Match for the Ages

The sun danced upon the crystal-clear waters of Risa's white sandy beaches, casting a mesmerizing sparkle across the tranquil scene. Above, a cloudless blue sky stretched to meet the horizon, framing the pristine beauty of the tropical paradise. Ancient ruins of granite and marble, shrouded in lush vines and dense jungle foliage, formed the backdrop for the impending showdown.

Amidst this idyllic setting, Anzyl materialized at one end of the square stone platform, reminiscent of a chessboard with its alternating black granite and white marble squares. He stood relaxed yet poised, dressed in beach shorts and an island shirt, his Jian blade adorned with a crimson tassel hanging at his side. "Now, don't hold back on me," he remarked, settling into his starting Xinyi stance, eager for the forthcoming match of sportsmanship.

Across the marble tiles of the arena, the scraping sound of a metal baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire echoed as a pair of black biker boots approached the podium. Neil cracked his neck and clenched his fists, encased in brass knuckles, as he stood tall in a white tank top and biker pants. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment," he muttered to himself. The simmering tension between him and the captain had brewed for too long, and now he could unleash all his pent-up emotions without fear of repercussions.

"Round one!" The grizzled announcer's voice reverberated through the temple ruins, its resonance bouncing off the ancient walls. "Fight!!"

Neil wasted no time, sprinting forward at Anzyl with determination. His bat held like a seasoned player ready to take a swing, he aimed a powerful strike at Anzyl. Meanwhile, Anzyl, ever the strategist, observed Neil's movements from afar, his months of strategic gameplay with Nolan about to pay dividends. With a quick sidestep and a deft duck, Anzyl narrowly avoided the swing as the bat whizzed past his head.

In a fluid motion, Anzyl used Neil's momentum against him, sweeping his feet from under him and executing a swift, twirling maneuver with his Jian blade. The blade danced through the air, slicing and shredding Neil's back side in a flurry of well-timed strikes.

Anzyl's fighting style was not characterized by brute force, but rather by precision and finesse. He employed a strategy of "Death by a thousand cuts," wearing down his opponent with a relentless onslaught of small but accurate slashes and strikes.

As Neil staggered to his feet, feeling the sting of Anzyl's blade on his back, he remained undeterred. With determination in his eyes, he made a bold move, seizing Anzyl's blade with the grip of his own hand, despite the risk to his own health bar, opening himself up for a counterattack.

Anzyl's shock was palpable as he realized the unexpected turn of events. Meanwhile, Neil stood poised, his bat aflame with determination. The arena was filled with classic organ music reminiscent of old Earth baseball games as an announcer's voice boomed, "Here's the Pitch!"

Anzyl's eyes widened in horror as he realized his role in Neil's strategy. With all his might, Neil swung the bat with ferocious determination.

With a resounding 'CRACK,' the bat connected, sending Anzyl hurtling over the edge of the marbled platform and plunging into the waters below.

"Ring Out!" the male announcer declared triumphantly, sealing Neil's victory.

Neil grinned with a devilish smile, indulging in a long-held fantasy buried deep within his heart, sauntering back to his starting position as a golden coin materialized over his head.

Anzyl materialized on his side of the platform. "Alright then... So that's how you want to play it, huh?" he said, slipping back into his battle stance.

"Round two!" declared the announcer's husky voice. "Fight!"

Anzyl surged forward, shifting his battle tactics, sprinting at full speed. Neil eagerly embraced the change in tone and charged as well, twirling his bat in anticipation.

Neil aimed high as Anzyl dove and slid on the ground like a baseball player sliding into home plate, knocking Neil off balance and into the air. Spinning his legs around like a kung fu master, Anzyl kicked and propelled Neil further upward. With a powerful dual-footed upward kick from his back, Anzyl sent Neil spiraling through the air.

Crouching in a hidden dragon stance, Anzyl declared, "Two can play this game!" A thunderous roar echoed through the air as he stood up straight, his four nouliths materializing at his side, each set a fiery blaze.

Pointing his finger in a commanding pose, Anzyl directed his nouliths to fire beams of energy, tossing Neil into the air like a ragdoll. Shot after shot, Neil soared higher and higher, propelled by the relentless blasts.

With a smirk, Anzyl snapped his fingers, and the nouliths dematerialized. Seconds later, a loud thud reverberated through the air as Neil crashed into the hard marble ground behind him.

"K.O.!" boomed the husky voice of the computer announcer.

Neil dematerialized on the ground and reappeared at his starting position. "That was a cheap trick, Anzyl!" he roared, "I thought the rules that YOU made stated no ranged weapons!" His voice boomed with anger as he pointed accusingly at the captain.

"My weapon is the Jian blade," Anzyl retorted with a smile, a gold coin materializing over his head. He went on to explain, "My 'Unblockable Combo' is my nouliths," he shrugged matter-of-factly. "Just like how you decided to add old Earth baseball sounds and announcers when Tey'un asked you what 'Flourishes do you want to add,' I was smart and added my Nouliths instead!"

