At that moment, Jason's friend sighed again and continued talking, his voice now lower and more thoughtful, like someone who had been carrying a secret for too long and was finally letting it out.“Jason, to be honest, I didn’t even want to say this before, but... Soma actually warned me,” he said seriously. “Even that day she left the house, she personally called me. She didn’t text she called. And she was so serious.”Jason raised an eyebrow but said nothing, just listening.His friend continued, “She told me that if I really cared about you if I truly considered myself your friend I should never, ever let you participate in this competition. She said, and I quote, ‘If Jason is your friend, protect him. If you can’t, then don’t call yourself his friend.’”Jason’s expression changed. He wasn’t shocked exactly, but hearing it from someone else still made him feel strange inside.“And that’s not even all,” his friend added, his voice tight now. “She told me straight up ,that if she eve

At that moment, upon hearing what Soma had just said, her father’s entire body froze in surprise. He blinked several times, his mouth slightly open as though the words needed a moment to truly sink in. Jason’s name hung in the air between them like a shockwave, settling heavily in his thoughts.“Wait, wait, wait… Jason?” he finally muttered, his tone a mixture of disbelief and confusion. “You’re telling me Jason was part of this? He helped you with all this?”Soma stood silently, her hands clasped together in front of her, unsure of how to respond to the flood of questions she knew was coming.Her father leaned back against the chair, exhaling slowly, his eyes narrowing as if he was trying to study every detail of her face to know if she was serious. “I wasn’t expecting this. At all. I mean, I knew Jason was… capable in some ways, but this?” He gestured toward her, as though pointing at everything she had accomplished. “This is something else entirely. Something magnificent. Everyone’

At that moment, upon hearing what her father had just said, Soma’s laughter died in her throat. The smile that had been stretched across her face vanished as though it had never been there. She froze, staring at her father, stunned beyond words. Her mind went blank she couldn’t even fathom how those words had come from him of all people.For a few heartbeats, the room was silent. The weight of her father’s voice lingered in the air like a heavy curtain, and Soma felt her chest tighten. She opened her mouth to respond but found nothing to say not a single word.Her father leaned forward slightly, his voice quieter now, but serious, steady. “Soma,” he said, “don’t get me wrong. I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m not trying to force something on you.” He paused, glancing briefly at her younger sister, then back at Soma. “But I’m asking you to think about it, just think about the possibility.”Soma’s brows furrowed, confusion and disbelief battling across her face, but she stayed sile

At that moment, Jason’s phone began to ring, cutting through the quiet of the early morning. The vibration buzzed across his nightstand, sharp and relentless, dragging him out of his thoughts. He reached over, glancing at the screen, and immediately saw the name flashing across it.Derek. His friend. The one person who had been by his side since this whole mess started.Jason hesitated for only a second before swiping to answer. “Yeah?” His voice was low, still thick from the restless night he’d had.Derek didn’t bother with greetings or small talk. He went straight to the point, his tone brisk, almost impatient. “Jason, today is the day. I’m just calling to remind you. Hope you haven’t fallen asleep on me. Please tell me you’re already up and ready for this.”Jason let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck as he rose from the bed and sat on its edge. The weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he forced himself to keep his tone calm.“I haven’t slept,

The Red Clan fighter’s head turned slowly toward Derek, his glowing eyes narrowing to burning slits. The air around him sizzled, faint trails of heat rising from his clenched fists. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and menacing, every word cutting into Derek like a blade.“If you say one more word,” the man hissed, “I swear I won’t go easy on either of you.”Derek froze, his throat tightening instantly. His mind screamed for him to stay quiet, but the urge to defend Jason battled against the instinct to survive. The Red Clan fighter stepped closer, towering over Derek and Jason now, his fiery aura radiating pure hostility.“You think I’m dumb?” the man growled, his voice suddenly rising, drawing the attention of other competitors nearby. “You think I didn’t hear him? He called me out. He mocked me twice. And now you stand here, protecting him, acting like I didn’t hear what I heard?”He jabbed a finger at Derek’s chest, the heat from his fingertip burning through the thin fabr