Amari Fuse's hands ignited in a blazing inferno, eyes locked on the masked brute standing over Naoko's crumpled body. Her breath was steady despite the fear crawling up her spine — she had to protect Daigo. Flames spiraled around her arms as she launched forward with explosive speed.
"Burn Burst!" she shouted, closing the distance in a blink, her fiery fist streaking toward Gekido's side.
But he didn't even flinch.
Gekido's arm blurred, impossibly fast for his bulky frame. He caught her punch mid-air, the flames sputtering against his skin without even singing his sleeve. His grip crushed around her wrist like a vice, forcing a gasp from Amari's lungs.
Without a word, he yanked her forward and slammed a brutal elbow into her gut, knocking the air from her completely. Before she could recover, his palm glowed with a faint, yellow energy—a pulse of raw force—and he drove it into her chest. The impact sent her flying backwards, crashing through a concrete wall with a fiery explosion trailing behind.
Amari groaned, trying to stand, but her limbs trembled.
Gekido took a few steps toward her fallen form… then stopped.
His voice was low, calm, but laced with disdain."Killing you now? No point. I'd rather see if the weak learn… maybe one day you'll be worth my time."
He turned his attention to Daigo, still half-conscious and trying to crawl toward Naoko. With a slow exhale, Gekido walked up to him — and with a swift, merciless kick, launched Daigo across the street like a broken doll, sending him crashing into a rusted car. The vehicle buckled from the force, its alarm blaring briefly before dying out.
Gekido stood alone, a living wall of dominance, his mask gleaming in the moonlight.
"Get stronger. Or stay crushed."
With that, he turned his back on the battlefield, disappearing into the smoke.