The arena was filled with roars, screams, and excitement from above silence and stutter filled the grounds below.

"What? Too hot to handle?", said Anya chuckling.

"What is this?! You said you were a goddamn merchant!", Lass said, still in disbelief.

"Almost everyone knows of my abilities as a fighter since of my constant loot runs all around Insinia's ruins. Plus as soon as I showed the first-day replay of the KoK tournament to my dad, it was easy to persuade him to let me in! Last year was good too, but especially for this year thanks to you, sponsors are pulling in like absolute crazy...he and I agreed it'll be good for business!", said Anya with a wink. "However, he will certainly not like it that I decided to do it my way..." she whispered.

"Unbelievable," said Lass with a facepalm.

"If anything, you and I still have a score to settle big guy!" said Anya as she stretched and laughed.

"You guys done? Can't keep everyone on hold forever!" said the announcer with a slight annoyance.

"Fine, let's go!" said Lass taking his fighting stance.

"Fig-" the announcer's words were interrupted by Anya.

"Think fast!"

Before the announcer could even finish his words Anya leaped from one side of the arena to the other, successfully delivering a devastating sucker punch to Lass's face, sending him flying backward.

"Holy shit..." Lass said as he tried to recover.

"Told ya...you can't possibly underestimate me!"

"Heap!" Lass yelled as he slashed at Anya.

Anya easily managed to block Lass's brutal slash with her two metal wristbands closing the distance between the two.

"Nice one! You almost got me!"

"Down below." Lass looked down.

"Huh?” Anya looked down after him.

Lass let go of his blade and let Anya lodge forward to him. With a quick downward sweep, both of Anya's feet were off the ground as she too was greeted with a powerful punch that sent her flying.

"Woah! Incredible!" the announcer screamed with excitement.

"Not bad, not bad," said Anya as she brushed it off.

"This score will be settled in my favour you know."

"Over my dead Wolven body!" said Anya with a smile.

"How even the hell did you get in the second round?! You never fought on round one! Don't tell me..."

"Some things money can't buy. Don't worry big guy, I'll run you a wager, just to make this even more interesting. You win, I'll tell you the results of a little research I did last night, along with the details of why I'm here..."

"And if I lose?"

"You'll have a little bit of what I like to call 'heart to heart' with little Miss Cutie watching us up there."

"You idiotic half-assed horndog. Do I have to tell you that she’s just a friend to me so that you pipe down? I don't care about that with her, she just doesn't click for me. Hmph. Doesn’t matter…because I won't lose!" Lass yelled while flipping his blade back.

"Here we go!" said Anya as she took out a unique weapon.

Anya from her back, pulled an odd one-handed chainsaw-looking weapon as she and Lass closed into each other for a massive clash, from which the crowd itself was blown out of the arena...

"Y'know...for being a human these powers are amazing!", she said as she pushed Lass away. "Your strength is more or less equal, no, even greater than those of both the Frigo race and mine! I swear you got a Wolven tail and ears somewhere in there!"

"Is that supposed to be mockery?" Lass said as he struggled to push Anya away.

"Just a statement of how fun this is! Fighting with you is the best, big guy!", she said with a chuckle.

"You shouldn't let your guard down!" said Lass as he broke out of Anya's push, unleashing a cross-slash.

With inhuman strength and speed, Lass unleashed a flurry of lethal slashes from which even Anya's reflexes couldn't react from such a distance.

"Damn...that was a good one..." said Anya as she covered her shoulder from the drooling blood.

"Shit, I went too far," Lass whispered, frightened by his action.

"Yo, don't get all sorry ass on me!", Anya scoffed. "It's the thrill of the battle!", she said as she pulled a rod from her back. "However...once a wolf smells the first drops of blood, it's when the real, hunt begins!"

The rod Anya grabbed from her back extended far, as she applied it on her chainsaw-looking weapon, starting the real fight.

"I'm revved up and ready to go! Let's get this show on for real big guy!", Anya screamed as she revved up her chainsaw-like weapon.

"Holy shit...this mutt is trying to kill me.", Lass stuttered.

