As Josuke pushed open the door to the waiting room, he immediately noticed Hinata sitting in the corner, her face turning beet red the moment her eyes landed on him. She quickly looked away, pulling her hoodie over her head to hide her expression. Josuke scratched the back of his head awkwardly, pretending not to notice her embarrassment. He muttered under his breath, "Great… Chaos couldn't resist making things worse."
Across the room, Lily sat casually in one of the chairs, her ever-present mischievous grin plastered across her face. She was clearly enjoying the chaos she had stirred earlier. Josuke's irritation grew as he realized she wasn't about to let him live the morning's incident down.
On the other side of the room, Arthur sat, his arms crossed, with his usual serious demeanor. However, there was a slight slouch in his posture, and faint bags under his eyes betrayed his fatigue.
Seizing the opportunity, Josuke strolled over and said, "Well, well, someone didn't get a good night's sleep. What's the matter, Arthur? Trouble counting sheep?"
Arthur shot him a glare and snapped back, "What do you want, dummy? Can't you just sit quietly for once?"
Josuke smirked, leaning on the chair beside him. "Nothing, really. Just curious about today's match. So, who's fighting?"
Arthur adjusted his posture, ignoring the obvious jab. "It's Ace versus Zane," he said flatly. Then, after a pause, Arthur smirked. "Oh, and by the way, I know what you did."
Josuke blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"
Arthur's grin widened as he continued, "Lily showed me the picture, you fiend. How far are you going to go to take advantage of poor, innocent Hinata?"
Josuke's face turned pale. "It was an accident! I swear!" He spun toward Hinata and desperately pleaded, "Please, tell him it was an accident!"
Hinata, still hiding under her hoodie, only squeaked in embarrassment, refusing to make eye contact. Josuke groaned, slumping into a chair as Arthur gave a triumphant chuckle.
"There's no escape for you, creepy devil," Arthur teased, leaning back with his arms behind his head.
Josuke scowled but didn't respond. Instead, he turned his attention to the massive screen at the front of the room. The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, signaling the beginning of the match.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The third match of the tournament is about to begin! Introducing, from Unit Eight, Zane—the sharpshooter extraordinaire! And from Unit Zero, Ace—the unstoppable hammer!"
The crowd roared in anticipation as the two contestants stepped into the arena. Zane, a lean and agile fighter, carried a sleek, high-tech bow on his back. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield as if calculating every possible outcome. Ace, on the other hand, was a towering figure, his heavy battle hammer resting on his shoulder. His presence alone was intimidating, exuding raw power and confidence.
"Ready… FIGHT!" the announcer bellowed.
Zane wasted no time. As soon as the signal was given, he leapt backward, creating distance between himself and Ace. In a blur of movement, he nocked an arrow and fired it with pinpoint precision.
Ace reacted quickly, slamming his hammer into the ground to raise a massive wall of earth, which absorbed the arrow's impact. The crowd gasped as debris flew into the air. Zane, unfazed, continued his assault, firing a volley of arrows at incredible speed.
Ace roared, breaking through his own earth wall and charging forward, his hammer swinging in a wide arc. Zane barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side and taking aim again. He released another arrow, this one crackling with energy, aimed directly at Ace's chest.
Ace brought up his hammer just in time, the arrow deflecting off its surface with a burst of sparks. Using the momentum, Ace slammed the hammer into the ground again, creating a shockwave that sent Zane tumbling backward.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the two fighters clashed. Zane used his agility and ranged attacks to keep Ace at bay, while Ace relied on his raw strength and earth manipulation to close the distance.
Zane's strategy seemed to be working as he kept Ace on his toes, forcing the larger man to stay defensive. But Ace was patient, biding his time. Finally, an opportunity presented itself.
As Zane fired another arrow, Ace anticipated the trajectory and dodged, closing the gap between them in a single leap. With a thunderous swing, he brought his hammer down, smashing Zane's bow into pieces.
The crowd gasped as Zane stumbled backward, now unarmed. Ace didn't let up, delivering a crushing blow to the ground that sent a pillar of earth shooting upward, knocking Zane off his feet.
The match was over.
"And the winner is… ACE, from Unit Zero!" the announcer declared.
The arena erupted in applause as Ace offered a hand to Zane, helping him to his feet. Despite his loss, Zane gave a respectful nod, acknowledging Ace's strength.
Meanwhile, in the command center, the various unit commanders watched the match unfold on a large screen.
Kyle, Unit Zero's commander, leaned back in his chair, grinning smugly. "First-time participanting in years, and my unit is dominating," he said, his voice dripping with pride.
Across the table, Unit Eight's commander, August, scowled. "Don't get cocky boy," he growled.
Kyle's grin widened. "It's not my fault I have a better unit," he said with a shrug, clearly enjoying the tension.
Before the argument could escalate, Selene, the commander of Unit Six, chimed in with a playful tone. "Now, now, boys. Let's not start a fight over this. It's just an event. Unless, of course, you're betting money on it…"
Kyle chuckled. "It's always money with you, Selene."
Selene smirked. "Well, of course, Kyle my dear. Money is an essential part of life. It's the best thing this world can provide don't you agree John ."
Commander John, ever the voice of reason, sighed. "I agree that money has its place, but not with your… obsession, Selene. And as for you two" he shot a disapproving glance at Kyle and August "arguing like children is hardly productive."
Kyle leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Yeah,yeah we should all be grumpy like you? Come on, big bro. Lighten up. A little argument never hurt anyone. Besides, it's not like mr August over here is figthing me or anything and it's obvious he wouldn't challenge me to a fight an argument is all he can do and hope to win . I mean the gap between us is literally as far as heaven from earth if not more ."
August's face turned red, but before he could retort, Maya, Kyle's second-in-command, leaned in and whispered, "Stop talking, Kyle. You're embarrassing our unit."
Kyle straightened up, still grinning but taking the hint.
Back in the waiting room, Josuke sat silently, watching the screen. Hinata occasionally peeked at him from under her hoodie, her face still flushed. Lily, ever the instigator, leaned closer to Josuke and whispered, "You know, if you keep this up, Arthur might not be the only one calling you a creepy devil."
Josuke groaned, muttering, it's funny you know ?"
Arthur smirked, clearly enjoying Josuke's misery. "Yeah it's not funny it's hilarious just thought of you in that turkey suit make's me laugh and this time I'll get my sword to connect ."
The day's events were far from over, and with tensions rising between the units, it was clear that the tournament was only the beginning.