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✦𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓶...✦

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Huan leaned forward, elbows digging into the desk, tension winding tight in his chest. Speaking up against Chen Zixin, huh? A genius move—except for the fact that Zixin had recently kidnapped him. Yeah, totally smart. He shook his head, watching the monitor that tracked Akira. Why did I have to say something out loud, over the speaker, where Zixin could hear? It wasn't as though Zixin had forgotten about him. Huan let out a soft curse under his breath.

From the station, he watched Akira move fluidly across the field, ducking under a Yin creature's swipe with barely any effort. It's been a while since the whole confrontation, Huan thought, his brows furrowing. They had taken down a lot of Yin creatures since then, but he couldn't stop thinking about how Akira had gotten involved in the argument between Zixin and Zhan. Akira, of all people.

Why did he have to be the one to step in? Sure, he was trying to break up the fight. Yeah, no one else would do it—But that didn't mean Akira needed to throw himself into the fray.

Huan exhaled sharply, slumping back into his seat. This isn't Akira's fault. It's mine. Huan closed his eyes for a moment, the image of Zixin's furious face still clear in his mind. He'd acted impulsively, as always.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Huan glanced at the display with the remains of Akira's Shiji. That malfunction had come out of nowhere, and it bothered him. It shouldn't have exploded like that—It worked just fine a while ago. What went wrong?

"Hey, Huan," Daehyun's voice cut through his thoughts, and Huan blinked, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah?" His gaze flickered back to the screen where Katsu's visual feed tracked Akira. Even from the distance, Huan couldn't help but notice how composed Akira looked. His long, dark hair, tied back, still managed to flow behind him gracefully as he moved. It should have been messy by now, given all the action they'd seen, but there it was, perfect as ever, just like him. 

"Are you even listening?" Daehyun's voice sounded again, sharper this time.

Huan blinked, dragging his focus away from the screen. "Yeah, yeah, I'm listening."

Daehyun eyed him, but continued, "We're falling behind in the rankings. Well...compared to Akira and you...we're sitting at 26th."

Huan frowned slightly, considering. 26th place wasn't bad, especially for a team as small as Akira's. Only three people on the field, while most of the other teams had six to ten members. That they were holding their own at all was impressive.

"We're ranked 26th," he repeated to Akira through the earpiece.

"Not bad," Akira responded. "Could be better."

Just as Huan was about to reply, Adi's voice crackled through the comms, full of excitement. "Guys! There's a huge Yin creature up ahead! If we take it down, it could boost our rank by at least four slots!"

"What are we waiting for?!" Genya's enthusiasm burst through, he was to energetic in Huan's opinion.

Huan muttered, "Let's get moving," though his voice barely carried past his lips. As he watched the team step forward, a sudden thought rooted itself in his mind, sending an uncomfortable chill through him: The Celestial Trials. If their group was picked to go, that meant one thing—he'd have to go home. Home. Well at least near it. The word lingered like a bad taste in his mouth. The very idea of it filled him with dread.

He slouched deeper into his seat, fingers tapping nervously against the console. I can't go back. Not now. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't hold them back because of his fears. They all had to move forward—he'd pushed Akira to lead, if only to spite the Chen Clan. He could do it again, couldn't he? He just had to make sure his ego didn't get him into trouble this time. No more reckless moves. The last thing I need is another kidnapping just because I felt cocky.

Huan rubbed his forehead, the beginnings of a headache creeping in. This is just practice anyway. It doesn't matter in the long run. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself. The rankings here weren't important—this was just to get everyone used to the tech. He glanced at the broken Shiji. And so far, that's been a disaster.

He let out a weary sigh, slumping against the backrest of his chair. He was exhausted—mentally, physically, emotionally. His stomach twisted painfully, reminding him he hadn't eaten since morning. Why am I like this? Huan's jaw clenched. Why do I keep making stupid choices? He felt the familiar wave of self-loathing crash over him, sinking into his bones. He'd always been like this, acting without thinking things through, and then hating himself for it afterward. Reckless decisions, impulsive words. What is wrong with me?

"Hey, Huan?" Adi's voice snapped him out of his spiral. She nudged him, her brow creased with concern. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Huan muttered, straightening up in his seat, though the knot in his chest remained. He couldn't let the others see him like this, especially not now. His eyes flicked back to the screen. Focus.

But then, through Katsu's visual feed, he saw it—a massive figure slithering into view. Huan froze, his breath catching in his throat. It wasn't just any creature. It was a Xiangliu, a monstrous being with nine human heads sprouting from its colossal snake body. Each head turned in different directions, eyes gleaming with malicious intent. The sheer size of it—easily as long as a Titanoboa, if not larger—was enough to make his heart race.

