Chapter 13: Danger
The faint glow of the Counter caught Leo's attention, its red digits steadily ticking downward.
389 Pairs Remaining.
The number had already fallen below 400, the competition edging closer to its grim conclusion. With only 125 pairs set to qualify, just over 260 more pairs had to be eliminated before the test ended.
Leo let out a slow breath, his thoughts swirling as he stared at the glowing device.
'Do we wait here until the test ends? Keep fighting as we have been? Or... is it time to move?'
The pool of blood on the floor, still fresh from Felix's earlier rampage, caught Leo's eye. It was a gruesome reminder of what had transpired here, and it made one thing painfully clear: this corridor was compromised.
Anyone who walked in now would see the bloodstains, smell the danger, and proceed with caution. This wasn't a hiding spot anymore—it was a trap waiting to be sprung.
"Felix," Leo said, his voice low.
Felix was leaning against the wall, his face flushed and a gourd of alcohol clutched tightly in his hand. His clothes were splattered with dried blood, his sword hanging loosely at his side.
"What?" Felix replied, his voice slurred but brimming with confidence.
Leo hesitated before asking, "What's the plan? Do we wait? Move? Hide? We're getting close to the cutoff. We need to think this through."
Felix pushed himself off the wall with an exaggerated shrug, his stance unsteady but oddly menacing.
"Wait? Hide? Are you kidding me?" he scoffed. "We're not weaklings, Leo Some Skills. We're hunters now. It's time to stop sitting around and start hunting."
Leo frowned. "Hunting? You think that's a good idea?"
"Of course it is!" Felix barked, waving his sword like a conductor directing an orchestra. "Look at this place! You think anyone's dumb enough to walk in here after what I did? This corridor's useless now. We've gotta move. Find new prey. Show this arena who's boss!"
As much as Leo hated to admit it, Felix wasn't wrong. Their hiding spot was compromised. Staying here meant waiting in vain—or worse, being ambushed by someone smart enough to scout the danger.
"Alright," Leo said finally, sheathing his daggers. "We move. But we're not wandering aimlessly."
Felix tilted his head, smirking. "Oh? Got a plan, genius?"
"We're going up," Leo replied. "I want higher ground. Somewhere we can see what's happening around us. I need to know where our threats are coming from."
Felix grinned, his confidence bordering on arrogance. "Fine by me. I'll lead the way, and if anyone's dumb enough to get in our way, I'll handle them before they even reach you."
"That's fine by me too. I'll back you up if we run into trouble," Leo said evenly.
Felix gave him a wink, his grin sharp and feral. "You got it, partner. Let's see what this prison arena has to offer."
**********
Leo's desire to move to higher ground was driven purely by instinct.
At the start of the test, when he'd been unsure of both his own abilities and Felix's, hiding had seemed like the safest choice.
But now, after gaining a vague understanding of what they were capable of, his instincts urged him to seek higher ground.
Something about having a vantage point—a place where he could observe and control the situation—felt inherently right, like a reflex buried deep in his bones.
However, finding a way to climb higher was easier said than done. Without a map of the prison, locating the right staircase to the terrace felt almost impossible.
Most staircases led to storage rooms or ended abruptly in dead ends. The dim lighting only made things worse, casting long, shifting shadows that concealed every corner and kept the threat of lurking enemies ever-present.
Felix, in his drunken confidence, moved with an unpredictable swagger. His heavy boots echoed against the concrete floor, his muttered insults growing louder with every step.
"This damn test," Felix growled. "Who even thought this crap up? Probably some asshole who's never had to lift a finger in his life. Bet they're up there watching us like we're rats in a maze."
Leo said nothing, his eyes scanning their surroundings with sharp focus. Every shadow felt alive, every corner a potential ambush.
"And the other contestants?" Felix continued, laughing loudly. "Pfft. A bunch of wannabes. Did you see that guy with the flail? What a joke!"
"Felix, keep your voice down," Leo said, his tone clipped. "We're not the only ones here."
Felix snorted, waving him off. "Relax, partner. You've got me, remember? No one's gonna mess with us."
The sight of a staircase up ahead cut their conversation short.
"There," Felix said, pointing with his sword. "Higher ground, just like you wanted."
Leo's gaze shifted to the staircase. Narrow and poorly lit, its rusted metal steps creaked ominously with every movement. He hesitated, his instincts warning him to be cautious.
But Felix didn't wait. With a wide grin, he stomped up the steps, his movements loud and careless.
"Felix, wait," Leo hissed.
But Felix was already halfway up, humming a tune to himself as if he hadn't a care in the world.
Leo clenched his jaw, suppressing a sigh as he followed, his steps silent and deliberate.
The staircase opened onto a wide-open balcony overlooking a large section of the facility. The air was colder here, sharper, and the faint hum of distant fights carried up from below.
From this vantage point, Leo could see pairs moving through the corridors below. Some were locked in brutal combat, their cries echoing through the cavernous space, while others skulked in the shadows, their movements deliberate and predatory.
Felix leaned over the railing, grinning like a kid in a candy store. "Look at them," he said, pointing with his sword. "Like ants, scurrying around. They don't even know we're up here."
Leo's gaze swept across the area, his sharp eyes noting every detail: a group stalking their prey, a lone figure hiding in the shadows, bloodstains trailing along the floor.
"It's a good vantage point," Leo admitted quietly. "We can see everything from here."
Felix laughed. "Told you I'd lead us somewhere good. This is perfect!"
But even as Felix gloated, Leo couldn't shake the unease creeping into his chest. Something about this place felt off.
This balcony wasn't the highest point in the prison. The terrace loomed above them, just a few meters higher, its shadow casting an ominous pall over the area.
"It's not enough," Leo muttered.
Felix frowned. "What now?"
Before Leo could answer, his sharp eyes caught a glint of something metallic cutting through the air. It was fast—too fast—and coming straight for them.
"Move!" Leo shouted, his voice sharp and urgent, as he lunged forward and shoved Felix aside with all his strength.
The blade screamed through the air, slicing the space where Felix had just been standing. It struck the metal railing with a deafening clang, the impact vibrating through the structure as sparks flew.
The weapon quivered, embedded deep in the railing, its edge gleaming under the dim light. A throwing knife—deadly and precise.
Leo's heart pounded as his gaze darted toward the direction it had come from, his body tense and ready. The air felt heavier now, charged with a new danger.
"We're not alone," Leo whispered, his hand already tightening around the hilt of his dagger, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows for the unseen threat.