Summary:

Entering a cross-continental tournament on a whim, Ryuk faces one of his strongest opponents to date: Thresh Hunter, a ruthlessly strong wire-mage from overseas. This is the second of three crossover chapters with Tagoda. While not canon, this chapter does feature a not unsubstantial amount of character development for the young knight.

Quick Character Synopsis:

Thresh Hunter – After losing his parents in a traumatic home invasion, Thresh was trained in the practices of deadly wire magic from a young age. Through endless practice, Thresh has become peerless on the battlefield. Using ethereal wires conjured out of thin air, he can ensnare, entrap, and sever opponents cleanly from up to thirty yards away. His will and personal philosophies are equally unbending and indomitable.


TEAS: The Lost Archives –

Chapter 6: Burning from both Ends

It was the night before the championship bout of the tournament. Amidst the middle of a festival, the people were in high spirits and celebrating with rowdy pleasures. In the ground floor of a tavern nestled near the center of this city exhibited these traits splendidly.

The bar was loud but merry. This was apart from a couple of drunkards who were picking on what seemed to be an acquaintance of the pair. Prodding and shoving him around when he was only trying to enjoy himself with many of the others.

In their drunken stupor, they failed to realize how uncomfortable they were making the other townspeople.

During a particularly obnoxious jeer, one of the two men were tripped into falling over one another and landing on the hard wooden floor. Grunting and fumbling about with their diminished motor skills, they rolled off of one another and looked up to see who had dared to provoke them.

Looking down with a confident smile stood a young man who seemed far to young to even be in a bar. Atop his head was short but spikey black hair. His had a long coat that rested over a slender black shirt. A pair of revolvers settled in on his waist with a thin saber tied to his back. Gold eyes staring down with discontent.

"Sorry about that. I'm just so clumsy these days." The adolescent mocked with no real intent to apologize.

Both furious, the two men started taking swings at the child. With ease, the younger effortlessly avoided the blow with well timed and fluent back steps and dodges. After a few more, he had even caused the two to bash into one another and fall back onto the ground.

When the two got back up again, they happened to realize the mood in the bar had changed. Those that had been ignoring them or off put by their actions were now all looking on and laughing at their drunken buffoonery. With red faces of embarrassment, the two started leaving the tavern with their heads hung low.

When this happened, the teen took a few bows and accepted the short lived applause from those who had watched and enjoyed the showy display.

As the two drunkards were leaving, they had happened to bump into someone else who had just entered due to their low hanging heads. Looking back up, they hastily shoved the similarly sized youth away as they made for the doorway.

Not caring much for their disrespectful attitudes, the youth stood still but gave a swift flick of his wrist.

Turning around to catch one last glimpse at the two he had shamed on their way out, the adolescent's eyes suddenly went wide.

Within seconds, nearly half a dozen ultra thin wires appeared from what almost appeared to be thin air. With recoiling movements, the wires crisscrossed and pincered each other as they were pulled back.

Blood splattering across the ground from wide freshly opened gashes in flesh. A few drops painting the youth's black hoodie who seemed to command the deathly strings. "Weaklings." He commented to himself.

Crying out in pain, the two men clumsily dropped onto their hands and knees. Deep portions of blood oozing out from all over them. A mix of wide and small cuts littering each of their bodies. In pain and horrified screams, the two ran outside to seek immediate medical attention.

The jovial nature of the bar died then and there. The music that had been played by a local band halted abruptly. All conversations stopped as each and every person in the tavern stared at the violent youth.

Recalling his wires, Thresh walked forward without any remorse at all from his prior actions. Heading straight for the bar, he ignored the still looks.

Standing adamant, the golden eyed teen from before gave the newcomer a proper sizing up.

The other's true frame was hidden thanks to his loose choice of clothing, but from his size, it was fair to assume a similar body type was shared between the two of them. His hair was dark, but short and unkempt. A cross shaped scar over his left cheek. A piercing stare from his brown eyes.

Frowning at what had transpired, the younger of the two met the glare during the approach. "That was a little much, don't you think?" He accused, a bluntly disappointed tone from the only person who dared raise their voice to the new patron.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, Thresh huffed, walking right passed the accusative teen. The answer so obvious to him that he didn't even see the need to response.

"Barkeep!" The man shouted, causing the owner to jump from the sudden declaration. "Get me a few bottles. My drunk of a sister is thirsty and making me do a beer run." After fumbling behind the counters for a few seconds from his newly instructed orders, Thresh huffed over toward the bartender. "Hurry it up." He instructed, crossing his arms.

Staring at the man, the teen from before couldn't look away. His eyes completely glued to this aggressive light skinned male.

A long haired redhead who had been nearby started lightly tugging on his arm. "Ryuk." The girl whispered timidly. "We should get going." She suggested, trying to pull him away.

Hearing her just fine, Ryuk wasn't able to tear his head away from the man he recognized as his future opponent. His eyes studying him for any immediate or apparent weakness, but despite his searching, he found nothing.

"Ryuk!" The girl called out more affirmatively this time.

… … …

"Ryuk!" The redhead called out once more.

Eyes flying back open, Ryuk looked up to see Alice staring down at him, a worried look on her face. Before responding, he took a quick look around.

He was outside, the sun shining in a bright and cheerful morning. He was seated on a bench behind the inn he had been staying in since the start of the tournament.

"You were thinking about last night again, weren't you?" The sincere girl asked, dead on the money.

Forcing a smile to reassure his partner, Ryuk stood up to meet her at eye level. "Sorry about that. Did you finish setting it up for me?"

Hesitant at first, Alice nodded. Looking behind her, she pointed out a series of fishing wire that had been tied down to a long since abandoned well behind the inn. Each wire blowing in the wind.

After a brief thanks, the male walked over and started studying the wires. As the winds changed as too did the fluctuations in the strings. When a beam of light hit them in certain angles, some even appeared to become invisible to the eye unless complete concentration was given.

Watching the strings for almost a full minute, the teen walked closer and grabbed onto one of them. Walking away with the string delicately in hand, the adolescent stretched it out as far as he could with the length given. After nearly fifth-teen paces, he reached the end.

Turning around, he examined the distance. About two dozen feet. He thought to himself. Those wires can stretch more than double this distance. Looking up to see the full length of the wire, he gulped lightly. Anywhere within that range, would be Thresh's absolute territory.

Releasing his grip, Ryuk let the wind take the string away as he seemed to gave them his undivided attention once more. I've seen what that guy could do during his slug-fest with Gray in the semi-finals. While not a powerhouse, he's clearly trained his core and upper body muscles. Not to mention how agile he was on his feet. He's definitely an all-rounder.

Walking over to her partner, Alice beckoned his attention by waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you gonna be okay?" She asked in concern.

Feeling bad at how much worry he must have been causing her, the teen quickly returned the glance with a bright smile as his demeanor became more natural. "Yeah. I was just thinkin' about how if we were able to fight as a pair, we'd wipe that floor with this guy!" He boasted as he crossed his arms, his tone much more bombastically than normal in order to reassure her.

Instead of saying anything, Alice simply nodded weakly.

Seeing this, Ryuk's face became more sincere as it showed a little bit of weakness. A sad smile growing to counteract this. "Alice, make sure you cheer for me during the fight. I definitely won't be able to win unless you do." He mentioned, leaning in closer, making sure she was listening.

Surprised by the request, the redhead suddenly brightened up as she smiled and nodded once more. "Alright!" She exclaimed optimistically.

Staring determinately at his partner's assurance, Ryuk stood up taller. "Alice, I'll definitely beat that guy."

… … …

In the small forest outside the town, Thresh stood at the threshold between the wilderness and civilization. Holding his ground as he faced to maze of forestation, he started casting out each of his wires.

Walking up behind the youth, his well endowed sibling stopped a few feet away. Honey right beside her.

"So this is where you ran off too, huh?" The eldest spoke up, cross her arms near her waist. "Don't tell me my little brother is getting nervous about his big match coming up?" No real bitterness in her taunting words.

"As if." The younger responded sending out the last of his wires as they zipped all around the trees in front of him. "I had to use my wires a lot during my fight with that blind berserker. I want to make sure they haven't been dulled since then." He said, refereeing strictly to a technique sense as they were all completely ethereal and not physical strings in the slightest.

Hearing the concerns, Rosa thought back to the no-holds struggle between the two just a day before. "Yeah, that one really put up a good fight for you. What was his name again? Steel or something?"

With sunken shoulders, Honey sighed sorely. "It was Gray." Her memory more vivid as she was his first victim in the beginning of the tournament.

Not intending to bring up any bad memories for the younger, Rosa started patting the blonde on her shoulder.

Standing up straight, Thresh suddenly gave a fierce jerking action with his hands as each of his many wires crisscrossed with one another in a lighting fast motion. Not feeling the slightest tugging of resistance afterword, the teen smirked. "It doesn't matter..." He brought up dismissing the subject. Afterword, each of the dozens of multiple stories high and thick woodstock began collapsing atop one another until a giant dust cloud grew and slowly began to subside from the destructive display.

Turning around, the youth recalled all his wires and dropped his grin. A deadly look overtaking his eyes. "...that one, won't last five minutes."

… … …

Left to wander the stands, Alice had far more knots in her stomach than her partner. She was hugging the lowest level as it was the closest to the ring. Looking for the best spot to watch the duel and encourage her partner, she had been tracing it's outer edge. Almost traversing the overhang's spacious parameter, she happened upon several familiar faces.

With the fight still in it's preparations stage, many of the audience were lounging about and simply conversing with one another. This included the stunning and fierce blonde the redhead had met once before and her companions.

Leaning backward on the railing, Ringo turned away from Tux and Jake as she spotted the younger girl. "Oh?" The experienced mage leaned over, cocking a brow as she took a swig from a stowed in bottle of vodka.

Bumping into the trio she was acquainted with, the kind-hearted girl grew a small smile, her hands falling down to the sides of her hoodie turned vest. "It's a pleasure to see you all again. Are you here to encourage Ryuk?" She asked politely.

Furrowing her brow, Ringo pushed off the railing and turned to face the other girl normally. Dropping her right hand to her side, she corked the top her booze with her thumb to prevent spillage of what she considered to be her radiant life blood. "Nope." She replied with a dull tone.

"Huh?" Alice gawked back in confusion. Blinking up at the older woman, the long haired girl laced her finger together in front near her center.

Grinning, and with a quick shift of mood, Ringo grew a smug expression. "I'm here to boo him! That kid's way to popular." She revealed with a rather jovial nature, taking another swig of her drink.

With a bit of uncertain laughter, the redhead nodded. "Oh, I see."

Sidling passed the blonde haired woman, Jake stepped closer and cupped a hand around his mouth. Leaning in close to the younger, he started to whisper, but kept his voice elevated intentionally nonetheless so Ringo could easily overhear, rendering the whole thing pointless. "Don't mind her, she's just still bitter about losing in the first round." A childish smirk growing the meanwhile.

Clenching a fist, cracks began to show in the seemingly festive nature of the group's strongest. "What was that, Jake?" She asked, giving him a brief chance to repent his mistake.

Seeing how worked up she was getting, the youngest of his trio decided to press his luck a little further. "I'm the only one of us who made it to the second round..." He began, the other already having had enough of his teasing. "...maybe you should all start calling me sir!"

"Oh, that's it!" Ringo roared, reaching her breaking point.

