In the midst of the deafening crowd, Cinder's distantly amused smile had long since slipped off her face.
No, even saying that much was putting it lightly.
Still, the reason was obvious.
It was the white haired boy, the one who, in the arena below, after being declared the match's winner, immediately sunk to one knee.
Why, he even seemed exhausted.
Seemed.
Fools. All of them, Cinder thought with vague irritation. So easily mislead by telling movements and a drained aura. Do they not even realize he's barely even sweating?
Amakawa was pretending.
In a match against Ozpin's professionals, he was pretending to be weaker than he was.
Skilled in close quarters, agile, and... unexpectedly cunning, too. And then that semblance, to be able to summon that much power in an instant... had he not been male, I definitely would have thought him another... maiden. Hm.
Yes, a clear frown was now tugging at Cinder's lips.
"...Neo, I have a question for you," she said eventually, only barely turning around.
Of course, in doing so, Cinder caught the slack-jawed surprise that still lingered on the faces of the teenagers beside her, unable to hide how invested they had been. Mercury looked especially taken aback. Not that Emerald was any different, not with the way those usually dismissive crimson reds of hers were still glued down in the arena.
But Cinder paid that no heed.
She instead studied the black-haired girl behind them, the one with the mismatched eyes, who even now was gazing at the arena with not quite surprise, not quite interest, but an ambiguous sort of silent curiosity. Still, those slightly sharp, slightly crazed pink and brown's promptly drifted towards her.
"If I asked you to," Cinder continued, and her voice was as smooth as silk. That said, it didn't match her next words in the slightest. "...Do you think you would be able to kill that person in front of all these people?"
Both Mercury and Emerald rounded on her in silent surprise.
"C-Cinder?"
Or... she thought they would be silent. That was why Cinder couldn't help but frown at the green-haired girl who had spoken.
"Is there a problem, Emerald?"
With that fiery glare boring into the girl, one with such emotionless intensity, Emerald flinched, and the first emotion to drain the color from her face was definitely fear. However, that was when something similar but altogether different rose to meet it.
But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, and the girl was quick to duck her head down subserviently.
"O-Of course not, Cinder. I... I was simply worried that a-after such a one-sided fight, catching him unaware wouldn't be so easy... i-if I may say so."
Cinder stared at the girl, expression unreadable.
"...Hmph. Your concern is noted," she said, eventually tearing her gaze away. "However, that is why I am asking our 'add-on', instead. Well, Neo?"
Naturally, Cinder hardly expected the mute girl to suddenly just up and start speaking. It was for that very reason that she wasn't too annoyed that Emerald had interrupted her... which she definitely would have been if the girl had deprived her of a verbal answer.
Nonetheless, facing Neo once again, Cinder was expecting a shrug, a shake of her head, or even an criminally eager smile.
But that was not what happened.
Cinder felt her eyes narrow in slight incredulity when the silent sociopath of a girl had a bead of sweat rolling down her face, her face twitching in an expression that couldn't be labeled as anything other than...
Doubt.
Neopolitan... did not think she could win.
Even when, by appearances alone, Rio's current aura levels should have made for the easiest handicap. But despite that being the case, Roman's hell-monkey was still erring on the side of caution, rather than being confident in her own skills. And being that Cinder knew exactly how skilled Neo was, this couldn't have been more telling.
Interesting...
Cinder's frown slowly changed back to a grin as she relaxed into her seat once more, crossing one leg.
This was fine.
No, she preferred it this way.
I guess I'll just be taking my time with you, Amakawa.
…
…
…
That... was risky, Rio thought, brought to one knee.
Of course, he wasn't talking about the fight.
Nor was he even quite so fatigued.
Instead...
"Cura," Rio whispered, massaging one of his wrists.
It didn't even take five seconds for the wound caused by one of his knives to completely disappear, giving no sign of any possible injury, as things should be when one's aura wasn't yet depleted.
Well, in this world, anyway.
Still, it had been somewhat of a gamble to harm himself intentionally, especially when he didn't know how much stalk he could put into the aura detectors surrounding the arena.
But, because it would have been even more risky to achieve a victory against four huntsmen with an aura level that hadn't even gone down into the yellow...
Well, he couldn't exactly lose, so he at least decided to make it look close.
As such, it was not Teale's electricity that drained his aura all the way to such a low percentile, but the sharpness of one of his daggers, firmly pressing into his wrist while everyone was distracted by the raised hand that was seemingly controlling the wind.
It was all very theatrical.
In other words, because it was not Rio's preferred way of doing things in the slightest, the boy couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
In any case.
He had... won.
Much to his surprise, actually.
Don't get him wrong; Rio had a considerable degree of confidence in his own fighting ability, as one would after having numerous brushes with death, and from a young age too. But even though that was the case, that did not mean Rio thought of himself as someone with peerless strength.
