‘Cain. Next Match: Semifinal Round. Match 2. 12:15PM.’
No sooner had Cain’s eyes finished scanning over the slip of paper than a woman’s voice stole them away. “12:15 for you, too?”
When he turned around, he found himself standing face-to-face with Meifang, one of the only competitors in the tournament who had captured his attention, and even more notably, his respect.
She was surprisingly tall, matching Cain’s own six-foot-one stature, although their bodies were in contrast otherwise. Whereas Cain’s upper body was more prominent than his lower, Meifang was the opposite; she was quite lean up top, but possessed very pronounced leg muscles.
The reason for that would have been clear to him even if he hadn’t watched any of her previous fights. Any proper ultranian fighter would be aware of who she was, but judging by the lack of immediate celebration of her name on the part of the announcers and audience, it appeared this tournament was as devoid of proper ultranian fighters as Cain had assumed it would be.
“Meifang….” he spoke softly, making sure to keep his eyes on her own. A proper fighter never deviated from eye contact; it was a sign of weakness in the self, and disrespect for the other. “I must admit, I’m surprised a fighter of your renown would participate in a tournament like this.”
To his surprise, her response came in the form of a rather girlish giggle. “Hey, relax, okay? No need to be all formal.”
He wasn’t quite sure how to respond. The two were standing in the backstage waiting room, having just received their slips denoting the time of their next match. They weren’t alone in the room; the other two semifinalists were there as well, and all four were joined by members of the security team, and even a janitor.
The fact that none of them seemed to be paying Meifang any mind was strange. They were treating her as though she were some ordinary competitor, like one of them. That didn’t sit well with him; proper fighter etiquette dictated that one should always show respect to fighters of a higher standing than themselves. The disrespect these people were showing was-!
The sudden snapping of her fingers right in front of his face tugged him free from his mental distractions. “Yoohoo! You still there, kid?”
“Yes. Go on.”
Meifang casually shrugged her shoulders as she took a look around the room. “I sign up for local tournaments every now and again when I’ve got nothing better to do.” And then, with a smile, she said, “I actually really enjoy the ones where nobody recognizes me. It’s like rewinding the clock back to my teenage years, ya know? I can just fight for the fun of it.”
“Even ones so far below your power level? You must be Meta or even Super level by now.”
She sighed. “‘Power level?’ Don’t tell me you actually believe in that stuff?”
Her words were like a knife to the gut. Or Bible. Er, knife to the Bible, I mean, not Bible to the gut. Although, I suppose a Bible to the gut could still work….Actually, yes. Perhaps having his Bible be thrown back at him would metaphorically serve as a rebuttal of his beliefs, while also causing physical hurt. Oh, I quite like that one; let’s go with that, shall we? “O-of course I do! The ULTRA Power Level Manual is a highly reputable combat guide written by some of the most esteemed-!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, kid!” Meifang held her hands up in appeasement. “I didn’t mean to insult your book. Just, ya know, keep in mind fighting isn’t a math equation. One good shot can take down anyone, so don’t get too caught up in thinking you’re so far beneath another fighter, okay?”
Cain didn’t appear to have agreed with her advice, but he was also clearly trying not to show any disrespect. In an attempt to help relieve him of his discomfort, she chose to steer the conversation in another direction entirely. “How’s your arm?”
She must have been referring to the one that Tyger had broken, Cain thought to himself. Of course she’d have been able to recognize the severity of the attack he’d taken. A testament to her combat acumen; befitting of a Meta or Super level fighter! “It’s fine. I had a rejuvenator operate on me.”
“Oh, they have one of those here?” she asked. “Surprised they’re open to the public and not just on call for the nobility like most. Well that’s good. I was a bit worried you wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight in our match.”
Cain scowled. “Please. I am always prepared for combat.”
“What about your friend?”
“Who?”
“Tyger, obviously. Unless you also happen to be friends with the two guys I fought today.”
Her knowing they knew each other was a bit surprising. Perhaps she’d seen them talking together outside the arena. Before he could answer, Cain found himself distracted yet again, his face contorting in tandem.
