Author's Note: Do Not Unlock Yet.
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The deafening cheers of the Colosseum finally settled into a low murmur as the holographic screen flashed a new ssage.
---
[ ROUND FIVE – THE KING'S GAMBIT BEGINS IN THREE HOURS ]
[ All Competitors May Use This Ti to Rest and Prepare ]
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A wave of relief washed over the remaining 125 players.
They had survived four brutal rounds, but there was still more to co.
Many of them were still in shock at their own survival—especially after the intense free-for-all battles.
For Aleman's group, the break was well needed.
---
Post-Battle Reactions
Aleman rolled his shoulders, the last remnants of battle tension fading from his body.
Boris let out a deep exhale. "Holy shit, we actually made it through that ss."
Lilo stretched, adjusting her bowstring. "It was closer than I liked, but yeah. We did it."
Ezran sat down, rubbing his temples. "I swear, that lightning mage in my batch wanted dead. I barely made it past him."
Gregarious flopped onto the ground, arms sprawled out.
"I cheated death today. Twice. I deserve a reward. Like… a vacation. Or maybe a lifeti supply of food."
Aleman chuckled, kneeling down next to him. "You didn't die, Greg. That's your reward."
"No, that's the bare minimum." Greg groaned. "A reward is sothing extra. I almost got eaten by a giant snake. I should at least get cake or sothing."
Reiner, standing off to the side, scowled. "You're all acting like this is over. The hardest rounds are still ahead."
Lilo rolled her eyes. "And we'll deal with them when they co. Right now? We rest."
Boris clapped Aleman on the back. "You really cleaned house out there, man. That telekinetic move? Sent half your batch flying. Bet the audience loved that."
Ezran nodded. "You're making a na for yourself, Aleman. Even more than before."
Aleman smirked slightly. "Let's hope that doesn't make us a bigger target."
---
The Tournant Lounge – A Place to Regroup
After the initial debrief, the team headed towards the tournant's resting area, a massive open-air lounge filled with tables, recovery stations, and food stalls.
Players mingled, recovered, and strategized for the rounds to co.
Aleman scanned the area, spotting various high-ranking players.
Kael Nightbane was sitting at a bar-like counter, still covered in battle dust but grinning like a madman.
Saphira Windsong sat in a corner, sharpening her enchanted blade.
Taro the Silent was nowhere to be seen—unsurprisingly.
"A lot of eyes on us," Lilo muttered as they walked.
Boris smirked. "Of course. We're a problem now."
Ezran nodded. "The fact that we made it this far as a full squad? That ans sothing."
Aleman, however, wasn't thinking about the next round just yet.
He had real-world issues to handle.
"You guys settle in," he said suddenly. "I need to log out for a bit."
Greg sat up from where he was sprawled on a bench. "Oh right, you have a life outside this ga. What's that like?"
Aleman smirked. "Complicated."
Lilo raised a brow. "You sure you'll be back in ti?"
Aleman nodded. "Yeah. I won't be gone long."
Ezran studied him. "This is about AM Coven, isn't it?"
Aleman didn't confirm or deny it. "Just gotta handle so things."
Boris punched his shoulder lightly. "Go take care of business, man. We got this handled."
Lilo crossed her arms. "Just don't get yourself into trouble."
Aleman smirked. "No promises."
---
Logging Out – Back to Reality
As soon as he activated the logout sequence, the ga world faded.
His body beca weightless, and then—
He was back in the real world.
The lid of his gaming pod slid open, and the dim glow of his apartnt lights greeted him.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Alright, let's see what's on fire today."
Pulling out his phone, he quickly checked his notifications.
Derrick: "Hope you're alive. Everything's fine on my end."
Tara: "Thank you again for saving him. I owe you."
Rachel (Lilo): "Your real-life self better be alive because if you miss the next round, I'm going to be PISSED."
Aleman smirked at the last ssage.
Then—his phone vibrated with an incoming call.
It was Detective Wright.
Aleman's smirk faded.
"Never a dull mont, huh?"
He answered the call.
"What now, Wright?"
The detective's voice was tense.
"We need to talk. Now."
Aleman leaned back. "This about Oni again? Or sothing worse?"
"Both. Get to AM Coven. You're going to want to hear this in person."
Aleman exhaled.
The tournant could wait.
For now, the real world needed him.
