Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Thrill of the Rotation
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Though it was called a festival, Rotation was fundamentally a tournament.
Naturally, betting pools sprang up everywhere, online and off, without discrimination.
From legitimate sites run by the city government to shady corners lurking in the Blacknet, the varieties were endless.
Who would win? Or who would lose?
Enormous sums of money changed hands over simple predictions.
Today, someone had multiplied their money tenfold. Amid cheers for one triumphant figure sat another slumped in despair. All he clutched in his hands—now that he'd lost the deed to his home as collateral—was a crumpled lottery ticket.
"Fuck! This is rigged! It's all fixed!"
"How the hell does Cecil beat Carlos? Do you know how much I've lost? My wife took the kids and left! What are you gonna do about it?!"
"My money! Give me back my money, you bastards!"
A crowd had soon gathered around those wailing and throwing tantrums in front of the arena.
But none of them would get their money back.
The arena organizers firmly stated that no one should tarnish the sanctity of Rotation. Only after a few particularly rowdy troublemakers had their vital points slashed by swordsmen from the Anarion family did the commotion finally die down.
"Idiots."
"Yeah, who told them to sell their house and car to gamble?"
No one pitied these moths ruining their lives over a single lottery ticket. The public's gazes were ice-cold.
Even so, they weren't entirely unsurprised.
Cecil Florence's victory had been utterly unforeseen by everyone.
Cecil won?
Jin blinked in disbelief.
Wondering if he'd seen wrong, he refreshed the page a few times. But that wouldn't change the results.
The name Cecil Florence just kept drilling into his eyes.
Obviously, Carlos should have...
Jin shook his head sharply, cutting off the thought.
Where's anything obvious in this world?
Reflecting on his narrow-minded prediction, he cracked a faint smile. Memories of meeting Cecil at the cathedral surfaced.
She'd asked if he wasn't nervous about his match with Kendrick, her face trembling. He'd given her a high-five of encouragement, and the feel of her palm lingered.
Underrated by the crowd for entering in Thea's place and such, she'd ultimately proven herself.
Feeling an inexplicable pride, Jin replayed the match.
This one's a must-watch.
How intense had it been?
His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he stared at his terminal. But moments into the recording...
"...Huh?"
The match was one-sided.
At Cecil's gesture, a knight shrouded in inky blue mist led a horde of diverse summons that overwhelmed Carlos.
Carlos holding out for over 15 minutes amid that madness was impressive in itself.
Jin had imagined a desperate brawl where Carlos barely scraped a win by exploiting a gap. Now he was dumbfounded.
Checking the comments confirmed everyone was reacting the same way.
-How many summons does she even have? Does her mental strength hold up?
-This isn't Thea holding back; Solad just got outclassed.
-Give me my money back, you bitches.
-This is the fundamental gap between direct and branch lines. 'Strongest Squire' was a joke. Cecil, the direct heir, proved it to the world.
-Then what about Kendrick losing to a branch liner?
-That was because his opponent was Jin Evernight.
-Give me my money back, you bastards.
Jin closed his terminal amid the chaotic comments.
Whatever the case, Cecil had won. And that result was steering this Rotation into increasingly unpredictable territory.
Maybe Cecil would reach the finals instead of Ryukard?
No, wait.
Ryukard could lose to Deier first. Or Cecil to Raf.
Nah, probably not.
Anyway, no jumping to conclusions.
There were no guarantees in this world.
With those thoughts, Jin stood up.
He'd demolished nearly 20 tacos single-handedly—when others claimed three or four filled them up.
The employee stared like, What kind of monster is this guy? Jin paid up, and before getting change, seized the moment.
"Watch the Rotation?"
"...Pardon? Oh, yeah."
The vague reply didn't faze him. He'd worked at a BBQ joint ages ago and knew the drill—smiling through it all was tough.
Receiving his change, he said,
"Then don't forget to cheer for Jin Evernight. If anything happens, leave a message on the Solo intranet. With luck, I might see it."
"...Huh? Sure?"
Leaving the dazed employee with a "Take care," Jin exited. He boarded the still-waiting autonomous taxi.
"Wait! Hold on!"
By the time the late-chasing employee burst out, the taxi was already vanishing into the distance.
Jin arrived at the hotel late evening.
Faint lights bobbed around the twilight building. One drew closer; a silent drone whooshed overhead.
As expected of a luxury hotel—security was tight.
Worlds apart from those unmanned motels where scavengers popped up mid-sleep.
Money really does make a difference.
Thinking that, Jin entered.
After crisp greetings to the impeccably polite staff, the elevator whisked him smoothly to the VIP lounge.
Heading naturally to his room, he suddenly halted.
His slowly turning gaze caught Kendrick alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, nursing a wine glass.
"What're you doing by yourself?"
Kendrick glanced sideways at Jin flopping onto the opposite sofa.
Then, staring back at the city nightscape, he muttered,
"Scram."
"Cola, please!"
"......"
Ignoring Kendrick's incredulous look, Jin stretched languidly.
"Which sector's Zahard in again?"
"Why ask?"
"Just curious if it's as fancy as here."
Kendrick stayed silent. Jin continued casually, as if not expecting an answer.
"You know I'm from Downtown. Totally different from here. For starters, you can't see the sky like this. Chicken coops crammed together block all light from the streets. Hard to tell day from night walking around. Compared to that, this place... Ah, thanks."
He nodded lightly to the waitress setting down his cola. Kendrick silently took it in.
His face slowly turned.
"So you like this view?"
"Huh?"
