Xin staggered back a half step, instincts honed by years of survival snapping into place. His heart pounded—a rhythm of disbelief and tension—as he took in the figure cloaked in darkness, claiming to be the kingpin.
The flickering overhead light buzzed softly, casting long, erratic shadows across the cold concrete floor. With every pulse of illumination, the stranger's features came briefly into view, revealing something… wrong. A chill crept down Xin's spine. The man's eyes glinted with a cruel cunning, far removed from the calculated calm he remembered.
"You..." Xin's voice caught in his throat. He swallowed, forcing himself to stand taller. "Who are you?"
The man's smile was practiced but hollow. "What do you mean? I am the kingpin, of course."
But Xin knew better.
He'd seen the real kingpin once, during a sting gone sideways. That man didn't need to speak to dominate a room. This imposter? He was a shadow playing dress-up.
Xin inhaled slowly and activated his Hax. His world narrowed. The ambient noise dimmed to a hush. Pipes groaned softly. Machinery hummed. His own heartbeat faded into the background. He searched for that distinct, unforgettable rhythm—the heartbeat of the true kingpin.
It wasn't there.
"That heartbeat..." Xin whispered. "I don't recognize it."
A flicker of hesitation passed through the imposter's eyes—subtle, but telling.
Then, a laugh filled the room. Not the voice of the kingpin—but something warped.
"Kuhuhuhaha… He always said you were too clever."
The voice shifted. The figure moved.
With a fluid motion, the mask was torn away and fell to the floor.
Beneath it stood a woman—tall, muscular, her spiked hair shadowing sharp features. Her grin was laced with amusement and venom.
"You're not the only one with tricks," she said, stepping forward.
But Xin had already moved, dropping beside Belial, who lay battered on the ground.
"Your wounds…" Belial rasped, catching sight of Xin's unscathed form.
"I'm fine. Leah healed me. The guild came through."
Belial chuckled, blood staining his lip. "You almost sound disappointed I didn't win."
"You didn't lose either," Xin replied, pulling him up. "But coming here alone was reckless."
"Yeah, well…" Belial winced. "I couldn't let this psycho go unchecked."
The woman observed them, arms crossed. "Touching," she mocked. "Tell me, sound-boy, how'd you know I wasn't him?"
Xin met her stare without flinching. "His heartbeat. It's not yours."
She blinked—only once—then smirked.
"Hm. You're sharper than I thought. I suppose I owe you an apology," she said, voice tinged with admiration. "The name's Gamma. And this power you're sensing?" Her eyes sparkled. "Borrowed. A little perk from our master-servant contract."
Belial's brow furrowed. Before he could ask, blue text materialized before him.
[Answer: A master-servant contract allows one to share ether circuits with another, forming a bond.]
Oracle again… I'll keep that to myself, Belial thought, summoning a new weapon—a blade forged from darkness.
Xin's eyes narrowed as he spotted Belial's ruined katana. "Your sword—"
"Gone," Belial muttered, tossing the remains aside. "This'll have to do."
Xin gave a curt nod, hefting his massive axe as power pulsed through him.
Gamma scoffed, eyes glinting. "You think the two of you can take me?"
Belial smirked. "Better than sitting around. Plus—" he lunged forward, "—I love a challenge."
His blade slashed, fast and precise. Gamma blocked with ease and countered with a powerful punch. Belial ducked under the strike, narrowly avoiding it.
Xin seized the moment. He unleashed a burst of high-frequency sound, vibrating the air with pinpoint resonance. Oracle, anticipating the move, shut down Belial's hearing momentarily to protect him.
Gamma staggered, caught off guard.
Belial didn't hesitate—his blade became a blur of motion, pressing the advantage.
With a grunt, Gamma shoved him back and spun into a vicious kick. Belial was sent flying into the wall, groaning as he slid to the ground.
"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, grinning despite the pain. "My grandma hits harder."
Xin charged in, axe arcing down with crushing force. Gamma barely blocked in time; the shock of the blow rippled through her arm.
Snarling, she grabbed a nearby support pillar and tore it from the foundation. With a roar, she hurled it toward them. Xin and Belial dove aside just in time, the pillar crashing behind them.
"Really?" Belial coughed. "Trying to bring the house down already?"
Amid the chaos, Xin noted something. Belial's constant jokes weren't just bravado—they were strategy. Distraction. Provocation. Mental warfare.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Xin growled, pressing the attack.
Gamma's laughter turned cold. "You're brave. I'll give you that. But bravery won't save you."
She struck fast—a blur of movement. Xin barely kept up, his sound Hax useless in such close quarters. He blocked and dodged, struggling to match her sheer speed and power.
Meanwhile, Belial danced along the edges of the fight, looking for an opening. He couldn't win in a direct clash, so he played it smart—baiting, weaving, striking where it hurt.
"You're quick, but not quick enough," Gamma sneered, catching him with a brutal kick that sent him sprawling.
…
As the intense battle wore on, Xin and Belial found themselves struggling to keep pace with Gamma's overwhelming power. Their brows were furrowed in concentration, and sweat glistened on their foreheads as they exerted themselves to the fullest. Heavily panting, they exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the dire situation they were in. Each breath felt laborious, but their determination and will to prevail remained unwavering.
"We need to find a way to turn this around," Xin whispered to Belial.
