Sanctuary

In the sprawling expanse of the Sanctuary, a vast field stretched out before them, bathed in the soft glow of twilight. Setchi, Oto, Gisei, Toi, Sai, and two others stood scattered across the open space, each figure occupying their own corner of the arena. Setchi and Oto stood side by side, their presence a silent alliance amidst the gathering tension. Toi and Sai mirrored their companions, standing in solidarity, while Gisei stood alone, his demeanor radiating defiance. Beside him, two additional figures awaited their fate—one adorned in a rugged ensemble of brown leather and denim, while the other knelt upon all fours, his visage concealed beneath a menacing helmet.

A voice resonated from above, echoing across the field with an air of authority. "Oi! I'm Choque," it declared, its tone brimming with energy, "your substitute for today. I can't show myself in person, but I might as well tell you my name! I've been instructed by your teacher Vant to put you specific six people into an arena to fight it out in teams."

Gisei's voice pierced the air, sharp with skepticism. "Teams? I have nobody I trust," he declared, his words tinged with a hint of defiance.

"And nobody asked you to say that!" Choque retorted, his voice laced with amusement. "But hey, now that you told me, we're gonna bring in our surprise guests to help you out!!!"

"I don't need help!" Gisei protested vehemently, his resolve unwavering.

"Did he say I need help?" Choque teased, seizing upon Gisei's protestation with gleeful abandon.

"No!" Gisei shouted, his frustration palpable.

"He even yelled yes! Bring in the people," Choque proclaimed, undeterred by Gisei's protests.

"People?" Gisei muttered, his gaze narrowing in suspicion.

Suddenly, two new arrivals materialized beside Gisei, their presence casting a shadow of uncertainty over the gathering. Seabi, adorned in contrasting black and white attire, exuded an aura of disdain, while Corse, his features obscured by a formidable helmet, emanated an aura of silent menace.

"I hate this. I hate you all," Seabi muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Oh SHIT, them bitches finna kill us!!!" Toi exclaimed, his voice tinged with fear.

"What..." Sai began, his eyes widening in recognition. "I recognize those bozos, they're from M.A.G.I.C!"

"Wait... like the ones that destroyed my village?" Sai questioned, a note of disbelief creeping into his voice.

"Yeah!" Toi confirmed, his expression grim.

"You're saying all of this out loud, DUMBASS!!!" Corse snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Yeah, these guys have been drafted into our army. They agreed to working for us," Choque explained, his tone tinged with satisfaction.

"I'm the one who did all of the paperwork!" Seabi interjected, her annoyance palpable.

Yawn Sounds like a whole lot of complaining," Corse remarked, his indifference cutting through the tension.

"Are you mocking me, Choque? Putting me with two other people? I can take out everyone here. Giving me the upper hand is just overkill at this point," Gisei challenged, his voice laced with arrogance.

"The more, the merrier!" Choque replied cheerfully, unfazed by Gisei's bravado.

Gisei's gaze shifted to Setchi, seeking affirmation or perhaps a hint of camaraderie. However, he was met with a surprising sight—Setchi and Oto, engaged in a game of tic-tac-toe on a small piece of paper, their attention diverted from the impending confrontation unfolding around them.

Setchi's frustration bubbled over as Oto claimed victory once again in their impromptu game of tic-tac-toe. "Dammit, you got me again!" he exclaimed, his tone a mix of irritation and admiration.

"Yeah, because you don't even try to block my three-in-a-rows," Oto retorted, a smug grin playing on his lips.

"But I wanna build my own—" Setchi began, only to be interrupted by a sharp call from across the field.

"Setchi!!!" a voice barked, cutting through the playful banter.

"Shut up, you," Oto snapped back, his annoyance evident. "Setchi has already dealt with enough puzzles today. You would be the easiest. Aim for the face."

"Wha—hey..." the leather-clad figure muttered, his protest drowned out by Toi's boisterous approach.

"Hey, big guy!... and crazy guy," Toi called out, his voice ringing across the field.

