Rin stepped into the shadow of the tunnel, the arena roar melting into a dull, distant thunder, and the question walked with him.
He never said the name.
"Whoa, whoa—slow down."
A hand caught his shoulder.
Rin blinked. A medic in a white-and-gunmetal coat was suddenly in front of him, visor up, eyes wide.
Up close, the damage was obvious. His shirt was shredded, one sleeve hanging by a thread. Blood had soaked through half his torso, drying dark at the edges, still wet in the middle. There was a smear of red down his jaw he'd forgotten about.
"Sit," the medic said. "Now."
Rin opened his mouth to argue, then his knees decided for him. He let them guide him to the bench against the tunnel wall.
More med techs moved in—efficient, practiced. Seal-strip kits swung at their belts, all stamped with the same clean logo: Laila Supplies in neat sigils around a stylized mortar-and-pestle.
Null-salt foam hit the worst of the cuts—cold, biting, then numb. One med tech tore his ruined shirt the rest of the way and whistled under his breath.
"Guy brought half Britannia home with him," he muttered. "Hold still."
Seal-strips with Laila Supplies printed along the edges went down over the chest slash, the deep line at his flank, a nasty slice along his back he hadn't even noticed. A diagnostic sigil flickered over his ribs; lines lit, then cooled.
"Cracked," the medic said. "No full breaks. You're tougher than you look, kid."
"Tell that... to my everything," Rin breathed.
"Kairo!"
Halo hit him all at once.
Aria first, hair still singed from her own fight, Raijin coat open at the throat. She dropped into a half-crouch beside the bench, eyes bright.
"That was insane," she said. "You know that, right? Blurs, buildings, swords—" She mimed two blades crashing. "You looked cool as hell."
Kai came in slower, but his jaw was tight. The bruising from Carlos' hooks still shadowed his ribs under his gi. He folded his arms, studying Rin like he was still watching the fight.
"You scared Lila," he said. "And the rest of us. But... yeah. That was good work."
William stepped in behind them, hands in pockets, expression lighter than it had been in days. "Very good work," he added. "Clean finish. Merciful, considering how hard those potions hit him."
Rin snorted, then winced. "Didn't want to watch him seize himself inside out."
The medic finished strapping a monitor around his bicep, the sigil screen humming faintly.
"You're stable," he said. "But I'm taking you to the infirmary. These aren't 'walk it off in the tunnel' cuts."
Rin shifted, trying to stand. His ribs disagreed. Hard.
"Yeah," he admitted, "okay."
"Rin!"
Lila skidded in last, almost tripping over a med crate. Her water staff clacked against the wall as she caught herself. Eyes wide, cheeks still damp from yelling in the stands.
"You absolute idiot," she said, voice wobbling between laughter and tears. "You look like you lost a fight with a blender."
He turned his head toward her as the med tech slid a stretcher beside the bench.
"Won the fight, though," he said. "Style points."
She puffed out her cheeks. "You and Aria are gonna give me grey hair before I hit Bronze."
They helped him lie back. The world tilted, but the seal-strips held. As they lifted the stretcher, Rin craned his neck, hunting for her face.
He found Lila, still hovering at the side, water coiling anxiously around her fingers.
"You got this, queen," he told her. Voice rough, but steady. "Show 'em what a real healer does."
The word hit her like another spell.
Her eyes went round. Color rushed up her neck, painting her ears bright pink.
"D-don't..." She choked on a laugh. "Don't call me queen when you're all cut up, that's cheating."
But she was smiling. Big, helpless, goofy.
The med team started down the tunnel with him. Kai walked a few steps alongside; Aria did too, hand braced on the stretcher rail until the medic gently shooed them back.
"You'll miss my match guys," Lila said, pointing her staff at them like a judge. "Just kidding go eat, I know you guys are probably starving after your matches. I want you both full when I walk out."
Kai put a hand to his chest. "We won't miss it."
Aria nodded, backing away. "If we're late, you can drown Kai. I need my lightning."
"Hey," Kai protested.
Lila's grin returned full force. "Deal."
Rin's eyes finally slid shut as the stretcher rounded the bend, the roar of the bowl fading into the steady hum of the Engine Spine and the soft clack of Laila Supplies kits.
He never heard the med tech murmur, "Out like a light," or William answer, "Let him sleep."
Aria's stomach growled loud enough to make Kai glance over.
"Food," she said.
"Food," he agreed.
They turned up toward the Ring concessions—noodles, skewers, whatever wasn't too burned, Lila rolled her shoulders, took a long, slow breath, and stepped back toward staging.
Halo: three wins on the board.
Next up—the water girl.