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#027. When fire meets fire (1)
An abandoned factory on the outskirts of Sector 49.
Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki──
The huge iron doors swung open to the left and right with a creaking sound.
Ray, standing in front of the door, heard a fierce voice behind him.
“What do you think? Are you going to die from nervousness? There’s no use regretting it now.”
They wanted to make it clear that the initiative was on their side.
“Listen─.”
fault.
But Ray entered the factory first, so he couldn’t even finish saying anything.
From the beginning, Ray wasn’t paying any attention to the boys who were in charge of guiding them.
“That, that!”
“Leave it alone. Let’s see how long the god of disease will bluff.”
Ray ignored the voices and focused on the scenery unfolding inside the factory.
The structure has changed from last time.
All the furniture in the center, such as beds and chairs, were pushed outside, and in their place was a circular fighting arena surrounded by drums.
The drum was large enough to fit a grown man.
Outside the drum, there was an audience area made up of several tiers of boxes, and boys were sitting there, filling every space, looking in this direction.
Self-punch. Self-punch.
With every step towards the arena, gazes filled with interest and hostility poured in.
‘A hundred people would be enough.’
There were quite a few onlookers from other groups besides Cedric.
It would be safe to say that there is not a single friendly force here.
But Ray wasn’t nervous.
It was thanks to the red jewels I kept in my bosom.
Ray remembered his visit to the bookstore yesterday morning.
“I’m sorry. Grandpa is still sleeping. His condition seems to have gotten worse. He was usually up almost all the time at this time… .”
Veronica’s face was covered in tear stains, as if she had been crying a lot.
As I slowly approached her and patted her shoulder, her complicated emotions seemed to calm down.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Ray, who had been mechanically placating Veronica, asked the question that needed to be asked immediately.
Since I learned it from an old man, I should be able to give you some simple answers.
“Do you know what this is?”
“Oh… It’s a jewel?”
Veronica looked at the red gem Ray had handed her, then said.
“This is a charging stone. It acts as a kind of battery.”
“Battery? Like a dry cell?”
“Yeah. Think of it as mana being charged instead of electricity.”
The role of the red jewel did not deviate much from Ray’s guess.
The battery was something that allowed you to use somewhat refined mana, although not as much as a real ring.
“Batteries can’t be used forever. If you charge them repeatedly, their lifespan will decrease. The types of elements contained in each battery are also different. Also… .”
“It contains higher quality mana than the one in the air, right?”
“That’s right. However, it’s best to not use the battery’s mana as much as possible. Even if it’s refined, it’s not as good as a real ring, so you’ll still get mana poisoning.”
A story that doesn’t apply to you.
Ray nodded vaguely and moved on to the next question.
“Is there a case where the battery power increases?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard that there are special cases. My grandfather would know.”
A question conscious of Cedric’s ring.
I didn’t get an answer right away, but I didn’t feel bad.
Just being able to clearly identify the red jewel was a huge boon.
“Those guys who threw rocks last time. Have they shown up again?”
“That didn’t happen! The last time it flew into the room was when I was with my grandfather.”
Ray nodded and left the bookstore.
I ended the day by walking around the sector, deliberately stumbling.
Okay.
“… … .”
The sound of the jewels in his bosom clinking broke Ray’s thoughts.
There are a total of 4 jewels.
The amount and efficiency of red mana contained in each jewel had already been determined.
If you draw on the red mana in the air to strengthen your physical abilities, your mental power will usually be depleted in about 10 minutes.
But the jewel’s mana was different.
It was possible to maintain the strengthening magic for a longer period of time with higher effectiveness.
Kikkikkik── Clank!
The sound of a door closing behind you.
As the light coming inside decreased, the field of vision darkened rapidly.
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As we arrived at the arena following the light streaming in through the broken windows, loud voices poured in from all directions.
“That’s him. The hunter.”
“You cheeky brat. You come from sector 50 and you want to eat the captain?”
anger.
“Who do you think will win?”
“Of course it’s Cedric. How can I beat that crazy guy?”
excitement.
“The hunters are no joke either. I saw them fight with my own eyes.”
“But you’re limping. The match has already been decided. Taking care of your body is also a skill.”