"Talking to me!?" the leather-clad man questioned, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah! My friend is kinda new around here," Toi explained, gesturing towards Sai.

"And?" the man challenged, his demeanor bordering on hostility.

"And he's gonna beat your ass," Toi declared boldly, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Sai's discomfort was palpable as he squirmed under the weight of Toi's bravado. "Toi..." he whispered, his voice tinged with apprehension.

"He's gonna wind up," Toi continued, oblivious to Sai's distress.

"Huh," Sai murmured, his anxiety mounting.

"And he's gonna punch the hell out of your face!!!" Toi proclaimed with gusto, his enthusiasm infectious.

Sai let out a small squeal of panic, his worst fears realized as the situation escalated before his eyes.

"Oh, is that so?" the leather-clad man countered, his smirk widening as he sized up his opponents.

"Yes!" Toi affirmed, his confidence unwavering.

"No," Sai whispered, his voice barely audible over the din of the battlefield.

"If I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Rukyoi Totewai, and this is my lackey Kemonoka Hyakusencho. We're the people that will kill you... What's your name?" Rukyoi inquired, his tone dripping with menace.

"Sai... Umareru," Sai replied, his voice shaky with apprehension.

"Sai Umareru," Rukyoi repeated, his gaze lingering on Sai with a predatory intensity.

Sai turned to Toi, his expression a mixture of panic and frustration. "What... have you done!? I can't fight. I haven't even learned the capabilities of whatever is on my head," he hissed, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Don't worry, I'll be at your funeral," Toi quipped, his grin widening in anticipation.

"What—" Sai began, his protest cut short by Choque's commanding voice.

"OK EVERYBODY, SOCIALIZING IS UP! Last team standing, wins. GO!" Choque announced, his words signaling the start of the impending battle.

Sai's protests fell on deaf ears as Toi swiftly maneuvered them into action. With a swift motion, Toi summoned his motorcycle, seizing Sai and propelling them both into the fray with a reckless abandon that left Sai clinging to him for dear life.

Setchi and Gisei danced through the sky, their movements a blur of speed and precision. Each strike was met with a resounding clash, echoing across the battlefield as they fought with unmatched intensity.

"I guess I gotta beat you two," Oto remarked, his voice tinged with determination as he prepared to join the fray.

Seabi's voice cut through the air like a blade. "Tsuki No Ono!!!" he called out, his command echoing with authority. In an instant, Corse transformed into his weapon form, seamlessly melding into Seabi's grasp.

"Hah, neat," Oto remarked casually, unfazed by the sudden transformation.

With a concentrated effort, Oto summoned a pulsating green ball of focus energy, its power crackling in the air with raw intensity.

"Oh no you don't!" Seabi countered, his resolve unwavering as he prepared to intercept the impending attack.

But despite his best efforts, Seabi found himself outmatched. The beam of focus energy pierced through his defenses with alarming ease, striking him square in the face and sending him hurtling to the ground with a resounding thud.

As Seabi struggled to recover, Oto closed in with blinding speed, his fist wreathed in crackling focus magic. With a swift motion, he delivered a devastating blow, sending Seabi flying across the battlefield with staggering force.

"What the hell is this guy doing?" Seabi muttered to himself, his mind racing to devise a strategy against his formidable opponent.

"I don't know, but you're losing, Seabi," Corse's voice echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of their precarious situation.

"I can't lose now," Seabi resolved, his determination burning bright. "So I'll have to use the ability. Didn't get to use it last time, and I got completely screwed over."

"Yeah, use it now!" Corse encouraged, his words spurring Seabi into action.

"Ability 4: Dying Moon," Seabi declared, his voice tinged with urgency as his weapon began to glow with an ethereal light, growing three times in size before his eyes.

"This is the closest thing we have to an awakening. Stack this with Nam, and we'll be good," Seabi thought to himself, his mind racing with possibilities as he tapped into his hidden reserves of power.

With a surge of determination, Seabi activated his Nam ability, his entire being pulsating with newfound strength.