Huan stiffened, his fingers clenching around the edge of the desk. The Xiangliu's serpentine form undulated through the clearing like a living wave of destruction, its many heads twisting and snapping at the air as it moved. Its scales shimmered with an eerie, dark sheen, reflecting the dim light from the overcast sky. He could almost hear the sound of its scales scraping against the ground, like metal grinding against stone.

"Guys?" Huan called.

The moment his voice echoed through the comms, Akira and the others whipped their heads toward the massive Xiangliu. Its hulking form had fully emerged now, casting a shadow over the clearing. Genya was the first to react, drawing his sword with a swift motion, the blade gleaming in the faint light. Akira, however, was more cautious. He analyzed the creature's every movement. Beside him, Kaiko readied her biwa, the strings humming faintly as her fingers hovered above them.

"Katsu, examine," Huan ordered sharply, his jaw clenched.

His tablet buzzed, bringing up a detailed scan of the Xiangliu. Three weak points stood out on the display: its heart, nestled in the middle of its chest, the center head among the nine, and its back. But none of these would be enough to kill it outright.

"To bring it down..." Huan muttered, reading the notes that flashed across the screen. "How do we bring it down?"

Before Huan could relay this information, Akira's voice crackled over the comms. "We need to cut all nine heads first, then strike at its chest."

Huan's brow furrowed in surprise. Well he studied. His grip on the tablet tightened as he watched Akira intently. There was no hesitation in Akira's voice, no uncertainty. It was as if he already understood the creature's weaknesses.

Maybe he's seen one of these before? Huan thought, he probably had but he quickly shook off the distraction. Focus, Huan.

The Xiangliu let out a deafening hiss, its nine heads rearing back, each one moving with terrifying unpredictability. Its scales shimmered darkly, the tough armor glinting like obsidian in the low light. The heads darted in every direction, snapping their jaws at the air, searching for a target.

Akira's attention was locked on the creature, his gaze seemed intense behind that mask as he seemed to concentrate deeply, almost unnaturally still. Huan's stomach twisted with unease. Why isn't he moving?

"Akira?" Huan's voice came out harsher than he intended.

But Akira remained unmoving, as though he was staring straight into the Xiangliu's soul.

What is he doing? Huan's heart hammered in his chest as the beast's heads lashed out, coming dangerously close to Akira. He nearly yelled into the comms when Genya leaped forward, his sword flashing in an arc as he aimed for the middle head. The blade met resistance as it struck the Xiangliu's thick, armored scales. The beast let out a furious roar, swinging one of its heads at Genya in retaliation.

"Genya, watch out!" Kaiko cried, her voice high with panic as she strummed the biwa's strings, the soothing melody flowing into the air. The Xiangliu's movements slowed slightly as the notes hit it, but it was far from subdued. Genya gritted his teeth, struggling to cut deeper into the creature's neck.

One of the Xiangliu's heads twisted toward him, jaws wide. Genya barely managed to duck, but the next head was too fast. The impact sent him flying across the clearing, crashing hard into the ground.

"Genya!" Kaiko screamed, rushing to his side, her hands trembling as she tried to pull him back.

Akira, finally snapping out of his trance, sprinted toward the creature. His blade sliced through the air, precise and sharp, but the Xiangliu's heads were too quick, too unpredictable. Every strike Akira made, the beast countered with swaying, writhing movements, its scales deflecting many of his blows.

Akira winced, his eyes flicking to the ground for a brief moment as he pressed his hand against his temple. "Ugh, my eyes..." he muttered under his breath. Huan checked Akira's health, his vision seemed to be blurred. His eyes were strained, there was a sensory overload, sending sharp pangs of pain through his head.

Huan, watching from his monitor, felt his chest tighten. The Shiji's malfunction must be messing with him. "Akira, you've got to move! Don't just stand there!" But the pain seemed to slow Akira's reactions. In that moment, the Xiangliu's massive tails whipped out, crashing into him with brutal force. Akira's body flew through the air, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

He groaned, clutching his side. "This... hurts. My eyes are killing me," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. Huan's heart dropped into his stomach. What is wrong with him?

Despite the pain, Akira raised his sword again. Huan used Katsu's visual feed to take a closer look at Akira's eyes, though most of it was hidden behind the darkness of his mask. His eyes seemed to be bloodshot, but his resolve hadn't wavered. One by one, he started cutting through the Xiangliu's heads, his strikes faster, more aggressive now. The first head fell, then the second. Akira dodged the snapping jaws of the third, his blade flashing as he took it down.