“We’re just going to watch that guy get beat up and cry and then go back.”
A little bit of sympathy.
The air was already hot.
The mana contained in the bowls of the onlookers was mainly in the colors of red and yellow, resembling flames.
Ray glanced up.
Two boys sitting on the highest stack of boxes caught my eye, presumably Zephyr and Lawson, the leaders of the other two gangs.
I lowered my gaze.
He spoke to the boys standing nervously in front of the drum.
“What are you doing, without opening it?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah.”
Ki-ki-ki-ki!
The drums were pushed to make a path.
As we went inside, we found a familiar face.
“You came alone? Alone? Different from what was promised? Did you ignore my warning?”
It was Cedric.
The red mana extending from the ring was already thickly connected to the heart.
Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki──!
The drum was pushed and the entrance disappeared.
Ray glanced around the arena and answered Cedric’s question.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get there on time.”
“There are five minutes left until the duel begins. If that cowardly little bastard doesn’t show up by then, I’ll tear you to pieces.”
Bloodshot eyes.
A body that trembles and trembles.
Cedric, in a state of extreme excitement, reminded Ray of a hungry wild dog.
The condition was clearly more serious than before.
Could it be because of the constant exposure to the ring’s mana?
“If Philip really doesn’t show up, do as you wish. Tear me to pieces or grind me to pieces.”
Ray continued the conversation while concentrating his mind to try to cut off Cedric’s mana stream.
But it was no use.
The mana stem was several times thicker than before, and it showed no signs of breaking, only swaying up and down like a clothesline.
‘Do I have to take the ring off myself?’
It’s never easy.
But it’s not impossible.
Cedric had become incredibly stronger in the past week, but so had I.
“You have three minutes left. Before your body is torn to pieces.”
“I know even if you don’t tell me. The duel is about to start.”
Ray listened to the conversation and turned his gaze beyond the drum.
A boy carrying a large notebook and a bag of money was seen running busily around the audience.
Before the duel begins, betting is in full swing.
“Thirty thousand shillings to Cedric.”
“Me too, Cedric. The money I bet is…”
Since the audience was comprised of a powerful group of children, the betting money itself was in a different unit than usual.
However, the betting money was overwhelmingly in Cedric’s favor.
“Damn it. It’s all Cedric’s fault. Even if I win like this, I won’t get any money.”
“If only the hunter had not injured his leg, he could have walked.”
The small amount of money currently hanging over Ray could practically be considered an expression of sympathy.
“But you have to walk anyway. Whether it’s a hundred shillings or a thousand shillings, even if it’s just a little bit, money is money.”
“Did we come here to make money today? We came here to see that cheeky little brat get smashed.”
That was true.
The excitement of betting was certainly a big part of the duel, but not many people came to the show today expecting a bet.
It was obvious that the duel would turn out to be one-sided.
Rather, it could be said that the main purpose was to watch a stranger from outside the sector become a mess with tears running down his face.
Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki──
That’s when the factory doors opened.
“Is there anyone else coming?”
“Yeah. It looks like all the seats are taken.”
Everyone turned their gaze and murmured.
Soon, surprise spread throughout the room.
“Isn’t that Philip?”
“What happened? Was this a place where hotel kids could get involved?”
“No way. How dare you do that.”
The one who appeared at the entrance was Philip in a wheelchair, with several hotel children following him on the sides and behind him like attendants.
Cedric spread his arms and shouted at the audience.
“Quiet! Quiet! There’s no need to make a fuss! I invited you! I’m planning on putting on a fun show after the duel! Philip! Come on! I’ve been waiting for you!”
And he snapped his fingers to signal the hotel kids to enter.
Kikrik─ Kikrik─
Inside the factory.
In the suffocating silence.
The sound of poorly oiled wheels resonated through the air as we moved forward.
“Those cheeky kids….”
“No matter how many contracts you have, you have to fit in where you are supposed to fit in.”
The hotel children’s faces were stiff and their shoulders were shrugged at the murmurings heard from all over the place.
Although he was the biggest guy in the hotel, he couldn’t even hand out his business card here.
The thick black mana contained in the bowl proved their fear.