‘Your friend.’ Hmph.
‘Tyger.’ Tch.
His mind replayed their match back once more. The brutality of their punches. The bloody roar that had erupted from within Tyger. The last desperate punch he had thrown with killing intent.
“I’m not friends with that idiot,” Cain answered. “So if you want to know anything about him, ask him yourself.”
Meifang inhaled through her teeth. “Yeesh….”
With the conversation now effectively over, Meifang patted him on the shoulder as she began to make her departure. “Well, good luck in our match, and have fun.”
The instant she was out of the room, a breath Cain hadn’t realized he’d been holding burst free from his lungs and out of his mouth. How surreal it had felt to have an actual face-to-face conversation with Meifang, one of the Five Heroes who had saved the world over a decade ago….
And now, he was set to have a one-on-one duel against her….
* * * *
ULTRA PULSE
* * * *
The match had the crowd fired up minutes before it was set to begin. Though the people in the audience clearly didn’t recognize Meifang for her previous achievements, the little they had seen of her in the tournament had converted them into rabid fans, cheering and hollering for her to “Kick his head off!”
Cain was also quite popular with the crowd, even in opposition to Meifang. His matches had been exciting spectacles for those in attendance, and the teenage girls scattered around the stadium in particular found themselves calling out his name and praying for another victory. “Aaah! Cain! I love you! Aaaah!”
Cain remained still and statuesque as the announcer’s voice echoed around the stadium in introduction. He kept his eyes locked onto his opponent, who was casually doing stretches and hopping in place.
His chest tightened.
Her kicks were going to be her signature weapon. She had a no doubt complete and well-rounded skill set capable of a wide variety of techniques, but she would certainly be leading with her legs.
His fists clenched.
She was certainly going to be quicker than him, so he’d most likely be on the defensive. His mind began to formulate strategies of defense, evasion, and countering.
His breath hitched.
Meifang, now properly warmed up, stood up straight and met Cain’s eyes with a nod. “Good luck, kid! Show me whatcha got!”
He was actually going to fight against the legendary Meifang.
“Let’s get this show on the road, folks!”
Cain’s hands were already shooting their way to his forehead as the announcer called for the match to begin.
SUPERCHARGE!
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He knew that Meifang would approach and begin her assault immediately, and he would need the Supercharge Install to accelerate his senses or he’d have no chance of even seeing where she was.
Even with the Install active, Cain had to hone all of his attention on her — if his eyes strayed for even a fraction of a second, she’d be out of sight, and he’d be vulnerable to whatever attack she was throwing.
He threw his entire body down into as sharp of an evasive duck-down as he possibly could. Meifang’s rock-hard leg shot through the space above him, barely missing. The sonic boom that followed was even louder than one of Tyger’s heavy punches.
Cain could not afford to take one of those head-on.
He quickly spun around in an attempt to keep her in his line of sight, but it was too late. Just as he had feared, she had completely vanished from his field of view. Grinding his teeth together, he whisked his head around, keeping his arms close and compact in preparation for a defensive stance.
Meifang’s second kick landed on his tricep just as he was turning to face her. With a thunderous thwack!, Cain’s body was launched several yards backward, without his feet ever leaving the ground.
She followed the trenches his dug-in heels had opened in the floor like a jet through the runway, closing the gap between them before he’d even come to a full stop.
Cain managed to weave his head beneath her third kick, but when her opposite heel came circling in, he had nowhere to go.
THWACK!
Her mighty spinning kick broke his guard completely. His arms went numb and dangled limply at his sides while his torso lurched backward.
Ordinarily, he would have been prepared to adjust and catch himself before he fell, but he wasn’t thinking clearly. He was distracted, and when a Mentalist lost focus in battle, it was as though their body was nothing more than a husk fluttering in the breeze. Aimless, mindless, unable to decide on what to do. Unable to make use of its sense of balance and properly stay standing. Unable to choose whether to try dodging or blocking the final battering ram stomp to the chest, and unable to do either even if instinct had suddenly chosen for it.
