Parallel Memory

“Additionally, Zero Elea is also disqualified for breaking the rules.”

Referee continued.

“HUUUUHHH?”

This announcement has truly stunned everyone. Zero elimination? For breaking rules?

‘Which rules?’

The referee looked like a stupid person in everyone’s eyes. He was making one terrible decision after another. Letting the person who broke the rules off and then having an innocent person punished.

“Are you stupid? Which rule are you talking about?”

“You let the one who broke the rule off and punished another student. Do you think you can do anything you want?”

The spectator was dissatisfied with his decision and yelled at the referee.

The referee ignored all those people and continued.

“Zero harmed the students who were already down. He has intentionally caused harm to other students. For this reason, he has been deemed to break the rules of the tournament.”

The referee finished saying.

“Bullsh*t!”

“Who let him be a referee?”

“He is obviously on the Arcane Academy side.”

“I will file a complaint against you.”

The audience was obviously angered by such a ridiculous reason.

‘Intentionally harm?’

If that is the reason, other participants from other schools should be disqualified. They had beaten Zero even when he was no longer resisting. That was what is meant by attacking a participant that is already down.

Moreover, most of them had turned into fans of Zero after witnessing the performance of Zero. The referee gave such a ridiculous reason to disqualify Zero, so how can they remain silent?

-BOOHOO!

The most dissatisfied people were from Ace Academy. It was their student who had to suffer as a result of all of this. The appearance of Ruelle was mostly disadvantageous to Ace Academy and the decision made by the referee was also against them.

They realized that the referee was intentionally targeting them. Letting go of their opponent while attempting to eliminate their strongest participant.

Professor Theo and some others started arguing against the referee. Clearly, this was a totally irrational decision, and everyone can see that.

However, the referee was like a stone not reacting to anything that was said to him. Everybody was getting angrier with time.

“Please, stop arguing!”

Finally, a member of the Tournament management team walked out of the VIP area. The audience and the professors from Ace Academy thought that finally someone who could help them had arrived.

However, Zero knew how wrong they were. It was Ulv Sylvester who had come down there. Well, Zero didn’t expect that Ulv Sylvester would be directly interfering. It meant that his threat was not taken seriously and he was not afraid of getting his identity known to Zero.

A second later, Zero glared at him, but immediately repressed any killing intent he might have.

( This is not the time! )

Zero thought as he walked away.

Zero went to Professor Mia.

“Professor Mia, can you tell me where my parents are?”

Zero asked.

“They are safe but they have been given sleeping potions, so I have them stay at the hospital right now.”

Professor Mia answered.

“Thank you!”

Zero said.

He was very grateful to Professor Mia. He already had immense respect and trust in Professor Mia but due to this incident that had increased by several times.

Zero not only owes her for saving his life but also his parents’ lives.

“Can I leave?”

I asked.

The tournament was not over yet but I had already finished my fight. As for the matter of disqualification, I don’t think that anything I say will make a difference.

With Ulv Sylvester insisting on my disqualification, no matter what others say, he could do whatever he wants. Though he will receive criticism and might get into trouble when he goes back to The Authority.

Well, that is all if he can go back alive at all.

“Is your body okay?”

Professor Mia asked.

Zero was currently not in a good condition. If someone saw him, they might think he is a ghoul or some kind of monster.

“Nothing serious!”

Zero answered.

Though the truth was that he was barely able to stand. With all these injuries that he sustained, it was already a miracle that he was even conscious.

“Let’s wait for a minute! I will take you there after this mess has been taken care of!”

Professor Mia was referring to the referee’s decision. She had already guessed that someone from the tournament management team was targeting Zero or at least they were somewhat involved in the kidnapping.

Otherwise, it was impossible to kidnap someone from the stadium without causing a commotion or at least guards would have spotted them.

But that did not happen and everything went perfectly for the kidnapper, which made Professor Mia suspicious of the tournament management team.

However, she didn’t know that Ulv Sylvester was the traitor. She then called up Lisa to heal Zero. It was impossible for Zero to lie about his condition to her.

She also thought that Zero could take this opportunity to heal before she took him to the hospital to check on his parents. After which she will have him stay in that hospital for recovery.

Upon the arrival of someone from the tournament management team, the audience became a little quiet and Professors from Ace Academy didn’t argue.

“I understand that you all are a little dissatisfied with the referee’s decision but the referee has the final say in this round. I hope that you all can accept his decision for now.”

Ulv Sylvester said.

He acted as if he was also dissatisfied with the referee but had no power to change his decision when in reality he was laughing inside.

( So what if you won? I can still make you disqualified. )

Ulv Sylvester thought when he gave a hateful glance at Zero.

The audience was still angry and wanted to change the decision. The professors of Ace Academy were in a similar state.

However, after listening to Ulv Sylvester’s words, they were convinced that the power to make that decision lies in the referee’s hands. If even the tournament management team said so, how can they change anything?

They could only file a complaint to The Authority about the referee. And that will also only result in the referee being punished and the tournament would already be finished and Zero would already be disqualified.

At the time, the decision seemed to be made and the audience could only accept that unfair decision.

Zero at the time was getting healed by Lisa. Lisa was healing Zero quickly with everything she had. Looking at Zero, she was still worried.

“Zero, why did you do nothing at that time?”

Lisa asked.

She was still puzzled by Zero’s decision. In contrast with those who believed Zero was suffering from some side effects, she did not believe this from the beginning and Zero’s last action proved that he was not suffering from any side effects.

Which begged the question, why did he need to suffer like this?

“…”

Zero didn’t know how to answer that question. He could answer that he was threatened or something but that might involve Lisa in this conflict. He will solve the problem with his own hand and he didn’t want to make her worry for nothing.

“I thought that I should give them some chances to beat me. Well, they were so weak that they could not defeat me even after I gave them those chances. Haha…”

Zero tried to joke about that.

Zero’s excuses were far from believable, and Lisa could see that something was driving him to act that way.

Her worries just increased with that answer. Moreover, she was getting angry that Zero was not even giving her an honest answer.

( I am not even close to him. If I were someone like Sylvia then he might have given me the answer. )

Lisa thought. It was obvious to her that she was not close enough to Zero to be trusted. If her relationship with Zero was like Sylvia then she thought that he might trust her enough to tell her the truth.

She didn’t ask further because she knows that Zero doesn’t want to tell her. She continued to concentrate on healing him.

“…”

There was an awkward silence between them.