Chapter 568: Forty-Seven Seconds, and One Kiss
Chapter 568: Forty-Seven Seconds, and One Kiss
The second match took longer. Forty-seven seconds instead of three.
My opponent was a girl from the Scarlet Phantoms with fire manipulation. She threw heat like she’d been doing it her whole life. Probably had been. Her flames licked at my combat suit and singed the edges of my sleeves.
But fire needed oxygen. Fire needed space to breathe.
I didn’t give her either.
Closed the distance before she could build momentum. Got inside her range where the flames couldn’t form properly. She tried to create distance and I followed her step for step. My bat caught her in the ribs. Then the shoulder. Then the back of the knee.
She went down swinging. Literally. A wild haymaker that would have taken my head off if I’d been standing where she expected.
I wasn’t.
The ref called the match. The Phantom stayed on the ground. Her teammates rushed in with medical support.
"SATORI NAKANO ADVANCES TO THE FINALS! HE WILL FACE THE WINNER OF REYNA CABANA VERSUS KIRA TANAKA!"
The crowd had opinions about this. Loud ones. Most of them positive. Some of them extremely specific about what they wanted to see happen in the final round.
I walked back to the competitor’s area. Emi waited with water and concern. Natalia waited with ice and possessiveness. Skylar waited with observation and barely concealed interest.
"Forty-seven seconds," Natalia said. "You let her hit you twice."
"Strategic."
"Stupid."
"Those aren’t mutually exclusive."
She grabbed my face with both hands. Her palms were cold from the ring. Her eyes burned with something that wasn’t quite anger.
"You’re doing this on purpose."
"Doing what?"
"Making me watch. Making me count every hit. Making me imagine all the ways I’m going to punish you for being reckless."
"Is it working?"
"Yes."
She kissed me. Hard enough to bruise. Her tongue demanded entry and I gave it. The Nectar of Devotion surged between us and I felt her emotions crash against my consciousness like waves against rock.
Emi made a small noise of embarrassment. Skylar made a small noise of interest.
"Reyna’s match starts in five minutes," Cel’s voice cut through the moment. "You should watch. Learn her patterns."
Natalia released me. Her lipstick was smudged. Mine probably was too.
"She’s right," Natalia said. "Watch how Reyna fights when she’s not holding back."
The screen in the competitor’s lounge showed the arena. Reyna stood at one entrance. Her crimson hair caught the light like fresh blood. Her broken arm was still wrapped in the regeneration sleeve but she moved like it didn’t bother her.
Kira stood at the opposite entrance. Dark hair. Darker eyes. The shadow user who’d been Reyna’s partner in the tag team event.
"They’re teammates," I said. "This is going to be interesting."
"It’s going to be brutal," Natalia corrected. "Watch."
The ref signaled the start.
Kira moved first. Shadows erupted from her position like ink spreading through water. They formed into shapes. Humanoid shapes. Four of them. They rushed Reyna from different angles.
Reyna didn’t move.
Lightning exploded from her body in a sphere of crackling death. The shadow constructs dissolved on contact. Kira barely dodged the expanding wave of electricity.
"She’s faster than yesterday," Skylar observed.
"She’s angry," Natalia said. "I beat her. You beat her. She’s not going to let that happen again."
Reyna pressed the attack. Marionettes formed around her. Five of them. They moved in perfect synchronization with their creator. Kira tried to use the arena’s minimal shadows for cover but Reyna’s lightning illuminated everything.
No shadows when everything is bright.
Kira went down in ninety seconds. Clean. Professional. The kind of defeat that left no room for argument.
"REYNA CABANA ADVANCES TO THE FINALS! CABANA VERSUS NAKANO! THE MATCH EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!"
The crowd lost their minds. Twenty thousand people screaming for blood. Our blood. Specifically my blood mixing with Reyna’s in some kind of gladiatorial spectacle.
"Fifteen minute intermission," the announcer declared. "Final match begins at the top of the hour!"
Fifteen minutes. Long enough to hydrate. Short enough that my muscles wouldn’t cool down.
"Strategy?" Isabelle asked.
"Don’t die."
"More specific."
"Win before dying."
"You’re impossible."
"That’s the plan."
Emi pressed her healing aura into my body. The minor burns from the fire user faded to memory. The bruises from impact softened to nothing.
"Your ribs are holding," she said. "Barely. Another direct hit to that area and you’ll be in serious trouble."
"Then I won’t get hit there."
"Satori."
"I heard you. I understand. I’ll be careful."
"You’re never careful."
"I’ll be less reckless than usual."
She didn’t seem convinced. I wasn’t either.
Natalia pulled me aside again. Away from the group. Into a corner where the cameras couldn’t see us.
"I’m terrified," she said.
The admission hit harder than any punch. Natalia didn’t admit weakness. Natalia didn’t show vulnerability. Not to anyone except me.
"I know."
"She’s going to try to kill you. Not disqualification kill. Actually kill. I saw how she looked at you after the obstacle course. She wants to prove something."
"So do I."
"That’s what scares me."
I cupped her face. Her skin was cold from the ring. Her eyes were wet with something she’d never let fall in public.
"I’m going to win."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
"Promise me you’ll come back to my bed tonight."
"I promise."
"Promise me you’ll let me yell at you for being an idiot."
"That one I can definitely promise."
She laughed. Small and broken and beautiful.
"I love you."
"I know."
"Say it back."
"I love you."
She kissed me. Gentler than before. Her hands wrapped around my neck and held me close like she was afraid I’d disappear.
"Go win."
"Yes ma’am."
The walk to the arena felt longer than before. My footsteps echoed through the competitor’s tunnel. Camera drones buzzed overhead. The distant roar of the crowd grew louder with each step.
Nel’s voice whispered through our bond.
"The Audience is divided on your chances. Apollo has placed significant wagers in your favor. Nike is watching with particular interest."
"Good for them."
"Reyna’s combat analysis indicates she will attempt to end the match quickly. Her broken arm limits her endurance. She knows this. She’ll push for an early knockout."
"So I survive the opening and let her exhaust herself."
"That assumes you can survive the opening."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"I am simply providing accurate probability assessment."
"You’re being a pessimist."
"I am being realistic. Your hidden statistics give you a significant advantage. However, Reyna possesses professional combat training and a powerful long-range Aspect. In a pure firefight, she has the edge."
"Then I won’t make it a firefight."