- Go with him to the outside world eh?
Logan thought about the events of last night. He never expected to trust someone else than Locus. But here he was, deliberating whether to accept Cloud's offer; not at all thinking about the consequences of exposing himself. After all, he already trusted Cloud.
- What are you thinking about Log? - asked Locus - Let me guess. You are thinking about his proposal aren't you?
- .... What's your opinion on it? Should I accept it?
- Hmmmm. To be fair, it's a very good proposal. We do not know what his intentions are but at least we know that they aren't bad. You do not lose anything by accepting his proposal... But let me ask you something Log, are you attached to this place?
Logan paused and looked towards the ceiling of the waiting room of the tournament. If that question had been asked to him 5 months ago, he would have certainly replied that he did, but now... he felt nothing. He certainly had his fair bits of good memories of learning, playing and having fun with his peers. He undoubtedly, liked the feeling of being cared for by the sisters of the orphanage, the feeling of being nurtured, protected. But that was all in the past.
Who knows? Maybe if it had been another person who had fallen into his situation, Logan would still care deeply about St. Gaia Chapel. But even so, he did not lament, for this allowed him to see the face hiding underneath the facade of the sisters.
- Paul, Sarah, guys... I do not feel anything at all - Logan murmured as he closed his eyes. He then turned to look back at Locus who was lying down with her head on his lap.
- I am attached to this place no more.
Locus closed her eyes. As if she was in the most comfortable place in the world. Then she smiled.
- Then you already know your answer.
Hearing that, Logan caressed Locus's head. Normally, this would be the other way round. But Logan thought to pamper Locus every now and then would be good. After all, she deeply cared for him and had helped him get stronger both physically and mentally for the past six months.
Whilst Logan and Locus were having their little conversation, little did they know that they were attracting a lot of attention. Specially Logan as Locus was in her spiritual form and couldn't be seen by the others.
What attracted the people's attention was surprisingly not Logan's hair, for his head was covered by a red hood. A mask also replaced his face's features; no one could associate him with Logan or St. Gaia. He was also dressed with a closed black jacket with its zip inclining over the left side of Logan's body, black pants focused on mobility, and a cheap pair of boots. As a final touch as per Locus's recommendation, a pair of white gloves covered his hands.
It wasn't strange for anyone to be dressed like this. Even the the nobles' child's looking at Logan wore fancier and even more ridiculous outfits.
What truly attracted the attention of others was the mask he was wearing and the area around it. Coupled with the actions Logan was undertaking now, caressing thin air (as per the perspective of outsiders), made him all the more creepy, eerie and mysterious.
But even with all the creeped out gazes, there was a gaze of expectation. The gaze contained the expectation to fight him in the arena. Expectation to fight the entity in front of her.
Suddenly, the door to the waiting room was opened and one of the organisers of the tournament came inside; all the whilst looking at a piece of paper in front of him.
- Contestant No. 20!!. I repeat, contestant No. 20!! You're in arena No. 12!! You will start in 5 minutes. Contestant.....
The organiser kept shouting the names of the contestants who were about to throw themselves into the arena. Logan waited for the organiser to finish and looked at all the people who were getting ready. Anyone of them could be his opponent.
When the organiser finished, he exited the room, followed by a swarm of the people who were about to fight. Eagerness could be seen in their eyes.
Logan only moved when all these people were gone. All this while, he'd been caressing Locus's head. When Locus realised that she had to move, a frown formed on her beautiful face and unwantedness could be seen in her eyes.
Logan needed no preparation. He just calmly walked towards the exit under the gazes of all the other contestants. The gaze of expectation he felt was no more. Perhaps, that person was to be his opponent, perhaps not, but Logan was ready. He was ready for all that was about to come.
Locus followed closely from behind Logan. Different from Logan, she was just leisurely strolling towards the door.
But then he looked at Logan. From Locus's perspective, Logan, although only 7, was a child no more.
- "This world is truly cruel" - she thought. A shadow cast over her face.
But pity couldn't be seen in her eyes. For the man in front of her exuded an air of solidity, purposefulness and nobility, qualities that you didn't expect from a boy his age.
The shadow in her face dissipated as rapid as it came and soon, it was replaced by pride. The boy in front of him had changed since the moment they first met. She took pride in him.
Now, he was as ready as she was to confront the dangers of this world.
*************
Or so they thought...
- Oy! Oy! Oy!!! - Logan shouted. His eyes bulging from surprise - Are you going to tell me that that guy is around 10 to 12 years old?
- .....Well, I can understand why you are saying that but.... he certainly wouldn't be in this section of the tournament if he wasn't.....
Locus didn't know what to say. She certainly did not expect to encounter such a monster between the young ones.
Bulging muscles, protruding veins, a moustache that would put an old man's to shame, brown hair covering his head and if that wasn't enough, the signs of baby fat could still be seen on the face of the opponent in front of them.
