Special Performance at the Grand Arena

"What a buzzkill. If I'd known those two would show up here tonight, I would've come later," Benita grumbled, returning to Teresa's side and taking another sip of her drink.

Teresa cast her a sidelong glance. "You know him?"

Thanks to the continental common tongue's gendered pronouns, everyone who heard the question understood that Teresa was referring to Benjamin.

"Know him? That's not knowing—it's having a grudge!" Benita's face twisted in disgust. "Wine, women, gambling, drugs... anything rotten, that scoundrel's involved. He relies on his uncle being a high-ranking officer in the Imperial United Military. That degenerate hasn't done a single decent thing since he was young!"

"A wastrel," Teresa summarized succinctly, then couldn't help but ask, "What grudge do you have with him?"

"He had the nerve last year to declare he was going to pursue me!" Benita bristled at the memory. "Damn it, I'm just a kid. If he's got a thing for children, he shouldn't come after me!"

Benita’s reaction made Teresa burst out laughing. Leaning closer, she pinched Benita’s cheek and teased, "Our little Nini's charm is truly boundless~"

Benita rolled her eyes at her, but in the dimly lit underground club, the gesture lost much of its usual force.

Brawls like the one just witnessed seemed common here—at least, the staff's indifferent attitude and swift cleanup suggested so. In less than five minutes, the venue had returned to its usual lively state; the injured and all traces of the fight were efficiently erased.

The crowd resumed their feverish dancing, but Teresa and Benita had lost their earlier enthusiasm. Teresa glanced at Benita, who now seemed lackluster, remembering that Benita had originally brought her out to lift her spirits, only for her own mood to sour. For a rare moment, Teresa felt a pang of guilt. She leaned over and asked, "Nini, what was that special performance you mentioned earlier?"

The question sparked Benita’s interest. She brightened instantly. "Every month, this place brings in top dancers for a special show—pure passion, not to be missed. You have no idea! Last time, there was a female dancer—her figure was scorching. Her moves were fierce, the whole audience was fired up. People were falling at her feet, begging her to torment them! Hahaha, you should've seen it—it was thrilling!"

Benita recounted the scene, her excitement contagious, practically ready to jump onto the booth table and dance herself. They say happiness is infectious; seeing Benita so animated, Teresa couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift as well.

The girls were deep in their lively conversation when the music suddenly shifted. Five sharp bursts exploded through the speakers, and brilliant fireworks lit up the club. The screams and cheers of the crowd drowned out all other sounds. Such a spectacle instantly caught everyone’s attention. Benita leapt up, dragging Teresa with her onto the booth top, and joined the majority in a chorus of excited shrieks.

With a resounding "Boom! Boom! Boom!", dazzling fireworks burst throughout the dance hall. A melodious chime rang out, rhythmic, as if someone were walking to the beat. As the smoke cleared, a troupe of dazzlingly dressed, slender dancers appeared. Bells adorned their wrists and ankles, jingling with every movement, the sound rippling in waves—one fading as another rose, low and high, like the surge of the sea. But it was not the bells that drew the eye; it was their dance, wild and exotic, their twisting waists and trembling chests magnetic to all. Not only men, but women too found themselves captivated by the untamed, liberated energy.

Benita stood at the edge of the booth, shouting and cheering as the dancers performed. Teresa, meanwhile, sat calmly atop the booth, sipping her drink, eyes half-closed, listening to the waves of bells as her thoughts drifted far away…

In a haze, music seemed to reach her, soft as feathers falling on velvet—delicate and tender. It began gently, like a lover’s whisper, winding and lingering. Suddenly, the melody soared, as if hardship struck—struggle! Rise! Resist! The fierce clashes sent blood racing, her body already warmed by alcohol grew ever more restless. Deep in her bones, in her soul, a wild impulse leapt, fought, like a trapped beast straining to break free!

The dance hall fell silent beneath the music's intensity. The fierce confrontation had given way to profound sorrow; the mournful melody pressed with the weight of years. With every pounding step of the wild figure in the center, an unseen force built—growing, accumulating, waiting for the moment of eruption.

The black-clad dancer moved like an unyielding king, neck held high, each step striking hearts, every gesture imbued with fierce beauty, drawing everyone to follow him, to feel his soul’s cry—he would fight, he would not yield, he was a king, solitary and supreme!

Benita gazed, entranced, when suddenly a gust of wind brushed past her. Before she could react, a familiar figure leapt from the booth, crossed the crowd, and entered the dance floor—

It was Teresa!

What was she doing!

Benita was stunned, unable to respond, watching as Teresa gathered up her skirt and tucked it at her waist, revealing pale feet and white mid-heeled boots. She stepped forward; whether it was the boots or the floor, the sound was sharp and clear, instantly drawing countless eyes. Teresa lifted her head, raised both hands above her head, and struck the rhythm, clapping her hands, stamping her feet, each beat hitting dead center, in synchrony with the black dancer—sometimes mirroring, sometimes diverging, like lovers entwined or at odds, but always inseparable.

Teresa’s movements caught the black dancer’s attention; with a graceful spin, he turned to face her, eyes locking on her with wild intensity, like a lone wolf on the plains focusing on its prey. But Teresa was no prey—she was another hunter.

The stomping grew fiercer, her alluring figure imbued with an air of defiant challenge. The music swelled, more intense, and with each provocation, the two figures drew closer—

(Please don’t hit me, I’m really stuck on this chapter—no inspiration at all today, so I can only upload this much. Please bear with me for now. To be continued.)