Tomi remained silent, his victory solid but his expression unreadable. Layla shot him a proud glance, while Ace clenched his fists, trying to push aside the gnawing frustration.
Tomi deactivated his vision enhancement, blinking as the vivid hues of augmented reality faded back into the sterile environment of the training room. He glanced around, catching sight of Ace walking off, his posture tense.
Arande was rushing toward him, her pace hurried, while Layla stood at a distance, her helmet retracting as she flashed Tomi a smile, giving him a thumbs-up in acknowledgment of his victory.
Just then, a notification on his watch blinked, projecting a holographic screen before him. Liyah's voice chirped in his mind.
"Congratulations, master, you've unlocked a new skill."
The screen displayed:
[Neuro-link: Ability to communicate with other chip holders at will.]
Tomi glared at the screen, his lip curling in disdain.
"Useless," he thought dismissively, the sarcasm evident in his internal voice.
But before Liyah could respond, he felt the sudden, uncomfortable weight of a body pressing against him.
"You did great, Tomi!" Arande exclaimed, beaming as she hugged him from the side, her armor-clad arms wrapping around his waist.
Tomi's eyes widened, panic gripping him like a vice. His breath hitched as the weight of the embrace triggered an almost instinctual fear.
"Hey! Get off me right now!" His voice broke as he forcefully pushed her away, the alarm in his chest turning into a tight knot of dread.
Arande stumbled back, confusion and sadness flickering across her face.
He staggered backward, his breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts, eyes darting around the room, trying to ground himself.
He saw Layla exiting the simulation without a word, and Ace heading toward the door, blood dripping steadily from the corner of his mouth—a silent reminder of the damage he'd taken during the battle.
Arande's voice, now soft and apologetic, broke through the haze.
"I'm sorry... I was just trying to congratulate you." Her voice cracked with vulnerability as her shoulders sagged, eyes welling with tears.
Tomi looked at Arande, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes, her face crumbling. He shifted his gaze to the floor, his steps heavy as he started to walk away.
He paused, his voice low and controlled, trying to avoid the emotional weight hanging in the air.
"You're fine," he muttered, not looking back. "But just... keep your distance from me."
Arande's eyes flickered with surprise at his words, but she kept silent.
"That's because I have my reasons for being this way," Tomi added, his tone firm but tinged with something deeper, as he began to peel off the suit armor.
Each piece clanked to the ground, his movements stiff, as if trying to shed more than just the armor.
Meanwhile, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of Arande's lips as she watched him from the corner of her eye. She saw it—this small shift in his demeanor, the way he didn't entirely shut her out.
"That's progress," she thought, her smile barely visible, but present nonetheless, as Tomi stepped out of his armor.
Her eyes softened as she observed him, his back to her, his shoulders tense. I guess the trauma from his past still haunts him, Arande thought, feeling a pang of sympathy.
She didn't push any further, but the seed of hope remained planted in her mind.
Meanwhile, Tomi wiped the blood from his mouth as he stepped out of the simulation room, his body still aching from the intense virtual battle.
The cool air hit his face, but his senses remained alert, every step deliberate. Just ahead, he noticed Layla standing in the nearly deserted gym, her frame small compared to the towering, muscular guy in front of her. Ace, walking past them, seemed indifferent to the brewing tension.
"What do you want?" Layla's voice was sharp, but exhaustion seeped through her words.
Her eyes were half-lidded, heavy with sleep and frustration as she glared up at the man.
"I heard your team lost to a lowly Eclipse organization," the man sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.
Behind him, his crew chuckled, feeding off his cruelty.
"Talk about a losing team, Dado!" one of his buddies chimed in with a laugh that echoed through the gym.
"I know, right? Number one team, my ass!" another voice joined, filling the air with derisive laughter.
Suddenly, without warning, a crushing force rippled through the space. The gravity around Dado and his crew shifted violently, slamming them to the ground with a resounding crack, even Layla stumbled slightly under the unexpected pressure.
"What the hell?!" Dado's eyes widened in shock as he and his buddies found themselves pinned to the floor, struggling under the immense force.
The air grew colder and heavier. Menacing. Ace's figure loomed over them, his gaze piercing through his helmet, radiating power and anger. His voice was calm but lethal.
"I dare you to repeat that," he growled, his words like venom.
Dado's breath hitched, fear overtaking his arrogance as he stared up at Ace. The gravity crush intensified, pushing them deeper into the floor, cracks spiderwebbing out from beneath them.
Ace's presence was suffocating, and for a moment, Dado thought the floor might swallow him whole.
The force abruptly lessened. Relief washed over Dado as he gasped for breath, the crushing weight lifting just enough for him to breathe. Ace's cold, bloodshot eyes stared down at him, blood trickling from his nose and eyes, a sign of the strain the gravity crush had taken on him.
"Count yourself lucky," Ace's voice was as cold as ice, cutting through the tension. Even though the attack had weakened, the threat was unmistakable.
As Dado and his crew scrambled to recover, their laughter silenced, Ace turned, his body visibly strained but his expression unyielding.
"Couldn't let his words slide, could you, Master?" Lake's voice rang in Ace's mind, filled with concern as blood dripped steadily from Ace's nose, staining the inside of his helmet.
Ace gritted his teeth, the pain and exhaustion beginning to set in.
"Send a notification to my provider. Let them know of my... current situation." His tone was cold, indifferent, despite his weakening state.
His gaze flicked back to check on Tomi, wondering if he was faring any better.
"Sent master!"
Lake replied.
To Ace's irritation, Ace saw Tomi awkwardly and hesitantly hovering over Layla, who had fallen asleep on the floor from the strain of Ace's earlier attack. Tomi hesitated, his hand twitching as if unsure whether to touch her or walk away but as he walked off and back, causing Ace's frustration to spike.
"The hell is he doing?" Ace narrowed his eyes, watching Tomi awkwardly back away as Arande swooped in, effortlessly lifting Layla into a piggyback position.
"Whatever," Ace muttered under his breath, turning on his heel, blood still trickling down his face.
He needed to get to the clinic—his provider would handle the damage. The door slid shut behind him as he exited, his movements sharp with irritation.
Meanwhile, Tomi stepped aside, watching as Arande adjusted Layla on her back. As she passed, she leaned in, her breath warm against his ear.
"See you tomorrow at formation," she whispered, a playful tone lacing her words before she hurried off, Layla in tow. She was well aware that Tomi was on the verge of snapping at her.
Tomi stood frozen for a moment, his brow furrowing in disbelief.
"This girl is insane!" he thought, shivering slightly as the sensation of her whisper lingered in his mind.
His pulse quickened, a mixture of confusion and annoyance bubbling within him.
As Tomi left the gym, heading back to his dorm, his footsteps echoed down the quiet hallway.
Just then, he heard a stammering voice from behind.
"Umm- I- I- I just want to say... thank you."
He turned to see Rosie, her face flushed with nervousness. She barely managed to get the words out before squeaking in embarrassment and darting down the hallway, her hurried footsteps fading quickly as she fled.
"Weird as usual," Tomi thought, watching her disappear around the corner. He frowned, confused. Why is she thanking me again? He couldn't remember.
"Does master seriously have short-term memory?" Liyah's voice chimed in, dripping with sarcasm as she appeared, lounging in mid-air with her legs crossed, her lips curling into a teasing grin.
Tomi felt the irritation rising.
"Vanish," he commanded sharply, without allowing her any chance to start her usual banter.
Liyah opened her mouth to retort, but he shot her a warning glance. With an exaggerated sigh, she faded out of sight, leaving Tomi alone with his thoughts, still puzzled about Roise's gratitude.