Chapter 177: Vindication


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    Around the circle where the duels were taking ce, there was arge crowd watching two people fight intensely. It was a siren versus a werewolf.


    The fighting tournament had already begun. The format was simple: one versus one, elimination direct. Three rounds, eachsting three minutes. If neither fighter was knocked out by the end of the three rounds, the judges (Luke and Wednesday) would choose the winner.


    At 2:10 of the second round, the siren used her song. Magenta-colored sound waves shot out and hit the werewolf, who this time couldn''t resist the siren''s song.


    His mind was manipted, giving the siren the perfect opportunity tond a punch to the werewolf''s face.


    PUM!


    The punch sank into the werewolf''s face, breaking his nose and knocking out a few teeth, before sending him flying backward toward the judges'' table.


    The judges were the only ones with a table and seats. With a simple nce, Luke stopped the werewolf from crashing into the table.


    However, he continued to move him, gentlyying him on the table to avoid breaking it. He knew Wednesday would like to see the werewolf''s bloodied and injured face up close.


    "Three teeth lost, broken nose, and dislocated jaw. Nice," murmured Wednesday, observing the werewolf''s face.


    Luke examined the werewolf just inches away from him and gave a slight nod to Ajax, who was both the referee and the announcer.


    "Rick is knocked out! Lucy advances to the semifinals with another incredible knockout! All her fights ended in knockouts!" Ajax eximed enthusiastically, standing in the center of the arena with a microphone in hand.


    The crowd roared with cheers and apuse.


    Lucy, the siren, looked at the crowd with a wide smile and bowed, giving an elegant curtsey. The apuse and cheers grew louder. She was very popr.


    "Tsch, I don''t know what they see in her," Biancamented with her arms crossed and a slight frown.


    "I''m sure you''d beat her," Xavier said, trying to calm his girlfriend''s bad mood.


    Bianca didn''t sign up for the tournament because she didn''t want to be judged by Wednesday. If she entered the tournament, it would be like admitting that her position was inferior to Wednesday''s, and she wouldn''t allow that.


    "It''s obvious I''d beat her," Bianca said, in a bad mood, and Xavier sighed.


    Wednesday gave the unconscious werewolf''s shoulder a slight push, and his body dropped stiffly to the ground. She had seen enough; she didn''t want that ugly face anywhere near her. "Are you enjoying the birthday?" Luke asked with a slight smile, looking at Wednesday. "Yes, it''s not bad," Wednesday replied honestly.


    Thanks to the tournament and the game of truth or dare, the birthday was turning out to be much more entertaining than she initially thought.


    After answering, Wednesday moved her pale hand and intertwined it with Luke''s, which was resting on the table.


    Luke was slightly surprised but epted the gesture with a small smile. It wasn''t the first time that night that Wednesday showed affection. It was rare, but for Luke, it was a good sign. It meant she was in a good mood. Who knows, maybe after living together in the Addams mansion, she no longer cared about showing small signs of affection in public.


    However, what Luke didn''t understand, and what Wednesday had no intention of exining, was that her gestures were to mark territory. A way of silently saying, "he''s mine." She had already seen several girls eyeing Luke, so she had to resort to this tactic. It seems that the kiss at the Rave''N wasn''t enough.


    "Now, thest match of the quarterfinals!" Ajax eximed, and the cheering died down as everyone watched in anticipation, waiting for the next battle.


    "On one side, we have the giant over two meters tall, Skull!" Ajax announced, pointing to one side where a very tall boy walked out, towering over two meters in height, broad-shouldered, and bald.


    Skull walked confidently, raising his arms with a serious and arrogant expression. Arge part of the crowd cheered his name.


    "Do they really have our age? He must be on steroids or something. How does he go bald at 16?" Lukemented.


    "I guess he shaves himself, or his hair gics suck," Wednesday remarked.


    "He reminds me of As, and a bit of your Uncle Fester. Are all bald guys tall, pale, and have slightly manic expressions?" Luke said.


