Outcome of the 197th Iteration

Keres released a chilling breath as he settled into his seat on the city bus. The morning bus ride is his meditation, the same chill music in his ear buds to calm his nerves as he gazes at the very same view he saw every other morning. He wiped away the condensation on the window with his hand, revealing a world transformed by winter's touch.

Through the frost-edged window, he watched the capital stretch infinitely in every direction. The landscape came alive with the enchantment of the season as citizens hurried along the snow-dusted sidewalks, each wrapped in their own story.

Dells blended seamlessly into the metropolis. The solar-cross embroidered on their capelets and clothes set them apart from regular citizens dressed in coats and scarves. There was a palpable sense of unity and purpose as this is a place where even Dells had to work side-jobs in order to make ends meet.

The architecture oozed an air of modernity as towering skyscrapers reached for the heavens with their shiny surfaces reflecting the overcast sky. Shimmering neon signs embellished the horizon, casting their glow upon the streets below.

As the bus navigated the mazy network of roads, traffic lights colored the atmosphere with a rhythmic dance of red, amber, and green. While the resonating car horns and distant sirens gave off an urban soundtrack.

When the bus passed a small park, Keres' gaze was drawn to the children laughing as they molded snow into mythical creatures with their chakra. From his seat, he felt a mixed sense of detachment and envy.

'Tsk, such a waste of time,' the teenager groaned as he continued to watch the city's ever-changing scenery unfold.

—

As he stepped off the bus, an unexpected unease pierced his spine, as if an instinctual whisper urged him to glance back. And when he did, he spotted Mina waving through the bus window with a warm smile on her face.

His breath billowed out like mist as he already knew the words that would follow.

"Goodbye pepperhead, have loads of fun, okay?" Like clockwork, the exact words he had predicted arrived. He responded with a subtle wave then, gave a shrug and continued forward.

Seasons may change but this scene always remained the same. It also didn't help that these lines usually preceded school hours which he considered the most infuriating aspect of his monotony.

The flickering light from the high rise billboard erected before the gate was distateful as always. Like an awfully conspicuous indicator for the torturous hours that lay ahead, it enveloped him with its gentle, wavering brightness.

There was nothing out of place. Everything seemed to progress according to the same old script. However, when he raised his head and looked at the contents of the billboard, his pupils shuddered with surprise.

Over the past six weeks, virtually every billboard here in Vertia had become canvases exhibiting information concerning the upcoming inauguration ceremony. Yet, this particular billboard dared to stand apart. A warm glow appeared on Keres' face as he read out the contents of the billboard.

['Xaviour', The masked Swordsman

5,000 rels]

There was a portrait of a ski-masked figure at the center of the screen. And this minor diversion in routine filled Keres with an overflowing sense of intrigue.

"Interesting" His lips formed a smirk.

At this point, he had reached the school's entrance so he released a sigh and then headed in. He never was a huge fan of his schoolmates so he prepared to fade into the background as he always did whenever he found himself in public spaces.

He dropped his gaze downwards, put on his earphones and relaxed his walking pace as he trekked further. But just before he could turn the music on, the conversation between the pair a few meters to his front gripped his attention.

Within the pair, Keres recognized one face, a person he was somewhat familiar with. This individual went by the alias 'N the great' and had a reputation for being a chatterbox. The sorts of personalities Keres usually preferred to avoid, seeking solitude whenever possible.

"You bloody idiot…" The other boy's face formed a frown.

"Don't disrespect the number one swordsmanship streamer in the world like that!" An exuberant bicker escaped his lips and N slid his hands into his pockets, flashing a smirk.

"Pipe down, you're making my ears bleed"

"He lures people into chakra restricted zones to nerf their powers before the fights yet I'm supposed to believe he's the number one swordsmanship streamer? Give me a break" N continued with a snigger.

"The restriction affects both parties bro, stop being dumb. And I'm sure he does that to avoid really harming his opponents"

"Heh. I bet the whole thing is scripted anyway" N snickered and the other boy adjusted his glasses before responding.

"Hmm, do you really think that is possible?"

"Honestly, I couldn't care less. My point is none of those seven videos are anywhere near my level of cool"

"What? So you watched all the videos, Mr En-Cool-passe" The bespectacled boy teased with a grin. And in response, N's cheeks reddened.

"Well…" He hesitated but was bailed out in the next moment by a third party's interference.

"Are you dweebs by any chance also gossiping about her?" A blonde intruder appeared, grabbing both their shoulders from behind.

"Huh, it's just you senior Charles" The bespectacled boy stated.

"Back off, Charles. Your breath stinks of rotten fish" N protested and following his complaints, the intruder took his hands off the pair.

"Scary, scary" He said.

They had now reached a majestic figure, nestled not too far away from the bustling halls and grand buildings that sprawled across the expansive school grounds.

The statue was that of a woman dressed in an overflowing cape. Like a magician conjuring wonders from an ancient grimoire, she stood with towering form, extending a book forward with her hand.

