Chapter 159: Single Battles [3]
Chapter 159: Single Battles [3]
****
Amon stayed seated in his seat as he watched Adam leave.
He had the same bored expression as always as he left the stadium.
The whole stadium was currently in an uproar as they rushed to the railings.
They wanted a better view of Adam now that they had just seen that wild display of power.
Even Charlotte was included in them as she had a look of surprise and acknowledgment on her face.
She also found it hard to believe what Adam had just done.
But Amon didn't do anything but just remain seated.
It wasn't the time to meet him yet.
They would eventually encounter each other in matches anyway.
At least if Adam didn't get disqualified.
Considering he was the one to emerge at the top of Stadium C, Amon doubted he would lose before Amon's match with him.
The only problem Amon could currently see to Adam was Klein.
They were roughly equal in strength.
However, the bad elemental matchup made Klein slightly weaker.
The only hope Amon could see of Klein winning was the FULLDIVE.
That expression of defeat and continuing to work harder after beating Alya couldn't get out of Amon's mind.
If he was right then Klein should be significantly stronger than last time.
That motivation, Adam was unable to get from FULLDIVE.
In any case, Amon didn't care about any of that right now.
They both were interesting pieces in his eyes and he would eventually meet them as well.
He couldn't let them go to waste after all.
As he organized his thoughts, he stood up and went outside for a fresh breath of air.
After all, there was still 20 minutes before the next match started.
***
In a dimly lit room of a hospital, a boy was currently sitting beside someone on the bed.
His hand was tightly interlocked with the hand of the person on the bed.
His grip tightened as he saw the woman on the bed smile reassuringly at him.
But the boy knew.
Behind the gratefulness and assurance, there was an unmistakable tiredness in that smile.
That smile on that beautiful but currently aging face.
"I'm sorry Mom." He spoke, his voice weak and full of sadness.
The woman's moist eyes softened further as she saw tears threatening to leak out of the boy's eyes.
With some effort, she tiredly brought her hand up and caressed the boy's cheeks.
"Klein....that's not how you act in front of a mother." She said, her voice hoarse and barely clinging to life.
Klein's grip tightened as he avoided looking into his mother's eyes.
He knew.
He knew that if he did then the trembling sea of emotions inside him would break out.
He couldn't bear to do so.
Not today. On the day of the mid-terms.
Not right now. Just half an hour away from his match.
"Klein." She said again, trying to make her voice sound strong.
She tightened her grip on his hand to the best she could do.
"Listen to me." She said, hardening her eyes.
"Mo-"
"Go out there, don't wait here for me."
Klein tried to object.
"But!-"
"No objections. I'm perfectly fine, you need to stop worrying a-about me."
Klein gritted his teeth silently.
He knew his mother was lying.
There was no way she was fine.
After all, it had been one month since they ran out of money for her recovery.
But she still wanted him to go and enjoy the event the most he could.
Even right now...
A tear trickled down his cheek but he couldn't find himself objecting to his mother.
How could he now...
Klein hid his face and spoke in a low voice, to hide his emotions from his mother.
"I swear..."
"I'll find the money for your recovery Mother, I won't let you die like this."
His mother quickly tried to speak up.
"Klei-!"
"Please trust on me." He interrupted her for the first time and kissed the aging hand that he
was currently holding.
His bangs covered the face he was making.
"Please..." He said, his voice pleading.
"Just hold on."
His interlocked hand finally freed itself as he stood up.
And without a word, he left the hospital room. Afraid that if he stayed there any longer, then
he would be there for the whole day.
Something he knew his mother wouldn't like.
As he closed the hospital room door, his mind raced to find ways of earning more money for
the recovery of his mother.
How could he..?
Suddenly, his body perked up as something came to his mind.
The same person who once gave him so much money for just a simple reason.
His money was the reason why they were even able to give his mother recovery till this long.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Klein clenched his fists.
It was going to be humiliating but...
That person was his only hope right now.
Klein quickly opened up his smartwatch to check where he was.
And to his surprise, he was in the same stadium as his.
It saved him a lot of time.
Hardening his resolve and heart, Klein rushed out of the hospital for his upcoming match.
As he ran, a single name ran through his mind.
'Amon Ashford...'
'I want to meet you again.'
***
Amon sneezed as he stepped outside of the stadium.
'Am I getting a cold?' He wondered.
But then again.
Was that even possible with his new constitution?
He didn't know.
Burying his thoughts, he walked to a nearby shop to buy something to eat.
Fortunately, there was only one person in the line so it wouldn't take long.
As Amon got in the queue, his gaze started to wander around.
There wasn't much crowd outside of the stadiums except for some couples from Stadium C.
'It seems like our stadium was the first to finish.' He said.
Looking forward again, Amon found the person still standing in front.
'Fuck, I'm getting late.' He thought.
In that case, he wouldn't be able to get back in time.
Annoyed, he tapped the shoulder of the woman in front.
But as soon as his hand settled on her shoulder, Amon's danger sense went off.
He quickly retracted his hand and at the same moment, a streak of lightning shot out from the
front.
Taking a step back to get some distance, Amon saw the woman turn.
With long black hair that draped over her shoulders sleekly, her clear sapphire blue eyes
locked with him.
Her pale unblemished skin shone in the sun, highlighting her natural and impeccable beauty.
Her face was completely cold, without a hint of remorse.
As her eyes locked with him, Amon finally recognized her.
It didn't even take an instant.
Anne Blackwood, the second daughter and the 3rd child of the Blackwoods.
"Do you not have an-" She spoke up but suddenly stopped.
Suddenly, her eyes widened and her pupils trembled.
The bag in her hand trembled as she struggled to control herself.
"It can't be...." She mumbled.
Her face turned down and she gritted her teeth.
Amon was confused. Was she supposed to know him?
Maybe because of his sister?
But she was in the second year, not third year.
She could still have some kind of beef with Katherine over some position maybe.
As he wondered, Anne's mouth opened again.
"You fucking bastard." She cursed, something extremely rare for a Blackwood.
The people that carried themselves with even more pride and nobility than Evangelines.
As Amon was about to speak again though, Anne clenched her fists, her nails digging into the
paper of the bag.
And then without a word, she strode away, not sparing him a glance.
However, some words could be still heard from her mouth before she left.
"This was the biggest mistake of your life."
Unable to make any sense of it, Amon just stared at her back stoically as she left.
But before he could ponder on it, he just realized the time.
There were only 5 minutes left before the match of Klein started.
'Fuck, I got no time for this shit.'
Without a word to the public that was staring at him now, he rushed back into the stadium.
Completely forgetting the purpose he was in front of the shop in the first place...
***
Amon arrived in front of Charlotte, panting hard.
"I'm here..huff...huff, sorry for being late."
Charlotte looked at him with concern.
"Where were you? I kept the seat for so long I was getting worried that you might have gotten
lost somewhere." She said.
Amon had given Charlotte the duty to keep his seat.
This was why he was worried that he might be late and she would be forced to give it up.
Fortunately, he arrived on time.
"Huff....huff...yeah, my bad. Just got caught up on a shop." He said and sat down.
Looking down, he saw Klein and his opponent, Miller entering the stage to fight.
Amon exhaled in relief.
Fortunately, he was right on time for the fight.
'Alright, let's settle down.'
He ducked his hand into his armpit but it touched nothing.
His expression, which was a relieved one slowly morphed into horror.
'Wait...'
Charlotte looked at him.
"Oh nice, the match is starting. Did you get the food you wanted?" she asked.
'My food...' Amon realized.
"I forgot to buy anything from the shop."
All that drama.
Just to return empty-handed.