Chapter Thirty-One

Mishima Forest

One hour after the attempt on Ivy's life, the small group that consisted of her, Liu Kang, Zafina, Scorpion, Ryu, Kenshi, and Yoshimitsu met up at the Chosen Ones' meeting point in the middle of the forest. Only Yoshimitsu took advantage of the picnic tables by leaning himself against the edge of one.

At one point when Kenshi arrived, Liu Kang noticed that the swordsman had his attention on Scorpion with the way his head barely moved as he walked by the spectre. The Fire God figured that Kenshi might've sensed the unrest within Scorpion's soul. At the same time, Scorpion noticed the attention and responded by narrowing his pale eyes with suspicion. Still, despite the brief moment of tension, Kenshi remained silent as he leaned his back against a nearby tree in preparation for the meeting.

After that, Ivy and Scorpion explained what happened and why Ivy's cabin went up in flames. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Liu Kang himself finally showed up and used his powers to put the flames out before the rest of the island realized what transpired. Ivy then requested him and Zafina to meet with her along with the Manji Clan leader and the remaining two of The Four.

"Do you know why they attacked you?" Zafina asked after Ivy and Scorpion finished telling their story.

"Perhaps it was an assassination attempt for her role as the former Empress," Yoshimitsu guessed.

"That's part of it," Ivy began to explain. "And I would've thought as much had they not said a word to me at all. I instantly recognized two of them - Reiko and Skarlet. During the war, near the end, Shao Kahn sent them to invade the realm of Seido, but neither of them nor anyone who went with them returned from that mission. Up until now, I thought they were dead."

"I remember those two," Liu Kang brought up. "Both of them were long-time enforcers for Shao Kahn."

Ivy nodded. "That's correct. Now they work for Quan Chi. They even admitted as much." She then turned attention to her two allies. "Unfortunately, they know that I'm one of The Four. Jin as well."

Kenshi frowned while Ryu furrowed his brows with worry. "How did they figure that out?" the latter asked with concern.

"It turns out the shokan Sheeva witnessed me stabbing Shao Kahn that morning," Ivy mentioned. "And it wouldn't be hard for her to recognize Jin. After all, he and I faced each other in the final round of the Blood Tournament."

"Sheeva…" Kenshi mumbled, though Ivy didn't miss the hint of anger in his tone. "...She was the one who killed Dhalsim. He sacrificed himself in order to make sure we were strong enough to fight Shao Kahn."

"I knew we shouldn't have left him behind," Ryu mentioned with a sigh. "If we hadn't, then maybe Sheeva would've never known what transpired that morning."

"It's hard to say," Liu Kang intervened. "From what I understand, Dhalsim needed the four of you to be at your best in order to succeed, even if it meant his own sacrifice. And maybe it's best despite the long-term consequences. The butterfly effect of you staying to help him may very well have altered the future for the worst."

"Luckily, they don't know who the other two are," Ivy started as she looked at Kenshi and Ryu. "My assassins offered to spare my life if I revealed the identities of the other two of The Four. Otherwise, they would've killed me outright."

"I just realized something," Kenshi suddenly spoke. "We know the Outworld Rebellion is working alongside the Mishima Zaibatsu. Could it be possible that they're there to assassinate Jin for his role in Shao Kahn's demise?"

Liu Kang's eyes widened at that. "That very well may be the case. And if so, then joining the Zaibatsu to fight against the new forces serves as a very convenient excuse for them to take Jin out in the process."

"I'm certain he's been watching his own back regardless," said Ryu. "After everything, I can't imagine him just outright trusting them. As we speculated earlier, he was likely willing to accept their aide because G-Corp sided with the new forces."

"Do we know if Sheeva is part of the rebellion?" Zafina asked.

"Unknown," Liu Kang replied. "But I plan to find out."

"Jax's informant didn't mention her presence at G-Corp," Kenshi pointed out. "But perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have him double check - along with anyone else of importance on Quan Chi's side. If Sheeva's not with the side of the Outworld Forces, then she's very likely with the rebellion. And the Zaibatsu."

"Or possibly not involved with either side," guessed Ryu.

"I doubt that," Ivy said. "Sheeva seemed quite prideful back when I… knew her. If there was any semblance of dishonor on her person, she would sooner make sure to regain her honor. She and her people were very loyal to Shao Kahn, and I doubt they would pledge their loyalty to Quan Chi. They would want to avenge him. Have that informant check, but I doubt she's with the Forces at this point."

Yoshimitsu chose that moment to intervene. "You mentioned there were three assassins after you. Two of them were Reiko and Skarlet. Do you know who the third assassin was?"

Ivy paused briefly before she answered. "That's why I requested your presence at this meeting. She… had a message for you."

Yoshimitsu tilted his head at that. "Me?"

Ivy nodded. "I didn't understand the exact word she said. Konni-ch… something. But I assume it means 'hello'. She also said that you would understand the message." She then started straight at her tag team partner. "Kunimitsu says hello."

Yoshimitsu went completely still. He didn't say anything for a few moments before he spoke low and firm. "Are you certain that's what you heard?"

"Positive," Ivy replied. "I'm guessing based on her name alone, but I assume she used to be a part of your clan."

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "She was. The thing is… I killed her more than twenty years ago."

Ivy's eyes widened at that. "You killed her? Then how…?"

Scorpion chose that moment to speak up after he remained silent for most of the conversation. "She was very likely resurrected. And if she's working for Quan Chi, he likely did the deed" His eyes shifted downward. "Just as he had with me when I became a spectre." He then looked back up at Yoshimitsu. "If that's the case, her soul likely ended up in the Netherrealm after her demise, and they met at some point. A deal might've been made… and she's been working for him ever since in order to fulfill her end of the bargain."

"Which would be strange," Yoshimitsu brought up. "She wasn't exactly the type to listen to authority figures. Granted, she did well under my tutelage, but… not even the best of teachers can succeed in guiding their students on the right path."

"She was your student?" Zafina questioned.

"Yes. When I met her, she was a rebellious teenager who needed guidance and purpose for the betterment of the realms. I saw her potential from the very beginning. Her greatest asset was stealth and thievery. As most of you know, the Manji Clan is known for robbing the unholy rich and giving those riches to the poor. Kunimistu was the best at it… even more so than I was. But I was blind to her true nature. It turned out that greed was her biggest sin. She was eventually caught stealing funds and assets from the clan's personal vault, which she was never granted access to.

"When I found out about it and after I saw the evidence, I permanently banned her from the clan. But she came back a year later. She was there to try to steal my sword - the most important relic of our clan - and was willing to kill me for it. As much as it pained me to kill my former student, she didn't give me a choice. It was either my life or hers."

