The mood was solemn in Ning's corner. After Issi's death, no one wanted to do anything but the next competition to start. Maybe then they would be able to put their minds on something else.
Ning waited for Genesis to start picking another gem when he felt something shake slightly next to him.
It wasn't just him that felt it, but Drake and Derel did too. So, they all turned around to Nova who couldn't stop shaking her leg.
"You okay, Nova?" Drake asked.
Nova's leg kept on moving while she shook her head as well.
"What are you worried about? It's do or die, little wyrm. Even if you don't want to, you will have to," Derel said.
"I would rather die," Noval said softly.
"What?" Derel looked angry. "Don't say that. Don't be a coward."
Ning quickly stopped Derel from speaking anymore. "You don't mean that, Nova," Ning said.
"I do," Nova started crying. "I really do. You have no idea how long I've wished for that. But… but I just can't die!"
"You… can't die?" Ning asked with a surprised face. Drake and Derel got curious as well.
Nova shook her head. "My powers won't allow me to die. I've tried killing myself many times… but I just can't die."
"This must be my punishment to live with the guilt of killing everyone I ever cared about," she said.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's okay. It's not your fault what powers you were born with. That's something out of your control right?" Ning asked.
Nova nodded.
"See, you are not responsible for killing anyone. Don't worry, later I will help you handle your power," Ning said.
"You can?" Nova asked.
Ning thought for a moment and wondered if the system could possibly help him with this if it came back. Either way, he needed to lie right now.
"I am sure I can, and I will do my best to solve this problem for you," Ning said.
"Can you do it right now?" Nova asked.
"Now? Sorry, I can't do it right now," Ning said. "Are you that scared right now?"
"I think she's asking because of that," Drake said, bringing Ning's attention back to the stage where Genesis had pulled down another gem.
Green.
"I… I don't know what to do," Nova started worrying again. "I don't want to kill someone else."
Ning was silent as he looked at the other group and waited for one of the two remaining to stand up.
The one that got up was the golden-haired girl with the blanket for a robe, Bellatrix.
"It's your turn?" Ning turned around to Nova who also stood up.
"What should I do?" she worried and looked at all three of them.
"She's a bitch. I say you kill her," Drake said.
"I will always tell you to fight," Derel said.
"I kinda hate her too," Ning said. "I won't say anything if you do accidentally kill her."
Nova couldn't believe her ears. "I think I'm going to just give up," she said.
"But… you won't get to win the System then," Drake said.
"I told you already," She said. "I really want to die."
She walked on without waiting for anyone to say anything and arrived at the stage.
She watched Bellatrix arrive on the other side with the oversized robe and gave a smug look at her.
"Now you can't keep on hiding, can you?" She asked. "What will you do now that your knight in shining armor is not here anymore?"
While she spoke to Nova, her eyes kept moving towards Ning and Drake in the distance.
"I will do what I want to," Nova said resolutely.
"Introduce yourselves," Genesis said from the top.
"Bellatrix Black," the girl introduced herself.
"Nova Fable," Nova introduced herself as well.
"Alright," Genesis said. "The match will begin in 3."
"1…"
Nova took a deep breath.
"2…"
'It's fine. I just need to give up,' she thought to herself. She couldn't feel it, but her powers were back.
"3!"
"I give up!" Nova shouted the moment the match started.
Genesis removed all of their powers the moment the words left Nova's mouth.
"What? Bitch! You need to fight me," Bellatrix said. She was out for blood against Nova.
"No, I will give up," Nova said.
"Are you sure you want to give up?" Genesis asked.
"Yes," Nova said.
"Well, sucks for you because you can't give up," Genesis said.
"What? Why not?" Nova asked with a surprised look.
"Because it's not in the rules. There are only 3 ways you can lose. You end up dead, knocked out and unable to fight, or out of bounds."
"So, if you want to give up, just do one of these 3 things," Genesis explained.
"Alright, I will count to 3 again."
Genesis went on to count to 3 while Nova couldn't help but start to hyperventilate again.
She didn't want to kill another person, not when she could help it.
She looked back and saw that she could jump off from there. If she did, the match would be over.
'Yes, I will jump,' she thought, but at the same time, Genesis counted to 2. Power came back to both Nova and Bellatrix again.
Nova tried to jump. That was the only thing she wanted to do right now, and as such, her powers wouldn't let her.
The moment the thought of jumping off appeared in her head, her legs froze as if they were stuck to the ground.
"3!" Genesis finished counting.
"Are you going to fight me now?" Bellatrix asked.
"No," Nova said, but even as the words left her mouth a sword appeared in her hand.
"Bitch! If you want to fight, just say you want to fight. No need to try and lie here," Bellatrix said.
"I really don't want to fight," Nova said. At the same time, her hands moved and a sword slash made up of Qi moved toward Bellatrix.
Bellatrix barely moved out of the attack's way in time and survived. She looked back at Nova, and now her face was full of anger.
"I am going to make sure your death is worse than anything you could have ever imagined."
