Three days later..

The rising sun crept through the window, its light piercing my eyes as I stirred awake. I rubbed my face groggily, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Today was the day—the day of the tournament. I sat up slowly, feeling the familiar stiffness in my neck. With a low groan, I cracked it, muttering, "I'm sore..." From across the room, Jane’s voice broke the silence. "Me too." she said, sounding equally worn out. "We trained pretty hard yesterday." I turned to see her sitting up on her bed, her hair slightly tousled from sleep. Her eyes, though, were sharp—alert. She looked at me with concern. "You okay? This won't be easy..."

I clenched my fist, feeling the strain in my muscles, but also the underlying determination that had carried me through every challenge. "I'm fine," I replied firmly. "I always need to improve my fitness. No better day to test that than today." Jane stretched, her arms raising high above her head, as a slight smile played at her lips. "Thanks for teaching me," she said, her gratitude sincere. "I feel significantly stronger than even just three days ago. I had no idea how much more I could push myself."

I made my way to the closet, searching for the gi I’d bought just the day before. The fabric of the other clothes rustled as I shuffled through them. "I had to skip one stage in your training," I said, my tone more serious, "but I taught you the two most immediately useful ones. Your growth will slow down from here, but you’ve laid a solid foundation." Behind me, I heard the sound of Jane rummaging through her bag. "Hey." she called softly. I paused for a moment, finally finding the shirt I had been looking for. Patting it down, I turned around to face her. "Yeah?" I asked, curious about what she had in mind.

She pulled out a beautiful pink swimsuit, holding it up with a playful smile. "Want to go take a bath?" she asked. Her casual tone caught me off guard. It’s still… not time for the tournament. I glanced at the gi I’d grabbed and quickly considered my options. A bath wouldn’t be a bad idea to relax before the big event. I nodded, holding up the gi. "Sure." I replied. Without looking back at me, Jane opened the door and started walking out. "Make sure to go to the mixed bath." she added, her voice a bit more teasing than usual. That’s what she meant? I blinked, realizing the implication of her suggestion. The mixed bath. A part of me tensed up, but I knew I couldn't let her down. Zero had taught me not to shy away from bold and brave advances. Hesitation was a weakness, and I hadn’t responded yet.

Alright. I'll put in a serious effort.

I grabbed my key and walked out of the room, locking the door behind me. The hallway was quiet, except for the soft echo of my footsteps. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, a man bowed politely, his voice low. "Good morning." I returned the gesture, nodding as well. "Good morning." Continuing down the stairs, I turned right, heading toward the changing room. I hesitated at the door for a moment, knocking lightly to make sure it wasn’t occupied. No answer. It seemed I had it to myself. Opening the door, I stepped inside and locked it behind me with the bar. Privacy secured.

I started undressing, leaving only my shorts on. My reflection in the mirror caught my attention briefly—my body felt ready for the tournament, but my mind was preoccupied with Jane’s invitation. I brushed it off and opened the door to leave, stepping out into the hallway. I walked across the lobby, and I could feel eyes on me. Not hateful stares, but the kind fueled by jealousy. The few women who were staying here gave me looks that I could only interpret as envy. Maybe it was my physique. Either way, it made the walk across the lobby all the more awkward. This city isn’t as proper as Zero.

The moment I stepped inside, the beautiful warmth and scent of the bathhouse immediately surrounded me, soothing the tension in my muscles. The entire room was lined with smooth, white marble—a luxury that was rare to see these days. The light reflected off the surface, creating a calming ambiance. I paused, taking in the atmosphere, when Jane’s voice echoed from deeper within. "Is that you, Vellin?" she called out, her voice playful. "Yeah. Where are you?" I replied, scanning the room in front of me. There was a divider separating the space, with seats lined up along the walls beneath low-intensity hoses. At the far end, there appeared to be a clearing, perhaps where the bath was. I couldn't see Jane yet, though.

"Well, where do you think? Follow my voice." she teased, her tone making me feel slightly foolish for asking. She’s right. That was a stupid question. I’m definitely off my game right now. Shaking off the awkwardness, I walked along the right side of the room, feeling the smooth marble beneath my feet as I approached the clearing. "I’m coming." I called out, my voice sounding more composed. When I stepped into the open area, I was greeted by the sight of a massive, regal silver bath that seemed almost too grand for a place like this. How did they afford this? The sheer size and elegance of it were impressive, but I was still looking for Jane.

Suddenly, her head popped up from beneath the water, breaking the surface with a splash. "Surprise!" she exclaimed, grinning as she stood up in the bath. The pink swimsuit she had shown me earlier clung perfectly to her figure, the water droplets shimmering in the light. She straightened up, her posture accentuating the curves of her body, especially in that swimsuit. "What do you think?" she asked, twirling slightly for effect. "You saw it before, but how does it look on me now?" My eyes widened in shock, and I felt my mouth go dry. "..Holy." I muttered under my breath, unable to tear my gaze away. I stared for a second too long, particularly at her breasts, before I realized it. Jane quickly caught on, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "Pervert!" she scolded.

I waved my hands frantically, trying to backtrack. "No, no! I wasn’t staring at them, I swear! I was just... in a trance." I felt my face flush with embarrassment. "You really are beautiful." I added, hoping to smooth over the moment. Jane’s expression softened, and she smiled. "Thanks. You look good too." I twitched, caught off guard. "These are just my shorts." I replied awkwardly, gesturing down. She turned her head slightly, her voice quieter. "Not that."

