Chapter 555 - Sister

“I'm here with my own body now,” Victoria answers my question after she lowers her defenses, and I teleport us to the living room of Oakheart Refuge.

There is no one else currently, leaving us a free place to talk.

“What is your skill?” I ask curiously.

“[Duplication], it allows me to create duplicates of my body, but the mind is shared. Since I met you, I canceled the ones I sent to the rest of the rounds so I can focus on you.”

“That’s a terrible mistake, Vic. You need to talk to these people and make alliances,” I joke.

Victoria turns to me and smiles before looking away and exploring the room curiously, “I don't care about these people at all. I have my nosy, curious brother to spend time with.”

She moves through the room and sits in the armchair opposite me, “You didn't seem as surprised as I was.”

“During the 1st tournament, we challenged the winners of the 1st to 4th rounds, and I saw your avatar there.”

Victoria tilts her head the way she does when she is amused, “You were always good at abusing the rules, Natty. What floor are you on?”

“7th. You?”

“8th, starting skills?”

“[Focus] and [Mana Manipulation].”

“[Duplication] and [Intent]. Natty, you seem different and… tense. Has something happened?”

I lean back in my armchair while Victoria waits patiently. She’s always been really good at reading me.

“What do you mean by ‘different’?” I ask first before answering the question myself, knowing she won't mind. She is used to it.

She pauses for a moment before saying, "You remind me of how you used to be when you were younger, just a little. Do you know what I mean?"

I nod, “A lot of things happened. You, on the other hand, don't seem to have changed much.”

“Didn't you use to say I'm perfect the way I am?” she notes while regaining that calm expression, “I will tell you as much as you want, don't worry.”

Even though she is not smiling, and anyone else watching her wouldn't notice, for me, it is as if she were smiling brightly.

“Damn, Vic. It's so nice to see you here. But before we start, do you remember Tess?”

“Young Tess Hansen, smart but cutely naive, pretty blonde? Of course, I do.”

“Well, she is in my group and stayed on the 7th floor. Apparently, there is a mimic inside her. There is someone who can save her, but that person gave me a condition: I need to win all the events of this tournament and…”

“I got it. Don't worry about it.”

“Thanks.” I feel a wave of relief wash over me.

I knew she would react this way. I was absolutely sure, as I know her as well as she knows me, but hearing her say it out loud... Victoria is someone I trust absolutely and love unconditionally. She was always my older sister who took care of me, so calm ever since she was young and taking on a lot of things instead of me.

There is a huge debt I owe her, but at the same time, the weaker part of me is glad I can rely on my older sister a bit, just a little bit. Even the thought of that helps.

Damn, maybe I shouldn't make so much fun of Sophie loving Izzy so much.

Victoria gets up from her armchair and nudges me aside just enough to squeeze into my seat, wrapping an arm around me before resting her head against mine.

For a while, we stay just like that.

"Who was that pretty petite black haired girl, and why did she seem scared of me for a moment?"

"That's Lily, our healer who sometimes doubles as a bulldozer. She fought your avatar in the first tournament, and you tore her apart. Literally, Vic."

"I see. The way she looks at you..."

"Yeah, I know. It's just a crush because I saved her back on the 1st floor. She’ll grow out of it."

"Natty, not to insult you, but you’re not exactly the most knowledgeable about these things. How long has this crush lasted already?"

"Huh, about a year and a half, probably?"

"You’re a disgrace to the family name, little brother."

"Vic, not to put myself down, I know I'm somewhat good-looking. I take after Mom and my beautiful older sister. But I’ve rejected her a few times, and it’s not like a crush can last that much longer."

"Did you ask her about that?"

"I... uhh."

She then proceeds to gently slap the back of my head.

***

Vic and I spend hours catching up. Some of the questions are silly, asked just so we can hear each other's voices. I even notice myself training less. For a short while, I allow myself to let go.

A few hours later, the living room fills with people. Naturally, the entire nosy Group 4 is here. Most of the time, everyone keeps stealing glances at Victoria, their eyes occasionally shifting between me and her.

Victoria listens to their questions politely and patiently. The smile she showed me before is gone, and she once again wears that controlled expression as she sits with her clothes fixed and her stance straightened up.