The three boys simultaneously pressed their palms together, each giving a slight bow of their own as they walked past the statue. A brief moment of silence soon followed.

"Speaking of which, senior Charles. Do you think Xaviour's videos are scripted?" The bespectacled boy inquired, tilting his chin.

"Hmmm, well while that remains a possibility, do you think he would be declared wanted if his videos were completely harmless?"

"Right?" Upon Charles' answer, the bespectacled boy turned over to N with a look that screamed 'Told you so' and N tsk-ed in response.

"It could be because his content makes Dells a laughing stock" He said.

"If that were the case, simply shutting down his channel would suffice. But since they put a bounty on his head whilst letting him continue operating. This could only mean, regardless of who his next target is, HQ are giving them a mission to win at all costs"

"Well, that... makes sense" N said. He looked like he wanted to offer a counter opinion but simply couldn't come up with any.

"Senior, you should be around the pinnacle of D-rank by now, do you think you could win against him?" The bespectacled boy inquired.

"Hmm, I've actually never thought about that but as long as his rank isn't any higher than mine, I'm confident I won't lose.... hmm... but then again if it's under chakra restriction... hmmm... I'm not so sure" Charles answered, scratching the top of his head.

"Huh? Are you saying he's that strong?" A question burst out of N's mouth.

"Not just that. His swordsmanship and martial arts are uniquely formless. It's almost as if he just freestyles yet, he seems to have no visible loopholes or weaknesses" Charles said with his words bringing silence to the air. And following the few seconds of silence, N squinted his eyes.

"What's this? Sounds like you admire him quite a lot" He said.

"My hand to hand combat ability has significantly improved thanks to him so of course I'm a fan. I'm actually looking forward to his next video, in fact"

"Heh, you guys are lame"

"Nah dude, you need to try out his videos and maybe you might pick up on a thing or two" Charles nudged N in his shoulder.

"Hmmph, I have better things to do with my Tuesday nights and by the way, there's the inauguration ceremony tomorrow, so…"

"Hehe, and how did you know his live stream airs every Tuesday night?" Charles teased.

"Pfft… Bro is probably the president of Xaviour's fan club in secret" The bespectacled boy said and they both crackled in laughter, leaving N behind to gaze at their backs.

"Shut up, you bums" N puffed, irately following after his two friends and they chatted away into the distance afterwards.

Keres, on the other hand, slowed down further, having listened to their entire conversation. Consequently, he also heard the whispers and gossips of other kids swirling around him, just as usual.

"Hey, isn't he that infamous crip?—" One voice said. "Don't look there, his eyes give me the creeps."

"How shameless. If I were him, I'd lock myself in a room and never come out..."

"Mirabel, try to avoid his footprints or your chakra panel might break too" Several other voices emerged with time.

But surprisingly, Keres wore a smirk brimming with ardent eagerness beneath those dark, red sunken eyes of his.

All he had to do was endure seven hours of arduous classes and mindless gossip from his classmates. It was nothing new. Moreover, tomorrow's holiday was worth looking forward to.

Now at the very heart of the school premises, Keres took his earphones off. Slipping through the unnoticed gaps, he headed away from the sea of students swarming towards the assembly hall.

He navigated into the deserted corridors of the school building. The echo of his footsteps reverberated in the vacant hallway, soothing his soul step after step, whispering 'You are free.'

Here, he found solace in the tranquil emptiness, away from the chatter and commotion that plagued the assembly grounds.

You are free. He felt a weight lift from his shoulders, the freedom to breathe, and to escape the infuriating script of his repetitive daily routine. But suddenly, this freedom rippled into nightmare and chaos.

The serenity disappeared, his ears ringing a mortal warning, a chilling premonition.

It felt as if an invisible hand had reached into his chest, clenching the core of his existence, threatening, 'Your fate is under my control.'

An unexplainable, excruciating pain vibrated through his body, numbing his senses.

'What... is ... happening?' He wondered to no answer as waves of torment surged through his body, rendering him paralyzed and breathless.

As cold sweat descended his forehead, his senses dulled, and the world around him blurred into a haze of incomprehensible agony.

Desperate gasps for air turned into silent, rasping breaths as he struggled to yell, but his voice was stolen by the relentless grip of this unseen tormentor. He tried taking a step forward but his limbs felt heavy, and the floor beneath was like quicksand, pulling him down into an abyss of suffering.

What he was experiencing wasn't the diversion in routine he had hoped for, it most certainly wasn't freedom either. So what exactly is this? Divine retribution?

What sin could he have possibly committed in the past to warrant a punishment of this gravity?

More inquiries only seemed to emerge with time. One question begot another, creating an unending whirlpool far more intense than his brain could possibly handle.

As his mind lost its grasp on reality, the hallway's walls seemed to warp and twist, and the world around him dissolved into a nightmarish void. In the throes of this indescribable agony, his consciousness flickered like a dying candle.

'I don't want to die like this'

One last futile attempt to resist the void failed, and he succumbed to unconsciousness with his body collapsing to the ground.

***