Chapter 303 - The First Bout

"How am I supposed to sleep tonight, exactly?" 

Fiddling with his own fingers, Ren looked at the others present in the sizely, yet compact room filled with over a half dozen other people. 

"Right? It's so exciting, isn't it!?"

Giddy at the thought of the tournament, Jae-Seong smiled widely as he was stretched out across one of the long, lounge sofas with his arms tucked behind his head. 

"Yeah, let's call it that…"

Ren sighed, looking to his side at the girl who sat directly beside him on the surprisingly comfortable sofa. 

Amidst the continuous chit chat between the others in his group present in their personalized quarters, Iris remained quiet; Hongse had already long since passed out after filling his belly with the aforementioned accommodations--filling the room with his sleeping roars. 

"How're you feeling?" 

"Mm....I don't know really; my stomach is in knots…"

Giving him a smile, Iris spoke softly despite clearly being doused in this bubbling, looming anxiety. 

"What about you? I bet you're not scared, right? You've become so strong, after all...it's still so hard to believe you're the reckless crybaby I met a year ago." 

"Heh...a reckless crybaby, huh? As much as I'd like to deny it, I can't. Still--I'm scared. Iris...I don't know what you think of me--I mean as you see me right now, but I don't think I've changed much. I guess...I've just gained a bit of perspective." 

Talking to her like this, he smiled softly as his eyes met with hers, though his words were met with a gentle shake of the young woman's head as her azure curtains waved over her shoulders at the subtle movement. 

"...No, that's wrong, Ren. To me, you've changed completely. The Ren I see...is someone else entirely than the one you know…"

It was hard for him to hear exactly what the words that slowly fell into a whisper from Iris' mouth were, but the melancholic look in her glistening eyes prevented him from pressing her to clarify. 

Though her words faintly met his ears, he could still gather their meaning--finding a bit of warmth gathered around his eyes as he looked down; seeing his body, wearing that lengthy coat, clad in leather armor with a sword at his hip--it all felt so foreign at this moment. 

Someone else entirely?...Maybe that's not so wrong. What was worth keeping of "Ren Nakamura" anyway? As you said...a reckless, useless crybaby who couldn't save his one and only friend in this world. What's the point of someone like that existing? He thought. 

Looking up for a moment, seeing the comrades he gathered in this realm, some talking, some brooding--all the same, a somber smile returned to his lips as he saw them. 

After all...I came here to change. I don't regret who I might've become or who I will--I made some pretty good friends, he smiled, I was given a second chance by being brought here. A new life. A new me. It was my choice to discard the past; it was for the betterment of myself. 

"Ren?"

"Yeah?"

Returning his gaze to the azure-haired, pale-skinned girl sitting close beside him, his smile was challenged by that still present look of melancholy inhabiting her otherwise beautiful, radiant eyes as they stared at him intently. 

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said all of that, I--"

"No, it's alright. I...don't think you're wrong. And it isn't a bad thing--after all, the Ren Nakamura you knew wasn't reliable, was he? He was useless, weak--not to mention an emotional mess, right?"

Laughing at his own words with such a superficial frivolity, this attitude was quickly seen through by those discerning, azure jewels as they continued to look at him intently. Instead of that unknown sadness present in her eyes--there was a clear meaning behind that look. 

"Ren...just what happened exactly?"

As this simple question was asked to him, the stillness of his heart, the dropping of his stomach--it felt like time stopped. 

Of course there were things she didn't know, but what transpired in his time within Purgatory away from her wasn't something he ever wanted to discuss. Just the alluded thought of it brought the fumes of blood running up his nose--remembering the aching of his fists, the crimson stain on his blade--above all, these memories were better kept locked away, he resolved. 

It was then and only then did he notice a certain nuance to the gaze he received from the girl he gave so much of himself to; a realization that painted his heart with an agonizing crimson. 

It's like...she's looking at a stranger, he thought. 

"...What do you mean, Iris?"

As much as he tried to play the fool to her words, he knew what she was asking--but his heart wanted to deny it. 

"Why are you trying so hard to abandon yourself? You're talking like...the you I know is somebody else--a different existence. That's…"

"What're you two over here looking all gloomy for!?"

With her usual abrasiveness, the draconic knight barged into their sensitive conversation, plopping down between them as the stillness around Ren was torn away as he blinked for a moment--looking at the crimson-haired demi-human. 

Did she overhear us? He thought. 

"Valerie…"

Iris didn't exactly seem ecstatic about their conversation being cut short, but she wasn't one to openly complain--simply placing her hands over his skirt as he looked down; it was clear as day to see just the amount of thoughts that ran through her head by her eyes that held the azure plains within them. 

"What's up?" 

Trying to shake the persistent thoughts spurred by the words of the azure-haired Outlander, Ren put on a smile as he looked at the tall woman who packed on a bit of muscle herself. 