"I can't imagine the burden," said Liu Kang. "I'm sorry you were forced to end her life."

"Unfortunately, it's part of being a clan leader - slay the few to protect the many," Yoshimitsu replied with a small sigh. "But I wonder… if Kunimitsu did make a deal with the literal devil, why would she do that?"

"If I had to guess," Scorpion began. "She is highly motivated by something. Revenge, perhaps."

"That wouldn't surprise me, but… I imagine Kunimitsu would've gone after me already had that been the case," Yoshimitsu mentioned. "If it's about revenge, then why wait twenty years? Unless she only started working for Quan Chi very recently…"

"Perhaps. Otherwise, the only other option I can see is that she is driven by something - or someone - very important to her," the spectre suggested. "Did she have a significant other or family when she died?"

"Except for a brief mention of her grandfather, Kunimitsu never talked about her life outside the clan," Yoshimitsu answered. "But she did have a lover within the clan who left to be with her after she was banned. The last I heard of him, however, he died from illness. That was, maybe, eight to ten years ago."

Yoshimitsu shook his head before he continued. "Anyway, I think it's best if I investigate this. I can have Jax talk to his informant since Kunimitsu's clearly working on the G-Corp and Forces side of this war. Once I know more information, I'll go from there."

"That's a good idea," said Liu Kang. "The more we know, the better. There is one other thing to resolve." The God of Fire turned to the former Empress. "It's best if we move you to the Kazumi Hotel."

Ivy narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

"Because it's no longer safe for you to remain here. Not only are our enemies targeting you, but Quan Chi knows of your role in the last war. The Kazumi Hotel should still have rooms available for you to stay in. Zafina will go with you to arrange it."

"Great…" Ivy grumbled.

"It's likely for the best," Kenshi said. "Besides, they'll be more hesitant to attack you in a more public setting."

"It's possible, but… I doubt it."

"I'll get you more provisions this evening," Yoshimitsu offered. "And new clothes. If I recall, you're a size-"

"I appreciate it," Ivy called out quickly before he finished that sentence.

"If this meeting is over," Scorpion started. "Then I will depart." The spectre momentarily turned his attention to Ryu. "I'm certain it won't be long before we meet again."

Before anyone had the chance to say anything, Scorpion quickly disappeared in a burst of flames. Ivy stared at where Scorpion stood moments ago before she turned her head to the God of Fire. "Where is he staying? Because I'd rather go there."

Liu Kang huffed with a little amusement before he became serious. "Trust me, you'll appreciate the hotel more."

"There's a lot of turmoil in him," Kenshi suddenly said aloud about Scorpion. "I know he's on our side, but there's a lingering darkness within him. Is it something we have to worry about?"

"Scorpion has a very complicated history," Liu Kang mentioned. "Up until recently, pain and revenge was all he knew. Becoming the Elder Gods' Champion - and having a promise fulfilled - has placed him on a clearer path in his personal journey. To make a long story short, the fulfilled promise in question is the reason he's willing to work with us."

"Elder Gods' Champion?" Ivy questioned with some intrigue. "Interesting…"

"He's a very formidable warrior," said Ryu. "I'm not surprised to learn he was their Champion."

The first part of Ryu's sentence got Kenshi's attention. "I assume you two met before. I also noticed he acknowledged you before he departed."

"Twice before today, yes," Ryu confirmed. "The first time was back at the Blood Tournament. Raiden actually intended to have Scorpion join us, but he declined for unknown reasons. The second time he… helped me with a situation I was in. Granted he had his own motivation, but I appreciated his help regardless."

"He did assist in the final battle of the Universal War," Liu Kang mentioned. "Fujin has faith that Scorpion will see through to this mission." He then gazed at the Keiseian with them. "Just as he does with you."

Ivy took a deep breath at that. "I guess Scorpion and I have some things in common then. Although I imagine his sins are less… severe than mine." She then decided to move on from the subject and turned to Zafina. "I'd understand if you want a third person to go with us…"

Zafina gave her a small smirk as she shook her head. "My abilities show me that your heart is very heavy with regret. Between that, Liu Kang and Fujin's trust, your actions against Shao Kahn in the end, and what little I know of the 'essence' that runs through your blood, I trust that you're more than willing to remain on your current path of redemption."

The young woman's smirk suddenly dropped before she continued. "However, do not mistake my giving you the benefit of the doubt for complete trust just yet. At the end of the day, you did eventually come through for our side, but there's just one thing I can't quite get past when it comes to your role in the war."

"And that is…"

"...The people who were brainwashed and enslaved by your forces."

Ivy frowned at that. "That was Shao Kahn's orders, not mine. I had nothing to do with it. And if you think I was complacent about it, you are wrong." She then spat out something she never shared to a single soul from her time as Empress. "I didn't realize it at the time, not until I understood what was happening, but in one of my, well… let's call it 'lucidcities' from the essence… I tried to free one of them with my alchemy skills without anyone in the forces knowing. But unfortunately, that was when I discovered that the brainwash was absolute, even for my abilities."

Zafina's eyebrows rose up at that. "You-...you tried to free one of them?"

"You never told us this," said Yoshimitsu with some shock in his voice. "Why?"

Ivy shook her head. "Because I didn't think anyone would believe me. I really shouldn't care if anyone believes me, but… this was different. It was a more… sensitive matter." Another frown came over her. "It's a story for another time, but… let's just say that I have a small bit of an understanding of what it's like to be manipulated by someone. And that goes beyond the essence in my blood."

"Who was it?" asked Liu Kang. "The one you tried to free."

"I'd rather not say right now," the Keiseian replied. "Only because I wish to speak to them at some point when the time is right. But I will say that it is, in fact, one of your own."

Ivy then took a deep breath before she gazed at the young woman with them. "If you don't mind, I'll go with you in a moment." She then turned her attention to Kenshi and Ryu. "There's something I need to do first, but it won't take long."

Zafina nodded as she understood Ivy's request. "Okay. I'll see you in a little bit. I'll meet you by the gardens at the bottom of the hill."

"I'll go with you," offered Yoshimitsu. "Besides, it's an excuse for me to head to the gardens to meditate. There's… a lot for me to think about after this meeting."

"And I'll return to watching over things," Liu Kang said. "As Lord Raiden once said… may the Elder Gods protect you."

As Liu Kang disappeared in a burst of flames, Zafina and Yoshimitsu began to head downhill towards the gardens. That left Ivy alone with Kenshi and Ryu.

This was the first time that three of The Four were reunited in over a year since they went their separate ways in Keisei. And without saying a word, the absence of Jin Kazama was very obvious to them.

