Kapitel 24: Intertwined Fates

"Hey, Stell, what do you think about the fight? Aren't they cool? Aren't they strong?" Felix's excited voice sounded from the side as the fight ended.

Stell slowly nodded as if he didn't want to. "They are."

"Can I challenge them? How about we do a two versus two?" Felix's words unknowingly stabbed at Stell deeper and deeper.

'Two versus two? You mean two against one?' He bitterly chuckled, mocking himself.

"If the opportunity arises." Stell shook his head as if he lamented at the lack of an opportunity.

"Ahh! I wish for that to happen so much." Felix's eyes shone.

'Dammit.' Stell's eyelids twitched the moment he heard Felix. With urgency, he urged Felix to leave the arena.

As they were leaving, as if by fate, Damian approached them.

Damian looked at the happy Felix and the sullen Stell, who lowered his head.

"So you refused to become my subordinate because you are already someone's subordinate?" Damian mocked Stell's condition. Although he wasn't sure what happened to Stell, he could notice the small details.

"Huh?" Stell's inferiority complex was immediately replaced by anger. "What did you say?"

"I said that you are bowing your head to that guy." Damian smirked as he pointed at Felix.

"I-" Stell made a slight pause before continuing. "I am not!"

"What a pity. You can't even accept reality. And I thought that you looked fun." Damian shook his head in regret.

"You mothertrucker..." Stell gritted his teeth, lifting his head and looking Damian right in the eyes. However, once he saw Damian's eyes, he felt cold sweat permeate him.

It was as if he was thrown into the slaughterhouse, a lamb about to be selected. And he couldn't even move, not to mention retaliate.

Lowering his head, Stell clenched his teeth.

"See? You can only lower your head." Damian mocked again.

Stell's pride took a hit. He wanted to retort. He wanted to be the confident Stell he was earlier, but he couldn't. He knew that it was all a facade, an unfounded confidence that was crushed.

Felix watched the scene from the side with flickering eyes. Surprisingly, he didn't retort to Damian, nor did he attempt to confront him. It was as if he tacitly agreed to Damian's actions.

Stell clenched his teeth, feeling pain from doing so. As time passed, he clenched them harder and harder, but he couldn't bring himself to look Damian in the eyes.

"Useless." Damian left with a snort, leaving Felix and Stell by themselves.

After waiting for the boiled Stell to calm somewhat, Felix pointed in one direction. "Let's go there. I feel like something interesting might happen."

As if he didn't even hear Felix, Stell only grunted, lost in thoughts. After passing by several corridors, Felix admired the beautiful arena.

It was obviously a modern type of arena, but it had an old architectural feel. It was a beautiful mix of several architectural styles, creating a beautiful masterpiece that hosted the fights of promising exile city individuals.

While strolling, they saw two people exit a certain corridor. They were Aaron and Tian Fen!

"I see. So that's your affinity. I get it now." Aaron nodded, finally getting why he lost. He patiently nodded as if he was a student listening to his teacher.

Seeing the scene, Felix's eyes lit up. "Hey! Guys, what are you doing?" Waving, he approached them.

Aaron snorted at the sight of the duo, while Tian Fen looked confused. "You know them?"

"I do." Aaron replied with a slightly dissatisfied tone. "What do you want?" He looked straight at Stell, ignoring Felix. Felix only pouted, but he waited for Stell's words.

Stell lifted his head slightly, barely enough to recognize the people who were in front of him. Startled, he remembered that he followed Felix, effectively falling for his wish.

"Dammit." He muttered, earning a curious gaze from Aaron and Tian Fen.

"We don-" Just as he was about to dissuade the situation and bid them farewell, Felix interrupted him. "We want to challenge you two in a two-on-two."

Felix's grin made Aaron feel mocked. Although he had met Felix before and knew that Felix didn't mean to be rude, that didn't mean he didn't want to beat him up, though.

And because of that wish, he looked at Tian Fen, tacitly agreeing.

Tian Fen shook his head. "I don't want to. It's a waste of time."

Felix's smile froze. With puppy eyes, he turned towards Stell.

Seeing Felix's puppy eyes, Stell couldn't bring himself to ignore him. With a sigh, he looked at Tian Fen. "How about two Epic Rank achievements as a bet?"

Stell's suggestion made Tian Fen nod. "That will do."

And so, the duel that changed Stell's destiny was agreed upon. Well, at least Stell wanted to believe that it will. With a shake of his head, he dismissed new depressing thoughts.

"So? When is it going to be?" Felix looked at Stell expectantly.

"We are free anytime. What about you?" Stell's trauma of looking intimidating people in the eyes showed itself as he didn't dare to look directly at Aaron and Tian Fen.

Aaron furrowed his brows at the sight, noticing a difference in the confident Stell he saw earlier.

'He looks weak.' He noted. 'But also less fake.'

Deciding to ignore Stell's strange behavior, he answered. "Can't do today."

Beside him, Tian Fen added. "I also can't do today."

"So it's tomorrow morning. Got it." Felix clapped once with his hands.

Although Tian Fen found Felix strange, he didn't say anything, agreeing with Felix's decision.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Felix's curious look made Aaron's eyebrows twitch. Just as Tian Fen was about to answer, Aaron stopped him.

"It was about our powers. Let's talk about that tomorrow after the fight." Aaron emphasized the words 'after the fight.'

"Sure." Felix's curiosity quickly died down once he learned that he could learn tomorrow. It was better if he found opponents he knew nothing about. They knew nothing about him, after all.

Stell didn't participate in the conversation, clenching his fist. There they were, the protagonists. Although he wasn't sure if Tian Fen had a cheat, he defeated Aaron twice, even making him admit defeat in front of so many spectators.

Even if he wasn't a protagonist, he was as strong as one.

After all that talk, he did nothing. He didn't decide the time, he didn't participate in the following conversation. Nothing. If it wasn't for Felix asking him to convince Tian Fen, he wouldn't have even had the opportunity to speak.

It clearly showed what he was currently. Bitterly chuckling, he dreaded tomorrow's fight.

'No. I gotta do something.' He remembered Damian's mockery. With clenched teeth, Stell decided to find a way. A way to prove to Damian that he was worthy of meeting his gaze.