Let's get right into this.

Author's Pick: I was proud of my work in this chap. Except... #31 could be a little better.

OPENING ROUND FIGHT #28: JOE HIGASHI VS WHIP

"Psssst... hey K'. Seirah's fighting next. Are you watching? Huh? Are you watching, K? Are you?"

"Kula, sweetie... I'm watching."

"...Sweetie~?"

"Shut up."

Whip stood confidently in the combat zone, with the overwhelming support of Kula (and K' to a lesser extent) as well as her fellow Ikari Warriors. So far, they were undefeated; Whip intended to maintain that streak.

But this would be no easy task, for her opponent was one of the most decorated Muay Thai fighters in the world. Joe Higashi had put in the time to be called one of the most iconic martial artists of the century. Long ago, when King of Fighters belonged to Geese, Joe was one of the true beasts along with the Bogard brothers. Safe to say, he had well-cemented his legacy.

The Lone Wolves... The Ikari Warriors... someone's 0 was about to go.

"Joe Higashi... you're an outstanding close-range fighter." Whip complimented, brandishing her blue leather weapon. "Consider me your antithesis."

Joe chuckled as he got into stance, light on his dominant foot with his fists high. "You're pretty good with that thing, lady. But when I'm done with you, you'll consider a job at the Circus!"

FIGHT!

Joe took one step forward, and Whip let him have it. Swinging the leather back to gather speed, she unleashed her whip forward and the tip struck him in the face, opening up a huge red gash on his cheek.

"Ooooogh... Whip draws first blood." Terry winced.

"This'll be a painful one to watch." Andy fretted.

"Then why don't you watch ME instead~?" Mai cooed, clinging to his arm and kissing his cheek.

"H-hey, cmon now Mai. It's Joe here. D-don't distract me..."

Joe cautiously stepped forward again, but the terrifying crack of the whip at his feet stopped his advance. He scowled as he measured the distance; Whip was several yards away.

"Attagirl, Whip! He can't even come near you!" Ralf cheered.

"She has the key to victory. She just has to maintain it." Heidern pointed out.

The next few minutes were consistent; Joe would try to ease his way forward, but Whip would unleash her weapon at his feet with the sound of thunder. The Thai fighter couldn't get in close, to unleash his art where it was best used.

"Alright..." Joe spat. "Let's get you moving a little. HURRICANE UPPAHHHH!"

Joe threw an uppercut at the air, launching his signature projectile: a forceful tornado of considerable size and speed. The whistling gale winds soared towards Whip, threatening to blow her away.

"Ah!" she grunted as she quickly sidestepped, and the tempest tore past her. But this was what Joe wanted: a distraction to help him move forward.

"HE'S CLOSING IN, SEIRAH!" Kula squealed.

"No he's not." Whip hissed as she twirled her whip around her head and unleashed it. The leather cord wrapped around his leg, stopping his rapid advance.

"Sh-shit! Whoooooah!"

Joe was yanked off his feet as Whip gave her weapon a sharp tug, sending him downwards. But she didn't stop there; she started dragging him towards her, intending to punish her downed opponent.

"GET OUT OF IT JOE!" Andy yelled.

"YEAH, JOE! YOU DUMB SHIT!" Mai seconded.

Struggle as he did, Joe was helpless as he was dragged up close and personal. When at last he rested at Whip's feet, she raised her boot and brought it down on his ribcage.

"Haaaaaughhh...!" he cried out as his insides flared up, his breathing becoming acidic.

Whip was smart; she retracted her weapon and created distance instead of remaining up close. Joe was badly hurt... now she could finish him from afar.

Joe got up, on shaky legs. He had to hunch over slightly as he breathed, the pain too intense to posture up. But still, the Muay Thai legend wasn't deterred; he stubbornly pressed forward.

"HURRICANE UPPER! HURRICANE UPPER!"

Joe sent two more whirlwinds at her, which she evaded, then he started charging at her. But Whip was still too far away; she was able to intercept him by unleashing her whip and coiling it around his neck.

"Ohhhh shit... that's very bad for Joe." Terry sighed.

Whip charged at him and leaped, frontflipping over his head. Her momentum caused the whip around Joe's neck to yank him HARD off his feet, as if someone pulled a rug out from under him. Joe did a full 360 before landing facefirst hard.

"GO SEIRAH! GOOOO SEIRAH! K', why aren't you cheering for your sister?"

"I am, I am! Just... internally."

There were joyous cheers from the Ikari Warriors... but a much different tune on the Bogards' side.

"Jesus, Joe is getting tore up. Someone should stop this." Terry grunted.

