--- [Sabrina’s perspective]

  “That’s it! Isabella surrenders, making Alexander the winner! He really is proving himself to be unstoppable!” – Bob

  “That’s right!” – Barbara

  “Well then everyone, let’s take a short break before the semi-finals. Make sure to be back within 10 minutes!” – Bob

  I was completely, and utterly, defeated…

  I was so confident I could win, yet I didn’t even stand a chance.

  I never fought him directly during the D-rank exam, but I know he wasn’t that strong back then.

  Sure, he defeated his opponent without much issue, and his score was only beaten by someone who used a charged attack, but this is different…

  Back then, I’m sure he could have confidently beat most people there if he really tried.

  Now though…?

  Well, now he’s easily beating his peers.

  While still holding back too…

  How could someone possibly improve that much in such a short time?

  Since Isabella is usually the one who has control of our body, I spend most of my time on the inside.

  Meditating is pretty much the only thing I can do there.

  And so, I do.

  Almost every waking hour is spent training, yet despite that, I’m not improving nowhere near as quickly as he is.

  There’s something different about him…

  “I’m sorry. I was too weak…” – Sabrina

  I slide the sword back into the scabbard, and give her control again.

  The moment she regains control she smacks our face with both hands.

  I might not be in control anymore, but I can still feel everything…

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  Ouch…

  “Don’t say that! You did your best, and that’s all that matters! If I was the one out there, I wouldn’t have even made it past the preliminaries, so be proud of yourself! I certainly am!” – Isabella

  Proud?

  How could I be proud if I lost…?

  “You might not have won, but all those people out there still cheered you on from beginning to end. You saved countless lives in the first round, and they all see you as a hero!” – Isabella

  …

  It’s like she can read my thoughts…

  “So stop sulking just because you lost one fight. If you’re that frustrated, then just make sure you’re strong enough to win next time!” – Isabella

  She’s too kind…

  If I had control now, I might have shed a tear or two…

  Not like I’m ever telling her that though!

  --- [Luna’s perspective]

  I open the door to Alex’s room, and sure enough, he’s right there.

  We haven’t talked in so long…

  “Yo.” – Luna

  He turns around and looks at me.

  “Hey.” – Alex

  “You alright?” – Luna

  “I’m fine.” – Alex

  I didn’t expect it to be this awkward…

  “I…” – Luna

  I hesitate for a moment; it’s a tough subject matter to bring up.

  “I heard about what happened from Lett. I’m sorry…” – Luna

  “Yeah…” – Alex

  “Well, if you ever wanna talk or something… I’ll be there.” – Luna

  “Sure.” – Alex

  He really isn’t himself…

  He seems so apathetic and unwilling to open up.

  It’s affecting him a lot more than he’s letting on.

  I grab his hand.

  “I’m serious, you know? I’m here if you ever want to talk. We all are! Betrayal and losing someone close to you are some of the worst things a person can go through, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.” – Luna

  He puts on a clearly fake smile before replying.

  “I appreciate it, but I’m fine.” – Alex

  My heart aches for him…

  He must be in so much pain, and although he still has good friends who are there for him, he doesn’t seem to truly understand that.

  Is he scared we’ll betray him too?

  Is he trying to distance himself so it won’t hurt as much if something were to happen to us too?

  I don’t know, but whatever it is, with everything he has gone through recently, I totally understand him.

  “Alright, I’ll get going; the matches will resume soon. But remember, I’m here for you.” – Luna

  He simply nods and drifts back into his own thoughts as I walk away.

  Right as I’m about to close the doors, I think of something…!

  “How about this! If I win our upcoming fight, promise me you’ll have that talk with me. Okay?” – Luna

  For the first time in a long time, it looks like he’s genuinely happy.

  A slight smirk forms, and he lets out a barely audible chuckle.

  “I’m sorry, Luna. If that’s the case, then you’re not getting that talk anytime soon.” – Alex

  Ooh…

  He’s getting cocky…!

  “Is that right? Well, you better keep in mind that I’ll do anything to help my friends, and I think that talk will do you a lot of good. If I’m fighting for the sake of my dear friend, I can’t afford to lose, can I?” – Luna

  --- [Vincent’s perspective]

  It’s almost time for my next match already.

  I have a good feeling about this one…!

  My opponent is clearly strong, but that looks to be about it.

  He’s a muscle head, nothing more.

  Luckily for me, if there’s one thing I won’t lose at, it’s a battle of pure strength.

  Of course, that relies on me getting a highroll, but I get the sense that that won’t be an issue this time around.

  Oh baby, I’m feeling lucky tonight!