"Not kill, just, uh...put out of commission?”, Anya paused as she looked at her massive weapon.

"Remind me what's your profession again? A merchant? Logistics?"

"Yours is a blacksmith for lethal laser weapons n' stuff, so we can both kiss each other's asses if we're supposed to use that as an excuse.", Anya said with a straight face.

"Ok you have a point.", Lass said with a straight face.

"Yahoo!", she screamed as she jumped up.

This time Anya's attacks became even more devastating as she leapt into the air crushing onto Lass and creating a massive crater in the process.

"This show is now on the road!", Anya said with glimmering eyes. "Heah!", she lodged at Lass. "Hoap!", she screamed as she crushed the ground.

"Holy hell..."

"What's wrong? Can't keep up?!"

"Seya!", Lass yelled as he tried to counter.

"Hah!", she pushed his sword away. "I'll end this!", she screamed as she grabbed and threw Lass down, slamming her weapon through the ground, right next to Lass's head.

Lass had just barely been able to evade a powerful killing blow that cracked the ground beside him.

"'Take out of commission'?!", Lass widened his eyes.

"Ehe...a bit too far?"

"You don't say?"

"Ah...sorry?", Anya said in a low voice, lowering her ears.

"'Don't start getting all sorry ass on me.'", Lass said as he got up and kicked Anya in the face. "'This is the thrill of battle!'", he said with a smirk.

"You are god damn right!", Anya smiled menacingly as she recovered.

Anya kept going on a massive barrage of powerful hits, and when missing Lass hit the ground the force was strong enough that it took entire pieces off the arena. Lass, dashing back to take a breather, knew that as long as Anya had extended her range with the extra module he stood no chance.

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"Damn...she wants this win, doesn't she?"

"Come on! Let's shake the ground and raise the crowd! Are you not entertained?!"

"Damn. She's into it..."

"Hey-ya! Take this!", she threw the saw directly at Lass.

"Sword versus spear isn't favourable at all...but I can't lose. Not to that mutt!", he said as he barely evaded the spear saw.

"I'll end this!", she screamed as she grabbed her spear-saw back.

"Come on!", Lass said as he jumped back and took his stance.

While Anya seemed to be in a frenzy, Lass was calmly trying to figure out a way to close the massive gap set between the two...

"Can you hear me?", the voice echoed in his head.

"Not this again."

"Don't worry. I can see it all...focus on the lance-like weapon."

"Are you serious? Lose my focus again?"

"Trust me, and victory will be yours. Her spear...use it."

"She isn't like Kalimo. I can't get a hold of her weapon."

"Then use yours...", the voice started to fade away.

"What? Hello? Cutting me off like that again...her spear-saw."

Lass took another step back as he tried to visualize Anya's weapon in his mind. The more he breathed in, the more it felt like the world was coming to a stop. He lost himself in time, constantly revolving around the vision of Anya's weapon and the words of the voice in his head. And then, after a moment that felt like an eternity, he opened his eyes again.

"The hell?", he said as he held on to a spear.

"Morphing magic or what? Yet another ace up your sleeve, huh?! Don't think I'll be backing down!"

"Wasn't betting on it anyway. Alright...let's get this over with already!", he said with a smirk.

"About damn time!"

They both let out a powerful cry before engaging each other in a fast-paced one-on-one battle. Each piercing and slicing through is much more brutal and powerful with each hit adding to the precision, trying to find an opening to land the decisive blow.

"Guah!", she yelped as she got smacked in the head, dropping her spear.

"It's over.", he grabbed Anya's spear, sweeping her legs and kicking her again. "Checkmate!", he screamed as he morphed his weapon again.

Without even realizing the once thin spear Lass once held had turned into a massive, heavy lance which he hastily hurled at Anya, shattering speed records, and breaking surrounding ground as it ended in a direct hit. He then jumped onto Anya as he grabbed both weapons again, and crossed them on Anya's neck, pinning her down...

"That was a direct hit...you okay?", he said in a worried manner.

"That...was...awesome!", she laughed despite the pain, wagging her tail.

"So you are a masochist on top of everything else?"

"I could be, who knows! But as far as battles go, I sure as hell enjoyed that!"