"Are you okay?" Kenshi soon asked aloud with some concern.

Ivy knew why he voiced that question. "I knew there would be assassins out to kill me. I also knew Reiko and Skarlet were strong in their own right, but I underestimated how formidable they'd be. Surprisingly, this is the first time anyone actually went after me."

"It doesn't hurt to ask us for help if you need it," Ryu offered. "We won't push it, of course, but-"

"I appreciate it," Ivy answered. "But considering how no one from the Forces knows either of you being involved in Shao Kahn's death at this point, it's better to keep your distance for your own safety if they try to go after me again. I was fortunate that Scorpion figured out something was amiss and came to investigate when he did."

"If that's your wish, we'll respect that," Kenshi assured her. "But if you change your mind, don't hesitate to let us know."

Ivy nodded. "Thank you." She then suddenly felt somewhat awkward over the next question. "So… how have you both been?"

"I've been good," replied Ryu. "Aside from this war, I'm more at peace than I've ever been in a very long time."

"There have been some ups and downs, but at least there are… certain burdens that no longer plague me," admitted Kenshi. "How about you?"

Ivy shrugged. "I admit, it could be better. To be honest, it was Fujin who convinced me to come to Earthrealm. Otherwise, I spent the last year isolating myself in my own home."

"How do you like Earthrealm?"

"It's all right," Ivy answered. "I haven't explored as much as I should be. Yoshimitsu did manage to get me to try this dish called a piz-za. Probably the most 'exotic' food I've tried here so far."

A smirk quickly came over Kenshi as he turned to Ryu. "Should we have her try nattō?"

It took all of Ryu's energy to hold back a laugh. "We could, but that might be a bit too much if my experience with getting Guile to try it is anything to go by."

Kenshi huffed with amusement. "Guile tried it? You'll have to tell me that story one of these days."

Ivy shifted her blue eyes between the two men. "Now you both have me curious. And suspicious."

"If it's any consolation," the swordsman started. "I actually can't be in the same room with it due to its potent smell. My own sense of smell has been more sensitive to it since I lost my sight."

"How do you feel about the smell of durian?" Ryu suddenly asked.

"...Let's just say I'll choose nattō over durian any day and leave it at that."

Ivy spoke up then. "We have this type of cheese in Keisei called camberlot. It's usually only affordable for the elite, but it smells so horrible that it requires a special box to store it. Any other way would permeate it into everything else including your clothes. I've never actually tasted it myself mainly because I've refused to touch it over the years. I knew a few people growing up who enjoyed it. You can only imagine how rancid their breaths were."

Ryu chuckled at that. "I guess your world and ours are not all that different then when it comes to food."

"I suppose," Ivy said - and she smiled. And it was in that genuine way. She couldn't recall the last time she smiled like that…

However, her smile disappeared almost as quickly as it came, especially when a thought came over her mind. "I'm sorry. About Jin. He and I didn't see eye-to-eye until the very tail end of the war, but I know he was a well-respected comrade in your group before your war…" Ivy looked in between the both of them. "Any idea why he would do this?"

"No idea," Kenshi replied solemnly. "But as you know, we plan to find out."

"But something tells me that his answer may not be what we want to hear," Ryu said quietly.

"Perhaps," Ivy answered. "But we'll know soon enough."


Jungle Outpost, Indonesia

On a raised wooden platform in the middle of a thick jungle, Kira slashed her knives in various directions as her opponent Fuka - who was a well-known wrestler alongside her older sister Raika - ducked and dodged out of the way the best she could. However, there were a couple of times when Kira managed to leave a couple of cuts behind - enough to make her bleed but not enough to leave behind real damage.

Of course, it would've been very different if their fight was a death match…

At one point, Kira landed a kick on Fuka's stomach. The wrestler cried out in pain as she stumbled back from the force. That gave Kira the opportunity to throw her knives, primarily to give Fuka a good scare. She threw one downward towards Fuka's feet, which made her jump back. Kira then followed with tossing her second knife, spun around, and kicked the hilt forward. That made Fuka duck down before it hit her.

After Fuka straightened back up, Kira gave her a smug smirk. "Don't tell me you're getting tired already."

Kira expected an angry response from Fuka after that comment. What she didn't expect, however, was for Fuka to suddenly teleport forward. Before Kira realized it, Fuka tackled the red-head onto the platform. Momentarily, they wrestled each other in order to overtake the other…

Only to promptly roll themselves both off the edge of the platform.

"SHIT!" Kira screamed as she and Fuka fell towards the ground. Luckily for the both of them, the drop wasn't too far down and it was only a couple of seconds before both women crashed into the dirt ground on their sides. Still, the landing knocked the wind out of them, and both were forced to lay there in pain for the time being.

Meanwhile, Kira and Fuka's tag team partners - Bruce and Raika respectively - gazed down over the platform mainly to make sure that the two women hadn't hurt themselves too badly. Even better was the fact that the drones didn't announce any knockouts.

Seconds later, one drone's five-minute timer went off - and Raika promptly took that chance to run towards Bruce. Bruce heard her footsteps and did manage to turn to face her - only to be met with Raika's foot to his face. He yelled out and held his nose as he stumbled back, but was otherwise able to remain standing.

"Two-on-two battle initiated by Team Raika and Fuka," announced one of the drones.

From there, Raika didn't hesitate to throw various punches and kicks at Bruce, who was forced to block, parry, and dodge them. At the same time, he noticed that Raika's strength was definitely her speed.

When Bruce finally managed to grab her wrist as he sidestepped from another punch, that gave him the chance to swiftly pull her forward towards him before he kneed her in the stomach. Raika drew in a sharp breath in pain as she keeled over. From there, Bruce delivered an uppercut that snapped Raika's head back. As she stumbled, Bruce briefly stepped away before he lifted his leg to unleash a kick to her side before he followed with a downward punch that all but flattened her to the floor.

After that, Bruce pulled back to give Raika space. He didn't expect her to get up before the ten-second countdown ended. But to his surprise, the petite wrestler did, albeit with some struggle. As soon as she was on her feet, Raika glared at Bruce as she put up her fists and was ready to continue the match.

"I admit," Bruce started as he raised up his own fists. "I'm impressed with your resilience. However, I should warn you that it won't be enough."

Raika glared at Bruce as she spat out some blood from her mouth. "Try me," she growled in defiance.

Back below the platform, Fuka was running, ducking, and getting herself behind the trees as Kira shot out her pink projectiles from her hands. At the same time, Fuka made attempts to get closer to Kira. The wrestler even ducked underneath one of the projectiles, but then the criminal swiftly shot out another projectile just a few inches lower. That hit Fuka squarely in the chest and sent her hurling back before she crashed back first into a palm tree.

