The Aftermath of Collapse
The Jade Platform—once a gleaming symbol of strength and unity—now trembled beneath Li Wei's feet. Jagged cracks spiderwebbed across its obsidian surface, glowing faintly with blue energy that flickered like a fading heartbeat. The glowing runes etched into the floor winked out one by one, leaving the arena shrouded in uneven twilight.
The crowd's excited roar had dissolved into an uneasy murmur, which quickly escalated into chaotic shouts as panic set in. The spectacle they had come to witness was slipping into disorder.
Li Wei knelt, his breath shallow and rapid. His palms pressed against the cold stone, but it felt like the entire platform might collapse into the abyss below at any moment. The system's alarms screamed inside his head, relentless and merciless:
WARNING: Reality Thread SeveredCRITICAL: Memory Reset ImminentEMERGENCY: Bond Network Destabilized
His body trembled as the invisible pressure of the bonds he shared with the six girls pressed down on his mind. Each bond pulsed, threads of emotional energy tugging fiercely at his very soul. The limits he never thought possible were being tested.
Li Wei's vision blurred, but his determination only sharpened. He would not allow everything to fall apart—not yet.
Scarlet's Enemy Emerges
The arena lights flickered violently, plunging the platform into darkness before weak, intermittent glimmers cast ghostly shadows across the crowd and fighters.
From the edge of the platform, where the shadows clung like living things, a figure emerged. Tall and imposing, cloaked in a black robe that shimmered with an unnatural luster, like a void woven from the night sky itself. Chains of broken glass and silver dangled from her wrists, each fragment reflecting shards of fractured light.
A hush fell.
The announcer's voice was strained, barely audible:"Unregistered competitor… entering the arena…"
The figure lifted her hood with deliberate slowness. Her hair was icy blue, cascading over her shoulders like frozen waterfalls. Her eyes were piercing emerald flames, burning with a cold, unyielding hatred.
The crowd gasped.
"Nerissa Fang, sister of Scarlet. Returned from the shadows to claim her right."
A Family Torn Apart
Scarlet's pale face drained of color as the memories surged up like a tidal wave. Her coffin pulsed with red light beside her, bones clicking softly.
"Nerissa," she breathed, voice barely a whisper thick with disbelief and years of buried pain. "Why have you come?"
"To restore our family's honor," Nerissa said coldly, voice laced with venom. "You betrayed everything we stood for, and I am here to cleanse the Fang bloodline."
Scarlet's eyes burned bright with defiance. "You'll find I'm not the weak girl you left behind."
The sisters circled, eyes locked. The arena's broken surface quivered beneath their feet, charged with the raw tension of a reckoning long overdue.
Li Wei's Resolve
Li Wei's knees scraped against the floor as he struggled to steady himself. The system's warnings were no longer subtle—they screamed like an alarm in his mind, threatening to consume him whole.
He looked around. The six girls, weary but unbroken, stood beside him.
Lotus caught his gaze and stepped forward, her hand warm and steady as she took his.
"We're with you," she whispered. "Hold onto us."
Li Wei's grip tightened, drawing strength from the bonds that strained but would not break.
"Together," he said, voice firm despite the chaos.
They nodded in unison, forming an unbreakable circle of support.
The System's Final Warnings
The alerts pulsed with increasing urgency:
WARNING: Host Stability CriticalFINAL WARNING: Bond Network at 100% CapacityEMERGENCY: Last chance to stabilize or system collapse
Li Wei closed his eyes, summoning all his willpower to push back the encroaching darkness threatening to erase his existence.
Lotus's Anchor
Lotus's voice was a lifeline.
"Focus on us, on the bonds. We are your anchor."
He opened his eyes, the chaotic energy surrounding him settling slightly.
Together, they could fight the collapse.
The Battle Resumes
Scarlet and Nerissa launched into combat, a whirlwind of bone shards and shadow blades. Scarlet's coffin spun around her like a guardian, sending razor-sharp fragments slicing through the air. Nerissa's shadow blades moved like liquid smoke, cutting through bone and air alike.
Their clash was fierce and personal—each strike echoed years of pain, rivalry, and unspoken love twisted by betrayal.
The crowd watched, breathless, as the two sisters danced on the edge of oblivion.
Flashback: The Fang Sisters' Past
Years before the tournament, the Fang sisters were inseparable—until a tragedy shattered their bond.
Nerissa, jealous of Scarlet's potential, struck a fatal blow in a dark ritual. Scarlet was declared dead, her soul sealed away in the coffin she now carried.
But Scarlet's spirit endured, transforming her into the bone reaper feared and revered.
Nerissa disappeared into the shadows, her heart hardened into ice.
Li Wei's Inner Battle
The system's countdown began—a cold mechanical voice echoing in his mind:
3... 2... 1... Memory Reset Sequence Initiated
His pulse raced.
"No," he whispered fiercely.
He raised his fists, flames licking around his knuckles.
"I will not let this end here."
The Bonds Hold Strong
The six girls closed ranks around him.
Yue's crimson eyes glowed with determination.
Meiyu's soft smile was unwavering.
Lana's fire burned brighter than ever.
Shen Ruo's calm presence steadied the chaos.
Lotus's warmth anchored his soul.
Together, they formed a shield against oblivion.
The Cliffhanger
The arena trembled violently.
Cracks spread wider.
Energy surged.
Li Wei clenched his fists, ready to fight not just for the tournament, but for the very reality tethering him to this world.