Chapter 124: The Paths We Walk

Chapter 124: The Paths We WalkThe crowd's excitement was electric, echoing through the arena. Cheers and applause roared for Raya, the victor, and the graceful warrior who had just bested Kaida in an intense,

unforgettable duel.

In the locker room, Eratz crossed his arms and gave a sigh, though there was a glint of admiration in his eyes.

"She really is something else," he muttered, impressed by the skill and danger Raya had shown.

Beside him, Ryder let out a deep breath, shaking his head.

"That girl is way too strong. How do you even fight something like that?"

Zara's face was pale, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to mask her growing concern.

"There's only Eratz left," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Victoria's steady hand rested on Zara's shoulder.

"Don't forget Catarina's still here," she reminded her.

Zara managed a weak smile but soon frowned.

"You think this is funny? Catarina won't stand a chance against someone who could take down Kaida like that."

As the crowd's cheers continued to resonate through the stadium, a heavy silence fell among Kaida's friends, each of them feeling the weight of her defeat.

In the dim silence of the infirmary, Kaida lay unconscious, her brow furrowed as if caught in a struggle.

Her mind was restless, caught in a swirling nightmare where she relived the fight, her hammers swinging only to meet air.

Raya's body flickered like a phantom, untouchable, as Kaida's every strike fell short.

In her dream, the shadows closed in, pressing on her, slashing her relentlessly. She fought back, her fiery spirit refusing to submit, but the darkness only grew thicker, swallowing her whole.

With a gasp, Kaida jolted awake, her body heavy with pain.

She was in the infirmary, covered in bandaids, the pale light filtering through the window casting a faint glow across her bed.

As her senses returned, she noticed familiar faces around her: Eratz, Mercury, and Catarina, who sat by her side, Catarina's eyes red and puffy.

Mercury gave her a small nod, finally able to leave her own bed.

Kaida groaned, the memory of her defeat hitting her hard.

"Ugh, don't tell me I lost... dammit! She completely bodied me..." she muttered, voice thick with frustration.

Catarina's expression crumpled, tears filling her eyes as she clutched Kaida's hand.

"Kaida, you did so well, I swear... it was amazing," she began, her voice shaking. "I'm so sorry... I couldn't do anything to help you out there."

Seeing Catarina cry so openly pulled Kaida from her frustration. She grunted and shook her head, reaching out to gently bump her forehead against Catarina's.

"What do you want to do? It was my battle. You know, I want to be mad, but you're too ridiculous right now. Sometimes you lose, Rina. I've lost plenty before, and this defeat isn't going to change me."

"But I'm just so sad..." Catarina whimpered, still clinging to her hand. "Mercury was out, and Ryder, and now you... and I'm just sitting here doing nothing, all alone." She sniffled. Eratz raised an eyebrow.

"Nya."

Catarina let out a small, tearful cry clinged at Kaida's arm.

"Nyaa, don't leave me alone with him!"

Kaida couldn't help but chuckle, though every movement made her ache.

"All right, all right. Stop with the drama. I'll be fine. You've got a battle to win, right?"

As Catarina nodded, wiping her tears, a presence filled the doorway. Raya stood there, looking both relieved and cautious.

"Kaida, I'm so glad you're taking this with such philosophy. I was worried you might... resent me."

Kaida's expression hardened, and her eyes narrowed.

"Raya. Get over here."

Raya's cautious expression faltered, and she hesitated, feeling something strange in Kaida's tone.

"I... Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Come here," Kaida insisted, starting to descend from her bed, her gaze darkening.

The murderous aura emerging from Kaida was all the answer she needed.

"A-Alright! No need to rush!" Raya stammered, rushing back and crashing into the wall behind with a loud thud

Catarina whined, wiping her tears as she watched Kaida get riled up again.

"Kaida, please, you've got to stop getting mad every time someone wins against you!"

Kaida finally relaxed, rolling her eyes.

"Fine, fine. Now tell me about your fight, Rina. You look fine, you won?"

Eratz and Mercury exchanged knowing looks. Mercury shrugged, chuckling.

"She absolutely packed her opponent," Eratz said with a grin, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Yeah," Mercury agreed. "Didn't even have to break a sweat, look how clean she looks." Catarina's face, however, fell into silence. She stared at the floor, her expression unreadable, and then without a word, she rose and quickly left the room.

Kaida raised an eyebrow.

"What's with her?"

Before anyone could answer, a loud roar of excitement erupted from outside. Staff members suddenly rushed past the infirmary door, their voices frantic.

"She's here! They've found her!"

The group inside froze, looking at the door as the noise grew louder.

The quarterfinals drew to a close with a less-than-memorable win from Catarina. Her opponent barely put up a fight, and though the crowd clapped politely, their energy was

already on the upcoming semifinal matchups.

As the ceremony began, the eight remaining fighters lined up in the center of the arena, each receiving a standing ovation from the audience.

The cheers rolled through the stands like waves, growing louder with every second.

The chairman stood at the front.

"We have seen truly phenomenal battles today," he began, his voice echoing across the arena

as he gestured toward the fighters. "These warriors gave their all, pushing themselves to the

very limit."

The crowd erupted into another round of applause. Mercury, standing beside Eratz, subtly reached for his hand, their fingers brushing together.

