KON POV

“There you are, thugs. Elizabeth, stand back! Tonight, I will show these two hoodlums my true Pegasus phantasm! My KOSMOS is still burning-”

TH-THWANG!!

“Oh my, it’s not good to sleep in the hallway, dear. As for the rest of you, please enjoy yourself, but don’t stay up too late, ok?”

““Yes Ma’am.”“

“Good night, I will see you in the morning.”

She dragged her husband away by grabbing his leg. I can hear the squeaking sound as his face is scrapping the floor. will he be alright? Also, was that a double attack just now?

“Anyway! I even bought the chocolate fountain, desuwa!”

“Nice! Thanks, Eliz. So, what’s this about forgetting something?”

Zack casually grabbed a bunch of cups filled with chocolate sauce and dipped a slice of pizza into it. I felt queasy just watching. What's more, the chocolate wasn't even in a cup but in a couple of emptied flower vases.

I'll just grab some candies that Venti snatched and chill on the king-sized bed while they're hashing it out. The bed looks so cozy, with heaps of pillows everywhere. I'm tempted to build myself a pillow fort right on it.

“Aren’t we a team desuka? Your celebration is my celebration too desuyo!”

“Hoho, so you want to join our team? This supreme team with the one and only Zack in it?”

“Oya oya. Ojou-chan wanna be the part of the cool guys, eh?”

Why are they acting like a bunch of no-good gangsters now? Isn’t the main reason why we are in this whole mess to begin with, to recruit Elizabeth? Also, please stop with those embarrassing squatting poses. Are they gonna wear black glasses, and play around with butterfly knives next?

“We don’t even have a team name yet.”

“Shuush Kon, the rite of passage comes first. Anyway, to become part of a legend, one must have the makings of legend themselves.” Zack prefaced.

“What do I need to do desuwa?”

“Venti, the drum.”

DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN…..

As Venti starts drumming up the effects, the goofball hops onto a table, striking a power pose, and dropping his voice an octave lower.

“To prove thyself, A trial must thee overcome. In the world where might make right, we revert our reasons and logic to a more primal state. We shalt subdue one another through battle.”

“A fight desuka? Very well, I shall prove myself. Whose first desuwa!”

“Hehe, Ojou-chan is still too naïve. Who says it’s a one-on-one?”

“Wha-, this is unfair desuwa!”

“Oho? But the world itself isn’t fair. So, what are you gonna do Ojou-chan?”

Elizabeth paused briefly before assuming a stance, her eyes ablaze with determination. She likely realizes her slim chances of defeating either of them, especially after watching a video of a cage fight. Now, she must confront both opponents simultaneously.

Individuals who regularly engage in underground arena fights possess a distinct mindset compared to those who practice martial arts as a sport. Factors such as a focus on joints, locks, and targeting sensitive areas, coupled with the lack of third-party intervention like referees, contribute to this disparity.

In my view, the most critical aspects of an underground fight revolve around the absence of weight limits imposed on fighters. Here, you can square off against whomever you choose, no questions asked.

When it comes to rules against killing or maiming, it's a given in underground fights. In fact, the penalties for such actions are often stricter than those in organized sports due to potential backlash from the public and sponsors. Mastering the art of knowing when to hold back is crucial in this arena.

“Is Kon not going to join desuka?”

“Nah, you guys do away with whatever shenanigans you cooked. I will just be chilling here.”

“Us two is not scary enough, eh? Don’t worry, Kon is just our cute mascot”

“Yep yep, don’t worry ojou-chan. He won’t bite.”

I could sense my veins bulging with anger at their provocation, but I chose to ignore it. It's simply their method of drawing me into their foolishness. Repeatedly, I found myself ensnared in their schemes, shouldering a portion of the blame whenever we faced consequences.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

This time, all I want is to unwind and savor the blissful aftermath of Lady Kathy's enlightening cooking. Regardless of this so-called trial, she is already mostly part of the team anyway. I'm inclined to think Zack is just teasing her.

“Now Elizabeth, I want you to imagine this. Two hoodlums are coming at you seriously, what do you do? Do you fight, do you alert other people, or do you run away.”

“I will stand my ground desuwa!”

“Then brace yourself….”

As soon as Zack uttered those words, his entire demeanor shifted, his presence becoming larger, more imposing, filling the room. I felt a slight rise in my hackles before calming down, reassured that his intensity wasn't directed at me.

I've seen Zack in this state before, but every time, it's like a switch flips. Suddenly, his whole vibe changes, and you can feel the raw intensity radiating off him. Underneath that cheerful exterior lies a killer instinct, especially evident when he steps into a cage fight against a tough opponent.

His confidence, teetering on the edge of arrogance, and his apex behavior, come to the forefront as he squarely faces Elizabeth.

In the face of it all, Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure. With a deep breath, she centered herself and firmed up her stance, her expression resolute as she prepared for what was to come.

However, I could see through the façade. Cold sweat broke out on her neck, and I noticed the subtle shift in her footing, indicating a defensive stance. It was clear she was in a state of panic, and it would take time for her to regain control of her breathing and movements.

The time that Zack didn’t allow her to have.

He advanced towards her with deliberate steps, exuding intimidation as his imposing presence loomed over hers. As they came within striking distance, Zack unleashed a flurry of jabs aimed directly at Elizabeth's face.