That gave Kira the chance to move in and deliver a backhand to her opponent's face. As Fuka's head snapped sideways, Kira spun around before she smashed her elbow into the wrestler's face. As Fuka cried out and held her cheek in pain, Kira delivered a palm strike to her stomach before she kneeled down for a sweep kick that knocked Fuka face first into the dirt.

As Fuka withered in pain afterwards, Kira looked at her surroundings and soon found one of her knives lying ten feet away. It had likely fallen over the platform after she threw it earlier in the fight. Kira walked over to it before she picked it up and began to walk back to where Fuka still laid.

By then, the ten-second countdown on the drone that monitored their fight ended.

At the same time on the platform, Raika swiftly moved around Bruce, who was forced to keep up with her pace. But eventually, Bruce noticed that Raika was getting tired. He waited until she stumbled a bit after a missed kick - and went right in.

As soon as he was within reach, Bruce threw two punches at Raika's face, then followed with a knee to the stomach. As Raika keeled over once more, Bruce pulled back before he delivered a roundhouse kick hard enough to send Raika flying sideways before she crashed into one of the platform's corner poles. That alone prevented her from falling to the ground below like her sister before her.

And just like her sister, Raika was still awake, but could barely get herself up before the second drone's countdown ended - just a split second after the first drone's countdown ended as well.

"Ten Second Countdown over. Kira and Bruce Irvin win the match."

After that announcement, Bruce gazed down over the platform. It didn't take long for him to spot Kira, who stood over her defeated opponent with a knife in her hand.

Bruce raised an eyebrow as he wondered, for just a moment, whether or not Kira would actually murder her opponent right then and there. She's not stupid, the older man thought. But then again, she did spend quite a bit of time in Outworld…

Just as that last sentence left his mind, Kira shook her head as she sheathed her knife back into the side of her boot. She then shook her head as she glared at her opponent. "You weren't even a challenge," she said almost with boredom.

Bruce unknowingly let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.


Pit Stop 109, Uenohara, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan

The wrestlers Alex and Mika Haggar arrived at their match destination moments ago. They were in the parking lot of a truck pit stop located along a major freeway. A few trucks were parked and lined up next to each other, each boring a logo on the sides as well as being decorated by those who drove them. It was either various graffiti art or extra light bulbs of different colors. With the area starting to get dark already due to the mountains that surrounded the pit stop, the lights made the area look like an old school carnival.

Not long after, their opponents showed up. Unfortunately, Haggar recognized the two from the worst of his city's Mad Gear days - Hugo and Poison.

"Oh great," the Metro City mayor grumbled under his breath.

Alex managed to hear him and turned his head to his tag team partner. "What's up?" he asked.

"Those two," Haggar started. "They were part of Mad Gear. The big guy in particular was also part of the infamous Andore family who were working with the gang. I also -"

"YOU!" Hugo suddenly shouted as he pointed a finger at the older man. "I've been waiting for a rematch with you for years! It's about time I pulverize you!"

Alex raised a brow at that. "I… assume you two fought each other before."

"...Yeah," Haggar sighed. "And he and his family got what they deserved then. At the time we fought, it was while I was searching for Jessica after Mad Gear kidnapped her."

Next to Hugo, Poison's eyes looked between her opponents before she spoke up. "This oughta be interesting." She then brought her attention to Haggar. "I bet you're starting to reconsider dropping out of the Presidential race right about now."

"You wish," Haggar growled at her. He then happened to look around him and grumbled, "Where's a loose steel pipe when you need one…?"

"I have an idea," Poison suddenly began to suggest. "Let Hugo practice on your tag team partner here first. Then maybe you can jump in as soon as the five minute timer ends."

Hugo grinned over the idea as he cracked his knuckles. "Yeah! I'll crush you!"

A sudden smirk came over Alex's face as he promptly cracked his knuckles as well. "In that case, I'll take on the big'un first. Besides, he looks like he can actually give me a challenge."

Haggar sighed at that. "Fine. But seriously, if it's too much, there's no shame in tagging me in."

"I'll take that into consideration," Alex said as he stepped towards his waiting opponent. Haggar's only response to that was a small shake of his head.

While Poison leaned back against the front of one of the parked trucks, Hugo stood in his spot as Alex approached him. The younger wrestler didn't stop until he was literally inches away from his much larger opponent. Nowhere near intimidated by Hugo's size, Alex glared up at him as though he was daring him to make the first move. Hugo did the same, only he glared down at his smaller opponent.

Neither of them said a word, at least for the next few seconds - until Hugo shoved his chest right into Alex's face just enough to make him stumble back a couple of feet. While he clenched his teeth, Alex shook his head before he raised his fists.

"Okay, let's rumble," Alex encouraged.

With a roar, Hugo took one giant step forward and swung his fists downward, which Alex jumped from sideways. From there, the smaller wrestler jumped up diagonally and kneed Hugo in the chest. Hugo yelled out as he stumbled, but he barely took two steps back, even with all the power Alex put into the knee smash.

Damn! Alex shouted in his head as he landed back on his feet. It's going to take a lot to knock him down!

"That tickled!" Hugo mentioned.

Suddenly and before Alex realized it, Hugo was right upon him quicker than he expected, and the large wrestler swung his massive fist into the New Yorker's face. The hit gave enough momentum to make Alex spin as he stumbled sideways.

"Dayum!" Alex yelled as he held his face in pain from the hit.

Hugo then flew forward again with a roar and attempted to land a spear, which made Alex duck underneath his arms and sidestep once more to evade the blow. That not only made Hugo slam into one of the parked trucks, but it also left him wide open. The latter gave Alex the chance to charge up some energy - his body briefly surrounded in a turquoise colored aura - before he lifted up his fist and smashed it into his opponent's back. That made the larger wrestler crash into the truck again. This time, it left some damage on the grills.

"Come on, Hugo!" Poison shouted from the sidelines. "Don't let him get to ya!"

That seemed to encourage Hugo as he promptly turned around and let out a growl right in Alex's face. That immediately made the younger wrestler's expression twist with mild disgust.

"Whoa!" Alex called out as he fanned his nose with his hand. "Two words of advice, man; Breath. Mint."

That immediately angered Hugo. "Just for that, I'll crush you like the puny-"

Suddenly, Alex delivered a headbutt hard enough to make Hugo see stars. As he stumbled back and held his face in pain, Alex jumped up and forward to his opponent's height and unleashed a sidekick hard enough to actually make Hugo stumble a few feet sideways. He nearly hit the truck again in the process, but stopped himself before that happened.

