Four days later..

Albert roared from the front, his voice booming over the rattling of the carriage wheels, "We're almost there! I see it in the distance." His excitement cut through the tension that had been building during our long journey. I leaned back, finally letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, "You hear that, Jane? We're finally here." My words were meant to lighten the mood, but Jane didn’t turn around. She remained focused on the road stretching out behind us, her face set in a quiet frustration. "Did you have to push me that hard during training?" she asked, her voice low, and I could sense the weight behind the question. I studied her for a moment, my gaze lingering on the nape of her neck, a reminder of how fragile she still was in some ways. "Yes, I did." I said, my tone firm but not unkind. "Since your body isn’t as developed as mine, I had to teach you how to target the 'bone behind muscle' of an opponent. With this technique, you’ll be able to defend yourself with minimal effort now." She rolled up her sleeve, revealing the faint scars that marred her skin. The marks were thin but visible, a testament to the hard hours of training. "These scars won’t heal completely." she muttered, more to herself than to me.

I shook my head slowly. "No," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt that I quickly pushed aside. "I know a way to get rid of scars, if you'd like." The offer was genuine, though I wasn’t sure if she would take it. Scars carried stories, and some were harder to let go of than others. The carriage lurched to a halt, and Albert’s voice rang out again from the front, "We're here! Come to the front." His voice had the same sense of urgency, but now it held the promise of something more—our destination, at last. We stepped out, and the scene that greeted us was overwhelming—though I could only muster a single thought. Wow.

A massive stone gate loomed before me, flanked by two towering structures on each corner. It was imposing, a symbol of strength and authority. They put a wall around this entire city? The sheer scale of it was impressive, almost intimidating. Two archers stood atop the towers, their arrows notched as they eyed us with thinly veiled contempt. Below them, two heavily armored gate guards—each one built like a mountain—were deep in conversation with Albert. Their armor clinked softly as they moved, their faces hidden beneath visors, making them seem more like statues than men.

Albert gestured back toward me, his voice loud and clear, "I don’t want to enter. He and his girlfriend does. I just escorted them." His nonchalant tone made it sound like this was routine, but it was anything but for us. I stepped forward, my boots crunching against the gravel path, "He’s correct." I said simply. A part of me wanted to correct him about Jane—but it wasn’t worth the trouble. Besides, the last thing I needed was a pointless argument over semantics at the gate of a fortified city.

The guard nearest to us turned his gaze toward me, sizing me up from head to toe with a critical eye. "You want to enter this city?" His tone was flat, but I could sense the underlying skepticism. I nodded, keeping my voice calm. "Yes. I want to enter. I paid an escort for that reason." He gave a half-shrug, as if the decision didn’t matter to him one way or the other. "Well, just a fair warning—anyone who commits crimes worse than robbery gets sentenced to immediate execution." His words were as cold as the steel sword hanging from his waist. With a casual flick of his hand, he signaled up to the archers. "Open the gate. They can come in."

The archers moved, and with the loud groan of ancient gears, the massive gate began to creak open. I reached into my bag, pulling out a shiny golden coin, its surface gleaming in the light. With a quick flick of my thumb, I sent it spinning through the air. Albert caught it with ease, smirking as he pocketed it. "Keep it," I said. It was a simple token of thanks, but it meant we wouldn’t owe him any further favors down the line. Jane scurried up to my side, glancing nervously at the bustling city beyond the gate. "You have everything?" she asked, her voice soft, but there was an edge of uncertainty to it. I nodded, though I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change. "Yeah." I replied.

We left Albert and the city’s towering entrance behind, the heavy stone gate closing with an audible thud. As soon as we stepped into the heart of the city, I was struck by the difference a well-run clan could make. The streets were clean, the air felt lighter, and the people around us seemed... content. Not just surviving, but thriving. The buildings were sturdy, well-maintained, their facades gleaming in the midday light. No signs of decay or ruin, just the quiet hum of prosperity.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I turned to Jane, breaking the comfortable silence. "Which clan owns this city again?" I asked, genuinely curious. This kind of order wasn’t something you saw every day. She rolled her eyes, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "The Fist of God," she replied with a slight edge in her voice. "a religious clan. They run all of the fighting events here. No competition." The Fist of God? That was new to me. "A religious clan?" I pressed, trying to piece together how faith and violence coexisted in a city like this. Jane scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "They worship strength," she explained. "it makes sense they own the fighting capital of the country."

