Chapter 101: Sunz vs ONE – Getting into Position
On the way to the tournament location, nothing eventful happened. The car the group is sitting in is bigger than the previous one. The car has 3 rows of backseats and everyone except for Sunz sits in each row. Jihu sleeps in the furthest back, Yama lying down in the middle row, Grace and No Name sitting in the row nearest to the front. While Sunz sitting at the front with Sogae as their driver.
After getting past the gate and entering the parking lot, Sunz notices that there are a bit more people here than usual, wearing police uniforms.
As Sogae drove them into the parking lot, Sunz asked her "Are these people related to the incident from that time?"
Sogae: Not at all, these are members of the clan disguised as police and armed with special powders. This is to prevent people from sneaking in. They get real curious when some tourist places close down for a while.
"We thought it would happen less with the internet sucking all of your time but, breaking and entering get a lot of view. That's why they are here."
Sunz: Has there always been this many people? I didn't see any of them in all of the previous rounds.
Sogae: There were a lot less in those rounds. Since it's the final round, we have to take some precautions.
Sunz:… Is trying to minimize the sound from the fight the main precaution?
Sogae: You're correct! Lower volume means less unwanted attention.
*pulling into the parking spot*
"Ok, we are here, everyone gets up. Grace, you will be taking everyone to the viewing spot since Jihu is too sleepy."
Grace:…
Sogae: Grace, Grace!
Grace: Huh yeah?!
Sogae: Well then, No Name you'll be taking care of everyone with Grace's help.
No Name: Got it.
Sogae: Sunz you can go in and prepare.
Sunz: Ok, see you guys later.
*Get out of the car and go prepare*
Sogae:… I'm going to get out first to check other things. Just make sure to get out before the match starts *gives No Name the car key then leaves*
Jihu slowly gets up, his body is still extremely sleepy: Hey No Name, what's wrong with your sister who is always on high alert?
No Name: She just worried about Sunz, that's all.
Jihu: Liar. *get out of the car first and stretch a bit* check your phone Grace.
Grace suddenly felt a chill running through her body when she heard what Jihu just said, her phone buzzed at the same time. She immediately grabbed her phone and unlocked it to see that Jihu just sent her a picture of her kissing Sunz.
Grace: When did you take this?!
Jihu: When you decided to make that impulse decision, and I must say the fire in that moment die instantly.
Grace (I have no idea what that means): What are you trying to get from me?
Jihu: Haah, isn't the answer simple. A reaction, you know the flustered embarrassed type. But it seems you have a different plan.
Grace: Hmp, well of course. I have to be the adult in this relationship or else it will go nowhere. So those types of emotions need to be cast aside for the more mature ones.
Jihu: Is lost in the moment one the mature emotion?
Grace: I don't know but the urge to punch annoying prick like you is one of them. Jeez, when did you get this annoying?
Jihu: Well, different types of personality are important for approaching different types of people.
Grace: Well, with that personality you ain't making any progress with me. So why don't you switch it up?
Jihu: *yawn* not worth it. Going inside and sleep on the seat. Sit anywhere you like, plenty of space.
(These emotions are affecting aura in such a strange way. They do give the additional boost as expected… well Sunz got the additional boost while Grace is just strange… maybe the aura just manifests as emotion. The books don't have much information about this and actually seeing it is better than sensing it alone.)
*Jihu is already a bit far from the group*
"I need to sleep. *yawn* let's hope that event now gives him more winning chances."
*Yama then gets out of the car and catches up to Jihu*
Grace: We should also get inside too. Double checks everything then let's go.
No Name: Got it! *making sure everything is locked and no one left anything behind* Done.
Grace: *sigh* sorry for forcing my job onto you.
The two of them then walk inside with Grace crossing her arms feeling frustrated with her own emotion while No Name walks beside her spinning the key chain between her fingers.
Grace: No Name, do you think my decision was wise?
No Name: Sis, I think you can answer that yourself since you have more experience in this field than me. You said you rejected many others who are more charismatic than Sunz, isn't that enough experience?
Grace: That is experience in rejecting not in a relationship.