    "My Uncle Fester has a smaller face and big dark circles under his eyes. Also, his build isn''t as massive as those two freaks," Wednesday said with a grimace of disgust, referring to Skull and As.


    She didn''t like the idea of someone so tall and with such a robust build that they looked like a giant.


    When the apuse for Skull subsided, Ajax spoke again, "On the other side, we have the dark horse! No one believed he would make it this far! Let''s give a big round of apuse for the psychic, Eugene Ottinger!"


    Enid watched from the crowd, not participating in the tournament. She didn''t want to join if Wednesday and Luke weren''t participating.


    She looked at Eugene with a slight frown, then her gaze shifted to Luke, and her frown deepened when she saw Wednesday holding his hand.


    Enid had been watching Luke covertly all night. She realized three things.


    First, that the only one who noticed her staring at Luke was Wednesday; she had to look away several times and act like she wasn''t paying attention.


    Second, Wednesday was showing signs of affection that she had never shown before. Enid knew that Wednesday wasn''t someone who disyed affection.


    Third, Eugene making it to this stage of the tournament had something to do with Luke. She was almost sure of it. She had seen Luke talking to Eugene in secret, as if they were nning something before the tournament began.


    The crowd pped and cleared the way for Eugene, who walked to the dueling area, slightly hunched over, looking at the ground.


    [Look up and stand straight] Luke told Eugene through a telepathic link he had established before the tournament began.


    Eugene made it to this stage because Luke had been sending himmands to dodge enemy attacks and where to strike.


    With his irvoyance, Luke could predict the enemy''s moves and quickly sent Eugene a telepathic message to dodge as soon as possible.


    The malicious intent behind the attacks wasn''t directed at Luke, but he was still able to predict the strikes, as his telepathic link had gained a new ability. By having a telepathic connection with someone, if anyone had malicious intent toward that person, his observation haki also activated.


    That wasn''t all Luke had nned to ensure Eugene''s victory in his battles. If things got tough, he would send a mental order. Eugene wouldn''t resist, and that way, his reaction would be quicker to dodge or strike.


    In a very difficult fight, Luke could use his precognition to see a few seconds into the future and know exactly what move Eugene should make. Although, that would be a bit too tryhard.


    Eugene followed Luke''smand, looked ahead, and straightened up. He had never been cheered by anyone before; it was a new feeling. He felt very nervous, and his heart was racing. As he reached the circle, he looked at the giant, Skull. He swallowed hard when he saw the yellowed teeth and the fierce expression.


    "Let the fight begin!" Ajax shouted, and a bell rang.


    As the bell rang, Skull charged without hesitation toward Eugene, who took a step back, intimidated by the ferocity of his opponent. Fortunately, at that moment, he received a message from Luke telling him where to move.


    The seconds of the first round passed, with Eugene mostly dodging at thest moment and barely escaping. Luke felt like he was controlling a character from some video game. It was so


    much fun.


    [A corrupt judge, what would your friend think if they found out?] Wednesday asked, ncing


    at Luke.


    [Thanks to having a dark horse, his tournament became even more epic. He''d thank me for it] Luke replied with a small smile, while sending another telepathic message to Eugene. [Also, this wouldn''t be possible if he hadn''t improved his training. Your method is good. Eugene wasted no time during his vacation] Lukeplimented.


    Eugene was much thinnerpared to the first time Luke saw him, and his movements were


    smoother and followed a system. This had to be thanks to Wednesday, who always urged him to train and stop being pathetic.


    [Of course. I don''t just insult and step on him. My methods are effective] Wednesday said


    casually.


    [Did you just admit that you insult and step on him?] Luke asked, ncing at her for a brief


    moment.


    [Your method is good too. He''s gaining confidence in himself thanks to stepping out of hisfort zone and taking hits. It''s good to have fights that are a little more realistic and not just training] Wednesdayplimented, ignoring the previous question. Although Eugene was being helped by Luke, who was telling him how to move, it didn''t take away from the fact that he had to move himself, face intimidating opponents like Skull, and put into practice what he had learned in training.