"Woah, you two changed a lot within that two-minute time span," Oto remarked, his voice tinged with surprise as he observed Seabi's transformation.

"Hah, neat?" Seabi retorted, his confidence restored as he prepared to unleash his newfound power.

"Grudge holding, huh," Oto mused, his eyes narrowing in anticipation.

"Hold this! Skill 1: Blood Slash!!!" Seabi exclaimed, his voice ringing with authority as he unleashed a torrent of crimson magic, its power swirling with untamed fury.

"Woah, woah, woah..." Oto's voice cut through the chaos, his hands instinctively reaching out to grab hold of the crimson slash hurtling towards him.

"Why won't my focus work!?" Oto exclaimed, his frustration palpable as he struggled against the force of Seabi's attack.

"Once my weapon is in its Dying Moon form, it repels all energy types—mana, life energy, even souls. It can literally cut through any attack," Seabi explained calmly, his gaze unwavering as he watched the unfolding confrontation.

"So you have some sort of anti-magic? That's bullshit," Oto retorted, his voice laced with disbelief.

"I know. Now, explode!" Seabi commanded, his words ringing with authority as he unleashed the full force of his power.

"Wait, no, no, NO NO NO NO N—" Oto's protests were cut short as the slash erupted into a blinding explosion, sending him crashing to the ground with a resounding thud, his head firmly planted into the earth.

"Seabi, pluck him out of the ground like a carrot!" Corse urged, his voice echoing in Seabi's mind.

"I'll cut him up like one too!" Seabi replied with a hint of dark humor, his determination unyielding as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

Oto extracted his head from the earth, his glare piercing through the chaos with a ferocity that sent a shiver down Seabi's spine.

"Woah, gave me a shiver down my spine," Seabi muttered to himself, his focus momentarily faltering under the weight of Oto's intense gaze.

"Don't let him distract you, go for the win, Seabi!!!" Corse's voice snapped Seabi back to attention, his resolve reignited as he refocused on the task at hand.

"I don't think I can beat these guys with just brute strength alone. I need some sort of strategy to get around their energy negation ability," Oto pondered silently, his mind racing with possibilities.

As he surveyed the battlefield, Oto's gaze fell upon his injured hands, the large gashes serving as a grim reminder of the challenges ahead.

"My hands are pretty much gonna fall off if I try something as stupid as grabbing one of their attacks again. Wait, that gives me a good idea," Oto mused, a plan forming in his mind.

"He looks like a confused old man. You sure you didn't just knock the brain cells out of him!?" Corse quipped, his sarcasm cutting through the tension.

"I hope not. I don't want to get into any legal issues with the Negative Point now," Seabi replied with a hint of amusement, his focus returning to the battle at hand.

With a swift motion, Oto dug one hand into the earth, scooping up a handful of dirt before hurling it at Seabi with surprising speed and accuracy.

"Dude..." Seabi exclaimed, caught off guard by the unexpected attack.

As the dirt collided with Seabi's outstretched hand, it seemed to defy all logic, tearing through his defenses with ease and leaving behind a trail of bloody wounds.

"Ah, what the hell!?" Seabi cried out in pain, sinking to his knees as he clutched his injured hand, his resolve faltering in the face of this unforeseen assault.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" Seabi roared in frustration, his gaze fixed on the pile of dirt now tinged with a malevolent green energy.

"BaaaaSTAAAAARD!!!" Seabi's voice reverberated across the battlefield as he turned to face his unseen assailant.

But before he could react, Oto vanished from his sight, leaving Seabi bewildered.

"Where did he go?..." Seabi muttered, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of his opponent.

"SEABI, BEHIND YOU!!!" Corse's warning came too late as Oto's foot connected with the back of Seabi's head, sending him staggering forward and his weapon spiraling into the air.

"Dammit! I guess I have to do this myself!" Corse grumbled as he abandoned his weapon form, his right hand remaining as the head of the hatchet.

"With Dying Moon on, this hand is extremely heavy..." Corse noted, his gaze fixed on the descending figure of Oto.

