The Explorers of the Universe

Accepting Defeat

Asteria thought hard, she tried to calm herself down.

It's all over, I'm losing, her mind. He turned the body around the moment Neil arrived at the center of the labyrinth.

Neil stopped his steps. Although he had run around the deadlocked labyrinth, his breathing remained stable. He has been practicing stabilizing heart and lung beats. His body was challenging Asteria.

Sweat from Neil's short hair. His clothes made of Micha cloth were wet. To the extent that his clothes were tight on his back and chest. He saw Asteria sculpting, then turned to a wooden statue.

There are no arrows stuck there, meaning Asteria has not shot the statue, he concluded. He only understood what was happening when he saw the Asteria's broken crossbow.

“So, it's all over,” Neil said in his firm voice.

“No! It's not over yet!” Asteria glanced at the yellow cloth tied to Neil's upper arm. “You won't get that statue!”

Asteria put up the horses. Sharp eyes. And Neil immediately understood the Asteria's intent. He tied the yellow cloth. “You will not get this cloth. Even if it only touched it, it wouldn't!”

Asteria rounded her resolve. Sharpen his instincts and intuition. He should be able to win the final battle at this stage. Although he actually does not like fights, but this is the last way that he can achieve victory. After all, he fought not out of hatred, but for the sake of winning the match.

The struggle is to get the cloth, then stop Neil's steps to win and get praise from all residents of New Ferrata. He also recalls Neil's every attitude and movement with him, looking for his weaknesses.

Asteria is hard to think long. He has a plan to push Neil's body against the wall, lock Neil's movements. Then he took the yellow cloth on his head.

Looking at Asteria who was looking at him sharply, Neil prepared.

Asteria's leg kicked Neil. Neil fended. Asteria gives a fist but can be avoided Neil easily. This scene is very stressful if time can be played with slow motion mode.

Neil's hand floated. Asteria can even fend it off. But Neil's stronger power made his hand push and hit his face. Asteria grimacing.

Asteria took a few steps back. Her chest of irregular kembis. Sweat flooded his body. His face was hot.

The audience is tense. Viana closed her mouth.

Neil's eyes remained cautious, but his emotions remained stable. His thin-haired head made the remaining blisters on his forehead clearly visible.

“I didn't think you could do this. But I like it.” Neil smiled excitedly. “Let's finish this match!”

Asteria did not hear it. He notices a blister in Neil's head caused by a fight with another team in Stage 2. Asteria recalled how Neil was dropped by the opponent and hit his head against a tree.

Asteria was gasped by her own thoughts. He knows Neil's weakness. His weakness lies in his feet, in his horses. Yes, although his hands and body are muscular, but Neil has horses that are not sturdy.

All Asteria had to do next was wait for the right moment to strike her leg, then push her against the wall and lock her hands behind her back, that way he could untie the fabric on Neil's arm easily. Yes, that is the strategy, Asteria said in her heart.

Asteria clenched her hand again. The blood that came out a little from the blow was rubbed. This time he had to succeed. He was waiting for the right momentum.

Asteria advance. His hand hunts down Neil's face, but as much as Asteria attacks, as much as Neil fends him off. Not a single bit of Neil's face was touched. Neil eventually attacked. His hand punched Asteria.

Asteria dodged by lowering her body. At that time, Asteria's hand hit Neil's leg, followed by both feet.

Neil fell. Asteria immediately rose. The plan to push Neil against the wall turned out to be impossible. Neil's body wasn't as light as he thought. He climbed onto Neil's back, which had just fallen. With her feet, Asteria locked Neil's hands on his back.

The bow and tube of arrows on Neil's back slightly disturbed him, but he managed to overcome them. Make a safe and strong position. Neil can't move.

“I told you, I can beat you.” Asteria is confident.

On the other hand, Neil groaned. He tried to let go of his hand, but had difficulty. This was his first groan that Asteria heard.

Asteria's blood sighed, as if victory had already approached her. He did not want to wait long, the cloth had to be removed immediately.

Viana saw Asteria looking at her. Viana simply shook her head and looked at the other side of Asteria, the Asteria she was unfamiliar with. Just for the sake of victory, Asteria looks brutal.

Asteria caught a disappointed signal from Viana, the girl she had long admired. Asteria sees herself. He saw a side of the beast that was concerned only with victory, power and praise.

Realizing that Asteria was relaxing and unfocused, Neil took out all his strength. His head was lifted with all his might, making half his body lift up. Forming arch. Once he failed. Second, third, and fourth, his body made Asteria shake. And immediately his chest was lifted backwards. His head hit Asteria's face.

Asteria rolled backwards. From his nose to the blood.

Neil got up. This time, he was unusually gasping for breath, having enough trouble catching his breath. Her chest is kempis. He was furious, unexpectedly the child he considered innocent and weak could overthrow him. Almost, just ...

Neil tightened the ties back. Then he stepped closer to Asteria who was still down.

Asteria tried to get up by enduring her pain. He had just lifted half his body, when Neil clasped his upper arm. Neil picked it. Asteria stood firm. His eyes stupefied. What's the matter? Why did Neil help her stand up?

Just now that Asteria was about to ask that, Neil had already grasped the other Asteria's hand. “All is over,” Neil said. With energy in his hand, he easily turned Asteria's body around.  Then close it to the labyrinth wall.

Asteria's face touches the surface of the wall.

Neil's hand was gone. Asteria reversing body.

“You're over!” neil's voice is very strong. He raised his hand. Showing the yellow cloth Asteria already in his grasp.

Asteria said nothing.. Flat gazing. His mind murmured, his strategy of locking onto the wall was actually happening, only he was the one who was locked and defeated.

Neil stepped past Asteria. He stopped and stood in the red circle. The bow and arrow were prepared.

And the arrow shot away. Penetrate the wooden statue of the king.

The final score became Asteria 120 points and Neil 170 points. Neil won the game.

Asteria. “I've lost!” said.

It was not only the defeat in the tournament that he regretted, more than that the dislike expression Viana showed in the stands became his additional burden. What if Viana didn't like my brutal attitude earlier. Maybe he already has another assessment of me ...

Asteria felt a hand on her shoulder. He looked up, Neil was standing behind him.

“You're a real fighter. I like your spirit! I hope next time we can have a chance to fight again,” Neil said with a smile.

Asteria returned her smile. “Thank you. You are amazing. Congratulations on your win.”

They shake hands. Then Neil left Asteria first.

The audience cheered as Neil exited the labyrinth.

On the other hand, although it was heavy, Asteria had to accept this defeat. He took a deep breath and threw it away.

Asteria walked away from the labyrinth. He didn't dare to look at Viana.

[Next Part 9]