"Not impossible. Become family head, and you could have all this under your feet."
Jin sipped his cola and nodded at Kendrick's words.
"Makes sense. Family head's gotta have that much... Wait."
His pupils dilated.
He thrust his palm out toward Kendrick like a wall.
Then, like a brilliant idea struck, he waggled a fist with thumb and pinky tucked.
Kendrick squinted at the erratic gesture.
"What?"
"Perfect. Primus Zone prices are insane; couldn't even dream."
"What are you..."
"When you become family head, hook me up with a cheap building somewhere nice. Half market price—no, 20%. Deal? For friends like us."
"What the... Wait, first off—what makes us friends?"
Kendrick scowled back. Jin picked his nose and replied,
"We beat the heat out of each other fair and square. That's friends. Duh."
The casual answer hit Kendrick like ice water from a bucket. Soaked in unfamiliar feelings—chilly and irritating, yet oddly refreshing.
Suddenly, Kendrick let out a small "Pfft."
Jin didn't laugh along.
Blind laughter without question was for sword saints only.
"Anyway, you gonna hook me up or not?"
His firm query got a headshake from Kendrick, smile lingering.
"I'll think about it."
"Ooh...!!"
"If I become family head."
"Hm?"
As Jin's joy soured to a frown, Kendrick wet his lips with wine and turned to the window. Silence stretched.
His eyes on the glittering nightscape sank deep. Reflected there: cheering crowds.
Faces applauding even this loser's effort.
Praise for the process, not results.
A lifetime undefeated, yet he'd lived stained by defeat. That day's roar made him reflect.
Suddenly.
He spotted his hand reaching for the sky.
But it wasn't sky anymore—just a massive wall blocking the next world.
Six years atop Rank 2.
The heir at its end slowly opened his eyes.
Turning, he faced the one who'd handed him his first loss.
"Win it all. Anything less is unacceptable."
A faint smile on his face.
Jin nodded readily.
"Obviously."
Their glasses clinked in mid-air.
A clear chime.
As if washing away something stale.
Waaaaaaah!!
The quarterfinals had finally begun.
Massive cheers erupted from the audience, who'd somehow snagged tickets now rarer than stars at night.
Being a participant had perks.
Jin lounged in prime seats, no ticket worries. Panoramic arena view, plush chair, platters of fruits and biscuits within arm's reach.
Making it to quarters earned top treatment.
Unlike trembling Raf beside him, Jin relaxed, eyes on the imminent first match.
Eanna versus Katrina.
Representing Solad and Marjie, the two women faced off. Interest flickered on Jin's face.
Reminded him of that novel: Song of Ice and Fire.
If Eanna could read his mind, she'd politely correct: Song of Fire and Ice. We're favored to win.
A clash of family rivalries!
Or school spirit showdown? Whatever!
After ages of simmering—nay, blatant—rivalry, the heirs spoke.
Katrina first.
"You look good."
"What?"
"You've had a death-warmed face for years. Anyone'd think your lover died."
Not meant to sting.
But Eanna, who'd buried her love, couldn't laugh.
Nor did she snap.
She wasn't that girl anymore.
She remembered Walter, protecting her even in death.
His warm gaze—unforgotten.
That sufficed.
Besides, her savior from hell's depths was here now.
Eanna's gaze flicked to Jin in the stands.
Returning to Katrina, it blazed with sacred fervor.
"Shall we start?"
"Eager, aren't we?"
Black ice flowers bloomed around Katrina.
Dark Ice.
Marjie's signature chill bared black fangs at White Flame.
Boom!!
No "who first"—they charged.
Their clash birthed the tournament's most stunning spectacle.
White Flame and Dark Ice.
Opposing forces never mixing—only destroying, tearing, shredding flesh and bone.
Whoosh!
Overwhelming heat seemed to vaporize all ice to mist.
Crack!!
Then reforming crystals devoured the flames.
Each shift flipped the arena's climate. Even clueless spectators gauged advantage by temperature.
Skin scorching? Eanna ahead.
Teeth chattering? Katrina.
How intuitive.
As ferocity peaked, contrasts sharpened. Swings in heat and scene chained endlessly.
Fire blooms and ice shards traded dominance.
Asserting presence, like.
But all ends.
Boom──!!
Vast explosion silenced the field. Amid steam, Katrina lay unconscious; Eanna loomed over.
"...Sorry, Katrina. The world I faced was too vast to lose to you."
Words spat thinking of Black Flame's master never reached the fallen. Only the announcer's booming voice echoed.
"Winner: Eanna Solad!!"
Solad led head-to-head 1-0.
Some laughed, some cried—gamblers small-scale, family vast.
But cheers exploded.
Waaaaaaah!!!
"Eanna! Eanna! Eanna!"
"White Flame's the best! So damn cool!"
"Eanna! Just one glance here!"
Before fervor faded, Jin moved.
The dark horse who'd felled Kendrick appeared.
Audience greeted him throat-shreddingly—
"You've arrived."
Opposite him strode a raven-haired beauty smiling. Dazzling as a thousand roses blooming at once. But were those thorns razor-sharp, or illusion?
"Fancy meeting here. Must be fate."
Jin cracked his neck side to side. Michelle murmured low.
"Fate, huh..."
A majestic horn blared.
Bwooo──!!
As Jin spun his light blade naturally.
Michelle appeared before him—from ten paces away.
Skipping the steps. Blink?
Used to close distance?
Next instant.
She flung arms wide, hugging Jin's neck tight.
Warm, like reuniting lovers.
And her whisper:
"Fate's boring. How about destiny?"