After visiting Gorthok, who was still recovering from his injuries, Shinji returned to his allocated room in a hotel beside the arena. The dim lighting of the hallway seemed to reflect the weight on his mind as he quietly made his way back.
As he lay on his bed, his eyes scanned the ceiling, trying to find some peace amidst the racing thoughts of the upcoming 2 vs 2 matches. "Tomorrow's going to be brutal... We need a solid strategy," he muttered to himself, tossing an arm over his eyes to block out the harsh fluorescent lights humming overhead.
The tournament had been nothing short of intense, and the variety of powers he'd witnessed left him in awe—and slightly overwhelmed. "Everyone except our country has abilities... It's like they're speaking a different language." The realization struck him hard. "No wonder our country's news seems so incomplete. They've been hiding the truth about the world's real nature."
Restless, Shinji threw off the covers and began pacing around the room, trying to burn off the excess energy that kept his thoughts spiraling. On his way to the room, he had bought a notebook, along with some bread and butter. Now, he sat down at the small desk by the window, the city lights flickering just beyond the glass, and began to write. His pen moved furiously across the paper, capturing every detail he could recall from the matches:
- Elemental manipulation: fire, water, earth, air, blood.
- Summoning: creatures, objects.
- Shape-shifting: animals, fish, objects.
- Healing: self, others.
- Copying others' abilities...?
He paused, reflecting on his own exhaustion after using Seki energy and his failed experiment to create non-existent plants. His mind wandered to the creatures he had encountered before during his adventures with Gorthok, and he listed every plant species he could think of that might be useful in battle.
As the list grew longer, a pattern began to emerge. "Generating mass costs Seki energy... There's got to be a logic to this supernatural world." He pondered how other countries might be using Seki:
- Were they more advanced?
- Did they have secrets they weren't sharing?
- Were they hiding weaknesses?
Frustrated, Shinji tore off a piece of bread, munching on it as he complained, "Ugh, this bread is so bland. Do they even use wheat flour?"
The bland taste did nothing to settle his mind, and his curiosity kept him awake long into the night. The room was cold, the chill seeping through the walls as the night deepened. Shinji decided to make himself a cup of coffee to warm up. With a focused thought, he summoned coffee beans using his powers, then prepared a steaming cup. As he considered making sugarcane to extract juice for sweetness, he sighed in relief, "Nevermind, they have sugar. Thank goodness."
He took a sip of the coffee, but the taste was far from satisfying. The bitterness reminded him of his solitude. Gorthok had always been there to lighten the mood, but now, the room felt emptier without his friend's presence. The memory of his grandparents' house flashed through his mind—the only place that had ever felt like home. Their kind words and gentle smiles had always made him feel safe.
"I wish I knew if Lyra and the others are safe... I hope they're doing okay," he murmured, the worry heavy in his voice. "Kaito must've escaped easily since I was holding him back. And he's strong."
Shinji glanced around his room, feeling a deep sense of isolation. The tournament dorms were comfortable, but they lacked the warmth of home. He missed his family, his friends, and the familiar rhythms of his old life.
"I'm stuck in this tournament, fighting for who-knows-what," he thought, frustration bubbling up inside him. "But I won't give up. I'll figure out this Seki thing, and I'll make sure my friends are safe."
With newfound determination, Shinji set his notebook aside and tried to get some rest, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges.
---
The Next Morning
The sun had barely risen when Shinji walked into the tournament arena, the early morning light casting a golden glow over the bustling crowd. He quickly spotted Gorthok, who was grinning from ear to ear, looking like his old self. The sight of his friend fully recovered brought a wave of relief over Shinji.
"You look good," Shinji said, approaching him. "I'm glad you're healed up."
Gorthok grinned back, his usual energy and enthusiasm radiating off him. "Yeah, I'm feeling much better. Ready to kick some butt?"
Shinji nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Absolutely."
As they geared up, Shinji couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Gorthok! What's your weapon of choice today?" His eyes flicked to the gear his friend was carrying, curious about what he had chosen.
Gorthok chuckled, holding up a spare plastic sword with a mischievous glint in his eye. "This trusty thing again! Don't worry, it's served me well so far."
Shinji laughed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. With Gorthok by his side, he felt more confident about their chances in the upcoming match.
The host's booming voice echoed through the arena, announcing their turn. "And now, folks, put your hands together for the dynamic duo, Shinji and Gorthok! These two young warriors have impressed us with their skills and teamwork. Let's see what they're up against today!"
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The crowd erupted in cheers as Shinji and Gorthok stepped forward to face their opponents, a formidable duo of elemental users. The air crackled with anticipation as the match began.
Zephyr, one of their opponents, wasted no time, summoning a whirlwind of air attacks that sent Shinji and Gorthok flying across the arena. But they quickly regained their footing, with Gorthok charging forward to distract Zephyr while Shinji focused on Ignis, the other opponent.
Ignis unleashed a wave of flames, but Shinji was prepared. With a swift motion, he summoned a cluster of cacti, their fire-resistant skin glowing with a faint blue light. The cacti absorbed the flames, protecting Shinji from the inferno.
"Good thing this isn't a video game where plants have a 2x weakness against fire attacks," he thought to himself with a smirk.
