Lila slowly opened her eyes, groggily taking in her surroundings. She was still in the healing room, surrounded by the soothing sounds of soft chatter and gentle humming. As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through her body, making her wince.
A gentle voice spoke beside her, "Lila, don't try to move. You're not fully recovered yet."
Lila turned to see a healer standing beside her, a kind smile on her face.
"But I feel fine," Lila protested, trying to swing her legs over the side of the bed.
The healer firmly but gently restrained her. "I'm afraid you're not fine, Lila. You need to rest for the entire day. No walking, no standing. Just rest."
Lila sighed, feeling a pang of frustration. But she knew the healer was right. She didn't want to risk injuring herself further.
As the morning wore on, Lila grew restless. Just as she was starting to feel anxious, the door to the healing room burst open, and Shinji strode in, a bright smile on his face.
"Lila! You're looking great!" Shinji exclaimed, dropping into the chair beside her bed.
Lila smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. "Shinji, I'm so glad to see you."
Shinji chuckled. "I'm glad to see you too, Lila. I was worried sick about you."
Lila's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'm fine, Shinji. Just a little banged up."
Shinji grinned. "Well, you're definitely looking better than you did yesterday. I'm just glad you're okay."
As they chatted, Lila's thoughts turned to Kai. "Hey, Shinji, where's Kai?"
Shinji's brow furrowed. "Actually, I haven't seen him. I thought he might be around here somewhere."
Lila's concern deepened. "I hope he's okay."
Shinji nodded. "Don't worry, Lila. I'm sure he's fine."
Lila's eyes widened as she remembered the match. "Shinji, what about the match today?"
Shinji's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, that's a good question. I need to find Kai and find a replacement for you Lila.
Shinji's voice was calm and measured, but Lila could sense a hint of underlying urgency.
Shinji nodded and turned to leave, but just as he reached the door, Kai walked in, a bright smile on his face.
"Ah, Shinji, I see you're already here," Kai said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Lila's face flushed with a soft blush as Kai's gaze met hers. "Morning, Kai. How are you today?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kai strode over to Lila's side, his smile growing wider. "I'm doing great, thanks for asking. And how are you feeling today, Lila?"
Lila's blush deepened as she smiled up at Kai. "I'm all good, Kai. Thanks for asking."
Kai's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "Good. Now Shinji we have a match to win today"
Shinji, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Oh, don't get too comfortable, Mr. SSS rank adventurer. We still don't know who Kieran's leader is, and unless you're forgetting, Kieran is an S rank while I'm just an A rank."
Kai's smile never wavered. "Don't worry, Shinji. I don't think Kieran can be more powerful than those elder wolves you fought. I'm sure that if you go and recheck your rank, you'll find that you're now an S rank too."
Just then, the guild master burst into the healing room, a look of urgency on his face. "Nobles, it's time to go! Everyone is waiting for you in the city arena, have you forgotten you have a match today."
As the guild master turned to leave, Shinji fell into step behind him, casting a quick glance back at Lila. "I'll be back, Lila. Don't worry."
Kai turned to Lila, his smile softening into a gentle expression. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't worry, Lila. We'll do this. And when you're all healed up, I want to tell you something. Please remind me, okay?"
Lila's heart skipped a beat as Kai's warm breath caressed her ear. She felt a flutter in her chest, her face growing hotter by the second.
As Kai straightened up and turned to leave, Lila's mind reeled with the implications of his words. So Kai truly does have feelings for me, she thought, her heart racing with excitement.
The door closed behind Kai, leaving Lila to her thoughts.
Meanwhile, Kai's expression turned introspective as he walked away. "This time, I'll give my all to this team... but I won't trust them. I can't trust anyone ever again."
As the guild master, Kai, and Shinji arrived at the city arena, the air was electric with excitement. The arena's grandeur took Kai's breath away – towering stone pillars supported the roof, while intricate carvings depicting epic battles adorned the walls. The arena's floor was a vast expanse of polished silver stone, reflecting the light of the hundreds of lanterns suspended from the ceiling.
The crowd was a sea of colorful robes, with guild members, adventurers, and citizens of the city all gathered to witness the highly anticipated match. The air was thick with the hum of conversation, the scent of roasting meats wafting from the food stalls, and the distant clang of hammering on metal.
