Chapter 41

  FLASHBACK:

  It’s a busy Sunday night at a local arcade in midtown Strand city. Children and teenagers alike surround the arcade machines, while the smell of popcorn and soda can be smelled through the crowded space. With a tinge of body odor. As his turn finally comes up, a younger Desmond steps up to the machine. His opponent, an acne-faced teenager, rubs his nose, and looks down at the young Desmond. After two quick matches, Desmond loses effortlessly. When the match is over a few more teenagers run over to hype up the acne faced teenager, while laughing at young Desmond. Desmond falls to the floor, tears overflowing from his eyes.

  A busy Sunday night at a local arcade in midtown Strand City. The space is packed with children and teenagers, the air was thick with the scent of popcorn, soda, and an underlying tinge of body odor. The sounds of arcade machines beeping and clanking form a chaotic symphony of digital battles.

  A younger Desmond finally reaches the front of the line for his turn. He steps up to the arcade machine, gripping the joystick with anticipation. Across from him stands an acne-faced teenager, who rubs his nose and sneers down at the smaller boy. The match begins.

  Two quick rounds. Two crushing defeats.

  As the game ends, a group of teenagers rush over, hyping up the victor and laughing at Desmond’s expense.

  Desmond stares at the screen, his vision blurring as tears spill over his cheeks. His small hands tremble against the controls. He stumbles back, falling onto the arcade floor, as the laughter rings in his ears.

  End of flashback:

  Present day

  Javier build:

  ATK:00

  DEF:

  SPD:0

  Grizzly claws

  Extra health

  Wall

  Desmond build:

  ATK:0

  DEF:00

  SPD:

  White death

  Speed boost

  Wall

  Location: Colosseum

  Desmond steadies his rifle, taking aim at Javier once again. His trigger finger tightens, ready to end this fight. Javier, gripping his wall, breathes in sharply. He watches for the slight movement in Desmond’s finger, knowing he has only milliseconds to react.

  Everything slows.

  The moment the trigger clicks, Javier pivots his wall at an angle. The bullet ricochets off Desmond’s own wall, then Javier’s, then deflecting wildly into the coliseum stands.

  Desmond grits his teeth in frustration.

  He knows. The longer this fight drags on, the further victory slips from his grasp.

  **

  Nora presses a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “Wait, I thought the White Death kills in three shots. That was Javier’s third hit. Why is he still standing? Is this a glitch?”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Look at his health,” Maximillion directs.

  Both Nora and Faith gasp when they notice Javier’s health bar hanging on by a sliver.

  “I’m guessing that’s why Javier chose a health boost for his ability this match. Desmond went all-in on mastering White Death—but Javier’s resilience is something else,” Maximillion continues.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask—can you really call yourselves rivals if you’ve only had one match against each other?” Nora asks Max.

  “Of course. You can be rivals with anyone you see as your equal,” Maximillion replies confidently.

  “But doesn’t the other person have to acknowledge you as their rival too?” Faith counters.

  Maximillion stiffens at the question, suddenly unsure.

  **

  Javier wastes no time. He hurls his wall forward, forcing Desmond to dodge aside. The moment Desmond looks up, Javier is already in his space.

  A powerful left kick slams into the side of Desmond’s head, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. Before he can react, Javier follows up, spinning on his heel to launch a brutal—

  “Grizzly claw!”

  Javier’s gauntlets dig deep into Desmond’s back, the force of the attack cracking the ground beneath them. With a firm grip, Javier presses Desmond into the dirt and raises his other arm for another devastating strike.

  Desmond knows he has seconds to act.

  With a sudden flick of his wrist, he ejects a bullet from his sniper and tosses it toward Javier’s face. It doesn’t do damage, but instinct kicks in—Javier flinches, momentarily shutting his eyes.

  That’s all Desmond needs.

  By the time Javier recovers, Desmond has fully reloaded. He shoves the barrel of his sniper toward Javier’s torso and pulls the trigger. At the last second, Javier shifts just enough for the bullet to graze his side instead of landing a fatal blow.

  Both fighters roll in opposite directions, resetting the match. Desmond reloads.

  Javier rushes in.

  Desmond raises his sniper to fire—

  Javier parries the barrel away, forcing another bullet to fly harmlessly into the sand. He’s too close now, and Desmond knows it.

  “Grizzly barrage!”

  Javier unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks, his strikes relentless. The faint image of a grizzly bear roars behind him as each blow lands. Desmond is sent flying backward, slamming against the stone walls of the coliseum.

  Javier thoughts:

  Desmond isn’t some slouch sniper. He’s able to predict my movements and act accordingly. I can’t simply rush him, or else I’ll easily get my head blown off.

  FLASHBACK:

  A younger Javier lies on the mat of an older rendition of King’s Gym, tears rolling down his cheeks. The other students stand awkwardly, unsure how to react.

  Then, Sasha steps in.

  She kneels beside him, placing a firm yet comforting hand on his head. She says something—inaudible to the world, but clear as day to Javier. The tears stop. A small smile replaces them.

  End of flashback.

  Present day

  Javier’s thoughts:

  If he can predict my movements, I just have to move beyond them.

  Through the dust, Javier charges at Desmond. He doesn’t know Desmond has already reloaded. Desmond steadies his grip. Javier is faster than him—he knows that.

  “Grizzly”

  Desmond doesn’t have time to fully aim, so he does the next best thing. He fires from the hip.

  Javier spins to the side, dodging without even finishing his attack chant.

  **

  “No way!” Derrick shouts. “Javier just pump-faked Desmond!”

  “Desmond better reload fast, or this match is over!” Ray adds.

  **

  Desmond panics.

  He’s no longer thinking two steps ahead—only reacting on instinct. He lifts his rifle one last time, desperate for a final shot, but Javier swats the barrel aside once more. As the bullet flies into the distance.

  “Grizzly barrage!”

  Once again Desmond found himself at the end of a flurry of blows from Javier. Feeling his own health dwindling down with every blow.

  Javier unleashes hell. His gauntlets tear into Desmond’s avatar, each strike heavier than the last. Desmond’s health plummets with every blow. Between attacks, Javier smirks.

  “Did you know—” he says, punctuating his words with punches, “the Grizzly Claws are one of the few weapons that can combo two special attacks together?” With this revelation, Desmond’s eyes widened.

  “Grizzly claw!”

  The final slash carves through Desmond’s torso, his avatar shattering into pixels before exploding.

  The crowd erupts, roaring with cheers as Javier stands victorious and alone in the Colosseum.

  Another fight down.

  And still, the tournament was just beginning.