Chapter 47 - Crimson Curse

After that explosive match, my friends and I found refuge in a fast-food chain just outside the coliseum. The school cafeteria was packed to the brim, leaving us no choice but to indulge in greasy burgers and fries that carried about as much nutritional value as cardboard.

There she was—our exploding star, Cindy—tearing through a towering stack of Giant Macs as though the apocalypse was coming and calories no longer mattered. Her ferocious appetite might have stemmed from the stress of the last match, but I had a hunch she was also devouring her frustration.

Cindy looked like she had just walked through a battlefield—her reddish hair now reduced to crispy, curled tufts, as if it had been electrocuted. Her face glistened under the fluorescent lights, streaked with sweat and grease, giving her an oddly comical yet pitiable appearance. None of us dared to comment on it, though; we were all quietly choosing kindness over cruelty.

At one point, she grabbed a handful of fries—far too many for one bite—and shoved them into her mouth, only to start coughing violently seconds later. “Kehoo! Kehoo!” she hacked and sputtered, her eyes widening as if she’d just realized fries weren’t meant to be inhaled. Remuel, ever the reliable partner, slid his cola toward her without a word, his expression somewhere between concern and exasperation.

“Chill down, Cindy,” he said flatly, watching her gulp down the soda. “The burgers aren’t going to run away, so maybe slow down a bit?”

Cindy hardly paused, her voice muffled by the mouthful of food. “’S so unfaiw!” munch “Why d’ I hafta deal wif a thi’th-year—gulp—righ’ in th’ firs’ roun’! chomp An’ my se’f-destruct Ultimate…” she paused just long enough to cram in another bite, “…don’ even do me any favors, eitha!”

I grimaced, cringing at the sight. “My goodness, Cindy,” I said, shaking my head. “Would it kill you to swallow your food before launching into a rant like that?”

“Be considerate, you incel goon.” Myrrh shot me a withering glare, her amber eyes practically cutting through me. “You should know how girls feel when they’re frustrated. Read the room, won’t you?”

“Fuck you,” I shot back casually, sipping through the straw of my cola as the fizz bubbled up against my teeth.

Cindy, now finally in control of her chewing, swallowed down the last monstrous bite and slammed her greasy hands onto the table for emphasis. “You girls better avenge me!” she declared, her voice booming across the tiny fast-food booth. “Promise me you’ll get that license, Myrrh and Fei!”

“I-I’ll do my best!” Fei stammered nervously, her cheeks reddening as she pumped her fists like a rookie boxer trying to psych herself up.

“Of course,” Myrrh replied smoothly, flicking her long lime-green hair with practiced confidence. The gesture sent her black ribbons fluttering. “I’ll do it for you, even if you didn’t ask.”

Her nonchalant determination made the air feel heavier, almost like the promise had weight to it.

I turned slightly, catching Remuel out of the corner of my eye. He was smiling—wide, unblinking—and something about it sent a chill crawling up my spine. It was the kind of smile you’d expect from someone plotting your downfall, and it had my nerves on edge.

“What’s with you?” I muttered, leaning closer to confront him.

Instead of answering my suspicion, Remuel grinned even wider and spoke with eerie cheer. “You two should do your best as well, Zaft. And you too, Neil.”

“Yeah, count on me!” Neil exclaimed, his fist shooting into the air like he was rallying a crowd, knuckles clenching as if gripping victory itself. His unshakable confidence could almost be contagious.

Matching his energy, I placed a hand over my heart, lowering my head as though delivering a eulogy. “I will definitely avenge you two. Your spirits will be with me in the upcoming battles. Rest in peace, my friends.” My voice dripped with exaggerated solemnity, the kind reserved for cheesy action movies.

“Wow, rude much?!” Cindy practically shrieked, smacking her palms on the table as her face turned red. She puffed her cheeks out like an upset child denied dessert. “I’m not dead yet!”

“Hey, what’s with the ‘yet’ part?” Myrrh cut in, her brows furrowed and lips pressed into a worried line. She leaned toward me with narrowed eyes, her usual composed demeanor cracking just a bit. “Are you trying to jinx yourself or something?”

