The white board rolls once again, revealing number 60 and 70 to be the next fight. Two girls walk up to the stage - one with ocean like eyes and the other with long sleek black hair and each step she take a wonderful fragrance exudes from her body.
Kaito swings his arm down signalling the two girls to begin. On the other hand Nero has his full attention at what Tamia just said.
"You remember when you said I should speak to people around the school to get information."
Nero pauses first before nodding in agreement.
"When I was getting that information, I noticed that some people kept avoiding me. Those being Reiji, his two friends and Koruto."
"Them doing that means they know our true secret."
"Let me explain, and it's not just them. There are others, however I'll get to that later. For now let me tell you about Koruto. I started becoming suspicious of him when he was trailing behind us after the survival exam."
"Continue." Nero says.
"Though we were walking at a pace where he can walk past us, he kept walking behind us."
"He heard everything we spoke about."
"Yes!" Nero looks deep in her eyes to confirm that Tamia is sure about what she just said. "Another thing that I noticed about him is the way he kept his eyes on us when we were outside the academy."
Nero moves his eyes all around to try and find where Koruto is at the moment. Sadly, he is nowhere to be seen.
"If he does know, why hasn't he told the shogunate?"
Tamia ask herself the same questions. And as she comes with a theory - a realization clicks in her mind.
"Nero, have you noticed that there has been an increase of guards compared to yesterday." She looks every corner at where the guards might be.
"They are just here to watch the tournament."
"Anyhow, the next ones are Reiji and his two friends. I know you doubted them from the start. Even if we got the information about Reiji's dad , it always felt like bait in order for them to know something about us."
Nero guffaws as everyone wonder if his laughing about the match.
"Don't worry about them." He stops laughing to add, "After all they are weak."
Tamia slowly breaths out. Since Faizan told him to stop killing , she's been afraid that Nero might has changed.
'How dare he compliment Kazuki's progress not mine.' She thinks to herself.
The fact that Nero just said Kazuki's weak has brought calmness to him.
"What'chu smiling about?" Nero ask.
"Nothing."
The blue eyes girl does the Rin, Hei, Toh and Kai hand sign. She leaps towards the sleek black haired girl - slightly missing her punch and making a crate on the ground.
Seeing an open opportunity, the sleek black haired girl delivers a kick straight to the abnormal, sending her a few meters across from the ring.
'Thank you for your help once again faizan.' She thinks to herself with a grin. 'For all the information I found from that book of yours.'
"Now for the ones am sure about is Yoshiro and Kaito-sensei."
It has been long since she has seen such an expression on Nero's face. Truly she feels thankful for coming on this mission.
"No need to explain, those two were pretty obvious during Faizan's match"
"Knowing all this just leaves us with questions?" Tamia adds, "Like what is Koruto planning? How did Yoshiro and Kaito-sensei find out about our secret? And what should we do about Reiji's group."
Nero examines everyone Tamia mentioned (except Koruto and Yoshiro, since they are nowhere to be seen).
"Well those questions will be soon answered." Nero says with a grin like a dog smiling.
The fight has ended and the winner is number 70, the long sleek black haired girl has won. She walks out of the arena to stand at a nearby wall, at the same time the white board shows up again. Revealing the last fight of Day 2 Round 1.
Which is number 1 and 75. A surge of emotion fills up Tamia, as the time for Nero to fight has come. It's not just her, but everyone who knows his secret are exhilarated at the fact they can witness him fight.
"Kazuki do you still remember his ability?" Reiji ask.
"I will never forget it." With a smile on his face, Kazuki respond.
He now stands at the arena in his usual poker face - staring not at his opponent but Kaito. Kaito does the same with both of them keeping it up for a few seconds.
"Now begin!" Kaito swings his hand down.
Nero continues to lock eyes with Kaito, however his opponent who is tall enough to be identified as an adult and a leather vest with a golden bear on it's back, runs towards him.
In a split moment the match is over. The spectators expecting a large flow of blood from the massive open hole their witnessing. Is nowhere to be seen.
For the first time Nero turns his attention to his opponent. Detecting coldness in his arm and hearing a sound of tiny sparks colliding with his skin.
"I exposed." He chuckles. "Bad."
Hearing those words, a chill runs up his arms. Nero pulls away his hand and stepping a few steps away.
The arena has just now been surrounded confusion all throughout. Kazuki however is all full of smiles.
On the other hand, Tamia is flabbergasted not at whatever this kid is. But at the fact that Nero just stepped back from someone.
Kaito coughs to. "Um…I don't know what you are, but it would be best if you head to the SORA POLICE." Walking slowly towards him.
"I stop."
Kaito halts.
"Since you figured. I kill everyone."
Everyone raise their guards prepared to either fight or run away at a moments haste.
"Well, if you insist we will have to…"
Nero cuts him of by saying.
"How bout I first fight him?" The same grin he had when he killed Victus has appeared once more.
Questions and confusions fills up his mind. As the right move right now would be for him to cancel the match. On the other side, he wants to witness how strong Nero really is if he was able to infiltrate the state without being found out.
"Well, do whatever you want." Kaito swings his hand once more.
Nero leaps to the kid like a predator jumping towards it's prey. He puts his two feet on the kids hips and places his hands on opposite side of the kids head.
Like twisting a cloth to draw out the water, Nero turn the kids head sideways. However the kid raises his hand, emitting a yellow light, that blast Nero.
Everyone's expression turns from shock to relieve, as Nero is still alive and in the same position he was before the light. Except Tamia who is breathing heavy at the torn clothes on Nero's almost naked body.
"How?" The kid ask with a confused expression. "You burnt to ash."
"Someone at your level will never damage my body." Whispering to the kid.
Nero let's go of the kids head that is facing sideways. Putting them on the edges of the hole he made on him.
"You posses no Sei."
Similar to a glass breaking apart, all the kids body parts flies to different places of the arena. However, the head lands infront of a girl who screams in shock seeing the brain of the kid roll outside the kids head.
One of the security ninjas think quickly collecting each part.
"Sorry I didn't mean to kill him." Nero bows his head.
Kaito ignores him. For what reason he does not know himself.
With all the parts collected, Kaito informs everyone that the tournament shall continue and the next fighters should come to the arena.
"Guys wish me luck." Lia says to the two boys.
The two boys wish her the luck she wants.
It has finally come. The day she's been waiting for. Ever since what Nero, Tamia, Faizan did to Victus and his brothers. She has promised herself she will beat them one by one.
The two girls stand across each other on the cracked and bloodied area.
"How've you been doing?" Lia ask. "It really is a shame that I didn't fight. You seemed like the weakest among your friends."
"Hahahahahaha!" Weakest you say? From what I remember you and your friends lost and you ran away like a coward."
The students wonder what their are talking about.
"Just know this. I won't let you run away nor underestimate you like the last time."
"What a stupid thing to say."
"Whatever. Similar to what I did to Shiru I will do the same to you." With a smirk on her face.
The two girls both run towards each other.
TBC.
NEXT CHAPTER: PRELUDE 18