[Saori's Point of View]
The crowd's roar echoed through the arena, a symphony of anticipation and excitement that made the floor vibrate beneath my feet. My heart, already a frantic drum against my ribs, hammered even faster when the announcer's voice boomed, "The winning team from Set C is... Team Astrals!" The name hung in the air like a final, crushing verdict.
My palms were slick with sweat, a clammy testament to the raw panic seizing me. This was a whole new level of terror, far surpassing the nervous jitters I felt before a school recitation.
"The next set will be Team Astrals versus Team Naomi!"
A jolt of cold dread shot through me. "Sari, let's go!" my older sister, Ate Clydelle, called out. She and the others were already hurrying toward the exit of our waiting room, but my feet were rooted to the spot, trembling violently. I willed them to move, but they wouldn't listen.
"W-wait..." I stammered, the word catching in my throat.
"Sari?" Ate Clydelle's voice was sharp with impatience as she stood just outside the door, her hand resting on the frame.
I let out a shaky, nervous laugh. "Ate," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "my feet won't move."
A puzzled frown creased her brow. "Huh?" She came back into the room, her footsteps silent as she sat down next to me on the bench.
"I'm scared... We might lose. Can we just... retreat?" I asked, a sheepish, lopsided smile on my face, hoping she'd find my request reasonable.
She simply laughed, and that somehow calmed the storm in my chest. Reaching over, she ruffled my hair affectionately. "I'm sure all your worries will subside once you're on the battlefield," she assured me. She took my arms, pulling me to my feet, and guided me from the room toward the launch capsules that would shoot us into the fighting grounds.
"What took you so long?" Frank grumbled, already waiting with Tyler.
A mischievous glint danced in Ate Clydelle's eyes. "Your sister is nervous."
A loud, mocking laugh burst from Frank. "Wow! That's the first time I've ever seen you act like that!"
"I'm not nervous!" I shot back, but my denial sounded hollow even to my own ears.
I went inside my assigned capsule, and as Frank, Ate Clydelle, and Tyler entered theirs, our items materialized, shimmering with a soft, ethereal light. I grasped the item in front of me, a sturdy, metallic gauntlet, and the label of Knight flashed. Ate Clydelle's item designated her as the Queen, while Frank received the Rook and Tyler the King.
"Fortunately, the random selection assigned us roles that play to our strengths," Ate Clydelle said, her voice now sharp and focused. "That's why… Sari, listen carefully to my plan and follow everything I say."
"Alright," I said, nodding, a knot of unease still twisting in my gut.
"The timer will start the moment you step out of your capsule—the stage is yours!" Mr. Pecan, the game administrator, announced, his voice louder than usual with his theatrical energy.
A sneering voice sliced through the silence of the battlefield. "Looks like the petty mortals are approaching us." A guy with a shocking dijon mustard-like-colored hair stepped forward from the opposing team, a condescending smirk plastered on his face. Frank bristled, his hand already moving toward his weapon, but I clamped down on his shoulder and yanked him back.
"Ate?" he asked, annoyed.
"Wait," I shushed him, my eyes locked on our opponents.
The mustard-haired guy's sneer widened. "Listen to your sister, little boy. You can't take us on by yourself."
"Oh yeah? You think I can't?" Frank tried to lunge forward again, but I held him fast.
"What is it now?" He asked, already annoyed.
I reached for my telepathy device and switched it off, cutting the link to Ate Clydelle. "Don't worry," I said, my voice low and conspiratorial, "I've already changed my mind. We don't have to follow Ate Clydelle's instructions." I moved closer to the enemy team, a slow, deliberate walk, cracking my knuckles with a loud pop.
Frank's annoyance melted away, replaced by a wide, knowing grin. "Ohh," he laughed, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
"Let's do this... in our own way," I said, a smirk of my own mirroring his.
We began walking toward them, the confidence radiating from us completely unnerving our opponents. They looked confused, their bravado faltering as they scrambled to cast their offensive spells. A sequential of magical energy hurtled toward us, a kaleidoscope of their magic.
"Destroy them," I requested politely, glancing at Frank.
He smirked, a flash of pure exhilaration in his eyes. "As you wish." He reached for my hand and gave me his armlet that helps him control his ability.
I felt a surge of energy, and saw a glimpse of my brother's eyes, it began to glow with a brilliant, vibrant light.
I didn't need to chant, didn't need to perform any incantations. With a simple thought, I stopped time.
The magical spells froze midair, their chaotic power held in a single, silent moment. I glanced at my brother. My own ability had improved. Not only could I stop time, but I could now let others move freely within the frozen moment without needing to touch them directly. Even better, my time-pause duration had increased from a mere minute and a half to a full five minutes.
Frank threw a rage with efficiency, his movements a blur as he dismantled the enemy players. We then continued our casual walk past their frozen forms. When I released the flow of time, a loud explosion and the heavy thud of bodies hitting the ground echoed through the battlegrounds.