Remuel heaved a long, dramatic sigh, as though he’d borne the weight of this conversation far too many times. “Cindy’s always paranoid that her next self-detonating Ultimate is gonna actually kill her.”

I glanced at Cindy, who sulked deeper into her seat, arms crossed tightly like a barricade against the conversation. Her now slightly frizzed afro and grease-smeared face added an almost tragic flair to her dramatics.

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The afternoon sun hung heavy over the coliseum, casting long shadows across the sprawling arena as the tournament's second match roared to life. The stands buzzed with excitement, a mix of cheers and chatter echoing through the air. After a string of earlier matches, it was finally Fei and Neil’s turn.

Their opponents stood across the field—a tall, blue-haired WAIFU radiating a quiet confidence and a chubby support-unit student standing slightly behind her. Both of them wore matching red armbands, the unmistakable mark of third-year students. Third years. That was tough luck.

Stolen story; please report.

Fei and Neil exchanged glances, their unspoken resolve solidifying like tempered steel.

“Examinee Number 12 versus Examinee Number 54!” The emcee, Miles, bellowed into his mic, his voice booming with electrifying energy. “Let the second set of battle begin, baby!”

The crowd erupted as the platforms for the support units hissed and whirred, rising into the air. Down on the field, both WAIFUs simultaneously thrust their morphers into the sky, their movements crisp and practiced.

“Frame Unit, AWAKEN!”

Fei’s morpher flashed, a burst of orange light exploding around her. In a blink, she transformed, her petite frame replaced by a towering, orange-and-white giant mech that hit the ground with a resounding THUD. Across from her, her opponent shimmered into their sky-blue Frame Unit, its metallic surface glinting under the sunlight as it loomed like a skyscraper.

“We’ll finish this fast, Fei!” Neil’s voice cut through the commotion, sharp and full of determination. He stood on his raised platform, his fingers moving swiftly across his WEEB System, its holographic HUD flaring to life in front of him.

“Got it!” Fei responded, her voice brimming with energy. She shifted her Frame Unit into a fighter’s stance, the ground beneath her mech trembling as she adjusted her footing.

Neil’s gaze narrowed as he pressed a glowing button on his HUD. The [Ultimate] command flared to life, sending veins of fiery orange circuits racing up his arm. His eyes locked onto Fei’s mech.

“Divine Fist, Activate!”

Orange energy exploded outward, wrapping Fei’s mech in a roaring, flame-like aura. Her fists ignited, now blazing with the incandescent glow of molten steel. Every joint and panel of her Frame Unit vibrated with raw, barely-contained power.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Fei launched forward. The ground beneath her cracked and splintered from the sheer force of her boost, sending plumes of dust and debris spiraling into the air.

“Hyaaaaaah!” Fei’s battle cry tore through the arena as she surged ahead, fists blazing and spirit aflame.

The crowd erupted once more, their cheers rising in waves as the two giants prepared to clash, the tension crackling like a live wire.

“Heavy Shield, Equip!” the third-year support unit bellowed, his voice ringing like a war cry. His glowing hand extended toward his partner WAIFU, fingers slicing through the air with command.

In response, the sky-blue mech shimmered as a blinding light erupted across its arm. With a metallic clang, a massive rectangular shield materialized, its sheer size intimidating—like a moving fortress wall, layered with five slabs of reinforced steel. The mech hefted the shield into position, its polished surface catching the afternoon sunlight as if daring Fei to strike.

But Fei wasn’t about to stop.

With boosters igniting, Fei surged forward like an orange comet, her mech’s flaming fists crackling with energy. “Haaaaah!” she shouted, her voice resonating through the Frame Unit’s speakers. She swung a devastating right hook, aiming for the mech’s core.

BOOM!

The punch connected with the shield, the impact ringing out like a gong. Divine flames sputtered across the surface, scattering into embers, but the shield held. The force, however, sent tremors rippling through the arena floor, shaking the stands.

