Chapter 47: Crossroads

Chapter 47: CrossroadsMercury was sipping on her iced tea as her friends chatted away. Her friend with the flowing maroon dress spoke animatedly, gesturing with her hands while laughing.

Next to her, the bob-haired girl was wiping tears from her eyes.

"I can't believe you really dropped college to become a pro beast master, Mercury... You're so lucky!" She cried dramatically, her voice causing the nearby customers to glance over in curiosity. "Classes are too hard, and you get to escape it all. Why can't we all do that?!"

Mercury chuckled, tilting her head.

"I had to, Mina. It wasn't easy, but it's what I needed."

The tall girl chuckled, shaking her head.

"Look at her, pretending she's mature. You just love kick everyone's ass, right? You maniac."

Mercury had a quick burst of laugh, leaning forward.

"You know me too well, Sera. But, hey, I'm still a good girl, look, I'm spending my free time talking to my buddies instead of sleeping or watching TV, like usual, while you keep studying."

"You bitch."

The three of them laughed together, their voices blending in with the ambient hum of the cafe.

Across the room, Kenny stared at Mercury. He couldn't take his eyes off her, everything about her seemed almost magnetic.

There was a raw, effortless beauty to her that captivated him, the mix of her tomboy demeanor with her sublime beauty leaving an impression that was impossible to shake.

Kenny's gaze drifted over her, greedily absorbing every detail. The way her blouse hugged her body, hinting at her toned stomach and perfectly curving over her full chest, it was like she was built to be admired.

Her long legs were emphasized by the high-waisted skirt she wore, and each movement she made seemed to draw his eyes, and it was crazily attractive.

His eyes moved back to her face, tracing the sharp line of her jaw, the perfect smoothness of her skin.

There was a beauty mark under her eye that added a hint of playfulness to her. Her lips, gently moving as she laughed, looked soft and inviting.

Another beauty mark sat just above her chest, partially hidden by the open collar of her blouse, and Kenny's gaze lingered there longer than it should have.

Her chest, full, voluminous, was impossible to ignore. The fabric of her blouse clung to her figure, drawing attention in a way that made his pulse quicken.

Kenny swallowed hard, he had seen plenty of beautiful girls, but there was something about Mercury that struck him harder than anything he'd experienced before.

She had an aura of effortless sensuality that left him both fascinated and slightly intimidated.

"Kenny?" Lisa's voice cut through his trance, a hint of sadness in her tone as she noticed what had captivated his attention. Sёarᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Julian's eyes followed Kenny's gaze, and with a sigh, he kicked Kenny under the table.

"Snap out of it, man, You're gawking at her like a dog."

Kenny snapped back, scowling.

"Shut up, Julian. I'm not... I'm just thinking... we need a guide. Maybe they can help."

He tried to sound tough, but the damage was already done and there was an unmistakable hesitance in his voice.

Julian snorted, shaking his head.

"Yeah, right. You want a guide? How about focusing on the girls already sitting at this table?" He smirked, then stood up, "Let the scene to a true free man."

Julian strode towards Mercury's table, his steps deliberately confident, though his heartbeat quickened with each step.

He wasn't used to this, most of the girls at the academy were plain compared to Mercury. She was different, and it threw him off balance.

"Hey there, sorry to interrupt, but we're new in town, and a little lost, to be honest. Any chance you could point us in the right direction?"

Sera and Mina exchanged glances, unimpressed. Mercury tilted her head slightly, one

eyebrow raised, her sharp eyes assessing him.

"You're new in town?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and boredom.

Julian nodded.

"Yeah, we're from a foreign institution, Genova Academy, we're students and pro beast masters, you know? Figured we could use some guidance."

As Mercury glanced past Julian, she noticed Kenny awkwardly lingering near their table, with Lisa and Crystal sitting behind him.

Her gaze hardened slightly, the academy name sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember when she heard it.

"Is this serious?" she muttered to herself.

