In the deep woods, Igor ventured forth, his eyes widening as he caught sight of Jax honing his skills. "Are you Jax, brother of Tokido?" Igor questioned, his voice filled with intrigue. "Yes, but how do you know my brother?" Jax inquired, curiosity etched on his face. Chuckling softly, Igor replied, "Ah, it seems you are unaware of your fame on this mystical island." With a swift motion, he tossed Felix towards Jax, causing him to stumble and crash to the ground. "Both of you are feeble," Igor declared with a smirk. Fuming with anger, Jax demanded an explanation for Igor's actions. However, before any answers could be given, Igor vanished into thin air.
Baffled by the mysterious stranger's knowledge of his brother and the presence of Felix on his shoulders, Jax turned to Tethyus for guidance. "Who is that man? How does he know my brother? And why was Felix with him?" Jax questioned anxiously. Tethyus shrugged in response. "I cannot say for certain, but I sensed immense strength within him. His fighting spirit surpassed even that of Lionel," Tethyus conveyed. Taken aback by this revelation, Jax hoisted Felix onto his own shoulders and dashed towards the hidden dojo nestled within the woods.
"Guys!" Jax shouted from afar as he approached Lionel and the others. Puzzled, Lionel queried, "What is it?" Pointing to the ground, Jax exclaimed, "Wolves' scratches!" Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lionel questioned the origin of these marks. "There was a man with a wolf patch on his Gi who did this," Jax responded. Understanding dawned upon Lionel as he muttered, "The Alpha Wolves." Perplexed, Jax sought clarification on their identity. "They are a fearsome group of fighters imbued with the spirit of wolves. When united, their power knows no bounds," Lionel explained. Feeling a surge of determination, Kiyoshi declared his intent to face them alone. However, Lionel and Jax exchanged concerned glances. "No, you lack the experience necessary to confront foes stronger than all of us combined," Lionel cautioned. Ignoring their words of caution, Kiyoshi's confidence remained unswayed. Jax and Lionel could only sigh and shake their heads. "He truly is a bold fighter," Jax remarked with a hint of admiration. "Indeed, a fighter who may meet an early demise on this treacherous island," Lionel added grimly.
Meanwhile, the Alpha Wolves returned to their hideout, where Scarlet awaited Igor with a mix of anger and concern. "What is wrong with you?" Scarlet demanded to know. Confusion etched across Igor's face as he inquired, "What are you talking about?" Frustrated, Scarlet retorted, "I know you went after him. Why?" Attempting to justify his actions, Igor claimed he was merely trying to protect them. Unyielding, Scarlet asserted her independence. "I don't need your protection. I am capable of handling myself. I am a fighter, and now I must apologize to him," she declared firmly. Enraged by this defiance, Igor lashed out, punching the hideout wall until it crumbled beneath his fury. Scarlet turned away from him and departed.
The following day, Lionel, Jax, and Kiyoshi made their way toward the central training area. Aware of Kiyoshi's impulsive nature, Jax advised him to keep his composure and refrain from engaging their opponent unnecessarily. Regretfully, Kiyoshi confessed his inability to make such a promise. Disheartened by his words, Jax muttered, "Well, at least I tried." Unconcerned about Kiyoshi's fate, Lionel coldly remarked, "Let him perish. In the long run, it may benefit us." Determined, Kiyoshi whispered to himself, "I found him," as he dashed toward Igor. With a roar, he launched himself into the air, intent on avenging his friend. Sensing Kiyoshi's presence behind him, Igor swiftly turned and caught his arm, effortlessly swinging him around to face him. "Let us make this a battle for our fighter rank," Igor proposed. Accepting the challenge, Kiyoshi added, "But only as a one-on-one fight." Agreement settled, the two combatants bowed to one another and assumed their fighting stances as their watches announced the start of the match.
Observing the unfolding fight from a distance, Scarlet turned her head and noticed Lionel and Jax preparing to intervene. Concern etched across her face, she alerted Jax to the imminent danger Kiyoshi faced. Realizing they needed to act swiftly, Jax and Lionel rushed towards the battleground. Employing his command skill, Igor beckoned Kiyoshi closer. Anticipating this move, Kiyoshi charged forward with a punch. However, Igor effortlessly evaded the blow and executed a sweeping maneuver that brought Kiyoshi crashing to the ground. Frustrated but determined, Kiyoshi demanded an explanation for Igor's actions.
"Alright then, I'll attack head-on," Kiyoshi proclaimed, gathering his resolve. He leaped into the air and launched a missile-like kick at Igor. Expecting such a move from his opponent, Igor easily evaded the attack and countered by jamming Kiyoshi's foot into the ground. Struggling to free himself from this predicament, Kiyoshi realized he was at a disadvantage. "This is not good," he muttered, desperation creeping into his voice. Seizing the opportunity to secure an easy victory, Igor prepared his special move, the Wooded Fang Slash. His claws transformed into wooden spikes as he aimed his attack at Kiyoshi's chest.