"All right," Alex murmured under his breath as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's take you down."

Alex turned to one of the trucks and quickly climbed up to its hood. From there, he let out a yell as he jumped forward and aimed both of his feet to deliver an air stampede.

But to Alex's dismay, Hugo managed to grab his ankles mid-air before the move connected to his face.

"What-?!" Alex started to shout out in shock.

With a roar, Hugo used all of his strength to throw his opponent against the side of one of the parked trucks with enough force for Alex to actually bounce off it. He then flew right into Hugo's arms, and the former Mad Gear jumped up, somersaulted in the air a few times in rapid speed, then promptly flew back down with him until they both smashed into the ground - with Alex being crushed under Hugo's weight.

Haggar's eyes widened at the display from where he stood. He's definitely going to feel that in the morning…

It came as no surprise when the older wrestler heard, "Knockout detected," from one of the drones seconds later. From the sidelines, Poison smirked with satisfaction.

One down, one to go, she thought with delight.

"I am number one!" Hugo shouted as he raised an arm and pointed a finger up towards the sky. The large wrestler then turned his attention to the Metro City mayor. "I'll snap you in half like a twig!"

Haggar shook his head as he got into his wrestling stance. "Your funeral, pal."

With a roar, Hugo flew forward and attempted another punch with his massive fist. Haggar saw it coming and managed to grab for Hugo's wrist before the move connected. Hugo then tried to throw another fist at him, but his opponent grabbed that wrist as well with his free hand.

From there, the two wrestlers attempted to overpower the other. Haggar remembered this very thing happening in their last fight years back when he was out to end the tyranny of the Mad Gear gang. And if he remembered what happened next…

Hugo made an attempt to headbutt Haggar in the face, but the Metro City mayor jumped back before he was hit. Indeed it was exactly what happened last time, only Hugo managed to get the upperhand last time.

Hugo quickly lept on one of the truck's front bumpers, then followed with getting on top of the hood, which left a small dent behind. With a roar, he jumped off the hood towards Haggar and attempted a divebomb.

However, Haggar was ready for him as he jumped up and grabbed Hugo around the waist while they were both still in mid-air. From there, Haggar somersault forward before he threw Hugo as hard as he could to the ground below. The landing left a few cracks behind on the asphalt.

"What the-!" Poison as she gazed at her fallen ally with dismay. "Dammit! Get up, Hugo! Remember how he defeated you last time?! Don't let him win again!"

That really motivated her tag team partner as he practically pushed himself off the ground with his hands and promptly got on his feet with another growl. A couple of yards away, Haggar stood in his fighting stance and was ready for him.

Hugo promptly ran forward and, once close enough, he clutched both fists together and raised his arms up in an attempt to swing them down and smash them on top of Haggar's head. However, the latter wrestler managed to grab them with both hands before it connected. He then lifted his foot and kicked his opponent squarely in the stomach.

Hugo gasped in pain as he keeled over and stepped back a couple of feet. From there, Haggar went in and threw both of his own fists at him, one after the other on Hugo's face. Both times, his head snapped sideways. After the last hit, he yelled out and nearly lost his balance.

Despite the pain, Hugo managed to shake it off before he covered the space between him and Haggar again. Hugo performed another spear move, which connected around his opponent's waist, and the two tumbled forward until Haggar's back hit the front of the truck that was behind him.

"AUGH!" Haggar shouted as he did all he could to get out of Hugo's grip. He punched and kicked at Hugo with all of his strength, but it had very little effect.

"Hahaha!" Hugo laughed over Haggar's attempts at escaping him. "You may be strong, but your punches still feel like nothing more than annoying bug bites!"

Then suddenly, Hugo tossed Haggar into the air. From there, the bigger man jumped towards the mayor before he grabbed him mid-air. Hugo then got Haggar into a rack hold before he dropped down to perform an Argentine backbreaker drop.

Of course, Hugo didn't actually break Haggar's back. Still, the move left Haggar in a lot of pain, and it took all of his energy to clench his teeth and not scream out.

Once he was done, Hugo flipped Haggar off his back and dropped him on the asphalt. He then turned to face his fallen opponent, grabbed him by the waist with both hands, then lifted him up with all his strength until Haggar was sitting on Hugo's shoulders.

Knowing what was coming, Haggar attempted to get himself out of Hugo's grip, but it was no use as Hugo threw Haggar down to the ground with a powerbomb maneuver. The force of the land left more cracks on the asphalt.

Hugo almost expected his foe to get up after that - but when Haggar didn't, the larger wrestler was both happy and disappointed - happy because he defeated the mayor who beat him years ago, but disappointed because he had hoped to crush him just a little bit more.

A drone soon made the announcement. "Knockout detected. Hugo and Poison win the match."

"YEAH!" Poison shouted as she jumped up with triumph. "And that's how it's done, big guy!"

"And I finally got my rematch and won!" Hugo reminded her as he also raised his fists up in victory.

Poison gazed down at their unconscious and defeated opponents as a thought came to her. If Hugo could crush those two, let alone Haggar himself, on his own, our win in this tournament is a guarantee!


Abandoned Subway Station, New York City, USA

"Welcome to the Subway Station in New York City, USA, Hwang and Seong Mi-na. Your opponents will arrive momentarily."

As soon as they saw their surroundings, Keiseians Hwang and Mi-na were… baffled and confused by what they were looking at. They both figured out pretty quickly that they were somewhere underground - a set of stairs leading up to the outside world nearby was an indicator of that. Everything seemed to be made with either brick or concrete, there were a few wooden benches scattered here and there - some too broken to be used - and there was graffiti art and garbage debris everywhere. On either side of them were tracks, one with what they later learned was a subway train. That, too, was covered in graffiti and has long since mostly rusted.

"This is… interesting," said Mi-na. "This must be another means of travel for Earthrealmers."

"But this one looks like it hasn't been used in a while," guessed Hwang. He then suddenly unleashed a loud sneeze that echoed around them. "It's also very dusty. And musty…"

It was at that moment when a portal opened and their opponents stepped out. They were two women around Mi-na's age. One had long blonde hair tied into two low pigtails and wispy bangs over her forehead, a white low cut strapless shirt that split into two from below the sternum, black shorts, and leather loafers. She also wore a set of black bands on her arms; two on each one that either wrapped around her wrists (and were thick), and two around her biceps. Also on her forearms were a matching set of curved, black celtic tribal tattoos.

