"Damn, Tyrone really clutched up," Kamaki laughed with both hands behind his head, his voice loud and casual, like he'd just watched a great sports match. "Ever since that blood moon, dude's been on a roll."
Neve squinted, arms crossed, locking eyes on Tyrone as if she were analyzing data for a combat report. "Yeah, but that state? Way too big. Too slow. All it gives him is extra power and durability. He's just a big ol' punching bag now. I don't even get why he's using it."
Jessie, leaning against a nearby railing, added, "Maybe because he already knows there's no keeping up with Kazimir. He's going for the one path that might give him a sliver of hope: brute-force frontal assault. Risky and dumb—basically a Kazimir trademark. Figures the kid picked up a brain cell from his mentor."
Lihanna tilted her head toward Jessie. "Honestly? I think they only enjoy fights when death's on the line. Those two are full-on crazy."
Riah stood nearby, wrapped in her robe, flicking her white-and-red-striped hair over her shoulder with an exasperated sigh. "I guess that's why we're blood related. Our taste in men is practically identical—psychos who see 'mortal danger' and go, 'mm, fun!'"
Lihanna chuckled, "Yeah, one hundred percent. Proof we're cousins, through and through."
Raijin suddenly piped in, "Yeah but like—remember that fight with Ingress and Barrack? Why didn't we get Rmir in on that?"
Kamaki lit up, giggling like a gremlin. "For real! Like that time with Foogle! Tyrone just magically pops up outta nowhere, summons Rmir like he's calling his Uber—'Rmir! Fetch me his soul!'—and the dude HOWLED, sprinted past Foogle, shredded him like wet paper, and then—BOOM—tossed him in the air and straight-up vaporized a whole planet while at it!"
Then silence.
Dead silence.
Everyone turned and stared at Kamaki and Raijin as if they had just confessed to high treason.
Raijin blinked. "…What?"
Then Riah's voice sliced the night air like a guillotine. Cold. Dangerous. Deadly.
"…Sorry," she said, stepping forward slowly, "I didn't hear that correctly. What did you just say?"
Raijin's mouth opened.
No words came out.
Kamaki, smiling nervously like a child who knew he was about to get whooped, tried to play it off. "Y-Yeah! You know, Tyrone just pulled up and was like 'RMIR, FETCH ME HIS SOUL!' Real anime stuff! Rmir just roared and blitzed Foogle, ripped him in half, threw him into orbit, and blew up that planet-sized energy dome thing blocking the sun—total aura farming vibes!"
Everyone stared at him like they were preparing to write his will.
Felicia pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why… would you say that?"
Riah took another step forward, flames gently beginning to flicker around her robe.
"So all of you knew about this?" she said, voice rising.
Neve quickly raised both hands in surrender. "Nope! Not me! Me and Jessie were in Bruswa. They were in Capriha. I just learned about this now, I swear."
Riah turned away, stepping forward as her voice dropped into a bitter murmur. "I see. So that's what it is. My poor baby boy Rmir went into battle… and I wasn't even told. No heads-up. Not a whisper. You just sent him off behind my back."
Everyone went pale. Flames surged.
Then—
"KAZIMIR VAN SATO!!"
Vrasnia shook with her shout. Red flames exploded around her. The temperature rose instantly.
Jessie blinked. "Welp. He's officially screwed."
Gendai calmly nodded. "Yep. Dead man walking."
Neve muttered, "She's not even in her Pyro of Origin form and she's already at that level… yikes."
—
Training Grounds – Kazimir and Tyrone
Kazimir and Tyrone both paused mid-spar. The air turned heavy. Riah was approaching, her aura flaring.
Tyrone's brow twitched. "Uhh… what's going on? And why's she looking at us like that?"
Kazimir slowly lowered his polearm, eyes wide with dread. "…Only one reason. It's something to do with Rmir."
From behind them came her fury, her voice blazing:"WHY DID YOU ALLOW MY POOR CHILD INTO BATTLE WITHOUT MY CONSENT?!"
Kazimir exhaled. "Yep. Called it."
Her eyes sharpened like daggers. "Oh, so you KNEW. And thought I'd be okay with it?"
Kazimir's weapon hit the ground with a clatter as he raised his hands. "Hold on! Wait! Hear me out—!"
"NO! I'M NOT HEARING YOU OUT. BRING YOUR ASS HERE RIGHT NOW—DON'T MAKE ME USE FORCE!"
Tyrone gulped and took a step back. "Shit. Kaz, what do we do?!"
Kazimir stood still, face pale. "…Honestly? In situations like this, it's every man for himself."
"…Wait, WHAT?" Tyrone looked at him, betrayed.
Kazimir nodded grimly. "We need to run."
Tyrone hissed, "You could just use Maw of the End to stall her while I get away!"
Kazimir looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "And leave ME behind?! Are you INSANE?!"
Tyrone muttered, "Well, like you said… every man for himself…"
Riah stepped forward, aura blazing. "Stop whispering! Obey me this instant!"
Kazimir began to sweat as she marched closer. Lightning crackled at his feet as he backed away.
Tyrone reverted to normal form, his energy still active as he readied himself.
"Heh… now this is something I've looked forward to—me and you vs. Riah! Let's see if she's got enough firepower to—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Because when he looked to his side—
Kazimir was gone.
"…Huh?" Tyrone's eyes widened. "K-Kazimir…?"
A blur of white and red flames came hurtling toward him.
WHAM!!
Riah struck Tyrone with a blazing forearm, launching him into the stratosphere like a ragdoll.
Meanwhile – Kazimir (Somewhere far, far away)
Kazimir ran.
Hard.
Lightning flashed under each step.
"Gotta go fast gotta go fast gotta go faster faster faster faster faster—"
He looked back—Riah was right there.
"AAAAH! SHE'S GAINING HOW IS SHE THIS FAST IN SLIPPERS!!"
Vanessa appeared, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Neve glanced at her. "I'm surprised you're not helping him."
Vanessa closed her eyes. "Yeah… see, whatever those two got going on? That's their business. I am not about to become collateral damage."
Raijin blinked. "Damn. He said."