"No, he's not done yet. He'll find a way." Andy reassured.

In the combat zone, it didn't look too hopeful. Whip was behind Joe, her weapon still around his neck, strangling the life out of him. Any minute now, he would lose consciousness...

"Just tap out, Higashi!" Whip commanded. "I don't want to put you to sleep!"

Joe's breathing was already painful enough; this was TWICE as bad. He could feel his adrenaline pumping, fueling his muscles, commanding him to unleash strength he seldom had to...

"Aggh! Ahhk! I'M... NOT... DONE!"

Whip's combat strategy had been almost flawless... ALMOST. She had a plan and stuck to it mostly, but right now... she was close to Joe. That was a bad place to be, for she had created an opening for him to move in on her.

And move he did. Muscling his way to his feet, Joe spun around and gripped Whip's whip, holding her there in place. With a strained grin, he started to get closer to her... closer... Whip couldn't retreat, because her weapon was stuck around his neck!

"G-get away from me...!" Whip cursed.

But it was too late. Joe was on her, and he started slashing her face open with elbows. The first elbow opened her up wide underneath her right eye. The second elbow crashed into her left eye, and she could feel her orbital rim breaking. Her vision started fading in seconds, as rapid swelling took effect on her left side.

Her vision darkened, she could feel the warmth of her own blood... and Whip's spirit started to fade. She panicked, letting go of her weapon and retreating backwards with her fists raised.

But Whip without her whip was hardly a threat for Joe Higashi.

Joe thrust a swift front kick, burying the ball of his foot deep into her stomach. As she hunched over from the pain, he came forward with a flying knee that smashed her face clean. Whip wasn't dropped, but she was going backwards on drunken legs; Joe pressed forward and unleashed a front kick to her chin that put her on her butt.

"SEIRAH! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kula cried.

Not even conscious enough to know where she is, Whip tried to stand up again... but Joe threw a vicious kick to her body that shut her down the rest of the way. She was sent back to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain as she curled up in a fetal position. She was done.

WINNER: JOE HIGASHI

"God damn! Joe f***ing turned that around in a snap!" Ralf cursed.

"There goes our perfect record..." Clark sighed.

"Joe truly is a veteran fighter. He was in deep trouble, but he didn't quit. A fight can flip quickly, and he just proved that." Heidern stated, lowering his head for this bitter moment.

The Bogards and Mai ran out to congratulate Joe, who was all smiles as he embraced his buddies.

"You scared the hell out of us there, Joe." Terry laughed.

"Cmon you guys, I had it handled the whole time. It's me!" Joe boasted.

In the stands, K' had to deal with an awkward situation; while he was strong enough to handle Whip's brutal defeat, the crying Kula was not.

"Shit Kula... come on. Why you crying?" K' nervously asked, scratching his head.

"Sniff sniff... I'm sorry..." Kula sobbed. "But seeing Seirah lose like that is so sad! Waaaaaah!"

"Ahh shit... cmon Kula, dry it up! I don't want Diana and Foxy coming down here..."

"I caaaaaaan't!"

"Gaaaah... dammit, come on. Let's go get you an ice cream or something. Shit..."

"Sniff... sniff... th-that would be nice..."

OPENING ROUND FIGHT #29: BLUE MARY VS SETH

In a strange turn of events, the two opponents selected had actually been on the same team before... kind of.

Blue Mary DID work for Seth at one time as a contract mercenary alongside Vanessa and Ramon; as far as entering King of Fighters, however, Mary and Seth had never actually fought alongside each other. As fate would have it, they managed to avoid being on the same team in all the years they entered.

As they stood before each other, there was an obvious size discrepancy. Seth was a big, physically superior man, while Mary was slender in all aspects except her bountiful bosom. One cannot mistake that for weakness, however; if there's one thing Mary was good at, it's throwing people around and controlling them on the ground.

"Seth." Mary greeted with a wink. "It was fun working for you. Just don't get a swelled head because you were my squad leader."

Seth smirked, grabbing his suspenders and giving them a yank. "I know full well what you're capable of, girl. Just because we weren't together in King of Fighters doesn't mean I didn't study your style and take notes. I know exactly how to beat you, so don't think you're gonna be getting me down."

Mary brought her arms above her head and stretched, her impressive figure bulging in her red crop top. "Heh... that's what they all say. And then they walk home with their muscles feeling like taffy."

Seth flicked his nose and put his hands up. "So, you ready to do this?"

"Just one second. ANTON!"

