Zara steps in front of Saint, forcing out a nervous laugh. "Oh no, we're just spectators."
Saint arches a brow, studying her. 'Zara seems very closed off in life… sneaking around, always with bodyguards. Whoever her parents are must be incredibly protective of her…'
The host smirks, sizing them both up. Zara continues chatting with him, Saint steps forward with a calm smile.
"Do you want me to fight, Zara?" he asks softly.
Her eyes widen. "Oh… no… don't be silly, I wouldn't want you to get hurt." She waves both arms in protest.
'Overprotected children do tend to care deeply for others,' Saint thinks. 'I'll use that to my advantage.'
"Don't worry," Saint replies evenly. "I'll fight."
"W-what? No! You'll get hurt!" Zara insists awkwardly, her voice cracking.
The host laughs, snapping his fingers. "Well then, let's set it up, Flaco." He says, teasingly,
He hands Saint a clipboard, "Just fill in some simple questions. You'll be fighting Kunst here."
A massive man steps forward, he has a red Mohawk, and hides his face with a flashy luchador mask.
"Hey, fresh meat," Kunst sneers, looking down at Saint with predatory eyes.
…
Back at the warehouse in Citrobal,
Zodiak stretches his shoulder casually, unfazed. "Is that so?"
Ari's eyes flash purple. Viper Pulse surges, and he shoots forward, fist cocked for a strike. His right punch blurs toward Zodiak,
-but Zodiak deflects it smoothly, redirecting Ari's wrist upward with just a flick of his left hand.
'He's so calm! The 12-Star clan's fighting style won't work here!!' Ari thinks as his attack slips past.
Zodiak counters instantly. His right fist rockets toward Ari's chest.
'So fast!' Ari snaps his hand up, trying to catch the blow with Viper Pulse, but Zodiak accelerates at the last second. The punch connects clean against Ari's sternum.
The impact launches Ari back across the floor. He coughs violently, sliding until his shoes slow down,
"I felt that…" He clutches his chest, eyes narrowing as Zodiak walks forward calmly.
Zodiak stops, pressing his palm into a sharp sign.
"Sagittarius Style: Velocifero."
A golden arrow manifests midair, It shoots at Ari with breathtaking speed.
"An arrow!?" Ari throws his arms across his chest. The arrow slams through his guard, snapping bone with a sickening crack before shooting into his ribs. His body hurls backward, smashing through the warehouse wall.
…
In the shadow dimension, Mari is keeping Hazu hostage,
"Why are you here? Are you here to bring back Saint? Who sent you?" Mari presses, a blade of shadow hovering at Hazu's neck,
Hazu swallows hard, eyes darting through the endless darkness. 'I just need a distraction…'
The blade presses closer, cold against his skin.
"S-Saint? Yeah, we were sent here to bring him back," he blurts, lying through his teeth.
Mari stares at him in silence for a long beat. Then she chuckles. "Wait here." Her laughter echoes as she vanishes, leaving Hazu alone in the void.
…
Elsewhere in the warehouse,
Tanya staggers upright, battered but alive. The door opens with a slow creak.
Jane steps inside, her expression like ice.
'An enemy!' Tanya thinks, falling into stance.
Green light ignites around Jane's hair and hands. Mana projectiles shoot from her hands, firing across the room.
Tanya dives and rolls, narrowly avoiding the barrage. The walls crack and splinter under the attack,
'She's keeping her distance… a ranged fighter?' Tanya thinks.
She summons a smoke bomb, covering the room in thick smoke,
Jane's eyes narrow. 'She's experienced…'
From behind, Tanya rushes in with a karambit knife glowing with mana. She lunges at Jane's blind spot.
Jane reacts instantly, spinning on instinct. Tanya's grin stretches wide, until Jane's fist cracks into her nose.
"What the?!" Tanya stumbles back, only to feel her wrist punched. The knife clatters to the ground.
Jane drags her close and unleashes a storm of strikes.
'No one's easier to kill…' Jane thinks coldly, pummeling Tanya's face, her neck, her gut. Blows slam into her knees, her liver, every weak point exposed.
'She immediately thought she had the upper hand by assuming I was a ranged fighter…' Jane reflects, never slowing the pace.
Her foot rockets up, slamming into Tanya square in the abdomen. The impact launches her across the room, crashing into the rubble.
Jane exhales sharply, standing over her opponent without pity.
…
By the back of the warehouse,
Monita cries out, nails flying wildly from her, piercing every wall and beam in sight.
"YOU HURT DORI DORI AND I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THAT!" Her fury explodes through every strike,
Mela crouches behind her shimmering domain sphere, protecting both herself and Skai.
"Don't move, Skai! I got this!"
Skai leans lazily against the barrier with a yawn. "If you say so…"
Suddenly, the ground shakes.
"Let's do this, Huracán!" Tlen roars, skeletal armor forming over his arm. He smashes through Mela's domain, colliding shoulder-first into Skai.
The impact blasts Skai out of the warehouse, his body tumbling through splintered crates.
"Skai!" Mela yells, still forced to hold her shield against Monita's relentless nails.
Tlen quickly scoops up the teddy bear from the floor and tosses it to Monita.
"Monita! Catch!"
The bear flies through the storm. Monita's eyes widen. She dives, clutching Dori Dori to her chest. She crouches low, rocking the bear against her cheek.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I let you get hurt…" Her voice cracks as she whispers,
The nails quickly fall from the air. Silence rushes into the battered room. Cracks cover every wall where her frenzy tore through.
Mela exhales slowly, sweat dripping.
'That kid is a problem… he broke through my domain in one tackle, all while dodging her nails… If it was just her, I could've handled this." She keeps her distance, watching the crying Monita and Tlen standing behind her,
…
Back at the underground fight club,
Saint steps into the octagon. Kunst looms before him, fists raised, grin wide behind his mask.
Saint unbuttons his collar and arms,
"Do your best, Saint!" Zara's voice rings from the stands, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Saint tilts his head and offers her a reassuring smile.
'Poor Zara… your hope in me is about to be crushed…'
The referee signals and the bell rings,
Saint and Kunst circle, the air grows thick with tension.
"I'm gonna break your face, kid!" Kunst mocks,
The crowd explodes, cheering wildly as the host hypes them on.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Can the underdog Saint pull off an upset against the seasoned veteran Kunst? Get your bets in now!"
Saint keeps his calm, steady gaze locked on Kunst, ignoring the chaos,
'Overprotected children usually care deeply for others… Is that you, Zara?'
The two fighters close in, ready to clash.
...