Meifang put Cain out of his misery with a forward-sliding boot to his chest, throwing him across the arena and sending him crashing into the forcefield in a crumpled pile. She’d been hoping he’d put up a better fight, but ultimately couldn’t fault him. He was still a kid, after all. Not even lightening the power behind her kicks to prevent the match from ending in one strike and preserve his reputation had been enough.
The announcer called for her victory. With a sigh, she held her hand up and waved at the audience before turning back towards the locker room.
She still hadn’t gotten a chance to try out her new Art this entire tournament….
* * * *
ULTRA PULSE
* * * *
“Aw, cheer up, Cain! It’s okay that you lost to Meifang; that lady is a freaking beast! She was all, like, watcha! Whappa! Dadadadadada hi YAH!”
Rolling his eyes, Cain pressed the ice bag to his face. Strangely, the instant he had returned to the locker room, Reina had been there to provide comfort. It had taken a few moments for the arena staff to help him back to his feet after the match, but there was no way in hell she’d be able to make it from the bleachers to the locker room in that stretch of time. Perhaps she’d been waiting in there for-?
Ah, there it was. As he rounded the corner, he noticed Tyger seated in the corner, observing the monitor. A switch flipped in his mind, awakening a light that dispelled the distracting thoughts of self criticism following his defeat and returning his usual confidence to him. “Still need Reina to wipe your tears for you, I see.”
“Piss off.”
“Tyger and I were watching your match!” Reina said, trying to push Cain towards the bench Tyger was sitting on, though Cain held steady in place. “You did great!”
“He got his ass handed to him,” said Tyger. “You don’t gotta lie.”
Exhaling through a nostril, Cain responded, “There’s no value in a loser’s opinion on a higher-placing fighter’s performance. If your judgment was worth a damn, you wouldn’t have lost so early in the tournament.”
Reina jumped in between the two boys. “H-hey, guys, let’s just chill and watch the finals, okay? We’re all cheering for Meifang, right? She’s awesome!”
She was relieved to see that both boys appeared to calm themselves following her words, but that relief gave way to concern when they both fell deathly silent, eyes glued to the floor.
Being aware of one’s own failure is one thing. Having that failure be reinforced by the words of someone else is much more brutal on the ego. In that moment, Tyger’s had almost nowhere further to plummet, and thus, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything in response.
Cain recovered from the fall first, straightening his collar and turning towards the exit. “There’s no point in ‘cheering’ for the obvious winner of the tournament.”
As the door to the locker room shut upon Cain’s departure, Reina turned her attention back to Tyger. She sat down beside him and put on her best and brightest smile. “I know you’re excited for the match, Tyger! Don’t think I didn’t see you drooling over those legs! Ooh, that reminds me! I should ask Kiria to get me some chicken thighs from Ulty’s! Do you want some too?”
At the mere mention of Kiria’s name, the light in Tyger’s eyes flickered out, if only for a moment.
“Tyger….?” All Reina could do was watch silently as Tyger punched a hole in the wall and stormed off, muttering more curses to himself at both his failure in the tournament, as well as his destruction of stadium property. And then the locker room door shut once more.
At that point, the self disappointment virus had managed to infect Reina. She slunk in her seat, taking hold of the tip of her tail, rolling it between her fingers and pinching it.
* * * *
ULTRA PULSE
* * * *
Meifang wasn’t the slightest bit worried about the final match of the tournament. She meant no disrespect to her opponent — he was clearly a skilled staff fighter, and he’d managed to clear his side of the tournament bracket with almost as much ease as Meifang had hers — but she was feeling good.
She’d had to take a leave from competing for a little shy of a year’s time, but she was already feeling her body returning to fighting shape. It helped that the audience wasn’t aware of who she was, taking the pressure off of her mind and allowing her to just compete for the fun of it, rather than to uphold her reputation.
And because of her confidence, she decided she wanted to give this final match of the tournament a glorious send-off.
