If I can win this tournament, I can infiltrate Seven Eclipse, thought Gamma, gazing at the night sky from behind the window of a small inn on the outskirts of town. Even though it's dangerous... I have to help Kak Arya. I can't fail.
The match would begin in two days. Gamma disappeared from public places, wandering the city's alleys in search of additional information.
This place is really unpleasant... he thought as he looked at the black market filled with slave traders, gambling, and wild fights. But the participants... even though they are scary and strong, they are nothing compared to Kak Arya and Kak Dina.
Two days passed.
"TEST! TEST! HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE!" The man's enthusiastic voice echoed throughout the arena. "SOON, THE LIFE-AND-DEATH TOURNAMENT AT THE COLOSSEUM TO COMPETE FOR THE EMPTY SEAT OF MARS,THE FIRE,IN THE SEVEN ECLIPSE WILL BEGIN!"
Cheers erupted. The arena was packed with spectators from all over the region,and of course, most of them were not good people.
Gamma pulled his hood tighter, covering most of his face. "Finally, today begins..."
Several fights had already taken place. When it was Gamma's turn,
"THE SEVENTH FIGHT! HO?! THE CONTESTANT... A CHILD?!"
The crowd suddenly became noisy. Murmurs mixed with derisive laughter could be heard from all corners.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS, A CHILD?!"
"BUT I HEARD HE'S STRONG! ISN'T HE AFRAID OF DEATH?! YES, LET'S CONTINUE! THIS BATTLE: REISA VS BLOODY!"
Gamma, who registered under the pseudonym 'Reisa', stepped into the arena.
Bloody, a large man with a contemptuous look, shrugged.
"Hey, hey! What the hell is this? The organisers are letting a kid fight?! Are they sane?! Go home, kid! You'll die."
"Good afternoon, sir. Sorry, I'm not going home," Gamma replied calmly.
"What?! I can kill you in an instant!"
"Oh, alright then. Let's begin."
"THE FIGHT... BEGINS!"
Bloody lunged straight forward. But just one step away from Gamma, his body froze stiffly.
"Phantom String," whispered Gamma.
An invisible string bound Bloody's body. A moment later,
"Sever Line."
His opponent's body was silently cut into pieces.
"WHAT IS THAT?! WHY IS BLOODY'S BODY BEING CUT INTO PIECES?!" the commentator screamed hysterically.
The audience suddenly fell silent, then broke out in a sweat as they watched the brief and deadly duel.
"THE WINNER IS REISA!"
Amidst the commotion, a calm voice was heard from the upper stands.
"Hooo... it seems like there's a promising newcomer this time."
Gamma breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew... finally, my first match is over..."
Suddenly, someone greeted her from behind.
"Nice to meet you, little girl."
Gamma turned around in surprise. "Who,?!"
A beautiful woman with a seductive body and a seductive smile stood casually in front of her. She had long, wavy hair, and her tight clothes elegantly but frighteningly hugged her body.
"Ara~ sorry to surprise you. My name is Venus. The Water, from Seven Eclipse. Nice to meet you, little girl."
Gamma froze. Venus... from Seven Eclipse?!
"G-good afternoon. My name is Reisa. I really want to join Seven Eclipse," she said nervously.
"Ara, how cute~ After seeing your first fight... you're very strong. You can definitely join. Besides... I like you."
"Th-thank you very much..."
"Alright, see you again, Reisa-chan~"
Venus walked away, leaving behind a faint scent of water and danger.
The next day, the Colosseum was even more boisterous than usual.
"ALL RIGHT, WE'VE REACHED THE SEMI-FINALS!" shouted the commentator, his voice echoing throughout the arena. "THIS TIME, THE FIGHTER IS THE LITTLE GIRL WHO STUNNED EVERYONE LAST NIGHT,REISA!"
The audience's shouts and cheers reached a fever pitch.
"HER OPPONENT IS THE MAN NICKNAMED 'STEELMAN'! THE MAN WHO IS SAID TO BE ABLE TO COVER HIS ENTIRE BODY IN STEEL!"
Gamma stepped into the arena with calm steps. Opposite him, a burly, dark-skinned man stood arrogantly, his body already beginning to be covered in shiny metal.
"Good afternoon and nice to meet you, sir," Gamma greeted him with a respectful bow.
Steelman raised his eyebrows and laughed. "A polite boy... but this is the arena. Don't expect mercy."
"THE FIGHT... BEGINS!"