Her tag team partner wore a black, long-sleeved leotard with thin yellow lines criss-crossing over each other, which was complimented with a yellow sash around her waist. She wore a pair of simple black knee-high boots, and her black hair was pulled back into a bun with a braid going around the base. Around her shoulders was a yellow scarf, which looked to be connected to her sash from behind her back.

Seconds after their arrival, a drone spoke out. "Welcome to the Subway Station in New York City, USA, Siobhan and Song Bo. You may begin the match at any time."

The blonde-haired woman - Siobhan - stepped forward and looked between Hwang and Mi-na. "Hmm, who shall I fight first…?" she wondered aloud in a brogue accent. The blonde tapped her chin with her finger almost thoughtfully before she suddenly pointed it at Hwang and gave him a sweet smile. "You! I'm pickin' you 'cause you're cute."

"Aww she thinks you're cute," Mi-na teased her friend.

"She's just trying to throw me off," Hwang grumbled.

That made Mi-na roll her eyes. "Just stop being serious for a second and take the compliment."

"I would if this wasn't a match," Hwang said as he stepped forward to meet his opponent halfway. As he did, Siobhan's sweet smile suddenly turned into a maniacal grin as she quickly spread her arms out to her side. From her wristbands, two blades popped out and extended two feet from either side of her.

That made Hwang pause for barely a second - the weapon reminded him of a tarkatan if there was tech involved - but he was still able to draw out his sword and move it in front of him before Siobhan lashed her blades at him. A loud clang! echoed around them as the two weapons clashed together.

For nearly a minute, the two warriors fought each other with their respective weapons, the sound of steel hitting steel echoing around them with each strike. At one point, Siobhan found an opening and delivered a palm strike with both hands into Hwang's chest. It made the Keiseian guardsman slide back a few feet.

Siobhan jumped forward in Hwang's direction and moved her body to get it in a horizontal position in mid-air. At the same time, she extended her arms out on either side of her and spun in whirlwind speed. Hwang barely got out of the way as he flipped backwards to evade the attack.

Once he gave himself some space, Hwang waited until Siobhan was on her feet before he slid towards her, his sword raised above his head. When he was close, he brought his weapon in a diagonal downward direction, but Siobhan was able to fend him off with her blades. At the same time, they both pulled their weapons back, but then Hwang swiftly turned the sharp half of his sword sideways before he swung the blade towards his opponent. Once more, Siobhan blocked him, though the power behind the hit nearly knocked her off balance.

While Siobhan regained herself, Hwang performed rapid spin kicks with his feet. Though his opponent ducked underneath the first then backed away from the next two, the last kick connected at her side, which made her stumble. Hwang then followed with one last kick to her back, and she promptly flew forward before she crashed onto the platform.

Hwang stood in his fighting stance as Siobhan rolled onto her back before she kipped up. She then glared at him with disdain. "When I'm through with you, you won't recognize yourself in the mirror!"

"Mmhm," Hwang hummed, clearly unconvinced by her words. "It's best if you calm yourself. It will do nothing but cloud your judgment."

"Shut up, pretty boy!" Siobhan shouted as she launched herself over to him.

As soon as she was close, Siobhan lashed her blades at Hwang, who had no choice but to block with his sword and dodge when he could. There was no doubt that his opponent was doing well with keeping him on his toes, but if there was one thing he was very good at exposing, it was one's irrationality.

Hwang patiently waited until he spotted an opening, which he noticed after he ducked underneath one of her blades. He dropped his sword to the ground for the moment before he used both arms to grab his opponent around her waist. Before Siobhan had time to protest, Hwang swiftly jumped up into the air, spun them both around, then let her drop - which he followed by delivering a kick to her stomach. That last move forced her downward before she crashed hard onto the platform. As soon as he was back on the ground again, Hwang grabbed for the hilt of his sword, then waited until his opponent was ready.

Siobhan managed to sit up, though she clearly struggled to do so, as Hwang noticed. "Just so you know, there's no shame in conceding if you need to."

That only made her even more pissed than she already was. "No way!" she shouted. She quickly got up - though it was too quick as she briefly stumbled - before she ran towards him again with a scream.

Hwang simply waited until Siobhan was within reach before he lifted his foot and kicked her squarely in the chest. It wasn't hard enough to make her fall, but it did force her to stumble as she gasped for breath. From there, Hwang moved in, pivoted onto his other leg, and kicked her sideways a couple of more times to the face, which made his opponent's head snap sideways. After the second kick, he pulled his foot back momentarily, slid forward with his other foot, then delivered an upward kick underneath her chin. Siobhan screamed as she flew back before she crashed into one of the station's cracked pillars not too far from them.

Briefly, Siobhan tried to get up, but struggled greatly to do so. "I… hate…" she started, but then she fell back as darkness took over her vision.

"Knockout detected," one of the drones called out.

Hwang just started to turn around when he noticed Siobhan's partner, Song Bo, lash out one end of her scarf towards him. She was fast enough to actually wrap the fabric around his sword and pull it right out of Hwang's hand.

"What the-!" Hwang started to shout out with surprise.

From there, Song Bo swung the other end of her scarf. Hwang raised his arm up as he expected the fabric to wrap about it. Instead, a sharp sensation went down his forearm. He nearly yelled out from the pain, but managed to only hiss through clenched teeth.

Damn! Hwang shouted in his head as he jumped back to give himself some space. He took a second to inspect his arm. There were four cuts going down it as though a big cat had scratched him. Despite the bleeding, it wasn't deep enough that it would leave behind long-lasting scars.

"Hwang!" Mi-na called out from nearby. "Tag me in, already!"

At that moment, Song Bo attempted a cartwheel kick while she spun her scarf from her sides in a circular motion at the same time. Not in the mood to potentially get cut up into ribbons, Hwang dodged out of the way before he moved to where his partner stood. Once within reach, he tapped her shoulder for the tag.

"About time!" Mi-na called out as she took out her naginata from behind her.

"Watch both ends of her scarf," Hwang advised her. "They have blades on them."

"I can see that," Mi-na mentioned as she briefly looked at his injured arm. She then turned to where Song Bo waited before she ran forward.

Song Bo attempted to lash the ends of her scarf forward, but Mi-na quickly planted the blade of her naginata into the ground before she flipped upward, one hand on the hilt's end, to evade the attack. As her opponent pulled the fabric back, Mi-na then flipped forward, swung her weapon upward, then attempted to slam it down onto her. However, Song Bo jumped back before the attack connected.

After that, Song Bo tried to once again lash her scarf. To her dismay, Mi-na quickly used the blade of her naginata to cut off both ends of the fabric, ridding her opponent of her own blades. Mi-na nearly smirked with amusement at the shock that came over Song Bo once she figured out what happened.

