21 Vs 4

“Hmmm,” Ruri, with a curious gaze, scratched the fur on his chin, his nails making a soft rasping sound against it. “What do we think so far?”

“Hmm, he seems very useless. Who is his sponsor?” An elf scoffed, looking at them with curiosity.

A pregnant silence fell into the room before Evan spoke up. “He is mine.” 

There was a much longer silence because he was a member of the royal family. Ruri tried to save the situation with a few positive words.

 “He’s clearly not the strongest candidate, but… he oddly exhibits heroic qualities,” Ruri offered, his tone laced with uncertainty.He framed it in a way that it seemed like he was questioning his own statement. Evan decided to defend his sponsee. “Actually, so far, he shows the most hero-like qualities. He refused to kill a human child, he's protecting another player, and he simply doesn't want to killl.”

A dwarf nodded. “When you say it like that, he does hold a lot of the traditional traits. He shows selflessness, integrity, bravery, compassion but… he is weak. Very, very weak. A true hero has strength.” 

“Strength isn't his only flaw; his ability is merely flying. What kind of hero only flies? He simply lacks what it takes to be a true hero.” A werewolf noted another one of the negative qualities. The different races in the room seemed skeptical, weighing in the pros and cons of Hayato. 

They looked at their buttons and decided to give him a score. Ruri watched as the votes went higher, he too, gave his own score. He got… thirty one votes in the hero ranking. 

“I don’t view him as a hero, nor a villain. He’s more likely to be one of those nobodies who perish quickly.” Azrael finished his observation. Evan clenched his fist but didn't say anything about the remarks. They only voted for him because the rules require everyone to vote each round from here onwards but nobody believed he was actually a hero. 

“Come on, don't disappoint me anymore than this, Genesis.”

_____________________________________________

They hid in the cave, just taking the time to get some rest before they got caught. Having one very opinionated teammate, Yuka conceded to his (bad) suggestion. Yuka had Misuki sit next to her, while Hayato and Silvia sat further away from them.

Hayato glared at Yuka for separating him from his sister. Silvia was wrapping the bandage on his body, a debt Yuka had not-so-gracefully reminded them they owed her. He winced as he turned, blushing at Silvia’s proximity.

“Why aren't you using your healing abilities?” Silvia asked, whispering so only he can hear her. 

His eyes widened. “How did you know I have healing abilities?”

As she expected, he must be hiding this information. “I… saw you when you fell off the cliff. You healed your wounds quickly.”

He healed himself? While unconscious? This confirms I have healing abilities. Maybe I should learn how to heal so I can save my sister or Silvia when they get hurt.

But at the current moment, he just wants this round to end so he can finally rest. Eleven hours of learning to fly, just to fight for his life soon after? He's not ready. 

“I do know, but I haven't gained control, so I don't know how to actually heal yet.” Hayato admitted bashfully.

 “Oh, I thought you were hiding it from me because you didn't trust me.” Silvia also blushed, scratching her neck nervously.

He vehemently denied it with a dismissive wave. “Never, I trust you Silvia.” He gave her a bright smile.

“I trust you too.” She smiled back, giggling, her fingertips on her lips.

She's so pretty. Hayato couldn't help but admire her.

Suddenly Silvia's face switched, a finger on her lips. “Shhhhh.”

Yuka and Misuki perked up at the soft voice. Silvia rose seven fingers. Seven players? That's a lot?

“Maybe we should look here?” A disembodied voice echoed.

“I already checked this cave before.” Another voice interjected.

“We need to check again just to make sure. We have fifty minutes left and we have yet to find Red? Like with this many people, we should have found them already.” The voices were creeping closer, and he could see Yuka getting prepared to fight, with Misuki hiding behind her. 

“There were some dead bodies… Do you think Red is strong?” The voices continued their conversation as the wet splash of water echoed. 

“Perhaps. It would explain why they haven't been found, that's why I gathered us as a team.” There were two people, a man and a woman, exchanging conversations. 

Yuka aimed, controlling her breathing and the moment a foot peeked, she shot. Another kill. The woman gasped but quickly recovered by throwing her arm above; a wave of dark energy flew to the cave, causing it to crumble. She immediately followed it to the ground, pushing herself out of it and further destroying it.

“Run!” Hayato screamed as he rushed forward and immediately looked at his Misuki. Yuka pulled her along with her, a shield on her hand for protection from the rocks. He looked at Silvia and pulled her along.

As they were about to reach the light, four figures stood and threw an attack. Yuka spun, in time and throwing her shield at them as distractions. Hayato immediately flew high above, pulling Silvia with him. Didn't she say there were seven? 

He could feel someone jump on his back; they had wings on their shoulders. “Someone here can fly too?”

They kicked him down, watching as his lack of control sent them plummeting. He tried to make his landing safe, rubble gathered around his feet, braking. 

While Yuka ran, Misuki released her hand, clutching a shield for protection as Yuka fought. 

What’s the one weapon that can save everyone here? Yuka racked her brain. A weapon suitable for multiple opponents. It needs to be big, capable of taking everyone down. Think.