“Keep attacking, Fei!” Neil’s voice cut through the chaos from above, his tone sharp with resolve.

“Wilco!” Fei’s roar reverberated through her mech, and she followed through.

Her left fist shot forward, slamming into the shield. THUD! Then her right again—BOOM!—each strike faster and stronger than the last. Shockwaves exploded outward with every blow, sending debris and dust whipping across the battlefield. The air crackled with kinetic energy as Fei transformed into a relentless storm of punches, her Frame Unit pounding the shield over and over like a battering ram.

The sky-blue mech braced desperately, its knees bending under the brutal onslaught. Metallic groans escaped from the shield as fissures spread across its once-imposing surface, each fracture spider-webbing further. The third-year team was on the back foot, and they knew it.

The opponent support unit wiped his brow, his WEEB System interface flickering at his fingertips as he swiped to the next command. He couldn’t let this continue.

“Steel Longblade, Equip!” he commanded, his voice breaking through the air like a thunderclap.

A cybernetic circle spun into existence beside the sky-blue mech, glowing with an electric hum. From its center, a massive steel blade emerged, sleek and deadly—a weapon made to slice through titans. The mech gripped it in one fluid motion, the sword glinting ominously as it was raised into position.

Fei barely had time to react.

Fei managed to intercept the first slash with her blazing steel fist, the impact ringing out like a cannon blast. Sparks erupted, the orange flames of her Divine Fist clashing with the cold, unforgiving steel of the longblade. But the opponent’s follow-up strike came too quickly.

SHUNK!

The blade carved a shallow gash across her Frame Unit’s waist, severing armor plating with a screeching wail. Chunks of metal clattered onto the arena floor, bouncing like fallen debris. Fei staggered back, her mech trembling from the blow. For a second, I thought it was over—that her Frame Unit would topple.

But it didn’t.

At least she wasn’t beheaded.

“Now’s your chance!” Neil’s voice tore through the comms, raw with urgency.

I glanced up toward his support unit platform—and froze. There, glowing like molten lava beneath his skin, crimson veins pulsed and crawled along Neil's neck, spreading like spiderwebs. They branched outward, creeping up the right side of his face, illuminating his features in a sickly red light. My stomach knotted at the sight—it wasn’t the sleek, cybernetic glow of the WEEB System we all knew. This was different. Organic. Wrong.

“What the hell…” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

My gaze darted to Myrrh, seated beside me. She, too, stared wide-eyed at the platform, her face pale with confusion and unease. For once, we shared the same thought—what the hell was happening to Neil?

And then, it happened.

“I yield!”

Fei’s voice cracked through the speakers, raw and unexpected. I snapped my head back to the screen, disbelief gripping me.

Fei stood frozen in her Frame Unit form, towering over the battlefield. Both of her metallic arms were raised high above her, the universal sign of surrender. The flames surrounding her fists sputtered and died, leaving only the dim glow of her mech’s systems.

The arena went dead silent.

No cheers. No jeers. Just silence.

It was as if time had stalled. None of us had expected Fei—the fighter who burned with endless spirit—to give up. And then our attention shifted again, drawn like a magnet to the support unit platform.

Neil was on his knees.

His entire body convulsed violently, his arms spasming as if his joints had turned to jelly. His head jerked back, and his mouth foamed, white froth spilling at the corners. The crimson veins along his neck and face flickered like dying embers, pulsating with an eerie, unstable light.

“What the fuck…?” I muttered, the words barely leaving my lips.

My heart hammered in my chest, my skin prickling with cold dread. This wasn’t a glitch. This wasn’t normal. Whatever was happening to Neil—whatever had triggered this—was something else entirely.

Myrrh grabbed my arm, her grip tight and trembling. “Zaft… what’s going on?”

I didn’t have an answer.

On the screen, Fei’s mech stood still, unmoving. Neil’s shaking form looked impossibly small and fragile, surrounded by flickering crimson veins. For the first time in a long while, the tournament didn’t feel like a game anymore.

It felt like a warning.

And all I could think was: What the fucking hell is going on?