Chapter 802: Meeting Jack Jack’s fingers twitched. For a split second, nothing else moved. Then his hand dug into the dirt. A low groan escaped his throat as his body convulsed, muscles screaming in protest. Tip. Top. Blood dripped from his forehead, soaking into the ground beneath him, yet his grip tightened instead of loosening. Slowly, painfully, he pushed himself up. At the sight, the crowd stirred. Some scoffed, some laughed, while others leaned forward, eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Still standing?” “Looks like the prince isn’t done yet.” Andre stopped walking. He turned his head slightly, just enough for one eye to glance back. “Good,” he said flatly. “At least you didn’t disappoint me completely.” Jack staggered to his feet, his breathing ragged and uneven. His lightning odachi lay a few steps away, half buried in the dirt. For a moment, he hesitated. Then he took a step forward. Each movement was forced, his legs shaking violently as if they could give out at any second. When his fingers finally wrapped around the hilt of his weapon, lightning surged once more, brighter and far more unstable than before. The air around him crackled violently. Nox’s eyes narrowed. ‘He’s forcing it,’ he realized instantly. ‘At this rate…’ Jack raised his blade, pointing it toward Andre. “I didn’t run,” he said hoarsely. “I left.” Andre turned fully this time, his calm expression finally shifting, if only slightly. “Oh?” he replied. “Then why does your body say otherwise?” In the next instant, Jack moved again. Not with speed this time, but with desperation. Lightning erupted wildly as he charged forward, pouring everything he had into a single strike. His odachi screamed through the air, thunder rolling across the colosseum as if the sky itself was responding to his will. Andre exhaled. He appeared as calm as ever. He stepped forward and threw a punch. At first glance, it looked like a simple, plain punch. When it connected, it was devastating. BOOM! The lightning shattered on impact, dispersing like broken glass as Andre’s fist slammed into Jack’s chest. The sound echoed like a cannon blast. Jack’s eyes went wide. Time seemed to slow as his body lifted off the ground, his spine bending unnaturally before he was sent flying once more. He crashed hard, rolling several times before finally skidding to a halt near the edge of the arena. This time, he did not get up. The silence that followed was heavier than before. Andre walked toward him at an unhurried pace, stopping just beside Jack’s fallen form. He looked down, his expression unreadable. “For someone who claims he didn’t run,” Andre said calmly, “you’re awfully weak.” Nox clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms. That was it. He had to do something. He could not afford to watch Jack get beaten like this. It was something the latter would never allow if their roles were reversed. Just as he was about to move, Jack laughed. The sound was faint and broken, but unmistakable. Andre paused, a glimmer of confusion flickering across his eyes. Jack turned his head slightly, bloodied lips curling upward into a crooked smile. “You always said strength was everything,” Jack muttered. “That feelings were meaningless.” He coughed violently, blood splattering onto the dirt. “But tell me,” he continued, forcing his eyes open, “if strength is all that matters… why are you angry?” A murmur rippled through the crowd, many of them quietly agreeing with his words. Andre stared down at him. For the first time, the oppressive aura surrounding him fluctuated. “…You talk too much,” Andre replied after a brief pause. He raised his foot. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢 Before it could come down, the officiator slammed his staff into the ground with a deafening crack. “That’s enough!” Andre stopped. He glanced toward the officiator, then back at Jack. Several seconds passed. Then he lowered his foot and turned away. “The match is over,” Andre said coldly. “Drag him out.” The crowd erupted, some cheering, others booing, but none daring to question the outcome. Medics rushed in moments later, lifting Jack’s broken body onto a stretcher. As they carried him away, Jack’s eyes briefly met Nox’s in the stands. When they did, his eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open. He clearly wanted to say something. However, whether because he did not want to expose them or because he was simply too weak, he kept quiet. Despite everything, the least he could do was offer a smile. Nox nodded back in return. When Jack was taken away, the beast tamer exhaled slowly, his rage simmering just beneath the surface. “So,” Eve said after a brief silence, “what now?” Nox’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Now we see him.” “Jack?” “Yes.” “How?” Eve asked, curiosity clear in her voice. “I’m sure everywhere will be heavily guarded.” “Let’s give it a try. There’s no harm in doing that,” Nox replied with a smirk. Leaving their seats, they blended into the flow of spectators exiting the colosseum. No one paid them much attention. To the people of the island, outsiders came and went all the time. What mattered was strength, not faces. As they moved through the corridors beneath the arena, the smell of blood and iron grew stronger. The walls were darker here, stained by years of battles fought and lives lost. Guards stood at various intersections, their eyes sharp and wary, but none stopped them. Nox’s aura remained carefully restrained. The same was true for Eve. As such, it was difficult for anyone to sense just how powerful they truly were. They eventually reached a quieter section, where the noise from above faded into a distant rumble. A pair of guards stood before a heavy door. Seeing the two of them, the guards frowned. “This is the infirmary. No outsiders are allowed here,” one of them said, his gaze flicking between Nox and Eve. Nox met his eyes calmly. “Inform Jack that Nox is here to see him.” The guard stared at him for a moment before reluctantly turning and entering the room. Some time later, the door creaked open. The same guard stepped out and nodded to his companion. “Let them in,” he said without hesitation. This went far easier than either Eve or Nox had anticipated.