Chilled air flew under the glass window and cooled Leon's body, minutes after Vera had left the door vibrating.
Leon gritted his teeth while his eyes cracked open and placed a hand on his chest where the pain Vera's fingernail had left still lingered.
"Why did she come here? And what did she actually want?" he said in a low voice and pressed both palms across his cheeks while focusing on the diamond-patterned floor.
'Which of her boyfriends was she even talking about? Jade or Tiger?' he thought while his blurry vision slowly cleared.
Pain rattled in Leon's thighs when he tried pushing himself to his feet. "FUCK!"
Then, slowly, he used his arms as pillars to help himself up onto his feet even after failing on the third attempt.
Immediately he stood up, he walked to the window and placed his palm on the window sill. He focused on the birds flying above and below the clouds, the tree branches that kept shaking with every passing second, and the student who always roamed about rather than join to watch the bloody matches.
"Why did Vera say I should send her father's greetings to my dead father before leaving?"
Silence ruled in Leon's head as he shifted his gaze from the transparent window and focused on the brown door, waiting for Vera to walk through it once again with the answer he couldn't find.
When Leon regained his full strength by utilizing the life core stone's power, he moved from the window and stood at the center of the room.
He stretched his left shoulder until a bone-crackling sound erupted, crossed his hands until his elbow clicked, and bent his knees until his stiffened cap relaxed.
Just as Leon stretched his spine, a hollow feeling sank deep in his gut. He stared at his fingers while clenching them into a fist and releasing them at the same time.
"I know it would be hard or impossible to beat Tiger. But no matter what, I have to fight him till the last moment, even if I have to break all the bones to fight him, I will." He said in a cold voice while slowly closing his eyes.
All of Mr. Lee's lessons flashed behind Leon's eyes when his own statement replayed behind the blackness of his eyelids.
"I'll use Tiger's movements, redirect his strength and make him fight himself instead of me." He said in a low voice while cracking his eyes open.
A faint smile tore across his lips when he saw the door to the waiting room opening, chattering voices slowly blasting into the room like bees on a chase.
Just as the door opened wide, the proctor's voice called off the ongoing match, followed by the loud cheering from the crowd.
When others joined Leon in the waiting room and exited following Tiger's direction, Leon walked and gently pressed his ear on the black door.
"Are you sure he won't die instantly?" a feminine voice rose in an angry tone.
"Why are you asking me questions about that good-for-nothing brat? Do you see me as one of the twarks he had fought?" Tiger's voice rose in an angry tone, followed by the sound of glass shattering.
"I'm just asking to be sure, since he was able to survive all four fights he had fought. But wait, why was his fifth fight skipped?" Vera's voice rose in a judgmental tone.
"Don't ask me silly questions." Tiger's voice rose and paused for a second before continuing. "All I want now is to just fight and skin him alive in front of everyone, like I did to that friend of yours."
Vera screamed and calmed herself. "That girl was never my friend in the first place. I just wanted to use her."
"Use her?" Tiger's voice countered but stopped when Vera's voice rose again.
"Yeah. But since she's no longer in the game, it's time I try my tricks on Zoe as well."
Leon's head snapped back with a furrowed brow. 'Zoe? I thought the two of them were friends.'
He pressed his ear on the door again and slowly calmed the strange irritation that had risen in his chest.
"Don't you dare try any tricks on her!" Tiger's angry voice rose, followed by the sound of a fist hitting the wall that made the door bounce on Leon's head. "If I see you doing it, I wouldn't mind that we've had something before, I will wipe you out, remember that very clearly!"
Vera's laughter echoed. "Do you think you're the only one who has undergone a third awakening under Tier 2 evolution? Silly."
"So, are you trying to challenge me?" Tiger screamed.
"If I did, what would save you from me killing you?" Vera laughed. "You aren't the only person who possesses deadly intentions. The world is not ready to see what we can do."
Leon blinked repeatedly as he pulled his head from the wall. Distant footsteps echoed from the other door leading to the arena and drew Leon's attention in an instant.
When the footsteps grew louder, Leon stood up and swiftly walked to the foamy chair and sat down in a manner as if he was battling with thoughts in his head.
Tiger opened the black door, walked out and closed the door behind him.
"Leon Storm." He called out Leon's name the moment he saw him sitting by the wall. "I want to ask you something, hope you're not bothered?"
Tiger smirked when he neared Leon. "Why don't you beg me here so I can make the proctors spare your miserable life by cancelling our match?"
Leon stared at Tiger without shaking his head or blinking while letting the air respond in his name.
Tiger clapped when others joined in the room. "Well, I'm waiting."
When Leon noticed everyone was looking at them, he giggled while shaking his head. "If I'm to be sent into the deepest pit of hell, I will walk back with a raised head and a broad chest, rather than give up in this small place."
The Lucas held a strict face while the others had shocked faces. "Whooa! Storm really has the guts. I pity him."
Leon stood on his feet and raised a tight clenched fist. "I will rather struggle on my feet and die a strong man than beg on my knees and rot in shame!"
The words sank deep in everyone and made Tiger's blue eyes flare with fury.
He loosened his jaw and brushed a hand over his face, then smiled. "I love the courage you have. But let's see how you show it when we are on the platform. Your graveyard!"
Tiger grinned when he shook his head and moved a step away from Leon. When the door he opened closed, a growling sound echoed from its metal frame as parts of it broke free and hung like a hook.
Leon released his fist and breathed harshly before moving back to his seat.
When he saw blood dripping from his right palm, he stood up and rushed to the sink in the washroom. Cold water splashed from the sink's pipe and fell on the cut in Leon's palm after he turned the handle.
He watched the blood get washed and swirl into the drain in a pink color, then wiped his hands clean and held the sink's edge as he blinked at the now wet sink.
'Tiger wants me to be afraid,' he thought, while he bowed his head and breathed slowly. 'I'll walk onto that platform. I'll do what Mr. Lee taught me. No matter what happens, I won't beg.'
Leon raised his head, dried his hands on his trousers before returning to the waiting room. 'One fight. One chance to show myself what I'm made of.'
Just as he brushed it for the third time, he felt a sharp, electrified pain strike his thigh. "Ahh, fuck!"
Leon shook his fist rapidly, trying to make the pain vanish. After thirty minutes of waiting, his name was mentioned by the proctors.
When he exited, he saw Malphas's body being dragged by two blue-clothed people, similar to the ones he had seen when they exited the Shattered Land.