The following day, Karen and Mitchel make their way through the countryside of Japan. Despite Karen's financial status, the pair traveled mostly by foot and bicycle to possibly keep their bodies in shape for the big bout against their vicious foe.

Eventually, they came across a convenience store. And it was a fortunate thing, for the traveling companions were just about to become hungry and thirsty once more.

"I still can't believe we didn't just grab some food and drink to bring with us on this journey before we headed off again. I mean, that was a nice hotel and all, but that doesn't excuse us from starving ourselves on the trail! We have bags you know!" Mitchel complained.

"Well… you know what the fresh smell of vengeance in the morning can do to people!" Karen replied. "Besides, don't you wanna find this Gotz guy and beat the crap out of him that much sooner?"

Mitchel gave his companion an awkward glare. "Not… if it means… starving to death beforehand." He groaned.

The rich young woman chuckled nervously.

"Ah, right… well, we're in luck. How about we stop by that little shop and grab ourselves some grub, then? Look, they got a few kinds of sushi you love so much!" Karen proposed.

"Oh! Salmon and Eel! Yeah, let's go do that!" Mitchel cheered in triumphed before storming towards the store with Karen casually following.

An hour or so later, the Ansatsuken buddies left the place with happy grins and content stomachs.

"Man, who knew they served quality sushi like that out in the middle of nowhere! I haven't had raw salmon and eel like in forever!" Mitchel cheered.

"Forget the sushi, that sake was the present surprise! I wish more places brew em' like that more often!" Karen proclaimed.

"Maybe that's a good thing. It was hard keeping you from getting drunk off it." Mitchel remarked.

Again, Karen chuckled nervously as she recalled just how much she nearly indulged.

The two continued their banter until they sensed a huge energy nearby.

"Oh gosh…It's… it's..." a trembling voice uttered before them.

Karen and Mitchel immediately turned their heads forward and noticed a wide-eyed teenage girl trembling on the spot.

She had long, flowing brunette hair and hazelnut puppy dog eyes that sparkled in awe. She wore a white headband in a fashion similar to Mitchel's , a white sailor schoolgirl uniform with blue handkerchief and skirt, and ankle-length socks with a pair of red Chuck Taylor sneakers.

For awhile, the three stared each other down in silence with the older two feeling really freaked out, until the youngest one finally opened her mouth.

"It's you! You're Mitchel, the Champion of the World Warrior Tournament who crippled Bob! I can't believe I've actually found you!" the young girl.

"Eh… um…" Mitchel babbled in his startled state.

Karen's eyes glanced back and forth between Mitchel and stranger as if there was a ping-pong match going on.

"Were you… were you at Thailand when the Final Match was done?" Mitchel asked.

"No…" the stranger huffed. "I would've loved to go, but my Grandma was way too concerned about my studies to let go. Not like I could arrange an expensive flight on my own."

Karen smirked mischievously at the youth's misfortune.

"Yup, ensuring your inheritance is one sweet deal!" she thought to herself.

"Nope. I caught the whole thing on television in our good old home country of Japan, and the entire matched ROCKED!!! Those awesome blue flames… the mighty rising punch… EVERYTHING!" the excitable youth continued.

"Right…" Mitchel uttered uneasily. "So, uh... thanks for the praise and all, but who you are?"

The mysterious youth stood into attention with a bright grin and nodded silently. Then she bowed down towards Mitchel.

"My name is Lumina Kasugano, and I am your number one fan! P-pleased to meet you!" she cried in a respectful tone.

"I am… deeply honored." Mitchel replied in an awkward tone.

"No, no… the honor is all mine." Lumina let out anxiously.

Karen's grew even wider as she inched closer to her friend's ear.

"Wow. You're first certified fangirl. Who knew?" Karen whispered in amusement.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I made a few live in Thailand as well…" Mitchel whispered back.

"But this girl's from your homeland of Japan. Pretty nice, don't you think?" Karen replied with a wink.

"Yeah, but… methinks she's under age." Mitchel whispered awkwardly.

He then faced his eager fan and cleared his throat.

"So, um… Miss Lumina. How old are you, anyway?" he asked.

"…16 years old, Mitchel-sama…" Lumina answered back.

" "Mitchel-sama", now? Mitchel cried with a cracked voice.

"Huh. About a three-year age difference. Not bad." Karen said with a wink.

"KAREN!!!" Mitchel hissed.

Lumina then stood upright once more with her puppy dog eyes bigger and brighter than ever before.

"Seeing you in action was truly an inspiration, Mitchel-sama. It changed my life. To be honest, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I considered dancing for a living at first, but I knew it wouldn't bring me the lasting excitement I craved for. But after that Finals Match… it was like my eyes were finally open for the first time. I knew from that moment that I wanted to get into street fighting and show the world my strength." Lumina said in awe.

Mitchel and Karen merely stood there in awe of the young girl's convoluted speech of praise.

"Wow… I'm glad I could hand you the meaning of life on a silver platter like that, Miss Lumina." Mitchel replied bashfully.

Lumina brought her two fists close to her chest.

