CHAPTER 25: NEIL COIN AND THE PERFECT COUNTER

I stepped out of Theo’s resting room.

There was no time to waste.

Now that I knew Neil Arkes was here, I had to find him—fast.

My legs moved fast, taking me through the dim, narrow hallways of the underground fight club.

Even without a face, my presence was sharp. My awareness cut through every shadow, scanning every corner like a blade.

Neil had just left Theo’s room, and I caught a glimpse of his sharp black suit disappearing around the far end of the corridor.

I sped up immediately, trying to follow.

The club was packed.

I weaved through the buzzing crowd, the air thick with cheers and leftover adrenaline.

Some stared at me weirdly as I moved too fast for the setting.

I bumped into a few people and kept apologizing without looking back. My focus was locked on one thing.

"Excuse me. Did you see a man with red hair and a black suit just now?" I asked a staff member who was busy cleaning glasses.

He shook his head, too focused on his task.

I turned to the bartender, asked the same question, but got no answer either.

I kept going, checking every hallway and every possible room.

Until finally, at the end of a more secluded corridor, I saw it.

A dark wooden door, guarded by two big men who stood like statues.

I approached, stopping a few steps before them.

"I need to speak with Neil Arkes," I said firmly, my voice cutting through the low hum of the club. "It’s urgent. Something about the advanced tech the Arkes family got their hands on."

The two guards exchanged glances, their eyes scanning me from head to toe.

One of them sighed, then gave a small nod. The door opened.

I stepped inside.

Neil Arkes was lounging on a luxurious leather sofa, calm but oozing authority.

In front of him was the owner of the fight club—a middle-aged man with a sly grin on his face. He was talking to Neil with a mix of admiration and fear.

They both stopped talking and turned toward me as I entered.

The owner quickly stood up, surprised. He pointed at me and shouted, "Who the hell are you? How dare you barge in here?!"

Neil raised his hand slightly to silence him. "He’s a friend. Relax."

"Come on, C. Have a seat," Neil said with a smile, motioning for me to sit across from him.

I walked over slowly and sat down. We were now face to face. I glanced at the club owner from time to time.

"So what brings you here—"

"Stay away from Theo," I cut him off.

Neil’s eyelids lifted just a little, revealing those pitch-black eyes of his. He looked genuinely surprised.

"What do you mean, C?" Neil asked.

"Leave Theo alone. Don’t go near the people he cares about. And stop trying to get involved in our lives."

"But Theo and I are friends. Why would I suddenly disappear from his life?" he said, pulling out a black coin from his suit.

"You think I don’t know? You’re just using him."

"Using him...? We benefit from each other. I gave him a way to make money fast, and I get a cut from his earnings. That’s how this system works, right, Mr. Club Owner?" Neil turned to the owner, flipping the black coin between his fingers.

"Yes, young master. That’s correct," the owner said with a strained smile.

"Then why did you say you wanted to kidnap Theo’s childhood friend?" I asked.

"When did I ever say I was going to kidnap Theo’s childhood friend?" Neil tilted his head.

"In Theo’s resting room. You whispered it," I snapped.

"Ohh... That. That was a misunderstanding," Neil said calmly. "When I said I was kidnapping a girl, I didn’t mean his friend. I meant a girl who’s been causing me trouble."

Neil suddenly called someone on his phone, spoke briefly, then hung up. A moment later, the door creaked open.

Two large men entered, dragging a young woman who looked to be in her twenties. She was bruised, beaten... like someone who had really been kidnapped.

I stood up instinctively, shocked by the sight of her condition.

My body almost moved on its own, ready to jump in—But I held myself back. Acting recklessly here would be stupid.

The two men forced the girl to stand in front of Neil.

Neil removed the cloth covering her mouth.

"Ugh! Let me go, you bastard!" the girl growled, furious.

"How can I let you go, sweetheart," Neil said as he touched her cheek, "when you tried to steal something important from my family?"

"Let me go! You know the Reiker family won’t stay silent if you do this to me!"

"Oh really?" Neil looked around playfully.

"Where are they? I don’t see them. Are they too scared of me or what?"

The girl clenched her teeth, her body still restrained by the two men.

Suddenly, she made her move. With a swift, precise action, she used a hidden tool—something I couldn’t even see clearly—and broke free from their grip.

Both men staggered back, shocked and in pain.

But Neil... he just smiled. That terrifying smile again. He looked entertained, like this was all just a show he’d planned.

I stayed silent.

This wasn’t my problem. I had no reason to help her.

And I sure as hell didn’t want to play Neil’s twisted game.

The girl dashed toward the door.

Freedom was just a few steps away—

Then suddenly, her body stopped.

She froze, completely still, like a statue.

She couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak.

Her expression froze too—filled with shock and helplessness.

What the hell?! Why did she stop? Why isn’t she running!

"Argh! What is this?! Why can’t I move?! Dammit!"

Neil walked over to her slowly and stood in front of her. His eyes were now fully open, showing those pitch-black irises.

He raised a coin in his hand, slow and deliberate, letting its dull shine reflect in her terrified eyes.

"Heads... or... Tails..." Neil whispered, voice low and steady.

"What the hell did you do to me, you bastard!"

What the hell is this?! Why is she frozen like that?!

Wait... is this some kind of ability?

Is this Neil’s power?

No way—How am I supposed to beat him if that’s what he can do?!

Neil waited in silence. He didn’t pressure her. He just stood there, as if enjoying the fear in her eyes.

Her expression slowly changed. From anger... to despair.

She looked genuinely terrified now.

Finally, she gave her answer.

"Damn you... Heads!"

"Good luck," Neil said softly.

He flipped the coin into the air.

It spun for a moment, then landed in the back of his hand.

He opened his palm.

Tails.

She guessed wrong.

Neil’s grin widened. He chuckled quietly.

"That’s too bad."

He pulled out a folding knife from his pocket and pointed it toward her neck.

The girl couldn’t say a word. She just stood there, frozen, her eyes shut tightly as she braced for the worst.

But instead of stabbing her...

Neil signaled his men again.

He told them to lock her up. She’d be a valuable hostage now.

Neil returned to his seat, facing me again as if nothing had happened.

The club owner, having witnessed all that, was visibly trembling.

He forced a smile toward Neil.

Dammit... Now I get it. So that’s his power That coin... it’s his weapon.

A game of "Heads or Tails."

If you guess wrong... you freeze.

But if you guess right... maybe, just maybe, you can move freely.

A soft laugh slipped out of me. I quickly covered my mouth.

Neil raised an eyebrow. "Enjoying the show, C?" Neil asked, his smile sharp as a blade.

I nodded slowly.

But I wasn’t laughing at that terrifying little performance.

I was laughing at something else entirely.

If that’s really how his ability works...

Then my power—my glimpse into the next five seconds.

Might just be the perfect counter.