"Whew!" Oto breathed a sigh of relief as he glanced upward, only to find Corse hurtling towards him with lethal intent.

"Oh shit," Oto muttered, his instincts kicking into overdrive as he braced himself for the impending impact.

With a swift motion, Corse slashed across Oto's chest, drawing blood with a single decisive stroke. But Oto refused to go down without a fight, seizing Corse's arm in a vice-like grip.

"I'm taking you out too!!!" Oto declared, his voice dripping with determination as he imbued his other arm with focus energy, preparing to strike.

In a split-second decision, Oto brought his arm down with lethal force, the impact knocking Corse unconscious in an instant.

"I got two people at once? Awesome!" Oto exclaimed triumphantly, his victory echoing across the battlefield.

"Seabi and Corse have been eliminated," Choque's voice echoed across the arena, signaling the end of the confrontation.

"WHAT!?" Setchi exclaimed in disbelief, his hopes dashed by the sudden turn of events.

"Yeah, he asked to eliminate himself. He told me that he was too injured to continue," Choque explained, his tone tinged with amusement.

"Classic Oto..." Setchi muttered, shaking his head in resignation.

Meanwhile, Toi continued his playful taunting, riding circles around Rukyoi and Kemonoka with reckless abandon.

"When are you wimps gonna attack?" Toi taunted, his grin widening with each passing moment.

"Kemonoka..." Rukyoi's voice was low, his gaze fixed on their unpredictable foe.

With a grunt of effort, Kemonoka tore a large chunk of the ground, hurling it at Toi and Sai with deadly accuracy.

"TOOOOOOI!!!" Sai cried out in alarm as Toi reacted swiftly, pulling over and leaping off the motorcycle, narrowly avoiding the incoming projectile.

Toi's decisive command cut through the tension, his determination clear as he charged towards Kemonoka with unwavering resolve.

"Alright, Sai! I take the crazy one, you take the upright one!" Toi called out, his voice filled with confidence as he directed Sai to their respective opponents.

"B—" Sai's protest was cut short as Toi sprinted into action, leaving Sai to face Rukyoi alone.

"Toi..." Sai whispered, a sense of unease settling over him as he watched his friend engage in battle.

"Hey, I'll let you get the first punch!" Rukyoi offered casually, his movements measured as he approached Sai with an air of confidence.

"You heard that?..." Sai questioned, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he weighed his options.

"Yeah, so do you take my offer?" Rukyoi prompted, his gaze fixed on Sai with a mix of anticipation and amusement.

"I have no other choice, so..." Sai conceded reluctantly, his resolve wavering as he prepared to engage his formidable opponent.

With a determined wind-up, Sai delivered a powerful punch aimed squarely at Rukyoi's chest. But to his dismay, the blow seemed to have little effect, the force of it dissipating against Rukyoi's unyielding form.

"What a waste..." Rukyoi remarked dismissively, his own retaliation swift and brutal as he struck Sai with enough force to send him sprawling to the ground.

"Sai! AAAAH!" Sai cried out in pain, the impact leaving him reeling as blood filled his mouth.

"Don't let that blood just sit there! Spit it out before you choke," Rukyoi advised casually, his tone laced with a strange mixture of concern and disdain.

Sai complied, turning his head to expel the blood from his mouth as he struggled to regain his composure.

"You're such a... Ugh," Rukyoi muttered, his frustration evident as he loomed over Sai's prone form.

"If you're gonna finish me, at least do it with a cool attack," Sai suggested weakly, a glimmer of defiance in his eyes.

"A cool attack?" Rukyoi echoed, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah?" Sai prompted, his gaze fixed on his opponent with a mixture of anticipation and desperation.

"Well, I..." Rukyoi hesitated, his uncertainty palpable as he struggled to come up with a response.

"...I don't know any attacks," Rukyoi admitted sheepishly, his confession bringing a momentary pause to the confrontation.

"Really?" Sai's surprise was evident, his expectations dashed by Rukyoi's admission.

