Next up is Sugino and Roxin.
I switch over from Sugino's back to Isogai's. As the two contestants enter the ring, I whisper into Isogai's ear.
"You okay?"
He sighs. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He attempts to look back at me. "I don't know how you just do it."
"I don't think I'd have been able to." Kayano mutters. "I'm kind of glad he was able to do it himself."
"Just so you know, I'm not going to be handing anyone mine." Stag declares. "You neither, 17."
"Are you going to go back to being an asshole because of Deshi?" Rom spits out.
"Fight!" Ren shouts, glancing between Sugino and Roxin hopefully.
"So... I don't want to just hand mine over." Roxin says.
"Me neither." Sugino shrugs. "I don't really want to fight you though."
"Me neither. So, rock, paper, scissors?" Roxin offers.
"Seriously?" Zerren shouts out from the side, shaking his head.
"Well, it's not like they're our enemy!" Roxin yells back to his friend.
"Is anyone going to fight?" Ren exasperates.
"Depends who we're up against." Nakamura says under her breath, glancing over at Gerit with his thoughtful and hard-to-read gaze.
The guys in the ring raise a fist each. "Three out of five?" Roxins asks, Sugino agreeing as they do their first round. It's a tie. They do it again and Sugino wins, making Roxin sweat a little. Roxin wins the next one though and they try again, Sugino gaining his second win. They do the motion once more and get their second draw.
"I'm getting nervous..." Roxin admits.
"Whatever happens, happens. Either way, we'll see if we can't save the people from the dark sea, right?" Sugino reassures uncertainly.
"Right." Roxin nods, and they go again.
Sugino wins.
"Aw, man." Roxin chuckles nervously. "I wanted it to be fair, but I really didn't want to lose."
Sugino hesitates, holding out his hand for the gem.
"You'll give these to Zerren, right?" Roxin unclips the pouch and hands it to Sugino.
"Sure, man. Whatever you want." Sugino says weakly.
"Alright." Roxin looks down at the gem in his hand for a long moment, closing his eyes and shoving it into Sugino's. "Just make it quick."
Sugino sighs, glancing over at me. I nod, knowing it can't be easy for him to do.
"You know, it's funny. I'd been training to kill my teacher all year, but what a difference it makes between a person that can and can't do that final blow when it counts." Sugino clutches the gem tightly, raising it above his head. "I sure hope we can save you, Roxin."
"Me too." his voice shudders, his eyes still tightly closed.
Sugino smashes the gem on the ground, the tracker released from it racing for Roxin. Sugino makes his way back, Ren rolling his eyes as he leaves the arena himself. The black ooze takes over Roxin, a scream emanating from the blob of darkness before the floor opens up and engulfs him. Sugino hands Roxin's pouch to Zerren.
"Even if it is one of you, I am not doing rock, paper, scissors." he states.
"Fair enough." Sugino shuffles over. "I hate this contest."
YOU ARE READING
Assassin Skills Required - Round One
Fanfiction**Complete** Class 3-E is enlisted in a brand new contest that no one knows anything about, except that it has a large cash prize. Since Principle Asano signed off on it, they can't say no. It's an exciting reprieve from Kunugigaoka's usual discrimi...
