Round 2: Heavy Pressure – The Gravity Chamber
After the humiliating defeat in the accuracy round, Team C was forced into a massive transparent dome. Inside, the laws of physics were completely manipulated. The task was simple: stay standing under gravity that increased every thirty seconds. The first team to collapse loses.
"Okay, listen," Gery whispered while doing extreme warm-up stretches. "No accuracy needed this time. You just need to stand. You can stand, can't you, Rio?!"
Rio didn't answer. He was too busy watching an ant crawl past his foot.
"Rio!" Gery barked.
"AYE! AYE, CAPTAIN! Understood! Yoshh!"
The Gravity Begins
BZZZT!
The floor of the dome glowed red. Gravity surged to 2x. Gery and Moon immediately felt the weight pressing down on their shoulders, but both of them remained steady. On the other side of the field, Ellen from Team A looked incredibly relaxed, even waving at his fans while doing one-legged squats. Insane.
3x… 4x…
Moon's breathing grew heavy. He used his ice magic to freeze his feet to the floor, anchoring himself to prevent his body from buckling. Gery fueled his spirit with a flame aura, reinforcing his muscles.
"I… won't… lose!" Gery hissed.
Then they looked at Rio.
Rio looked… strange. His body was trembling violently, his knees shaking like jelly.
"Aaaggghhh! Waaaa! Aaaa!" Rio screamed. "This floor is so slipperyyyy!"
CRASH!
As the second minute hit and the gravity jumped to 5x, Rio face-planted onto the floor in an awkward, resigned position. His face was pressed hard against the cold surface.
"Ugh… so… slippery…" Rio mumbled, eyes closed under the crushing pressure.
"RIO!!! GET THE HELL UP!" Gery screamed, the veins in his neck bulging.
Team C Remaining Lives: 4
The VVIP Balcony
Luna gasped, staring at her tablet in confusion."Princess… Subject Rio collapsed at the 120-second mark. But… look at his falling position."
Lylya looked down at the field."He fell in a perfect recovery posture to protect his internal organs from the sudden pressure. Is that instinct?"
Luna shook her head quickly."No, Princess. Based on the muscle readings… he's genuinely too lazy to support the weight. He chose to fall instead of spending energy standing. He's using the floor as a brace so his heart doesn't have to work as hard."
Lylya fell silent.
In her eyes, Rio was a master of laziness.To the world, Rio was just trash.
"He really is an expert at looking pathetic, isn't he?" Lylya murmured.
Back on the Field
When the gravity was switched off, Rio stood up, yawning as he dusted off his uniform.
"Man, that was so slippery! This floor is totally biased!" he shouted in mock outrage. "Watch your back, floor!"
Gery was beyond words. He simply covered his face, feeling a level of embarrassment that could cross national borders.
Moon only shook his head and handed Rio a water bottle.
"Here. Drink. Relax. It's just an exhibition," Moon said flatly.
"Thank youuu, Moon-san!" Rio replied with an innocent grin.
In the distance, Ellen walked past him. He stopped for a moment, slowly looking him up and down with an expression of clear disdain.
T/L: Feigned? Or genuine?
"Do you really want to get disqualified before I get the chance to crush you in the arena?" Ellen whispered.
Rio gulped down his water, then looked at him."Ellen, Ellen. You know… if I get disqualified, I get to go home early and sleep. That's a win-win for me, right?"
Ellen clenched her fist."Oh? You want your bed to be set on fire…?"
Rio choked. "Cough! Hack!" His eyes bulged."Whoa… that's the most terrifying threat I've ever heard."
Round 3: Spell Guessing & Rapid Reaction
Only four lives left.If he lost again, Gery might actually kill him before Ellen ever touched his bed.
Rio straightened up. His face looked just a tiny bit more serious.
"Alright… Round three. LET'S GOO!!! FOR HEAVEN'S SAKEEEE!!!"
T/L: 'Heaven's sake'? (He actually means his soft bed at home.)
[VOL.0 – CHAPTER 3: Continued]