"Steel Body!" shouted Steelman, his body instantly turning shiny like steel. He charged straight at Gamma.
"Die!"
Gamma jumped aside lightly. "No need to rush, sir."
"Phantom String!"
Thin, transparent strings wrapped around Steelman's legs, stopping his attack.
Steelman growled. "What kind of strings are these? Useless!" With full force, he destroyed the snare. "Steel Punch!"
Gamma took a quick breath.
"String Binding!"
Invisible strings appeared from various directions, tightly wrapping Steelman's body, leaving only his head exposed.
"Thread Guillotine."
Instantly, thin horizontal threads slid at invisible speed, cutting Steelman's neck with precision.
His head fell, rolling on the arena floor. The steel body collapsed.
"WHAT?! STEELMAN DIED THAT EASILY?!"
"THE FIGHT IS OVER IN 15 SECONDS!"
"THE WINNER IS REISA! THE MAGICAL GIRL!"
Cheers echoed. Reisa's name was shouted repeatedly. But Gamma remained silent, walking away from the arena with her head bowed.
"Little monster"? I'm not a monster... I just want to be like the great Arya and Dina...
Outside the arena, someone greeted her with a teasing smile.
"Another impressive victory, Reisa-chan."
Gamma turned her head. "Venus!"
"How did you get so strong, hmm? Who taught you?"
"A teacher... an old man in the forest. His name... I don't know."
"I see~ So your teacher is more amazing than you, right? Ara~"
"He is great," Gamma replied honestly. "And I want to join Seven Eclipse because... I like strong people."
Venus narrowed her eyes, watching Gamma's face with interest. "Hmm... you're interesting. But be careful, Reisa-chan. Sometimes... giving false information can be more deadly than not giving any information at all."
Gamma swallowed silently.
"By the way," Venus continued, "can I give you a little hint? Because you'll be part of us soon and... you're cute too~"
Gamma nodded quickly.
"Seven Eclipse has seven members. But the Mars seat is currently vacant. And it will soon be filled by you~"
"Are they... strong?"
"Of course. We're not some small-time organization."
"I can't wait to join you guys!" said Gamma, clenching her small fists.
"So cute~ See you later, Reisa-chan~"
Venus disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.
That means... there are six people left. If they're really that strong, it'll be troublesome. But if we take them on one by one, maybe we can slowly reduce their numbers...
Gamma immediately reported all the information to Arya and Dina via secret communication.
"So there are seven seats in Seven Eclipse," Arya muttered, listening intently. "And you only know about the Venus element?"
"Yes, that's all. Even the underground organization doesn't have any information about them."
"In that case," said Arya, "the only way to find out more... is from within."
"By the way, who spread the information about the empty Mars seat?"
"The King's aide," replied Gamma quickly. "Maybe because Mars is dead, so the information is considered worthless."
Arya nodded. "Thank you, Gamma. But be careful. Don't push yourself too hard."
"I miss you," Dina interjected. "Can't you just teleport here for a moment?"
"Don't," Arya cut in quickly. "Teleportation could arouse suspicion. Especially if there are trackers around Gamma."
"Oh... I see."
"Take care of yourself, Gamma," Dina said again. "Don't be too reckless!"
"Okay, sis!"
The next day...
"IT'S THE FINAL! THE TWO MOST DEADLY FIGHTERS IN THIS TOURNAMENT WILL BATTLE: REISA THE MIRACLE GIRL AND SHIN THE SILENT ONE!"
"BOTH OF THEM FINISHED THEIR PREVIOUS FIGHTS IN RECORD TIME! WHO WILL WIN? AND WHO WILL DIE?!"
Gamma entered the arena. Her opponent,Shin,was dressed in tight black clothes like a ninja. He is slim, about 160 cm tall, with a thin sword hanging from his waist.
He is like Kak Dina... fast and silent. But I have to win.
"THE FIGHT BEGINS!"
Shin disappears instantly. But not like Gamma, rather because of his extreme speed.
Gamma was ready. Before entering the arena, he had wrapped part of his body in thin threads as a defense.
Cling! Shin's sword struck the threads on Gamma's body.
"Vanish!"
Gamma disappeared for five seconds, moving quickly to the side. "Thread Lancer!"
Sharp threads like spears were thrown at Shin, but he dodged them nimbly.
"Thread Trap!"
A trap emerged from underground,Shin was almost caught, but managed to jump backwards.
"Phantom String!"