"Got any sort of game plan? You know--going into this tournament?"

"Mm...I don't think I can really say I do besides "trying my hardest". Kind of impossible to plan ahead when we don't even know who we're facing off against, right?" 

"Ha-ha! Good point!"

Slapping him right on the back after his response, Valerie laughed--while not particularly rare, the volume of her hearty laughter definitely was. 

Is she drunk? She kind of smells like booze. On the night before the tournament? Really? Ren sighed. 

Though, he couldn't help but smile at this; looking around the room, the others were in good spirits despite the prospect of such an important event awaiting them in the morning to come. 

Easing himself against the cushy, comfortable couch, he closed his eyes with a smile as the chit chat filling the room came as nothing more than white noise to him. 

I'll win this whole thing for us, Iris. Whatever doubts you have about me--I'll prove to you I'm the greatest iteration of Ren Nakamura you've laid your eyes on so far--that's a promise, he thought. 

With this final thought, slumber came next as his exhausted body and mind called for rest. 

As a yawn escaped his lips, he quickly covered his mouth before rubbing his tiresome eyes. Sitting alone in a room inhabited by only himself, nine other participants, two steel benches attached to each side wall, and a hallway leading to the bowels of the arena, anxiousness flowed through his veins in surplus. 

I can't even remember walking here...I'll have to thank Macheo and Jae-Seong later for helping my tired ass get here, he thought. 

Remaining right beside him were Aiko, Hongse, and Jae-Seong; the other participants remained to themselves--though the pressure filling the room was something else. 

So many strong people all in one room; tense as hell, he thought. 

"When do you think they're gonna start the matches?"

"Any time now." 

Answering him, Jae-Seong, who stood with his back leaning against a wall, adjusted his circular shades with a smile that hinted at no worries for the tournament. 

"Still...keeping us separated like this, I don't like it much…"

"Well, it's natural to split the competitors into two halves, they probably don't want first round opponents to be coercing with one another. Might ruin the jazz of the whole thing!"

The "jazz" of it? Ren looked at Hongse. 

"Keep it down, would you? Giving me a damn headache."

Speaking in a raspy, sharp tone, the wolven demi-human sitting across the competitors' quarters looked towards the bundled together group with his sharp, animalistic eyes. 

I remember him…"Daciana, The Alpha" I think. Grouchy much? Ren thought. 

"Heh, my bad."

Scratching the back of his red and black furred head, Hongse apologized with a hearty chuckle as the only response he received from the perturbed, fur-coat wearing demi-human man was a click of his tongue. 

"I hope the others are doing alright…"

"Don't be such a worrywart! Those bunch are tough--they should be worrying about us! Ha-ha!"

Consoling the beige-haired girl with his gentle words and a pat on the head, the red-furred panda was as kind as ever. 

Some rules they gave us though...the only real rules stated were that killing is allowed...what the hell is up with that? I guess it's to be expected in Purgatory, but still...that's too much, Ren thought. 

As the competitors within the room seemed to keep to themselves with the prospect of battle looming over them all equally, the silence was torn away by the loud, all-encompassing voice of the tournament's announcer. 

"Alright, folks! It's time to start this thing off!" 

Roars resounded from the stadium with these words; the applause and cheers burning through the winds with enough force to vibrate the somber, damp walls that made up the waiting room of the combatants. 

It was difficult to see from his seated position, but the gaps in the walls allowed those within the room to spectate the battles--he could see just a glimpse of what sat in the arena; just how many spectators were present. 

Are there that many beings within Purgatory? Besides participants…? He thought. 

"I, Asmodeus, will be your host today! First things first, let's make sure the barriers are in full order!"

With a snap of his fingers, the pale as snow demon with locks as crimson as they come revealed the existence of the magical barrier outlining the arena; stretching around its perimeter and reaching high to protect those in the stands. 

Of all the demons seen so far, Asmodeus possessed the most unnatural appearance; if it wasn't his skin that possessed an unnatural paleness, it was his lips that seemed to wear black lipstick with matching, lengthy nails. The suit he wore was just as eccentric: lined with fluffy, sable fur with the cuffs of his crimson suit inhabiting the same fluff. 

"All set. Now, I'm sure you're all excited for the very first round of this grand bout, right?"

Spreading his arms to welcome his answer as he smiled, his triangular, iridescent irises beaming as roars responded to his question in agreement. 

"That's what I like to hear...now, let's start this thing off!"

Who is it going to be…? We totally missed the bracket announcement because I overslept...Ren thought. 

"Mencius, from the left quadrant, please make your way to the arena!"

A noticeable silence occupied the room in the pause after these words--only the sound of his own heart beating filled his ears as he waited for the name of the first contestant from the right quadrant to be called forth. 

"Hongse, from the right quadrant, please make your way to the arena!"

With this unmistakable announcement hailing from the host of the tournament, it was set into stone.