"You know," Mi-na started to tell her. "If you're going to have a unique weapon and fight against other blade users, you might want to make it at least somewhat more sturdy and reliable."

That added to Song Bo's already-seething anger. With a shout, she flew forward and attempted to deliver a palm strike to Mi-na's face. However, the Keiseian ducked underneath it before she extended the blunt side of her weapon under her opponent - then swiftly pushed her up with all of strength. As expected, Song Bo screamed as she found herself airborne. Before she fell back down, Mi-na took a moment to charge some chi into her blade, which glowed in a flame-like aura. Making sure that she aimed with the flat side of the blade beforehand, Mi-na then waited until Song Bo fell back down before she flipped back. At the same time, the flaming aura trailed behind her. Both the hilt of her blade and her feet managed to hit Song Bo, who flew back before she crashed into one of the wooden benches in the station. As predicted, it shattered into pieces under her weight.

"Come on!" Mi-na called out to her opponent. "I know you can do better than that! Or were you coming into this match expecting to win with that weird scarf of yours?"

That only fueled more anger in Song Bo as she managed to get herself back on her feet. With another yell, she covered the space between her and Mi-na fast enough to not give the Keiseian the chance to raise her weapon or even block. She was able to land two punches to Mi-na's face before she spun around and delivered a palm strike to her chest hard enough to send Mi-na hurling away until she hit her back against a pillar. The impact caused some of the old concrete work to crumble into sand particles and fall off.

As Mi-na gasped for breath, she noticed Song Bo flipping towards her. Once she was close enough, Mi-na's opponent somersaulted in the air, spun herself, and attempted to slam both of her feet into her stomach. However, Mi-na was able to rotate herself away, and Song Bo barely missed both her and the pillar.

From there, Mi-na waited until Song Bo turned to her. As soon as she did, the Keiseian was able to get in close and grab both of her shoulders.

"Gotcha!" Mi-na called out. From there, she flipped over Song Bo while she kept her hands on her shoulders. As she flipped downward, Mi-na tightened her hold on her opponent's shoulders, lifted her up, and swung her over her head. As soon as she was halfway down, Mi-na let her go.

Song Bo screamed as she flew across the station platform before she bashed into the side of the parked train head first. She then plopped onto the ground like a brick.

Seconds later, the drone made its expected announcement. "Knockout detected. Hwang and Seong Mi-na win the match."

Mi-na smiled with satisfaction as she dusted off her shoulder with her free hand. "That's what you get for not paying attention." She then turned to her tag team partner. His arm still had blood on it, but it didn't look too bad otherwise. "You good?" she asked him.

Hwang nodded to her. "Yeah, I'm good. Good job, by the way."

That made Mi-na smile more, especially because Hwang didn't usually dish out compliments very often back home. "Thanks."


Kensington Gardens, London, UK

Initially, upon arrival at the gardens in front of Kensington Palace, Xianghua found herself admiring her surroundings. "Wow, it's so pretty," she uttered at one point. She couldn't help but stare at the lush greenery - the grass, the trees, and the nearby bushes. There was also a round pond in the middle of it all in addition to a handful of statues and - most prominent but in the distance - the palace itself.

However, the moment was soured for Xianghua as soon as her and Elena's opponents stepped through the portal. Technically, she had no issue with one of them as she barely knew her. The other, however…

"Welcome to Kensington Gardens in London, United Kingdom, Jade and Christie Montiero. You may start the match at any time."

It took all of Xianghua's energy to not make a sour face at Jade. She didn't actually hate Jade as a person. As reserved as she was, Jade was always nice to her since they first met at the Blood Tournament, and Xianghua couldn't deny that the Edenian was a honorable and fierce warrior. Not to mention that the young Keiseian admired her for being able to survive the worst of the Universal War.

Still, Xianghua couldn't help the pang of jealousy in her heart over Jade's friendship - or whatever she had - with Kilik. Kilik always insisted that they were friends who liked to spar together, but Xianghua always noticed the way Kilik's eyes seemed to spark just very slightly any time she was even mentioned in conversation. As far as she knew, he wasn't like that when it came to anyone else.

Who could blame him? Jade was a noble woman, not to mention very beautiful. The only thing that shocked Xianghua was that, after two years, they were still just friends.

Hmm maybe it's better if I don't fight her - the young woman started to reason in her head.

"Hi!" Elena suddenly called out cheerfully. That got Xianghua out of her thought process. Her tag team partner smiled and waved at her two opponents. "I don't believe we've formally met yet. My name is Elena. And this is my tag team partner, Xianghua."

It was Christie who decided to step forward towards her. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Christie, and this is Jade."

"I can feel a good rhythm coming from you," Elena mentioned as she got herself in her Capoeira fighting pose. "Let's have a good fight!"

Christie smiled as she, too, got herself in her Capoeira fighting pose. "May the best win."

Jade couldn't help the subtle smirk on her face as she stepped back to give the two fighters space to have their match. Well, it's good that they're in high spirits, she thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Xianghua stepped back as well, a subtle frown on her face as she looked over at Jade once more. Maybe they really are just friends. So why should I be jealous?

At that moment, Christie and Elena covered the space between them to begin the match. It was Christie who managed to deliver the first maneuver as she spun herself and attempted an elbow strike, which Elena ducked under with ease. As Christie attempted another elbow strike, Elena crouched lower, flipped onto one hand and extended one leg out at Christie, who sidestepped away from the incoming kick.

From there, Elena crouched down before she spun herself with one leg extended out behind her. Christie jumped away before it connected to her face. However, Elena slid forward and performed another spin kick while she kept her momentum. Once more, Christie was forced to step back. Elena then slid ahead one more time and performed a third spin kick - this time with both feet. This one made Christie duck underneath the kicks.

As Elena straightened herself back up, Christie moved forward to cover the space between her and her opponent. Before Elena had the chance to move away, Christie somersaulted to perform a wheel kick. It was Elena's turn to move back before the move struck her. But just as she got back into her rhythm, Christie performed yet another wheel kick that hit Elena just on top of her left shoulder.

"AAH!" Elena cried out as she crashed into the grass from the hard hit. At the same time, Christie flipped over her before she turned around and waited for Elena to get back up.

It only took a few seconds for Elena to push herself up with her hands and spin herself back onto her feet. From there, she didn't hesitate to jump forward, turn herself, and deliver a back kick that landed squarely on Christie's chest. Christie gasped from the impact as she flew back before she crashed and rolled onto the ground.

Elena turned back to Christie. She never lost the rhythm of her fighting stance as she waited for her opponent to return to her feet. "I've never met someone with a rhythm so much like mine!" Elena said with a smile on her face. "It really is an honor to dance with you in this match."

