The award ceremony proceeded smoothly, just as I had anticipated, I was the one who received the MVP trophy.
Nero also received a medal for his more than impressive performance during the match. However, we were informed that the crowd was not happy with our team's victory at all.
Why? Well, as I mentioned earlier, Nero had broken someone's arm. He didn't do it during a fight but rather it was an act of torture.
The crowd did not appreciate his actions.
They witnessed Nero's unstable rage, shouting at his own teammates to step back while he mercilessly broke the defenseless guy's arm.
To be honest, even I was surprised by his behavior. He didn't do anything like that in the novel.
If I had to make a guess, then I would say that perhaps Kai's lackeys pushed Nero harder than they did in the novel.
That might explain why he was so cruel to Chris.
After all, in the novel, Nero had a darker side to him. His dark side manifested as an extremely short temper.
To put it simply, he struggled with anger issues.
These issues stemmed from his traumatic past as a helpless child who witnessed his mother's murder before his eyes.
The overwhelming sense of helplessness transformed into anger, which eventually turned to uncontrollable rage that he tried to suppress within his heart.
Not to mention, his constant need for validation from those around him, coupled with his extreme pride, only served to fuel his anger whenever it surfaced.
Well, later on in the story, Nero's anger proved to be useful when he fortuitously discovered a more destructive way to channel his mana into his martial arts which he named 'The Rage Drive.'
But that's for later, for now, I want him to control his temper. I don't care what happens to the plot, I cannot work with a ticking time bomb.
"Lucas!"
Ah, speak of the devil.
After receiving my trophy and doing some obligatory photoshoots, I parted with the rest of the group and made my way home.
Just as I stepped out of the medical room after they checked me for any possible injuries, Nero's voice called out to me as he followed me out.
I turned around to face him as he approached me in the empty hallway outside the medical room.
"Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something," he said.
"Yeah, what is it?" I inquired.
"I wanted to apologize for what I said to you," Nero earnestly looked into my eyes and spoke. "I'm sorry, I wasn't in the right state of mind. I also yelled at the others. And thank you for assisting us. I had no idea Kai had a Gift related to teleportation. Without you, we would've surely lost—"
"It doesn't matter," I interjected before he could finish his statement.
"Huh?" Nero looked at me with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, don't apologize," I replied. "I couldn't care less about your or anyone else's opinion of me—neither you nor Chase, nor anyone else. However, if you really regret your actions, then just do something about your temper. I don't want any more problems arising because of it."
"What?" Nero's perplexed frown deepened upon hearing my response. "What do you mean by that? When did I cause any problems?"
"Oh, you didn't?" I raised an eyebrow in response. "You exposed your Gift during the Mock War! Rumors about you have been spreading worldwide now! You could have simply lost, but instead, you chose to win at any cost by using your Gift! And why? Wasn't it because you were angry at Alberto? Your anger clouded your judgment!"
"Again, how does that create a problem for you?" Nero retorted with a shake of his head. "The rumors will cause trouble for ME, not YOU!"
"Nero, you need to understand that your actions have consequences!" I replied firmly. "And those consequences may impact those around you!"
"Oh, actions have consequences?" Nero scoffed. "Are you even qualified to utter that phrase?"
"Oh, for the love of God!" I rolled my eyes, fully aware of what Nero was hinting at with his tone. "You know what? Forget it. As I said, I don't care. You'll soon come to understand what I meant."
When you witness people dying before your eyes, BECAUSE of you, you'll know that YOUR actions carry far more severe consequences than those of others.
After all, you are the protagonist of this story.
After I said my piece, I turned around in order to leave. However, before I could take a single step, Nero grabbed hold of my arm.
"Wait!" Nero shouted. "You don't get to say whatever you want and then walk away! If you're blaming me for something, at least make me understand!"
I turned my head to gaze at him, my eyes cold as I uttered, "Let go."
"Tell me, what are you blaming me for first?!" Nero yelled once again.
"Why should I?" I spat back. "It's not my job to point out the consequences of your thoughtless actions, nor am I obligated to help you help you make up for your dumbness!"
"...You know, even though I never thought of us as friends, I had hoped we could at least get along," Nero said with a hint of disappointment.
"...Let go," I repeated my words, willing mana into my legs.
"Tell me what you mean first," Nero tightened his grip on my hand and channeled mana into his own.
Click—
Just then, the door of the medical room swung open and out came several main characters—Anastasia, Chase, and Elijah.
Chase shot me a piercing glare, but I paid him no mind as I swiftly pulled my hand free from Nero's grasp.
Anastasia shifted her gaze between Nero and me, her curiosity piqued. "What were the two of you discussing?"
"Nothing," I replied curtly. "I should head home."
"Fine," Nero let out a deep breath and took a step back.
"Wait," before I could walk away, Anastasia halted me. "I didn't say this earlier, but thank you, Lucas. This victory was possible only because of you."
"Don't mention it," I waved my hand dismissively.
"Although, it would have been easier if he had informed us about Kai instead of using us as bait," Chase voiced his frustration as if he was talking to himself out loud.
Elijah immediately placed a hand on Chase's shoulder, attempting to calm his friend, but Chase merely grunted in response.
I turned to face Chase and let out a brief chuckle. "Why don't you talk to me once you stop rushing your opponents like an idiot and getting your ass handed to you?"
"What did you say, you fuckface?!" Chase snapped, ready to advance, but Anastasia swiftly stepped in, placing her hand in front of him.
And just like a well-trained puppy, he immediately quieted down.
Heh, what a simp.
"Anyway, the bottom line is, thank you, Lucas," Anastasia sincerely expressed her gratitude. I nodded in acknowledgment before turning to leave.
While making my way out, I noticed that Anastasia was engaged in a conversation with Nero.
She gently patted his chest and gestured towards his foot, likely asking him about his injuries.
Meanwhile, Chase, with his upper body wrapped in bandages, stood there with a lost look in his eyes as he observed that scene.
Even though he was more severely injured, he was ignored as his darling was more focused on Nero.
"Poor guy," I mused, a smirk forming on my face.
I had plans for Chase, but there was still time for that. Right now, I should focus on the task at hand.
I have to suppress Kai once and for all before the main game on the seventh day.