There were two women in front of her. One  used dark energy protectiles. The other could turn her body into a hardened rock. Yuka shot the bullets, and they both dodge, spitting in opposite directions to distract her. She summoned two, her arms moving in different directions, shooting. They found my weakness. I can’t shoot accurately with both hands against two opponents. 

Yuka opted to charge against the hardened woman to avoid the long-ranged fighter. “Tiffany? Can you handle her? Len and Austin are coming over now.”

“Yes, her ability are weak against mine, so I’ll take care of it.” Tiffany announced as Yuka quirked a brow. Yuka fired repeatedly, the bullets simply deflected off her body. I see why she has an advantage. If there are six more, they must be planning to go two-on-two against each of us. I need to end their advantages. 

Since the bullets were useless, she went for a saber and changed her stance to a fencing stance. I don’t know how to fence, but I can imitate.

She bent her knee, drove forward, thrusting the sword. Almost as if mocking her, Tiffany just stood there as Yuka immediately backed away and followed it with another poke on the chest. It wasn’t going through her skin. Yuka clicked her tongue as Tiffany started to attack. She backed away multiple steps, making Tiffany push forward, throwing a punch on her stomach. 

This hurts so much! It feels like I'm being attacked with a hammer. Yuka spat, but she forced herself to push the tip into her feet. The blade passed through her foot, and she screamed loudly. She followed with a fast two-step kick, raising her knees for a frontal attack on her chin. Naturally, the enemy also struck her sides, knocking her to the ground. Yuka clutched her aching sides in pain, then dragged herself to standing fencing stance. 

“You don't fight like a fencer.” Tiffany noted, judging by the way she attacked her chin.

“Because I'm not!” Yuka dashed forward, aiming at her feet again. It made a ‘ting” sounds as if she hit metal again. 

“That won't work!” She elbowed her in back and then struck her by the back of her hand. 

Yuka rolled on the ground, pulling herself back up and aimed at her feet once more. “I told you it won't wor—” 

Yuka switched tto a sword, dug the tip into the ground and jumped, leveraging the hilt to carry her weight. Her legs wrapped around Tiffany’s head, twisting her body in time to get away from her approaching hand. She pushed her hips, trying to twist her neck. A loud crack sounded before it got harder to twist her head. I think I understand her weakness!

“Get off me!” Tiffany grabbed her own neck, struggling to dislodge her. Yuka bent backwards, knife in hand as she slashed the back of her legs; she saw the hardening coming too late. Tiffany dropped down to one knee as Yuka placed her hand on the ground, backflipping to the ground. 

She can't harden all her body so she can only pick and choose when she believes I'll aim for it. Yuka ducked on an upcoming throw, then feigned a slash at her left thigh. Before reaching, she threw the knife to her right hand and stabbed the side of her knee.

Tiffany fell to her knees again, shocked by the surprise feint. Yuka immediately backed away to give herself space out of Tiffany’s range. “This is unfair. You must have realised… I can’t fully control my abilities.”

Yuka inhaled and exhaled, glad that many of these players weren't good; otherwise, this fight might have a different outcome. “It’s not unfair, I don't know how to fully use my abilities either so don't use that excuse on me.”

“Tiffany, I've come to help.” A man appeared, plain looking with brown hair and eyes.

“Len, finally you are here.” Tiffany got back to her feet, then smirked. 

“Two against one, huh?” Yuka cursed under her breath. She regretted not ending the fight earlier.

“Don't cry, that's unfair now. We are also playing by the rules.” Tiffany shrugged. 

“Let me finish this fast so you can help the others.” Len closed his eyes and Yuka kept her distance to assess her situation. “If you hear my voice, you are now under my spell. You will sleep and go through your biggest fears and nightmare.”

He snapped his finger, and Yuka’s eyes rolled, her body collapsing to the ground. “She won’t awaken unless she faces her fears.”

“Yuka-onee-chan” Misuki yelled from her hiding. She rushed to Yuka's side, shaking her but Yuka remained motionless.

“Well, that was quick. Let's kill her before she wakes up.”

They both approached them. Misuki, glancing at them, desperately tried to activate her powers. Come on. Come on. She felt utterly hopeless and useless. She didn't know how to use her abilities, and it 

terrified her. Fly? Fly! 

Nothing happened as Misuki racked her brain, trying to activate something. Len grabbed Misuki, who struggled to escape his grasp. He wrapped his arm around her neck, choking her. Tiffany crouched down to her knees and raised her hands high, bringing them down to smash Yuka's head. Yuka’s hand twisted, barrel of a gun on Tiffany’s as the gun shot. Tiffany’s body went limp as blood poured from the hole in her head.

Len's eyes widened, shocked. “You shouldn't have woken up unless you face your fears!” 

“My biggest fear is losing this damn round.” Yuka turned towards him, one hand holding her head and the other aiming at him.

“If you are listening to my voice, you will relive your biggest regret—” A loud bang. His grip loosened as he fell backwards, and Yuka too, started to fall backwards, losing her consciousness again. 

“Yuka-onee-chan!”