"Ow! Feels like you're pouring bloody acid on me!"
A nurse laughed as she twisted the cap back onto a clear vial. "That means it's working, love."
Sachi watched as Dion writhed at the red serum that poured down his bandages. A drop of sweat fell from his nose as he considered that he was the next patient, and that he had plenty more wounds to mend.
The nurse strut over to Sachi's bed. "Lay down, sweetie. It'll sting for just a moment."
Sachi's Emberheart Plate laid to his side as he removed the top half of his kendo uniform.
'I don't remember being this toned… The stats must be working even more than I thought.'
He laid back against the paper sheets, squinting his eyes as the blinding overhead lights flashed.
The nurse pulled out a similar red serum and lightly dripped it over Sachi's arm. Dion's reaction began to seem like nothing as the acidic nature of the substance set in beneath the cuts.
His writhing was far worse than Dion's, even the nurse had to step back to avoid getting accidentally smacked.
Within just a few seconds, the pain disappeared. Breathing heavily, Sachi looked to his arm. All the small slashes had been reduced to nothing; his flesh was completely repaired.
"That's… just a sting?"
The nurse simply smiled and gave a small shrug. "It varies between patients. Now lay back down, we still have your torso, your other arm, and I heard there was another wound on your back."
Sachi shivered as he reluctantly laid back down, accepting his fate.
Meanwhile, Lyra and Ray were haphazardly chasing each other about the infirmary, giggling as they tagged the other.
Dion sighed as Vergo shut the door behind him.
"So, how does this one-versus-one even work?"
Vergo flipped through a clipboard vigorously as he replied. "You're one of the last two remaining teams. Each of you - in a random order besides the captains - will take turns in a duel against the other remaining team. The order is looped until one team is completely eliminated."
Dion crossed his arms and laid back against his bed. "So even if I win my match, it won't be guaranteed I'm out of the water yet…"
The cap of the vial snapped back on.
"There, you're all better now."
Sachi huffed loudly as the bed beneath him crinkled, his breathing still heavy. "The hell do I need these bandages for if my wounds are healed already?"
The nurse shook her head as she spoke. "You're not fully healed yet, the healing potion mended the flesh on the surface, but the muscle and tissue underneath is still repairing itself. Think of it as just a scab for a day or two before it's sorted out."
Vergo flipped back to the front of the clipboard. "Y'all ready now? Let's move, they're waiting for you."
Sachi gathered his equipment and slid off the bed, making sure his armor fit tightly.
Lyra leaned towards Dion with a mocking tone. "Are you seriously still wearing that?"
Dion slid on his black leather jacket and tightened his fiery bandana. "Is there something wrong with my outfit?"
Lyra reached up and lightly tapped Dion's forehead with the back of her hand. "Yeah, you look ridiculous."
Dion winced. "Well, it won't look so ridiculous when I win my match! You could take some notes, y'know? You're still wearing the same tattered getup from when we met."
She snarled. "I'd rather wear this then whatever you've got going on."
Sachi snapped his fingers to gather their attention. "Hey, let's go. I'd like to get this over with sooner than later."
Both of their heads spun to Sachi. "...Fine."
They began to funnel out of the room. The nurse turned to Sachi and winked.
"Come back soon, love."
Sachi gave her a smile and exited the room.
'...Wait, what's that supposed to mean!?'
As they passed through the tricky maze that was the stadium halls, the cold air brushed against their skin. Corner after corner, the ecstatic cheering of the crowd grew louder.
"Ladies and gentlemen! After the ruthless results of our last round, I now present to you the final match of the evening: The Duel!"
The blinding stadium lights made Sachi cover his eyes as he stepped out onto the now grassy playing field. The cheers grew louder as he could hear his name being chanted throughout the air.
"Sa-chi! Sa-chi! Sa-chi!"
Dion laughed as he stepped out next to Sachi. "Sounds like you've gathered some fans, huh?"
He looked down to the other side of the field, eyeing up his now clear opponents. "And they are..."
Sachi nodded. "That rowdy looking bunch. That mean's Lady April's other team lost as well?"
Vergo nodded and motioned for them to approach the center of the field. "Stand here for a moment."
They lined up, shoulder to shoulder in the center of the field. Not too long after, their rival team stood opposite to them.
"Here are today's contenders! Will the victor be the underdogs, Team Sachi? Or will it be the brilliantly brutal Team Malik?"
The audiences cheers became a mix of "Sachi" and "Malik".
"Well, it seems we're split down the middle! But enough waiting, let's see who will start the first match!"
The digital screen from the last game appeared once more, now flickering a list of names from both teams. Notably, Sachi and Malik's names were missing.
"Now, you all know the rules! Save the best match for last, so whos first?"
On Sachi's side, there was Lyra, Dion and Ray. Malik's team had Hawke, Fynn, and Gideon. Their names were placed in a circle, with an arrow spinning indefinitely in the center.
"Now, who will it be!?"
Slowly, the arrow halted upon a single name.
[Fynn]
The man with a spear on his back stepped forward. His appearance here seemed much more elegant than the waiting room, His long flowing hair trailed behind him.
"And who will he be facing!?"
The screen only held the three names from Team Sachi. Sachi held his breath as the arrow slowed.
'We've only gotten this far because we've relied on each other... But since we're against just one opponent, we might be fine.'
Finally, the arrow stopped. A single name blinked on the overhead screen.
[Lyra]