Elizabeth, refusing to be outdone, held her ground and employed a palm-chopping strike to deflect Zack's jab. Despite her efforts, she had to shift her head and sway the remaining distance, unable to fully parry his strike.

The exchange continues for a couple more rounds, causing Elizabeth's stance to gradually weaken from being on the defensive for so long. However, she remains steadfast, opting to absorb a grazing hit to her shoulder rather than retreat. With determination, she channels more force into her arms, refusing to step back and maintain a more comfortable distance.

I nearly felt the urge to sigh.

Determination abounds, yet her naivety remains apparent. While Elizabeth's stubbornness may appear admirable, it also serves as her Achilles' heel. In the heat of the moment, she often loses sight of her goals.

Elizabeth remained entirely unaware of Venti's presence as he stealthily circled around her, positioning himself to trip her over.

It seems like I have no other choice. I unwrapped a hard ball of candy and placed it between my fingers.

Elizabeth was caught off guard as Venti revealed himself and attempted to topple her with a sweeping kick. Despite her intention to evade by jumping, Zack seized the opportunity, delivering a sidekick to the opening of her ribs.

Elizabeth couldn't react in time to block the attack, and she was flung into the side wall, slamming hard against it. With sheer determination, she managed to force herself to flip to the side, narrowly dodging a frontal kick that would have struck her in the stomach and pinned her against the wall.

Just as Venti prepared for a follow-up attack, I compelled him to shift his head, warning him of an incoming flicked candy hurtling toward his nose like a projectile. Seizing the opportunity, I swiftly maneuvered behind him, seizing his right arm and flipping him over, sending him over to the ground.

Before his back could make contact with the ground, he twisted his body with cat-like agility and landed firmly on his feet. Though tempted to continue with a chain throw, I opted to push his body in Zack's direction, creating a buffer between the two of them and Elizabeth.

“A New challenger has appeared! The mascot has entered the stage!” Zack shouted while banging on the nearby cymbal.

“Awright! Things are heating up.” Venti cried. Ignoring the two idiots, I glanced back at Elizabeth.

“*Cough*, Kon why-”

“Think back Elizabeth. What is your goal right now?”

After a few moments of contemplation, clarity flooded Elizabeth's eyes, and she rose to her feet once more. This time, her stance softened, becoming more limber and fluid compared to her previous rigid and solid posture.

“I’m not here to prove anything to Zack desune. I am here to defeat two hoodlums and win desuwa!”

“Then don’t lose sight of it again. Stay true to your goal and this mascot will guide you to victory.”

Without hesitation, I flipped a nearby umbrella cane with a stomp, swiftly grabbing it and hurling it backward at Elizabeth. Without bothering to look back, I initiated my area intent read, encompassing the entire room, before charging directly at Zack and Venti.

My objective is to position myself between them, absorbing the full force of their pincer attacks while creating space for Elizabeth to recover and exploit any openings she can find comfortably. While I'll bear the brunt of the assault, it's inconsequential to me.

My role has always been to strategize and calculate the resources necessary to achieve our goals. Currently, contending with both of them is simply impossible given our physical and martial disadvantages.

Two active cage fighters versus a ballet dancer and a runner. I don’t need to elaborate on how low our chances of winnings are, do I?

The solution?

It’s simple. Just play dirty.

As I darted into their range, they adjusted their stances slightly to account for my petite stature. At the last possible moment, I veered towards Venti. Evading his low kick, I seized the opportunity to drop even lower, practically crawling on the ground, and used my back to tackle Venti's leg.

Venti let out a curse as he was forced to put both hands on the ground to regain his balance. He understood that I wouldn't engage in grappling and anticipated a finishing kick to the face. However, before I could execute my plan, Zack's leg came hurtling towards my body. If it connected, I'd feel like a soccer ball being kicked.

Quickly, I somersaulted backward past Venti, narrowly dodging Zack's kick, and landed in a defensive stance, squarely facing Venti. Zack's immediate follow-up was thwarted as he had to block a cane strike aimed at his head. He retreated, deflecting Elizabeth's fencing thrust, until his back bumped into Venti's.

With our coordinated maneuvers, we've successfully maneuvered Zack and Venti into a pincer position, with Elizabeth and me flanking them on both sides, while Zack and Venti stand back-to-back, facing us.

“Ahahah! Kon, you sure are something! Charging into a pincer to trap us yourself.”

“If you think that’s all, you have another one coming.”

I kept my distance from Venti, knowing exactly what I was about to do next. Right in front of me was one of the bags of loot scattered around the room, filled with snacks. With a quick dash, I could see their faces twist into horror and disbelief as I kicked the bag, sending a shower of food, candies, and hot gravies scattering in their direction.

They scrambled to cover their heads and shield their eyes as a barrage of items flew into their faces, including sauces and who knows what else had coagulated and stewed inside the bag.

“Kon you!”

“Who’s Kon? I’m just a cute mascot.”

Elizabeth seized the opportunity to swoop in, launching a series of fencing strikes reminiscent of her father's technique and frontal assault. Even Zack struggled to evade those cane swipes, with gravy sauces dripping all over his face.

Venti, having seen it coming, had better luck and managed to shield his face in time. He swiftly rushed forward, aiming to overwhelm me in a one-on-one scenario, leaving Zack to contend with Elizabeth.

Hehe, if you think I’m going to willingly play to your caged fight tune, you are greatly mistaken.

Let me show you how a street rat fights.