"U-Uh...Anya?", he stuttered as he looked at Anya's mouth.

"I'm out.", she tapped on Lass's leg. "But don't think this is over...I'll win next time!", she said with a warm smile.

With these words spoken, blood started rapidly pouring out of her mouth, as she was desperately fighting to stay conscious.

"Shit! Come on, keep it together!"

"We have a winner!", the announcer screamed.

Despite the horrifying to him situation, the crowd cheered on, as Lass eagerly tended to Anya's wounds. To everyone they similarly bearable wounds, where a scene of frights and horrors to him. It was a scene one would call typical, given the situation, but not to Lass. He had for once been horrified at something...whether himself or he, he didn't know what to be afraid of first...but he almost teared up, as a scene he thought so distant, became once again so familiar, as he relived what he hoped to die for.

"Are you stupid?! She's bleeding!"

"This one's a tough cookie! Haven't you seen last year's devastating match?! She will be fine! To the locker rooms, you both go!

"Heh. Don't worry big guy, it's all cool...just help me get back up a lil' bit will ya?", she said, barely holding on to her consciousness.

"Sorry...", he said as he carried Anya away.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. And don't break character in front of everyone. Let's go to Risa…”

Finally entering the locker room a surprised and worried Ikarisa was waiting for them. Her look turning with empathy toward Anya and anger toward Lass she was quick to act, healing all of Anya's wounds rapidly. To her, it was like a stroll on an open field. To him, a scenario is most devastating.

"She will be fine. My powers are no good for most things...but my healing is incomparable to any other, so long as it isn't something...terminal.", she finished healing Anya.

"I-I...I almost-", he put on a frightened face while looking at Anya.

"What even...why?", Ikarisa questioned him.

"I-I don't know...what the hell that was. Such a monster...", he said with remorse, “That, that wasn't even 'my' doing.", he whispered.

"Lass...it was just a spur of the moment. Don't-", her words were cut by Lass.

"No! Shut up! You don't know how it is...I almost...I-!"

Without any of them realizing Anya was quick to be back on her feet, as she calmly moved behind him, not a single scratch on her.

"You seriously about to tear up? That will be a sight to behold!", Anya smiled, patting Lass on the back.

"You're ok?"

"That is how battles are supposed to go, big guy. Besides, I told you from the first moment. We were going all out!", Anya gave Lass a thumbs up.

"How did you even end up as his opponent?!", Ikarisa said, all confused.

"Oh, yea...the wager! So I guess I owe you an explanation don't I?"

"I need some air.", Lass said awkwardly.

Not wanting to listen to another word Lass started moving outside at a fast pace, trying to avoid direct eye contact with both Anya and Ikarisa.

"Lass, wait.", Ikarisa tried to say.

"Guess I'll-", Anya's words were stopped by Ikarisa.

"No. I'll go."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you. Thanks for the healing too!", Anya said with a chuckle.

Following Lass, Ikarisa ended up in a sunny area outside of the arena, where she then saw him just staring at two things, that being his hands and the sword he used for his doings. Lacking the courage to face Anya after what he had done and before he started walking away to disappear, she called out to him.

"Lass-"

"What is there to say? You saw everything...I wasn't expecting that hit."

"It was an honest mistake! Stop saying it like that!"

"Was it? I...I don't know. This voice I keep hearing...what I just witnessed."

"You saw her. She's fine."

"What if she wasn't? Can you resurrect the dead too? Because that's what the hit signified...going for the kill."

"On occasion I...no. I can't resurrect the dead. But I'm sure you didn't have that in mind!"

"You know nothing."

"I may not know much, but I know this! You’re a good person! You would never hurt others like that! And even if you do by sheer mistake of force used, you would do anything to fix it! So please don't be sad!"

"Give me a break! All this drama bullshit has gotten my head in such a haze these days…god! And do you expect me to get your word for it? Basic shit anyone would say in this situation. And stop acting as if you know me! You’re a stranger dammit! Barely known you for almost a week! What am I thinking even coming up here, you’d follow me for sure. Can’t even get a moment of goddamn peace anymore! Screw this bullshit sob story!”, he yelled at Ikarisa.

