Kiro used his own arms as bounce pads, leaping off one, then ricocheting to the opposite wall like a hyper-accelerated pinball. He was a blur of motion, a storm of fists aimed to overwhelm.
But Torsten stopped merely reacting. He stopped seeing just a fast enemy.
He remembered.
ATLAS's voice, calm and steady in the training yard: "Stop trying to see the punch, kid. See the fighter. If you focus enough, you can feel the fight. You can predict where your enemy will be."
TORSTEN closed his eyes for a split second. He smelled the charged air, felt the rhythm of the rain splashing on the canvas. He didn't look for Kiro; he looked for the void Kiro left in his wake the space where the raindrops were somehow not hitting.
There. A fraction of a second in the future.
He didn't aim for where Kiro was, but for where he was going to be.
He swung his fist, not in a wild haymaker, but with the precise, brutal economy of a piston.
CRACK!
His fist connected perfectly with Kiro's face as the younger man blurred into the predicted space. The impact sent Kiro flying backward.
Without a moment's hesitation, Torsten leaped, grabbed Kiro's leg mid-air, and with a grunt of effort, hurled him like a javelin high into the air
While in mid-air, Kiro fought the rush of wind whipping at his face, forcing his eyes shut. He flipped himself, found his bearings, and used the downward momentum to become a human comet. He aimed everything his body, his will, his remaining strength into one final, decisive punch.
Below, Torsten planted his feet, gathering the last dregs of his power into his own fist.
They met in the center of the arena.
BOOM.
A huge shockwave erupted outwards, electricity crackling in the air around them—ZZZZT! The force was too much. With a sharp BANG, Kiro's shock glove shattered into pieces, but the concussive force still managed to push Torsten back a crucial step.
Seeing the opening, Kiro pressed his last advantage: an uppercut, a swift kick to the gut, a roundhouse to the leg, and a desperate flurry of blows to the face, the last few sparks of electricity stinging Torsten's skin.
But Torsten endured. He weathered the storm, and with a guttural roar, he chambered his other arm.
TORSTEN: "KING... PUNCH!"
He delivered a blow that was the pure, undiluted essence of his power. It connected with Kiro's chest with the sound of a cannon shot, lifting the young man off his feet and sending him flying across the arena to crash down in a heap.
Kiro was down.
TORSTEN: (Doubled over, hands on his knees, huffing heavy, ragged breaths) "Huff... Huuuff..."
MIDAS: (Over the loudspeaker, voice triumphant) "KIRO IS DOWN! THIS MUST BE IT! THE KING REIGNS!"
TORSTEN: (Snarling, cutting him off) "DON'T... get involved... or I'll come up there and beat you MYSELF."
Just then, the V5 in his system finally wore off. The effect was immediate. His massive size receded, his scales softened and retracted, leaving him back in his base form, looking utterly spent.
Across the arena, Kiro stirred. Pushing himself up with a monumental effort, his body was a canvas of small cuts that slowly began to burn themselves closed. He stood, huffing heavy breaths, his body screaming in protest.
KIRO: "One... more blow. It's... all I've got left."
TORSTEN: (Nodding slowly, respect in his weary eyes) "Sure. If you get me down... you win. I'm at my last, too."
Kiro ripped the shattered remnants of his shock gloves off, tossing them aside. Both men stood, swaying but unyielding. Kiro settled into his stance, gathering the very last of his ki, his fist glowing with an unstable, dangerous energy.
TORSTEN: "Is it me... or have you gotten stronger? Anyway... I'll give you my best."
He reared back, but this time, he brought both of his massive hands together, intending to crush Kiro's head between them like a nut. The move was called the Double King Punch a final, merciless execution.
They didn't charge. There was no more energy for flamboyance. They simply stepped into each other's space, a final, mutual agreement for a decisive end.
As Torsten's colossal hands came in like a vice from above, Kiro didn't try to dodge. He committed everything forward, unleashing his own ultimate technique straight upward.
" SUPER PUNCH!"
Kiro's fist, a concentrated blast of raw strength met the center of Torsten's descending hands.
A shockwave of pure force erupted outwards.
Torsten's crushing motion was halted, the bones in his own hands vibrating from the impact. The force Kiro had unleashed traveled up his arms and into his core, expelling the air from his lungs in a single, violent gust.
But the momentum of Kiro's world-ending punch didn't stop there. It carried upward, connecting squarely with Torsten's jaw and head.
A sickening crack echoed through the suddenly silent arena.
TORSTEN fell backward, his body crashing onto the canvas with a heavy, final thud. His eyes were closed.
KIRO... stood, his punching arm hanging limp and shattered at his side. He was a mess, but he was standing. He had weathered the storm and delivered the one blow that mattered.
MIDAS: (Slamming his fists on the railing) "It... it can't be!"
But his protest was drowned out.
It started as a whisper, then built into a thunderous roar that shook the very foundations of the arena.
THE CROWD: "NEW! CHAMPION! NEW! CHAMPION! NEW! CHAMPION!"
Defeated, his empire crumbling before his eyes, Midas could only turn and walk away, his face a mask of pure, incandescent rage.
MEANWHILE - VEYRA'S APARTMENT
VEYRA and RAIJI watched the screen as the final blow landed and the crowd erupted.
RAIJI: "So. You want to go meet the new champ? And maybe get some payback on Midas?"
VEYRA: (A fierce, determined light in her eyes) "Sure. I'll give him a punch or two. And I need to see if Torsten is okay."