Being able to anticipate what was coming next, Alice quickly stepped over to the side, distancing herself from the blond haired male.

Noticing this, Jake glanced over to her in confusion. Turning back in front of him, he found Ringo in mid lunge. Unable to do anything to stop it, he was easily tackled roughly onto the ground. Fumbling about for a few moments, he was quickly pulled in for a brutal headlock from behind. Many of the other audience member staring on with mild concern and vexed expressions.

When the younger started choking, the stronger of the two mages grew a sadistic expression. "Wanna try saying that again?" She asked with a delightful look of malice.

Struggling to avoid the far from tender suffocation, Jake reached forward weakly for the other male member of their group who had since been off on the side. "Tux! H-Help me-e! Hgrk!" He choked out in a last-ditch plea.

Dusting off his knuckles against his shirt for a second, Tux then turned away to stare off toward the empty arena in boredom. "Go, Jake. You can do it. Ho-ray." He spoke slowly, a complete lack of enthusiasm lining his tone and he put no attempt at hiding it.

Watching the rough but lighthearted squabble between friends, Alice couldn't help but laugh at the scene. The worry she had been building up slowly drifting away before the start of her partner's match.

… … …

Near the opposite ends of the stands, also by the front most guardrail sat a lonely duo.

Stiffing a yawn, Ash rested both his arms on the railing and laid the bottom of his chin just a top them.

Beside him, Jack played with a coin in his hand while his attention was focused ahead of him. The metal guided through each of his digits with the use of his thumb. "Say, Hex..." The elder started, a mirthful look overtaking his face slowly. "...wanna bet on who comes out on top? I'd even be willin' to-"

"I call Thresh." The younger stated plainly.

Gritting his teeth mildly, the man tipped his hat down in a vain attempt to disguise the sore look on his face. "Dammit. Beat me to it." He begrudged to himself as he muttered under his breath.

"Well, duh." Came the voice of a newcomer that was by no means foreign to the two men.

Looking over, the eldest smiled. "Well, hello there, Honey."

Walking passed the tall man, the smallest of the three positioned herself beside Ash and joined him looking inward toward the arena. "Thresh is gonna win for sure." The young mage voiced confidently.

Crossing his arms, Jack walked over toward the other two. Grabbing each of them by opposite shoulders, he leaned down between them uncomfortably close. "I wouldn't go that far. Someone here had a bit of trouble, after all."

Smirking, Ash broke out of the man's grip and turned to him fully. "Ass." He commented lowly.

"Language." Jack scolded, his voice ignored almost immediately.

Looking up across from her, Honey turned to the slightly older man. "Was Thresh's opponent really strong or something?"

Sighing, Ash started rubbing the back of his head. "Not really." He admitted while thinking back on the finer details of his third round in the tournament. "The kid was quick and had strong fundamentals. What really threw me off though was how quick he was to fight dirty when I backed him into a corner."

"Exactly." Jack chirped. "Hit the nail on the head."

"What do you mean?" Honey asked, not exactly following along.

Continuing, the eldest of the three stood up more normally again. "An unorthodox fighter who can switch up his style on the fly is exactly the type of opponent Thresh is bad against. He does his best against people who rely on the same thing over and over, and cuts 'em down. That ain't to say Thresh can't adapt himself. The problem being that it takes him a bit longer than most. Understandable really. He's got a lot to work with, so having to orientate all at his disposal just to counter one strategy should be impossible, but it isn't, not for him. Kinda scary when you think about it. But if his opponent keeps changing constantly..."

Seeing where the oldest was going with his thinking, Ash contemplated the words. "Thresh might end up losing the pace, and being left behind."

Snapping his fingers, Jack pointed at the younger man. "Bingo."

"So?" Honey asked blatantly. "He's still gonna win." The girl defended, the look on her face showing that she wasn't intimidated at all by any of the evidence that had been brought up.

Dropping his shoulders, Jack's head followed shortly after. "I know. He's just that much of a monster." His face grimacing his slumped over further still. "I really hope he doesn't win." He admitted openly to himself, uncaring if the others heard. "The kid's unbearable enough as it is. Just imagining him with a champion's title under his belt..." Shaking his head, the man frowned. "There ain't no way I'll survive all the way to the Wizard's Tournament if I gotta put up with that the whole time." He commented, massaging his temples at the troubling thought.

Turning away from the currently disgruntled man, Honey faced the arena. When she saw the announcer heading over from the sidelines, a microphone in hand, it was clear that the start of the championship match-up of the tournament was about to begin.

… … …

With the grand finale finally coming to a head, both combatants made their ways from the opposite sides of the ring to meet in the middle. A booming roar of cheers and excitement coming from the stands of thousands who had come to witness the tournament's crowning of a champion.

Each walking up to the middle with confident strides, the two never looked away from each other's steely gaze. Stopping about a dozen feet from each other, the two were silent as the attendees gave one last powerful explosion of cheers before the start of the match.

As the applause settled, Ryuk turned slightly and gave a charismatic wave to his many new fans he had gained throughout the valorous displays during the tournament.

Finishing up, he turned back to face his senior of only two years. "Would it kill you to smile?" He asked, his own not differed by Thresh's serious air about him.

With narrowed eyes, the wire mage crossed his arms. "I think you'll do more than enough of that for the both of us." He remarked, cracking his neck.

Off put by the comment, Ryuk slid a hand onto his waist and let out a lamenting sigh.

Clearing his throat, the announcer prepared his warm up speech to give the crowd one last ounce of excited build-up before the match.

As he did so, both Jin and Rosa stood idle at opposite corners of the ring. While the tournament had simple regulations, this was a bloodsport. Death was not something that could be penalized. As a result, as a special service to the competitors who had made it so far, they could each choose a second who could interrupt the fight if it meant saving their fighter's life at the cost of disqualification. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that however.

"Ladies and gentlemen...!" The announcer began. "It's finally here. The struggle has been long and hard, both contestants have had their fair share of hardships this tournament but only one will be crowned king!" After giving the booming crowds their moment, he continued.

"In the East corner, we have the young competitor from overseas... RYUK!" His noble actions throughout the fights as well as sportsmanship to his opponents had earned his a large following from the younger watchers as well as many of the women, all of which shrieked out excitedly at his mention. At their support, he waved again which only added fuel to their fire.

"And in the West corner, we have the deadly Oufian... THRESH!" With his 'take no prisoners' attitude, and refusal to go easy on any of his opponents, he seemed to strike a cord with the more bloodthirsty onlookers. At the call of his name, many people of the crowd started stomping their feet in synchrony, this almost seeming to shake the Colosseum to it's core for a few seconds before reluctantly calming to a halt.

"Without a moment to lose, let's let these two young blooded warriors duke it out!" The announcer cried out passionately. "Let the championship match... COMMENCE!"

At the immediate start of the duel, Thresh lurched forward. Swiping his right hand in front of him, a quick series of wires were formed and sent out directly ahead.

With quick reflexes, the knight acting solo dodged to the side with all his might. The distance he created being just barely enough to escape the first of many deathly blows. In the wake of his former position, a pair of wires traced the ground, leaving a crisscrossed 'x' pattern in the stone floor, cutting completely through it with ease.

Witnessing this, Ryuk gulped as he stood up more normally. Before he could get a firm understanding of his bearings, another set of wires were launched toward him. Caught off guard by how quick the next barrage was sent out, the adolescent was forced to lunge diagonally back, creating further distance between the two, the one thing he wanted to avoid for as long as possible.

After landing on his feet, Ryuk watched his opponent pull back his other hand in order to prepare another assault. Noticing this, he reached over and pulled out his handgun in the blink of an eye. Aiming for a non-vital that probably would have been dodged easily anyway, the knight took aim and cocked back the hammer. After what was most likely to be a dodge, he would make his move and run in close.

His cold eyes settling on the firearm, Thresh lowered his head as he adapted a stance that could easily shift into a dash. All the meanwhile, he continued his attack from before.

With a crackling bang of the exploding gunpowder, the first bullet of the match was unleashed. Unfazed, Thresh kept his composer completely in the face of this grave threat. His body not budging, he swiped up with his off hand as he interned from the beginning. Wires formed in front of him and precisely cut up the projectile to bits. A partially disintegrated ash being all that remained as it was blown away with the wind inches away, near his face.

Completely caught off guard by the level of composure, Ryuk was left awestruck momentarily.

Seeing this, Thresh continued his attack. Dashing to the side, he threw out more wires which seemed to miss their mark completely at first. A moment later, they were all pulled toward the knight. Manipulating his wires from before, they were also pulled in. The first strikes and the most recent all coming to a head with the gold eyed teen as their target.

Seeing the two pronged attack, Ryuk gritted his teeth. Why does it feel like I'm up against some ruthless tactician? After the passing thought, the teen's eyes darted back and forth between the many wires headed straight for him. Once seeing their anticipated trajectories, he sprinted forward.

Not expecting a frontal attack so quick into the match, Thresh pulled in his wires faster with a jerking motion of his hands.

Watching the condensing wires close in, the knight even caught the detail that some of the wires were even phasing through one another. Despite this newly discovered detail he kept up his sprint and dove hands and head first through a tight hole in the crossing wires. Narrowly making it, the wires overlapped each other before their owner discarded them having betrayed their purpose.

Landing on his hands, Ryuk pulled himself forward into a roll to negate his created momentum. Looking upward, he found his opponent directly in front of him.

Knowing full well that a close-ranged exchange was bound to be unavoidable, Thresh reached for his tucked away knife. Before he could make use of it however, the younger of the two leaped up instantly off the ground, a hand over his shoulder as he reached for his sword.

Expecting Ryuk to draw his blade, Thresh countered by attempting to stab the youth in his abdomen during the other's preparation. To his surprise however, the knight never drew his weapon. Instead, he grabbed it by the sheath and whipped the entire thing off his shoulder. Not wasting the second he would have taken to draw it, he instead began his attack immediately.

Already halfway launched into his counter stab, Thresh could only watch as the sheathed sword was swung up at him like a bat. The base hitting dead center with the bridge of his nose and his head was thrown back, even if his footing remained unfaltering.

Regaining his proper footing, Ryuk smirked to himself. The fact that despite Thresh being the first to attack, he was the first to land a blow filled him with a little of his lost confidence. This was about to be shattered however.

Pulling his head back forward, Thresh stared down at his barely shorter opponent. A small trickle of blood running down his left nostril, but no pain marred his face. The same stonewalled expression from before hadn't been changed at all. A bloodthirsty look had seated in his eyes.

Caught off guard by how well the older had taken the blow, he took a step back and retaliated with a high kick.

Just as it hit, Thresh leaned his head in the same direction to absorb most of the impact. Feeling barely any feedback with his first kick, Ryuk pivoted his footing and launched the other foot from the opposite direction.

Seeing the attack coming a mile away, Thresh performed same technique again and barely seemed fazed.

His attacks completely ineffective, the knight was left agape. His eyes going wide partially.

Wiping the blood off his face, the wire mage's unrelenting glare only pierced deeper as he took an intimidating step closer. "Your hits are too light." He judged, pulling his right hand back.

Seeing this, Ryuk watched almost fearfully as a series of wires were spawned and sent out incredibly close to him. Acting fast, he lowered his body toward the ground and took up a blocking stance so that his sheathed sword would take most of the damage. When the wires connected, the force was stronger than anticipated. While his saber prevented an early demise, it did result with him being thrown nearly half a dozen feet aside as well as christening him a long but light cut across his left knuckles.