Huan watched in awe. How is he predicting the Xiangliu's movements so accurately? Every step Akira took seemed calculated, each swing of his sword perfectly timed. But just as Akira was about to sever the final head, the Xiangliu's tail lashed out again, sending him sprawling.

"Akira!" Huan shouted through the comms, panic gripping him.

Akira groaned, struggling to lift his sword again. He was on the verge of finishing it off, but his body was reaching its limit. He needed to strike at the chest, but his movements were slow, too slow.

Just when it seemed like the Xiangliu would strike back, a sharp crack filled the air. A spear of ice shot through the clearing, piercing straight through the Xiangliu's chest. The creature let out a deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive body twitching before it finally went still.

Huan's eyes widened as he watched the ice spear pierce the Xiangliu's chest through the station's monitor. The once-terrifying creature collapsed, its many heads falling lifelessly to the ground. He blinked in shock. What... just happened?

"Our points!" Adi groaned from beside him, snapping Huan out of his stupor. His voice, tinged with frustration. "Kaiko could've finished it off with her Biwa plant control thingy!"

Huan clenched his jaw, hands hovering over the tablet's controls. His eyes remained glued to the screen, watching the others. Kaiko was kneeling next to a bruised Genya, her face flushed with guilt.

"I'm sorry..." Kaiko mumbled, barely audible over the comms.

"It's alright!" Adi quickly reassured her, though he grimaced slightly. "We should've reminded you. And hey, it's just practice." His voice softened, his concern obvious. "More importantly, is everyone okay? How are you guys feeling?"

"I'm fine," Akira's voice cut in, calm and steady despite everything. On the screen, Huan could see him standing amidst the debris, wiping some dirt off his uniform. His movements were slower than usual, stiff from the earlier blow he took to his side. Yet, his focus was somewhere else now. Akira was walking toward the ice spear that had impaled the beast. His head tilted as he inspected it. "But... whose spear is this?"

Katsu's camera zoomed in, capturing Akira's approach to the spear as Huan's mind raced. I know that spear...at the lab. His chest tightened with unease.

Before he could speculate further, the camera shifted, and Huan felt his stomach drop. Stepping into the frame, a figure emerged from the shadows, wearing the same smug expression Huan had come to despise.

Chen Xian.

"It's mine," Xian said with a sweet, syrupy voice, pulling the spear from the disintegrating remains of the Xiangliu. "Saw you guys were struggling, so I thought I'd lend a hand."

Hú shuō!

Every word Xian spoke felt like nails on a chalkboard to Huan. He gripped the tablet harder, his knuckles turning white. His blood boiled, but he had to stay silent. He couldn't let his emotions distract him now, not when he already had.

Kaiko's voice broke through the tension. "Well, we lost points because of your 'help,'" she muttered.

Xian put on an exaggerated pout, his lips curving into a mocking frown. "Oh! I'm so very sorry," he cooed, clasping his hands together in a theatrical gesture. "I didn't know! Poor me, I don't have a tech partner, unfortunately..."

Huan felt like he was going to explode. Who needs a tech partner to know when not to steal someone's kill?! The frustration clawed at him, and it took everything in him not to smash the tablet in his hands. This guy...

But Xian wasn't done yet. His gaze slid over to Akira, and his smile turned even more insufferable. "Of course, you're lucky, Akira. You've got one of the best tech students as your partner!" Xian's words oozed with false sweetness, and it felt like a jab aimed directly at Huan.

From his seat in the station, Huan seethed. Is he mocking me? He watched the screen intently, waiting for Akira to respond.

But Akira didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he just stood there, staring at Xian with a blank expression. Huan couldn't tell if Akira was annoyed, indifferent, or just exhausted from the fight. After a tense pause, Akira spoke.

"Okay... bye."

And with that, Akira turned and started walking away, his pace quick, like he wanted to put as much distance between himself and Xian as possible. Kaiko and Genya exchanged uncertain glances before following him, still shaken from the battle.

Huan watched them go, his heart pounding. He felt both frustrated and relieved. Why didn't Akira say more? He couldn't tell if Akira was truly unfazed or if something was bothering him beneath the mask.

"Until next time," Xian's voice drifted through the comms, a final taunt. The camera showed his smirk as he vanished from view, leaving Huan simmering with anger.

Adi, who had been quiet up until now, sighed beside him. "Well... that was a disaster," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Huan didn't respond. His mind was still on Xian.

I hate him...

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Hú shuō- Bullshit/Nonsence

I used this because it had a right ring to it