[Kitsuna POV]
I looked at the match board for the day and tilted my head. "Oh, I am first."
"Yeah, it seems like you're going to go against an Angel as well." Amari's voice came from beside me. She was perched on the roof across from the massive stone wall where the match announcements were displayed, her legs swinging lazily over the edge, but her eyes never left the shifting names.
'I thought I would go against the big guy first,' I thought, searching for his name, Logan. But as my gaze swept further down the board, my ears twitched in irritation. He was at the other end of the matches, tucked neatly into a different bracket. The only way I'd face him was in the quarterfinals.
"Hmm, is that going to be a problem?" Amari asked, noticing my gaze. Her eyes shifted toward the board as well, and when she spotted Logan's name aligned with Zagan's, her lips pressed together.
"Is he even going to show up?" I asked, turning to her for an answer.
"I have no idea; I haven't seen him for the last few days." Amari shrugged, but I caught the way her fingers tightened briefly around her knees. She was concealing her feelings, as usual.
"…Did he just leave?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, a flicker of concern tightening in my chest.
"Didn't Apricot tell you?" Amari tilted her head, her braid sliding over her shoulder as she gave me a sideways glance.
"I haven't seen her either; I was busy with something until now." I shrugged, my tail flicking behind me, waiting for her to elaborate.
"What, killing people again?" Amari scoffed, smirking as she tried to joke about it.
"No? Why do you think I only do that in my spare time?" I said, narrowing my eyes and putting mock offense in my tone.
"I don't know," she muttered, still grinning.
"Sigh, whatever. Regardless, he only has a two-day fight scheduled. He might show up," I said, shrugging again.
"Oh damn, we're only going to face each other in the finals." Amari groaned, her voice carrying equal parts irritation and disappointment.
"What, do you want to get beaten again in front of everyone?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused.
"Heh, as if it will be the same," Amari grinned, her eyes gleaming with a challenge.
"Haha, we will have to wait and see," I laughed, leaning back on my hands.
'She might give me a run for my money if I am as I am right now,' I thought, chuckling quietly to myself.
"I actually thought I would be getting that person first," I said, shifting the topic back, my gaze returning to the board.
'Though this works out better. I can conduct experiments on the other angels first, test their defenses, their holy spells, their stamina—everything—before I fight that guy.' My mind turned over the possibilities, plans already forming.
"Yes, Mom said she'd set up a match between you two, but I'm curious what happened," Amari said, squinting at the board with a thoughtful frown.
"The Angels, most likely," I muttered, shrugging. It was evident that someone within the management had taken advantage.
"Hmm, do you think Mom knows?" Amari asked, tilting her head back.
"Probably," I replied simply. Just as the word left my lips, Amari's phone buzzed loudly in her lap.
"Discuss the devil, and she will emerge," Amari chuckled, smirking as she picked it up.
"Don't call me a devil, Amari." Mom's annoyed voice snapped from the other side.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Whatever. Kitsuna, are you there as well?" Mom asked, her tone sharp enough to make me raise an eyebrow at the little device.
"Of course," I said flatly.
"Right. So I guess you guys saw the matches?"
"Yes."
"Good. It's too late to change anything, so just focus on the opponent in front of you. You two do your best to win every match, alright? Let the grown-ups worry about the people behind this. Kitsuna, please enjoy being a child for the next week. Don't take on any big responsibilities," Mom said, her voice softening at the end.
Her words made me grin. 'She probably has some plans set in motion. Well, I have my own, too, I thought, nodding to myself.
"It's okay, I'll play like a child," I said, my grin widening mischievously.
"Sigh, please just don't kill anyone, Kitsuna. Amari, you can go all out; just don't disintegrate the opponents, please. Well, if it's an angel, kill it."
"Alright, Mom," Amari replied, her lips twitching.
"Good luck on your first fight, Kitsuna. By the way, Rachel will be going against Amari first. You have some paladins to fight; go wild, alright." Mom dropped the bombshell casually before ending the call.
The line went dead, and silence hung between us.
"Sigh, I did think she would do that," I muttered.
