Alonso packed a full shark’s worth of meat into his backpack, the heavy load settling comfortably on his shoulders. He had already taken the time to scrub away the disgusting ooze and sweat from his skin, using the cool, refreshing water of the lake. The grime washed off in streaks, leaving him feeling somewhat human again. After days of relentless exertion, the sensation of clean skin was almost a luxury.

He took a moment to refill his containers with the fresh lake water, appreciating its clarity and taste—it was a welcome break from the overly sweet and somewhat tiring coconut water he had been relying on. He had grown sick of it, the taste clinging to his mouth like syrup, and the clean water felt like a blessing on his parched throat.

Satisfied with his preparations, Alonso hoisted the pack filled with meat onto his back, ready for the next step. He glanced back at the lake one more time, thankful for the brief respite it had provided, knowing that once the training resumed, there wouldn’t be much time for rest.

“What are you hesitating about? She’s going to benefit from it too,” Houston chimed in.

Alonso took a deep breath and headed toward Ayu’s cabin, where he found her practicing her stances. She moved with precision, her body shifting fluidly between strikes and defensive positions. Alonso didn’t know the name of the martial art, but her movements were sharp and powerful—focused on elbow strikes, knee strikes, and powerful kicks. Each motion seemed designed to incapacitate an opponent quickly, efficiently, and with brutal force.

He stood a respectful distance away, watching her finish her routine. After executing one final, devastating knee strike, Ayu relaxed her breathing and turned to him, her face calm but focused. She sent him an image, a question mark hovering above her head, silently asking what he needed.

Alonso steadied himself, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over him. He took a moment to compose his thoughts before sending her an image of the two of them sparring, a question mark floating above the scene.

To his surprise, instead of hesitating, Ayu raised an eyebrow and quickly nodded in approval. She sent back an image of the two of them sparring again, this time with a confident stance, as if to say, I’m ready when you are.

Relieved but also slightly more anxious now that she had agreed so quickly, Alonso gestured for them to move to a better area. Together, they walked to a clearing near the lake—flat, spacious, and ideal for a proper sparring match.

Ayu took a stance, her body perfectly aligned, her feet grounded solidly in the earth. She sent Alonso a cartoonish image of him beaten black and blue, with his soul escaping from his mouth, accompanied by a skull emoji floating next to it.

Alonso smiled and unsheathed his sword, sending back an image of himself effortlessly dodging Ayu’s attacks as if playing with a toddler, gently patting her on the head while sidestepping her every move. His face had a smug grin, and a teasing wink appeared above him.

“Since she’s probably going to beat the crap out of you without breaking a sweat, let’s start with 15%,” Houston said. “And no playing around. Remember, leave the thinking to me. Just fight.”

Alonso nodded mentally as he felt his heart start to beat faster, his body growing hotter with the adrenaline.

Overdrive System - Phase 1: 15%

The familiar surge of energy pulsed through him, his senses sharpening. He could feel every subtle shift in his surroundings.

Without warning, Ayu burst into action, closing the gap between them in a flash. Alonso barely had time to react as she launched a quick combination of strikes—an elbow aimed at his chest followed by a swift knee strike.

He stepped back just in time, his sword sweeping up to block the elbow while his body twisted to evade the knee. The force of her movements sent a shock through his arms, but he stayed light on his feet, dancing backward.

Ayu's style was a beautiful fusion of fluidity and power. Her movements were a mix of Muay Thai and what Alonso vaguely recognized as Chinese martial arts. Her body flowed from one technique to the next, each strike blending seamlessly into the next move, sword and shield in perfect harmony.

The edge of her shield whipped toward Alonso’s face, and he ducked under it, feeling the air ripple as it narrowly missed.

Alonso countered with a thrust, aiming for her midsection, but Ayu sidestepped effortlessly, her sword spinning toward him in a low arc.

He blocked, their blades clashing with a sharp clang, his muscles straining against her strength. She shifted again, her footwork impeccable, positioning herself for another elbow strike. Alonso leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blow, but she was relentless, her knee already rising toward his ribs.

Faster, Alonso thought, his reflexes kicking in as he darted away, spinning on his heel to create distance. But Ayu was already closing in again, her shield flashing in front of her like a battering ram.

He ducked and rolled, barely evading a crushing overhead strike from her sword. As he came up, Alonso thrust forward, his blade aimed at her side.

Ayu’s shield deflected it with ease, and in one fluid motion, she countered with a sweeping kick to his leg, sending him off balance. Alonso stumbled but recovered quickly, his instincts guiding him as he regained his footing.

The fight became a blur of movement—gliding footsteps, sharp thrusts, and rapid counters. Ayu’s strikes were precise, her body a perfect combination of power and grace, while Alonso relied purely on his speed and reflexes, dodging and deflecting where he could. Each time he thought he had an opening, Ayu was there, blocking, countering, feinting with a twist of her body and then pressing the attack again.

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Despite his best efforts, Alonso found himself struggling to keep up. Her shield was a constant threat, her strikes varied and unpredictable. She lunged, feinted left, and then swung her sword low.

Alonso blocked, but the force behind the strike was enough to jar his arm, and before he could react, Ayu’s knee slammed into his side, sending him staggering back.

Gasping for breath, he dropped to one knee, his chest heaving. Ayu stood above him, breathing evenly, her stance still poised and ready for more. She sent him a teasing image—of him flat on the ground, stars circling his head.

Alonso grinned, despite the ache in his side. He sent Ayu an image of himself standing back up, cracking his neck, with a pair of raised fists and a clock showing the start of a new round—a clear signal that he wanted to go again.