As Ignis stumbled back, momentarily stunned, Shinji seized the opportunity. He summoned a massive saguaro cactus, its thick, waxy skin radiating intense heat resistance. The towering cactus loomed over Ignis, its spines glowing with a fierce inner light, ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Gorthok took advantage of the distraction to strike Zephyr with a series of swift, precise blows. Zephyr faltered, his wind attacks losing their power as Gorthok pressed his advantage. "This guy can only push people around with that whirlwind attack," Gorthok thought. "I shouldn't let him help his partner out with the wind."
Shinji used the saguaro cactus to pin Ignis down, its long spines digging deep into the earth, securing Ignis in place. Despite Ignis' struggles, the cactus held firm, its fire-resistant skin shielding Shinji from the heat.
As the match drew to a close, Shinji and Gorthok stood victorious, their opponents defeated. The crowd roared with approval, impressed by the duo's creative and strategic use of plant-based powers.
Shinji grinned, his eyes shining with triumph. "That was a tough one, but we made it work!"
Gorthok chuckled, clapping Shinji on the back. "You and your cacti, man. Unstoppable!"
The next match -
As the afternoon sun bathed the tournament arena in a warm, golden light, Shinji and Gorthok prepared for their next match. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, eager to see the upcoming battle. Their opponents, two young men who appeared no older than Gorthok, stepped into the arena. Despite their youth, they radiated an almost palpable aura of confidence. The boy who stood at the forefront, Akira Kurotsuki, had a quiet intensity about him, while his partner, Ryo Akatsuki, followed closely, his red eyes flickering with a mixture of excitement and something more unsettling.
Before the match could begin, Akira stepped forward, his voice calm yet dripping with a quiet power. "Before we start, allow me to demonstrate a fraction of my power." He gestured toward a nearby target, a large, sturdy-looking mannequin set up for training.
Ryo nodded, his gaze never leaving Shinji and Gorthok as if assessing their every move.
Akira raised his hand with deliberate slowness, and a sense of foreboding filled the arena. The air around him began to distort and ripple, as if the very fabric of reality were bending to his will. Without any warning, a swirling black hole materialized before him, its pull so intense that the ground beneath their feet seemed to vibrate. The temperature in the arena spiked, heat radiating from the anomaly like an open flame.
"Behold," Akira said, his voice barely above a whisper, "the power of the Abyss."
The black hole's gravitational force was unlike anything Shinji had ever encountered. The light around it twisted and warped, sucked into the endless void. The crowd gasped, a collective intake of breath as fear gripped them. People began to inch back, some instinctively shielding their eyes from the sheer force of the display.
Shinji felt the force tugging at his very soul, a deep-seated terror taking root in his mind. His vision blurred as if the world itself was being pulled into that inescapable darkness. The oppressive weight of the black hole seemed to press down on him from all sides, making it hard to breathe, to think. The entire arena felt like it was teetering on the edge of oblivion.
The black hole continued to grow in power, its pull becoming almost unbearable. It was as though the laws of nature themselves were being rewritten in Akira's favor. The dummy, once a solid, sturdy object, was now completely consumed by the void, reduced to nothingness.
And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the black hole vanished. The oppressive atmosphere lifted, leaving a stunned silence in its wake. The dummy was gone—consumed entirely by the black hole, leaving not a trace behind.
The crowd remained deathly silent, the only sound the labored breathing of those who had witnessed the spectacle. Akira smiled—a small, satisfied smirk—and turned his gaze toward Shinji and Gorthok.
"Of course," Akira continued, his voice soft and almost mocking, "I've controlled the radiation and effects. There's no need to worry." He looked directly at Shinji, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and challenge. "You two seem... unsettled."
Gorthok, normally the first to charge into battle, hesitated, his confidence shaken. His eyes flicked to Shinji, searching for some sign of what to do. But Shinji's expression was unreadable, his mind racing as he tried to comprehend the power he had just witnessed.
"This might be some kind of illusion," Shinji thought, though the creeping doubt in his mind suggested otherwise. "I need to watch closely."
The intense gravitational force of the black hole lingered in his memory, making it difficult to shake the feeling that they were completely outmatched. His instincts screamed at him to fight, to prove his worth, but his rational mind knew better. They were not ready to face this kind of power.
Without hesitation, Gorthok gripped his sword, ready to charge forward, but Shinji grabbed his arm, his voice steady but firm. "Wait," Shinji said, pulling Gorthok back. "We can't fight him like this. We'll get torn apart like that dummy. And honestly, we're not getting paid enough for this."
Gorthok, his heart pounding, stared at Akira. The boy looked almost bored, as if their decision had been expected. Realizing the truth in Shinji's words, Gorthok slowly nodded, understanding that they were hopelessly outclassed.
With a heavy heart, they both made the difficult decision to forfeit the match, conceding defeat before the battle could even begin. The crowd, initially shocked by the display of power, now murmured in disappointment and confusion. But Akira only chuckled, clearly pleased with their decision.
"You made the right choice," Akira said, his tone dismissive. "Your Seki level is low, but you have potential. Let's meet again sometime."
As Akira and Ryo walked away, their figures fading into the shadows, Shinji and Gorthok remained rooted to the spot, the weight of their decision settling heavily on their shoulders.
Shinji's thoughts raced. "This guy... he's like the overpowered protagonist of some story... He must have a cheat skill or something." He turned to Gorthok, his voice resolute. "We need to train harder and fast. Otherwise, we're cooked."
Gorthok nodded, the gravity of their situation sinking in. They had just encountered a power far beyond their current abilities, and if they were to stand any chance in this tournament—or in their larger quest—they would need to push themselves harder than ever before.