They had a standoff. Hojun summoned another revolver and went akimbo. Jorge now had both of Alejandro’s gauntlets. Suruj took a stance. Tvuj’s wings illuminated brightly in the afternoon. The wind was silent, or rather dead. The street was void of civilians. Buildings waited in anticipation. A great congregation of gangs, unlike any other.

Oksidentanos came from one side, and Bakalitos from the other. Hojun and the others were clearly at a disadvantage. They needed to break though the line, or else their chance of finding Tayang, and stopping Llorenç wouldn’t happen.

“Coming through!”

From above, the buildings next to them ejected a multitude of people. They all glided down to the road, wearing green bandanas. Saharic particles floated around them, acting as a cushion to break their fall. No one could describe the shock on everyone’s faces, when the captain of the Kamaong Batikan, the petite man, confidently casted that spell for all to see. All of the Kamaong Batikan; Those Hojun had seen during the meeting since way back when, she recognized their faces.

“Captain!” Jorge rushed to him, while the short man stood proud with his cap.

“How was your trip to the Laguna Sagar? I take it the Lagueños did not provide good service,” he asked them confidently, “At times like these, we better stand up for José and Alejandro.”

“But… why did you come and help us?” Hojun let her guns down.

The captain tightened his hat and grinned. “You’ve been brought back here in one piece, Doña. And now the people that took Alejandro’s life are standing right in front of us. So we thank you.”

“What?... I-”

“Gr, are they acting like they’re Her Royal Highness’ bodyguards? We’re the real ones here!” A familiar voice called out. She turned her head to see Seung-Hyeok fuming and Mister Gyeong following up behind. “We shall defend m’lady’s life, and protect it at all costs.”

Now the playing field became evenly matched. There were even amounts of people from all three gangs, either Kamaos, Bakalitos, and Oksidentanos. It reminded Hojun of three armies facing off at a single junction.

“Are ya’ done yapping? ‘Cause y’all be taking way too long!” The Bakal Kapitan started to loose their patience. In fact, everyone was raring to go.

“Since we’ve given the courtesy of letting you talk, we won’t hold back no more,” stated the Occident Kapitan.

The Kamaos lifted up their weapons. Everyone, including Hojun and the foreigners, were hit with a certain phrase in mind.

“Chibugan na!”

Saharic particles scattered everywhere. At the same time, multiple spells were casted at once. Thousands of particles struggled to find their caster, and resulted in a massive explosion. The cacophony violated Hojun’s ears. Smoke blinded the area like an eerie fog. Coughing, she heard the roar of a hundred voices.

Gunshots illuminated the darkness with flashes of light, revealing silhouettes raising up blunts and swords. Vaquero hats and bandanas of blue and green took to the air, as members of each gang waved their symbols like flags.

“Putang ina mo!”

Hojun blocked a pipe with her revolvers. She caught the blunt midswing from the fog. The Bakalito pressed down harder, and she continued to resist. Her veins popped and she sent the man flying to the floor with a kick. The sound of a cocking rifle vibrated in the air. Hojun turned around.

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Jorge jumped in from nowhere. The yellow projectile bounced off Jorge’s gauntlet, forming another dent in the metal gloves.

Hojun mounted her arm on Jorge’s arm and fired. The man in the distance collapsed to the ground. She pointed her other arm in another direction and pressed on the trigger. As soon as she heard a shriek, Hojun moved on to her target. At this point, she did not know whether she inflicted fatal wounds.

The smog began to clear, and the sahar density started to return to normal. The sun broke through the dark, and everyone could see each other more clearly. If anything the people were more clumped together now they engaged in battle. Bodies decorated the floor in blood, along with brimmed hats and bandanas.

There they stood, panting in exhaustion. Even Hojun, was beginning to fatigue. The Occident Kapitan extended his arm out.

“Mahou Jiguang.”

An energy beam bursted from his hand. She didn’t even have time to react. Hojun covered her self with her arms.

“Dihu Baohu.”

Mister Gyeong and Seung-Hyeok criss-crossed from both sides of her. A shield formed in a second and blocked the spell. They nodded at her, while Hojun contemplated why she left her guard down. She shouldn’t assume people were to save her. She needed to end it. Now.

Hojun reloaded both her handguns with a twirl. “Dihu Guihang: Heatseaker.”

Her eyes illuminated while she chanted the same spell modification. The Bakal Kapitan stumbled back while the rest were unaware of what the spell meant. A white bullet ejected from her guns. The bullets twisted and twirled, chasing down the Bakalitos. One by one the bullets flew through their legs, rendering them all immobile.

“Mahou Tate.”

The bullets crashed into a sahar shield, and pattered to the floor. Hojun flinched, her mouth agape. Someone could stop her Guihang? Even though she used a third generation syntax? Someone stopped a third generation syntax spell modification?

Hojun glanced frantically, before locking eyes with the Occident Kapitan who stopped her Guihang. She lifted her revolvers again. She had to try again.

“Dihu Guihang: Heatsea-”

“Mahou Faitsup-Choisiu!” He interrupted her. Hojun closed her eyes. Red glyphs appears around the man’s hands. A sphere of energy expanded out and imploded just as quickly as it appeared. Hojun opened her eyes, to see that nothing had happened. What was going on?

“Dihu Guihang!” She aimed, but the particles did not respond. It took her one second to understand. That spell he used dispelled all the sahar in the area. To her, it seemed impossible.

“Let us fight hand to hand, señora.” The Occident Kapitan raised both his hands, walking towards her. “With dignity. If you manage to beat me here and now in a fist fight, then perhaps we will let you go to Llorenç, the Tagahatol.”

Jorge rushed to her. “Hojun! You can’t! This guy’s gonna-”

“He’s right. Let him handle that duel.” Suruj backed him up, putting a hand on Jorge’s shoulder.

Hojun stared at the ground. Fist fight? That was the last skill she was adept in. But she couldn’t waste time. If they didn’t catch up to Llorenç, then the Occident and Al-Wa would gain control of this region, the country neighboring SIlla. She hadn’t even thought about the repercussions on if Al-Wa became prominent right next to Silla. And how mad her father would be if Tayang continued to meddle in another country’s politics. Her revolvers faded away.

Hojun could just shoot the man with her Guizu Arcana, but that would only result in prolonging the fight between them. But could she really believe the Occident Kapitan in the first place? If she defeated him, would the Oksidentanos really step aside?

“M’lady…” Mister Gyeong grasped his own shirt. Hojun knew that she was burdening them.

“Mister Gyeong… I want you and Seung-Hyeok to observe this fight.”

Seung-Hyeok lashed out in worry. “M’lady! Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure Seung-Hyeok,” She stretched her fists and arms. “If anything happens to me, I need you two to return to Al-Qarakh ‘Aimag and tell my father.”

As the two bodyguards looked at each other in disbelief, Hojun assumed a fighting stance. The Kapitan of the Occident did the same. By now, Llorenç would probably have arrived in Katipunan Square. She was sure of it. But right here, she had to settle it.

Everyone, including the Bakalitos and Kamaos, ceased their fighting to watch the fistic fiesta begin.