๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชI was training with Dale one morning, and he said to me, โTo throw a strong, effective punch, you need to understand that power doesnโt actually come from your arms. It starts at your feet and moves through your entire body.โThe Reaper is rooted to a spot, although itโs very strange for a fighter to stand like a statue and eat everything their opponent dishes, Iโll take it as luck being on my side.I inhale sharply as Daleโs training echoes in my head, โYour feet are the engine of the punch. Without a solid base, your punch will lack force.โI stand with my feet shoulder-width apart. Since Iโm right-handed, I step my right foot back, keep my knees slightly bent for balance, staying on the ball of my foot so I can rotate quickly, and swing a punch at him, feeling gravity supporting my every movement.The Reaper's jaw shifts, and he stumbles backwards, but he doesnโt fall.Itโs like Dale is right here with me in the ring as I replay everything he taught me. โA strong punch i
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชThe first thing I do when I reach the ring is look around. The reaper isnโt in the ring now, so I take my time to observe my surroundings.The fight with the Top 1 seems to be different, seeing how even the surrounding is different. Itโs not the same as my other fights. We are surrounded by water, a water that would be at least 12ft deep. I had used a bridge to reach the ring; itโs as if the water is telling me, โYou try to leave this ringโฆ You drown.โI sigh, shaking my head and in the process shaking other unimportant thoughts.โWhen you get into the ring with the reaper, one of you actually has to die. No matter what happens, that shouldnโt be you! Never be the one who wouldnโt walk out of the ring, Dora. Kill the bastard who killed your father,โ Daleโs words resonate in my head.As the door slides open, I see a shadow of a man; heโs tall and well-built, quite similar to the one of someone I know. I donโt focus on his physique. I feel my blood boil as he walks towards t
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชI couldnโt sleep all night, tossing around, anxious about the fight. Itโs supposed to be the last; if Iโm the one to walk out, that marks the beginning of a new life. Iโm sure the reaper would fight his best to survive, and I have to do my best too.โThe last fight,โ I whisper to myself.I quickly take a shower, then put on something tight yet suitable for fighting.I walk out of my room to find Dale waiting, and my lips curl into a smile, โHi Dale, I didnโt expect you to be awake. I thought Iโd need to leave you letters.โHe stays silent, so I continue talking, โI was so obsessed and occupied with getting the red card, Iโm just realizing you didnโt even train me for this fight.โโUmm,โ I mutter in an attempt to fight the awkwardness between us. Dale remains silent, so I simply turn to leave.โPunch him in the head,โ Dale blurts out, and I pause, turning around to look at him.โSorry?โโFor you to win, you have to punch the reaper in the head,โ he repeats. โTarget his head
๐ฆช DALE LAZARUS ๐ฆชโYou killed him! Donโt stand here acting like the victim, you miserable bastard! Do you feel great about having deceived me? I didnโt even think you could ever be the bastard I want dead. Iโm the fool for trusting you blindly, and Iโm going to kill you, Reaper. I. Will. Kill. You. I donโt give a shit if youโre Dale or not, you owe me a debt, itโs time to pay up, you bastard!โI wake up gasping, my hand flying to my throat to check if it hasnโt been slit. That was Doraโs voice. I was trying so hard not to sleep so I wouldnโt have that dream, but I couldnโt stop it in the end.The cold breeze slaps my skin. I look around me, and I have fallen asleep on the bench in the backyard. Instead of going in, I drag out my phone from my back pocket and dial Samuelโs number.It is 2 am, and I call Samuel until 2:30 am when he finally picks up, yawning loudly and tiredly, โThis could have waited until morning, Lazarus. Iโm a doctor, I need to sleep well to understand my patients.
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชI sleep for the whole hours until the clock strikes midnight, I stand up, releasing a wide, loud yawn as I twist my neck to ease the tension I put on it while sleeping.I get down from my bed; thereโs probably no more sleeping for me since I just pulled up a sleeping marathon.I walk out of my room towards the verandah, the bright, full moon brightening up my mood. I look up to the sky, my lips pouring open in awe. The beauty of creation is amazing.It is then that something red flashing into my eyes from a distance catches my attention. I try to zoom in with my eyes to know what it is, and it is just what my instinct told me it is.The Red Card.My heart stops. I draw in a long, deep breath and release, rubbing my palms together. Slowly, I walk towards it with shaky feet. It is placed on a stone with a dagger beside it. I pick it up, and on it is the time of the fight; itโs a morning fight.Just as I lift it from the stone, a letter falls to the ground. I immediately pick
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆช โIโm none,โ Dale says dryly. Of course. Now, let's move on to the next question. โSo then you work with Umbra?โ The man retorts. My gaze travels back and forth from Dale to the strange man. He was desperate and determined to find an answer, and I am equally curious. Men surround us in half a second, men dressed in full red uniform and masks that cover their entire face. They are well-trained, and the way they arrange themselves while moving is like a practiced choreography. The tip of their guns points straight at us. I feel my spirit jump out of my body as two men hold the man down. โYouโve broken the law,โ the uniform man in front says coldly. His voice is thick and creepy. โYou tried to quit by fleeing the country. Now you have to die. You and your entire family.โ Now, Iโm more convinced that joining a secret organization like Umbra is the worst horror anyone can be trapped in. The man shakes his head, pulling the men holding him down forward as he trie
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชIโve never been more anxious about anything in my life.โSheโs here to kill you.โThinking of those words became a part of my daily routine ever since I heard them. For the past few days, everything has been suspiciously calm. Well, aside from Dale drowning me.Yesterday was the toughest
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชMr. Bald man lay dead on the ground, and my neck immediately flew to the ranking board. โThis fight better rank me straight to the top 2 or elseโฆโ My sentence is cut short as I stare at my position on the ranking board, my body shaking vigorously.โTop 15?โ I ask rhetorically. โHowโs tha
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชLike I said, โaccepting fate and getting used to my situation.โ Because what else can I do aside from accepting a doom I signed sober? Itโs my third black card already. Which means the third time Iโm going to survive a fight, my third kill, and another black card, bringing me closer to g
๐ฆช DORA ๐ฆชThe basement is dimly lit, smelling of cedar and the faint, cold scent of Daleโs terrible mood. Dale isn't speaking much; he never does when his mind is churning. His mood is currently a physical weight in the room, dark and jagged, yet he handles me as if I am made of glass; he is terri