All of these signs were shouting to something. A certain drug. It was something that Locus was familiar with.
- He's on steroids. He's Definitely On Steroids - repeated Locus as if to remind herself that she wasn't dreaming.
The 2 were more shocked than afraid of the situation.
Unbeknownst to them, the giant in front of them, Diones Peony, was actually afraid of the unknown entity in front of him. He, unlike the 2 in front of him was more scared than shocked.
From Diones's perspective, the child, if you could call it that, in front of him was more scary than he was.
And it was all because of the region around the child's face. A half black and half white mask, with horizontal crescent moons for eyes and a smiling face for a mouth covered the child's face. A red hood, covered his hair and if that wasn't creepy enough, the region between the hood and the mask that should have shown at least a bit of the child's skin and hair was obscured. This produced a creepy and mysterious effect where the mask seemed as it was floating in the middle of the hood.
Even though Diones was confident on himself, he still could not stop his body from feeling fear. After all, he was still human and humans feared the unknown the most.
But even with all of this, the spectators looked at their match with expectation. After all, Diones was a fan favourite. He had arrived to the semifinals of last year martial arts plus elemental tournament and was the silver medallist of the martial arts only tournament.
Whilst both sides were immersed on their thoughts, the referee gave the signal for them to get ready. Different than when he participated in yesterday's tournament, Logan could give it his all. So different from yesterday, he assumed the battle stance that Locus had taught him.
With his left arm outstretched forming a v function, left palm facing towards the sky, right palm facing his left bicep whilst forming a v function and his legs slightly bent to increase stability, he shouted that he was ready to the referee.
- "Start!!!!!!"
As soon as the match started, Diones ran towards Logan. He seemed unstoppable, just like a train at full velocity.
Soon, Logan was inside Diones's battle range whilst Diones's was outside Logan's. After all, Diones was not just more muscular than him but was also taller.
Diones then used the momentum from his previous impulse to throw a right handed jab at Logan's face. Diones's punch covered Logan's entire vision.
But Logan did not show any fear.
He rapidly side stepped to his left, at Diones's right, just outside of Diones's centre line and used his left hand to control Diones's right hand.
With his remaining left hand, he then threw an inside out punch towards Diones's face.
Diones's centre of gravity due to his forward charge did not allow him to change his position so he could only brace himself for the incoming punch.
*Bam*
Logan did not finish it with that. He hit Diones's hard enough to knock an average person out but not enough to push him away. Why would he do that when he wanted him where he was?
*Bam**Bam**Bam**Bam**Bam**Bam**Bam**Bam*
It was a chain punch, the first thing Locus had taught him. And these were all aimed towards Diones's face.
Soon, Diones recovered his centre of gravity. But even then, he could not attack. For Logan was to near him and his muscles were too big to efficiently catch the entity in front of him.
- "This guy is so cunning!" - Diones thought - " He baited me!"
The spectators gasped, the referee's jaw dropped so low it almost touched the ground, the contestants looking at the match quietened, no one expected the semifinalist from last's tournament to get into such a predicament.
At least not to a fighter who appeared out of nowhere.
Cloud was watching the fight from the spectator's seat. A grin appeared on his worn out face. He was excited. He did not expect Logan to be this good.
But then he did not expect less of someone who was contracted to a high ranking spirit at the tender age of 7.
- " What are those martial arts?" - thought Cloud.
Just when everyone thought that Diones was being pushed towards a corner, he did something unexpected. He went for a body slam.
Logan was not expecting him to do that, so he was not prepared to dodge it. A beginner's mistake. He was truly lacking on combat experience against other people than Locus.
But even so, he did not leave himself so open as to not be able to react in time. Logan knew that he could not receive the full blast of the blow. It could be fatal considering the other's side strength. So instead of maintaining his ground, Logan diagonally placed his left arm downwards, palm parallel to the floor whilst his left hand covered his body. Whilst maintaining that stance, he propelled himself as much as he could backwards with the entirety of his legs.
*Bang*
- "Heavy" - Logan thought.
Then he was thrown 10 m away from where he originally stood, his hand trembling due to impact of the force.
- Log!!! - Locus shouted with a worried tone.
- I'm alright Loc. I'm alright - responded Logan with unfaltering determination.
Once he recovered from the body slam he'd performed, Diones turned to look at Logan.
- That was some good footwork you've shown me there - said Diones with a half smile - But you'll have to hit me harder... if you want to do some real damage.
Diones seemed unconcerned of all the punches he had received. The skin on his face looked as healthy as always.
But if someone could see Logan's hands behind his gloves, one would see that they were bright red.
Some parts were even oozing blood.
Logan had not noticed until the man in front of him showed him his undamaged facial features.
He had hit the man in front of him with the intention of knocking him out, but even that wasn't enough to do the deed.
Logan knew that Diones defences were too strong for the current him to penetrate with strength alone.
Diones was bad news.