NABC Chapter 560 Care Package
Chapter 560 Care Package
A woman in a sharp, green jumpsuit stepped forward, her attention flicking from the screen to JJ. "Backing a demon... bold. Borderline treason, isn't it?"
JJ's eyes remained on the screen where Kern and Gisorn moved deeper into the Arena. "Almost treason isn't treason."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Demons burn out quickly. The last one certainly did. Took his entire team with him before the first round was over."
"Ty's different," JJ said, her fingers hovering over the touchscreen in front of her, monitoring the stats flowing in from the fight. "You'll see."
The woman gave a small smile but moved on, her attention shifting back to her own fighter. JJ's gaze didn't leave the screen.
On the central display, Kern and Gisorn were in position. The cameras zoomed in as they moved through the trees, but the danger was already clear. The puppet user's strings were barely visible in the daylight, but JJ could see them, shimmering in high resolution, cutting through the air with deadly precision.
Kern took the first hit. The thread bullet struck him in the side, and JJ watched as the camera zoomed in on the moment of impact, the blood staining his armor visible even from this distance. Every grimace, every staggered movement, was captured in excruciating detail.
On another screen, Gisorn was struggling against the strings that had wrapped around him, lifting him into the air like a broken puppet.
Behind her, a few sponsors leaned forward in their seats, taking interest. One of them, dressed in silver and blue, glanced at JJ's screen, amusement in his voice. "First fight, and your demon's team is already falling apart."
JJ ignored him, her hand hovering over the terminal in front of her. The control panel allowed her to send aid directly into the Arena—care packages, supplies, or even weapons. She hesitated for a moment, watching Ty as he stood at the edge of the fight. His sword was still sheathed, black flames flickering around him, but he hadn't moved.
One of the other sponsors, a man with graying hair and a knowing smirk, leaned in from the nearby seat. "Seeing as both of our contestants are on the same 50-man team, I guess I should give you a pointer," he said, his tone casual but condescending. "I've been doing this for years. Got my guy to the top ten once."
The man's voice cut through her stunned silence. "They're on the same team now." He gave a small shrug. "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment, is all I'm saying."
Her breath caught for a moment, and she turned back to the screen, her hand resting on the railing to steady herself. The black flames flickering around Ty seemed distant now, her thoughts suddenly fractured.
"Ironic," she whispered to herself, barely audible. Fernando. Still alive. Still in the fight.
She swallowed, trying to refocus. "I know what I'm doing," she managed to say, though her voice felt thinner than before.
The man just smiled again. "Sure you do, little lady."
JJ turned away, her fingers quickly pulling up the mission details. Eliminate Jui-Lao. The name stared back at her, a cold reminder of what Ty, Rosana, and John were walking into. Jui-Lao—the strongest mortal, with Titanis blood, a force of nature in his own right. This wasn't a battle for survival. It was a challenge against something far bigger than any normal contest.
She watched the feed. Ty was leading the way, Rosana and John moving close behind. They weren't oblivious; they knew exactly who they were about to face. Jui-Lao wasn't just a name—he was a legend, and legends didn't fall easily. The thought gnawed at her as she watched them move deeper into the terrain.
The man next to her leaned in again, wearing that same smug grin. "Jui-Lao, huh? Well, if I were you, I'd send a shovel. That way, your team can dig their own graves before it's too late."
JJ's fingers hovered over the terminal. A shovel. She almost laughed, but then her eyes narrowed. Maybe there was something to that after all. Without saying a word, she tapped the screen, selecting an item for the next supply drop. A shovel.
"They'll need more than a shovel," she muttered, sending the request through, watching the confirmation flash across the screen.
The man chuckled softly. "Oh, this is rich. I didn't think you'd actually do it."@@@@