Christie kipped up before she turned full circle and returned to her own rhythmic fighting stance. "Thank you. The honor's mine. But here's a question for you; can you continue to keep up with me?"

"Let's find out!"

With that, Elena moved ahead of her towards Christie. As soon as she was close enough, Elena somersaulted sideways and performed a cartwheel kick. Her leading foot hit Christie's face, and the latter cried out from the pain as she stumbled back. Afterwards, Elena jumped up and performed a split kick, which connected underneath Christie's chin and sent her upwards a bit before she fell back down onto the grass.

Christie shook her head quickly to regain her focus. By then, Elena had somersaulted back and landed a couple of yards away. Just as the taller woman got back into her rhythm, Christie quickly dashed towards her before she crouched low for a sweep kick. Elena jumped over it, which Christie took advantage of by swiftly straightening herself up before she delivered a roundhouse kick. It hit her opponent's side and caused her to stumble sideways and onto the garden's sidewalk pavement.

As Elena tried to regain her balance - and while she was crouched over - Christie swiftly reached for her opponent from her side. After she grabbed for Elena's shoulders, Christie twisted her opponent's body and spun her mid-air. As Elena fell towards the pavement, Christie jumped up so that her body was aligned over her opponent before she landed right on top of her. Once that was done, she got right back up and turned to where Elena fell.

It was only then that Christie realized that she ended up landing on the back of Elena's head. Between that and the pavement below her, the Brazilian could only imagine how much pain that would leave behind.

"Oh!" Christie called out, a worried look on her face as she covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?! Was that too hard of a hit?"

"Knockout detected," a drone called out almost in reply.

Christie let out a small sigh after that. "Guess it was…" Hopefully Elena's okay after that…

After taking a deep breath from the sidelines, Xianghua stepped forward. She had expected to fight against Christie - only for the Brazilian to turn towards Jade and tag her in.

"Good match," Jade complimented her tag team partner.

That got a small smile from Christie. "Thank you. And good luck."

Oh great, Xianghua thought with mild dismay. That's just what I need right now… and maybe some luck.

Jade took a few steps forward towards her opponent before she took out her shortened bo staff from her belt. She then pressed a button, which extended the staff to its full width. "Are you ready?" she asked as she got into her fighting stance.

Xianghua took another quiet breath. "Okay, I have to do this," she murmured under her breath. She then got into her own stance, her sword clutched tightly in her hand. "Let's go!"

Without hesitation, Jade jumped forward with a battle cry before she swung her staff sideways. Upon seeing this, Xianghua promptly blocked the move with her sword. Determination came over the Keiseian as she used all of her strength to push Jade back, but the Edenian kept her balance regardless. From there, Jade spun around and attempted an overhead hit, but Xianghua once more blocked the move.

The two women went back and forth with their respective weapons as they attempted to try to overtake the other. However, it didn't take long before Xianghua used her free hand to grab for Jade's wrist before she pulled her sideways. Jade's eyes widened with surprise as she nearly tripped forward. From there, Xianghua flipped into the air, landed on Jade's back while she was still bent over, then pushed off her with enough force to make Jade fall flat on her face.

As Jade rolled onto her back, she noticed that Xianghua lifted her sword over her head, the tip of the blade pointed at the Edenian. At the same time, a light blue chi energy surrounded her like a trail of ribbons before she quickly pushed her free hand forward, which unleashed a curved projectile wall that went straight to her opponent at fast speed.

Upon seeing this, Jade's green eyes widened right before she rolled back and flipped onto her feet. Right on time, she spun her staff rapidly, and she was able to block the projectile. The chi broke off into pieces and flew over and around her in various directions before they completely dissipated.

After that move, Jade managed to smile at her opponent. "Kilik mentioned that you were good," she said. "And from what I've seen so far, he's true to his word."

Xianghua's brown eyes widened with surprise. She was also certain that her cheeks were just slightly flushed as well. "D-did he really say that?"

"Mmhm," Jade confirmed with a smirk. "Why? What do you think we talk about when we spar?"

"...Ehh," Xianghua uttered almost nervously.

That momentary distraction gave Jade the chance to give Xianghua a scare. Quickly, the Edenian took out her razor-rang from her utility belt and threw it towards her opponent.

"AAH!" Xianghua screamed as she swiftly ducked underneath the weapon. It soon turned back and headed towards its owner, who caught it in her hand with ease.

"Come on, Xianghua," Jade teased as she placed her razor-rang back on her belt. "You're making this too easy."

This time, Xianghua didn't hide her sour look as she drew in a sharp breath through her nose. She raised her sword, charged it with more chi energy for a second, then jumped forward towards her opponent. "Try this!"

With a battle cry, Xianghua ran towards Jade before she jumped forward and swung her sword downward. However, Jade was able to block the maneuver with her staff. With clenched teeth, Xianghua pushed her opponent back with all of her strength. Jade stumbled back a few feet, which gave the Keiseian the opportunity to go in and deliver an uppercut under the Edenian's chin with her free fist. As Jade's head snapped back, Xianghua flipped back in a somersault kick, which knocked Jade into the air momentarily before she crashed back first onto the grass.

Xianghua got into a fighting stance, her sword raised next to her, as she waited for Jade to get herself back up. "How's that?" she said aloud with confidence.

"Not bad," Jade admitted after she was on her feet again. She gave Xianghua another smirk. "And I'm sorry for what I'm about to do next."

Xianghua furrowed her brows with confusion… right before Jade placed her staff behind her and quickly spun forward in rapid speed. She managed to hit Xianghua a few times, and the hits made the Keiseian nearly lose her balance as she flew sideways. Jade then followed with a forward kick to the chest. Once more, Xianghua stumbled a few feet away, but she retained her footing.

From there, Jade lifted one leg high up before she quickly slid forward on her other foot. A green energy trail followed her in the process. Xianghua saw this and made an attempt to get out of the way, but she wasn't quick enough as Jade's foot hit her on the side of the head. The force of the impact made Xianghua fly a few feet back before she crashed onto her side almost like a ragdoll.

By then, the young woman was unconscious.

"Knockout detected. Jade and Christie Montiero win the match."

"Yeah!" Christie cheered from the sidelines.

Moments later, Jade joined her tag team partner's side underneath one of the trees in the gardens. Christie chose that moment to ask her something. "Sooo… do you mind if I ask what that was all about. The conversation between you and Xianghua, I mean."

Jade didn't look at Christie, but she did show a subtle smile. "It's no big deal. But let's say I made a very interesting observation during my match."