TOURNAMENT(FINAL 02)

Well, you should be ready because you might lose your limbs..."

Grace spoke with a cold smile on her face. As she moved her fingers, many strings, which were directly connected with her, started to move as well and began to retract towards Jack.

Ting....

The retracting strings made a ting sound, which was very scary to hear as it was nearly impossible to see the thin strings in broad daylight.

'Remember to use all your senses in battle. It is very important for a warrior to sharpen their senses like a blade because sometimes even the strongest blades in the world betray you, but your body will always be there until you take your last breath.'

Jack closed his eyes and recalled the time when he was training with Aurora.

He decided to focus all his concentration on the sound of the retracting strings, which were coming towards his way. Suddenly, everything started to move slowly, as if someone had used some kind of time spell on the world.

'Heee, well, looks like he had already given up on the match...'

Grace saw Jack standing there with his eyes closed and muttered inside her head.

Swish.....

Suddenly, six blade-like sharp strings were seen coming towards Jack with inhuman speed. Jack deduced how many strings were launched at him and as if he would have seen the future, he dodged every string skillfully, closing his distance between them and using his sword towards her.

Thud.....

Seeing that Jack was so close and she couldn't possibly use her strings in this range without injuring herself, she took out her two very sharp knives, and both sword and two knives clashed with each other.

"What did you do? Tell me... How were you able to come to me so quickly while easily dodging all my strings? How..."

Jack, after hearing her, opened his red crimson stone-like eyes and looked directly towards her with a smile on his face.

"Well, sorry girl, I don't like hitting girls as cute as you, but you see, I am one of those who supports gender equality..."

Aaaa.....

Jack said to her and then kicked directly on her guts. Because of which she let out a painful scream and fell on her knees. Seeing her fall like that, Jack's face turned cold as he looked directly into her black-brown eyes.

"Surrender. Don't let me do something that I'll regret later, so just give up..."

He said to her with an ice-cold look in his eyes, which looked scary to everyone.

Seeing that, Grace's body shuddered a little bit as she stood up by making her distance from him. So that she could use her strings, but Jack didn't let her get the upper hand as he also ran towards her. Both of them ran in the whole arena. After a while, Grace's back touched the wall of the ARENA, and all her routes to run away were closed.

"What? Did you really think that you can defeat me so easily....."

Jack said as he came close to her face. She tried to run away by using her speed, but before she could get out of it, Jack grabbed her arms, stopping her. Grace was not a warrior; she was an assassin. That's why she had a weakness when it comes to her strength.

While Jack was trained by one of the warrior freaks who loved strength more than anything. There was no way she could get out of this situation that easily.

And looking at her desperate tries to get out of this situation, Jack had a big smug look on his face. He got close to her and said, "Well, now you are in my hands and I am not letting you go so easily, Graceeeee....."

Jack said this slowly with a smug look on his face, which made her body tremble from fear.

Yes, the Assassin, the cold princess, and the one who had killed many people were right now helpless, trembling in front of a guy like a small child.

It seems some kind of childhood trauma had come back to haunt Grace again.

....

Grace's POV

A small girl, her silhouette illuminated by the soft moonlight, walked hand in hand with a mysterious woman whose face remained hidden in the shadows. They strolled beneath a vast, star-strewn sky, the celestial canvas painted with the brilliance of a crimson moon casting its enchanting glow. The stars seemed to dance in harmony, twinkling like a thousand fireflies in the dark expanse.

The scene exuded a mesmerizing beauty, captivating anyone who laid eyes upon it, drawing them into a trance where time seemed to stand still. Couples wandered hand in hand, lost in the spellbinding aura of the night.

"Mommy, why are they holding hands like us?" Grace's voice broke the silence, filled with innocent curiosity and wonder.

The woman's soft voice carried a hint of mystery as she replied, "It's because these people have chosen to dedicate themselves to each other, promising to remain together forever. And the feeling that binds them is what we call love..."

"So, mama, does that mean we will also stay together forever?"