It feels surreal to see her there, sitting just as she did on Earth, so most of the time, I barely listen to the conversation. Instead, I focus on petting Noodle, whom I stole. I can feel his scales beneath my hand and the pulsating heat of the Fragment of Eternal Fire.

“So it will be just our rounds against the rest?” Sophie asks, surprised.

Victoria nods, “That's what we decided on. Me and Nathaniel will be enough.”

“I don't think that's a good idea. How can you be so sure?”

Waiting for Sophie to finish, Victoria then looks at our mindblender.

That moment stretches longer until I notice Sophie feeling uncomfortable, and after a bit longer, it’s Sophie who breaks eye contact and looks away.

“He is my brother,” Victoria says as if that explains everything. “My round will take care of one of the rounds. Your round will face the other two.”

“Well, fuck, I don't even have to ask who came up with that idea,” Maya lets out a groan and turns her eyes to me.

I shrug and feed Noodle another mana orb.

Maya groans even more, annoyed, “Are you sure?” she asks me.

“Yes,” I confirm.

“You know what is at stake here, right?”

“Trust me, Maya, I haven't forgotten, not even for a second.”

“Damn it. Fuck that silver haired bitch. Fuck this situation. If you ever get stronger than her and beat the shit out of her, take a video of it for me.”

"I'll try to, in 4K. How many times have you died so far, Maya?"

“Five or so? I'm doing that Mana Weaving you showed me and trying to channel and hold bigger amounts of mana. Do I want to know how many times you’ve died?”

“A few more. I stopped counting after 20.”

“Monster…”

Sophie interrupts the conversation, “Okay, so it will be the 5th round and the 4th round against the 1st, 8th, and 10th. Jean, CarrotCake is from the 1st round, right? Leticia and Luna are from the 8th?”

“Nope,” I shake my head, “Leticia and Luna are from the 7th; Derick and his primordial lightning wifey are from the 8th, but you haven't met them during our expedition.”

“Derick is the tournament winner?”

I nod, “Red hair, tall and slim, has some very good tattoos. It is either a trait, item, or passive; no idea, to be honest. He is very good at close-range combat and disruption. Noelle uses a bow and primordial lightning, but she isn't as dangerous as Tess. Jean has a physique that rejects mana, and it's really difficult to damage him with mana. Even if you do, that physique absorbs a chunk of that mana and increases his regeneration. Plus, he has a skill that allows him to pull people or himself, likely all in his Strength stat.”

“So we currently only don't know about the 10th round tournament winner.”

Min-Jae jumps in, "We could pretend we're trying to form an alliance with them, observe their people in the process, and learn what to expect."

“Look, we all know Tacita is likely already moving around the other rounds’ hills and stealing shit. Me and Aaron could do the same.” Dennis slaps his fist against his leg and smiles brightly.

Victoria looks at him in a mildly confused manner, “Nathaniel described some people for me. Isn't Tacita the girl up there?”

She points at the ceiling, and all eyes follow her, finally noticing the girl they had overlooked.

Tacita is perched on a timber beam, where she has remained hidden since the meeting began. Now that all eyes are on her, she wears a look that makes me half expect her to hiss. Her gaze darts around, searching for an escape route.

I hear a creak, and all eyes shift to Min-Jae as he slowly opens the door. He shrugs under our stares, but when we glance back up, Tacita is gone. Without a word, he closes the door again.

For a few seconds, no one says anything.

"O-okay, Aaron and I will try to sneak in. Nat, can you put Ley Lines on us? If anything happens, you can teleport us away and come save us," Dennis offers.

“Sure,” I confirm and make sure these Ley Lines are as undetectable and firm as possible before both of the twins leave outside. I notice they also have the box with Lily’s [Disintegration] orb with them.

They also cut off the connection to our web, as such telepathic communication links can be tracked more easily than my [Ley Line]. I'm sure they also recreate one just between them.

Then, the situation I was worried about happens. Myrra, who is also here, moves closer and sits on the armrest of the armchair Victoria occupies. The tall lynthari seems to enjoy that she is towering over her, even more so when she shows off her height in front of me.

Smiling brightly, Myrra pokes Victoria, “The look in your eyes pisses me off even more than the feral one’s.”