Mary affectionately called out her dog's name as she shed her green jacket and tossed it in the air. Anton's ears perked up and he leapt from Terry's lap to run out there. With perfect speed and agility he leaped and snatched her jacket out of the air, then sprinted back to the stands to rest on Terry's lap once more.

"Now I'm ready." Mary smiled.

In the stands, Ramon was having a fit. He put his hands on his confused head as he bobbed back and forth.

"Agh! Who do I root for?! Seth is my amigo, but Mary is hot... agh! Seth! Mary! SETH! MARY!"

FIGHT!

Mary cautiously approached, but didn't get in his range. Seth had his fists up face-level: an effective boxing stance. He looked ready to counter if she so much as twitched; perhaps a page from Vanessa's book?

"If there's one thing I learned from being on Seth's team... his defense is near perfect." Shingo stated. "He's a tough guy to hurt. I can't tell you the number of matches we squeaked by in 2000 thanks to him."

"Oh suuuure, let's all put Seth on a pedestal." Benimaru scoffed. "Whose name was the team named after again?"

"Beni, show some humility for once in your vain life. Sheesh!" Shingo groaned.

Mary stopped to think about it for a second... then she rushed in. As fast as she could put her foot down, Seth dropped her on her hands and knees with a swift right hook. Her world went spinning immediately, her eyes level with the distorted mess of a ground.

"Ouch! Seth hit her clean..." Benimaru winced.

Through sheer willpower, Mary sprang back up and quickly raised her forearms. Seth started pouring on her, putting all his oomph into his punches. He threw several alternating hooks, mixing in a few uppercuts here and there. Mary couldn't keep her feet planted; his massive blows were knocking her around like a cat swatting a shoelace. Her forearms were raised for dear life, but the force of his strikes was so much greater than her smaller frame could handle. She had to stop this...

Mary ducked under his swing and seized his right leg, locking her arms around his upper thigh and lifting to get him hopping on one foot. Seth was forced to halt his offense and focus on staying on his feet...

"Mary's got him now!" Terry bragged. "Now bring the big man down!"

Mary did just that; she pivoted her hip and simultaneously torqued on his leg to use his weight against him, slinging him to the ground on his butt. When Seth was effectively grounded, Mary quickly got to work; locking her legs around his thigh, she grabbed his ankle with both hands and twisted his foot in the opposite direction, putting him in a gruesome heel hook. A few more seconds like this, and Seth's femur would snap like a twig...

"This is it...!" Terry shouted.

"Calm down, loverboy." Mai patted. "It's not over yet."

Seth rolled over on his stomach and got to his hands and one available knee; through basically his own brute strength, he was able to out-muscle Mary and get back to his feet. Realizing she couldn't finish the job, Mary angrily let go of his leg and rolled backwards to safety.

"Damn... she couldn't get it. Seth's just too big for her." Andy sighed.

Seth came forward with a 1-2-3 flurry of punches, but Mary blocked them effectively and backed him up with a spinning backfist to his nose. Seth shook off the pain and blocked a side kick to his body, and the rolling sobat that came after.

Seth backed away... this time, in his normal stance of open hands at his sides. His dominant left hand was extended outwards, ready to catch and counter a strike.

Mary lunged in with an overhand right, but Seth smacked her hand away and threw a sharp jab to her ribs. Mary recoiled slightly, but came forward with a rather weak leg kick and then spun around with a wild backfist. The kick bounced off of Seth's calf, and the veteran agent swayed his head back to avoid the swing.

Seth fired a backhanded jab faster than a slingshot, striking Mary in the eye and stunning her. Mary got desperate and tried to clinch with him... a knee to her solar plexus ruined her plans.

"Mary! Shit...!" Terry hissed through clenched teeth.

Mary fell to the ground, but she desperately clung to Seth's knees to work her way back up. Her muscles strained as she locked her arms tight around his tree trunks, trying desperately to bring them close together and yank him off his feet. But Seth's defense was flawless; he used his forearms to push down on the back of her head, putting all his weight on top of her to stifle her efforts. Eventually Mary couldn't hold on... and she lost her grip.

"She's in bad shape... Seth's having his way with her." Shingo commentated.

"Mary's gotta pull a rabbit to win this one... but she's done it before. That girl is FULL of tricks." Benimaru seconded.

"GO SETH! Uhh I mean... I BELIEVE IN YOU MARY! Uhhh... ahhh... dammit..." Ramon was still lost in his never-ending dilemma. He tried to stop and think about who Vanessa would root for... but that just made his head hurt worse.

Seth trapped her head between his armpit and bicep... and began pumping fists into her stomach. Over and over, he drew his arm back and slammed it into her body; each one would surely fell her if he wasn't holding her up. Mary was coughing, wheezing, the burning breaths producing tears in her eyes... but even now, she was twisting her head left and right, trying to pop her neck out from his beefy grip.