Once again, Shin escaped.
Tch... this is difficult. Even if he's not as fast as Kak Dina, he's still hard to catch!
The attacks continued rapidly, making it difficult for the audience to follow.
"THE FIGHT IS SO FAST! EVEN REISA CAN DISAPPEAR?!"
In the stands, Venus narrowed her eyes and muttered softly. "Disappear... that's a rare skill. Only 0.2% of the world's population can do it. Ara~ Reisa-chan is getting more and more interesting."
Slash!
Gamma groaned softly. One of his limbs that wasn't covered in thread was slashed.
Shin appeared behind him, slashing again,Gamma narrowly dodged.
If this keeps up... I'll lose. I have to use everything!
"Thread Phantom!"
Two illusory threads,one real and one fake,were launched. Shin moved to the right, falling into the real trap.
"Thread Bind,now!"
Threads from the ground spread quickly, binding Shin's legs.
"Thread Guillotine!"
Horizontal threads shot out, cutting the opponent's legs.
"W-what?! You were spreading threads from the start?!"
"I knew I couldn't win with strength alone. So... I used everything."
Shin fell. Blood pooled.
"You're strong... but I have someone far stronger than you. Thank you for the simulation."
"Sever Line."
Shin's body was cleanly cut into several pieces.
"THE WINNER IS REISA! THE MARS SEAT OF FIRE IS OFFICIALLY OCCUPIED BY THE ONE WHO DESERVES IT!"
The audience cheered enthusiastically.
"REISA! REISA! REISA!"
Gamma exited the arena as the winner. The battle lasted only two minutes.
As soon as she left the arena, Gamma almost staggered from exhaustion.
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and hugged her tightly.
"You're amazing, Reisa-chan!" said a soft voice she recognized.
Gamma was surprised. "Venus-san?!"
Venus rested her chin on Gamma's shoulder, her voice spoiled but deep. "But... how did you disappear just now? Isn't that a rare ability?"
Here we go... thought Gamma. I have to find a believable excuse...
"That... I learned it from my teacher," she replied, smiling stiffly. "But there's a downside, sis."
"A downside?"
"Yes. The disappearance only lasts for five seconds. Even if I repeat it, after five seconds my body will reappear."
Venus was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "So that's why you reappeared immediately after disappearing, huh?"
"That's right, sis."
"Ara~ But you're still amazing! And welcome to Seven Eclipse, Reisa-chan~"
Gamma bowed respectfully. "Thank you... I look forward to working with you."
"Tomorrow I'll introduce you to the other members. Now, please get some rest. You must be tired."
"Yes, Sister Venus."
Gamma walked away... with a new burden on his shoulders,he had successfully infiltrated the lair of the deadliest assassins in the world.
The next day, Gamma stood in front of a large black metal door guarded by two soldiers in dark robes. Behind that door was the headquarters of Seven Eclipse.
The address is correct, right...?
"Hoo~ Reisa-chan, you came too."
Gamma turned her head. Venus walked over with a gentle smile. "Come on in."
The door opened slowly, revealing a magnificent hall with tall pillars and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. At the end of the room stood a large round table with seven high chairs,six of which were occupied.
Gamma walked slowly behind Venus, her heart pounding.
"Here we are," said Venus. "Reisa, the winner of our Colosseum. Our new teammate."
One of the members narrowed his eyes.
"A kid?" he muttered.
"It doesn't matter," replied another flatly. "As long as she's strong."
No one smiled. Their aura was heavy, cold, oppressive.
"N-nice to meet you. M-my name is Reisa," said Gamma, bowing deeply.
Venus smiled reassuringly. "Don't be nervous. They are scary, but they won't bite... unless you're weak."
Gamma swallowed hard.
"One of us is absent," Venus continued. "He's chasing the Exone group."
Gamma's eyes widened. Exone? They were after Kak Arya?!
"You've heard of Exone, right? The killer of rulers?"
Gamma nodded slightly. "Yes... just rumors from the citizens."
"All right. Sit down first," said Venus, pointing to an empty chair. "I'll introduce you one by one."
Gamma sat down slowly. The atmosphere was still heavy. The aura of pressure was suffocating.
Venus began pointing at each one.
"The big, muscular one,Saturn, the Earth."
Saturn snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"The handsome and calm one,Jupiter, the Wind."
Jupiter just glanced over without expression.
"The lazy woman who's sleeping,Mercury, the Poison."
