Chapter 17: Age twenty six
It has been a year since he won the summer tournament and we find Zarc at the field for this yea's tournament. Zarc is heading to the field listening to the man of solid vision, Leo Akaba not amused to the man's work. 'I hate this town.' Zarc thought, since Solid Visin had took over now. As he does, he find a woman the same age as he is in pig tails, who is as fair as a porcelain doll, she taps his shoulder gently. "Hey." The woman greeted, "you alright?" The woman recognized the look on his face as Zarc turned to look. Zarc recognize her as the daughter of Leo Akaba named Rayana (or Ray for short). Zarc pulled himself together a bit to speak, "Oh, right. It's nothing," the demon in disguise lied, "Just nerves for the tournament." Zarc cleared his throat and gave her a different look, "you're Ray, right? Leo's daughter?" Zarc asked in making sure, wasn't awaring Ray is a duelist as well, "wasn't aware you were a duelist." Ray nodded in understandment and answering the question. 'Cause of her beauty, Zarc no longer pays attention to Leo, her father. "I see..." Zarc spoke then introduced himself, "I'm Zarc by the way..." Once Leo ends his speach and Zarc heads to the locker room to prepare. His first Duel is in 20 minutes (despite the summer one). Ray look back at Zarc the spoke to herself as she held tightly to her deck, "He's cute." As she then smiled.
Zarc heads up to the field to take his match. The duelists goes pretty quickly, Zarc is a natural, as if he can actually talk to this Monsters. However, despite winning, Zarc doesn't seem to happy. He moves on to the next round, heading back to the waiting area. As he heads back, he bumps into Ray once again. Ray sweat dropped as she gets up, "Oh sorry I didn't mean to bump to you." Zarc got up as well then looked at Ray and spoke, "Oh hey, it's you again." Zarc declared, "Ray right? Your match coming up?" Ray got herself together as she dust herself off on her dress then out her hands behind her back, "Oh yes. Yes it is." She said, "And you're right. It is Ray." Zarc shook a bit, trying to get himself together as well then finished. "Well, good luck." Said the duelist as he then did eye contact on Ray, "Who's your opponent?" Ray sighed with a pinch of her bridge of her nose, "Oh just some jackass." Zarc chuckled, "Oh, you should watch out for that guy," Zarc warned, "He's a tough fighter, got a deck of mule cards." Zarc then smiled at his own joke (a/n now that's a horrible pun if you ask me and I'm a cheesy joke teller myself). Ray frowned in unamusement, "Right." Ray shook her head gently then cleared her throat, "Anyways good luck." Zarc sweatdropped, "Uh...Right." Zarc then offered Ray some escort (which she accepted) and Zarc then escorts Ray to her match, smiling a little. Suddenly, inside Zarc's heart, he felt something he hadn't felt for years, Love. From the look on Ray's face, she's nervous. Concerned, he looked at her. "You alright?" He asked. Wait, why does he care? He shouldn't suppose to care. She's Leo's daughter but something about her made him fell in love with her. Was it her beauty? Who knows, whatever it is, he felt like he wanted to date her eventually. Ray looks at Zarc the spoke, "Yea I'm fine. Just Nervous." Since it is her first time in a dueling tournament. Zarc opened his mouth with the word "Oh" came out, then nods and took her hand, "Don't be." The male duelist suggested as he then explains, "Don't let your opponent see that you are afraid." Zarc then explained more, "Don't let them get into tour head. If you do, it's all over." Ray looked at him with hope, "Really?" Zarc is surprised from her answer as he noticed what she has is all the determination in her heart (a/n Undertale anybody?). "Yeah!" Zarc interjected, "You're strong! Show no mercy!" Ray smiled warmly since she got flattered by the demon male.
Once Zarc got Ray to the field, he takes a seat to spectate for once. He doesn't usually bother watching other duelists, but Ray piqued his interests. In the field, we find Ray. Full of determination, not showing fear, and also ready to duel. As she fights the duel, Zarc watched. "She's cute." He complimented. He kept watching her fighting with determination and not showing fear. "Smart too..." Zarc spoke as he saw her strategy, "She knows what she's doing..." Zarc glanced over at the private box of Leo Akaba and the other VIPs then felt the emotion disgust in his mind then thought, 'She still his daughter though...' Soon Ray won the battle and she waves in victory with a confident smile. With that smile, Zarc's attention got caught to her. "Killer smile though." Zarc complimented and then applauded to her victory.
The day progresses onward, everyone taking their turns in the arena. At last it comes down to the quarterfinals. Zarc makes it in. Leo joins his daughter. "Great work honey!" Leo complimented his only daughter, "You made it this far!" Ray smiled warmly as she felt her shoulder patted by her dad. "Thank you dad." she said, "A friend of mine told me do my best and never show fear." Leo smiled warmly as he then he lets her head, since the tournament is about friendship. "That's wonderful honey!" Said the scientist, "The tournaments are supposed to be about bringing people together!" Zarc left the stadium, since trials are done. The demon in disguise look back at the woman who is as beautiful as a porcelain doll. "You're very cute Ray, but you're still 'his' daughter... Zarc look back as he then spoke to himself, "I can't allow myself to get close to you." (a/n you will zarc. You will.)