"Why me?" Amari groaned, her voice filled with raw anger.
"Don't know. We both could kill her easily; she's still quite the weak ass."
"How sure are you?" Amari asked, her voice dropping low.
"Heh, against me, she will always be weak," I said, scoffing.
"Right, you have that thing in her," Amari noted, nodding.
"Nope, we managed to remove it," I said, shrugging.
"What?" Amari's eyes went wide, shock flashing across her face.
"Yeah, I tried to kill her the other day, but nothing happened," I explained with complete nonchalance.
"She managed to get rid of it somehow," Amari muttered, tilting her head, confusion lacing her tone.
"Yes, but I'm sure they don't know how I put it in her exactly."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because she might be dumb, but she isn't dumb enough to get close to me again knowing I can just put it back with ease."
"Hmm."
"In any case, I have a thirty-minute fight scheduled, so I will go and prepare." I leaned forward and gave Amari a quick hug before standing.
"You need to get ready?" Amari asked sarcastically, raising a brow.
"Yeah, of course. I need to make sure my plan will work," I said, laughing.
"Sigh." Amari just shook her head before turning and walking away.
"Haha." My laugh lingered as I leaped from the roof, landing lightly on the next, then the next, until I dropped down into the slums.
I wonder how our fight will go. I mean, I know the Paladin class and everything, but they might have some unknown skills. Angels always have their little tricks.' I smiled more broadly at the idea of battling a new opponent.
"Pah, who am I kidding? They're going to be weak regardless of what happens and what they have prepared," I said aloud, laughing as my voice echoed down the alley.
Pulling my hood over my head, I slowed my steps, emerging from the shadows of the alley into the crowd. Wearing a mask and a hat, I transformed into an unknown figure, vanishing from the sight of anyone foolish enough to be watching me.
'I can't even have Mom know about my plan this time,' I thought darkly, sinking into anonymity.
[Stacy POV]
"Ahaah, why did you change it?" I said sharply, glaring at the king seated before me. My arms were crossed, and my foot tapped against the polished marble floor, my temper barely in check.
"I want Kitsuna to take care of all the angels first," the king said evenly, though I could see his jaw tightening.
"I understand that, but why did you not put Rachel in her group as well?" I pressed, not letting him brush me off.
"I don't know the reason for that," he admitted, glancing toward the minister at his side.
"Even the twins are in Kitsuna's group. Do you have that little faith in them?" I demanded, my voice sharp enough to make both men stiffen.
"Yes, I do. They are spoiled kids," the king said bluntly.
"You would be surprised how they've changed in the last month because of Kitsuna and Amari teaching them," I shot back, my glare hard.
"Sure, but I won't check everyone's power ranking every month," the minister said flippantly, waving a hand.
I narrowed my eyes and leaned forward. "You don't need to. You just have to ask. Must I remind you who has the strongest army in this country?" My words carried venom, and my glare pinned the minister like an insect.
"Stacy Draig, do not make me take that as a threat," the captain of the royal guard growled, his voice like steel.
"I am only pointing out that we are better in training than you royal guards are. Or should I remind you who created your special squad?" My voice cut through the room, the memory hanging heavy.
The captain flinched, lips pressing thin.
"…Haah, Stacy, please just accept the roster changes," the king finally said, shaking his head.
"Your Majesty, we are in the middle of a crisis, and everyone is doing their own thing. No one is planning together. Like seriously, don't you realize how bad that can get if we go down this path further?" I said, my voice steady and controlled but carrying the full weight of my conviction.
"…You have a point."
"Right. So please, let me take it from here. The Black Ops team and I will be more than enough to minimize the damage," I said, bowing slightly, though my eyes never left his.
"Minimize?" The king raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. If we had forced them to start their attack earlier, there would have been fewer casualties. As we know, the closer to the finale we get, the more people there will be in the city," I explained, my tone precise.
"Yes."
"Damn," the minister muttered, cursing under his breath.
"Yeah, you didn't think about that, did you?" I said, my stare locking on him like a predator's.
The silence that followed was thick, but the point had been made.