Ayu smirked, apparently expecting it. She nodded, sending back an image of herself raising her sword and shield, ready to spar, and a cartoonish smile to show she was game.

They reset, and once more, Ayu was the first to attack.

This time, Alonso moved more fluidly, the lessons from the last round sinking in. He parried her strikes more confidently, his sword not just blocking but redirecting her attacks. He started to anticipate her feints, dodging the real threats and countering with thrusts of his own, though her shield still deflected many.

Round after round, they clashed. Alonso’s technique slowly refined, his movements more deliberate, his attacks more calculated. Each time he stood after being knocked down, he was faster, more attuned to Ayu’s rhythm.

He began to feel the flow between movements—the connection between his footwork, his blade, and her reactions. Even though Ayu’s experience and well grounded technique kept her in control, Alonso was adapting, getting sharper with every exchange.

After the fifth round, both of them were breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from Alonso’s brow, but there was a spark in his eyes, a fire that hadn’t been there at the start. He sent Ayu an image—let’s go again.

Ayu responded with a quick nod and sent back an image of herself standing triumphantly on top of a cartoonish mountain of Alonso-like corpses, holding her sword high in victory.

Round six.

She lunged forward, her shield raised in front, sword slicing through the air in a downward arc aimed at Alonso’s shoulder. But Alonso was ready. He sidestepped with a quick pivot on his back foot, his sword flashing up to deflect her strike. The blades clashed, ringing out as Alonso slid his sword along hers, using the momentum to spin away from her shield’s follow-up thrust.

Ayu pressed the attack, swinging her sword horizontally, aiming for his midsection. Alonso ducked low, rolling under the strike, his feet gliding across the ground as he came up, thrusting his blade toward her ribs. Ayu twisted, bringing her shield down just in time to block, the force of the impact pushing her back a step.

Their footwork became faster, more precise, as they moved in sync. Alonso was no longer just reacting; he was predicting, feeling the rhythm of the fight.

He darted in with a series of quick slashes, his strikes aimed at Ayu's unguarded side, but Ayu's shield was like an extension of her body, moving seamlessly to meet his blade every time. Still, Alonso was getting closer.

Ayu pivoted sharply, throwing a high kick toward Alonso’s head, but he dropped into a low crouch, feeling the wind of her leg pass over him. He used the momentum to surge forward, his blade aimed at her thigh. She spun her shield downward, blocking again, but the force of his strike made her footing falter. For the first time, Alonso felt like he had the upper hand.

He advanced, his sword a blur as he switched from thrusts to slashes, varying his attacks with quick feints. He slashed toward her shoulder, but it was a ruse—he quickly switched directions, his blade swinging low toward her leg.

Ayu raised her shield, but this time Alonso didn’t retreat. Instead, he stepped forward, using his momentum to drive the flat of his blade toward her exposed side.

Ayu barely dodged, twisting her body and using her shield to deflect the blow. She countered with a fast elbow strike, aiming for Alonso’s jaw. He ducked just in time, feeling the force of her strike pass over his head. Without missing a beat, he brought his sword up again, locking blades with her in a struggle for control.

They stood, blades pressed together, their eyes locked as they pushed against each other.

For a moment, the intensity of the struggle was broken when Ayu sent him a quick image—a cartoonish version of herself casually sipping tea while effortlessly holding him back with one hand.

Alonso just smiled and blinked in amusement, but quickly followed up with a twist of his sword, attempting to break the lock, and nearly succeeded in forcing Ayu off balance.

Ayu recovered quickly, stepping back with a graceful glide, her sword sweeping in a wide arc aimed at Alonso's midsection.

He blocked, their blades clanging together again, but this time, he could feel the shift—Ayu was being pushed back.

Alonso pressed forward, his strikes becoming faster, more confident. He could see it now—the flow of combat. Each move was fluid, every block leading to a counter, every step bringing him closer to victory.

For a moment, it seemed like Alonso had the fight under control. He twisted his body, dodging a strike from Ayu, and countered with a thrust aimed directly at her chest. His blade shot forward, but Ayu pivoted at the last second, her shield coming up to block in a swift, precise motion.

She wasn’t done.

In an instant, Ayu spun on her heel, using the momentum to swing her sword in a tight arc. Alonso barely had time to raise his blade, the impact sending a jolt through his arms. He stumbled back, his footing shaky, and Ayu seized the opportunity.

Her knee shot forward, slamming into his side with a powerful strike that knocked the wind out of him. Alonso gasped, trying to recover, but Ayu was already moving. She closed the distance in a flash, her shield smashing into his sword arm, knocking his weapon aside.

Alonso tried to regain control, but Ayu was relentless. She followed up with a rapid series of strikes, her sword moving faster than before. Alonso blocked, parried, and dodged, but he was losing ground. His breath came in ragged gasps as his muscles screamed in protest. He had nearly won, but now…

Ayu stepped forward, her footwork flawless as she feinted a low strike and brought her sword down in a final, decisive blow. Alonso tried to block, but he was too slow. Her blade came down hard, stopping just inches from his chest.

Panting heavily, Alonso stared at her sword, realizing he had lost once again.

Ayu smirked, lowering her weapon as she sent him an image of herself wearing a crown, her victory clear. Despite the exhaustion, Alonso couldn’t help but grin back.

He was getting closer—he could feel it.

“Yep, keep going at it. I need more data. Also, I’m lowering the percentage to 10%, don’t want you winning any time soon,” Houston chimed in smugly, prompting Alonso to shake his head and glance at Ayu.

He sent her an image: Round 7?