The Next Contestant Arrives!!

Kazumi was sitting with a mountain of popcorn in his lap, chewing on it as if it was his last meal on planet Earth. He munched away, shoveling as he went, while being completely oblivious to the world he inhabited. That was until an airy voice broke into his popcorn fest.

“Mind if I sit here?”

Kazumi blinked, startled to be engaged in conversation. Sitting next to him was a girl with long black hair, chignon style but very chic. The left side had a streak of blue in it that sparkled in the light, and her eyes were pearled with subtle silver piercings in both earlobes. She wore a white necklace with a gold stone under her collarbone and a floral dress in brilliant blues, reds, and yellows that hugged her slender waist. She had a simple belt on and wore a bright blue shade of lipstick. I couldn't help but notice the scar on her cheek that whispered a thousand stories.

Kazumi stared at her for longer than he should have and finally said, "Uh... sure."

“I'm Viera. Looks like you're really into that popcorn.”

Kazumi snorted as he shoved another kernel into his mouth. “What can I say? I'm not here for the fashion show. Plus, I'm not trying to smoosh with all the other normalcy."

Viera laughed beautifully; it was warm, tender, and shockingly genuine. “Normalcy, huh? That's got to be one of the most cocky lines I have heard all day.”

Kazumi raised an eyebrow. “Wait, am I being hit on?”

Viera’s lips curled into a teasing smile. “Oh? You think so?”

Kazumi leaned back in his seat, scratching his head awkwardly. “Maybe. But what are you doing here? You seem… different from the others.”

Viera’s smile faltered, just slightly, as if something distant had crossed her mind. But then she quickly recovered. “Same reason you are, I guess. I’m watching the match, just like you. So, which one’s caught your eye?”

Kazumi hesitated, his gaze shifting toward the screen. He pointed to a figure sitting in the arena. “That one. Nozuchi Koroshi. I like how he doesn’t seem to care much about the whole spectacle.” He glanced at Viera. “I guess you could say I’m intrigued by people who don’t follow the usual rules.”

Viera leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. Kazumi felt his heart race a little at the proximity, but he didn’t move away. “Hmm, I wonder if you’re like that too... breaking the rules?”

Kazumi was about to respond when he noticed how close they were—just two inches apart. Uncomfortable, he shifted in his seat, but Viera grabbed his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Kazumi froze, flustered, unsure of how to react.

“W-What the—?” He fumbled with the remote, turning the volume up on the screen to drown out the awkwardness.

Meanwhile, on the screen, the match was beginning.

Nozuchi Koroshi sat in a meditative pose, eyes closed, the air around him swirling with a strange energy. His opponent, Alreia, stood in front of him, tapping his foot impatiently. “You think you can just sit there and meditate while I fight? You’re gonna regret that.”

Nozuchi’s eyes flickered open, but he didn’t move. Alreia, visibly frustrated, jumped high into the air and summoned a serpent made entirely of wind. It was massive, slithering toward Nozuchi with terrifying speed.

Without a word, Nozuchi exhaled slowly, and mist poured from his body, engulfing the air serpent. In an instant, the serpent dissolved into nothingness. The crowd gasped in awe.

“Let’s see what you can do before I get bored,” Nozuchi muttered, his voice calm and collected.

He vanished into the mist, and Alreia’s eyes darted around, trying to track him. The tension in the arena grew thick.

Nozuchi reappeared, holding a katana made from the arena floor, its blade shimmering with mist. He smiled faintly. “I’ll fight you with my fists to make things fair.”

Alreia, now nervous, swung his scythe in a wide arc, trying to catch Nozuchi. But Nozuchi was already behind him, effortlessly dodging. He watched as Alreia's frantic swings only hit empty air.

In a flash, Nozuchi closed the gap between them and sliced through Alreia’s defenses with such precision that the strike left no visible damage—only a deep, incapacitating pain. Alreia collapsed to the ground, knocked out cold.

Nozuchi stepped back, his neutral expression never changing. “I think I overdid it again.” He glanced at the crowd, his voice cutting through the air. “Save your screams for another fight.”

With a nonchalant shrug, Nozuchi turned and walked off the stage. The crowd remained stunned as they absorbed the sheer power of his display.

Back in the lounge, Kazumi sat with his mouth agape, his eyes glued to the screen. He had never seen a fight like that before—so calm, so controlled, yet so destructive. He reached for the remote to rewind the fight, but just as his finger hovered over the button, Viera’s soft breathing broke his concentration. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her face peaceful.

Kazumi stared at her, the discomfort now replaced by a strange sense of calm. He couldn’t help but smile at how cute she looked. “This is… not what I was expecting today.”

He decided not to move, not wanting to disturb her. His gaze lingered on the screen, where the last fight of the day was about to begin. The arena lights dimmed, and the announcer’s voice boomed.

Kazumi flicked the remote, changing to the final match. “Guess this is it…”

And with that, the scene closed, the screen going dark just as the next fight was about to begin.