From the stands, Serendelle and Zephyr simply bided their time.
"What you think about the new kid, huh? That's a crazy power, even to my standards, and Lyra can make arrows literally made out of wind."
Serendelle looked up with her hand on her chin. "Sachihiro doesn't have much... Just a game menu and some luck."
Zephyr leaned back in his chair, throwing his head back to stare at the sky. "Yeah? Seems like he's got plenty more than that, if you ask me."
Serendelle tilted her head in confusion, but he train of thought was cut off before she could reply.
A strange looking god strolled down the aisle. His body was completely yellow, almost golden even. His shiny head was void of any hair, instead opting for a funny looking road tattoo that ran from his forehead down to his back. He wore a blue jacket - the kind that race car driver's were seen to wear.
"That damn kid... He just had to betray Joshua, didn't he!? Now the other gods kicked me out 'cuz he got their Champions all killed."
With his hands in his pockets, he walked by Serendelle's row. She leapt up from her seat and attempted to introduce herself.
"Um, you're that young boy's god, aren't you?"
In a stationary motion, the strange man spun facing Serendelle.
"Huh? Who's askin'?"
His sunglasses dipped to his nose, revealing his pure golden eyes.
"W-were with Team Sachi, we're their gods." Serendelle frantically points back and forth between her and Zephyr.
The god struts up to them, eyeing them up and down.
"Yeah?"
He turns back to the stadium and plops down in the seat next to Zephyr.
"Saves me the trouble of finding a new seat."
Zephyr and Serendelle look at each other with equal parts relief and confusion.
————
————
One by one, Vergo escorted each pair to their section of the stadium. Dion, Lyra, and Ray each were pulled to the side with a man in cybernetic armor, leaving just Sachi and the man he conversed with in the halls.
The man bumped Sachi's shoulder as they waited.
"You nervous?"
Admittedly, he was, but he wasn't stupid enough to let his enemy know.
"No."
The man just laughed in return. "You're a shit liar. Everyone's nervous, even me."
He pulled up his mask to reveal his mouth. His pale skin was covered completely with scars.
He smiled, revealing his perfect gilded teeth.
"But that's what makes it so fun."
Vergo returned from the distant darkness. "Let's go, you two."
The first step forward was the hardest, but no matter what he felt, Sachi only had one choice.
Following Vergo into the stadium, the same wave of nausea passed over Sachi that did during a Zone Shift. After the effect wore off, he felt both heavier and lighter at the same time. He looked down to notice that all of his equipment was gone, now he just wore the same kendo uniform he started with.
Desperately, Sachi tried to open his menu, but all his efforts were in vain. He couldn't feel any connection with Serendelle, and all of his powers had been nullified.
He, along with all the other Champions, had their powers completely suppressed.
Vergo walked over to the other man.
"Alistair, come with me. Sachihiro, you have two minutes to hide. Good luck."
With his final message, they disappeared into the darkness.
The announcers voice pierced the silence. "And now, the game begins! Our hiders have two minutes to hide, and pray they don't become prey!"
A timer appeared on the digital screen looming over the stadium, already counting down.
'Just like that!?'
Sachi scrambled deeper into his section, passing mounds of junk and strange decrepit structures.
A couch, dresser, a closet separated from it's room, a few lamps. Heaps of unusable or obvious hiding spots rattled through Sachi's brain as he quickly scanned each.
He glanced to the timer as he ran.
[0:43]
He stumbled as he picked up his pace, his bare feet pounding against the asphalt beneath him. Clinging to walls and whatever he could find to make his way through the darkness, stumbling into large gray wall.
He winced as he stumbled back for a moment.
'A... fridge?'
He looked back to the clock.
[0:12]
Sachi's breathing was ragged. His options were limited, but this was the best he had before his time was up. He ripped open the door with all his strength, revealing shelves lining the interior.
[0:05]
The shelves were detachable, and Sachi wasted no time removing them. His only issue was that he couldn't hide the remnants, and if his competitor was as good as he seemed, he'd notice the shelves scattered about instantly.
[0:01]
He hopped into the fridge, closing the door as gently as he could to dampen the noise.
"And now, they game really starts! The seekers have been released into each of the sections of the playing field! Good luck to our hiders, I hope you found somewhere safe!"
Sachi slowed his breath, even the sound of his breathing was too loud. Outside of his hiding spot, he could hear the stomping of metal feet followed by a carefree whistle.
His heart beat faster with each stomp growing closer, stopping just in front of the fridge. Sachi held his breath, before something else caught his attention.
From another part of the stadium, he could hear a bloodcurdling scream.
A voice he could clearly recognize as Dion's.
The announcer's voice destroyed all possibility that Sachi had to hear where Alistair was lurking.
"Just a minute in, and the first Champion has already been eliminated! This match might be wrapped up sooner than we thought!"
The man outside laughed. "You hear that, Sachi? Your boys already dropped out. Why don't you make this easy, and come out and join him?"
The footsteps echoed further away. Sachi's eyes were wide as sweat dripped down his pale face.
'Dion... died? Just like that?'
His breathing became harder to control.
'Was it dumb to think we all could make it? What if none of us make it...'
Sachi's mind raced faster, only coming to a halt as metal footsteps returned just outside of the fridge. A moment of pure silence felt like a decade. His hands shaking uncontrollably, attempting to stay as still as possible.
In an instant, the door to the fridge jutted open. A cybernetic black set of armor greeted Sachi's fearful eyes.
A strange, familiar voice spoke quietly.
"Got 'cha."