Kiro's Apartment
Saturday morning. Sunlight stabbed through the cracks in Kiro's run down apartment walls, landing directly on his face.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Kiro (face buried in pillow): "Ugh. What now?"
The door creaked open without permission. There stood Mr. Shimo 5 feet of FAT greasy landlord, his sweat-stained shirt clinging to rolls of fat.
Kiro's Thoughts: Oh come on. Why's this human dumpster fire here? Rent's not till—
Shimo (licking lips): "Rent's due, boy. I'd love to kick you out… unless you got girls in here."
Kiro (deadpan): "I'll have it tomorrow."
Shimo (scoffing): "You're always late." As he left, he eyes against the neighbor's window.
Kiro (muttering): "pervert."
He grabbed his cracked touchpad, dialing Raiji.
Raiji (answering, sounds of sword sharpening): "What."
Kiro: "Arena. Now. Need credits before Shimo kicks me out."
Raiji (snorting): "Or I could just stab him."
Kiro: "Tempting. See you there."
Kiro stretched as he entered the neon-lit arena, spotting Raiji leaning against the stadium wall.
Raiji: "Sleep well?"
Kiro: "Like a corpse. Did pushups for breakfast."
Raiji (tossing him a credit chip): "Entry fee's on me. Last time."
Their chat cut short by a commotion a 16-year-old mechanic girl backed into a wall by three thugs.
Leader (6'2", leather pants stained): "Look what you did, grease-rat! These cost 3000 credits!"
Girl (voice shaking): "S-sorry! I'll clean it"
Sword/Gun Thug (5'10"): "Pay up. Now."
Crossed-Arms Thug (5'11"): "Or we take those pretty fingers."
KIRO & RAIJI STEP IN
Kiro (shouldering forward): "Three grown men shaking down a kid? Weak."
Leader (sneering): "Who the hell?"
Sword/Gun Thug: "That's Kiro. Some arena rookie."
Kiro (grinning): "And you're nobody with a shiny toy."
Leader (cracking knuckles): "I'll teach you"
Raiji (coolly): "Arena rules GIN. Fights get paid." He nodded at the sword/gun thug. "Bet that pistol against 10K credits. I win, it's mine."
Sword/Gun Thug (licking lips): "Deal."
Crossed-Arms Thug (looming over Kiro): "You? You get broken."
Kiro (cracking his neck): "Try me."
they walk away angry.
Girl (rubbing her wrist, voice steadier now): "Thanks a lot. They were… scary."
Raiji (already walking): "Raiji." He jerked a thumb at Kiro. "That's Kiro."
Kiro (shrugging): "You're welcome. But next time? Kick 'em in the credit pouch."
Girl (blinking): "The wha?"
Raiji (deadpan): "He means balls."
Kiro (grinning): "Or find richer bullies. Steal their shit. Life lessons."
They turned toward the arena gates
Girl (suddenly): "Wait! I'm Lilly!
Raiji (without looking back): "We don't."
Kiro (over shoulder): "We might."
kiro and Riiji goes pay entry fee
Kiro (grumbling): "Damn, these entry fees doubled just 'cause I am fighting higher rank? Highway robbery."
Raiji (shrugging): "Still paying, ain't I?"
Kiro (side-eyeing the arena): "Hey, what's this place even called? Nobody told me."
Raiji (smirking): "Oh, you seriously didn't know? It's the Grand Hillsea Fighting Arenawhere wallets go to die."
(Kiro strides through the gates, cracking his knuckles as the crowd's roar swallows him.)
Announcer's speech
Announcer Midas (grinning into the mic): "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Our favorite FRESH MEAT sorry, 'rookie' is BACK for his second fight! Let's hope he loses this time… or dies! (crowd laughs) Tonight's matchup? Kiro versus THE ROCK GOLEM!"
(The arena screens flash: as 2 fighter enter)
Midas (mock-sympathetic): "They call him the 'Ultimate Defense'… though honestly, it's more like the 'Ultimate Defense Against Child Support'! Is this his tenth baby momma? Dude's got more kids than cracks in his armor! Who even funds this deadbeat?!"
(Crowd loses it, chanting: "DEAD-BEAT! DEAD-BEAT!")
Midas (feigning shock): "Wait a minute seems our rookie here still doesn't have a stage name! Let's fix that… How about 'The broke boy'? No? 'skinny'? (crowd boos) Fine, fine… Oh-ho! What's this? Did I just (gasps dramatically) DID I JUST DOX THE ROOKIE?"
(Screen flashes Kiro's real name, address, and a "PLEASE SEND ME CASH I AM BROOKE AND SKINNY" disclaimer. Midas grins like a demon.)
Kiro I'm setting that mic on fire after this."
Midas (yelling): "TOO LATE! FIGHT STARTS NOOOOW!"
(Gong sounds. Rock Golem charges. Kiro sighs, cracks neck. Cue chaos.)
The gong echoed.
Kiro (martial arts stance, foot slid back, fists raised): "Alright, Rocky. Let's dance."
The Rock Golem (boxer's pose, knuckles grinding like boulders): "Heh. 'Dance'? Kid, you're about to learn gravity."
First Exchange
Kiro lunged a feint punch aimed at the ribs. The Golem armored up, skin crystallizing into jagged stone.
Kiro's Thought: Shit. Hardened already?
Instead of recoiling, he pivoted, heel hooking the Golem's ankle. CRACK—the trip landed perfectly. The Golem staggered, and Kiro drove a fist toward his jaw
BOOM.