Kenny stepped forward quickly, sensing an opportunity.

"Hey! Sorry about him," he said, giving Julian a pointed look. He turned back to Mercury, trying to muster his own confidence. "We're students at Genova Academy, pro beast masters. Thought we could use some advice from someone who knows the area."

He gave a wink, attempting to inject some charm into his voice.

Julian smirked, adding.

"Yeah, we're here to learn from the best. And you seem like you know your way around."

Mercury looked between the two boys, her gaze then shifting to Lisa and Crystal, who looked down without joining the conversation.

Her eyes narrowed as she realized what this was, a lame attempt to flirt.

She sighed, her voice turning icy.

"Look, guys, we're not interested. If you need directions, there are plenty of other people in the room to ask. We're just here to relax."

Kenny wasn't about to give up that easily. He pulled out his student ID card, showing it off with a slightly shaky hand.

"We're really from Genova Academy, one of the best academy for future pro beast masters. We are in fact actual pros." he said, trying to sound impressive.

Sera, Mercury's tall friend, couldn't help but laugh.

"Wait, they're really using that to show off? Pff, It at least confirms you're not lying about being from another town. You don't even know that this girl here is one of the top beast masters in this city, the 'Water Prodigy'."

Kenny's eyes widened, her words hitting him like a slap. He remembered the harsh words from his last tournament before biting the dust, the girl who defeated him telling him he had no place among real beast masters.

The shame and sting of that defeat rushed back, and for a moment, he was speechless.

Mercury glanced at her friends, nodding slightly.

"Alright, time to go. We're leaving," she said, getting up from her seat. Sera and Mina

followed suit.

Julian rubbed the back of his neck, apologizing quickly.

"Sorry about him... he doesn't know how to talk without joking about being a pro... We're just

really lost and need a guide to the arenas."

Mercury shook her head, her voice firm.

"Ask someone else. I finally have time to spend with my friends, and I'm not wasting it on you

guys."

With that, Mercury and her friends left the cafe, leaving Kenny standing there, stunned into

silence.

Crystal let out a breath of relief. She murmured softly.

"That'll teach you to stop being a jerk."

Julian groaned, slumping back into his chair as they returned to their table. He threw Kenny an

exasperated look.

"Way to ruin the mood, Kenny. We could've just had a chill conversation, but no, you had to be

annoying."

Kenny's face reddened, and he glared at Julian.

"I didn't ruin anything! And you were as lame too... Besides, I got something interesting out

of it."

Crystal frowned.

"What?"

Kenny's lips tightened into a smirk.

"Her nickname."

Meanwhile, a group of students from Genova Academy found themselves seated in a bustling

arena, eager to watch the matches that were about to unfold.

The stands were packed, and the excitement was palpable, this arena was more popular than

the others they had visited earlier in the day.

"This place is amazing!" one of the students, a young man, shouted over the noise. "Look at

all these people! Imagine being the one standing in the center of that arena!"

His friend, a girl, nodded, her eyes wide.

"One day, that'll be us. Right in the spotlight."

The students chatted among themselves, their eyes glued to the arena floor. The energy in the

crowd shifted suddenly as the speakers crackled, and the announcer's voice boomed across

the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here!"

The arena erupted into cheers, the students looking around in awe as the excitement reached

a fever pitch.

The girl turned to the boy.

"Max, what's going on? Who's coming out?"

Max shrugged, equally curious.

"No idea, Aya... but it must be someone big!"

The announcer continued, his voice full of enthusiasm.

"Introducing Lugina's rising star, a force of destruction, the one and only..."

The crowd's cheering grew louder, and the Genova students leaned forward in anticipation.

"Give it up for the 'Juggernaut'!"

The name echoed across the arena, and the crowd roared in response. The students exchanged glances, their excitement replaced with curiosity and a bit of unease.

As the gates to the arena floor opened, the figure stepped forward. His long white hair tied in ponytail and his red eyes glowing.