“Alright, folks, we’re going to get the stage ready for the next match!” Derrick announces, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the audience.
The small stadium buzzes with conversation. Spectators, competitors, and fans alike talk amongst themselves, dissecting what they just witnessed. Strangers form quick alliances over shared theories, while friends debate the outcome of the last match. There’s a noticeable shift in the air—an unspoken acknowledgment that this year’s tournament is shaping up to be different from any before.
“Wow… he is not okay,” Faith murmurs, shaking her head.
“Takeshi or Kenny?” Nora asks, her gaze still locked on the stage.
“She’s still worried about Takeshi, despite the fact that he wiped the floor with his opponent,” Maximillion points out with a smirk.
“‘Wiped’ doesn’t do it justice. He toyed with him,” Javier interjects, arms crossed. “No doubt Takeshi had some personal things going on, but did you see how quickly he turned things around when he snapped out of it?”
“Right. The moment he noticed his health dipping, he activated Rage Mode and went to work.” Nora nods.
“That’s not the only thing.” Javier leans forward, lowering his voice slightly. “Did you see his build? I almost never see Takeshi put all of his points into one category like that.”
Maximillion furrows his brow as Javier continues. “Usually when someone dumps all their points into attack, it means they’re planning to rush down their opponent and end things fast.”
“But Takeshi barely did anything until the last few minutes,” Faith says, frowning. “Are you saying he faked all of this?”
“No, not at all,” Javier replies. “I’m wondering if that was a sneak peek at his new style. Then… whatever personal stuff he had going on just got in the way of its debut.”
“I wonder if the Dragon Blade actually deals more raw damage in base form compared to the Gothic Demon Sword,” Maximillion muses.
“The damage is closer than you’d think,” Nora chimes in. “I considered maining the Gothic Demon Sword at one point, but the range was the dealbreaker for me.”
Faith goes quiet, deep in thought. Her hand rests under her chin as she stares straight ahead.
“The real strength of the Gothic Demon Sword is in its passive ability,” Maximillion adds. “Gaining life back with every attack is huge.”
“But that’s only if you can land those attacks,” Javier counters. “You need to overwhelm your opponent with constant pressure.”
“Maybe Kenny should’ve put some points into speed,” Faith says. “Maneuverability could’ve been the difference between winning and losing.”
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“Exactly,” Javier nods. “Actually, speed might be the key to fighting Takeshi in general, not just when using the Gothic Demon Sword.”
“No doubt, the Dragon Blade is one of the most balanced weapons,” Maximillion says, tilting his head. “But is there any weapon that could completely counter it?”
“The first thing that comes to mind is out-ranging it,” Nora replies. “So maybe Twin Pistols or a Sniper Rifle.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Javier admits. “But that all depends on the player’s style.”
At the Top of the Stadium Seating
Jin and Desmond stand side by side, their eyes locked on the stage. Jin is the first to break the silence..
“One thing is clear—Takeshi is way better than people give him credit for.”
“What do you mean?” Desmond asks.
“He’s not himself today, and yet, the moment he locked in, Kenny couldn’t touch him,” Jin says, arms crossed. “That level of concentration? That’s rare.”
“He also equipped Rage Mode,” Desmond points out. “It’s not the first time he’s used it, but it makes me wonder… did he plan all of this to throw people off?”
Jin shakes his head. “Doubt it. I think Rage Mode was a safety net—a Plan B in case things got out of control.”
Desmond smirks. “Do you think you could beat him… when he’s like that?”
Jin doesn’t respond immediately. He ponders the question carefully, eyes narrowing in thought.
Desmond notices. Good. Planting doubt in Jin’s head was just another tactic in his arsenal. Even if he was confident about winning his own match, he knew that mental warfare played just as big a role in competition as mechanical skill.
On the other side of the stadium, Brian leans against the wall, arms folded, listening to the chatter around him. Nearby, a group of teenagers argues.
“Dude, was that whole thing with Takeshi a ruse?”
“No way! Kenny had him on the ropes—Takeshi almost lost!”
“Are you high?! He DESTROYED him!”
Brian’s Thoughts:
Everyone is thinking about this all wrong. It doesn’t matter who won—what matters is how Takeshi turned the match around. Kenny couldn’t even touch him once he activated Rage Mode. And Takeshi used his Wall as a platform. That wasn’t just improvisation. That was planned.
Takeshi is methodical. He prepares for every scenario he can control. Even his build was designed with counterattacks in mind. He’s not himself right now, but he’s still on another level.
Back at the commentator’s table, Derrick slouches in his chair, exhaling heavily. His co-host, Ray, is still texting on his phone.
Ray quickly tucks his phone away and adjusts his headset.
“This tournament is off to a wild start,” Derrick chuckles.
“Absolutely,” Ray agrees. “That last match? People are gonna be re-watching that for a while. Too bad the champ didn’t want to talk after his match,” “I wanted to hear what was going through his head.”
Derrick shrugs. “Ehh, what can you do?”
Ray suddenly straightens up, raising his voice. “I’ll tell you what we’re gonna do—we’re starting the next match!
Inside the stadium the left side of the audience erupts in cheers, stomping their feet against the bleachers.
“That’s what I like to hear!” Ray shouts. “Alright, for our next match—”
“The close-combat specialist himself… Javier!
Versus…
Desmond, the lone sniper!”
The crowd roars as Javier stands up, rolling his shoulders. Desmond straightens his posture, his expression unreadable.
Their eyes meet.
A silent challenge is exchanged.
And the battle begins.