Sliding across the arena ground on his shoulder, Ryuk glanced over to where he was originally launched from. A few cleaving cuts deep into the stone grounds that just as easily could have been him.

"This is what you get for trying to play hero without thinking there'd be repercussions for being so weak." Thresh heavily criticized, slowly walking toward the downed teen. "Life isn't some fantasy."

Not differed, Ryuk shakily rose up to his feet. The attack having roughed him up more than he had realized. Raising his head, he fearlessly wore a proud smile nonetheless. "Sure it is." He responded casually at first. "You're just not trying hard enough!" The younger shouted, pointing accusatively in front of him.

More irked by the comment than he expected, Thresh reared his teeth for only a moment. "We'll see how cocky you are, after I rend you to pieces." As soon as he ended his threat, he planned to make good on his words as a series of new wires formed in his hands and he sent them out with deadly precision.

… … …

It was the night before, the eve of the championship match. Getting some air, both Ryuk and his redhead companion engaged in light conversation on the second floor balcony connected to their inn.

Leaning back first against the handrail which overlooked the crowded city streets, the young knight gazed up at the starry sky above. "I'm finding it really hard to stand still all of a sudden. Maybe I'll do a light workout before bed."

Considering it, Alice cocked her head a bit to the side. "Is that a good idea?" She asked, honestly unsure.

"Don't even consider such a thought!" Came the outcry of a much older male who entered from the inn's interior.

The man was dressed in a pristine and regal white suit. A noble blue ascot poking through the middle just below his neck. A proud stature to his footing.

He had rugged black hair which had been grown out and slicked back, ending just before his shoulders. Despite his exquisite attire, his face was completely adorned in bandaging. Gauze traced his jawline, a medical eye patch covered his right, and a could bandages littered his left cheek. Some of his skin still swollen from the abuse he'd taken in the tournament.

Looking up at the man's battered face, a smile grew to fit snugly on Ryuk's expression. "Hello, Nolan." He said pleasantly to the normally well groomed individual.

"Boy, you were lucky enough to come out of you're duel today with minimal injury." Nolan began, asserting his comment from before. "It is imperative that you maintain the closest to a peak condition as possible. Adding anymore strain than what you've already sustained would be inexcusable. You're representing Magnis here, don't forget that!" The man shouted, his final words hinting at the true root of his concerns.

Stifling a laugh, the adolescent nodded, keeping up his polite appearance. "Alright, you've convinced me, Nolan." His arms crossing casually.

Sensing the less than serious nature to the response, the older knight frowned. "I mean it, boy. I know you care little for me because of our..." Pausing for a moment, he glanced aside. "...history, but my words echo true. You know this." Clearly uncomfortable addressing the subject.

Smirking, Ryuk honed in on this immediately. "History?" He repeated in mock confusion. "Oh, you mean when you shot me?" He brought up rather bluntly.

At this reminder, Nolan hung his head low in a passing shame. Across from him, Alice grew a glare as she pouted, clearly not as over the event as her partner was.

"Yes, yes. mistakes were made." The older loosely commented on as he moved passed the unwanted subject. "Yet, I fear you've not yet grasped the full gravity of the situation. Somehow you've conned your way to the championship bout. Don't throw this chance away."

With a smirk, Ryuk pushed off the railing and slid his shoulders back. "You're certainly asking a lot from someone who hasn't even been knighted yet. I'm still just an apprentice, unless you're forgetting."

The teen expected the man to grim at this reminder. Surely he would sink his head and utter something along the lines of: By the gods, don't remind me. This however, would not be the case.

"Yes, you're right, aren't you?" A hand cupping under his chin. "We'll have to change that soon."

Ryuk could feel his footing weaken momentarily out of shock. "What?" He asked in confirmation.

Seeing the youth's rare lack of composure, the eldest brought his head high again. "My opinion on you subsiding, you've done many good deeds for the city of Magnis. Once this is all set and done, I think it would be high time a ceremony was held. I can even do it myself if utterly necessary."

Growing a uncharacteristically sincere demeanor, Ryuk nodded respectfully. "Thank you. It would mean a lot to me if you would." His words plain, but truthful.

Taking a few steps forward, Nolan joined the other by the guardrail. His gaze shifting downward as he admired the busy streets. Perhaps their fast pace reminded him of the bustle of his home. "Tournaments are a funny matter, aren't they? We all enter them in hopes of winning them ourselves, yet as we fall, we bet our dreams on those who have bested us."

As Ryuk contemplated the words, a new set of heavy footsteps approached as another familiar face entered the balcony. The clap of his single steel toe boot making it obvious before anyone even turned around. "Not just the ones you've beat." The man remarked, as though he'd been apart of the conversation all along.

All turning around, they became face to face with the cunning leader of the Gray Skies mercenaries. With a brief wave, he stopped in front of them. His body similarly bandaged as the other adult.

Taking one look at the bounty hunter for hire, Nolan grimaced. "To think you two are actually acquainted. As usual, your growing range of contacts are unsettling as always." Disregarding his opinion on the matter, he turned back to the youth. "He's right though. The two of us will be betting on you as well."

With a low chuckle, Gray began rubbing the back of his sore left shoulder. "The kid was tough. What can I say?" He spoke, referring to his match earlier this morning. "His fangs were sharper than mine."

Laughing at the phrasing, the teen shook his head. "I think the blood loss it getting to you, Gray. Why don't you lay down for a while. Far away from me." His last comment unnecessarily tacked on at the end.

"I ain't worried though." The cowboy continued, disregarding the other's prior input. "I've felt the same from you. When the going gets tough, you stand your ground and power through it." Walking forward, he stopped when he was a little less than a step away from the knight to be. Lifting his gauntlet, noticeably slower than usual, his injuries clearly effecting him to an extent. Reaching forward, he poked the youth in the center of his chest. "Give 'im hell for us. For those who can't anymore." A wide grin stretching across his face upon his passing of the torch.

Staring up at the older man, a crooked smirk grew but was pushed back down almost instantly once the owner noticed it's presence. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not some fighting addict like some people, but I guess I'll do my best."

Walking passed the roughed up cowboy, Ryuk started heading back inside. "C'mon, Alice. I saw a bar a few blocks over. Let's go for a walk."

Confused by the statement, Nolan turned around to watch the pair depart. "You aren't of age to drink." He brought up blatantly.

Not bothering to face the man as he responded, both of the youngsters kept on walking. "I'm not." He admitted with a wave farewell over his shoulder. "But the moods are jovial and lively. It'll help me relax before tomorrow."

With a huff, Nolan continued to watch the problematic teen make his exit. Gray listening in to the sounds of his jingling spurs drift further and further away.

… … …

With Thresh's deathly wires fast on the approach, Ryuk's gaze became more focused. With much more conviction than before, he gave a distinctive sidestep and kept a firm unwavering stare as the deathly strings flew right passed him, ripping up the ground along the way.

The wire mage noticing the more resilient look in his opponent's eyes took up a fair amount of caution in response.

With a steady exhale, the adolescent began bobbing his head as he started weaving from side to side. Mixing step-ins all the meanwhile, his constant feints and dodges began melding into one another like a living mirage as he drew nearer and nearer to his opponent.

Unimpressed, Thresh remained still. With a wave of his arm and hand, he sent out another wave of deadly wires in front of him.

Just as the screeching strings shot forward, they all headed straight for their target's center of mass. Just before they met their mark, the teen weaved aside a ducked a quick rising wire that would've decapitated him if he wasn't paying attention.

This went on for nearly half a minute's time. The adolescent would ground himself in order to put all of his energy into dodging the violent assault but the moment he was granted a second's rest, he would step in closer to his objective fearlessly.

Watching this from just outside the ring, Jin's fist tensed as he took a worrisome gulp. That's the way, Ryuk. Keep pressing forward, slowly but surely. You lack strength, but you've more than made up for it with your speed. Those dodges and feints, they're your pride as a knight. They're the answer you found to taking on insurmountable opponents.

These motions were repeated and improvised as necessity dictated until the knight had pushed forward into a medium distance. Just a little closer he could finally start to turn things around. Inching forward bit by bit, Thresh all of a sudden pulled back with his off hand.

Catching this, Ryuk's eyes widened. Dozens of wires sprouting forth directly to his right. With a weak swipe from the older, all of the wires were sent slicing in his direction from all different angles.

Reaching for his sword again, both it and his sheath were used to shield him from the deadly attack. Even seeing the technique coming and fortifying his footing, he was pushed aside. His feet tripping over one another. Plummeting backward, the knight shot a worrying look up at his attacker. What he saw was not what he expected.

Rather than preparing a follow-up immediately, Thresh had paused for a moment. His eyes overtaken with a look of disappointment, his face matching. Not a hint of worry marring his unfazed expression. "Is that all you have?" He asked, only now pulling back his off hand again to summon yet more wires.

Still falling, Ryuk's eyes sharpened as opposed to giving up. Catching his footing, he used the momentum he had gained and redirected it from downward to forward. With lightening footsteps he began his counter.

It only took a single instant. In the moment that Thresh's vision was blocked for only the briefest of intervals by his own moving arm, his opponent had vanished. Eyes widening in true surprise for the first time in their duel, the skidding sound of a sliding boot screeched behind him. Turning over his shoulder, not only was Ryuk directly behind him, but he had just leaped up and was now airborne as well.

Shifting, the knight had used all the momentum he had been generating from the fall as well as the dash that followed after and into his upward leap. Twisting his core just prior, his left leg retracted. With a defiant look, the younger unleashed his signature full body roundhouse kick. The base of his boot smacking dead center with the back of Thresh's skull.

Holding steadfast to his footing, the older was able to take the blow without crumbling over. Instead, he was able to hang on and absorb most of the impact as his head was pushed forward. Rearing his teeth in aggression, he turned his head right back around, ready to punish his opponent's who would have been left open after such a move.

Still in the air, Ryuk pulled out his heavily reinforced black revolver. A red hue emanating off it from a discreet enchantment. Despite the barrel pointed far away from the mage, it was fired anyway. A huge blast of fire burst out of the firearm. The range was incredibly short, the embers scattering less than a foot away as a normal bullet was ejected forward. Yet the projectile was not the main objective of this stunt.

The blast from the gun was so severe that it had spun the knight's body a near 360 degrees right back around. During this, he pulled back on his left leg yet again. Before his opponent could even register what had happened, the second roundhouse slammed across the side of his cheek, the force of the unexpected attack sending his staggering away and almost tripping over himself in the process. Ryuk just now landing back on his feet.

The crowds of thousands exploded with a thunderous applause at this display. Understandable as this seemed to be the first time Thresh was truly affected by his opponent in the match.

Only some of the more experienced onlookers as well as some former combatants seemed to truly give this counter attack the awestruck expression it deserved. The ability to pull off a counter from his tripping state, and actually land several roundhouse kicks before touching back down left many of them agape as it was truly a mesmerizing sight to behold.

Recovering from the damage he had sustained, Thresh stood upright and brushed the light scratch of his cheek. Looking in front, he found his younger opponent standing directly in front of him, a revolver clasped in each hand and held at his sides, the barrels pointed toward the floor.

