/~Contrario~/
After Renn and I got back from the grove, we headed to the collection center to turn in our spoils for Starlos. And after that, I headed to Noix Forge to get some new items for Stray.
The forge buzzed with the hum of all kinds of machinery as usual, and the smell of heated metal filled the air like a comforting weight. As I got in, I turned in Stray at the front desk as I walked in through the other door to the upgrade terminal.
In the center of the upgrade terminal of Noix Forge, Stray's frame lay on the workbench, stripped of its old arm and ready for an upgrade. The room was dimly lit, except for the sharp glows of various tools scattered across the table. As I waited, my fingers tingled in anticipation. It's been a while since I did a physical upgrade for him, and the thrill of crafting an upgrade is always getting to me, no matter how many times I've done it.
I picked up a shard of rare blood-grove metal, the crimson colour catching the light just right. It had been one of the hardest materials to acquire, especially with those feral creatures that stalked those cursed woods but it was perfect for what I had in mind. The metal was sharper than any synthetic blade I'd seen, but it was also light and flexible enough to make Stray's new melee module something truly lethal.
"If it works..." I thought to myself. "If it holds up under fire....you should be different buddy"
The blade was going to be something more than just an upgrade. It was going to be the next step. If Stray could fight with speed and precision, like he was built for, it could help us survive the Shadow Tournament which was looking more inevitable by the second.
A sound at the door soon snapped me from my thoughts.
Renn strolled in, looking a little worse than worn after a day of hunting. His jacket was covered in dirt, and his boots had a streak of something sticky on them that looked like it had been scraped off the blood-grove trees.
"Whatcha working on now, tech boy?" he grinned, crossing the room with his usual nonchalance.
I didn't look up, my eyes focused on the tiny component I was fitting into Stray's chest panel. "Just adding a little something to Stray's arsenal. You know, for the tournament tomorrow, I can't bring him in looking like he was the last time."
His brows furrowed, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead, he slumped against the wall, arms crossed as he studied me. "I've been thinking about that. You sure we're ready for this? The last thing we need is some new freak in the ring who can break us apart in one hit."
"I'm not worried about that," I muttered, securing the blade into place with a precise twist of the screwdrivers. "Not with Stray upgraded. Plus you'll be by my side, won't you?" I glanced at him over my shoulder, offering him a half-smile.
Renn chuckled, but there was something in his eyes that looked like something between reluctance and resolve. "I'll be there. You know I've got your back." He pushed himself off the wall, walking up to the workbench and peering down at Stray's frame. "But I'll advice you not to get too cocky. The Shadow Tournament's different. We've seen how dangerous those things can get. And remember, you're not just fighting for yourself now. You've got the whole team depending on you."
I paused, turning to face him fully. There was something in his tone that made me stop, a certain depth I wasn't used to. Renn wasn't normally the type to get serious unless he felt like things were about to go sideways.
"You're right," I said slowly, giving Stray's leg one last check before stepping back. "I know the stakes. But we've faced worse, Renn. We've made it this far, and we've got a damn good team. We'll get through this, just like we always do."
Renn chuckled. "Yeah, you're the one who keeps dragging us through. It's kind of your thing now."
I shook my head, smirking. "You've got a real way with words, you know that?"
Renn grinned back, then he reached down to grab a rag from the table and wiped some of the grime off his hands. "Don't get me wrong, man. You've got skills. But tomorrow's not just about skills. It's about survival. And I'm counting on you to make sure we come out of that tournament alive."
My mind wandered back to the blade module, the shimmering metal now embedded in Stray's shoulder, its sleek edge pulsing with power. "I don't plan on letting anyone die in there, if that's what you're asking. But don't forget, we've got more than just the gear this time. It's our strategy, too. We're not going in blind. We've got a plan."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Plans can go sideways real quick. Especially in something like the Shadow Tournament."
I sighed, walking over to the workbench and turning off the forge, signaling that Stray was ready. "Plans work if you stick to them. And we've got something the others don't: each other."
Renn's expression softened for a moment, and he clapped me on the back with a surprisingly heavy hand. "You always know what to say."
"Yeah, well, someone has to," I said, straightening up and checking over Stray one more time. "I'm not just doing this for us, Renn. I'm doing this for everyone we've lost, too."
Renn was quiet for a second, his gaze moving between me and Stray. Then, he nodded. "Then let's make sure we don't lose anyone else, yeah?"
I smiled, but it was thin. "Yeah. Tomorrow, we fight."
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As we stood there, the distant buzz of the city seemed to fade away, leaving just the hum of the forge and the quiet tension in the room. Tomorrow was the Shadow Tournament. And with Stray's new blade, and a team that trusted each other more than ever, I was ready to show Nova City....no, I was ready to show this world what I was capable of.