"Unng... ahhh... grrrrr... GAAAAAAAAH!"

Mary pried her head back and shoved Seth with all her might. Of course, she didn't actually move the bigger man... but it propelled her backwards enough to get some distance.

"Stand down, Mary." Seth requested. "Your style is useless against me, so there's no point in continuing this struggle any further. Don't make me hurt you worse."

Mary growled; her response was to throw herself against Seth's torso and clinch with him once again.

Seth sighed; he was able to stuff his arms underneath her armpits and easily throw her aside.

"You just don't quit, girl. I admire it, but you're near that fine line that crosses to foolishne-SSSSHIT!"

Mary smiled; she had him right where she wanted him. As soon as Seth had tossed her aside, she clung to his arms and used them to vault herself upwards. Reaching face-level, she hooked a leg around the back of his neck and brought both hands up to pull his head downwards. The bigger man's balance was broken, and he fell forward like a tree with no stump.

The two of them crashed to the ground, Seth on top of her, his neck being squeezed in a crushing triangle choke courtesy of her leg.

"Holy shit, she pulled guard. She f***ing pulled guard! HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU MAD GENIUS!" Terry laughed.

"Yeah, but now Seth's on top of her." Andy scratched his head.

"It doesn't matter. Mary works her magic from top OR bottom."

"Oooooh tell me more~" Mai snickered.

Mary smiled as she bucked her hips left; she could steer Seth like a flight stick. Despite his bigger frame on top of her, she was able to use the leverage around his neck to roll him over onto the ground. But that was only part of the sweet deal; a mischievous grin spread on her lips as she used her free hands to snatch his arm and bend it painfully in a way it wasn't supposed to go.

Seth couldn't be in more trouble right now; not only was her leg squeezing the life out of him, his arm was being forcefully torn from its socket. He was receiving a double dose of Mary's special skills in the WORST way.

"Mary is a mean bitch." Shen Woo whistled. "Seth's gonna lose consciousness AND his arm if he doesn't call it quits."

"Let's see if the big man is too prideful to tap to the little lady." Ash snickered.

Unfortunately, Ash's pleasure was denied; Seth was not a fool, and he didn't want to go to sleep and possibly wake up in a cast. Before he accidentally blacked out, he quickly tapped and Mary released her lethal grip.

WINNER: BLUE MARY

Mary rose to her feet in triumph, but her first instinct wasn't to boast victory. Instead, she immediately knelt down and tended to Seth.

"You okay, big guy?"

Seth coughed a few times before sitting upward, clutching his arm in pain. "Agh... I seriously thought I had you. I had you dead to rights! You're just too good, girl. I'm sorry I ever claimed to have figured you out, because that's impossible."

Mary smiled as she helped him up to his feet. "Heh... and if you claim that again, I'll make sure you walk home with one less working limb~"

Seth gave a good-natured chuckle. "You're scary as hell, you know that? Scary and sweet. Just what the hell are you, Mary?"

"I'm just a girl with a cute dog. Isn't that right, Anton~?"

Mary received her beloved dog in her arms; Anton immediately started giving her cheek a flurry of wet kisses. Terry followed soon after to give her some kisses of a different kind: his lips passionately planting against hers.

"Mmm... mmmmph~ you must have been watching me pretty hard to be this wound up." Mary cooed as their lips pulled apart.

Terry grinned as he went low and kissed her neck. "Nobody does it like you, babe."

"Careful... we still have 11 fights to sit through. Don't make me twist something you need." Mary teased.

OPENING ROUND FIGHT #30: LAURENCE BLOOD VS OSWALD

"Deal with this commoner quickly, Laurence."

Those were the only orders Krauser had for his number two, who fashioned his red matador cape on his arm and bowed.

"Yes, my lord. He shall fall swiftly."

Laurence walked to the combat zone, his snobby disposition turning off everyone who saw him. The crowd had a mixed reaction; many were booing because they wanted to see him humbled, but there were also plenty others who cheered him by association with Krauser. They must have thought it unwise to get on Lord Stronheim's bad side...

On the other side, Oswald was already standing there waiting. He looked unworried: not a care in the world. A confident smirk stayed plastered on his lips as his hands rested in his pockets. What was the older gentleman thinking? Nobody knew... but perhaps it wasn't that big a mystery. Maybe Oswald was just a strange man in a strange world... and he was happy as can be. Not many people on the planet got to experience the bliss of TRUE content; in that facet, Oswald was truly wealthier than most.

