Chapter 50: The Unseen Path
As narrated by the event keeper
Cipher now understood that brute force was the only way to stop the great beast, Skepto. To stand a chance, he needed to expand his mind’s horizons and rally allies with unwavering strength. The tournament’s first fight ended in a blur of fists and fury, but Cipher’s focus lay elsewhere. He slipped through the crowd, his gaze locking onto Victor, and pulled him aside when no eyes followed.
“What do you want?” Victor snapped, his voice sharp with suspicion. He could read the reckless glint in Cipher’s eyes like a warning flare.
“I’ve found a way to defeat Skepto,” Cipher said, his words quick and urgent.
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Victor scoffed, his face twisting with disbelief. “This is why you dragged me here?”
“Hear me out,” Cipher pressed, desperation seeping into his tone. “We take him to the Arctic—fight him where the cold saps his energy. If his power thrives on absorption, we’ll have the edge. And—”
“Stop it,” Victor interrupted, his voice cutting through like a blade.
Their history was a tangled web, knotted by their shared connection to Alessandra, but Cipher refused to back down.
“Just listen!” he shouted, his voice cracking with intensity. “Hira 125 will help. With the captain’s energy-storing ability, she’ll power him up. Then we fight together—you, me, Commander Grey, Hira, Squadron-X. All at once. We’d have a chance!”
Victor stepped forward, his shadow looming. “The only chance you’d have is dying together like a bunch of fools.” He leaned in, his words a low growl. “No one can beat him. And... I’m not against what he’s doing. I only fought him to show everyone his strength. They drugged me, kept me unconscious—he freed me. He’s the only one with the guts to do what’s necessary.”
“You can’t be serious,” Cipher whispered, disbelief choking him.
Victor’s gaze hardened. “I’ll pretend this never happened.” He turned on his heel and strode away, leaving Cipher alone in the corridor’s dim light.