Finally finished the last volume last week after a long reading binge. The main plot, the whole tournament arc and what came after, gets tied up. Kurogane and Stella's relationship definitely reaches a conclusion point. But man, there's this lingering feeling like some of the bigger world-building threads about the Blazers and the international situation are left hanging, maybe for potential future side stories? It wraps up the core emotional journey for Ikki and Stella, which is what I was really in it for, so I'm satisfied. You get that sense of a completed personal arc even if the wider stage feels like it could host more plays.
I've seen some folks online calling it a 'soft' conclusion, and I kinda get that. It doesn't slam every door shut, but it does lock the door to the main room, you know? After all the battles and drama, seeing them finally just... be, was the payoff I needed.