"The only attack we have on our team is Kemonoka. I'm just here to support him," Rukyoi explained, his tone tinged with resignation.

Sai's gaze drifted towards Toi and Kemonoka, where Toi's nimble evasion contrasted sharply with Kemonoka's relentless assault.

"Don't worry, Sai. I'll finish him when you finish your fight," Toi called out confidently, his words a reassuring promise amidst the chaos.

"Toi, you idiot," Sai mumbled under his breath, a mixture of frustration and gratitude welling within him as he grappled with the daunting challenge before him.

"What's this you have on your head?" Rukyoi's sudden question snapped Sai back to attention, his hand reaching out to grasp one of the tags adorning Sai's head, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

"This one says burn," Rukyoi observed, his voice tinged with surprise as he examined the tag adorning Sai's head.

"I don't—" Sai began, but before he could finish his sentence, Rukyoi tore off the tag, triggering a sudden explosion of fire that engulfed them both.

"What the!?" Rukyoi exclaimed, his senses reeling from the unexpected blast.

Unfazed by the flames, Sai stood tall amidst the inferno, his form surrounded by an aura of fiery energy, his eyes ablaze with a fierce yellow glow.

"I FEEL SO STRONG!!!" Sai declared triumphantly, his voice ringing with newfound confidence.

"You're on fire!" Rukyoi observed, his astonishment evident as he watched Sai's transformation unfold.

"Now that this has happened, I know what my tag does! The burn tag gives me unlimited energy and also removes certain limitations from my body, like fear and such. It also allows me to use magic!!!" Sai explained eagerly, his words flowing with an almost manic energy.

"How do you know all of this?" Rukyoi questioned, his confusion deepening with each revelation.

"The tags told me!!!" Sai exclaimed, his demeanor shifting between excitement and determination.

As quickly as it had appeared, Sai's fiery aura dissipated, leaving him standing amidst the smoldering aftermath of the explosion.

"There's a time limit of 20 seconds though..." Sai added, his tone more subdued as he touched the top of his head.

"And I have to wait 40 seconds for it to come back..." he continued, his voice trailing off as he contemplated the limitations of his newfound power.

"Uhm... I'm out of here!!!" Rukyoi declared hastily, turning on his heel and making a beeline for the exit.

"Hey!" Sai called out, his voice a mixture of frustration and determination as he watched his opponent flee.

Without hesitation, Sai ripped off the tag on his head labeled "shock," triggering a sudden bolt of lightning that struck him with immense force. But instead of succumbing to the electricity, Sai channeled the energy, redirecting it into a powerful projectile that surged from his hand and struck Rukyoi squarely in the back, causing him to collapse.

"The shock tag allows me to use lightning for one attack, and it takes 10 seconds to regrow... the more I train these abilities, the longer I can use them, and the more effective they become..." Sai explained calmly, his gaze fixed on his fallen opponent.

"Nice! You beat him! I told you that you could beat him!" Toi exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration as he approached Sai.

"He didn't beat me, yet..." Rukyoi's voice cut through the air like a blade, his tone filled with ominous intent.

Sai and Toi gasped in unison, their senses on high alert as they braced themselves for Rukyoi's next move.

"Moon Magic: Fake Moon..." Rukyoi intoned, his voice echoing with dark power as he unleashed a ball of white magic into the sky, its glow illuminating the battlefield with an eerie light.

"What are you doing?" Toi's voice cut through the chaos, his tone laced with confusion as he watched Kemonoka's transformation unfold.

"Wait, don't tell me that he's a—" Toi's words trailed off as Kemonoka's form continued to shift, his body swelling with newfound power.

Kemonoka began to glow, the air around him crackling with energy, before finally erupting in a blinding explosion of light. When the glare faded, Kemonoka stood before them, transformed into a massive werewolf with thick grey fur, glowing red eyes, and razor-sharp teeth and claws.

"That is so cool," Toi remarked in awe, his admiration cut short as Kemonoka swiftly sliced him in half with a single brutal swipe.