Leaning in close, she rested the side of her head against his, getting silently comforted.

Across the arena, Lisa's gaze dropped, her expression shadowed, while Crystal glared at them, her eyes dark and full of resentment.

At the chairman's gesture, the fallen warriors, Mercury, Kaida, Gabriel, and Bastian, stepped forward as the applause swelled to honor their efforts.

The crowd's cheers followed them as they left the arena floor, their performances and determination celebrated.

The chairman turned back to the remaining competitors, his voice booming as he introduced the matchups for the next stage.

"And now, we look to the semifinals, where the very best will clash! For the first match, Eratz Pandora vs. Sia Verizion!"

The names appeared in bold letters on the screens around the stadium, sending a ripple of

excitement through the audience.

Then, he continued.

"And for the second, Kobayashi Raya vs. Catarina!"

The crowd's roar reached a fever pitch, with people cheering and buzzing over the thrilling line-up.

Catarina stared at her name on the screen, a half-disbelieving laugh escaping her lips as she shook her head in astonishment.

"I really made it this far... but it's over now," she said, her voice a mix of joy and resignation. Beside her, Raya placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, her smile warm. "Don't say that. I'm certain you have something amazing in store. I look forward to it."

"My lady, my strongest beast is a growling cat. I'm dead as hell"

On the other end of the line, Sia stood with her usual calm, her gaze set forward.

"The path is set," she murmured, almost to herself. "My road will be filled with the

strongests and thus I'll truly become the best." She stepped forward and spoke without

turning her back.

"Rest well tonight. I expect my biggest challenge tomorrow."

Eratz looked at her back for a brief moment before glancing back at the crowd, his expression

unreadable.

The ceremony concluded, the crowd's applause filling the arena as the fighters turned to exit.

Later that night, outside the hotel, Mercury and Kaida were preparing to leave. Victoria, Zara, and Ryder were there to send them off.

Just as they were about to step away, Victoria's eyes twinkled as she nodded behind them.

Turning, Mercury and Kaida spotted Eratz and Catarina approaching. Catarina's eyes were red

from tears with an exaggerated pout.

Mercury raised an eyebrow, barely hiding a grin.

"What are you two doing here?"

Eratz shrugged with a lopsided smile.

"It's a little lonely back there. We thought we'd spend some time with you."

A soft warmth spread among them as they exchanged smiles, the tension of the day giving

way to a rare, shared moment of ease.

Victoria checked her watch.

"Looks like we have a bit of time left."

Kaida let out a sarcastic laugh.

"You two know you've got big matches tomorrow against actual monsters, right?"

Mercury nodded, but her expression softened.

"We can spare a little time. We've never done this before, a real celebration with everyone in

the agency."

Zara chuckled, pushing back a strand of hair.

"I'd love that. I got too stressed lately... It sounds... perfect."

Kaida groaned, casting a wary glance at the group.

"We might all be wiped out tomorrow, you know. Sia's a beast, and then there's Raya. You

know it, they're no joke."

Silence settled over the group, each of them absorbing Kaida's words. But then Eratz raised a

finger.

"Technically, the final is tomorrow. If I can win against Sia, and Raya doesn't change her

style, I should win the tournament."

The group looked at him, momentarily troubled by the audacity of his confidence, but what

was more troubling was that he seemed genuinely serious.

As night blanketed the city, a vibrant atmosphere came to life.

The streets were alive with laughter and celebration, people spilling from restaurants and

bars, toasting to victories and consoling over losses.

Lights hung like stars against the night sky, illuminating the city's skyline in a brilliant

display. In a cheap restaurant, Eratz, Mercury, Catarina, Ryder, Zara, and Victoria were sharing stories and laughter. Ryder was playfully reenacting some moves he'd seen in the matches.

His friends laughed with him, the bonds between them deepening in this shared moment of

joy.

In other parts of the city, anticipation was building. In her hotel room, Sia stood in her bathroom, her gaze intense as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

At a high-end restaurant, Crystal sat across from Gabriel. Her smile was warm, her words soft,

while Gabriel looked down, awkward and embarrassed to be cheered up by her after failing defending her.

But not everyone was basking in the revelry.

Kenny, disheveled and forlorn, sat slumped in the back of a taxi, tears streaking down his face

as he looked out the window.

A teacher sat beside him, escorting him back to the academy, his expression a mix of pity and

disappointment.

The vibrant lights outside seemed to mock him, a reminder of all he'd lost.

Elsewhere, Lisa stood on a lonely balcony, gazing up at the stars with a contemplative

expression. Meanwhile, Rowan sat in his dimly lit hotel room, a glass in hand as he pondered his own path. The amber liquid swirled in the glass, his reflection wavering in its depths. The city held its breath, each person caught in the tide of the tournament's events.

Some were filled with the joy of victory, others crushed by defeat, and a few were caught between two paths, uncertain of where they would lead.

The next day at the afternoon's fall, the city transformed. Fireworks burst into the sky, Searᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

painting the night with colors that rivaled the stars.

The arena pulsed with energy, the stands packed with fans who had traveled far to witness

these epic clashes.

And with a final, thunderous roar from the crowd, the stage was set. The semifinals were about to begin.