Mortis shot through the sky like a missile. "Piper, you maniac, please be okay!"
From the arena, Kuina burst past the gate with blazing speed, but even faster, Ortus leapt from her elevated seat like a descending meteor.
Kuina saw her. "F— why can't I move?!"
Clara screamed from the sidelines, "Kuina! I'm coming!" She launched herself forward, but Molly turned to Lika.
"Wanna bet who dies first?"
Lika hesitated. "I want to help, but... she's too dangerous."
"Exactly," Molly muttered. "We're screwed either way."
Ortus reached Kuina in a blink. Her smile was a weapon. "Don't interfere."
BAM—her boot crashed into Kuina's face. Blood sprayed. Teeth cracked. Kuina's body hurled across the arena, slamming into a wall with brutal force.
Kylie gasped and raced toward her. Clara fired a yellow spell at Ortus, who lazily deflected it and stared.
"Sit down."
With just a glare, Clara was flung like a ragdoll.
Ortus grabbed the microphone from a stunned Mira. "What are you doing? Ortus? You attacked my friends!"
Ortus screamed into the mic, "EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP!!!"
Her aura detonated outward, vibrating through the arena.
The crowd fell into silence. Piper lay unconscious, blood soaking her body. Lysia whispered, "Don't worry... I won't let you die."
Ortus turned to the crowd, voice like thunder.
"Listen well, everyone. Contestants, audience, even you, Kuina Tyurkin—any further interruptions in a match will have severe consequences. I will hurt you. I will kill all of you if I must. Am I understood?!"
The crowd roared back in unison, "Yes, Ortus!"
Mortis dropped from the sky like a meteor, landing near Piper's broken body. He screamed, "Piper?! Piper?!"
His eyes flared with fury. He looked up.
Ortus. Lysia.
He charged a laser bomb and fired at Lysia.
BOOM.
The floor cracked. Dust exploded.
Lysia stood stunned.
Ortus narrowed her eyes. "Did you not hear me?"
Mortis growled, glaring. "Don't talk, pink freak. And YOU! Lysia, why?! You swore not to hurt her!"
Ortus froze.
"What... did you say to me?" she asked, voice dangerously soft.
Everyone held their breath.
Kuina struggled to rise. Kylie knelt beside her.
"Are you okay, baby?!"
Kuina clutched her forehead. "What... is this energy? You feel that?!"
Kylie paled. "No. No. No. This is bad. This is so bad."
Lika and Molly rushed to Clara.
"You okay?" Lika asked.
"Yeah... mostly." Clara's face twisted. "Oh no..."
They felt it too.
Ortus stood still, calm, silent—but the pressure around her grew unbearable. Her aura throbbed. Her eyes glowed. She was the storm.
Lysia tried, "Ortus, sweetheart, breathe. Calm down."
Mortis trembled. "Why... why am I shaking...?"
In the gods' section, even Prestik fell silent. Arrito covered his eyes. James muttered, "This power... reminds me of too much pain."
Suddenly—
Chains. Purple, violent chains erupted from the ground, binding Mortis and Kuina midair. Everyone else was frozen in place, unable to move.
Kylie screamed, "Kuina! Shit!"
"What is this... I can't..." Kuina whimpered.
Mortis spat blood, writhing.
Ortus appeared before him. With a flick of her finger—SLASH. One wing fell.
Mortis shrieked, "AARGH! You bitch! What are you doing?!"
Lysia screamed, "Ortus! Stop!"
Ortus whispered, "That ugly horse... called me ugly...?"
She shrieked.
Her aura exploded again. The sky turned black.
She floated upward, sword materializing from her energy. It glowed with apocalyptic rage.
"Apologize. Now."
Mortis sobbed, bleeding from every limb.
"Okay! You're not ugly! You're insane, though! Still a bitch!"
Ortus slashed—second wing gone.
Mortis screamed, broken.
On the ground, Piper's blood turned to water. Her body pulsed. The cactus shot out. Her eyes snapped open.
"Shit! What the hell?!"
She groaned in pain. "Lysia, you bitch! You nearly killed me! Thank god for my Holy Water technique. Blood becomes water and returns to my body..."
She looked up. Chaos.
"Ortus?! Get off my unicorn, bitch goddess!"
Mortis yelled, "Piper! She cut my wings! I can't fly anymore!"
Ortus sneered. She teleported behind Piper.
"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
SLASH—her sword plunged into Piper's chest.
The entire harem screamed, "PIPER!!!"
Kuina thrashed in her chains. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"
Ortus leaned in. "I like you, Piper. So I'll let you heal. But this match? It's over. Draw."
Then—POOF.
She teleported to Kuina.
Chains constricted harder. Kuina's bones cracked.
"You stay like this until your match. No more interruptions."
The system echoed:
"Any further disruptions will result in immediate death without revival."
Kuina's eyes widened. "Bitch! Let us go! This tournament is garbage! I'll fight James outside of this damn circus!"
Ortus slammed her into the wall.
"Shut up, Kuina. SHUT. UP. I spared Piper. That's already mercy. From now on? You stay caged. I know you. You'll break again."
"Screw you! Let me out!"
Kylie whispered, "Ortus... please. Let her go. I swear I'll keep her calm..."
Ortus turned slowly. Teleported. Grabbed Kylie by the neck.
"Did you just talk to me again?! Next time, you choke to death before your match with me."