However, Philip’s case was a little different, as the proportion of light yellow mana, which symbolized courage, was much higher than that of black mana.
Cedric opened his mouth after confirming that the hotel kids had taken their places among the audience.
“There’s only one minute left. We’ll start right away when the bell rings──.”
A moment no one expected.
“I’ll bet too.”
A word of unexpected content.
Philip exchanged glances with Ray and came in, cutting off Cedric’s words.
Amid the commotion that began to spread again, Philip calmly continued with his prepared lines and actions.
“The duel hasn’t started yet.”
Squeak─
The briefcase on Philip’s lap flew open.
“Two million two hundred and forty thousand shillings. I’ll bet it all on Ray.”
For a moment the air froze.
The son-in-law became as quiet as a mouse.
A bag full of wads of bills.
Who would be able to open their mouth easily after seeing that?
Philip didn’t stop there, but turned his bag inside out and spilled out the bills.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“As you can see, it’s all real. It’s money I saved my whole life living on the streets.”
To be exact, it was Ray’s combined money, but that wasn’t the important part right now.
Bam!
The moment the last bunch fell.
“I definitely did it! Don’t let me cancel!”
“fu*k! How much is all that? I give it to Cedric! Everything I own!”
“I’ll go first! I’ll go first!”
Children in the audience rose from their seats and screamed.
Boom! Boom!
In the process, the boxes they had built collapsed and some fell over, but the madness did not stop.
With his eyes wide open, he tried to somehow get the betting manager to give him the money first.
Cedric looked around with a dumbfounded look and asked Ray.
“You didn’t order this?”
“Halfway.”
“That’s ridiculous. I like it. He said he’d bring money when he came in as a subordinate. What are you doing! You didn’t ring the bell! It’s past time! F**k!”
The servant in charge, who had been watching the situation, hurriedly struck down the stick.
Ding!
“Dieee …
Cedric, who had been closing the distance fiercely, threw a punch at Ray.
Shhh──!
The direction is exactly the face.
Ray quickly stepped forward and turned to the side.
The fist passes in front of the face.
‘It’s much faster than before.’
Judgments are made in an instant.
Move your left hand and support Cedric’s outstretched arm.
widely!
At the same time, stretch your right arm’s elbow forward and pull it tight back.
If you keep striking like this, Cedric’s arm will definitely break.
‘You have to take the risk of getting hurt.’
Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to have the ring stolen.
The jewel in your bosom responds to your will.
The first red gem supplies mana to the body.
Woohoo──
He grabs Cedric’s arm tightly with greatly enhanced strength.
So that they can’t escape.
So that one blow can break bones.
He lowers his raised elbow without hesitation.
Wedge──!
Cedric’s arm and Ray’s elbow.
The moment when the two boys’ body parts are about to collide.
“Euaaa …
Cedric swung his arms with a roar.
Faced with such tremendous force, Ray let go of Cedric’s arm and took a few steps back.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I immediately straightened my posture.
He didn’t take his eyes off the other person.
‘The mana stems have gotten thicker.’
The mana line connecting Cedric’s heart and the ring was the thickest and most vividly colored I’d ever seen.
I would believe it even if you said it was blood pouring out of my heart right now.
“You use your feet properly! Yeah! You hurt your ankle in a fight! With your skills! That’s ridiculous! I knew you were acting!”
Cedric kept shaking his body with a giggling laugh.
“It’s fun! It’s so fun I’m going crazy! I think someone like you could fight with all your might!”
Bright yellow mana began to seep into Cedric’s bowl.
Deep excitement and elation.
And that was the feeling that was seeping into Ray’s bowl as well.
Dim, but clear.
Because fighting using magic gave the boy a considerable sense of satisfaction, regardless of any sense of purpose or intention.
Especially if it is a rival that you can fight with all your might against.
Woof─!
Ray raised the mana of the second jewel.
The gang, noticing the start of the duel, ran around the drums busily.
Hurrah!
Flames shot up from the open drum cans.
The arena was instantly engulfed in flames, and the air in the factory began to boil hot.
Very hot.
As much as the thoughts and intentions in the two boys’ heads.