"Ozzy looks so chill~" Ash giggled.

"I wonder if the old dude's still got it in him." Shen Woo pondered. "I'm sure he's not the same after I was done with him! Ha ha!"

Laurence finished strutting to the combat zone; when he looked upon his opponent, his eyes averted upwards as if Oswald was lower than him, undeserving of his gaze.

"...Shall we get this over with?" Laurence initiated, his voice carrying the audible signs of impatience and lack of fervor.

But Oswald wasn't shaken by his snark. His grin remained, as he slowly raised his hands up... his eyes still focused on Laurence.

"What are you staring at, creep? I said let's get started already!" Laurence commanded.

"...Look at my hands. Tell me... what do you see?"

Laurence's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing the question. "What kind of nonsense is this? I see nothing! I only hear the deluded ramblings of a senile fool."

Oswald chuckled, his lips widening to a toothy grin.

"Heh heh heh... I thought as much. We humans are such a sad species, only capable of seeing the bare minimum, our eyes only trained to view what we perceive as finite. We're forever bound by our own feeble perspectives, our droll, poignant outlooks on a world of truly endless possibility, limited only by the restrictions we impose on ourselves every day. It's a plague: a festering, stinking pox that poisons and rots what we contain within ourselves... the key to the universe."

Laurence scowled. "What are you babbling about?!"

Oswald extended his hand; before Laurence's stupefied eyes, a pair of cards appeared between his forefinger and thumb. The matador's mouth opened; he SWORE Oswald never moved even a finger.

"...But I'm different." Oswald continued. "My eyes have been opened. I can see what no other man sees, and that gives me more power than you could possibly imagine. The dark miasma that plagues your souls has no effect on me... because I'm a man liberated."

Laurence shook his head. "You talk a lot of nonsense. You speak as if you have some special power that nobody else is capable of."

Oswald shook his head. "Oh no, you're quite wrong. You're capable of it too: every man, woman and child can have the power at my fingertips. They can taste the divine saccharine as I do. It's as simple as a sleight of hand."

Laurence rolled his eyes. "Then enlighten me. What do I do?"

"Just open you eyes. Open your eyes... and see."

"...What? What the hell are you talking...?"

"Heh. I knew you wouldn't get it."

FIGHT!

Laurence came forward, whipping his red cape left and right to try and throw Oswald off. The older man didn't move; he just stood still with a little smirk.

"I'm going to wipe that smugness off your face!" Laurence snarled as he drew his arm back, preparing to whip his cape in Oswald's face.

Oswald waited... waited for the arm to pull back... the cape to extend... now!

FLICK! FLICK!

Oswald flicked his fingers twice in succession: the two cards soared at bullet speed and struck Laurence in the forehead, one after the other. The matador immediately hunched over, clutching his face in pain.

"Ooooh... I hope the old man dulled the edges on those things." Shen Woo's face twisted.

"Ahaha. It's not the cards, silly. Oswald can simply throw them with such speed and acuteness that they can penetrate a man's skull! AHAHAHAHAHA~" Ash laughed.

"...You got a sick sense of humor, man."

Laurence rose back up, thankfully not bleeding since Oswald was throwing them without lethal intent.

"You're pretty handy with those things." he sneered.

Oswald smirked. "It's a living."

He extended his hand, and nonchalantly wiggled his fingers. Laurence's belief was tested when he saw the straight up magic in front of him: four cards appeared between his digits, faster than light, no tell whatsoever.

"Your trickery won't faze me!" the matador bellowed.

Laurence charged forward, and Oswald let loose the card between his thumb and forefinger. It flew fast and true, but Laurence swooshed his cape and swatted the projectile out of mid-flight.

"Nice try- OOF! OOG! AGHH!"

...But the next three were just a little too fast for him. Two of them struck him in the ribs, right between the bones, where it's most painful. The third one struck his chest, and he was knocked off his feet. He instinctively curled up upon impact, trying to stifle the flaring pain in his body.

"ON YOUR FEET LAURENCE! NOW!" Krauser commanded.

Laurence was in terrible pain... but he feared the wrath of Krauser just a little more. Quickly springing to his feet, he rushed Oswald with everything he had.

The matador swung his cape at Oswald's face, but the older man swayed his head left to dodge it. Laurence came back the other way; another whiff. He went low and tried to catch Oswald's leg, but Oswald raised it just in time for the cape to whoosh past.

Oswald produced a card from his sleeve and slashed the red cape mid-flight, knocking Laurence off balance. With a flick of his wrist, he let the card loose in Laurence's face and sent the matador backwards.

