I exited Arena C, the roar of the crowd replaced by a steady hum. Back in the main hallway, students were scattered around so nursing bruises with stubborn pride, others practically bursting with victory.
That familiar post-match stress filled the air and I was wondering If I should go have lunch now or after the next match.
With the map displayed on my watch, the navigation here was straightforward as I left to go towards the IDS station at Arena C and found myself back at the central area where we had our eting in the morning about the matches.
[Pinnacle Academy Main Stadium - Arena A Waiting Lobby]
Rows of screens lined the walls, broadcasting matches both ongoing and highlights from earlier rounds.
It wasn't just about the viewership, though as I saw a highlight of Louise blasting a poor extra away with his fists.
Looking around the lobby there were stalls lining the edges, not selling the typical junk food vendors offered in the arena, but rather sleekly packaged snacks that gave a boost for mana and endurance.
While my next match could pop up soon I checked the current battles going on in Arena C and so students are still fighting it out.
I was only here to relax up until my next match and before I settled down onto a lounge there was an enormous glowing board hung towards the back, listing nas and their current standings.
I scanned the top few:
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[Ti and Wins]
[*Note: Tis are used to determine and distribute the rankings for the Round 50 tournant bracket.]
[Wins - Ti]
[Group: A, Jan Ates: 3 Wins - 3.83 Seconds]
[Group: B, Louise Villerion 3 Wins - 3.92 Seconds]
[Group: F, Valencia Freya 3 Wins - 4.15 Seconds]
[Group: C, Alice Elizabeth 3 Wins - 4.45 Seconds]
[Group: D, Jae Yoona 3 Wins - 6.73 Seconds]
...
...
...
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Of course, The top spots weren't surprising. Jan and Louise were the expected favourites, speed and power in perfect balance. But as my eyes drifted lower... The real shock was seeing Valencia over Alice.
Though in the original story, it was supposed to be Alice who occupied that third-place spot followed by Jae Yoona who would be fourth, But after many changes, it was expected to see Valencia this high.
rumble...
Well, there was no doubt In my head that I deserved a good al after winning two matches but as I checked for the bag that I had I realised that I left my lunch back at the classroom...
I guess I'll have to eat at a restaurant but I don't mind honestly. I do have all the money I could ask for.
as I scanned the restaurants nestled within the Central Lobby. My eyes snapped to a flash of green and white
It was Allen's Cafe! This was tempting, way too tempting. Maybe a little caffeine boost would be good before the notification...
As I stepped inside, a sigh escaped my lips. The familiar, relaxing aroma of roasted beans and sweet pastries swirled around , instantly soothing any stress that I had.
That's the thing about Allen's Cafe it has this magical ability to lt worries away.
Then, with all the coincidences in the world I live in, I ended up seeing Jan Ates, the novel's protagonist, sitting at a corner table. A surge of... not quite annoyance, but close to it washed over .
Don't get wrong, Jan's a great guy. But I see him way too often... I can't even enjoy being at Allen's cafe without seeing a character from my novel and with Jan around, I guess today won't be my day.
There he was again, with that bright smile, "Rel! Over here!" he shouted waving with that effortless charm.
For a second, I genuinely contemplated turning and disappearing. But Jan... well, ignoring him takes more energy than just grinning and bearing it. Besides, Allen's Foods was already calling my na.
"Screw it," I muttered. At the counter, a cheerful barista greeted . "Hey there, what can I get for you?"
"Black coffee, large. Extra strong. And...uh, give one of those ham and cheese croissants as well."
She swiftly nodded and began preparing my al for , As I leaned against the counter, watching the barista expertly prepare my coffee.
Sothing about the grind of the beans and the soft hiss of steam was interesting.
My eyes flickered towards Jan, who was watching with an amused smile, seemingly waiting for to join him. With a tired sigh, I offered a half-smile in return before turning my attention back to the coffee-making process.
With my tray, I slid into the seat opposite Jan, pushing away the lingering wish for solitude.
"You're the type to drink black coffee, huh?" Jan remarked, eyeing my order.
I snickered lightly. "Yes, for soone like you, I'll need a whole lot." The retort flew right past Jan's head, but it felt good to deliver a playful jab for once.
We moved on, discussing the first few matches of the tournant. Only three had happened so far – hardly enough ti to talk about any good matches.
Jan, with his keen analysis, broke down so of his strategies for his potential opponents although he basically wins the battle per second, I mostly grunted and nodded to his yappanese, As I was more focused on getting the croissant down without choking.
He paused, tilting his head slightly. "Hey, I saw a replay of your takedown against that bruiser... You knocked him out, clean, in one punch! And here I thought you were a 'support' type."
"Eh, sotis you gotta switch it up," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
Jan gave a playful punch on the arm, "I knew you've been pulling your punches, haven't you?"
[-5 HP!]
That punch genuinely hurt. did he use divine conqueror on ? Impossible... It made realise how much stronger Jan really was compared to his Original self in the novel. I rubbed my shoulder, wincing slightly...
We shared a few more lighthearted jabs and observations before another vibration echoed through the room. Both our watches were buzzing with the next notification.
"Looks like that's our cue," Jan said, flashing a smile.
We cleared our trays, leaving behind the remainder of our al.
I glanced at my watch, checking who my next matchup was.
[Axel Saint Rel Laurence]
[Group E]
[Matches Completed: 2]
[Match number:6]
[Opponent: Jazmine Mockerick - [Arena B] ]
[Ti: 1:30 PM]
*Arrive 15 Minutes Before The Battle For Inspection*
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Authors Notes:
- The central lobby has plenty of restaurants and lounge rooms that have tv's to watch the ongoing matches.
- Rel was genuinely happy when he saw that Allen's Cafe was inside the central lobby.
- Rel's Current Ranking: 45 - 2 Wins - Ti: 9 Minutes, 32 Seconds.
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