A radiant smile illuminated Grace's face, her eyes sparkling with joy as she eagerly awaited her mother's response.

"Yes, sweetheart, we will stay together forever..."

The words hung in the air, carrying with them the promise of eternal companionship. Little Grace's heart swelled with happiness, and she began to dance around her mother like a playful sprite, her laughter mingling with the gentle rustle of the night breeze.

Two years later...

The forest echoed with desperate cries, the pleas for mercy mingling with the frantic footsteps of those fleeing for their lives. Among them, a woman and her daughter raced through the dense undergrowth, terror etched on their faces as they sought refuge from the pursuing bandits.

"Grace, listen to mommy, okay? Hide here so no one can find you. Mommy will take care of the bad guys, okay?"

"Mama, don't leave me here, I'm scared... I don't want you to leave me..."

Tears streamed down little Grace's cheeks as she clung to her mother, her fear palpable in the trembling of her small frame. In that moment, nothing in the world mattered to her except the safety of her beloved mother.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen to mommy. Just stay hidden here, like we played hide and seek, remember? Close your eyes and ears, no matter what. Don't come out, okay?"

With a solemn nod, little Grace obeyed her mother's instructions, squeezing her eyes shut and covering her ears with her tiny hands.

"I'm sorry, Grace. Mommy won't stay with you forever. Please forgive me and live your life as you want. Find the person meant for you, marry him, and have a nice family together. Mommy will always watch you from above, okay?"

With tearful words of farewell, Grace's mother bid her daughter goodbye, her heart heavy with the weight of the sacrifices she was making to ensure her daughter's survival.

As the sounds of chaos and violence filled the air, Grace's mother bravely lured the bandits away, sacrificing herself to protect her precious child.

Amidst the chaos, little Grace remained hidden, her heart torn apart by grief and fear as she clung to the fading hope of her mother's return.

But as the silence of the forest enveloped her, pierced only by the distant echoes of brutality, Grace's world shattered into fragments of despair.

Alone and abandoned, she stood trembling, her eyes squeezed shut, blocking out the horrors of the world around her.

Then, footsteps approached, breaking the eerie silence, and a stranger's voice pierced through the darkness.

"Hey, little girl, what are you doing here?"

With trembling lips, Grace opened her eyes, her gaze searching desperately for her mother amidst the shadows.

"Sir, did you see my mommy? She was here a while ago..."

But the stranger's somber response shattered Grace's fragile hope, plunging her into the depths of despair.

"No, that can't be true! My mother can't leave me alone. She promised she would stay with me forever..."

Her anguished cry echoed through the forest, a mournful lament for the loss of her mother's comforting presence.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, Grace felt her world crumbling around her, leaving her adrift in a sea of loneliness and grief.

But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope emerged as the stranger extended a hand, offering her a chance at a new beginning.

"Want to come with me? The path ahead won't be easy, but I can help you become strong. I work for a big group called the Assassin Guild. If you come with me, you can stop things like this from happening in the future."

With a heavy heart and eyes filled with tears, Grace nodded, clinging to the stranger's outstretched hand as she embarked on a journey into the unknown, guided by the flickering flame of hope burning within her soul.

Arena Hall

The tension in the arena was palpable as Grace lay motionless on the ground, her defeat apparent to all who watched. Jack, with a mix of triumph and concern etched on his face, turned towards the host and gave a subtle nod, signaling the end of the battle.

Nod...

The host reciprocated with a nod of acknowledgement, his voice echoing through the arena as he declared the outcome of the fierce duel.

"Ladies and gentlemen, after an electrifying showdown, the final match of the bronze league has reached its conclusion! The victor, emerging triumphant from the fray, is none other than DAMON DARKBORNE!"

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and applause, the air crackling with excitement as Jack's victory was celebrated. But amidst the jubilation, a sense of awe lingered, for Jack's journey to triumph had been marked by courage, skill, and unwavering determination, making his victory all the more exhilarating to witness.