No Name: Well… you did want your relationship to go somewhere and you took the initiative. Are you regretting it now?
Grace: Of course not *sigh* what I regret is what will happen next.
No Name:?
Grace: I told him that he would have to pay me back if he won. The kiss was my bet.
No Name giggles then it turns into a laugh: hehe, you're kidding right? You, the person who took the initiative now afraid of him taking the initiative.
Grace gently caressed her head with her hand: I know, I know. It's so stupid. Why can't my emotion stay on the assertive side, instead it keeps bouncing between assertive and meek.
No Name: Heehhh, well. I think you should stop worrying about it, since he won't have the confidence to do what you did. He never strikes me as the confident type.
Grace: He… you are correct on that but he will get things done. As a recon expert, I already know how he will return the payment. First, he will ask about the thing, then ask if I still want it. Which I have to reluctantly say yes, giving him the consent-
No Name: Wait wait wait, reluctantly? You're saying you can deny it which can just end this emotional breakdown you're having.
Grace:…*whisper quietly* yeah.
"But that will also give him the easy option to back down. If I'm going to suffer then so will he."
No Name: Wow… you are willing to suffer for hours just for him to suffer a few minutes of what you caused. That is a bad trade-off.
Grace: Let's stop this here. Logics are flying out the window, I hate my emotions, and the more you talk, the more flaws of it you reveal.
*On Sunz side*
After getting inside, he suddenly encounters ONE immediately, who is wearing the same outfit from the beginning compared to Sunz's butler outfit with the 'Windbreaker' over it.
ONE: Welcome to the final show, Hero.
Sunz: Eager to make yourself the Villain, already planned to lose.
ONE: Well, like all the final villains. The Hero can't beat them unless they use some absurd plot armor and I want to see what armor have you prepared.
Sunz: Well, sorry to disappoint you, I'm all out of tricks.
ONE: They always say that but tricks like feelings for their loved one are always secretly hidden from themselves.
Sunz:…
ONE: Well, your outfit reflected your rank or you just dressed for the casket.
Sunz: Well, don't want to disappoint you again but I have friends that are not going to let me die.
ONE:… That's great, now fear isn't one of the factors that will hold you back since you got a second life.
"This will be a good harvest. You have friends that can save you from meeting Death combined with that Ice lover of yours who is giving you the hidden armor."
"A perfect Hero mold! But I do wish you had more experience, well beggars can't be choosers. See you on the field."
"Ciao."
Sunz:…
*On Archibald side*
Having already arrived at the location and selected his spot in the viewing area. Archibald is setting up a small camera on a tripod while talking to someone through an earpiece.
Archibald: Can't believe you couldn't keep your promise to see your friend's final match in person, young master.
Laikan: I know, but this is the second-best option.
Archibald: You mean setting up the camera for you to watch the match live? I wouldn't have to do this if you had flown in sooner.
Laikan: I didn't expect a last-minute business call from Grandpa.
Archibald: Since your father wasn't that interested in training in the past and now he has an important business to run, that makes you the second-best option…
"And there we go. Everything is set, how is the connection on your side."
Laikan: Everything looks good and no buffering…
Archibald: Great… and it seems your friends are here. You want to talk with them?
Laikan: That won't be necessary, just told them that I'll be watching through this.
Archibald: Got it, I'll keep you on the line in case anything interesting happens.
Jihu walked into the viewing area and saw Archibald but no sign of Laikan, so he decided to spark up a conversation with him.
Jihu: Hello *yawn* Mr.Archibald, where is Laikan? I thought that he was supposed to be here.
Archibald: About that, he was supposed to fly in yesterday but due to some last-minute calls he wasn't able to, and now he can only watch through this camera.
Jihu: That's suck *yawn*… I'll probably won't be watching the match since I'll be napping in case of anything bad happen.
Archibald: Ok?
Jihu exits the conversation and finds an empty row of seats to lie down then sleeps. Yama who was behind him all this time and doesn't know who Archibald is just decided to sit in a random spot near them.
Grace and No Name then arrived a bit later, saw where the others were sitting, and decided to sit in a spot within the group range.
After everyone is seated, now they are just waiting for Sogae to start the match.