Chapter 25: Take Break
For a long time, Omega and Alexandre just stared each other silently in the eye. When it became clear that Alexandre was just going to wait for him to talk, Omega finally spoke up. "Who are you?" he asked. "I saw what your strike did to Professor Finlay's arm. I've seen a lot of people with tricks up their sleeves in my ten years as an examiner, but never someone hiding as much strength as you did."
Alexandre simply replied, "I have nothing to gain by telling you. Just wait and see what happens tomorrow."
Omega raised his eyebrows. "Nothing to gain? How about what you've got to lose? Doesn't matter how strong you are when I can disqualify you with a snap of my fingers. I'll ask again. What's your deal? How'd you get so powerful? This isn't something you can achieve just by getting your hands on a black market shot of Virus Z."
Alexandre's voice was calm and cold. "Sure, you can disqualify me. But I know where to find you. Kick me off the island, let me out of your sight, and you'll be wondering exactly where I am for the rest of your life. However long that might last."
Despite the absurdity of a candidate threatening him, an unexpectedly icy wave of fear flooded Omega's body. 'This little asshole!' he thought to himself. 'I've seen combat in the Black Zone. What the hell is up with this maggot? Why do I get the feeling that he's not bluffing?'
But Omega didn't let any of this show on his face. He simply gave a smirk and let Alexandre walk away. "Alright, have it your way," Omega muttered once he was alone again. "You'd better give me some entertainment tomorrow! Let's see what happens when you face the proper students tomorrow."
***
Once Alexandre returned to Hunter's Paradise, he purchased a hotel room and took a brief shower. Before going to bed, he glanced at his watch and saw that it was 2 AM. "I wish I had time for more sleep tonight," he said to himself. Ordinarily, he'd only need a couple hours, but his wounds needed extra time to heal.
Unfortunately, there was no extra time to spare. Alexandre set an alarm for 4 AM, knowing that it would be disastrous to miss the final test. Then, he laid down and closed his eyes.
***
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!