A short while later…
"What do you want?" Pharaoh asked with annoyance as he side-eyed the exhausted Zinc, who was panting like a tired dog in need of water as he leaned over and tried to catch his breath.
After, he wouldn't stop shouting his name all the way from the lounge to the cafeteria like a lunatic.
"... you know what I want. Stop playing dumb, Rin," Zinc said after catching his breath and stealing a glass of orange juice from someone's tray and downing it in one gulp.
"Yo! What do you~" A prisoner shouted the moment he realized Zinc stole his drink.
"Relax, man, it was only orange juice, I'll get in a new one in one time," replied Zinc as the prisoner could only mumble something under his breath and walk away. As Zinc shifted his focus back to Rin.
"Hey! Answer my question, and I'll leave you alone."
"You truly are persistent," muttered Pharaoh as he gazed at Zinc, after going down the serving line and selecting everything that looked edible to eat on his tray. Which now resembled a rainbow of colors from its only blanket gray canvas.
"Welp, while I would love to tell you, Zinc... sadly, I'm not in the mood to converse at the moment since I don't want my food to get cold. But considering you were so persistent and tenacious, I'll inform you of what I said later during our fight."
"Tsk, I guess that could work… so in the meantime, enjoy your meal, for it may just be your last brat," smirked Zinc before walking away and getting something to eat as well to fuel himself for his fight later.
'Praise be to God! He is finally gone; now let's enjoy our meal before checking up on Artemis and seeing how he's doing.' Pharaoh thought he found somewhere to sit and eat before returning to his cell and waiting there until it was time for his fight with Zinc.
And with that, let us see if Zinc can pull an uno reverse, or if Rin will win after all...
***
After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally time for the most anticipated event of Iron City, which would be taking place at Obsidian Vault. So, with that, let the party start...
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The prisoners within the crowd of pedestrians, cultivators, and reporters chanted from the stands as they awaited the appearance of Rin and Zinc.
The two most talked about people within the Vault these last two days, following their clash in the cafeteria. That led to even the Warden of Obsidian Vault making an appearance after being forced to intervene by his cousin, which is what led to the fight everyone was psyched to see today.
"Now, with everything going on in our world, what better way to settle our differences than a nice old-fashioned fight to the death? Even though it would seem both parties would rather bicker like old wives than settle this dispute with their fists, if you know... You know," A man in an all-black tuxedo with a clip-on tie and polished black leather dress shoes said into a microphone with a wink, causing the prisoners within the crowd to burst into laughter.
While everyone looked at each other in confusion, as they didn't understand the meaning of the joke.
"Sorry about that, it was an inside joke; but anyhow, would you all give a round of applause to our fighters!" The announcer screamed as Rin and Zinc walked into the arena, "On our left, we have Zinc Gravenor, a well-known convict and troublemaker who plans to steal the show and become a freeman today. While to our right, we have Rin Kurama, the young master of the Kurama Family and a student of FB, who plans to regain his pride and make his name known throughout the world."
The announcer said as the crowd applauded while he stood in the center of an arena, forged from black iron and refined magic crystals. That pulsed as if they had a life of their own as they luminated the cracks, claw marks, and scorched patches which littered the arena like scars.
Each with a story of their own, which spoke of fights fought and lost, as blood stains stuck to the wall like plaster.
And in no time, it was soon to bear witness to a new battle and another story engraved onto its already crude canvas as Rin and Zinc stepped onto its stage to tussle.
"So, do our big boys have anything to say before you guys start? Or do you both want to get straight to the action like sharks when they smell blood?"
"Just step back, pretty boy, and don't be in my way as I discipline this disrespectful child." Zinc said as he snatched the microphone from the announcer and flashed a toothy grin before eyeing Rin down like a juicy piece of meat.
"Oh, brother... just shut up, Zinc, and let's get this over with already, as I have places to be and things to do," Pharaoh yawned as he summoned Scarlet and twirled it a few times to get a feel of it.
'Relax, old friend, you'll return to slumber shortly,' Pharaoh whispered telepathically to Scarlet, as he hummed ever so lightly in joy.
'... is it truly you, Pharaoh? I thought... I would never get to see you again. Is it truly you?' Scarlet asked nervously as he awaited a response.
'Yes, but while I'd love to chat some more, we have things to do, old pal.' Pharaoh smiled as Scarlet hummed in excitement before transforming into a sleek sword, engraved with flying dragons and soaring phoenixes.
"Well, then, good luck to you both and have fun," smiled the announcer as he disappeared from the arena after receiving back his microphone as Zinc summoned two daggers and dashed toward Pharaoh like a bullet train.
Swoosh! Clash! Clang!
"So, now that we're here, what did you say, pipsqueak, earlier in the cafeteria?" he asked as he swung both his daggers repeatedly while changing the tempo of his attacks from heavy to light, while throwing in a few feints here and there.
"I said, 'The rules were boring', that's about it," Pharaoh replied as he matched all of Zinc's attacks without missing a beat.
"Come on, Rin, surely you must have said something juicier than that?" said Zinc as he disappeared from Pharaoh's line of sight before reappearing behind him like a phantom and gripping both his daggers tightly.
Before he began to spin ever so lightly, before picking up speed and transforming into a swirling vortex that sped toward Pharaoh.
"Nope, that was about it. So, let us stop probing and turn this fight up a notch, Zinc, what do you say?" Pharaoh asked as he summoned a talisman and merged it with Scarlet before slashing the air twice, causing a massive cross to form that was made of searing flames and crackling lightning.
Which shot toward Zinc and collided with the approaching vortex he made.
BOOM! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Ptui. Just the words I wanted to hear," said Zinc as he stood up from the crater formed by the collision of chaotic elemental energy and wiped away the blood on his lips. Before smiling menacingly as a purplish black aura burst from his body and engulfed the arena in shadows and ghostly wails.
And so began phase two of their fight...