"Yes, and since then, I've devoted my time trying understand and use the very techniques you used yourself during the tournament! Well, I know my skill is still crude at best with my humble experience, but I believe I've made great progress with what I have gain so far! I hope one day to follow in your footsteps and become a great martial artist myself, so I thought the perfect first step would be to emulate your great style!" Lumina explained.

Mitchel proceeded to stare at the girl with slightly red cheeks while Karen stood there with a grin and nodded repeatedly.

"…and so, with this chance encounter, I have one thing to ask of you…" Lumina spoke aloud anxiously.

"10 to 1 says she's confessing her love to you on the spot." Karen teased in a whisper.

"Karen…" Mitchel growled furiously.

At that moment, Lumina looked as if she was about the explode from the pent-up excitement she held. Soon enough, her trembling fist shot out towards Mitchel while looking him straight in the eye.

"PLEASE SPAR WITH ME, MITCHEL-SAMA!!!" Lumina proclaimed.

In response, the Ansatsuken disciples stared blankly at the eager fan girl.

"Um… a sparing match?" Mitchel squeaked.

"YES, PLEASE!" Lumina said with a trembling voice.

The two friends looked at each other curiously.

"So, er… should I really go along with this? I mean, I love the fan gesture and all, but… fighting some rookie who's aspiring to be my younger duplicate. Even if I hold back, some real damage might be done here. I don't think I can handle breaking this girl's heart like that." Mitchel whispered to Karen.

"Hold on… let me handle this." Karen answered confidently.

"Say, Lumina! How's about you have a warm-up with the U.S. Martial Arts Champion? It's a nice proposition, don't you think? Meeting two famous fighters for the price of one?" Karen proposed.

"Karen!!!" Mitchel hissed in a whisper.

"Shoot, man! Relax! I'm sure the two of us could enjoy a pleasant sparring match, girl to girl! Just you wait!" Karen answered with a wink.

"No way! I don't want to waste my time with some American wannabe! I want this time with the great Mitchel-sama!" Lumina pouted.

The rich Martial Artist twitched upon hearing this.

"…Wanna…be?" Karen repeated.

"Yeah! You may wear the same outfit as Mitchel-sama and hang out with him, but you'll never measure up to THE World Warrior! You're nothing but second-rate to be proud of winning a National Tournament! Mitchel-sama defeated fighterse from all over the world" Lumina taunted.

"WHY YOU LITTLE---"

In a quick moment, Mitchel intercepted the enraged Karen before she could teach the young lady a lesson in manners.

"Karen, calm yourself! Geez, this isn't ME demeaning you, for crying out loud! I still remember all those matches where you're kicking my butt! Besides, she's just a fan of mine who's a little overzealous. Don't take it personally." Mitchel advised.

Karen took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Right… she's just a girl. Don't do this to yourself." Karen reminded.

"See, Mitchel-sama is even a shining example of Maturity! A true quality of a great person that someone among us sorely lacks in." Lumina said in awe.

"H-hey! Don't call me immature, you runt!" Karen snapped.

"Hmph." Lumina said as she turned her head in an aloof manner.

"Lumina! Come on! Karen is a good friend of mine! A long time sparring partner! You don't need to go off and compare her to me this whole time! She's pretty cool once you get to know her!" Mitchel said in an attempt to quell the tension.

"True…" Lumina said in a calm voice. "Mitchel-sama's overwhelming greatness is so self-evident, having to say such things is unnecessary to compare to some pathetic pretender!"

Mitchel slapped his head.

"LISTEN UP, GIRLIE!!! I AM NOT A PRETENDER!!! YOUR PRECIOUS MITCHEL-SAMA AND I JUST SO HAPPEN TO LEARN FROM THE VERY SAME MASTER!!! WE'RE RIVALS, YOU SQUIRT! AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE EACH OTHER AS RESPECTED EQUALS!!! SOME AMATEUR PUNK LIKE YOU HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!!!" Karen screamed.

"Feh, I'm not going to listen to some blasphemy a weak pretender that claims she's just as good as Mitchel-sama." Lumina answered in a coy tone.

"THAT'S IT! IT'S ON!!!" Karen announced.

"Karen, uh… this really isn't---"

"SHOVE IT, MITCH! YOU'RE NOT OBJECTING TO THIS, GOT IT?!" Karen interrupted.

"…right…" Mitchel gulped.

"Good." Karen huffed before she turned back to the impudent child.

"NOW LISTEN UP GOOD, LUMINA!!! IF YOU WANT THAT PRECIOUS SPARRING MATCH WITH YOUR MITCHEL-SAMA, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH ME, FIRST! AND YOU'LL ACCEPT THESE TERMS, UNLESS YOU'RE THE WUSSY PRETENDER!" she yelled.

Lumina simply smirked at Karen's fury.

"Alright, agreed. But you're only going to learn the hard way how this "amateur" can eat a two-bit pretender for breakfast." Lumina grinned.

For a long time, the feisty rich girl and the aspiring amateur looked at each other with burning anger.

At the same time, Mitchel watched the pair with a dubious look on his face.

"Wait a minute… did we just give birth to a cat fight here?" he uttered aloud in a nervous tone.