/~Contrario~/
After I finished setting Stray up, I barely had any sleep, before I knew it, I was standing outside the Shadow Coliseum. The Coliseum was nothing like I imagined. As we walked in, I could feel the eyes that were fixed on me but the whispers this time felt different.
This time, I was with the Irish Valley elite clan, and this uniform I now wore meant a lot.
The air inside the Shadow Coliseum was thick with tension and high-voltage excitement. Screens floated above us, casting blue light across the metallic walls and hundreds of watchers that were present.
"Wait a minute. This tournament is being live-streamed?" Renn asked.
"Yeah, I guess.....why're you asking?"
"Just knowing there are thousands of eyes here alone puts a strain on me mentally. I can't even imagine the eyes watching me from outside. What if I flop?" Renn asked adjusting his gloves nervously.
"Just focus on the moment Renn. This is our reality now broski." I replied throwing my arms over his shoulder.
I wouldn't say I wasn't nervous myself. Ten matches. Ten brutal rounds. Only the best players would move on to the main tournament. That was the purpose of the Shadow Tournament. It was like an extension of glory, but also a battlefield for the underestimated.
I stood in formation with my squad. Renn on my left, Maxi to the right, Jennifer and Commander Voss behind.
We were focused and silently observing.
Our leader, Commander Voss, stood before us. He stood tall, weathered, cloaked in the matte-black jacket that showed Irish Valley authority. His cybernetic arm pulsed a steady red as he looked us over, one by one. His voice was as low yet thick as an ogre.
"You're not just here to survive. You're here to disrupt their hierarchy. You're the unknown variable, the threat they didn't calculate. Let them underestimate you. That should become your power."
He paused. "Contrario, you lead. Don't let your pride override your judgment. You've got brains. Use them. And keep this at the back of your minds at all times, all of you. This is just the first layer. Pace yourselves."
I nodded slowly, exhaling through my nose. I knew what he meant. I knew.
While the first rounds rolled out, we stayed in the preparation chamber, watching. Each match was streamed live on the holoscreens. Some teams were wild with flair. Flashy power users and synchronized kill moves. Others were cold and calculating, methodical teams trained in formations I'd only seen in war archives.
I took note of everything.
"Watch the team from Shard Sector," I muttered, my eyes fixed on that particularly aggressive match. "Their spear-formation breaks after their tank engages. They rely on early pressure. We can bait that if we ever face them."
Jennifer nodded, mentally storing the info.
"That crystal user on Team Nyverra just burned through half her energy reserves in the first 30 seconds," Renn commented. "She's overconfident. If you ask me, I say she'll be toast in round three at least."
Maxi leaned forward, eyes wide. "These people aren't playing. This isn't like the Blood Groove. They're moving with kill intent, I feel chills down my spine with the amount of blood lust coming from the arena right now."
I answered flatly. "This is worse than the Grove. There, you die to monsters. Here, you die to someone who smiles first and stands over you in the end smiling again."
Then the final match was announced.
"Match Ten: Team Irish Valley versus Team Obsidian Talon."
It was our turn.
We stepped onto the shimmering battlefield of metal tiles pulsing with light, forming the modular combat zone. Terrain warped into jagged peaks and energy barriers, pre-programmed to shift mid-fight.
I could hear the crowd, but I locked in and stayed focused.
Then the commentator's voice rang out across the coliseum.
"And now entering... Team Irish Valley! Headed by none other than the infamous Contrario Williams the One-Avatar Wonder! Let's see if having just one trick up his sleeve won't get him flattened out there today!"
The crowd snickered, a wave of laughter rolling over us.
I clenched my jaw. My teeth ground together. "One trick's all I need... if it's the right one," I muttered.
Renn leaned in. "Ignore it. Don't give your enemies power."
It was too late. My mind was already firing. I was going to make them eat those words. One by one.
The horn blared. Match start.
I exploded forward, Stray leaping at my side with its new blade module unsheathed. We dove straight into the centre.
The first enemy, a brute with reactive armour, raised a hammer.
I dashed under his swing and drove my elbow straight into his gut, then followed with a hook to the jaw. He staggered back and Stray finished the job, blade slicing through his armor clean.
"It was worth working on the blade after all"
Another charged at me, a speedster. But he is too obvious.
I baited him, rolled left, and struck his knee with a brutal kick. He crumpled.
"Two down!" I shouted.
But then, I felt it.....
A tremor underfoot. Suddenly, the terrain shifted. An ambush!
Explosives triggered around me. I was knocked back into a wall, static buzzing in my HUD. My ears rang.
"Dammit, Contrario!" Renn's voice blasted in my earpiece. "Where's your head at? You rushed! You think you're some sort of solo god? Get your freaking ass back in formation!"
"He's right!" Jennifer yelled. "We're a team. Act like it!"
I coughed, pulling myself up. Stray stood by, defensive stance activated.
"Understood," I growled. "I'm sorry guys."
Team Obsidian Talon was regrouping. Five left.
"Formation Delta," I said. Renn to lead the right flank, Jennifer on support. Maxi sniping from elevated terrain.
"Let's move!" Renn shouted.
Renn barrelled forward with twin sabers, drawing attention. He locked blades with their tank, keeping him busy. Jennifer slid in behind, sending a disorienting EMP blast that short-circuited the opponent's support gear.
"One blind! Go!" she yelled.
Maxi's bolt struck clean. "Headshot!" The enemy collapsed.
Stray, and I flanked the remaining two stealth and speed. I tossed a flash drive, jamming their sensors. In that moment of chaos, Stray swept one off their feet while I tackled the other into the terrain wall.
"NOW!" I barked.
Jennifer threw a shield over us while Renn unleashed a sweeping strike. Maxi picked off the last straggler from range.
With that last shot, silence filled the arena.
Then the arena lit up with Victory.
We stood panting, bloody, bruised.....but whole.
Renn looked at me. "Next time you try to solo-run a team battle, I'm planting your ass in the wall myself."
I grinned. "Noted granddad,"
Jennifer smirked. "That commentator's probably choking on his words."
Maxi jogged over, eyes gleaming. "We looked awesome."
I looked up at the crowd. Their laughter was gone.
Only awe remained.