Knowing close-range was less than advantageous to him, at the moment at least, the wire mage darted back a primed a new series of wires. To his amazement, the younger read this perfectly and darted forward at the same time, negating any change in the distance between them.

Just as Ryuk's front foot touched the ground, his right hand and revolver were pulled back. After going as far back as his muscles allowed, a wide obvious swing began with the mage's head as it's target.

Upon realizing this, Thresh continued to summon his wires. Pulling a few closer, he angled them so that they would meet sever the younger's arm should he attempt to finish his swing.

Halfway with his attack, the knight pulled the trigger to his gun again. Once again, the bullet shot out toward nothing. The kick of the exploding gunpowder doubling the speed of the swing. The limb soared just under the wire before it could connect. The flattened steel iron sight of the gun slammed full force into the side of the mage's face.

Taking a staggering step back, Thresh stared off to his right. This being the direction his head had been forcibly shoved into to. Who uses a gun as a melee weapon? He cried out in his mind, only his eyes able to react in time to see the same move as before being prepared with the other arm.

Even faster than before, Ryuk fired his gun again and amidst the ear shattering explosion of gunpowder, the steel was smashed up against the opposing side of his target's face. His head rocking to the other side as a few specs of blood was shot out of his mouth.

This happened again and again. Each blow becoming faster and faster until they were being delivered within the blink of an eye. The swinging steel becoming a mere blur. Each attack almost resembling the speed and impact of a bullet.

Expunging ten shots from his guns, and the first from his roundhouse, only one bullet remained. Pulling back his right arm again, Ryuk began his punch and fired off early. Pulling it inward, the gun narrowly avoided the mage's head. Far from finished, Ryuk lowered his body as his whole body began rotating once again, his back foot skidding and kicking up some dirt behind him from the force behind his generated momentum. Putting away both guns as he turned, he grounded his footing all of a sudden and whipped out his sheathed sword. Using all his forward force and kinetic energy, the knight gave a mighty two handed high aimed horizontal slash.

Due to the complicated set-up of this technique, it took nearly twice as long as his previous blows. Even is this meant that it only took a full second, that was more than enough of a window.

His eyes snapping out of their dazed state, Thresh's brown iris' came back to life. Raising both arms, he adapted a cross-armed block. Wires spewing out and anchoring into the ground as Thresh clenched them as tight as he could. His entirety put into blocking the attack. After, he could easily uproot his wires and move in for a clean finish.

When the sheath and sword finally connected, the older's block began to be pushed in, this was expected. What shocked him was that it kept going and going. His arms eventually pressed against his face as he started to lean back. His wires being the only thing keeping him upright at this point.

If the wires were string, they would have snapped. Were they made of steel, they would have creaked and ripped apart at the seams. Because they were ethereal, they seemed to stretch. Little by little they were pulled and pulled until they finally reached their breaking point and seemed to fade completely out of existence, their tethering point being all that remained.

With nothing left to hold it back, all of Ryuk's swing was carried out and Thresh was sent crashing backwards. Knees buckling, the mage was hurled back first into the ground and his head bashed roughly against the concrete. The force was so great that his body even bounced a few inches off the ground afterward as he drifted further and back down.

The uproarious stadium was rendered silent. The countless rowdy onlookers from before each left agape and motionless from what had just transpired before them.

Looking down at his opponent, Ryuk walked over slowly and leaned in a little. Once close enough, the swordsman stared firmly. "This, is what I have."

… … …

The world had become nothing more than a blur, people and colors melding together as Thresh's mind attempted to make right of the world around him. Staring up blankly as things came in and out of focus, Ryuk's form came into view. He was staring down with fiery determination. "This, is what I have."

Hesitantly off in the distance, the announcer, timidly at first, began his ten count.

Ignoring the man, Thresh's gaze glossily focused on the younger who now towered above him. So that's how you made it this far. He thought to himself in his clouded state, his facial features inert. Don't get cocky. He thought, a wide grin stretching across his face. His vision as well as wits returning to him.

In a razor quick action, wires shout out near his hands and anchored into the arena far off and away, shooting right around and passed the knight. His opponent's eyes tracing their paths for his own safety. As he did so, Thresh tugged on the strings and yanked himself upright instantly. The two now face to face again. The momentum halted on a dime, some blood on the older's face lurched out and splattered droplets across the younger's face.

Whipping his previous wires that he'd used to rise up in front of him, the knight was forced to keep his guard up and retreat a few jumps back.

Once a medium distance had been created between them, Thresh made a quick dash to his right. After a few seconds, he stopped and turned to face the other.

Suspiciously following the mage with his eyes, a look of horror all of a sudden overtook the knight's facial features.

Grinning at the sight, Thresh began to summon more wires all around him and send them out in every direction for future use. So you've notice. More and more wires came into existence, most of them reaching the very edge of the arena with ease in every direction. I'm standing at the center. From this point on, every inch of this battlefield is within my absolute territory.

Knowing the true struggle was about to begin a new, Ryuk reached over his shoulder and unsheathed his weapon for the first time since the start of the fight. A slender and straight black katana of medium length. Tracing his hand over it, it started to glow in a red light, small embers scattering off the tip.

Wanting to test the other's reaction time, Thresh sent out a quick wave of five wires in the younger's direction. Tugging at a few, they whipped around and altered their speed as they started coming in in different direction.

With a grounded stance, Ryuk was surrounded as the strings all came at him from all sides. Grabbing his blade with both hands, he waited patiently until the first was close enough and cut the wire in half with a firm horizontal chop. Two more coming in from his sides, he turned to his right and performed a rising slash. After taking care of one, he shifted his weight and footing and easily turned the end of his first attack into a downward slash in the opposite direction, doing away with the next. The final two coming from directly behind at different angles, without even looking, Ryuk spun around and unleashed a diagonal cut which shredded both wires with a single attack.

Rather than worry, a sinister grin overtook the mage's expression. "I was wrong about you." The man began, summoning more wires. "You just might be worth my time after all."

Pulling back on his right hand, Thresh's palm began to glow as the aura condensed in that specific location. "Cresent Wave: Plasma!" The ruthless mage roared, punching his fist in front of him as though he only a step away.

The spell summoned more than a dozen magical small shock waves that each flew forward in different directions. A few skidding near the ground caused the concrete to become obliterated from simply being near the blasts.

Seeing the wide spread of the attack, Ryuk aligned himself so that he would only need to deal with a couple and allow the rest to fly passed. The sharp distance they created benefiting him in at least one way.

Expecting such, Thresh started to tug precisely on his previously summoned strings. "So predictable." He taunted with a sharp yank of his wires. Far in front of him, many of the long since created strings drew closer and closer to the knight. Rather than heading straight for him however, their paths changed as they seemed to go for his own shock waves. Hitting them at the perfect angles, he was able to redirect the ones that were going to miss their target and change them so just as his wires from before, they would lock on and surround the knight from all sides.

Eyes widening, Ryuk became agape for a moment. He had fallen right into his opponent's trap. In trying to use the flaws of the other's spell against him, he had cornered himself.

Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Thresh continued to manipulate his strings so that even they two were coming in. Now close to two dozen projectiles all heading for the same focal point at different speeds and force.

Before anything, the knight reloaded both his handguns within split seconds. Lowering his head as he took a deep breath, Ryuk rose his head to reveal that his two golden iris had been replaced by a burning red stare. Swiping his hand near the rear of his boots, his spurs became enchanted with a red light, sparks of fire shooting off as the metal stars began spinning up faster and faster.

The wires coming in first, Ryuk delivered a fierce and unrelenting series of slashes with his sword. Precise cuts doing away with many of the first volley of the ensnaring attack. Just when it seemed the next wave were closing in, the knight stuck his left hand flat on the ground as he pushed off into a hand stand. Using the momentum of his position shift, each of his spurs as well as his sword in his right hand leaped out away from his body, slicing the last of the wires.

Hopping back onto his feet, the knight immediately tossed his sword into the air in front of him. With both hands, he whipped out his two revolvers. He enchanted them both, as well as refreshing the spell that remained on one of them from before. With a deep breath, his eyes quickly scanned the paths of all the shock waves that would surely hit within a second. With asymmetrical aiming, the teen started shooting all the projectiles with his enchanted bullets. Destroying them with stark explosions. Without enough bullets for each attack, a few were aimed to simply sway a few into each other, negating multiple for the price of one. A heavy amount of smoke gushing forth from each barrel.

The immediate danger averted, the adolescent reloaded a few more shots then quickly after aimed both behind him. Firing a blast behind, he leaped up and shot his body forward like a cannon. Holstering the right firearm, he caught his discarded sword from before as contorted his body to take up a horizontal slashing position even while in mid air.

Witnessing how the younger diffused his spell as well as how he went on the offensive immediately after, Thresh's smirk irked a little wider. "Keep it up. Just one mistake is all it takes." With a twitch of his fingers, half a dozen wires sprung up in front of him and crisscrossed over each other.

Finishing his attack, Ryuk's katana was met by the series of wires. While he was able to cut through many, the final ones had dwindled his attack well enough so that the last few withstood his blade, caught inches away from his opponent's body.

Tugging a few wires in front of him, the mage hurled the knight high into the air. "You think all it takes to change the world is a few kind words and a flashy smile. You're so delusional!" The wire user berated, casting yet more strings upward to his now defenseless opponent.

With the deadly strings lunging up toward him, the teen aimed his guns behind him again and launched himself like before using the last of his loaded ammunition. Shooting his whole body downward, he raced passed the wires just before they could pierce him. Sticking his right leg out in front of him as he plummeted, the spur sped up, leaving a red trail behind it in the air.

Watching this, Thresh reacted in a split second as he leaned his body heavily to his left. The teen's spur tracing less than an inch over his cheek. Should he have dodged a millisecond slower, there would've been a huge red hot gash on his cheek right now.

Touching down, Ryuk skidded to a screeching halt, a black mark following half a dozen feet, the distance he traveled after landing. After a second, he stood up straight, both combatants now back to back as his opponent too stood up more naturally.

Turning over his shoulder, the knight's eyes blinked. The red iris' fading as they were replaced by his golden pools. "Might makes right. You're not wrong, as much as it pains me to admit it."

Turning around fully, Ryuk glanced down at one of his open palms. "If you want to accomplish anything, you need power to do it." His casual smile returned, he looked back up. "But having strength and knowing when you need and don't need to use it is two completely different things. Because I don't feel the need to kill people like you do is already proof enough. I'm already stronger than you."

Shifting himself around as well, Thresh glared ahead of him. It was obviously a taunt. It was obvious he was trying to get a rise out of him. Clearly the teen felt the need to shake the other's composure if he stood a ghost of a chance at a victory.

Despite knowing this, the mage's left hand was balled into a tight fist. His irking smirk faltering at the open disregard before relaxing himself. "I'll remember that." Raising his right hand, half a dozen wires formed. "Your last words, I mean."

Lunging forward just as the attack was launched toward him, Ryuk was quickly able to make work of the hastily developed counter with only a couple slashes. Taking one more step, the two were locked in an up close encounter.

Prepared this time, the mage took up his combat knife and firmly clasped it in his right hand. With his thumb reinforcing his hold against the backside of the small blade, Thresh took aim for a precise stab for the vitals on the other's lower unguarded torso.

Having more range at least when it came to blades, the teen was easily able to deflect the stab with a downward strike.

