found him on the beach, and we got to talking. That's all."

"That's all," Miguel repeated bitterly, the words like poison on his tongue. "Yeah, that makes it so much better."

She turned back to the water jug, gripping the edge of the table for support, her chest tight with the weight of his accusations. "I didn't mean for this to happen," she said softly, but the words felt hollow even to her.

"Doesn't matter," Miguel said, taking a step back. "Because clearly, it happened."

Belle turned to face him again, her eyes pleading. "Miguel, please-"

But he was already walking away, leaving her standing there with nothing but the sound of his retreating footsteps and the cold ache of regret.

ASH SPEAKS!!!!

sorry for splitting ep 9 into two chapters!!! i have something tonight and could only do half.

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:) PLEASE STOP BEING A GHOST READER ITS ANNOYING!