Gon's Harem System
Chapter 98: The next match: Sera’ stoicism

Chapter 98: The next match: Sera’ stoicism

The next match was between Loxi and Sera.

The arena pulsed with life, a roaring sea of voices rising and crashing like waves in a storm.

The crowd had been waiting for this fight, and their excitement shook the very air.

Feet slammed against the stone steps in a steady, thunderous rhythm, while fists pounded against the metal railings, sending sharp clangs ringing through the stadium.

Every voice blended into a wild, untamed roar, a chorus of cheers, shouts, and chants that filled every corner of the arena.

Above, the sky stretched wide and open, painted in soft blues and streaks of white, but the peaceful scene above was nothing like the energy below.

Dust rose in thin clouds from the battle-worn ground, swirling around the two figures standing in the center.

The sun, bright and unyielding, cast long shadows behind them, stretching across the rough, uneven floor of the arena.

Loxi thrived in the chaos.

The wild energy of the crowd fueled him, each deafening cheer and stomping footstep sending a thrill through his veins. This was his stage, and he was ready to put on a show.

His flaming blade spun effortlessly in his grip, the fire tracing bright, mesmerizing arcs through the air.

Embers scattered with every movement, drifting and flickering like restless fireflies before vanishing into the dust-filled arena.

The heat from his weapon rippled around him, making the air waver as if the very ground were burning beneath his feet.

Pacing with slow, deliberate steps, he never took his eyes off Sera. The grin on his face stretched wide, playful yet sharp, like a predator toying with its prey.

Then, with an easy flick of his wrist, he lifted his free hand, fingers wiggling in a taunting invitation.

"C’mon, Sera, don’t keep ’em waiting," he called, his voice dripping with amusement. "They came here for a show."

Sera didn’t respond. She never responded to nonsense.

She stood still, her expression unreadable, eyes locked onto Loxi with quiet focus.

The noise of the crowd, the heat of the flames, the teasing lilt in his voice, none of it seemed to reach her.

She was a statue in the storm, unmoved, untouched.

Loxi chuckled, twirling his blade once more before resting it lazily on his shoulder. "Still the silent type, huh?" He tilted his head, pretending to consider.

His grin never wavered, but behind it was an eager anticipation.

He loved this part, the moment before the fight, when the tension hung thick in the air, just waiting to snap.

Still Sera kept silent, keeping her sharp gaze locked onto him, unwavering and cold. No wasted movement, no unnecessary flair.

Loxi might have been playing to the crowd, but Sera? She was here for him and him alone.

Loxi sighed dramatically, dragging the tip of his flaming sword through the sand, leaving a trail of scorched earth.

"You could at least pretend to enjoy yourself," he said, tossing her a lopsided grin. "Loosen up a little. Crack a smile. Maybe even; I don’t know, say something?"

Nothing.

The heat left the ground smoldering, little wisps of smoke curling into the air before vanishing. He sighed again, louder this time, as if the weight of Sera’s silence was just too much to bear.

"You’re really no fun, you know that? Always so serious. Always so—"

Sera moved.

A sudden burst of speed, quicker than the eye could follow.

One moment, she was a statue, still and unreadable.

The next, she was closing in, her body a blur of motion.

Her arms stayed loose at her sides, her weight shifting forward with effortless precision, every step calculated, every movement designed for efficiency.

The roaring crowd seemed to fade beneath the sheer force of her presence.

She didn’t waste energy, didn’t make a show of it.

No excess movement, no unnecessary flair.

Just raw, controlled speed, a force of nature honed to perfection.

There it was.

Loxi’s grin widened.

"Now that’s more like it!"

Loxi’s sword flared, a surge of fire roaring to life along the blade.

Heat rippled outward, distorting the air around him as he swung, embers scattering in wild spirals.

His strike came fast, cutting through the space between them in a blazing arc meant to meet her head-on.

But Sera wasn’t there.

A sudden shift, a perfectly calculated sidestep, and his blade carved through nothing but air.

Loxi’s eyes flicked to where she had been a heartbeat ago, but by then, she was already repositioning.

The dust beneath her feet barely stirred as she flowed into her next movement, her presence sharp and unwavering.

Before he could adjust, he felt it, fingers pressing hard against his wrist. A sharp, precise touch.

Then pain.

A sudden jolt, white-hot and immediate, shot through his arm.

It wasn’t the wild, burning pain of fire or the dull ache of a blunt strike.

No, this was sharp, exact, an attack meant to disrupt, to disable.

His fingers twitched involuntarily, his grip faltering for the briefest of moments.

Loxi’s sword hand numbed instantly, the fire along his blade flickering, unsteady.

His grip faltered, his fingers tingling from the sharp, calculated strike.

The crowd gasped as Loxi stumbled backward, his usual confident footing momentarily lost.

His grin wavered, but only for a second.

With a sharp shake of his hand, he tried to force feeling back into his fingers, his grip on the sword unsteady.

The flames along the blade flickered, reacting to his momentary lapse in control.

Embers scattered in weak, uneven bursts, their usual lively dance dulled.

Sera didn’t let him.

She pressed forward, stepping into his space with relentless precision.

Her hands struck again, this time at his shoulder, his ribs, his hip.

Each touch was deliberate, placed with the exact amount of force needed to disrupt, to wear him down. She

wasn’t looking for power. She didn’t need it.

Loxi gritted his teeth as sharp jolts of pain shot through him.

His body recoiled instinctively, his muscles tensing in protest.

Every strike sent a ripple of discomfort through his limbs, chipping away at his control, his balance.

The crowd barely breathed, watching as Sera dismantled him piece by piece, methodical and unyielding.