“Fighters! Let’s give the good people of Radecross a show, shall we?! Ready?!”
Meifang readied her stance, flexing the muscles in her legs.
“FIGHT!”
The instant the match began, a roaring, mechanical voice echoed from within the staff fighter’s weapon:
FIRE!
The weapon lit itself ablaze, just as the wielder began to spin it around in wide, rapid circles.
So his plan’s to make as much of the area around him as possible too dangerous for me to fly in, Meifang thought to herself. It wasn’t a bad idea; his staff-spinning techniques managed to form a decent perimeter around himself even without the Fire Install; with it, that perimeter was simply strengthened and widened.
The staff was no longer limited to just being a metal polearm — with the Fire Install set into it, the weapon could extend its reach with scorching red flames in an instant, and he could reshape the weapon in his hands as though it were no longer a solid object at all. He could likely even turn the staff into two, and extend the lengths of both, creating an even bigger hot zone around himself.
It would make her new Art even more exciting for the people in attendance.
Unlike her previous matches, Meifang chose to remain stationary in her starting position, rather than charging in like a bullet. This match was also the first time in the tournament that she chose to activate an Install, as she pressed her fists together in front of her stomach.
SWORD!
One’s first instinct upon witnessing the Sword Install being set into the Body Slot would be a fighter conjuring up a steel blade from thin air to battle with. But for Meifang, such a basic technique was of no interest to her, and she didn’t much care for fighting with swords anyway.
Her hands then rose up along her body, settling in front of her chest. The twin fists opened up, and curved themselves until they formed a ball shape.
FALCON!
“Oho! Ladies and gentlemen, the ante has been officially upped! Miss Meifang has got two whole Open Force Slots that she’s been keeping a secret from us! Is this her secret weapon to capture victory here in the finals?!”
Having two Open Force Slots was quite the accomplishment; it was the domain of veteran fighters, and not something one would expect to see at an amateur fighting tournament like this. In truth, Meifang actually had access to all three Force Slots, but her Art only required two, and using three would have been a little overkill.
Her opponent hadn’t moved from his position either, having decided to hold the defensive ground and wait for Meifang to approach. That was fine with her; she wasn’t planning on approaching, and if he remained still, it would make it easier to land her Art.
The Falcon Install allowed her to soar into the air, high above the battlefield. As she ascended, she extended her right leg, and spun around in a rapid sequence of circles, until she was naught but a tornado in the sky. A tornado of shining silver, as her right leg coated itself in sharp metal akin to the blade of a sword.
The instant she reached the peak of her jump, she threw her leg out wide and powerfully in the direction of her opponent.
« ART! »
〚 SKY CUTTING FALCON! 〛
The kick released a marvel of a projectile — a diving bird of steel. It was like a beautifully-sculpted statue descending from the heavens, shimmering in the stadium lights, and reflecting the red flames of her opponent’s Fire Install.
Her opponent hesitated, eyes going wide as the fierce bird of steel aimed right for him. He had, for one fraction of a second, time to dodge the attack. It was a tiny window in which he could have avoided taking the strike head-on, but it would have required instinct and reflexes that were beyond his capabilities. All he could do, for the one second it took for Meifang’s projectile to reach him, was close his eyes and brace for impact.
The metal bird blitzed through the force field of flames with ease, and sliced right through the staff that birthed them. With the sharp shriek of a hunting bird, the projectile angled itself upward as it tackled the staff fighter so as to avoid cutting him in half.
Instead, his body was taken skyward by the sheer strength of the bird. A streak of red flames trailed off of the metal falcon’s wings, allowing the audience to trace its skyward path.
As the projectile let out one final shriek, the red flames exploded like fireworks, and the bird was gone. The staff fighter was stunned by the blast, and plummeted to the arena floor, falling unconscious on impact.
Soon afterward, Meifang descended gracefully to the sounds of the audience exploding in thunderous applause.
But before she could offer them a bow, an explosion ruptured the ceiling of the arena like thunder, and a horde of pulseons descended soon afterward.