"GAH!" Toi cried out in pain, his form cleaved cleanly in two as he collapsed to the ground.

"Toi!" Sai's voice rang out in alarm, his eyes widening in horror at the sight before him.

"I'm fine. But I do need some repairs so..." Toi's words were cut short as Choque's announcement echoed across the battlefield.

"TOI HAS BEEN ELIMINATED," Choque declared, his voice carrying a finality that sent a chill down Sai's spine.

"Ah..." Sai's response was a quiet murmur of resignation as he processed the loss of his friend.

Meanwhile, Rukyoi wasted no time in springing back into action, invoking a healing spell to mend his injuries.

"Kemonoka, get him!" Rukyoi commanded, his voice filled with urgency as he directed his monstrous companion towards Sai.

Sai's mind raced with possibilities as he assessed the situation, his thoughts consumed by the burning need to emerge victorious.

What do I do now? My burn tag only works for 20 seconds. Can I take them out in 20 seconds? Sai pondered, his eyes flickering with determination as he weighed his options.

With a decisive motion, Sai ripped off his burn tag, engulfing himself in flames as he entered his burning state, his resolve burning brighter than ever.

"Kemonoka!" Rukyoi called out, prompting the werewolf to unleash a deafening roar that reverberated across the battlefield.

Undeterred, Sai formed a protective barrier with his arms, deflecting the wave of sound with ease as he charged towards his towering adversary.

"What?!" Rukyoi exclaimed in disbelief as Sai closed the distance between them, launching a relentless barrage of punches and kicks at Kemonoka's chest.

With lightning speed, Sai leaped into the air, delivering a punishing blow to Kemonoka's face before delivering a final, devastating strike to the creature's skull, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Healing Magic—" Rukyoi began, but before he could finish his incantation, Sai was upon him, delivering a powerful kick that sent him hurtling into a nearby rock with bone-crushing force.

Meanwhile, Setchi and Gisei continued their fierce battle, Setchi dodging flaming shuriken with practiced agility as he sought to gain the upper hand.

"Wait, Gisei!" Setchi called out, his voice a mixture of urgency and determination as he addressed his opponent.

"What?" Gisei responded, his gaze fixed on Setchi with a steely determination.

"That kid over there seems strong," Setchi observed, his eyes flickering towards Sai's ongoing skirmish.

"I know. After I'm done with you, I'll take care of him," Gisei declared, his confidence unwavering as he prepared to press his advantage.

"Or, I fight him, and we can have a 1v1 later," Setchi suggested, his tone laced with the promise of a fair duel.

"Fine, but just know, I don't like waiting," Gisei warned, his expression hardening as he accepted Setchi's challenge.

"It won't take that long," Setchi assured him, his resolve unwavering as he ignited himself with blue flames and leaped high into the air, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Meanwhile, Sai's keen senses picked up on a distant rumbling, his instincts urging him to take action. With lightning-fast reflexes, he ripped off his shock tag, channeling the energy of the lightning bolt that struck him moments before.

As a massive blue fireball hurtled towards him, Sai channeled the lightning through his feet, propelling himself away from the impending explosion just in time. The ground erupted in flames as the fireball made contact, but Sai emerged unscathed, his resolve burning brighter than ever as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"YO-SHA!!!" Setchi's voice reverberated through the flames as he stood defiantly in the center of the fiery arena.

"I'm here to request a fight!" he declared boldly, his eyes gleaming with determination.

Sai responded in kind, ripping off his burn tag and igniting himself with fiery energy, his form engulfed in a blazing inferno.

"That looks SO COOL!!!" Setchi exclaimed in admiration, his excitement palpable as he prepared to face his opponent head-on.

Sai lunged towards Setchi with lightning speed, his fists blazing with fiery energy. But Setchi was ready, evading Sai's punch with ease before seizing his throat in a vice-like grip. With a swift motion, Setchi tossed Sai into the air and delivered a powerful blow to his chest, sending him hurtling skyward and knocking him out of his fiery form.