There would always be someone better.
Yes, no different from anyone else, he was plenty capable of losing, and for that matter, making mistakes.
'Well, I think Haruto did amazing. He was really cool.'
That said, Rio could only blink when that chime-like voice echoed into his ears, if only because he started to wonder when exactly his thoughts had begun to leak out. But the feeling disappeared just as quickly, replaced with a somewhat awkward, but still relaxed small smile.
'I... see. Thanks, Aisha.'
'Hm.'
In any case, Rio took that moment to stand up.
Continuing to take a breather did sound nice, if only to curb the mental exhaustion that had naturally accumulated throughout this entire ordeal, but for now, rest would have to wait. After all, it was only common courtesy to exchange words with his competitors.
That said, Rio's eyes fell on the three in question, the ones currently talking animatedly with each other. Actually, it was just two figures doting over one person seated on the ground, who had quite literally slumped downward the moment the fight concluded.
Thankfully, Aqua and Grey had rushed past Rio to catch Teale before he nearly passed out from exhaustion.
It seemed the man had overworked his semblance quite a bit.
Teale was still conscious though, giving a lazy smile to his teammates. Similarly, Rio also found his own small smile not disappearing as he looked at them.
Regardless, Rio approached.
On a side note, the white haired boy was naturally still in his form-fitting black underclothes, having shed his durable cloak for the match's finale.
Which, looking back on it, had been a risky move in of itself, considering that, once again, had a single blade actually properly connected to him during that time, no amount of strengthening magic would have prevented the shower of blood that would have painted the white concrete red.
Yes. No doubt everyone would have been surprised to see that.
If not outright horrified.
Teale saw him coming and grinned, the first to speak.
"Hey there kid. Hell of a nice job. ...Although I'm kind of pissed you look like you could still keep going..."
"...Is that how it looks?" Rio asked, looking away from them slightly. Still, he coughed and looked back. "Then I suppose that means I'm doing a good job hiding it. To be honest, I'm also fighting the urge to disregard appearances and sit right there with you, Mr. Teale."
Teale snorted, but it wasn't him who responded. It was Aqua, suddenly putting a hand to her mouth. "Hehe. You really don't act your age at all, do you Rio?"
Not really sure how to reply to that, Rio just smiled back awkwardly.
But suddenly remembering what he wanted to say in the first place, the white haired boy changed tracks. "Ah, that's right." Rio bowed his head slightly at them. "Thank you all for such a remarkable fight. Huntsmen... really are as astounding as they say..." he said, genuinely meaning it.
Although technically, that wasn't something they needed to hear from him.
Yes, Rio promptly gestured to the raging stands with a wry smile. "Though I'm sure you already know that. As you can see, your actions have stirred up the crowd quite a bit."
Rio had actually tuned them out the entire time, as spying on the reactions of others during a fight was an easy way to suffer an embarrassing defeat. But now, he was all but forced to realize just how loud those watching were, and if he wasn't mistaken, had been for most of the match's duration too.
Countless voices continued to deafen the impressively large stadium, after all.
And as expected, Vale's nationalism was seriously not to be underestimated, not with how vigorously everyone was cheering for their beloved Huntsmen.
Why, Rio wasn't even sure the knights of his old world got such a good reception. Ah, but that might have been because of their dual identities as callous nobles.
"You think it's false humility, or is he actually that dense?" Teale murmured.
"Dunno. ...Though," Grey snorted. "I know what Rouge's answer would be."
"Hey, don't be rude you two," Aqua chastised, and in a tone very reminiscent to a mother's. "I, actually, appreciate it. There are too many fledgling huntsmen who think the world revolves around them."
"Pfft. Yeah, we know YOU appreciate it."
"W-... What is that supposed to mean, Teale?"
"Hm? Oh, nothing at all. Yep, nothing at all."
"Y-Your words are obviously laced with sarcasm! A-And that's not the face of someone not implying something!!!"
"Haaah. ...Teale, stop teasing Aqua, will you? And Aqua... stop allowing yourself to get teased by Teale?"
"Heh."
"W-Why does my scolding clearly sound more pitiful, Grey?! And Teale, stop smirking, dammit!"
With that impassioned cry from Aqua, the cause being an amused Teale, and with Grey only continuing to shake his head in the background, it was only natural that they were too distracted to take in their surroundings.
But.
Because they were adults at the end of the day, and because they weren't nearly so childish as to completely forget where they were, it was only a matter of course that all three of them paused when they heard the sound of someone laughing.
Especially when it was a voice that did not belong to any of them.
Actually, the white haired boy was technically only chuckling, but with how he was angling his body away slightly, the way he was slightly trembling in place, too, chuckling was just too mild a word, after all.
Not with how wide Rio was smiling to go along with it.
However, it was not like his usual polite, cursory, or even begrudging ones.