    The first and second rounds ended. Luke and Wednesday, as judges, paid close attention to the


    fight. At this point, Skull had a slight advantage, as hended more impactful hits, but Eugene wasn''t backing down.


    To the surprise of many, the 1.60-meter-tall boy was still standing and had managed tond several hits on Skull.


    At the start of the third round, Skull stopped holding back. His body partially transformed into that of a wolf. At first, he didn''t want to use this, thinking it would be pathetic to use it against someone like Eugene, who hadn''t even used his blue aura until now.


    The spectators had only seen Eugene use his blue aura once, in his round of 16 fight, where he used a version of pain induction. That is, mental pain, though much weakerpared to Luke, who can knock someone unconscious just with that ability.


    Although many thought Eugene was reading his opponents'' thoughts to dodge their attacks, otherwise, they would think something was wrong.


    Skull''s speed increased, and now his ws were much sharper and longer. Luke had to change


    his focus quickly, this was a dangerous situation.


    [Move to the left, now] Luke ordered Eugene, who didn''t resist the mentalmand. It wouldn''t work to give him amand and have Eugene execute it on his own; he wouldn''t make it in time.


    Even with the mentalmand, Skull''s ws tore into Eugene''s shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain. His clothes ripped, and his shoulder began to bleed.


    [Listen, when I tell you, send a mentalmand to Skull telling him to kneel] Luke said,


    making a quick decision.


    Eugene didn''t understand Luke''s request. His mentalmands were very weak and


    wouldn''t be effective on a werewolf with greater strength than his, but he would obey. It was


    either that or lose painfully.


    He would surrender if possible, but that wasn''t allowed in the tournament. You had to finish


    all three rounds, either knock out your opponent or be knocked out.


    [Now!] Luke said as he saw Skull returning to attack.


    Eugene sent the kneelmand to Skull. However, two mentalmands reached the bald


    teenager''s mind. Both sounded almost identical, Eugene''s voice, or at least, that''s what Skull


    thought. Skull''s knees buckled and he knelt. What he didn''t know was that one of the voices was Luke''s. With his mental abilities, Luke manipted Skull''s senses so that he heard Eugene''s voice, even though the strange part was that he heard two ovepping mentalmands. [Attack his brain with your mental powers!] Luke ordered as Skull fell to his knees.


    Eugene raised his uninjured arm and touched Skull''s bald head with his hand. Instantly, he released all his mental power to induce pain in the bald man''s brain.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Skull felt a shock, his whole body trembled, and foam began to pour from his mouth.


    However, he still didn''t copsepletely.


    [What are you waiting for? Smash his face] Wednesday said impatiently to Eugene through


    the telepathic link.


    Eugene was surprised by Wednesday''s sudden message, quickly obeying and beginning to knee Skull in the face, which was fortunately within his reach.


    He had to deliver more than four knee strikes before the giant fell to the ground, eyes white,


    foam at the mouth, and blood dripping from his nose.


    Eugene was breathing heavily, gasping for air while barely managing to stay on his feet. His right arm hung limp, he could no longer feel it.


    He had narrowly dodged and faced Skull for two intense rounds, during which his stamina was


    nearly depleted. If it hadn''t been for Luke''s warnings, he would have lost within the first few


    seconds. It would have been impossible for him to fight hand-to-hand against a werewolf of Skull''s size.


    Despite the pain and fatigue, Eugene wore a smile on his face as he saw the crowd cheering him on. For the first time, he didn''t feel small or insignificant. "Who would have thought! The giant was knocked down! Eugene is the winner and advances


    to the semifinals!" eximed Ajax, who, like everyone in the crowd, was surprised by this turn


    of events.


    ''He finally used his blue aura to give mentalmands... Or...'' thought Ajax, ncing at Luke,


    who returned his gaze with a slight smile.


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