Ikarisa backed down, afraid of Lass’s harsh words, but tears held in. She understood that for once, the situation would only be fixed with time’s passing. But before they could continue, from below the stairs came Anya.

"Alright let me break the mould a lil' bit. Big guy, you're honestly underestimating my resolve. A little bit of blood for an Obsulyte-using person is nothing...but I could bore your ass with biology or give you the sort answer of 'I was and am fine'."

"You say that-"

"She said she's fine! So you're fine too Lass!"

"And even if I wasn't, you have no idea how many backups I had. Don't get me, wrong big guy, I met you a few days ago but I know I can trust you. However, your powers are new to me, you, and even the goddess herself. It was a given you'd lose control at some point. You need to fall to stand up after...natural flow of things!"

"But that scene...", Lass said, unable to shake off what had happened. “There’s no way. Something like that…I’m sure I’ve seen it before. I was scared of hurting you specifically but…it feels like I’m used to it. And that image was just…”

"I know, it was a bit of a hopeful scenario but you're not getting rid of me that easy! Last time I checked, those who hoped to turn me into a ‘was’ failed to do it while trying on purpose.", Anya said with a smile, hugging Lass from behind.

"Me either, Lass! No matter what happens! I'll show you that I’m stronger than you could ever imagine!", Ikarisa said as she took her fighting stance.

Discharging her powers after losing control, Ikarisa overflowed energy into the nearby ground, raising huge flowers from it.

"Wait what are you-", Lass looked at Ikarisa weirdly.

"Woah...feels warm and fuzzy!", Anya snuggled in.

"Yeah...", he calmed down.

From Ikarisa's strange abilities to them just letting go, they finally managed to calm down after a long day of events. And they had finally started to talk normally, dispelling the aura of horror brought among them. And then the ice was broken, and they started heading towards their hotel and home.

"So you mean to tell me what exactly? How did you end up out there?"

"Yeah, it was quite unusual actually. The announcer, my drinking buddy, and I were all at that café the first day, and an ill-tempered Will came in. The guy is a total joke in all KoK tournaments, basically doing it only for...I don't know, a fashion show? He comes dressed like a disco ball and flexes like a degenerate until someone who calls themselves a female gets attracted to him, probably due to his cash. He was talking smack onto everyone and so I decided to step in. He challenged me, I beat him into a pulp, and since the announcer witnessed everything he counted it as a win and advanced me to the second round. He was drafted against me anyway, but he went to the hospital faster than he could enter the arena. He usually enters the hospital after the first round of any match but he did it faster this year. That's why you didn't get to witness me in the first round, then I found Risa and all the rest happened."

"So the whole ‘no rules part’ is literal.", Lass sighed.

"Amazing!", Ikarisa happily laughed.

"You bet! By the way Lass, I have to tell you about what I found out...you have to join me later, you won't believe this!"

"Sure...I also have something to add to your pile of info."

"Oh really? What is it?"

"The reason why I freaked out like that...it's weird. My mind for some goddamn reason is still hazy but...this scene reminded me of something. It reminded me of someone."

"But who could that brutal scene contain? That certainly doesn't sound like a good memory...", Ikarisa said worryingly.

"It...it isn't."

"At least you remembered something, so that's good! Still though...besides the mystery of your powers, there's also the mystery of your mind. Certainly, your memory can't be that bad! Did you hit your head somewhere? Such memories certainly won't be easy to forget!"

"I don't know...but it feels like if I try to remember further back, I get blocked from something."

"Alright, don't push yourself for now! You've been through enough for one day. Anya, can you show us your research results?"

"Sure, they're back at my shop. We can go whenever you want...we also have to clean the Splasher fluids again so, we should probably get going."

"Alright. Hopefully, you can make yourself useful again, mutt."

"I'm sure I will. Come with me.", she said provocatively, piquing their interest in what she had in store.

As they started to make their way to Anya's shop, Lass never put himself to rest. His self-doubts and thoughts from the other night came back flooding in, and on the already massive pile, more questions were added. And he, along with his friends, could only hope to start finding any answers...