Calculating the reaction time from his opponent's attack, Thresh flipped the knife in his hand and gripped it firmly upside down. His thumb now pressed on the butt of the handle. Stepping in again, he aimed for the opposite side of the younger's abdomen as last time. Slowing his stab to a nearly unnoticeable extent so that it would slip right in as soon as the other's sword passed by.

The knight's saber halted at the end of his first slash and much like the other, simply repeated the first action but in the opposing direction. Altering his hands, he went with another downward strike to ward off the knife.

Things going just as planned, Thresh proceeded his motions as planned. Inches away from his target however, the younger's blade knocked his away with just as much ease as before. Eyes widening in shock, they quickly focused on the sword, trying to understand what altered the other's reaction time. It took a moment, but his eyes saw through the simple trick.

Ryuk's technique hadn't changed at all. When he slashed for the second time however, he never switched the blade around. Rather than attacking with the sharper end of the one-sided blade, the blunter side came down. Due to the new layer of wind resistance, it's time was altered a near unnoticeable degree, just like the knife. Such a trick would not have worked without the combination of the sword's shape, color, and skill of the user.

Narrowing his gaze, the mage backed up a single step to better fortify his position. Upon doing so, he adapted his normal grip on his knife once again. I get it now. When the knight drew close with a high starting slash, Thresh returned the favor by performing a quick slash up near his throat to ward him off. Your greatest weapon was never the gun or that sword. Your best weapon, this whole time, has been deception. After giving his opponent the respect he deserved, at least in his head, Thresh stepped in for a follow up slash.

Leaning his head back, the younger just narrowly avoided having his neck slit. Coming back in, he delivered a lightening quick back kick with one of his burning spurs. Expecting this, the mage pulled back his knife to deflect the counter, and did just so.

This continued for a little over a minute. Both judging and expecting each other's next blows only to perfectly counter and dodge around one another with highly fluent motions. Neither able to land a single clean hit. Such graceful movements almost mistakable for dancing.

Both taking a step back subconsciously at the same time, they both decided to take advantage of this sudden but short gap between them.

Pulling back on his sword, Ryuk started with a high stance but traced near the ground as he shifted it into a rising attack.

At the same time, Thresh welled up some of the blood which had been gathering in his mouth. Rocking forward, he spit it out in front of him. It's target, dead ahead of him.

Continuing his slash from before. The tip dug into the top layer of dirt which had been gathering between the tiles of the arena. Uprooting some dirt, the slash was pulled inward, but hurled the material straight upward.

Both of these actions transpiring simultaneously, the blood from Thresh's mouth landed square between both of the younger's eyes, draining off between the bridge of the nose and pouring over both. Meanwhile, the sand and dirt thrown up from Ryuk's sword flew up and got into the other's gaze. Both blinding each other at a deadly close range from one another.

Staring in awe from the sidelines, Jin's eyes were glued on this near mirror image scene. How did I not see it until now? The veteran thought to himself. These two, they're...!

On the opposite end of the ring, Rosa had her arms crossed under her chest. Raising one hand, she stiffed a small laugh. "Found someone torn from the same cloth, huh, Thresh?" She commented out loud. "Don't go having too much fun now." She mused to herself with no real worry.

With a red curtain continuing to pour over his eyes, the only thing the swordsman could make out were the very bottoms of his opponent's feet. Judging the distance, he took up a horizontal slashing stance.

His vision blurred from the small chunks of rock in his eyes, Thresh could only make out the basic shape of the person in front of him. Not wasting a second, he rose his left hand and shot out half a dozen wires which flew forward at a vertical angle.

The knight's katana slashed away the several wires which would have pierced through him with his attack as the others flew passed by mere inches.

Aware that only their attacks had clashed, both jumped back so they could fix their predicaments.

The older harshly rubbed his eyes until most of the debris had been ejected. Across from him, the younger had wiped off most of the blood and saliva off his face with the sleeve of his long coat. After repairing their states, both stared down one another again, ready to resume. Each of them rushing in without a hint of concern.

… … …

Off on one side of the stands, Alice had been gripping the railing tightly since almost the very beginning. She didn't want to watch, but she couldn't look away.

"The kid's starting to slow down, right?" Ringo asked aloud for conformation to her two companions.

Hearing this remark, the redhead grew a more uneasy feeling in her chest. Looking down, she clasped one hand on her shirt over her heart.

When Jake picked up on this, he quickly butted the older blonde in her side with his elbow. This acting as an attempted method of conveying to the other mage that she was being inconsiderate.

Not picking up on this, the older of the two simply grew annoyed. "And what was that for?" She asked in an irked tone.

Sighing, Jake pointed over to the younger girl silently.

Immediately seeing the clear amount of worry written on her face, Ringo caught on. "Oh. Uh... What I meant was..." She paused as she attempted to find some way of spinning her previous comment around.

"You don't need to worry." Came the strong voice of a man who just now was walking over to the group. "I too noticed a lack of stamina in our fight, but it didn't do me any good in the long run either."

Upon the arrival of this man, Jake immediately perked up. "Zero!" The young mage called out with an excited glee.

Groaning to herself, the opposite held true for Ringo. "Oh. It's you." She grumbled to herself.

Hearing the compliment from the strong combatant that Ryuk fought in the first round, the redhead eased up a bit. "Y-Yeah." She said to herself in reassurance. "Thank you."

Zero tipped his hat politely in response.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Ringo asked rather bluntly, an unamused look on her face.

With a cheerful smile, the gun-slinging mage turned to the woman. "I heard some commotion earlier and figured it was you guys. I'd have been here sooner but this place is packed." He explained, taking a look around and giving the others a chance to take in a glance or two as well.

Walking down the staircase from a layer of stands above, came another new individual. "Yes. I'll admit I held a bit of worry as well when that boy's feints were broken, but it seems such fears were misplaced." Everyone turning to see who the second new guest was.

With an almost cocky smile, Nolan greeted the youths before him. In a similar sharp dressed garb as the night before, he bowed his head the slightest amounts of degrees it could be to be considered respectful.

Upon the man's arrival, he was greeted by various faces of surprise. Ringo's eyes even widened partially as she pointed up at the man. "You...!" Nolan smirked at this. "Who's that guy again?" She asked turning to her friends who shared an equal look of confusion.

The elder knight's face fell flat at this. "I am-" He started up, preparing a haughty introduction.

Turning next to her, Ringo leaned backwards on the guard railing behind her. "This guy a friend of yours or something?" She asked to the redhead.

At the question, a thick frown painted Alice's face. "No." She stated flat and bluntly without even considering the question for more than an instant.

Wavering a bit as he walked down the remainder of the stone steps, Nolan cleared his throat a bit at the lukewarm welcoming. "Yes... Well, associates from our homeland overseas is far more appropriate." Crossing his arms, he stared off at the clashing youths. "It seems he's since buried his nerves from the night before."

At this comment, Ringo glanced over her shoulder back at the duel as well. "So the kid was nervous, huh?"

Clenching her hands at her sides, Alice sunk her head. "You're wrong." She voiced louder than before, still turned to the elder. "You're wrong." She assured again in repetition, the others all staring now in varied concern. Raising her head, she stared proudly in front of her. "Before we left this morning to come here, he turned to me and said:"

"It's funny, Alice, but this might actually be the first time I've looked forward to having a fight with someone."

Upon this reveal, Nolan's face and jaw dropped in shock. Zero and Ringo shared similar speechless looks, albeit to a much smaller degree. Both mages turning back to the fight, they wore a pair of shared smirks.

… … …

Just before another clash, Ryuk pulled back his sword to get as much power out of it as he could. Just as the blade drew close to his target, a series of wires shot out near the ground. While able to cut through most of them, the rest held the steel in place.

Staring forward in determination, the knight locked eyes with Thresh through the wires and passed his sword. Neither looking away. His feet beginning to be pushed back, he tightened his stance to prevent this at all costs. I can tell when I see those cold eyes. Even when I fight, I see every eye on me. But you, you focus only on your opponents. To you, this entire arena is empty, isn't it? The image of the two of them flickered in his mind. Not a single soul in any seat.

When his feet stopped budging, Thresh's eyes flinched at this from surprise. Going as far as taking a step forward, the knight gritted his teeth. "What a waste!" Ryuk roared, stepping in a slashing away at the last of the wires keeping him at bay.

Annoyed by how easily the younger was able to persevere through his assault, Thresh summoned new wires in the blink of an eye. "You'll have to do better than that!" He shouted back, his many razor sharp wires whipping toward his opponent.

Keeping light on his feet, Ryuk started to weave back and forth. Rather than fleeing or moving to block, the teen kept a firm look in his eyes as he started dodging side to side at varying intense speeds and angles. The first few wires slipping right passed their mark because of this.

Pulling a few of his wires which were still tethering forward, the mage swiftly altered their paths from straight to horizontal strokes. "We've gone down this road before. In case you've forgotten, I'll remind you!" The sounds of the wires whizzing through the air at such a deadly speed that even people in the audience could hear the sounds of it cutting through the air. Their target clear as they headed for the knight's unguarded head.

Keeping up his dodges, the adolescent's full weight and lower body muscles were tested as he pulled all of them downward at a diagonal. His right leg bending as far as it could, his torso stretching as quick as possible if only to add centimeters in his advantage. The wires drew closer and closer, just before they could hit, the knight's head ducked straight down. A few loose strands of hair clipped clean off.

Growing a smug look, Thresh lunged forward with his knife in hand. "You're resilient, I'll give you that!" While the teen had avoided the wires, because they were launched all around him, he was essentially trapped. He was forced to meet either Thresh's knife or dodge back to meet ensnaring wires.

His heartbeat growing faster from his dire situation, Ryuk's eyes traced the path of the knife in front of him. Everyone, everyone's betting on me to win this. A large bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face. Knights, mages, cowboys, and even soldiers. In his mind flashed the faces of his friends and challengers he'd gone up against in his road to this match in the tournament.

Dropping his sword, Ryuk stepped forward to meet the knife head on. Thresh watched calculatingly at the maddening gesture as his weapon inched closer to the center of the younger's stomach.

Affirming his decision, the knight stepped further in and reached for the small blade with both hands. His stance and footing a complete replica of Tyson's disarming pose from their match in the second round. One hand grabbing Thresh by the wrist as the blade was mere centimeters from his body. The thrust was halted and the teen swiftly stuck his hand into the other's and undid his hold on the knife. Spinning it around in his own hand, he tossed is behind him and removed his grip on his wrist so that he could shove him away.

Thresh was rendered agape by the fact that he had foolishly allowed himself to be disarmed. At his fleeting loss of concentration, a few of the wires spawned around the teen dispersed, allowing him to more easily close in.

Witnessing this, the mage nearly growled. "It's far too early for me to go down to a damn pacifist!" He cried out, lashing out with a new wave of wires due to his returning focus. When the other dodged them all without trouble, Thresh pulled back on his dominant hand. "Crescent Wave: Plasma!" Over a dozen of newly forged shock waves appeared as they shot out directly in front of him. Because they were so closely unleashed near their target, the problem of having many of them spread out like last time wasn't an issue.

Knowing something would surely be prepared in a counter to his charge, Ryuk was more than ready to pull out one of his revolvers. With just enough time to load in two new bullets into the chamber, he slammed it shut and took aim near the ground in front of him. Without an instant to lose, he shot an enhanced bullet at the ground in front of him as he jumped back.