Belial nodded, his mind racing. "My energy is almost nonexistent. I can't use any large-scale abilities. We'll have to rely on pure strategy and teamwork."
Xin's eyes flashed with determination. "Got it. Let's do this together."
With adrenaline coursing through their veins, Xin and Belial orchestrated their assaults with flawless coordination, seizing every opportunity to exploit Gamma's momentary lapses in defense. Despite landing a few blows, it became apparent that Gamma was still far from being defeated.
Gamma smirked, seemingly enjoying the challenge. "You're stronger than I anticipated. It's been a while since I've had this much fun."
As the battle continued, the room became a whirlwind of motion and darkness. Despite their efforts, Xin and Belial couldn't gain the upper hand. The odds were stacked against them, but they refused to give up.
Xin's desperate swing with his large axe was met with an almost casual precision from Gamma. In a fluid motion, she caught the weapon's handle with one hand, stopping it in its tracks. Her strength was astonishing, and Xin felt the force of her grip travel up his arm, making it go numb.
Gamma chuckled darkly as she effortlessly crushed the axe's metal with her bare hand, rendering it useless. "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that to defeat me."
Xin stepped back, his eyes narrowing with determination despite the setback. "Belial, we need to find a way to work together and overcome her strength. Our individual powers won't be enough."
Belial nodded, his mind racing to come up with a plan. "You're right. We'll have to combine our abilities somehow."
Gamma advanced slowly, her movements calculated and composed. "It doesn't matter what you try. You can't defeat me. Surrender now, and I might spare your lives."
"Surrendering isn't part of my vocabulary!" Belial retorted, bracing himself for another round.
Maybe not but will be
Gamma muttered to herself with a self deprecating smirk. Belial and Xin began to coordinate their attacks seamlessly. They had realized that working together was their best chance against Gamma's overwhelming power.
Embracing close-quarters combat, Belial unleashed the full potential of his combat abilities and the small blade. With remarkable agility, he seamlessly maneuvered in and out, exploiting Gamma's weaknesses with precision strikes. Despite the immense power difference, Belial's skillful maneuvers managed to catch Gamma off guard, causing her to take a few hits.
Positioned with precision, Xin utilized his sound-based abilities to bolster the fight's momentum. With a fierce focus in his eyes, he unleashed powerful sonic blasts at Gamma, targeting her from a distance and keeping her off balance. The impact of the blasts slowed down Gamma's movements, allowing Belial to land more blows.
"Nice one, Xin!" Belial called out as he executed a swift series of punches, momentarily stunning Gamma.
"Keep it up!" Xin replied, his voice laced with determination as he continued to bombard Gamma with sonic blasts.
Their coordinated efforts paid off, and Gamma found herself struggling to counter the combined assault. Although she was still faster and stronger than either of them individually, the synergy between Belial and Xin gave them an edge they hadn't had before.
Belial's small blade gleamed as he struck at Gamma's arms and legs, aiming to weaken her and disrupt her movements. He could feel his ether levels replenishing slightly as the adrenaline fueled his actions, allowing him to put up a more substantial fight.
However, Gamma was not one to be underestimated. As Xin prepared to unleash another sonic blast, she charged straight at him with incredible speed. She evaded the sonic attack with a nimble leap, and before Xin could react, she landed a powerful kick that sent him flying across the room.
"Xin!" Belial shouted, torn between continuing the assault on Gamma and rushing to his comrade's aid.
Xin groaned as he struggled to get up, but he managed to flash Belial a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Just keep going!"
Gamma, although taken aback by Belial's resilience, was not one to be underestimated. She retaliated with a fierce barrage of punches and kicks, each strike demonstrating her incredible strength and speed. Belial focused on evasion, using his agility to dodge most of Gamma's attacks, but he couldn't avoid them all.
A powerful blow landed squarely on Belial's side, sending him sprawling across the floor. He winced in pain, but he refused to stay down. With a groan, he pushed himself back up, his eyes still locked onto Gamma.
"You fight well, little human," Gamma taunted, her voice laced with arrogance. "But you're no match for me."
Belial clenched his fists, his determination unshaken. "I may not be as strong as you, but at least I'm not built like an overgrown dumbass."
With a newfound resolve, Belial launched himself at Gamma again, relying on his combat abilities to strike swiftly and unpredictably. He aimed for her exposed areas, trying to exploit any opening he could find.
Gamma's expression shifted from amusement to annoyance as she tried to keep up with Belial's relentless assault. Her speed was still unmatched, but Belial's agility and determination seemed to be wearing her down.
Despite the odds, Belial landed a series of rapid punches on Gamma's midsection, causing her to stagger backward. He saw an opportunity and followed up with a sweeping kick, attempting to knock her off balance.
Gamma managed to regain her footing, but Belial's attacks had taken their toll. Her movements were slightly slower, and the confidence in her eyes had wavered.
Belial knew that he couldn't afford to let up now. He pressed on, delivering a powerful uppercut to Gamma's chin, snapping her head back. He followed it with a quick jab to her side, causing her to grunt in pain.
"Come on, Gamma! Is that all you've got?" Belial taunted, his ether surging.
Gamma's eyes narrowed, her frustration evident. She refused to be outmatched by someone she considered inferior. With a growl, she launched a counterattack, aiming to end the fight once and for all.