No, it was... boyish.
It was the amused, boyish grin you could technically find anywhere, just not usually on the kind of sixteen year-old who had died and reincarnated, only to experience hell upon hell in a world where his family had been killed right in front of him.
Not that those adults knew any of that.
But even so.
That almost frighteningly mature boy...
Such a person was laughing.
At them.
So, Grey let out a snort of his own.
Teale suddenly scratched the back of his neck.
A mortified Aqua on the other hand, went stiff, looking away in embarrassment, her neck, cheeks and even the tips of her ears becoming tinged with red.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Rio suddenly apologized, hands up, yet with a smile that was still twitching. "I didn't mean to start laughing. It's just, as I thought... you three are all good friends. It was, well, it was nice to see, is all."
"...There you go again, acting like you're older," Aqua murmured in vague irritation, cheeks puffed out. Of course, that was only until the woman blinked, the expression wiped clean from her face.
It was replaced by something even more fiery.
"T-That's right!"
Aqua suddenly thrust a finger towards Rio.
"D-Don't think I've forgotten what you did earlier, Mister! Humiliating me in front of all these people—my parents were watching! I know they were!"
A startled Rio took a step back. No, he was all but forced to when the blue haired woman in front of him took a sharp step forward.
"I've been single my whole life! You know how this is going to look...?! Mom is going to be hounding me with questions out of some misplaced sense of hope, and dad—he's going to be even worse! Do you have any idea what kind of position you've put me in? Do you...!?"
Nigh hysterical, Aqua was now in the boy's face, stabbing her finger numerous times into his chest.
And naturally...
...Um, what is happening? Rio promptly asked, smile strained, and with nervous sweat rolling down his face.
Thankfully, this was around the time Grey, with a sigh, grabbed Aqua's arm and began to pull her.
"Okay, that's enough."
"W-Wha? L-Let me go! I'm an adult! You're causing a scene!"
"That's my line," Grey grumbled. "Now let's go. Your future self will thank me."
Dragging the older woman away, and towards their respective entry way, it seemed the time to depart had come. That said, Grey was about to exchange a quick farewell with Rio, promising to see him later, with even Teale about ready to do the same...
But.
"Well, I'm... not sure I understand correctly, but my actions earlier caused some kind of misunderstanding, right? If all you want is my help denying them, I don't mind assisting."
Or so Rio stated, slightly frowning.
Of course, this was because even he was feeling a little guilty over Aqua's role in his attempt to run out the clock.
That said, Grey and Teale both froze, abruptly choking on air; one in the midst of carting a struggling female out of the arena, and the other having just braced the ground with one knee, ready to get up themselves.
But then a beat passed and Grey's words came out in a hurried fluster.
"T-Teale, get your ass up! Help me restrain her before she—wha...?!"
With what could only be likened to hysterical strength, Aqua instantly overpowered the rock of a man, and showed up right in front of the white haired teen in less than half a second. Startled, Rio even belatedly thought that she was somehow faster than Ruby.
"Y-You would talk to my parents and explain the situation? Really?" And with the kind of relief that seemed to make her blue eyes glitter, the current Aqua really was reminiscent of the boisterous rose-themed girl.
In other words, it was quite the sight to see in someone who he was sure was older than him by several years.
Wait.
Eh? Parents?
Suddenly feeling like he just signed off on something he didn't quite end up reading in its entirety, Rio's thoughts understandably came to a screeching halt.
Now, coincidentally, this had him glancing behind the woman for a spell.
At both Grey and Teale.
The spear user was making rapid cutting motions at his neck, while the larger man was just very seriously shaking his head, and with the kind of stone cold face that didn't seem to fit the situation in the slightest.
Regardless, Rio could only continue to look between the two, and then at Aqua, very much at a loss.
Still.
Rio eventually nodded, half-smiling. "Well, sure, I don't see why not—uhh?!"
Either because he truly wasn't expecting it, or his body actually was sluggish from the fight, Rio could do nothing but cry out slightly and fall backwards as Aqua suddenly and without warning leapt and securing her arms around him, sending the both of them crashing to the ground.
"Haha! You're the best!"
"E-Eh? Ah, p-please wait a moment Miss Aqua, d-don't you think this is a little—! Ah, um, wait, p-please don't shift around like that...!"
"Heehee!"
Aqua wasn't listening.
Of course, in that moment, the woman failed to realize that she was currently adding on to the misunderstanding she herself wanted to stamp out, and taking it to a point of no return even.
But again, Aqua was too pleased and happy to care about any of that, or even recognize it in the first place, her laughter continuing to echo even amidst the deafening laughing and cheering coming from the stands.
Once the delirious excitement of the battle finally wore off, however, Aqua would not be able to look Rio in the eye.
But right now?
That blue haired adult couldn't deny the fun she was having.