Kylie cried, "I'm sorry... please have mercy..."
Ortus hurled her across the arena. She crashed into a wall, unconscious.
Ortus snapped her fingers. Purple hormones flooded the arena.
Everyone began to moan. Pleasure burned through their veins.
"Now feel pleasure... with pain. Seven hundred times stronger. Let's see who survives."
Only the gods were immune. The rest? Gasped, cried, orgasmed in unison.
Kuina gritted her teeth. "F-Fuck... I'm leaking... no... Ah... shit!"
Even Mortis screamed in pleasure. Piper writhed. Clara moaned. Molly, Lika, Mira—all helpless.
People in the audience passed out. Some even died.
Ortus finally cut the spell.
Mortis crashed to the floor. Everyone gasped for breath. Drenched in sweat. Heartbeats pounding.
Piper whimpered, "Felt like I came two thousand times... how am I alive?"
Mira stared at Ortus.
"I won't host this tournament under your tyranny. Look what you've done... I'm about to faint."
Ortus shrugged. "Host or don't. I'll make things worse if you don't. Mortis, this was your punishment. But our score isn't settled yet."
She returned to her seat.
Kuina screamed, "Girls! Are you all okay?!"
Kylie sobbed by the wall.
"Someone check on her! Mira! Lika! Piper! Anyone!"
Lysia healed Mortis and Piper. "Sorry it came to this... we'll talk later."
She flew away.
Piper hugged Mortis. "You okay?"
"No. I feel like hell. I have no wings. Piper, I want to become human. Forever."
She blinked. "You were so narcissistic as a human... you're different like this."
"I was born a narcissist, baby. Don't act surprised."
Kuina kept screaming. "Someone check on Kylie! Let me out! Fuck!"
Piper tried flying over—but a barrier blocked her.
"It's sealed! Dammit!"
James said to Ortus, "Let her go. I need her at full power."
Ortus smirked. "Don't worry. She'll be healed before your match. But she needs to suffer first. I don't want her interfering again. Especially not in my fight with Kylie."
Mira grabbed the mic.
"Audience! Five-minute break! Coming up—Prestik vs. Molly!"
Clara stumbled to Kylie. "I'm here, baby. Healing you now."
A soft glow. In seconds, Kylie opened her eyes.
"Kuina...? We have to save her!"
Lika joined. "What can we do? We can't break that shield."
Molly stood, shaky. "Ugh. I have to fight... I feel terrible."
Mira floated over, yelling to Kuina, "Hang on, baby! Just two more fights! We'll get you out!"
Piper kissed toward Kuina in frustration. "Thank you, my goddess, for coming for me..."
Kylie declared, "No! I'm not leaving her like this!"
Mira slapped her. "Control yourself! I'm sorry, but we have to focus on the tournament. I love her too, but this is bigger than us. Get a grip!"
Kylie stared, teary. "You slapped me?! Again?! After seeing me fall apart?!"
Mira folded her arms. "I love you, Kylie. But sometimes you need a slap to snap out of it."
Kylie walked away. "Go fuck yourself. I'm staying by Kuina. Do what you want."
Lika murmured, "Please... no more fighting."
Molly touched her shoulder. "Let them be. They'll get over it."
She looked up at Kuina.
"I'll end this fast. Then we'll free you. Okay?!"
Kuina didn't answer. She was pale. Silent. Whispering:
"I swear... James. Ortus. Neither of you will leave here alive. I'll wait for my match. But Ortus... we're not done."
Kylie tried to fly closer but hit the barrier again.
"No! Dammit!"
Clara hugged her from behind.
"Sweetheart, I'm with you. I know how much you love her. But let me help you. Focus here. Kuina will be freed soon. I promise."
Kylie sobbed. "Clara... I can't do this. I don't want to fight Ortus. I just want to be with Kuina... she's my wife-to-be..."
Clara smiled, still hugging. "You're adorable. But girl... you're dramatic. Calm down. I love her too, but I'm not suffocating her. Breathe."
"I don't want to! I'm a lovesick freak! And now she's suffering, bleeding, caged... and that monster Ortus..."
Clara whispered, "Shhh. You're crazy—but I get you. Come. Let's head back."
Kylie looked up at Kuina. "I love you so much, my beauty. I'll save you. I'll forfeit fast, just to get you free."
She blew her a kiss.
Mira shouted, "Welcome to the arena—Molly vs. Prestik!"
Prestik stood ready. Grinning.
Molly cracked her neck and shoulders.
"Wish me luck, girls."
Lika turned and gave her a soft kiss. "Good luck. I love you."
Molly blushed. Piper kissed her cheek. Clara sent a kiss from afar while hugging Kylie.
"Good luck, sweetheart!"
Kylie mumbled, "Good luck..."
Mortis muttered, "Break a leg."
Molly rolled her eyes. "You've got great tact, Mortis."
"It's a saying, Barbie Girl."
Piper stroked his mane. "I'll think about it, Mortis. About making you human. It matters to you."
Mortis smiled. "Thanks. Now for a violent cuddle session."
Molly entered the arena. Looked back at the girls. At Kuina, trapped. Then forward.
Prestik smiled.
"Molly Ellis. What a pleasure to meet you."
She froze. "How do you know my full name...?"
He smiled wider. "Because I gave you your speed."
Molly's jaw dropped. "What...?"
To be continued...