"Gaaaah!" Laurence cursed; he immediately spun around and whipped his cape at Oswald's leg once more. This time, the persistent Laurence was successful; like a fish on a hook, his cape wrapped around his opponent's leg and snagged him tight.

"GOT YOU!" Laurence laughed.

Laurence yanked his cape back and swept Oswald off his feet; like throwing a shot put, he flung Oswald halfway across the arena as his cape unraveled from his opponent's leg.

If Oswald hit the ground, he'd be in a world of hurt... luckily, the older man was quite nimble on his feet. With a smile, he frontflipped through the air and landed gracefully like a cat.

"Whooooah... he can move like that at his age?" Benimaru's eyes widened.

"Someone's been taking their morning pills." Kyo joked.

Laurence was on him immediately with a lunging side kick to the body, stunning Oswald. Taking advantage of the precious second, Laurence whipped his red cape forward and it coiled tight around Oswald's arm.

A struggle ensued in the next seconds, both men standing their ground as Oswald fought against the constricting red cloth and Laurence tried to yank him off-balance.

"You're mine now..." Laurence grinned: a toothy, diabolical, shit-eating grin.

Unfortunately, Laurence was ignorant to the fact that Oswald with one arm is still barely disarmed. The older man threw him for a loop when he merely chuckled and flicked his other hand forward, sending a lightning-fast card between his eyes.

"AAAGHH!" Laurence yelped as he recoiled, releasing his grip on Oswald. The older man laughed as he sent a card into his throat, then back up to the bridge of his nose, then, with a flamboyant spin, he sent a card soaring into his forehead that dropped the matador.

"God damn!" Shen Woo laughed. "I know from experience how painful those f***ing things are. Laurence must be all kinds of stinging right now."

Laurence got back up; at this point, his face was wearing a series of red welts. He was in great pain, but it wasn't debilitating; it was more like an... annoying pain. A pain that motivated him to want to crush his opponent...

"GRRRRAAAAH! Listen to me, old man! I am the loyal servant of Stronheim!" Laurence barked. "You are SO FAR beneath me! You are the mud on my shoes! You are nothing!"

Oswald rolled his eyes and smirked. "That stubborn pride can takes years off your life, you know."

"YOU WILL DIE!"

Laurence's red cape hit the floor, revealing a nasty weapon underneath: his razor-sharp rapier. It would seem Laurence Blood was done playing games.

At last, the smile faded from Oswald's lips... his expression replaced with a more intense one of days' past.

"You dare threaten me...?" Oswald snarled.

Laurence howled as he charged forward and swung the blade menacingly at Oswald's face. Oswald was luckily fast enough to dodge it, as well as the second stroke that came after.

Laurence lunged in for a third strike; Oswald quickly produced a card from his right sleeve and parried the blade, stopping it clean with the top edge.

And with his left hand... Oswald unleashed hell.

The cards flew out, one at a time, each one hitting their mark before the next one followed. Left ribs. Right ribs. Liver. Kidneys. Throat. Esophagus.

Laurence staggered backwards, a puppet with no strings. His blade dropped to the ground as his jello legs struggled to keep him upright. Oswald came forward with two hands, continuing the onslaught: left kneecap, right kneecap, groin, stomach, throat... by the time the cards stopped flying, Laurence was on his knees slumped over.

Oswald produced one more card... but he didn't throw it. Forcefully grabbing Laurence's hair, he jerked his head upwards and held the edge against his jugular.

"Look into my eyes." Oswald commanded.

Laurence defiantly looked away, spitting on the ground.

"LOOK AT ME!" Oswald yanked his hair, making his face come back towards him.

"You think I'm afraid?" Laurence spat. "Do it! My lord's wrath with be twice as painful!"

"One swipe." Oswald hissed. "One swipe... and I could end you."

The air grew tense, the Coliseum dead silent as Oswald stood there with his most dangerous expression to date. His chest visibly heaved as his mouth produced hot breaths, sweat drizzling down his temple. Laurence sat there in silence, eyes closed, ready to meet his fate...

...But that fate never came.

With a relaxed sigh, the smile reappeared on Oswald's mouth as quickly as it had faded. He retracted his card and lifted Laurence back up to his feet.

"Luckily for you, that man is long dead. I've shed myself of these petty frivolities, the pitiful squalor you all live in everyday. My hands are clean."

With a bow, Oswald turned around and walked away, the smile never fading from his lips.

WINNER: OSWALD

"Damn, Oswald is a badass!" Shen Woo laughed. "Ho man, I hate you even more now for that time you tricked us into fighting. I'm thankful to be alive right now!"