Mercury just mumbled indistinctly, remaining lying down while covering her face with her arm.
"The one who is absent,Neptune, the Ice. And lastly, our leader... the king's aide,Noctis, the Void."
Noctis sat in the highest chair. His face was cold and unreadable, the aura emanating from him very different from the others,as if he were emptiness itself.
Venus turned and smiled sweetly. "What do you think, Reisa-chan?"
Gamma nodded slowly. "They... look very strong..."
"Ara~ you're strong too, you know~"
Saturn growled. "How strong can a kid that small be?"
"He's way more useful than you, who can only destroy walls!" Venus replied with a grin.
"Huh?!"
Jupiter asked calmly, "What are your abilities?"
"I... use thread weapons. And... I can disappear for five seconds," Gamma replied.
Jupiter raised an eyebrow. "Disappear? Hmm... a rare ability. Even five seconds can be deadly if used correctly."
Mercury just glanced over. Still lazy.
Noctis stared sharply at Gamma. "Welcome aboard, Reisa."
Gamma stood up and bowed. "It's nice to meet you all. I look forward to working with you."
Venus chuckled softly. "No need to be so tense."
Noctis got straight to the point. "Do you know about Exone?"
Gamma shook her head. "Only... from rumors."
"What is your purpose for joining us?"
Gamma stared straight ahead. "I like strong people. When I arrived in the capital, I immediately joined an underground organization and saw a poster of the Colosseum. That's when I became interested."
Noctis stared intently, then nodded slightly.
"You like strong people?! Kuhahaha!" Saturn stood up, chuckling. "Kid, wanna spar with me?!"
Gamma was stunned. He could measure his strength at the same time...
"P-please help me!"
Venus turned her head. "Ara~ be careful, Reisa-chan. He's a musclehead!"
"Don't worry! Sparring won't kill you!" said Saturn.
They moved to the sparring arena. The spacious arena was only used by elite members.
Jupiter leaned against the wall. "I'm curious too."
Mercury glanced lazily. "...Looks exciting."
Venus stood in the middle of the arena. "I'll be the judge. Get ready... START!"
Saturn immediately charged with brute force. His huge fist slammed into the floor, creating a large hole.
Gamma dodged nimbly. Seriously?! He can destroy the floor with his bare hands?!
"Vanish!"
Gamma disappeared for a moment, reappearing behind Saturn.
"Thread Trap!"
Threads wrapped around Saturn's legs. The big man growled, but was restrained.
"From behind!" shouted Gamma.
Saturn turned, then laughed loudly. "Kuhahaha! Not bad, Reisa!"
Venus raised her hand. "The sparring match is over! That's enough to prove that Reisa-chan is strong and dangerous! Plus... she's cute!"
Jupiter nodded. "She's also smart in her strategy."
Noctis watched intently. "Not bad... for a kid her age."
Mercury... just sighed. "...Cute and strong..."
Saturn hugged her chest. "Kuhahaha! I like you, Reisa!"
"Th-thank you very much!"
Venus smiled. "I'll be going now. I have other business. See you later, Reisa-chan!"
"See you later, Venus!"
Everyone left the arena.
That night, Gamma stood in her room, looking around warily.
"Vanish."
Her body disappeared. She quickly searched the entire room,no bugs.
"Safe," she whispered.
He contacted Arya and Dina.
"Hello, Arya, Dina."
"Gamma? Are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine. And I... managed to get into Seven Eclipse."
"Hah! You're amazing, Gamma!" exclaimed Arya. "I'm proud of you."
"Totally!" added Dina.
Gamma smiled. "Hehe... Thank you. Now, about today's information..."
Gamma explained everything about the Seven Eclipse headquarters, its members, and their characteristics.
"Neptune is after us, huh..." muttered Arya. "But they didn't say how far he's gotten?"
"No. They just said he's chasing us."
"What was your impression after sparring with Saturn?"
"Even though he's an earth element, when fighting he only uses physical strength. He's all brawn, sis."
"If it's just brawn, it's easy," said Arya. "It's the other stuff that's troublesome."
"Are you guys okay there?" asked Gamma worriedly.
"Don't worry about us," Arya replied. "Your situation is the most dangerous right now."
"That's right!" Dina chimed in. "Don't be reckless! If they start to get suspicious, teleport immediately, okay?!"
"Okay, sis! See you later!"
"Take care of yourself, Gamma!"
Gamma's first infiltration was successful. But... would the next steps be as smooth?