I nodded slowly. A clan that worships strength. Of course, in a city where fighting was both a sport and a way of life, such a clan would have absolute control. They didn’t just rule through force; they dominated through belief. We weaved through the crowd, maneuvering around citizens as we made our way toward our destination—the Burnout Tournament. The ancient colosseum where champions were made, or broken. I’d only heard about it before, in whispers and stories passed around by fighters. Zero had mentioned it more than once—how he’d been crowned leader of Sun there, in front of a roaring audience. Things had sadly changed since then. Even Leo, who had stolen Sun from Zero, used this place to recruit new blood for the clan. The audacity of it all still rankled me.

We neared the colosseum, a whole crowd had gathered at the front. The entrance wasn’t open yet, but there was a commotion—faint sounds of fighting coming from somewhere inside. Maybe practice bouts, or something more sinister. Either way, I couldn’t focus on that. I stood there, staring up at the massive stone structure. Despite its age, it was still a marvel. The wear and tear of time had left its mark, sure, but the architectural prowess was undeniable. It was a monument to power, and it radiated authority. Jane crossed her arms beside me, her expression impatient. "Let's wrap this up," she said, tapping her foot. "We need to find a place to stay." I patted her gently on the back, offering a reassuring smile. "You're right. Stay here. This will be quick." I rolled my shoulders, stretching out my arms as I prepared to dive into the crowd. I don’t know how they decide who’s worthy of entering, but it’s always the same—if you want a shot, you have to prove it with your fists. With that, I squeezed into the throng of people.

Ah, that’s what they were doing. The crowd parted slightly, and I got a clearer view of the spectacle unfolding in front of me. Three men were fighting desperately against a woman of similar build, but she was toying with them—dodging every single blow. One of the men lunged forward, throwing a right straight, but she sidestepped to the right as if it was second nature. In an instant, another fighter aimed a front kick at her blind spot, hoping to catch her off guard. But before the kick could land, she flipped onto her hands with incredible speed, dodging the attack effortlessly. I watched in quiet awe. She’s two times as strong as Jane, maybe more.

Without wasting a second, I pushed past one of the civilians in the crowd. "Excuse me." I muttered, making my way closer to the action. The woman taunted her opponents, a playful smirk on her face. "You can't even hit me? You're not worthy of entering this tournament!" Her voice was laced with mockery as she spun gracefully, turning into a cyclone of kicks that sent all three men flying backward. She landed lightly on her feet, like a predator waiting for the next challenger. "Anyone else?" she asked, her eyes scanning the crowd. I raised my hand, my voice steady. "Me."

Her gaze snapped to mine, and she licked her lips, her grin widening. "You seem worth the trouble." she said, eyes narrowing with excitement. "Don’t go easy on me just because I’m a girl, or else you’ll regret it." I nodded, but before I could respond, I asked the obvious question. "Uh, but how do I win and enter? I just got here." She stomped the ground hard, the impact sending a small tremor through the stone beneath us. "If you can so much as touch me—an officer in Sun—you can enter." Her voice was confident, almost daring me to try. She stepped in close, closing the distance between us until we were chest to chest. I could feel the intensity radiating off her. She smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Look at how close I am. You can easily hit me. So try it."

For a moment, I hesitated. Then, I realized. She's weaker than Tarkun. With the smallest, controlled movement, I shifted my fist and drove it into her gut—precise, sharp, but not overpowered. The woman’s eyes widened as she clutched her chest, hunched over and visibly shaken by the strike. She tanked it, but the pain was clear in her voice as she gritted her teeth and punched the ground in frustration. "You didn’t go easy at all." She straightened up, wiping the sweat from her brow, and nodded in reluctant approval. "You can enter, but it costs ten gold." She raised her palm. I handed her the ten gold. Her tone was begrudging but respectful now. "What’s your name?" "Vellin." I replied simply, glancing down at my fist. Strength control… is really hard.