CHAPTER 95 — AFTER THE DRAW
The arena had become strangely silent.
On the giant screen, only one word remained:
DRAW
Nobody was celebrating.
Kira had been rushed to the infirmary.
Aku had also been taken there to receive medical treatment.
Zayn stood in front of the screen for several seconds.
His eyes remained fixed on the doors through which the doctors had disappeared.
Cynthia approached him.
— Zayn.
He turned toward her.
— What?
— I'm going to see Aku.
Zayn hesitated for a moment.
— I'm coming with you.
They left the stands together.
The corridor was much quieter than the arena.
The farther they walked, the more the sounds of the crowd disappeared behind them.
Cynthia walked beside Zayn.
— You're worried.
— Yeah.
— About Kira?
Zayn lowered his eyes slightly.
— About everyone.
Cynthia said nothing.
She understood.
They eventually reached Aku's room.
Zayn gently opened the door.
Aku was lying on a medical bed.
Several machines were operating around him.
His eyes were closed.
Zayn approached.
— Aku?
Aku slowly opened his eyes.
He turned his head.
— Zayn…
Zayn pulled up a chair and sat beside him.
— How are you feeling?
Aku thought for a few seconds.
— Like a truck ran me over.
Zayn gave a small smile.
— That's a pretty accurate description.
Cynthia stepped closer.
— You're lucky.
Aku looked at her.
— Lucky?
— Yes. You're alive.
Aku's smile disappeared.
He lowered his eyes.
— And Kira?
Zayn remained silent.
Aku immediately understood.
— He is…
— The doctors are taking care of him, Cynthia answered.
Aku tightened his grip on the sheets.
— That's not what I asked.
Zayn sighed.
— His condition is critical.
Aku closed his eyes.
— Damn…
Silence filled the room.
— I didn't want this to happen, Aku whispered.
Zayn looked at him.
— I know.
— I just wanted to win.
— I know.
— But now…
Aku looked at his hands.
— I don't even know if this victory means anything anymore.
Zayn remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he answered:
— It isn't a victory.
Aku raised his eyes.
— The screen says draw.
— Exactly.
Zayn leaned slightly toward him.
— You both fought until the very end. Neither of you gave up. But nobody won.
Cynthia added calmly:
— And now, the most important thing is that Kira survives.
Aku stared at the ceiling.
— He's going to hate me.
Zayn smiled slightly.
— Probably.
Aku gave a small laugh.
— He's going to tell me it was my fault.
— Obviously.
— And he's going to try getting out of bed even though he should stay there.
Cynthia shook her head.
— That sounds like him.
For a few seconds, the atmosphere almost felt normal.
Then Aku became serious again.
— Zayn…
— Yeah?
— If he doesn't wake up…
Zayn immediately cut him off.
— He will.
Aku looked at him.
— You don't know that.
— No.
Zayn stood up.
— But I refuse to think otherwise.
Aku remained silent.
Zayn placed a hand on his shoulder.
— When he wakes up, you two can argue about who would've won.
Aku smiled faintly.
— He'll say it was him.
— Without a doubt.
Cynthia smiled too.
But behind their smiles, all three knew how serious the situation was.
Meanwhile, in another room of the infirmary…
Echo was sitting on a chair.
She was nervously moving one leg.
Loyd stood beside her.
Unlike Echo, he was completely still.
Calm.
Silent.
Almost intimidating.
Echo stared at the floor.
Her usual energy was gone.
— Loyd…
He slowly turned his eyes toward her.
— What?
Echo took a breath.
— Kira…
Loyd waited.
— He's probably dead.
Silence immediately filled the room.
Loyd barely reacted.
His expression remained calm.
But something changed in his eyes.
A slight irritation.
An almost imperceptible tension in his jaw.
— I see.
Echo stared at him.
— That's it?
Loyd said nothing.
Echo continued:
— He's your friend too.
Loyd lowered his eyes.
— I know.
His voice remained calm.
But colder.
Several seconds passed.
Then he clenched his fist.
FSSSH…
A golden light appeared around his hand.
Yellow Fumetsu runes began forming around his fingers.
Echo immediately looked up.
— Loyd…
He continued staring forward.
— If Kira is dead…
The runes rotated around his fist.
— Then I'll reduce Aku…
One rune became brighter.
— Zayn…
A second rune appeared.
— And everyone who gets in my way…
The light became more intense.
Loyd completely clenched his fist.
— …to atoms of dust.
Echo remained silent.
For the first time in a long time, she had no joke to make.
Loyd slowly opened his hand.
The runes disappeared.
His expression returned to its usual calm state.
— But before that…
He looked toward the infirmary door.
— We'll wait.
Echo whispered:
— You really think he's dead?
Loyd didn't answer immediately.
Then he simply said:
— I don't know.
He turned his eyes toward Echo.
— And that's exactly what irritates me.
In the other room, Zayn and Cynthia were still beside Aku.
And somewhere behind the infirmary doors…
Kira was still fighting to stay alive.