"Oh shut up Shen." Ash smirked. "Quit making this about you."

Before Shen could make a comeback, Chizuru abruptly approached him.

"Entry card, please. You're up soon."

With a grin, Shen handed it over and jumped up to his feet. "YAHOO! Finally, time to kick some ASS! I was about to die of boredom sitting here all day!"

Meanwhile, Krauser had approached his fallen servant. Laurence was busy collecting his cape and sword when he was frozen by Krauser's voice.

"Laurence..."

"M-My lord." Laurence immediately spun around and knelt. "Please forgive me. I have dis-OOOOOF!"

A backhand to his face cut his sentence short.

"You have disgraced me, Laurence!" Krauser boomed. "How dare you try to take the life of your opponent in this competition of pure sport!"

Laurence wiped the blood from his lips. "P-p-please... have mercy..."

"You will return home to Castle Stronheim immediately."

"Yes, my lord."

Not foolish enough to stick around any longer, Laurence gathered his things and ran like his life depended on it. It probably DID.

"Heh heh heh! My brother picked the most pathetic henchmen!" Geese laughed.

"Ahhh well, ya can't blame him too much yeah?" Billy snickered, reaching for another cannoli. "I mean, the market's pretty tight nowadays. Ya can't find quality Grade-A henchmen like myself anymore, since we're all taken. Ha ha!"

"Second rate... just what my brother deserves."

"Indeed, boss man."

"Hey, give me one of those cannolis."

OPENING ROUND FIGHT #31: ELISABETH BLANCTORCHE VS MAY LEE

"Ooooh, Betty's fighting next." Ash's eyes lit up. "This should be interesting~"

Elisabeth was the pillar of confidence, her posture tall and upright, a hand on her hip and the other hand brandishing her primary weapon: her black riding crop. She was truthfully unworried; her opponent was a mere afterthought. Unfortunately, for Elisabeth Blanctorche... her mind was eternally elsewhere, thinking only about what HE could be planning next. She wasn't allowed to rest, or enjoy a friendly competition. Even now, in the festivious environment, her nerves were ever-sharp.

This was her life: the life she chose for herself, because she stupidly loved a kid with all her heart... and that boy hardly existed anymore. It wasn't fair... why did she have to devote herself to him, when he hardly returned the favor? Maybe one day she would wise up and sever ties with...

No. She didn't have the heart to do that.

May Lee, on the other hand, was a much more... simple... person. She was a girl with her head in the clouds, living a fantasy life of superheroes and destroying evil. In many ways, Elisabeth was envious of her; she wished she could live such a carefree existence.

"I live to destroy the darkness!" May Lee boasted, spinning around and striking a heroic pose.

Elisabeth's face was stone. "You think you know about destroying evil? Hah. You've been reading too many comic books."

May Lee grinned. "Manga, actually."

FIGHT!

May Lee came out aggressive; she threw a wide sweep kick that forced Elisabeth to jump with both feet to avoid it. As the kick missed, May Lee spun all the way around then doubled up with an axe kick. Just before her heel crashed into Elisabeth's crown, the Frenchwoman sidestepped.

May Lee came forward with a mighty roundhouse kick... but Elisabeth befuddled her with her next move.

"EH?!"

Just as her foot was to connect, Elisabeth's body vanished into a swarm of silver sparkles. Before the Korean could ascertain her whereabouts, Elisabeth appeared behind her and unleashed her riding crop into the back of her knees. One leg gave out, followed by the other, and the Korean was brought down...

Elisabeth reappeared back in front of her with a flash. She let her weapon fly once more: right across May Lee's cheek.

"Oooweeee... Betty's not playing around~" Ash giggled.

The Korean retaliated with fury, mixing in a series of kicks. High, low, high... she threw fast and hard, but Elisabeth parried each kick with just her weapon-wielding hand. She kept her free hand cocked, ready to unleash...

May Lee tried a spinning kick to her stomach: THAT'S when Elisabeth let her other hand fly forward.

"OUUUGH!" May Lee was blasted backwards, her eyesight nearly stolen by the blinding, dazzling silver light that hit her point-blank. She was unable to land properly, hitting the ground with a THUD.

"This is the real justice." Elisabeth coldly stated, her hand producing a swirling ball of pure energy. "This is the holy light that smites evil. I am the true sword of righteousness... you're just a girl in over her head."

Ash's face twisted at her words. "Ouchie... Betty is in a BAAAAAD mood. Poor girl."

May Lee cursed as she leaped back up. "I'll show you what a hero truly is! HERO MODE!"