The ground punch hit like a seismic blast. The arena floor splintered. The Golem coughed blood, ribs rattling.
Crowd Reaction: Gasps. Then roaring cheers.
Kiro (backflipping away, wary): "Yeah, yeah. Save the applause"
The Golem Rises
The giant laughed, wiping his mouth. Stone skin reknit instantly.
Rock Golem (cracking his neck): "Oof. Good hit."
Then his body SWELLED.
8 feet tall. A living monolith.
Rock Golem (voice grinding like gravel): "Now you see why they call me 'Ultimate Defense'?"
Kiro (eyes narrowing): "Nah. I see why you're broke. Who funds your BABY MOMMAS?"
The Golem slammed a fist into his palm, sending rock shards spraying.
Rock Golem: "Elementals ain't cheap, kid. Only the rich and powerful get to be immortal."
Kiro's Thought (cold realization): …He's not just a fighter. He's someone's property.
Midas the Announcer (laughing over speakers): "Looks like our rookie's facing a corporate-sponsored meatwall! Bet he wishes he paid those taxes now!"
The Golem stood unnaturally still, then ripped two massive boulders from the arena floor with a sickening crack.
Rock Golem (mocking): "Let me educate you, rookie. What's an 'Elemental'? Nothing natural."
He crushed the rocks in his hands, letting the debris trickle between his fingers.
Rock Golem: "With enough credits, you buy a Cube some Alien teck and you crush it. Then? You get one ability. One."
A dark chuckle, like gravel in a tin can.
Rock Golem: "But the real money? Breeding 'em. Generations of tweaked DNA, just to make me."
He slammed his chest, stone skin rippling.
Rock Golem: "They pay good money to keep me around, boy."
Kiro (spitting blood, grinning): "So you're just a lab rat with a fancy collar. Got it."
Midas (howling with laughter): "LAB RAT! That's his new arena name, folks! LAB RAT VS. kiro!"
The crowd erupted "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The Golem's eyes glowed molten red.
Rock Golem (roaring): "I'll bury you in rubble!"
The Golem Hurls Boulders
The Rock Golem launched the first boulder Kiro dodged, the rock exploding into the arena wall behind him.
The second boulder came faster.
Kiro (grinning, gloves glowing faintly): "C'mon, Veyra… you evil witch, don't fail me now."
He pivoted, driving a fist straight into the rock
CRACK.
The boulder shattered mid-air, dust raining down.
Crowd: "OOOOOH!"
Rock Golem (snarling): "Cheap tricks"
Kiro's Counterattack
Kiro weaved in, fists a blur. Every punch sent shockwaves through the Golem's stone armor, splitting fissures across his body.
Kiro (huffing, fists raised): "Y'know… for 'Ultimate Defense'… you chip pretty easy."
Rock Golem (coughing, stone flakes peeling off): "HOW DARE YOU, WORM—"
Midas (laughing): "DAAAAAMN! Kiro just broke his armor with cheap gloves! Even his baby mamas couldn't crack that!"
The Final Blow
The Golem charged, wild and roaring
Kiro ducked, parried, and
Waited.
The Golem overextended, gasping.
Kiro's Moment: One opening. One shot.
He torqued his hips, glove humming
"Sonic Punch."
BOOM.
The supersonic strike caved the Golem's jaw, sending him crashing into the arena floor out cold.
Kiro (wiping sweat, glaring at the unconscious Golem): "These gloves might be cheap… but Veyra's shit's still better than you."
Midas (screaming): "ANOTHER WIN FOR KIRO! And look at that—our 'immortal' Golem's taking a nap! Somebody call his sponsors tell 'em their lab rat just got put down!"
Somewhere in the crowd, a corporate suit slammed their tablet in rage.
gin(walking away, muttering): "Stupid weakling… How dare he lose?"
Kiro tossed Raiji a bloodied grin as he exited the pit. "Good luck."
Raiji cracked his neck, eyes locked on the tunnel ahead. "This guy's weak. One step closer to King Croc."
Announcer Midas' Hype
The gold-suited menace floated into view, mic screeching: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Same beef, fresh meat! Why pick fights with the rich? Because LOSERS LIKE YOU LOVE PAYBACK!"
The screens flashed:
RAIJI "WIND BLADE" vs. TRICKSTER "GUN" MARVIN
Midas fake-sobbed: "We all know Marvin cheats but tonight? He brought TWO hidden pistols! Let's hear it for NEOPOLITAN SLIME!"
Cage Entrance
Marvin slunk in, twirling a revolver click-click the barrel split into three.
Raiji drew his sword. No banter. No smirk.
Midas screamed: "FIGHT!"
Marvin fired.
Raiji vanished.
Raiji reappears like a gust of wind, his blade flashing in a horizontal slash—but Marvin blocks effortlessly, smirking.
Marvin: "Too slow."
In the same breath, his free hand draws his pistol and fires! Raiji deflects the bullet, sparks flying as steel meets lead.
Raiji (coldly): "Straight to both hands, huh?"
Marvin (grinning): "Don't get me wrong. You're not giving me a reason to go all out."
Raiji retaliates
Slide-cancels backward,
Instantly lunges forward with a reverse slash!
But Marvin anticipates it, leaping back while unsheathing his own blade mid-air.
BOOM!
Marvin triggers an explosion between them smoke billows
Marvin lands, and
Quick-draws his pistol.
Unloads multiple shots in rapid succession!