Neil's face flushed with anger. "How typical of you Praxas…" he seethed, "bending the rules to fit your wants…"

"Round three!" The announcer's voice declared, "Fight!"

Neil charged toward Anzyl, who smirked with a devilish glint in his eye.

Thunder roared overhead as Anzyl stood tall, his four nouliths materializing at his side, all four emblazoned with fire.

Neil sprinted, but his progress was halted by the four beams of energy that struck him squarely in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Neil struggled to his feet, but across the arena, Anzyl stood erect, his hands forming a shape as if holding a large beach ball.

"Pneuma Beam!" Anzyl declared, and all four nouliths charged with energy, spinning like a gatling gun before firing a single, highly concentrated beam that blasted Neil over the edge of the arena and into the water below.

"Ring Out!" the announcer declared triumphantly, as Anzyl smirked. His nouliths dematerialized, and a second gold coin appeared over his head.

Anzyl, still poised in his starting position, brandished his Jian blade for the upcoming round.

Neil materialized in his designated spot, his anger palpable. "You deceitful little!!..." he bellowed furiously, preparing for the next bout.

"That move fell well within the regulations and the techniques I submitted," Anzyl explained calmly. "It's not my fault you failed to anticipate it... or dodge it," he added with a chuckle.

"Round four!" announced the holographic referee. "Begin!"

Neil seethed with rage, his face flushed and his breath ragged.

Meanwhile, Anzyl remained composed, a stark contrast highlighting the diverse personalities of the two men.

Neil charged at Anzyl with fierce determination, his grip tight on his barbed bat.

Anzyl, sensing the shift in Neil's demeanor, chose not to employ the same tactic that had worked in his favor before, opting instead for a display of better sportsmanship. As Neil swung his bat, Anzyl gracefully dodged and weaved, his movements fluid and precise, almost effortless.

Each swing from Neil met nothing but air, as Anzyl danced around him with playful agility, his laughter echoing in the holographic arena. "Enough with the shortcuts and jokes, Neil!" Anzyl teased, his words laced with amusement.

Those words.

Those seemingly innocuous words struck a nerve deep within Neil, igniting a dormant fury buried within him. His body froze, his breath caught in his throat, and his face drained of color.

Those words triggered a flood of repressed memories, dark and haunting, rising from the depths of Neil's subconscious like a surging tide. It was as if a dam had been breached, and the painful recollections rushed to the forefront of his mind like molten lava erupting from a volcano.

"Enough with the shortcuts and the jokes, Neil. Lives are at stake!" The haunting voice of a female commander reverberated in Neil's mind, triggering a cascade of images—fire, destruction, and death flashed before his eyes.

Anzyl, perplexed by Neil's sudden intensity, hesitated but decided to press on. His holographic blade whizzed through the air, only to be halted abruptly as Neil's brass knuckled hand seized Anzyl's wrist, wrenching it until the blade fell to the ground.

Anzyl gazed in shock at his first officer's face, which was now flushed with rage, a primal fury radiating from him unlike anything Anzyl had ever seen before.

It was as if those words had struck a deep, long-buried nerve within Neil, igniting a visceral reaction.

With heated anger consuming him, Neil hoisted Anzyl into the air with one hand around his Captain's wrist, and with a swift, forceful blow from his other fist, Neil sent his captain crashing to the ground, the impact reverberating throughout the holographic arena.

"K.O.!" bellowed the husky voice of the computer announcer, punctuating the violent conclusion of the holographic battle.

But Neil did not stop. He continued to pound and smash into the holographic image of the captain with unbridled fury, akin to the Hulk in a relentless rage.

Finally, Anzyl dematerialized from Neil's onslaught, reappearing at his starting platform with a bewildered shake of his head. As he glanced around, he was suddenly confronted by a primal force charging at him.

"Round five!" declared the announcer's voice, just as Neil, with the strength of a giant, seized Anzyl by the throat and hurled him to the ground.

In an eruption of pent-up rage, suppressed memories, and unspoken fury, Neil unleashed a torrent of blows upon Anzyl, the likes of which the Nexus had never witnessed, not even during encounters with the Fek'ihri.

Neil's face contorted with rage, his veins bulging as his fists flew, pounding and crushing the captain into the holographic ground. The marble flooring shattered and splintered beneath the relentless assault, the sheer force of Neil's blows causing sparks and sputters to emanate from the holographic surface.

"K.O.!" thundered the husky voice of the computer announcer. "Neil Wins!"

Disregarding the announcer's voice, Neil continued his savage assault. Anzyl was finally released from his grasp as he dematerialized, along with the tropical paradise of Risa, Neil's bat, and brass knuckles. With one final, ferocious smash into the ground, blood ran down Neil's fists, and the holographic projector screens on the floor were brutally smashed and pulverized into oblivion.

Although the scenery, weapons, and victim of his assault were mere holograms, Neil's furious fists were very much real, leaving the holographic projectors destroyed and dented several inches deep. He sat there, panting for air, as the blood resettled into his body and frame, curled over his defeated foe like a primal warrior over a kill.

All as stunned and gasping faces filled the entire ship as the crew witnessed the unbridled savagery in silence.