They left, moving with a new sense of purpose.
AT THE MEDBAY
The same doctor from before was patching Kiro up, his expression sour. "Not you again," he grumbled.
KIRO: (Wincing as a wound is stitched) "Fix King Croc up, too."
THE DOC: "There's a rule. Midas made it. No medical support for losers. Raiji was a one-time exception."
Kiro fixed the doctor with a cold stare, the aura of the new champion radiating from him. "I am the new champ. You tell Midas he can kick rocks, or he can see my fist in his face. Or... would you like to be the example?"
The doctor paled. "N-no, Champ! Not a problem. Sorry!"
Kiro left, the sounds of Torsten finally receiving medical care following him out.
THE OFFICE
Midas was on the comms. "New Champ. My office. Now."
Kiro walked in, the gold and opulence feeling cheap. Midas gestured to a gaudy golden seat. "Have a seat, Champ."
Kiro sat. Midas moved behind him and started to massage his shoulders, a possessive, controlling gesture.
MIDAS: "Yes... slave work. But it builds character."
Kiro could see the simmering anger in Midas's eyes in the reflection of a golden plaque.
MIDAS: "Your rank-up payment is 500k. Don't worry about your 'owed' money from before. I've decided to forgive it. If you become my attack dog. You'll get a house in the sky-scraper district. You'll get to go out."
KIRO: (Not even looking at him) "I've got a better offer. One that will prevent any... loss of money."
MIDAS: "Ooh, I like this. What do you mean by 'loss'?"
KIRO: "Oh, you should care. Because if you don't accept, you'll pay big, and you'll be broke. Very soon. So here's the deal: you leave Veyra alone. All of us. We got peace. If not... I'll throw you out of this room. I might have lied about the 'throwing' part."
MIDAS: (His composure finally breaking) "You little! Just because you're champ now, I am still your boss! Now, why do you think King Croc never crossed the line? He knew who I knew! And that girl... she's weak!"
CRACK-BOOM!
Kiro's fist moved in a blur. He didn't just punch Midas; he punched him through two solid walls. Midas landed in a heap of drywall and splintered wood in the adjacent room.
Kiro stood over the wreckage. "Watch your mouth. Think of my offer."
Midas groaned, his skin shimmering with its unnatural gold hue. He was down, humiliated in his own domain.
Kiro didn't wait for a reply. He simply turned and left, the new, unchallenged King of the arena.
CURRENT BANK BALANCE UPDATED: KIRO
31,000 (Savings) + 200,000 (bountys) + 400,000 (VESPER gift) + 500,000 (Champion's pay)
RESULT: 1,131,000 Credits
The number glowed on his comm device. It was more money than he had ever dreamed of. It wasn't just a number; it was a key.
He stepped out of the arena's main gate, the neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement. Veyra and Raiji were waiting for him.
RAIJI: "What's up, Champion? I'm all healed. A few upgrades new ribs and two modification slots. I'm still deciding, but I'm thinking speed."
VEYRA: (Her arms crossed, a worried look on her face) "You did it... but he might still go back to working for Midas. He's all he's known for years."
KIRO: "Don't worry. He won't. I taught Midas a permanent lesson." He looked straight at Veyra, a confident smile on his face. "And you're not staying here anymore. We're going to the outside world. I've got enough for a ship to get us out of here."
VEYRA: Her pragmatic side kicked in instantly. "But how? We can't leave without an exit license, the permits... I think I know a way to forge them, but I can't just go"
KIRO: (His voice soft but firm, leaving no room for argument) "I won't take 'no.' Especially not when it's your goal. Your childhood dream." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "I heard about it from your brother. And you're not going to be left out of the picture. Your brother will be free."
The carefully constructed walls around Veyra's heart crumbled. The brilliant, guarded strategist was gone, replaced by the young girl who once dreamed of seeing what was beyond the walls. Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped forward and pulled Kiro into a tight hug.
VEYRA: (Voice muffled against his shoulder) "Thank you."
They followed Veyra to the medbay where her brother was recovering. Both Kiro and Raiji waited outside, giving them space.
Just then, Doc Brown arrived, his medical kit in hand.
DOC BROWN: "What's up, boys? I got a call from Veyra. Said the in-house docs are being garbage with their picky rules."
KIRO: "He's okay. But it's best to wait out here. They're... having a moment."
INSIDE THE MEDBAY
VEYRA: "Torsten... how are you? You lost against Kiro. It was a pretty good match."
TORSTEN: (Voice groggy but clear) "I'm okay... So, who is he? Is he your boyfriend?"
VEYRA: (A blush instantly spreading across her cheeks) "No! Never him. Nope. He's just a good friend. No one important... only if you could remember."
TORSTEN: A genuine, relieved smile touched his lips. "Phew. That's a close one. You know you have to have my approval."
VEYRA: (Smiling back, her voice softening) "So... don't go back to working for Midas, please. I'll be leaving soon, so don't worry. And it's not your fault. I can finally take a break from the shop, from working so hard for us both. Kiro invited me... because it's my goal."
TORSTEN: "Good for you, sis"
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
The heart monitor erupted in a frantic, high-pitched whine. Torsten's eyes widened as he clutched his chest, his face contorting in pain.
TORSTEN: "It's... my heart..."
VEYRA: (Her own heart freezing in terror) "DOCTOR!"
The door slammed open as Doc Brown rushed in, his professional calm snapping into place as he assessed the crisis.