The bullet collided with the shock wave with just enough force to cause it to combust. Due to how close it was to the rest of the magical shock waves, it resulted in a chain reaction of detonating explosions. This triggering in between both of the combatants as a smokescreen filled the immediate area. All of the knight's person completely hidden among the fading smog.

Wanting to use the smoke to his advantage, Thresh smirked to himself and created a fresh pair of wires in his left hand. Swiping them in front of him, the two cut straight across the smoke and straight through the mid section of any competitor that could have been using it to hide.

The quick and deadly attack cut the smoke clearly in half. This breaking it up easier as both halves faded away twice as quickly. This revealed Ryuk's body flat on the ground. He wasn't injured though. He hid himself on his stomach. His revolver held out in front of him as he adapted the prone shooting form he had seen from Zero in the first round. Sending out an enchanted shot, it soared straight and true, almost like a red tinted shooting star.

Raising both hands in front of him, heavy amount of encircling wires began cycling around the mage with rapid speed. "If you think you're the only one that can adapt, you're sorely mistaken." Clenching his hands into fists, the density of the number of wires multiplied and they sped up even further while he tugged on them to control their patterns. Each of the strands phasing in and out of each other to make certain that almost all of the surface area around the youth was covered. A perfect wire themed imitation of Gray's own wind aura.

When the burning bullet approached, the wires sped up further still. Upon contact, the steel was shredded to bits. Even the very fires surrounding it cut apart until there wasn't a trace of the projectile left or that it had ever been.

Channeling the cyclone of wires around him for a few moments longer, Thresh was soon able to keep it up with only mild differences while using only rotating movements and tugs of his right hand. His left readying to prime even more wires for offensive purposes.

Running in with purpose, Ryuk snatched up his sword from before. Leaping up, he held the black steel overhead in both hands. Enchanting the steel in fire as he fell, each of the wires were cut clean through due to the combination of his falling weight and the fast and fluctuating movement of the strings.

When the barricade of high velocity wires had been dealt with, they faded away within a second to reveal Thresh mid-way though with his next attack.

Not expecting the counter so early, the knight was forced into a retreating back dash. When five wires were cast out and whipped toward him, Ryuk took up a defensive stance. His sword upside down and pointed toward the ground. His left arm perpendicular to the weapon as he pressed it against the blunt edge to fortify the block.

Each of the cables had been dealt with, but as the center one was pushed aside, it swiped against the center of the left forearm. Drawing a fair amount of blood as a deep cut was formed parallel to the elbow. A long cut in the sleeve hiding the true shape of the wound. Grunting painfully, Ryuk staggered back a few more steps.

Examining the look of pain on the younger's face, Thresh knew the attack was clean and deep. No false bravado could hide that from someone as experienced in the field as him. Pressing his advantage, he widened his stance and summoned close to ten wires in each hand. Half of which were shot out forward and simply used to keep the knight in place as the other where whipped toward him with precise hand motions and tugs. Victory was within reach. Just one more push was needed.

Sheathing his sword, Ryuk let go of the blade and reached further to grip the sheath and all just above the blade guard. Once pulling it from over his shoulder, the young knight flipped his hand back onto the handle like normal. Spinning his body around, he shot out the sheath from the sword straight ahead of him with a horizontal slash.

The sheath was far from a threat, but as it was heading straight for his head, Thresh swatted it away with his right hand. The quick motion easily batting it away and sending it spinning away and in front of him.

When his arm went to return to where it was before however, the mage's eyes widened as his face grimaced. The true purpose of such a ploy was revealed. Having to deflect the sheath, the wires in his hand were also altered due to the angle of the tugging motion. This creating a noticeable gap in the dead center of his ensnaring web.

As though that wasn't bad enough, rather than staying stationary, Ryuk had altered his stance as well. He stood in a ridged thrusting stance, the saber held upside down so that the bladed edge faced the sky and the blunt side the ground. The tip aimed at Thresh's heart. A near perfect mimicry of Victor's unique thrusting demeanor. His golden eyes sharing the unwavering look to complete the mirage.

Kicking off with both feet, the knight vaulted forward with a blinding speed. Such a feet only possible from countless days of lower body training. The distance he covered with a single kick off a testament alone of the power within his legs, especially after an entire match's worth of strain.

Enclosing, he passed straight through the hole before Thresh could correct it. The wires all coming together and ripping apart the concrete to ribbons where the knight previously stood. If the thrust would continue at this angle, it would pierce the other's heart without resistance. This was not the case however.

Mid-way through the attack, Ryuk met his deflected sheath. While it was still spinning toward him, he altered the angle of his stab and held it lower near his waist. Without changing the power behind the glorified stabbing motion, it was re-sheathed less than a foot away. Stupefied, Thresh could only watch, unable to call back his wires in time.

Grounding his feet just as he touched back down on the arena's floor, Ryuk pressed his sheathed sword forward with all he could. The tip impacting the other in the direct center of the abdomen and just below the ribcage. The weapon pushing nearly three inches inside before stopping. "Pleading Mercy!" The knight roared, completing the thrust.

The wind knocked out of him, Thresh's mouth was forced into a fully open position, his eyes hollowing into a state of near unconsciousness before the pain of the strike shook him out of it. His entire body rattled to the core. With loose staggers backward, the mage's head rocked back and forth with each step. Defiant as he was, eventually, his legs gave out on him and he collapsed onto both knees. His arms wrapped tightly around his gut as he slammed his forehead into the concrete in a vain attempt to diffuse the stabbing pain in his stomach and he stared at the ground.

While his opponent was completely vulnerable, Ryuk couldn't follow after him. Dropping onto a knee as well, the adolescent dropped his weapon and tightly clasped his right wrist with his left hand. The palm was trembling, his fingers twitching at irregular intervals. His sore wrist a dyed bright red. "Needs more practice." The knight stated, gritting his teeth from the shocking jolts of pain.

Left gasping for air as his winded breaths slowly filled his lungs, Thresh shifted his head so that he could glare across from him. How, how could someone so weak... If that blade wasn't sheathed, I'd be dead right now. As the mage looked in front of him, he saw how equally pained the other combatant was as well. A thick stream of blood oozing out of his left sleeve. No. He's not weak.

His breathing composing, the pain beginning to die down, Thresh slowly rose into a shaky stand. Witnessing this, the knight did similarly. Taking his first normal breath, the mage glared forward with a belligerent malice. "I was wrong." He spoke allowed, continuing his previous thoughts. "And now, I'm ending this!" He decreed, sending out four more wires in front of him.

Ryuk watched the straight shooting low-angled projectiles as they approached with blinding speed. He almost tripped over himself as he dodged between them and tucked his limbs inward to decrease the chance of another injury.

When the sound of the wires tethering into the concrete behind him was heard so soon, Ryuk winced. His eyes darting over his shoulder, he saw they had anchored into the arena almost directly behind him. Unsure about what was about to happen, he reset his gaze forward and became wide eyed.

Thresh had crouched down and was leaning forward. Both of his arms were tightly gripping onto two wires in each hand and were extended far in front of him. Rather than attempt to change or alter their angles, they were intended to stay right where they were.

Vaulting forward, the wires retracted with a fierce speed. Much like how Ryuk had been launching himself all throughout the entire match, his opponent decided to take a page out his book and copy his strategy.

During his forward fling, Thresh removed his grip on the two wires. Forming two new ones to replace them, he whipped them forward.

Acting quick, the knight kicked up his sword and sheath from off the ground. Catching it solely in his right, he went to reach up for it with his left but was met with a painful resistance. Looking over, he found his arm remaining limp at his side. Apparently his coat did more than hide the true damage of the injury from his opponent, it did the same for him, it was worse than he realized. Running out of time, he rose the sword upward to protect his face. The wires smashed into him and his weakened one handed block was pushed aside instantly.

Landing a little more than a foot away, Thresh skidded to a halt. Too close to use his wires accurately, he lunged forward sticking out his right arm. Without a way to block, and his legs still sore from his earlier vault, the knight was roughly clotheslined back first onto the ground.

Looming over his younger opponent, Thresh didn't waste anymore time like previous instances. His left hand still firmly gripped on a pair of cast out wires, he uprooted them and twisted his waist to whip them at the downed swordsman. Looking down, he saw something he didn't expect.

The teen's body was folded over itself. His right arm even pressed under his back due to the way he had fallen. Both of his legs partially retracted and angled to the side. Yet despite this pitiful state, he wasn't scared or dazed in the slightest after the fall. He stared up with a cocky resistance, a smirk even dancing across his face. "Your hits are too light." He uttered in a final taunt.

Narrowing his eyes, Thresh pulled his wires with twice the originally planned force. If they wouldn't have killed him before, there was no doubt they would now.

As his swing was about to finish, the knight altered his downed position instantaneously. Turning forward more properly, his legs were angled more symmetrically and aimed forward. After leaning up just a few inches, the cock of his revolver's hammer echoed just loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Knowing what was bound to happen, Thresh rushed to finish his swing, but it was too late. Because he wanted to increase the power, he had widened the angle, he wouldn't make it in time.

Leaning forward just a little more off the ground, Ryuk pulled the trigger of his gun from behind his back. An enchanted blast exploding in the small condensed area between his back and the ground. The force pushing his body upright in the span of a split second. Shooting into a stand, he was so close that when the mage's attack finished, he wasn't anywhere near harm's way. The concrete behind him left completely devastated, but he was no where near the original target path.

Pulling back his right hand to his side, Ryuk revealed his revolver for the first time since his planned stunt. A red hue steaming off of it. With another pull of the trigger, he slammed the iron sight against the older's left cheek and rocking it harshly to the opposite side.

After completing the swing, Ryuk spun the revolver in his fingers and caught it upside down. His thumb now under the handle and his pinky over the trigger. Pulling again, the gun was shot off and sent flying in the other direction sharply and immediately after the first whipped his gun across the opposite side of the mage's face, rocking it back in the reverse direction.

Thresh's hands loosened, his wires fading from his lack of concentration. The only thing he could focus on right now was the throbbing pain in his face. His eyes blurring out of focus.

Holstering his gun for the moment, the knight kicked his sword up from the floor once again and firmly caught it in his right. Twisting his body, he gave a powerful full body rising swing with the sheathed weapon.

Subconsciously, Thresh gritted his teeth just before impact. His feet firmly planting themselves as soon as he was attacked out of habit, his feet were glued down as the butt of the sword crashed into the underside of his jaw and hurled his head back. An explosion of sweat bursting off his head from the sheer force of the full swing. His mind only hanging on by a string at this point, his eyes slowly started to shut.

Putting his sword away over his shoulder, Ryuk jumped into the air and pulled out his gun one last time. Firing to his side, his body was sent spiraling a full 360 degrees again. Sticking out his right foot, he prepared one last roundhouse with all he had left.

His eyes beginning to gloss over, the mage stood still. The throbbing pain in his face being the only thing that prevented him from slipping into unconsciousness. I'm going to lose. I'll black out from this pain. His mind seemed to latch onto this last sentiment. Pain. He thought to himself. The last time he felt a pain like this was when he was tortured in that foreign land. The pain. The unrelenting pain. Compared to then, this is... compared to then, he is...

