Ignoring the sudden intrusion from the High Sect authority standing right in front of him, Lynx thrust his left hand forward, driving the second dagger straight toward Luhas's exposed chest.
Instantly, six bright yellow ropes shot out from the wide sleeves of the yellow-robed swordmaster. The magic tendrils snaked through the air and wrapped tightly around Lynx's wrists, waist, and ankles, pinning him mid-stride and leaving him completely unable to move.
Before the swordmaster could celebrate, Isbell shattered the arena stone beneath her feet, driving a lightning-fast kick directly toward his head.
"Who gave you permission to interfere?!" Isbell demanded, her voice dripping with cold fury.
The swordmaster leaned his body back effortlessly, letting the wind of her kick breeze past his nose. "Woah... are you trying to kill me?"
"Respect the rules of The Administrator!" Pure anger distorted Isbell's face as she landed back on the ground, her hands hovering near her weapons. "You all came here to pick up strengths that we are offering!"
"That is exactly what we are doing," the swordmaster replied with a slick smirk. "If you let a nobody like that..."
He turned his hand to point lazily at Lynx, but his voice trailed off. Even trapped within the magic constraints, Lynx was still straining every single muscle in his shattered frame. Skin tore as he tried to force his body forward against the yellow energy bindings.
{BODY... MOVE... I'LL SURPASS... THE LAWS FORCED... INTO THIS BODY...}
"Is he insane?" The swordmaster turned his head back to Isbell, his smirk faltering for a split second before returning. "So, as I was saying... dirty people like him can be found anywhere in the world. Even if I hadn't jumped down here, others surely would have. Just look at them."
Isbell cast her eyes upward toward the high authority spectator stands. Several high-ranking sect officials were standing unusually close to the edge of the railings, their hands resting on their weapon hilts. Isbell bit her lower lip so hard blood almost ran.
"So what about this match?" the swordmaster asked, casually dusting off his shoulders.
Isbell stood motionless, glaring coldly at him while he smiled back without a single worry.
"Just announce it as a draw—"
"Don't even think about it..." Lynx cut the swordmaster off, his voice cold despite the ropes choking his chest.
Off to the side, Luhas was still down on his knees, desperately covering his burning, spice-covered eyes with both hands. "What is happening?! What are you all talking about?!" Luhas screamed in frustration. "What's the meaning of this!"
The swordmaster casually strolled over to Luhas, bending down to whisper directly into his ear. "Listen... a draw is the best outcome you can get in your current state. Accept it, and I will personally reward you with a high-paying job in the inner sect."
"I don't need your stupid jobs!" Luhas barked back, aggressively shoving the swordmaster's hand away. "Let go of him! We will see if it's a draw like you say!"
The swordmaster's smile vanished completely. Up in the crowded arena stands, the spectators began to murmur loudly, calling out the swordmaster for breaking the official tournament rules and getting rejected by his own pick.
Seeing the stadium descend into laughter, Isbell closed her eyes and projected her voice using telekinesis directly into everyone's mind at once.
"For illegal interference, after full analysis of the match... I would have to declare... the winner of this tournament is—!"
Lynx's vision suddenly blurred, turning pitch black.
{I can't...}
His knees buckled, and his limp body collapsed unconscious onto the arena before he could hear the name.
Lynx opened his eyes inside the quiet room in the old clinic, lying on the medical bed covered in bedsheets. He looked down and noticed he was wearing soft, light blue recovery clothes. Placing a hand over his ribs and leg, he realized his severe injuries were completely healed.
"What happened?" Lynx muttered. He stood up, stripped off the blue garments, and changed back into his usual dark assassin-style clothes, strapping his daggers back onto his belt.
Stepping out through the doors of the clinic, he noticed the cobblestone streets around him were decorated with colorful banners, paper lanterns, and hanging ribbons.
He walked out to explore the crowded roads, watching people celebrate all around the district.
{I guess the winner has already been announced then... I passed out back then... maybe we lost?} Lynx thought, pulling his hood slightly lower.
As he walked down the main street, he noticed group after group of young children playing tag while wearing themed outfits. Some wore simple blue casual clothes resembling Rey, others wore white elegant silk robes resembling Lucia, and a few ran past wearing dark hooded assassin clothes resembling Lynx himself.
{Huh? Was it a draw after all?} Lynx raised an eyebrow, watching a kid in a black hood pretend to stab a wooden post.
{Hm...} Lynx walked over to a roadside fruit stand near the corner. "Could I buy two apples?"
"That will be four copper coins," the shopkeeper replied cheerfully.
Lynx pulled the coins from his pocket and handed them over. Just as the vendor handed him two fresh red apples, an arm suddenly dropped onto Lynx's shoulder from behind.
"Found you!"
Lynx instantly spun his head back, his hand instinctively touching his dagger hilt, only to find Rey standing there wearing a crisp, formal blue suit. Rey was sweating, panting as if he had been running across the entire city.
"At least leave a note before heading out randomly after passing out for three whole days, bro!" Rey wheezed, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Rey's eyes landed on the two crisp apples in Lynx's hands, and he casually reached out a finger to grab one. Without missing a beat, Lynx shoved both apples into his own face at the exact same time, biting massive chunks out of both of them simultaneously to hoard them.
Silence descended over the fruit stand as the two of them stood awkwardly staring at one another while Lynx aggressively chewed.
A few minutes later, on their way back down the festive street toward the clinic, Lynx turned his head toward Rey.
"So... I was unconscious for three days? So who won? Was it a draw?"
"You don't know?" Rey looked down, narrowing his eyes into a deadpan expression.
"We lost... but I... the hero jumped back... and argued... shaming them all. Also two girls jumped out just to touch my hands," Rey said with complete, exaggerated confidence, proudly pointing a thumb at his own chest.
Lynx stopped walking in the middle of the crowded street. He turned his head slowly toward Rey, his face completely expressionless and his right eye slightly narrowed.
"H. A. H. A." Lynx spelled out loud, his voice utterly cold and deadpan. He stared at Rey as if he were watching an absurd joke unfold in real time, completely unamused.
Rey broke character, laughing softly as he nudged Lynx's arm. "We won, thanks to you. Oh, and the ceremony is today in two hours, so get pregnant—prepared now—"
Before Lynx could even process the ridiculous verbal slip, Lucia suddenly dashed out from the crowd behind them, throwing her arms around both of their shoulders in a tight hug.
"I was looking for you everywhere!" Lucia said, her bright smile lighting up her whole face. "Let's go get you some fancy clothes to wear! We have so little time!"
Lucia let go and ran ahead down the decorated street, turning back to wave her arm for them to keep up.
"So we just go back to where we came from?" Rey sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he looked back at Lynx. "Come on bro, let's go."
Lynx stood completely frozen on the cobblestone as he watched Rey walk after Lucia.
{Am I supposed to forget the part where he told me to get pregnant? Wait, why would I wanna remember it anyway? Do I wanna get pregnant? What's happening to my brain with these idiots!?}
Lynx's face twisted into a disturbed, cringing expression of pure existential confusion. Letting out a defeated sigh, he dragged his feet and followed them down the street.