Myrra sniffs and shows her fangs, “Feral one hides a lot of emotion inside him and rarely shows it, and that makes it fun to try to get a reaction out of him. Meanwhile, you seem like you barely have any emotion.”

“Thank you for telling me. I would also like to ask you to please stop touching me and sit somewhere else,” Victoria answers calmly.

I lean back in my chair and observe what is about to happen. I know Myrra will be pushed by such an answer, and I already know how Victoria will react. I think it also might be the right time for them to get to know each other as well.

"And if I don't?" Myrra asks, as expected.

Victoria glances at me, and I just raise an eyebrow. After that, she looks back at Myrra, “I remember you from the 4th floor. Even then, you were behaving similarly, and I ended up killing you. I wouldn't like to do it again, as you belong to my brother's group. So even though I don't do that often, allow me to give you one more warning: Please, stop touching me. It's something I dislike deeply.”

“I don't want to~”

Myrra barely finishes her sentence before Victoria grabs her hand. Even though Myrra is expecting that, she is unable to resist, and Victoria overwhelms her, pulls her close to her, and smashes her own head against Myrra's.

The lynthari stumbles back, and Victoria stands up.

Blood flows from Myrra's nose, the wound already healing due to the current inability to die during the tournament, as Victoria pulls her in again and slams her head against hers once more, making the lynthari stumble backward again.

Myrra's torn-off arm stays in Victoria's hand, and she throws it on the floor.

“You will have to pay if you break something,” I interrupt as I notice Myrra raising her mana to answer with skills.

Myrra hisses at me, her fangs showing as her tail moves in an annoyed manner before she turns back to Victoria, who just moves and sits back in her armchair after fixing her clothes.

Intertwining the fingers of her hands, she places them on her crossed legs and looks at Myrra, “As far as I know, I have shown you no ill will. I even look at all of you favorably because of my brother. As his sister, I love seeing him with people he likes to keep around.”

As she continues to talk, it becomes clear that her words are not meant only for Myrra but for every other member of group 4.

"I assume we will be spending time around each other due to our shared connection with my brother. That is not an issue for me. Unlike my brother, I also do not mind speaking with people, so if the situation allows it and you would like to talk, I will listen. I do not find it bothersome. Whether we speak frequently or barely acknowledge each other, the outcome is the same for me. I leave it to you to decide how much interaction you prefer. Either way, I will adjust accordingly."

“Vic,” I call to her.

“Yes?”

“There is no need to be so formal.”

"Nathaniel, some things are better when people understand them properly, so I try to choose my words carefully."

"It makes you sound incredibly punchable, Vic. I know because people say the same to me all the time."

“In that case, I would defend myself, Nathaniel. I try not to go out of my way to provoke or attack people. I always try to treat them with reason and without prejudice. It's not too much for me to expect the same.”

“I'm not saying Myrra isn't super punchable or didn't deserve it.”

“I understand, can I continue?”

“Please,” I answer.

Poor group 4 just sits there, confused, and Myrra, with dried-up blood on her face, still stands.

Victoria addresses them again, “This reminds me of something I read once.”

She adjusts her posture slightly before continuing, “A study on repeated conflict. It suggested that people who engage in small, frequent disputes often build stronger long-term relationships than those who avoid conflict entirely. That tension, when controlled, forces a level of understanding that politeness alone does not achieve.”

She exhales lightly. “It is why people who push against each other often end up working together more effectively than those who avoid confrontation.”

Maya raises an eyebrow. “Are you saying you and Myrra will become best friends if you tear her arm off often enough?”

My precious Victoria takes it seriously, unaware it is a joke, while Maya looks too afraid to explain.

Victoria nods. “If repeated conflict strengthens relationships, then yes, it could apply here. Provided the outcome remains controlled. Though I assume tearing off limbs would create a more lasting impression than most disagreements.”

Watching that, I stay quiet and feed Noodle another mana orb.

Myrra sneaks closer and sits on the armrest of my chair. Leaning in, she whispers, "Feral one, your sister might be even crazier than you. I need to see her meet Lady Lissandra."

I feed Noodle another mana orb, pretending not to hear her.

Somehow, I get the feeling Myrra enjoys the chaos a little too much.

***

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