Snaring the Speed

"Let's turn this around," Jin said.

Alex lashed out first, his fist darting toward Jin with speed that seemed impossible to follow. Jin sidestepped at the last second, his movement so fluid it almost looked rehearsed. He retaliated with a quick jab that Alex narrowly dodged, but the distortion around Alex's body flickered, creating a momentary opening. I took my chance, launching a strike aimed at Alex's ribs. The blow landed, but the spatial distortion softened the impact, leaving him mostly unscathed. He retaliated instantly, a ripple of energy forcing me to stumble back.

"He's recalibrating," Jin called out, adjusting his stance. "Don't let him control the pace!"

We pressed forward, each attack carefully coordinated to exploit the gaps in Alex's defenses. Jin's positioning was impeccable, cutting off Alex's escape routes while I kept up the pressure. Lina, from a distance, continued firing shards, but Jin's movement rendered her efforts almost meaningless. He anticipated her volleys with uncanny precision, dodging or positioning me to block them with minimal effort.

"Your friend's good," Alex said, his voice strained but still carrying that irritating confidence. "Too bad it won't be enough."

Alex lunged at Jin, using a distortion to twist his movement into an unexpected angle. The punch clipped Jin's shoulder, causing him to stagger. Alex smirked, but Jin's expression remained calm.

"I understand it now," Jin muttered, his tone quiet but resolute. His energy surged as he stepped forward, his lips forming the words, "Speed up." His movements became a blur, faster than anything Alex had seen from him so far. Jin launched a punch directly at Alex's chest, the sudden acceleration startling Alex, who instinctively reacted to the increased speed.

Just as the punch was about to land, Jin's voice rang out again, "Strength up." The transition was seamless, the force behind the punch increasing dramatically. Alex's spatial distortion, calibrated for speed, faltered against the unexpected shift in momentum. The punch connected solidly, driving Alex back a step, his expression momentarily stunned. The next distortion Alex created was met with a perfectly timed feint, Jin's counterpunch landing squarely on Alex's jaw.

The blow disrupted Alex's balance, and I seized the moment to strike. With a quick motion, I activated my Regalia, creating a long, sturdy pole akin to a staff. I spun it in my hands and jabbed it forward, aiming at Alex's midsection. The pole struck true, forcing Alex back further as he struggled to regain his footing. For the first time, Alex looked genuinely rattled.

Lina, seeing Alex falter, unleashed another barrage of shards, their paths curving wildly through the battlefield. Jin moved effortlessly, dodging with precision and I quickly activated my Regalia, creating a sturdy shield that materialized just in time to block the shards.

"You're running out of tricks," Jin said, his tone calm but cutting.

Alex growled, his ripples flaring wildly as he tried to regain control. He lashed out at me, but this time, I was ready. I ducked under his punch, countering with a sweeping kick that threw him further off balance. Jin followed up immediately, landing a rapid combination of strikes that forced Alex to retreat.

"He's faltering," I said, stepping forward to keep the pressure on.

Together, Jin and I pushed Alex back, our attacks relentless and coordinated. Lina's shards became less frequent, her frustration evident as she struggled to find an opening. The once-overwhelming synergy between Alex and Lina was crumbling under our assault.

Jin and I pressed forward relentlessly, driving Alex closer to the center of the battlefield where Ethan and Takeshi clashed in a blur of motion. Each strike we landed forced Alex further back, his ripples becoming increasingly erratic as his energy waned. "Keep him moving," Jin said, his voice sharp with focus.

We coordinated seamlessly, flanking Alex and cutting off his escape routes. Alex tried to counter, using his ripples to distort our attacks, but Jin's adaptability shone through. His movements became more unpredictable, forcing Alex to constantly recalibrate. I followed Jin's lead, using my Regalia to create quick shields and weapons to press the attack.

As we closed the gap near Ethan, Jin's voice took on an edge of urgency. "We're almost there. Get ready."

Alex's eyes darted toward Ethan as he realized our intent. He lashed out wildly, a distorted punch aimed at Jin's head. Jin ducked under it, his voice steady as he activated his Regalia.

"Speed up, times two!" Jin surged forward, his movements becoming almost too fast for even Alex to follow. The sudden acceleration left Alex unable to adjust in time, and Jin's fist collided with his chest with incredible force. The impact drove Alex to his knees.

Lina seized the moment to fire another volley of shards, their paths honing in on Jin. Before they could land, I stepped in, activating my Regalia. A large shield materialized in front of Jin, intercepting the shards with a resounding crack. The shield absorbed the brunt of the attack, dissipating as I moved forward to rejoin the fray.

Jin wasted no time. With Alex momentarily incapacitated, he turned his attention to Ethan. Jin's movements were a blur again as he darted toward the speedster, who was still locked in a chaotic exchange with Takeshi. Ethan's instincts kicked in, and he shifted his attention to Jin, attempting to counter.

