The announcer's voice boomed across the arena stands. "Representing the Super-Duper Ultimate Black-Belt Fighting Club for Young Rookies in Training, we have Ryu Aiseh, Asahi, and Eve Elven!"
A murmur of confusion rippled through the crowd at the club's unwieldy name—but polite applause followed, gradually swelling into supportive cheers.
Ryu flashed a grin wide enough to rival the moon's curve. "TURN UP THE MUSIC, PEOPLE! YOU READY FOR THIS?!"
He slammed the play button on his boombox. A thunderous fusion of electric guitar and synths blared out, shaking the air with rock n' roll energy. The crowd hesitated—then leaned into it, heads nodding, some even dancing in place. Eventually, the crowd roared in sync with the music.
But the moment passed quickly.
The announcer returned to the mic. "And representing Savage Spark—Tyrone, Deseam, and Tonya Willis!"
The stadium erupted. Screeches thundered through the stands as fans raised shirts printed with the Savage Spark insignia. A few men tore off their tops entirely, proudly baring lightning bolt tattoos beneath.
"All that merch for a rookie club," Eve murmured, eyeing the scene with barely concealed disbelief.
Ryu leaned in, eyes gleaming. "Which means when we win, we're going viral."
Asahi tugged nervously at his collar. "So, uh, Eve—how long will your summoning take?"
She tapped her chin. "Somewhere between five minutes and… an hour."
"WHAT?!" Asahi grabbed his head like it might implode.
Ryu slung an arm around him with mock reassurance. "Easy, champ, they may have all that muscle but it's not about the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog." Ryu tapped Asahi's chin. Asahi threw Ryu's hand away from his face and glared.
Eve rolled her shoulders and took position, Spirit power flaking from her fingertips as she slipped into a focused trance. The summoning circle shimmered faintly behind her, lines glowing with a soft pulse.
Asahi inched toward the front line. "So I just… stall them?"
"Be strong, unpredictable, and durable," Ryu said. "Three things you're weirdly good at."
The whistle echoed like a gunshot.
Tonya didn't wait.
She darted forward, not toward Eve, but straight at Asahi. The crowd gasped. Asahi barely had time to throw his arms up before a jolt of spirit-charged force slammed into his guard. He skidded backward, shoes screeching across the floor, but stayed upright.
Damn! This girl's got some serious power.
But I haven't even activated my scale skin yet.
Once I do, I've got to keep Desean and Tyrone off Eve… no matter what.
Asahi's skin shimmered, then hardened, like a dull, metallic sheen. With a burst of speed, he bolted toward the two giants.
Tonya attempted to pursue, but a sharp kick from Ryu knocked her back.
"Nuh-uh, missy," Ryu said with a wink, sliding into a loose stance. "Your opponent is me."
Tonya didn't answer. Her fingers crackled with energy as she charged silently, spirit power building between her fingertips.
Spirit Power: Voltage Beam.
A surge of electricity burst from her hand, but Ryu rolled aside, barely dodging. He sprang forward. Their fists collided in a blur of movement.
"In a clash of fists, I never lose!" Ryu grinned.
"But what about this?" Tonya swept his legs out from under him and drove his skull into a concrete tile.
The taste of iron filled Ryu's mouth. Crimson blurred his vision like a spreading plague.
AHHHHHH!
Asahi slid beneath one of the juggernauts and hurled an uppercut that was quickly deflected. He leapt back, breathing hard.
No openings. None.
If I use my fire spirit power, I might lose control like before…
What would my friends think of me then?
"Pay attention, kid!"
A massive haymaker caught Asahi's cheek, sending him tumbling across the arena.
He coughed into his fist—red stained his palm.
It looks I might have to.
Fire Spirit Power: Searing Shot!
He clapped his hands, unleashing a fast, flaming projectile straight at Desean.
Too slow.
Desean was hit square in the chest, and he soared out of the ring like a missile.
The crowd erupted into chaos.
Over the roar, the announcer's voice boomed, "That's one member down for Savage Spark!"
The crowd's cheers rattled the rafters as Desean's body skidded across the outer platform, smoke trailing from his chest.
One down. Two to go.
Asahi staggered back to center stage, arms raised instinctively as Tyrone bore down on him like a freight train. The arena shook with every step the juggernaut took.
I can't let him get close…
But it was already too late. Tyrone lunged, and Asahi barely got his arms up before the punch connected.
Crack.
His scaled forearms absorbed the worst of it, but the force still flung him like a ragdoll into the air. Dust and debris clouded the sky.
"ASAHI!" Eve's voice rang out, her ritual still in progress.
He hits like a drunk wife beater....
If I take another one of those head-on, I'm done.
Tyrone cracked his knuckles. "You took down my bro. You'll regret that."
Asahi didn't respond. He was already moving again, weaving in an arc, eyes scanning for an opening.
I just need ten more seconds... hold him off, make him mad, reckless—
He spat blood to the side and grinned. "Your buddy went down faster than I expected. You're next, Sweet Cheeks."
Tyrone growled—and charged.