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The tension broke with her words, and I stepped over the barrier into the bath, letting the warm water envelop me. It was slightly warmer than I expected, but it was comforting, and the heat began to relax my sore muscles almost immediately. I spread my arms wide along the edge, allowing the warmth to soak in. "This feels so good." I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. Jane slid into the water beside me, her arms resting at her sides, matching my relaxed posture. "I've done some research on the other participants..." she began, her voice thoughtful. I nodded, recalling our previous conversations. "Yeah, you told me about the other seven." She shook her head. "No. I’ve done more research on the strongest of them." Her tone was more serious now. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You think he's gonna beat me?" Jane hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's possible. He's famous all across the country. Do you know who Ryuha is?" I looked into her eyes, sensing the weight behind her question. "Yes, the Taekwondo Grandmaster Ryuha. What about him?"

She dropped her gaze to the water, her voice softening. "He recently spread the word that Ryan, his student, has surpassed him in technical skill. Ryan is nineteen years old." I blinked in disbelief. Is that even possible? I thought. I had technically surpassed my master, Zero, but it wasn’t in technical skill—it was in speed and strength. But Ryan, a nineteen-year-old, outpacing a grandmaster in technique? That was a whole different level of skill. Jane seemed to read my thoughts, her concern clear in her eyes as she looked up at me again. "Just stay safe, okay? Quit if things go wrong."

She’s been saying this for a while now, I realized. Her worry wasn’t just about the tournament—she really cared about me. I could see it in the way she spoke, in her actions. She swam closer, the water rippling softly around us. Her hand found my cheek, her touch warm and gentle. "Don't die.” she whispered, her voice tender. Her eyes closed as she leaned in, her lips softly puckering. I closed my eyes too, feeling the weight of the moment, and reciprocated. In that brief, intimate moment, I realized just how much Jane meant to me now. She’s the one I’m closest to, other than Zero. Everyone needs some love in their life, and right now, this was ours.

One hour later..

I tightened the arm wraps on my gi, ensuring the snug fit around my forearms. The material felt firm but familiar, a sign that today would be significant. With my gaze set ahead, I walked toward the side entrance of the colosseum. A wooden stand was positioned just outside, with a roughly scrawled sign that read, "Participants Here" The entrance for spectators was further down, and as I approached, a staff member noticed me.

"Ah, Vellin," she called out. I immediately recognized her voice. "I thought you might've missed it. It's me, Emma." I raised my hand in greeting, offering a small smile. "Wouldn't miss it for anything in the world." I replied, my tone casual but sincere. It wasn’t an exaggeration; this moment held more weight than anything else. This was the culmination of my training, my effort. There was no backing out now. Emma’s attention shifted slightly, her eyes flickering over to Jane, who stood quietly by my side. "Is this your friend?" she asked, pointing with a slight curiosity. I wrapped my arm around Jane's shoulders with a small grin, pulling her gently toward me. "My girlfriend." I said, feeling a mix of pride and protectiveness. Jane twiddled her fingers nervously as her face turned a shade darker, clearly shy about the introduction. I quickly removed my arm to ease her discomfort. "Anyway," I continued, changing the subject, "do you have somewhere for her to sit?"

Emma crossed her arms, clearly thinking for a moment. "I can escort her to the VIP section," she replied. "Vellin, just enter behind me and go into the locker room. It's the second door on the left. Wait there for now." She snapped her fingers to signal Jane to follow her, and Jane gave me a small nod before turning to walk behind Emma. As they moved away, I stood still for a moment, watching Jane's figure disappear. This tournament wasn’t just about my skills—it was about.. my life. I turned my attention back to the tunnel ahead, its stone walls looming tall and echoing faint murmurs from the colosseum beyond. I walked through, and the air grew cooler, and I could hear the soft patter of footsteps behind me—two staff members replacing Emma at the stand outside.

I followed Emma’s instructions, heading straight into the second door on the left. The locker room stretched wide, filled with rows of lockers and wooden benches. A window on the far side offered a clear view into the colosseum, where the early crowd was already gathering for the fights. A large man in a tank top spotted me immediately, his eyes narrowing as I walked in. He smirked arrogantly, "That's the last guy I'm beating." Laughter erupted from the two others sitting near him, but I didn't let it faze me. I raised my hand casually, meeting his gaze. "Shut up and prove it in the matches." I said, my voice cold and sharp. The tension in the room thickened.

His smirk only grew wider, more crazed, as he stood up and began striding toward me with heavy steps. I mirrored his movement, walking forward to meet him head-on. I wasn't about to back down—never had, never would. Just as we squared up, the door swung open behind me. Instinctively, I glanced back to see who it was. That slight turn was all the opportunity the big guy needed. He swung at me, aiming for the side of my head. But I reacted quickly, springing back at the last possible second, my palms hitting the ground as I flipped onto both arms. With a quick thrust, I kicked him in the stomach with both feet—a signature stingray kick.

His body felt like it was carved out of stone, and he barely slid back a few feet, his hand instinctively gripping his stomach. He sneered, unimpressed. "Weak." I flipped back onto my feet, already readying my fist for another strike. His arms crossed defensively, bracing himself. I launched forward, ready to throw a punch, but before I could connect, a firm hand caught my forearm mid-swing. "Stop it, idiot." a voice said calmly from behind me.

I spun around to see a man in a red tracksuit, his hair tied back in a tight ponytail. His face was calm but exuded a quiet strength. He released my arm and stood between me and the tank-top brute. "Just a few minutes.." he said firmly, his voice carrying authority. His eyes flickered toward the other guy. "I know he started it, so we’ll deal with him too." He sighed, his shoulders loosening as he turned toward the window that overlooked the arena. "It's time for round one. Head out onto the sand when your name’s called over the loudspeaker." I stood there for a moment, fists still clenched but mind racing. An idiot? He might have stopped the fight, but I could've taken him. If anything, Sun are the idiots for allowing me to enter.