But Takeshi, ever the tactician, moved unpredictably, cutting across Ethan's path and forcing the speedster to hesitate. Confused by the sudden shift in momentum, Ethan faltered just long enough for Jin to close the distance. With one final burst of speed, Jin reached Ethan, grabbing him by the arm in a crushing grip.

Ethan's eyes widened in shock, his body twisting in an attempt to escape. But Jin held firm. Using the momentum, Jin spun and hurled Ethan toward me. The speedster flew through the air, disoriented and unable to regain control.

I stepped forward, my Regalia already primed. The image of a rope, coiled and ready to tether, flashed in my mind. As Ethan flew through the air, he began vibrating violently, his super-speed creating a blur that made it nearly impossible to focus. My concentration wavered as the visualization of the rope flickered in and out, the constant motion disrupting the clarity I needed.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to focus, tuning out everything but the energy coursing through me. In my mind, I envisioned the molecules forming the rope, each thread interwoven with precision. The energy swirled, building in intensity as I directed it with unwavering intent. I could see it—the strands taking shape, glowing faintly as they coalesced into existence, each molecule aligning with purpose. In my mind, I envisioned the rope wrapping tightly around Ethan's legs and arms, holding him immobile despite his frantic movements. Each strand glowed faintly in my imagination, but his vibrating speed blurred the image, making it difficult to focus clearly on the target.

As Ethan began to fall, I positioned myself directly in his trajectory, bracing for impact. His vibrating form blurred even faster as he twisted mid-air, his super-speed making it nearly impossible to lock onto him. My mind raced, the visualization of the rope flickering as the constant motion disrupted my focus.

The instant he made contact, his back slamming into my outstretched hand, everything became crystal clear. The vibration ceased in my mind's eye, and the image of the rope snapped into perfect clarity. Molecules aligned with precision as threads coiled tightly around his entire body, not just his legs and arms. The energy surged through me, solidifying the bindings in a brilliant flash of light.

Ethan hit the ground hard, but his momentum carried him forward, and he crashed directly into me. The force knocked the air out of my lungs as we tumbled to the ground in a heap. Pain radiated through my body, but I scrambled to push him off, adrenaline keeping me moving. The ropes held firm, rendering his frantic thrashing useless.

The battlefield fell into a momentary silence, the tension palpable. Jin straightened, breathing heavily but with a triumphant smirk. Takeshi stood at a distance, his stoic gaze fixed on Ethan, as if daring him to break free.

"We've got him," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. The tide of the battle had finally turned in our favor.

The dust had barely settled when Lina stepped forward from her position, her hands raised high above her head.

"Okay, you got us," she said with a sigh, a hint of amusement dancing in her voice. "I can't believe you actually managed to stop Ethan. I give up."

Her declaration sent a ripple of confusion through the battlefield. Alex, still recovering from his earlier blows, looked at her in disbelief, his face contorted with rage.

"What are you doing?" he shouted, stumbling to his feet. "Shoot at the ropes! Free Ethan!"

Lina crossed her arms, her stance relaxed despite the tension. "And risk hitting him? No thanks. Besides, we've lost, Alex. Let it go."

"You're pathetic!" Alex spat, his fists clenching. Without waiting for her response, he charged toward Jin, Takeshi, and me, his ripples flaring wildly as he prepared to fight all three of us at once.

We didn't hesitate. Jin was the first to move, his Regalia activating with a burst of speed that put him in Alex's path in an instant. His fist connected squarely with Alex's jaw, staggering him. Takeshi followed up, his precise strikes landing with unrelenting force, each blow calculated to break through Alex's defenses.

I joined in, using my Regalia to summon a pole that I swung at Alex's legs, sweeping him off his feet. He hit the ground hard, his ripples flickering as his energy drained rapidly under our combined assault. It wasn't a fight; it was a dismantling.

Within moments, Alex lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in defeat. Jin dusted off his hands, his expression calm but satisfied. Takeshi, ever stoic, glanced toward Lina, who had been watching the beatdown with a smirk.

"Not going to help him?" Takeshi asked, his tone as sharp as his gaze.

Lina shook her head, raising her hands again in mock surrender. "Are you kidding? This face is way too pretty to get hurt here. Just tie me up and call it a day."

I couldn't help but chuckle, the tension finally easing. Takeshi grabbed a length of rope I created, his movements efficient and composed, as he began tying her up. Lina allowed herself to be bound without protest, her expression remaining amused.

The announcement of our victory echoed across the arena, signaling the end of the match. As the adrenaline faded, I glanced at Jin and Takeshi, a grin spreading across my face. We had done it. The first trial was ours.