Meanwhile, Ryu's vision still spun. Blood trickled from his forehead as he pushed himself up from the shattered tile.
Can't black out now… can't let Asahi handle this alone…
Tonya advanced, with grace in her step she slowly made her way towards Ryu.
She's much quicker than me so, this calls for some trickery. He wobbled sideways, feigning a frail limp. Just as Ryu thought, Tonya used this "advantage" to strike. Ryu ducked beneath her strike and twisted, delivering a spinning heel kick to her ribs. The hit landed, sending her stumbling.
Spirit Power: Echo Jab!
His fist shimmered, and he followed with a straight punch. The impact doubled—once physically, then again from the delayed shockwave.
Tonya grunted, arms crossed just in time to block the second strike, but the force knocked her back.
"Didn't expect that, did ya?" Ryu muttered, panting.
--
Tyrone's charge was a quake in motion—every step thundered across the arena, tile cracking under his boots.
He's faster than he looks.
Asahi braced just in time. The juggernaut's fist slammed into his guard and sent him skidding across the floor, his heels leaving gouges in the stone. He hit the wall and gasped for breath, arms already throbbing.
Can't match him in strength… can't outrun him either. Gotta think.
Tyrone was already closing in again, his grin wide and bloodthirsty. "You knocked out Desean. Big mistake."
He leapt, his shadow engulfing Asahi.
Asahi rolled left, barely dodging a hammer-like stomp that shattered the tile where he'd just been.
Tyrone raised a fist—and it started to glow.
The heat from it pulsed, faint but rising, like a forge being stoked.
Damn it!
"Spirit Power," Tyrone growled, slamming his fist together. "Shock Core!"
A pulse of energy burst from his body in a wave. Asahi's ears rang, his vision blurred, and a static crackle raced along his skin like ants under his clothes.
It's like getting punched by Zeus himself.
Asahi stumbled to his feet, chest heaving.
Tyrone blitzed forward—faster than before. His arms shimmered with sparks, his muscles surging unnaturally. Asahi dodged the first punch, ducked the second, but the third clipped his shoulder and spun him to the ground.
He's boosting his strength and speed… he's not just trying to win. He wants to kill me. What an a-hole.
Tyrone raised his hand overhead, the gathered energy pulsing brighter than ever.
That'll knock me out cold—or worse.
Asahi rolled onto his back, vision narrowing.
If I use spirit power it really has a chance of going berserk now, and I sure as hell don't wanna' kill the guy.
Tyrone brought his fist down—
—and Asahi kicked upward, slamming his shoe into Tyrone's knee.
Crack.
Tyrone let out a howl, his punch veering wide. Asahi scrambled up, drove a punch into Tyrone's ribs, then a second, and a third—but it was like hitting a wall.
Tyrone staggered, but didn't fall.
"Gutsy," he snarled. "Let's see how far guts get you."
He grabbed Asahi by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the ground. Once. Twice. Dust and shards of tile flew with each hit.
The crowd exploded, supporting Tyrone's bloodshed.
Can't... black out. Not yet. Just a little longer...
Asahi's fingers clenched around a broken tile beside him.
He swung it upward, smashing it into Tyrone's temple.
The bigger boy reeled, blinking, dazed just long enough for Asahi to push off and roll free.
Blood ran down the side of his face. His ribs burned. But he was still up.
If I can keep him angry… reckless… he'll make a mistake.
Asahi spat blood onto the floor and turned back to face him.
"You hit like your spirit power's doing all the work," he rasped. "What happens when it runs out?"
Tyrone's eyes flashed.
Perfect.
The brute charged again, roaring.
If this big boy is using Spirit Power to enhance his muscles, the human body can only take so much, so I'll just stall him until his Spirit Power crashes.
Tyrone barreled toward Asahi, aiming to tackle him head-on.
Asahi rolled to the right just in time, narrowly dodging the charge. He twisted mid-motion, launching a spinning heel kick toward Tyrone's temple—but the juggernaut caught his ankle mid-air.
Damn it!
Asahi thrashed in his grip, but the brute didn't flinch. Tyrone's grin was slow and twisted as he seized the other leg too—then slammed Asahi to the ground. Once. Twice. Again. The impact cracked the tile beneath them, sending up shards with every brutal swing.
Across the arena, Ryu's head snapped toward the sound. "ASAHI!"
He started toward him, but Tonya moved like lightning—driving a vicious kick into Ryu's jaw and snapping his head to the side.
"Nuh-uh, mister," Tonya said at last, her voice smooth and playful. "I'm your fight, remember?"
Tyrone, still gripping Asahi's limp form, turned to the stands and waved both arms overhead. "RAISE THE NOISE!"
The stadium roared to life, the vibrations rumbling like an earthquake.
"SA-VAGE SPARK! SA-VAGE SPARK!"
Asahi dangled in Tyrone's grasp, blood dripping from his face, eyelids twitching as he fought to stay conscious. Tyrone stared down at him, smile gone now, replaced by something even more twisted.
"Batter up."
He hurled Asahi into the air with one hand like a ragdoll.
Spirit Power: Ultra Punch.