As Kai and Shinji made their way through the crowd, whispers and murmurs followed them. "This is going to be the best match ever!" someone exclaimed. "I heard Kieran's team has been training in secret – today's match is going to be intense!" another spectator chimed in. A hooded figure leaned in to whisper to a companion, "I had to leave my workshop unfinished to come watch this – it's going to be worth it!"
The guild master led Kai and Shinji to the stage at the center of the arena, where Kieran and Shake stood waiting. Kieran's smile was confident as he gazed out at the crowd. "So, the Noble's queen, Lila, is still out of commission? This should end quickly."
The guild master's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned to Kieran. "So, Kieran is your group's leader? Is he here, or should we disqualify him like Lila before the match even begins?"
A worried voice piped up from the crowd, "Um, Guild Master, unless I'm wrong, we still have an hour left before the matches begin?"
The guild master nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Very well. While we wait for your group leader, let's start the group member evaluation routine."
The guild master raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent. "Okay, everyone! Are you ready for the Guild Team vs Team match?"
The arena erupted into a cacophony of cheers and screams as the crowd shouted in unison, "YES!"
The guild master's voice boomed out across the arena, "Okay, everyone! We will begin with the member evaluation! Since the first match was supposed to be Shake vs Lila, we shall start by examining them! And since Lila is not here, Shake, please stand forward!"
As Shake walked to the guild master, three guild members entered the arena, carrying three large, glowing orbs. These orbs were known as Orb Verification Orb and were used to determine an adventurer's rank. One of the guild members placed an orb in front of the guild master.
The guild master announced, "Okay, Shake, please hold the orb."
Shake, still waving to the crowd, stopped and touched the orb. The orb turned a bright red, and the guild master announced, "Shake, A-rank adventurer."
The crowd applauded as the guild master continued, "Now, the next match is Shinji vs Kieran. May you both step forward."
Shinji stepped forward, and the arena fell silent. Kieran smiled, whispering to Shake, "What's the point of this? We already know he's an A-rank adventurer."
Shinji held the orb, and it turned a dark purple. The guild master's voice caught in his throat as he announced, "Shinji, S-rank adventurer."
The crowd erupted into cheers, and Kieran's smile faltered. "How is this possible?" he muttered. "He was an A-rank adventurer just three days ago."
The guild master's eyes narrowed at Kieran. "You're wasting our time. Please, you're up next. Touch the orb."
Kieran's hand trembled slightly as he held the orb, which turned purple. The guild master announced, "Kieran, S-rank adventurer."
The guild master cleared her throat, continuing, "Now, the team leader match is Kai vs the leader of Kieran's team, who we still don't know. So, Kai, please stand forward."
As Kai stepped forward, the guild master began to step back, creating distance between herself and the arena center. A whisper spread through the crowd, "Wait and see, I heard that when an SSS-rank adventurer touches the orb, it breaks or explodes."
Kai held the orb, and without warning, it exploded in a burst of light and energy. The sound of shattering glass and the acrid smell of ozone filled the air.
The guild master returned to the stage, announcing, "Kai, SSS-rank adventurer."
The crowd went wild, cheering and chanting Kai's name. The guild master raised his hand, silencing the crowd. "Okay, so let's wait. The teams with missing participants have 30 minutes to bring their member here, or they will be disqualified."
A voice boomed from outside the arena, echoing off the walls. "So, who do you think you're going to disqualify, Guild Master, Goro?" The voice was intimidating, sending a shiver down the spines of the crowd.
The entrance of the arena erupted into chaos, with people shouting and pointing. "It's him! It's really him!"
The guild master's expression turned stern, his eyes narrowing. "Who just said that?"
The voice continued, dripping with malice. "So, you go by Kai now, and you've built up your little Nobles. What a joke. You're still the same loser that l have always known."
Kai's eyes widened as he looked toward the stage entrance, his mind racing. Who was this person, and how do they know him?
The voice continued, "I am the leader of Kieran's team. I am Kaito Ryujin, one of the three Heroes."
Kaito emerged from the entrance, his eyes fixed on Kai with an evil grin spreading across his face. His grin was twisted, with a hint of madness in his eyes. "It's been a long time, Zayn Kaito Thompson. Or should I say, Kai?"