Volume 2 Episode 19

"... Wh-what?"

"Oh, you didn't hear me the first time? I said, do I look like I give a f**k?"

Rin, who was still shocked by the bluntness of his words, couldn't say anything for a while. She didn't know what she was expecting from Lin, but it definitely wasn't this.

"Wh-what do you think you're saying? I always tried to help you, to motivate you back when you were a talentle-"

"Would you just shut up with that fake s**t, huh? Come on, I've known you for ten years, you think I didn't know about your real feelings? Do I look like an idiot to you?"

"Watch what you're saying! I can't believe you thought I had some kind of hidden agenda to hang out with you? You know I ac-actually lik-"

"Oh for god's sake, even if you pretend to not know, I still remember." Lin, who had enough of her bulls**t, though that he'd explain what he meant.

"Three years ago, when we were practicing fighting in the dojo. You always won against me even if we weren't allowed to use our magic in the dojo. I always lost against you, every single time. Even if I tried hard, I would still be beaten by you. It was heartbreaking, but I still didn't give up, and trained harder. I knew that no matter how talented the other party was, you were still a kid at that time, and sooner or later, even a kid as talented as yourself would make mistakes. So I waited. I waited for a long time. I waited for that one opening that can change the outcome. And then, I found it. You had given me an opportunity, when you left your guard down, and I had taken it. The game should've been mine to win."

Lin stopped, and looked at Rin with his cold eyes. Rin shivered at the chilling look he gave her. She couldn't look at him.

"But I didn't. You thought I didn't see, but I did. You used your fire magic for just a tiny second, just enough to not be noticed, but enough to avoid my attack. If it was anyone else, they wouldn't have noticed it. But I, who studied your moves, who studied how to beat you, knew what you did. I sat in that dojo for a long time after that loss. I had to take in what had happened. You want to know what you did after winning? You didn't apologize for using your powers in the dojo. You didn't even acknowledge that you used it, even to a talentless boy who was on the verge of losing belief in himself. No, you looked me in the eyes and told me, 'Better luck next time.' And you said that with the most innocent smile that I almost thought I had seen wrong. That was the day I knew, that even if I trained hard enough, even if I give it my all, it wouldn't even matter, because I wouldn't even get the acknowledgement that I deserve. What can I expect from the world if I can't even expect it from my 'friend'."

After reminiscing about his past, Lin looked a bit lost. It wasn't his memories he was narrating, but the memories of the Lin Hamill who inhabited this world. But things weren't all that different in his original world either. It seemed like his two memories were merging together, combining both the Lins into one. Perhaps that's what's happening in the original world as well. He gave up thinking about it for now, because he had more important matters to get to. He looked at Rin once again and this time, he stepped forward and stood right in front of her, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"And then when you lost just once, a school tournament that happens every year and can be taken part by a student a minimum of three times, you have the fucking audacity to come to MY FACE AND ACCUSE ME?"

Lin screamed at the end, which caused Rin to step back, fearing his rage. She couldn't talk back. She couldn't reply to his words. Because she knew. She knew he was right. She knew what she had done, even if she buried it deep within her. She buried it so deep to force herself into believing her lies. She was lying to herself. And she knew she couldn't answer him, because she still couldn't stop lying. She couldn't face the truth. It was pathetic, but she was afraid of it. She was afraid of facing the truth that she hid from herself, fearing that it might break her. And in the end, she still couldn't do it.

Looking at Rin, who couldn't even face him probably, Lin gave a light snort and moved past her. He knew she still wouldn't come to terms with her fears. He knew, because a person who tried desperately to force her own lies to a talentless boy wouldn't even have the guts to recognise what's wrong. And it would only result in her eventual downfall. He didn't have to do anything to her. She would do it all on her own. He just had to watch.

Lin walked to the stadium, where the rest of the contestants were present. From the looks of it, they had just gotten there, seeing as everyone was looking a little bit stiff. Lin stepped into the waiting area, and sat on the couch to relax for a bit. He had a rough morning, and he had to get it out of his system.

A while after all the contestants had arrived, the referee and the officials arrived and instructed to follow them. The officials led them to the 'Kito Jungle', a hundred and twenty five acre forest range filled with mountainous areas existing inside the practical zone, owned by the academy itself. It seemed like the battle royale was going to be conducted there.

Looking at one of the mountains which was covered in mist and fog, Lin smiled.

"This is going to be interesting."