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Undeterred, Kiyoshi summoned an inner strength, his eyes glowing purple as he roared like a tiger. Astonished by this sudden surge of power, Igor hesitated, momentarily ceasing his special move. Concerned for their comrade, Jax and Lionel sensed the urgency and exchanged worried glances. "We must intervene once again," Lionel declared. Jax nodded in agreement. However, before they could reach Kiyoshi, three members of the Alpha Wolves intercepted them. Refusing to yield, Lionel demanded they step aside, emphasizing the danger Kiyoshi faced. Unmoved by their words, the Alpha Wolves remained steadfast in their resolve.
As Kiyoshi's rage intensified, he let out another ferocious roar, fueling his strength further. Realizing he was running out of options, Igor struggled to devise a plan while attempting to hold his breath. "I can't use my special move on him, and I can't get close enough for a direct attack. Range attacks seem to be my only option," Igor mused aloud. However, he quickly realized that he lacked any ranged attacks in his repertoire.
Undeterred by this revelation, Igor steeled himself and decided to unleash a last-ditch effort. "Wood Fist!" he exclaimed as his entire hand transformed into wood. As berserk Kiyoshi launched a kick towards him, Igor skillfully evaded the strike and retaliated with an uppercut to Kiyoshi's face. Undeterred, Kiyoshi pressed on and attempted to counter with a kick of his own. Sensing the impending attack, Igor effortlessly dodged and countered with a roundhouse kick to Kiyoshi's chest, sending him staggering backwards. Ignoring the pain, Kiyoshi pushed through, attempting to regain his footing. In response, Igor unleashed his Wooded Fang Slash once more, aiming for Kiyoshi's chest. This time, the attack connected, knocking Kiyoshi out of his berserk state.
As Kiyoshi lay motionless on the ground, Lionel and Jax rushed to his side, concern etched on their faces. Slowly regaining consciousness amidst scratches and bruises, Kiyoshi struggled to comprehend what had transpired. A stern voice announced a decrease in his fighter rank, serving as a harsh reminder of his defeat. Crestfallen, Kiyoshi lamented his failure to avenge Felix. Observing these events with anger boiling within him, Igor ordered the other Alpha Wolves to engage Lionel and Jax. Scarlet attempted to intervene but found her path blocked by Igor's retaliatory strike. A cry escaped her lips as Felix, awakened by her distress, sprinted towards her side in an instant.
Witnessing this unfolding calamity, Lionel and Jax found themselves locked in battle against the three Alpha Wolves. Urging them to stand aside for their comrades' sake proved fruitless as the Alpha Wolves remained resolute in their stance. Determined to protect Scarlet and Felix at all costs, Lionel and Jax fought back against their adversaries.
Engaging Jax in combat, Xavier positioned himself for a dual attack with Thach. Evading one slash but falling prey to the other, Jax grunted in pain as he dropped to one knee. Seizing the opportunity, Xavier swiftly delivered a knee strike to Jax's chest. "Are you alright?" Tethyus called out to Jax. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Jax replied with determination, "Yeah, I'll be fine." Meanwhile, Lyric unleashed his Crimson Flare Claw, a holographic wolf-like claw surrounding his hand. Intent on striking Lionel, Lyric's attack missed its mark as Lionel swiftly dodged the assault. Seizing the moment, Lionel retaliated by delivering a powerful punch to Lyric's stomach. Staggering backward in pain, Lyric attempted a roundhouse kick towards Lionel's head. Lionel ducks the kick and Lyric follows with a flurry of kicks to Lionel's chest, knocking him backward. “This guy is tenacious,” said Lionel. “Oh great, another unhinged one,” said Igor. But that didn’t prevent Igor from throwing a punch at Felix's face. Due to Igor's depleted stamina, Felix kicked his arm away. But soon after, Igor swept Felix's leg to the ground. Felix anticipated this and caught his leg, twisting Igor around until he crashed down. “I am nearly out of stamina; I must end this fight swiftly,” said Igor. “Super Move: Wood Fang Strike!” Igor shouted. His hand morphed into jagged wood spikes, even sharper than before. Igor charged at Felix. But Felix slid into a moon typhoon stance, hands together, forming a glowing azure orb that he thrust forward with one palm. A colossal blast hurtled toward Igor as he tried blocking with his wood fang strike. But it was too feeble, and the blast vaporized him. “How is this possible,” said Igor. The other members ceased fighting Jax and Lionel, retrieving Igor. Igor lay on the ground, his body marred by contusions and burns. The three members lifted Igor and vanished, vowing this wasn't their final encounter. Felix reverted back to normal, his stamina depleted. Kiyoshi ensured Scarlet was unharmed. “Well, that match concluded abruptly,” said Kiyoshi. “Odd that he even attempted it,” said Scarlet. “I'm Kiyoshi,” he said. “I'm Scarlet, nice meeting you. Didn't expect today to unfold this way,” she said sadly. “Me either,” said Kiyoshi. "I should get to class, bye,” said Scarlet. “Bye,” Kiyoshi waved as she left. “Perhaps it's time I revealed myself to the school,” said Grandmaster Sensei Tom, gazing out at the finished fight. “Also, monitor Felix and his comrades; they're the most fascinating fighters I've seen,” he said, pulling a green hood over his head.