---sss
A Dangerous Revelation
The night air was cool, but the weight of what Detective Wright had just said made it feel suffocating.
Aleman sat across from him in a secluded office within AM Coven, the dim overhead light casting shadows across the room.
Wright, dressed in his usual dark suit and loosened tie, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he studied Aleman's reaction.
"You seem tense."
Aleman's voice was calm, but underneath, his mind was racing.
"I don't like when things stop making sense."
Wright smirked, pulling out a cigarette, twirling it between his fingers. He didn't light it. He just needed sothing to do with his hands.
"You tell , Aleman. How rare is that little fruit of yours? The one that gives people abilities?"
Aleman tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes beneath his futuristic helt.
"You an the Fruit of Corruption? Or the other legendary fruits?"
Wright shrugged. "All of them. Let's focus on the Fruit of Corruption for now."
Aleman leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"Rare as hell."
Wright smirked. "And yet…" He tapped his finger against the table. "Can you count how many supernatural beings you've run into in just the last couple of months?"
Aleman froze.
His mind flashed through the mories.
Oni operatives with superhuman abilities.
The vigilante that had been taking down Oni mbers across the city.
Lilo's boss, Grayson, who had strength beyond human capability.
The two supers that helped during the Oni raid on the island.
Even so small-ti criminals that had unnatural speed and endurance.
It wasn't just one or two.
It was dozens.
The realization hit like a thunderclap.
Wright saw it in his posture, the way Aleman stiffened slightly.
"It doesn't add up, does it?" Wright said, his voice low. "Sothing that's supposed to be so rare… yet every damn week, soone new pops up with abilities."
Aleman exhaled slowly, piecing it together. "This has sothing to do with Oni, doesn't it?"
Wright nodded.
"You rember the kid we took from the island? The one you protected?"
Aleman's mind imdiately went to Renji—the terrified teenager with the power to replicate objects.
His stomach tightened.
"What about him?"
Wright's face darkened.
"He's been replicating the Fruit of Corruption."
Aleman's blood ran cold.
"What?"
"Yeah. The Oni had him locked up for months, making him mass-produce them. They've been using the fruits to strengthen their own people—and worse, they've been selling them on the black market."
Aleman's fists clenched.
It all made sense now.
The superhumans appearing more frequently.
The sudden influx of powers into the world.
The Oni weren't just recruiting—they were building an army.
And worse? They were distributing these abilities to whoever could afford them.
Aleman let out a sharp breath. "How many do we think are out there?"
Wright shook his head. "Hard to say. But from what we gathered, Oni's been doing this for months now."
Aleman leaned back, his thoughts racing.
"That explains why their foot soldiers suddenly beca stronger. That explains why even random criminals are appearing with super abilities."
Wright nodded.
"Exactly. And now that we know this? We have to shut down their supply. Fast."
Aleman's fingers tapped against the table.
"Do we know where they're manufacturing them?"
Wright's lips twisted into a grim smirk.
"That's the fun part. We do."
Aleman's eyes sharpened.
"Where?"
"Turns out, Oni's not just producing them in one place. They have multiple facilities. But the biggest one? The one we're sure is acting as their main supply chain?"
Wright slid a holographic map across the table.
It displayed a massive facility on the outskirts of the city, tucked away in an industrial sector.
"This is their biggest operation center. High-tech security, heavy presence of Oni operatives, and most likely where they're keeping the latest batch of replicated fruits."
Aleman studied the blueprints and heat signatures.
The place was fortified—it wasn't going to be a simple infiltration.
"How soon can we move on it?"
Wright exhaled. "That's the problem. We don't have the manpower for a full-scale assault. Not without casualties."
Aleman frowned. "So what's the plan? You want to handle it alone?"
Wright chuckled dryly. "No, I'm not that suicidal. But…" He t Aleman's gaze. "This is exactly why I need you to take that leadership role and assemble a team of supers. Because this? This is just the beginning."
Aleman leaned back in his chair, silent.
The weight of the situation settled in.
This wasn't just about Oni anymore.
This was about an entire underground market of superhuman enhancents.
This was about a potential war brewing in the shadows.
And he was one of the few people who could stop it.
Aleman let out a slow breath.
"Alright, Wright. I'll think about it."
Wright grinned.
"That's all I needed to hear."
---
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