I won't lose this! Sai vowed silently, his determination unwavering as he ripped off his shock tag, summoning a bolt of lightning to strike him before unleashing a powerful bolt of his own at Setchi.

Setchi caught the bolt with casual ease, redirecting it back towards Sai with precision. The lightning struck Sai squarely in the chest, causing him to slump unconscious to the ground.

"Sai has been eliminated, leaving only three people!" Choque announced, his voice echoing across the arena.

Setchi and Gisei exchanged a glance of determination, their focus shifting to the final challenger who had just arrived.

"Who is this guy?" Gisei questioned, eyeing the newcomer warily.

"I am Heunae," the newcomer introduced himself calmly, his demeanor exuding confidence as he prepared to face his opponents.

"I'll take care of him!" Setchi declared, launching himself into the air with lightning speed to confront Heunae head-on.

"BY GODS HAND, TAKE THIS!!! SUPER. BALL." Setchi unleashed a powerful magical attack, but Heunae effortlessly deflected it with a gesture, causing it to explode in mid-air.

"What!" Setchi exclaimed in surprise, his confidence momentarily shaken by Heunae's swift counter.

"Those inmates taught me a little something," Heunae remarked casually, his gaze steady as he prepared to engage Setchi in combat.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Heunae delivered a powerful punch that connected squarely with Setchi's head, sending him tumbling to the ground in a daze.

"Setchi you fool!" Gisei exclaimed, his frustration evident as he watched his ally fall.

Determined to turn the tide of battle, Gisei charged towards Heunae, his mind racing with strategies and tactics to overcome his formidable opponent.

"What did he just do?" Gisei wondered, his senses on high alert as he prepared to face Heunae's next move.

Heunae unleashed a flurry of punches, each strike imbued with incredible force and precision. But Gisei was ready, dodging each blow with practiced skill and determination.

"Your hopes are gone now!" Gisei declared confidently, his resolve unwavering as he prepared to turn the tables on his opponent.

With a sudden burst of speed, Gisei halted in his tracks and seized Heunae's fist as it ricocheted towards him, his grip firm and unwavering as he prepared to launch his own counterattack.

Gisei's mind raced as he observed Heunae's extraordinary abilities, his keen senses detecting the subtle distortions in the air surrounding them.

"I would ask about how your arms are stretching like this but..." Gisei began, his gaze sweeping the arena as he formulated a plan. "Now that I look around, I can sense that you have an entire dome of bouncy air things around us, which gives me a good idea."

Heunae nodded, his expression unreadable. "Make it quick."

With determination burning in his eyes, Gisei leaped into one of Heunae's air directions, using the buoyant force to propel himself around the dome with incredible speed. He bounced from surface to surface, moving with such agility and precision that he became nearly invisible to the naked eye.

"Don't do what I think you're about to do," Heunae warned, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.

But Gisei was already descending from above, his fist poised to strike.

"I'll punch you!" Gisei declared, his voice filled with determination as he unleashed his attack.

However, just as his fist made contact with Heunae, Gisei's arm crumbled beneath the force of the impact, sending waves of agony coursing through his body.

"AAAAAAH!!!" Gisei cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground in defeat.

Heunae regarded his fallen opponent with a sense of resignation, acknowledging the futility of further combat.

"Hm, I surrender," he declared calmly, his gaze fixed on Gisei as he extended a hand in a gesture of peace.

Choque's voice echoed through the arena, announcing the unexpected turn of events.

"Wait really, you could win here!" Choque exclaimed, his surprise evident in his tone.

But Heunae remained resolute in his decision.

"I only participated in this, to earn my freedom and have a new fresh start," Heunae explained, his words carrying a weight of sincerity.

With the declaration of Heunae's surrender, Gisei emerged as the victor, his triumph tinged with a sense of disbelief and exhaustion.

"How...How dare he make a fool of me," Gisei muttered bitterly, his strength waning as he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Heunae offered a quiet reassurance as Gisei drifted into sleep, a silent acknowledgment of the trials they had both faced in the arena.