The Korean spun around 360, her clothes changing in a flash. Although she looked relatively the same... her wrist-length gloves were now elbow-length. Furthermore, a long red scarf adorned her neck, blowing epically in the breeze. This was her transformation: her transition into an eccentric state in which she declares war on villainy.

"TASTE MY MIGHTY FOOT OF JUSTICE!" May Lee bellowed, descending upon Elisabeth with a flying axe kick. Elisabeth snarled and propelled herself to the side, fueled by her shimmering chi. Where May Lee's foot landed, the ground shook from a spontaneous explosion.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

The hard leather struck May Lee three more times across the face, the sting flaring up her skin so prominently the pain was paralyzing.

Elisabeth spun around and completed the combo with a thrust of her empty hand: a shotgun burst of silver light blasted the Korean in the stomach, knocking her off her feet. She landed butt-first, falling backwards until she lay flat.

"Elisabeth's playing to win. Still ruthless as ever..." Benimaru shuddered.

"Scared of her, Beni?" Kyo asked, a little grin on his face.

"J-just a little. To be honest, I hated being on her team... if Lon hadn't been there, I wouldn't have survived..."

May Lee sprang up and got a running start. When she closed distance, she slid with her foot extended, intending to take out Elisabeth at the ankles. The Frenchwoman dived out of the way, rolling back to her feet quickly.

May Lee rushed in with a sweep kick, which was dodged, but she spun around and followed through with a side kick, connecting with Elisabeth's chest. She was sent back a few steps, her sizable bosom taking the full force of that kick.

The Korean tried to close in, but Elisabeth backhanded her with the handle of the crop, stunning her. May Lee retaliated swiftly with a punch, but the Frenchwoman swung her crop and swatted Lee's hand downwards.

SMACK!

A swift upwards strike to the nose.

SMACK!

The hard leather found her neck.

SMACK!

Elisabeth flipped her wrist and delivered a backhanded sting to her face. Every time the horrid slapping of skin resonated, the audience shivered unpleasantly.

"Ungh...unghhh..." May Lee groaned as she staggered, clutching her face in pain. She was wearing some serious makeup: a series of red welts where the leather struck her skin. Her face was more reddish-pink than it's standard fair complexion...

"God, Elisabeth is like a tutor from Hell..." Terry shuddered.

With a booming yell of desperation, May Lee soared through the air to take her out with a flying kick... but she never connected. In fact... she never left the air!

The Korean was currently suspended in mid-air, kept afloat by the sparkling light of Elisabeth's magic. The Frenchwoman controlled her, her hand outstretched and glowing with a silver hue.

"This is the end for you." Elisabeth declared. "Now... see the LIGHT!"

Elisabeth clenched into a fist... and a dazzling explosion of light engulfed May Lee with it's awesome energy. She impacted to the ground like a meteor, a blinding afterglow following. It took a while for the effects to wear off, before the crowd could finally see what lie underneath the brilliant glow: an unconscious May Lee.

WINNER: ELISABETH BLANCTORCHE

The Frenchwoman didn't stick around; she immediately departed to the locker rooms, her disposition unchanging.

"She fought well." Duo Lon nodded.

"Indeed..." Ash agreed. "...But would it kill her to smile once in a while? I dunno what her problem is lately."

"You should really talk to her. I think YOU are her problem."

"Wha- me?! But what have I done lately to get her all hot and bothered?"

"Perhaps that little talk we had in your hotel room?"

"Oh cmon... I was only half-serious about that."

"Good luck convincing her. You know, she spends all of her time worrying about-"

...But Duo Lon never finished his sentence. The man seemed distracted in the blink of an eye, as if something had crossed his field of vision and silenced the words in his throat before they could even form.

"...Hello? Monsieur Lon?"

"Quiet."

"D-don't tell me to be qui-"

"He's here..."

"Who?!"

Before Lon could properly explain, Chizuru approached him and requested his entry card. A sinking feeling began to form in the pit of his stomach as he handed it to her and rose up; somehow he knew his opponent would be the man he just laid eyes on.

"Hello? Where are you going, Monsieur Lon? You never told me who that is! HEEEEEEEY!"

Only 9 fights left! Stay tuned to see who (or what) got under Duo Lon's skin.

I love writing Oswald as a guru who's achieved enlightenment and shed all Earthly concerns lol. He's REALLY happy he doesn't need those Dragon Pills anymore : )

Let me take this moment to give my sincere thanks to all of you. The support is overwhelming, and I love you all for it. This has been a true pleasure to write so far, and I'm glad that same pleasure is shared by the readers. Thank you.

Next Chapter: I'm just gonna surprise you lol. Round 1 is almost over.