His fist surged with a violent light. Tyrone swung. The impact cracked the air with such force it echoed through the neighboring university.
KRRK.
Asahi's body flew, limp, skimming past Eve's glowing ritual and crashing into the far end of the arena. He tumbled across the floor like a discarded doll, unmoving.
The crowd exploded.
Tyrone raised both fists and bellowed, strutting across the stage in front of his fans.
The announcer's voice cut through the noise. "AND THAT'S ONE DOWN FOR TEAM BLACK BELT—IT'S A 2 VS 2, FOLKS!"
--
Tonya gave Tyrone a smirk, then turned her attention to Ryu, who was barely managing to get on his feet.
She seized him by the collar.
No time to react... Ryu's mind reeled.
With brutal precision, Tonya slammed his head down, driving his face straight through the concrete tiles. Cracks spiderwebbed outward as his body buckled.
Without pause, she hurled him off the main stage—like a broken statue pushed from its pedestal.
The crowd erupted.
"SA-VAGE SPARK! SA-VAGE SPARK!"
Their chants thundered through the arena, relentless and wild.
The announcer's voice cracked back to life, nearly drowned out by the crowd.
"Ryu Aiseh is out! That leaves just one fighter for Team Black Belt—it's now a two-on-one!"
"Destruction spirit." Eve rose to her feet. "Hakai!" Eve turned to the side of the arena, Asahi's body laid crumpled on the arena floor, his form a twisted heap of broken limbs and battered flesh. Blood oozed from the deep gashes that marred his face, dripping from his broken nose, which sat crooked and swollen, like a broken slinky. Visibly, teeth were missing from his mouth, and as for Ryu, Skin was missing from his face.
ve's eyebrows narrowed as she turned towards Tyrone, giving him a cold stare. "Since you want to be the batter..." Eve paused, gathering orange spirit power in her palm. "Then I'm the pitcher!"
She launched the spirit ball at Tyrone. Upon impact...
BOOM.
The explosion's recoil sent Tyrone flying off the stage. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and the announcer quickly cut through the shock. "This is it, folks! It's a one-on-one between the two ladies, Eve Elven and Tonya Willis!"
Eve then shifted her view towards Tonya, the last fighter. "This is my strongest spirit, a B-rank to be exact."
Tonya snapped. "I never asked."
Eve's gaze locked onto Tonya, unwavering. "I'm not asking for your approval, just warning you." Her palm glowed, with an intense orange hue.
Tonya's lips curled into a sneer. "You talk too much." With a swift motion, she charged, moving with a deadly aura that belied her size. Her legs worked like springs, propelling her toward Eve at blinding speed.
Eve barely had time to react. She summoned a shield of spirit energy, a shimmering barrier that erected just as Tonya's fist collided with it. The barrier redirected Tonya's attack as an explosion, knocking Tonya back.
"Nice try," Eve muttered, sweat trickling down her temple.
Tonya slid back on her feet, her eyes flashing with unrestrained fury. She grinned, but it was a cold, calculating smile. The crackling energy around her body intensified, and her muscles seemed to coil, ready to spring again.
"You really think you can stop me with a shield?" Tonya sneered. She flicked her wrist, and the air around her vibrated.
In a blink, Tonya was on the move again, this time with a burst of speed so quick it was almost a blur. she raised her hand, her fingers crackling with electric energy.
Spirit Power: Thunderstrike Wave!
Tonya swept her hand across the air, and a jagged bolt of lightning shot out in a wide arc. The energy surged forward like a tidal wave, crackling and sizzling as it tore through the air. The blast was so powerful that it distorted the very air in its wake.
Eve had barely a second to react. She raised her shield, but the wave of electricity hit it with an explosive crack. The shield held for a split second, but the force was overwhelming. The barrier shattered with a deafening boom, and the lightning slammed into Eve's side with a brutal surge of energy.
The impact sent her flying across the arena, her body flipping end over end before crashing hard into the ground. Her vision blurred, and her body felt like it had been set on fire from the inside out.
No way she broke a B-rank spirit's barrier. That must mean.... She's a B-rank herself. A B-rank as a rookie is extremely impressive, but it's my first time summoning this spirit, once I get a hang of the ropes... She's done. Eve rose to her feet, shoulders tense, fingers curling as the orange glow of spirit energy surged once more in her palm.
Destruction Spirit: Atomic Demolition.
The ground erupted in a line of concussive blasts, each one rippling toward Tonya like subterranean shockwaves. Tonya tried to move, her body twitching—but her muscles failed her.
Just as I thought, Eve noted, her lips barely parting. She overdid it.
The explosions closed in.
A final burst of force launched Tonya from the stage, her limbs slack as she spiraled through the air and skidded across the arena floor.
For a second, the crowd was silent.
Then the stands erupted.
The stadium trembled under the weight of the audience's cheers. Deep in the chaos, the announcer's voice cracked through the noise like lightning.
"AND THAT'S IT, FOLKS! YOUR WINNER IS TEAM BLACK BELT!"
Eve stood, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her face. Her body trembled from the toll the battle had taken, but she was still standing.