It only took almost a minute for us, but for the onlookers, we had finished off two of the Astrals' members in the blink of an eye.
[Joseph and Elizabeth were transferred to the safe zone!]
When Frank and I arrived at the enemy's base, the remaining Astrals looked at us with wide, disbelieving eyes. They clearly hadn't expected our quick arrival.
"W-why are you guys here!?" one of them stammered, the guy in a crown.
"Why not?" I snickered.
"You were supposedly taken to the safe zone!" he yelled, a flicker of panic in his eyes.
"You should never underestimate your opponents, no matter how weak they might seem," I said, a smirk spreading across my face.
"Ate? Can we finish this now?" Frank asked, his impatience getting the better of him.
"Yeah, I know," I said, rolling my eyes at him. I stopped time again, taking the enemy's crown from his head with ease. I quickly hurried back to the same spot, then played the time.
"H-how!?" they exclaimed, their disbelief turning to terror as they realized their crown was gone.
"Magic." I snickered.
"Team Naomi wins Set D!" The announcer's voice was electric with excitement.
After our victory, we were transported back to the safe zone. The host, Ms. Samantha, was practically overwhelmed with amazement. "Did you see that? It's incredible! They finished the game in just 14 minutes!"
"Yes! That is absolutely outstanding for a mortal," the game administrator agreed, his voice full of stunned admiration.
I braced myself, my stomach churning as we approached Ate Clydelle. I just knew she was going to scold us—and I was the one getting an earful.
"Hey, Sari," Ate Clydelle said, her voice serious. I knew what was coming. She'd told us not to rush, that our next opponent would take us more seriously now.
"I'm sorr—"
"You two did an excellent job!" she beamed, patting our heads.
Frank and I both stared at her, our mouths agape in surprise. She just laughed at our stunned expressions. "But that's still too reckless!" she yelled, delivering a solid whack to the back of both our heads.
"So mean," I pouted, rubbing the sore spot.
Just then, the mustard-haired guy and his teammates approached us. "I greet the humans of Earth." he said, a look of genuine humility on his face.
"What brings you here?" I asked defensively, prepared for another round of taunts.
They all bowed in unison, a formal gesture of respect. "We apologize for underestimating your team. It's a shame we didn't take your group seriously," they said, their voices laced with regret.
I sighed, a small smile touching my lips. "Ahh... It's fine! Let's fight and prove ourselves again next time!"
The Astral team looked taken aback for a moment, then responded with genuine smiles. "Thank you."
"Alright, let's go back to our seats!" Ate Clydelle said, pulling us along.
When we arrived back at the audience area, Athena rushed over and wrapped me in a tight, joyous hug. I didn't mind the hug itself, but her height was... problematic. My face was at her chest level, and I was losing my ability to breathe. "Ate... I can't... breathe," I wheezed.
"Oh! Sorry!" she chuckled, releasing me.
I overheard some creep nearby talking. "Man, that girl is unlucky.
My stomach churned as I heard the whispered words from them. "I wish I were her." The statement, a mix of admiration and perversity, made me wince. I wanted to turn around, to glare at the source of such vulgarity, but I knew it was pointless.
The worst part was that it wasn't just the men. I could hear the hushed giggles and speculative whispers of the girls around me, too.
"The goddess surely adores her," one of them murmured, her voice filled with a strange, almost worshipful tone.
"Is the goddess into women?" another asked, a hint of salacious curiosity in her voice.
"I've heard she's never had a boyfriend before." The whispers continued, a relentless wave of gossip made my skin crawl. Couldn't they just leave her alone? Mind their own business?
Just then, a friendly voice cut through the noise. "Sari!" Stephen waved, his bright smile a welcome distraction. He took the empty seat beside me, his brother Marco settling in on my other side, a small, understanding smile on his face.
"Hey," I replied, the tension in my shoulders easing a bit as I smiled back at them.
"That was amazing! What kind of ability do you have?" Stephen exclaimed, his eyes shining with genuine awe.
"Obviously... It's the same as yours," Marco retorted, not even looking at his brother.
A new voice joined the conversation, warm and sincere. "By the way, Sari, you did great there!" Athena's words made my cheeks flush with warmth.
"Thank you," I said, my gaze dropping to my hands. "But it was my brother who did the most—"
I was cut short by a deafening roar that shook the entire stadium. All eyes, including ours, were drawn to a massive explosion that erupted on the battlefield. The battle between the Sacred Nuns and the Harmony Sisters, two of the most powerful groups in the hierarchy, had begun. No one had expected them to take the game so seriously. But they were, and the shockwaves from their clash rippled through the stunned crowd, pulling us all back into the brutal reality of the competition.
"You are only playing with your powers! You do not even devote yourself to your assigned roles as direct descendants of the ancient elements!" yelled Sister Maria.
"Well, excuse me? At least we're not DUPLICITOUS!" argued Akari.
The two teams were exchanging insults and massive powers until sister Angela showed her rage, which ended their match.
[Team Sacred Nuns won the set E!]