Letting out one last battle cry, Ryuk finished his kick with every last bit of strength in his body. Upon completion of the blow, he felt nothing. No feedback, nothing of anything. Looking down, he was greeted with a horrifying sight.

Ducking his head at the last possible moment, Thresh stared up with an unconquerable look of dread and wickedness. A focusing gaze of indomitable misery. These were the eyes of a killer. "You...!" He bellowed in a not yet defeated rage. "Are...!" His left hand clenching as dozens of wires began to appear. "Nothing!" He finished, Slashing up at the completely defenseless airborne knight. Dozens upon dozens of wires shot out within an instant.

Pain coursed through all of Thresh's body during his final attack. It was a pain that hadn't appeared recently, no, it had been building up consistently over the full length of their bout. Every bruise, scrape, cut and torn muscle piled on into something daunting, something that would make weaker men kneel. Thresh decided he would engrave that feeling into his body, into his soul at that moment. He would memorize it then purge it from his body forever.

"No!" Ryuk cried out fearfully as he made sure to protect his heart and head with a quick reach of his saber to block. One by one the wires sprung forth, cutting into his skin and passing right through. Those that missed had their paths immediately corrected with precise pulls despite the numerous strings sent out. Countless slashes littered the teen's body as he could do nothing more than let out a monstrous and painful wail.

Pulling back his left once more, Thresh whipped all of the wires at once and hurled the knight's body far and roughly away. The body fell with a limp motion, tumbling over and over until ending face first against the ground. It curled over itself as a red pool oozed out of the bloody figure.

With slow and heavy breaths, the mage eyed the body. All of his wires disappearing from the last of his exasperated energy and aura.

Deathly silent, along with everyone else up in the crowds, the announcer took a long and worried gulp from the frightening display that was picked up in his microphone. After another pause, he finally began his countdown. "One...! T-Two...!"

Done underestimating his dueling opponent, he took a few more steps as he closed in. Gazing down, he saw that his suspicions were proved true. Despite motionless, the knight stared up at him with a fearless golden gaze.

Pulling back his right hand, a few more wires spawned. "Still got some fight left in you, huh? Fine by me." About to begin his swing, A firm grip on his wrist halted the attack before it could start. A gust of moderate wind following after.

"What?" Thresh called out, turning his head to see who dared get in the way of his fight.

Standing off beside him, and facing away was Jin, the knight's acting retainer. "That's enough." He stated affirmatively.

Baring his teeth, Thresh balled a fist. "Don't interfere! Let go or that arms coming with me." When Jin didn't respond, the mage went on. "This fight's over when we're both done and satisfied. He can still fight!"

"He's unconscious." Was all Jin had to say to silence the younger.

Without saying another word, Thresh looked back down. While the knight's gaze was clearly focused on him, looking a bit longer revealed a glossy undertone to the stare. The pupils remained stationary, but not out of sheer focus, but because they could not move.

Scowling to himself for getting so worked up, Thresh ripped his hand out of the older man's grip. Turning away he took a few steps away. "Fine. Do as you please."

Turning to his apprentice, Jin walked over and knelt down beside him. Examining the many wounds without touching him, he quickly but gently lifted him up in his arms. With a steady but hasty pace, he began walking out their half of the arena. A pair of medics rushing over to meet them with a stretcher.

Thresh turned to watch his opponent as he was carried out of the arena for medical attention momentarily before he was interrupted abruptly by the announcer who had since joined him in the ring.

"CONGRATULATIONS! Thresh!" The announcer cried out through his microphone. "You've proven yourself among this year's countless strong combatants and made it to the top! Is there anything you'd like to say now that you're this year's reigning champ?!" The man asked, sticking his microphone up to the younger man.

Thresh was silent. Be it from tiredness or annoyance, he simply glared up at the loud man.

With a bit of nervous laughter, the announcer pulled back a few steps. "W-Well, let's not waste anymore time. Apart from a title, you'll also be receiving this as a token of your hard work." Out from behind, the man pulled out a grand champion's belt with a decorative golden plate engraved in the center.

Snatching the belt, Thresh started walking over to his sister. As it was so large and he was carrying it by his waist, it resulted in a majority of it, including the elegant center to be dragged along the ground. When many people in the crowd started to boo this disrespectful action, the mage responded by flipping them off as he left the grounds of the arena.

… … …

His eyes slowly creeping back open, Ryuk stared aimlessly up at a low hanging white tiled ceiling. With a few slow breaths, he got his bearings and sat up partially. Realizing he was laid down in a single-sized bed, he looked over to see Jin in a chair beside him. Alice and Sophia right next to him.

With a low chuckle, Jin let out a relieved sigh. "Welcome back to the land'a the livin'. Finished given' me heart attacks fer the day?" The elder teased.

"Are you feeling okay?" The redhead asked walking over so that she was directly across from the recuperating teen.

As the adolescent was about to reply, he examined his body. While there was a a noticeable soreness and stiffness to his motions, there was hardly any pain at all.

As the tanned and retired veteran noticed the questionable look overtake his apprentice, he smiled softly to himself. "The healers of this land are somethin' else. Combined with Sophie's magic, we were able to patch you up right as rain. I don't even expect any scar tissue."

Sitting up all the way, Ryuk focused in on the light bandaging around his left forearm where a mighty gash had since resided. Rubbing the area, there was barely any discomfort at all. "Yeah. Thanks Jin, and you too Sophia." Looking up from his injury, he wore a thankful smile, but it quickly died down as he looked away.

Swinging his feet around the side of his cot, the teen slowly and carefully rose to his feet. Alice even rose up one of her hands and reached out to assist him but stopped herself when she saw he was fine.

Still seated, Jin carefully studied the younger's form to make certain all was well. When nothing piqued his concern, he relaxed a bit. "If ya want, you can head back to the inn. The walk'll do ya good. Fresh air and what not."

After considering the advise momentarily, the young swordsman nodded. "Okay."

Even though the youth showed no signs of struggling with the simple motions, his guardian watched over him all the same. "Ya might feel alright, but take it slow. Ya lost a lot of blood. If ya feel a shortness of breath, make sure ya take a rest." His concerns as a medical practitioner overtaking the lazy teacher's persona he'd crafted for himself.

As the teen was leaving, he nodded silently at the instructions. When he heard some light footsteps following after him, he turned around.

Alice wore a look of concern, her hands awkwardly held by her waist. "Are you—"

Before the teen could finish, Ryuk had placed a hand on her shoulder. His confident smile returning if just for a time. "Sorry for worrying you. Put up with me a little longer. Okay, partner?" Letting go, he turned back away, his forced bravado slipping away as he left through the doorway.

Staring for a moment, Alice was about to follow after. After a single step, Sophia stuck an arm out to prevent her. Turning to the older woman, she saw her shake her head. "It would be best to give him some time to himself. A guy's ego is easier to bruise than you might think." An encouraging smile struggling to stay on the older's face at her words.

Even in slight agreement, Alice dropped her head. "Why couldn't he win after trying his best?" She asked, not expecting an answer. Neither of the two adults having the words to respond either.

… … …

It had become nightfall. It was hard to believe that just a few mere hours ago was the climax of the tournament which had swept away the town with excitement for a few days.

Having made it back to the inn, Alice hurried up the stairs toward the rooms on the second floor. As she was heading for their room in hopes of finding her companion, she was met with another sight.

As the redhead headed for the room they had been using, she passed by one of the second floor balconies. As soon as she whizzed passed it, she stopped and backed up to verify what she had just seen from the corner of her eye.

Seated with his back against the railing was the normally beaming and charismatic Ryuk. His arms resting on each of his knees as he stared down at the wooden floor. A pale look on his hallowed face and distant eyes.

"Ryuk?" The girl asked, beginning to walk over to the other.

Raising his head up ever so slightly to get a look at his visitor, it seemed to drop just a quick. A sad smile replacing the empty look as his gaze returned to the floor in shame. "Hey." He greeted weakly.

Struggling at first, Alice stopped a few steps away and started timidly playing with her hands. "What are you doing here? You should go back to our room and get some rest." One of her arms reaching out to help him up off the ground.

"Can't sleep." The other teen replied briefly. This halting the female's advance as she pulled back again.

All of a sudden, Ryuk started softly laughing to himself. "I'm so pathetic." He remarked, lowering his head further so that his entire face was hidden. "I'm worrying everyone and I'm just sitting here feeling sorry for myself."

"Don't be that way." Alice said speaking up, her tone more steady than before.

"I keep replaying it in my head." Ryuk continued. "If I had moved a little quicker. If I never stopped to boast or brag. Things could have been so much different." His hands clenching at the end before resetting to normal.

Even when the redhead opened her mouth to protest again, Ryuk had unintentionally cut her off. "Inches. That's what decided things." He mentioned, bringing up the very ending of his duel from earlier. "Fractions of a second." A very noticeable bitterness to his words.

Not nearly as articulate as her companion, and already at a loss for words, Alice stepped closer. Kneeling down, she held the edge of her skirt in place as she bent down. Leaning over, she wrapped her arms around him and nestled his head just under her chin.

Motionless at first, Ryuk eventually dropped his forehead into her shoulder. "I really wanted to win this one." He finally confined. "I wanted to show them, that I wasn't just a joke. That my way of life isn't just some... some wannabe fairy tale."

After a few more seconds a loud commotion coming from the streets below separated the two. Both standing up, they looked over to see hordes of people running to and from the next few blocks over. Raising their heads, the two both saw a grim scene. Just a few blocks over was a towering sight of smoke flying up toward the dark sky.

… … …

Sitting on the edge of a small plaza fountain near the center of town was the new crowned champion, Thresh. His cheeks still somewhat swollen on the edges due to the abuse his face had taken earlier today. The mage had a mild melancholy about him as he gazed glossily down at the champion's belt which was currently seated in his lap.

"What's with you?" Honey asked rather tactlessly as she leaned forward to be more or less at eye level with the seated man.

With a scoffing huff, Thresh's expression returned to his normal and mildly fed up appearance. "I just got a reminder about how big the world is, is all." He said, beginning to get up.

Vexed by the odd bit of commentary, the blonde cocked a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tossing the belt in front of him, Honey caught it out of reflex. "I don't want it. It's heavy." The wire mage complained. Honey's original question ignored as he walked right passed her to catch up with his sibling who was waiting at the start of a nearby city block.

"Well I don't want it!" Honey called out. Frowning down at the gaudy belt, she shrugged before hurling it into the fountain like discarded trash. The group of onlookers each growing a look of horror at the shocking sight.

Running to catch up, she reached the other mage just as he met up with Rosa. The three of them reassembled once more.

The plant mage was leaning against the side of a building. A half bottle of gin in one hand. "Our ferry s'posed to arrive a little later in the night. We should probably start heading out to the docks." The older woman mentioned, pointing down the road beside her with a thumb.

"Sounds good." Honey agreed with a smile.

"Whatever." The sole remaining male of their group voiced with a lazy look around. "So those other two idiots aren't coming with us?"

With a shrug, Rosa took a quick sip of her drink. "Guess not." She said after satisfied sigh from the alcohol.

"Good." Thresh remarked, leading the way.

As the trio were making their way toward their destination across town, the two girls chatted a few steps behind the male.

Leaning over to the older, Honey began speaking in a whisper. "Thresh is all grumpy for some reason." She stated glancing over to his back as they were walking.

With a teasing laugh, Rosa responded. "He's probably just irritable because he's tired. It's rare to see Thresh work up a sweat. And from someone around his age, that doesn't happen everyday."

Accepting the conclusion, the two returned to their idle chatter. The topics ranging but were more or less harmless.

Eventually, the three were all stopped in their tracks when they turned around an upcoming corner. Ahead of them was a rather frightening sight of a burning building which was fully consumed by raging flames at this point. Being separated from the adjacent buildings by alleyways, there seemed to be little concern on it spreading further down the block.

This had resulted in a fairly large crowd of onlookers from many pedestrians. Some gossip amongst the group making their way to the three. "Did anyone see what started the fire?" "I hear the owner and his two daughters are still inside!" "Oh, those poor souls! The fire department is on the other side of town. They'll never make it in time!"

Saddening after hearing such a thing, Honey kept her eyes glued on the destructive scene along with the others. "That's terrible. Someone should do something."

Narrowing his eyes, Thresh glanced beside him. "Go ahead." He suggested at her half-hearted concern.

Pouting, Honey turned to the man. "I didn't mean me. What would I do?"

Thresh didn't respond. He knew there was little the other could do in the current predicament. Yet there was something about such a selfish concern of expecting someone else to risk everything that irked him. Someone else performing a completely reckless and selfless act like that, they didn't exist.

Turning away, the wire mage started to walk away. "Not my problem." Partially distracted, he failed to notice the man sprinting in his direction. Brushing against each other during the other's dash, Thresh had almost been knocked over. "Who—!"

The figure had sprinted straight through the crowd before ending up in front of the ablaze building. Picking up a small crate near the front door, he hurried over to a side window and threw it straight threw the glass. Smoke and fire gushing out of a new source. After settling down, the man climbed up and jumped straight in. His long coat blowing behind him from the fanning flames.

Watching, Honey glanced over to Thresh. "Wasn't that..."

Silent, Thresh was dead focused on the burning building. Ignoring the new chatter of the crowd as his eyes went from window to window trying to find the madman who willingly jumped in. Not catching a definite look with all the commotion, not even he was certain, but it did seem to be a fairly good hunch.

Mere seconds later, the front doors were kicked open from inside. The group's suspicions were confirmed when Ryuk came running out into the street. An older woman leaning heavily on his shoulder as he guided her outside.

Placing her down, she began to cough violently. "M-My- Hck! Sis-ter! Sh-She's still—"

Before the woman could even finish what she was saying, Ryuk had already darted right back inside. Only stopping momentarily as a quick burst of fires and smoke blew heavily out of the front doors. Pausing only a second, he hid his mouth with his arm and kept his head low as he returned to the inferno.

Just like the first time, his figure was completely hidden behind the walls of fire and burning debris inside. With the same speed as before, the teen had returned again with the younger of the siblings carried on his back.

Rushing back outside, he returned the girl to her older sister and gently onto the ground beside her. The townspeople now starting the lend a hand and tend to the sisters.

"D-Dad's still-!" The younger began shouting. Halting only due to a large flow of tears and similarly violent coughs. "Dad went in to get us!" She cried out, wiping her face on her singed sleeve.

Once again, before anyone could even consider asking, Ryuk ran right back in.

The trio watching the display, Rosa couldn't help but smirk. "Guess that kid wasn't all just talk."

Thresh remained still, continuing to play the part of a silent onlooker.

Unlike the first few times, Ryuk hadn't emerged almost immediately. The fires raged on and the smoke started pouring out of the higher floor windows with much more vigor. Almost immediately after this, the head of the door frame collapsed upon itself.

When all started to seem hopeless, one of the windows on the second floor was blown out. As a hefty pillar of smoke poured out of it, as too did two figures. A plump older man and Ryuk tumbled outside. The moment they had left the windowsill, a giant torrent of fire shot out behind them. The two making it in the nick of time.

Falling out of the second floor. The two landed hard atop the wooden porch awning on the first floor. As it was built on a slant, the pair slid off and landed somewhat roughly onto the ground. Both of them unscathed for the most part.

The older man rolled onto his back as he started taking in huge breaths of fresh air. After, he pushed himself back up and began thanking the teen profusely. His two daughters immediately running over for a tender embrace.

Seeing the scene, and happy with his work, Ryuk smiled to himself and rose back up. As soon as he was back on his feet, he was rushed by the crowd who were all quick to applaud and celebrate the youth's heroics.

It was at this time that a large group of firefighters rounded the West corner of the block. Half of them carrying a firehouse on a small trough as they came running down the center of the street. Finally making it to their objective, a few went off to prepare a nearby fire hydrant while others started clearing the area.

Thresh looked on for a moment before turning to leave. The other two would catch up. He could only watch such a nauseatingly storybook scene for so long. As he did, he happened upon two men hiding off in an alley opposing the flaming building.

One of the two was brandishing a small dagger. The other holding a small compact crossbow, held in such a way to avoid being seen by the crowd in front of him.

After lightly cackling to himself, one of the men inched a little closer. The both of them so focused on something that they failed to see Thresh directly beside them. The pair seeming familiar to him for some reason he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Now we'll show that kid. We put all our money on him and lost it all." The dagger wielding man announced.

With some lowly snickers, the marksmen started aiming for the teen amongst the crowd. "You were right. All we had to do was start a little fire and the kid came running. He really does have a hero complex."

Slowly, the time that Thresh had to make a bar run for his sibling the night before crept into his mind. The faces of the two goons matched the pair he injured as soon as he walked in. Narrowing his eyes, Thresh summoned up a pair of wires in his right hand. "I see now that I was far too lenient on you before..."

The duo jumped upon realizing who had stumbled upon them. Looking up at the fearsome young man, the faces of the two instantly paled in horror.

Grabbing the wires between his fingers, Thresh precisely whipped them forward. "...allow me to correct my mistake." Before either of them could do so much as cry out in panic, both of them were severed clean in two. Their bodies collapsing sloppily over one another as blood oozed out of the alleyway they had conveniently hidden themselves away in.

Looking down at his handiwork for only a second, he turned back to where he was heading and walked off without a second thought at his actions.

When the girls realized Thresh had slipped away, they gave a quick scan of the area looking for him. After spotting him just down the road, the pair started walking after him. Shortly after, Honey started running to catch up. "Thresh! Wait up!" She called out.

Just beginning to make his way out of the crowd, Ryuk's ears perked up upon hearing the familiar name. Looking over his shoulder, he saw his opponent from earlier in the day just a few buildings down.

As the mage turned back around to see Honey running up to him, he also spotted the other competitor from the tournament. Locking eyes, the two glared at each other in a sudden stare down.

Standing up tall, Ryuk slowly began walking over. "Thresh." The young knight called out. Stopping only a few steps away, the teen slipped his hands onto his gun holster by his waist. "Don't tell me this fire had something to do with you."

Rolling his eyes, the mage crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, please." The older chastised. "What do you think?"

The two had come to a deadlock. For a time, neither said anything or even blinked. Halting this only for a moment as the two sized up what remained of each other's injuries. Yet even after this short second, they went right back to their glares.

Caught almost between the two, Honey couldn't help but gulp at how tense the pair of boys had become. Rosa, just now making it over, watched to two with intrigue.

Eventually, Ryuk's shoulders lowered slightly as he adapted a more relaxed state. "I guess I just can't see it." The teen finally conceded, diffusing what could have easily been a heavy misunderstanding. "There'd be no merit in it for someone like you." He concluded, very lightheartedly.

With a huff, the wire mage turned to leave. "Of course not."

Before the older could leave, the knight spoke up again. "I'd heard from some of the other competitors that there's some sort of wizard's tournament coming up for some of you in a month or so. That right?"

Dropping his arms to his sides, the wire mage turned back around. "What's it to you?" He barked back in return.

"Well, don't worry..." The younger continued, as though the other's comment didn't exist. Smiling again, the teen threw up a thumb's up gesture with his off hand. "I'm sure your wounds will heal up by then."

"You're such an annoyance." The mage complained. "The worry never crossed my mind. I'm no weakling."

Dropping his hand, the adolescent nodded. "Of course you're not. Oh, and one more thing..." All of a sudden, the youth's golden eyes sharpened. "...win."

After a second of fully processing what was asked of him, a smirk flickered across the older's face before disappearing. "Pandering doesn't suit you." Was all he had to say on the matter. "Of course I will." He declared confidently, his smirk returning in full.

Matching the look, Ryuk grew a daring yet relaxed look of determination. "That's the rule, you know? You have to carry on the hopes and dreams of those you've beaten into battle." His expression wavered as he glanced away momentarily. "...or something like that."

The knight being the first to turn away this time, he stopped to take a brief look over his shoulder. "Good luck. Make sure you teach blondie a lesson for me." He finished with a quick wave.

Raising a brow, the mage's expression suddenly fell flat. "Who?" He asked but received no answer.

Watching the teen start to walk away, Thresh turned around as well only to find the two girls staring at him.

Rosa walked over and rustled her little brother's messy hair. "Make a friend?"

Swatting the hand away, a look of annoyance retook it's place across Thresh's face. "Don't start."

After walking a few buildings away, Ryuk saw Alice sprinting over to him. Once catching up, she leaned forward onto her knees and bent over to catch her breath.

Seeing his partner is such an exasperated state, the teen walked over to rub her back gently. "There, there." He soothed as he made clockwise motions with his hand.

"You..." The redhead began between breaths. "You ran off without me again!" She rightfully complained.

With a light but honest laughter, Ryuk removed his hand as Alice stood back up straight. Sliding a hand into his pocket he stood naturally. "Sorry about that." He apologized, a smile on his face as it lacked any form of sincerity to it. "Once I realized there were people in trouble my legs just moved on their own."

While a little angry, the girl put her fumes on hold as she gave the other a quick once over. Looking him over, she stopped upon seeing a patch of soot dirtying his right cheek. "Are you okay?" She asked, examining the area with her left hand.

Smiling at the concerning gesture, Ryuk gently removed his partner's hand. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, for everything." His thanks sneaked in at the end as he turned back around to watch the trio of mages continue on their route to the docks across town.

Turning to see what her companion was looking at, the redhead's eyes widened partially. "Is that...?"

"Yup." The knight quickly replied. "A wizard's tournament..." Ryuk mused to himself. "We'll have to keep that in mind, Alice."

Blinking across at her partner, Alice stared in confusion. "Hm? Why's that?"

Smirking, the teen turned to her. "Maybe we'll stop by, for a quick dethroning."

While the words were definitely a surprise to hear out of Ryuk's mouth, it was definitely better than his prior misery. Considering this, Alice couldn't help but smile. "It sounds like you're really starting to turn into those fighting addicts you make fun of all the time." She teased, playfully.

Shaking his head, Ryuk crossed his arms. "No." He remarked bluntly. "But..." An eager smile flickering across his face. "I am starting to understand the appeal."

Both of the pair turned to watch the other group take their leave. After a few moments, they did the same as they returned to their inn for a night of well earned rest.

While this clash of ideals was far from settled, it had at the very least allowed both to grow and mature, if only just a little bit.


Author Notes:

Thresh was a character I found myself gravitating toward the more I read Tagoda. His personality and philosophies were completely different to the main character Ringo or any character I've ever written. Unlike the first crossover chapter, which was written for a special occasion, this one was written solely because I really wanted to try my hand at writing the character.