Molly stood frozen. "You? You're the one who triggered the system alert that gave me my speed?!"
Prestik smiled. "Yes. Anything related to speed? That's me. I'm the fastest entity that has ever existed, and when I saw you, I saw someone who desperately needed that power. I hope you've cultivated it well."
"I've cultivated it too well," Molly replied, cracking her neck. "Wanna see how far I've come, sir?"
Prestik walked casually with his hands in his pockets, towering over her. At 1.93 meters, he dwarfed Molly's 1.59.
"Whoa," she muttered. "And I thought Kuina was tall..."
Prestik chuckled. "Height's just a number. The real question is: how fast do your legs move?"
From the gate, Lika yelled, "Let's go, Molly! Kuina's still trapped!"
Molly turned and winked. "Hey, Prestik, listen... that Ortus chick? She's nuts. Would you help us free Kuina after this match?"
"Sorry, Molly," Prestik said, sighing. "Kuina isn't under my protection. Each god has their chosen. Since I'm a male god, Ortus insists I only sponsor males. She's my commander, and I can't go against her word. But you... you're the only female I've ever given power to."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you're special. This match? I've waited a long time for it. But you're not my enemy. For me, this is sport. Still... I'm not Arrito. I do strike hard. I belittle my opponent. So be ready to learn."
Molly raised an eyebrow. "You're serious? Wow. Fine! Let's go all out."
Prestik glanced up at Kuina's chained, bloodied body. "Ortus has talked about that redhead for years. I don't get the obsession."
Outside the ring, Kylie wasn't even looking. Her eyes stayed locked on Kuina. "My Kuina... damn it... I'm terrified. But more than anything, I'm scared she'll suffer."
Piper and Clara watched Kylie, concerned.
Mira shouted into the mic, "Let the battle begin! Prestik versus Molly!"
The crowd barely cheered. The aftereffects of Ortus' earlier aura attack still lingered.
Molly stepped forward. "Let's make this fast. Kuina can't stay trapped."
She launched forward. Her speed tore the air. Dust exploded behind her. But Prestik simply stared.
To him, she was crawling.
"Is that it?" he muttered.
Molly unleashed a massive pink magic arrow. Prestik batted it away. He kicked at her-only to hit a clone.
She reappeared behind him, aiming a kick. He swung a fist-another clone.
Prestik raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
Suddenly, over a hundred Mollys appeared from above.
He looked up, then vanished.
The clones hit the ground, stunned.
Prestik thought. To him, time wasn't frozen-but teleportation was still in play.
"Let's erase them," he said.
He toned down his speed slightly, swept through the ring, and erased every clone with a single motion. Dust scattered.
The real Molly gasped.
He appeared in front of her and drove a fist into her stomach.
She spat blood. Her body skidded backward.
"Ow! Damn! That hurt... hehe."
"You survived a hit? Impressive."
"I'm not done yet! I'll use all my speed! I want you to tell me how far I am from your level! I've surpassed light speed tenfold!"
Prestik smirked silently. Ten times light speed? Cute. I'm a trillion times faster. Literally.
He clapped. "Bravo, Molly! Significant achievement. Let's see it."
High above, Ortus scowled. "He's mocking her. Why pretend to care?"
Lisia laughed. "It's obvious."
Arrito smiled warmly. "Come on, Prestik. Show some respect."
James remained silent.
Mira called out, "Looks like Molly's going for it! Will she impress the literal god of speed?"
Clara asked, "You think she can pull it off?"
Mortis muttered, "Tiny but feisty. Might have strong legs."
Lika said softly, "I believe in her. Even if she doesn't win, we just need Kuina free. Shame about that invisible wall..."
Kylie screamed, "Help me! Let's break this barrier!"
All eyes turned to her.
Kuina stirred. Her voice faint. "Kylie... forget me... focus on the battle. It's only temporary... I'll fight soon... and so will you."
She passed out again.
Kylie shrieked, "My love! Damn it! Girls! Are you with me or what?!"
Piper screamed, "Kylie!!! Behind you!!!"
Before she turned, James struck her neck.
Kylie collapsed.
Ortus signaled him to return. He looked down at her body.
"Obsessed freak. Smell some dirt."
He teleported away.
Everyone rushed to Kylie-except Mira, who froze.
Back in the ring, Molly was gathering her strength.
"Here I come! All my speed!"
She launched herself forward.
The girls tried reaching Kylie-but the barrier blocked them.
Lika panicked. "Oh no! Kylie too? I can't... I don't know what to do..."
Clara trembled. "That James... and Ortus... attacking her like that? It's evil... I can't even heal her."
Piper said nothing. Mortis looked on, mute.
Mira still didn't move.
Ortus barked, "Mira! Pull it together!"
Mira blinked. "Right! Molly, go!"
Molly struck. She vanished in a flash of pink lightning.
The shockwave was monstrous. Dust billowed. Her voice echoed-
"LIGHTNING KICK!!"
She aimed a massive kick at Prestik's head.
He smiled and tapped her knee with one finger.
The impact felt like a hundred waves of nausea.
Molly dropped. Vomited violently.
"What... what did you do to me?!"
"Just tested a little speed poison. Don't worry. You'll recover fast. The upside? Now that you've purged, your potential's temporarily increased. One hundred times more. Show me, Molly. Show me everything."
She looked around.
"Why... why is no one watching me?"
Lika yelled, "They knocked Kylie out! Finish it, babe!"
Piper screamed, "Come on, you pathetic pink freak! Hurry up! That's all you're good for!"
Molly's eyes dimmed. "Hurry, huh? No one saw me vomiting my soul..."
Mira whispered, "I saw. It was gross, babe."
Molly grinned. "Alright. Let's see if you're bluffing, Prestik."
A spark ignited in her chest.
"Whoa... what is this feeling?"
Prestik smiled. "The spark. Release your speed. All of it."
Molly launched. A storm of pink and brown energy cloaked her. She zipped around Prestik, striking, aiming, missing.
He dodged every hit.
Mira shouted, "Can anyone even see her?!"
The others spun. "Where is she?!"
Prestik ran out of the ring. Circled Earth 100 times in a split second.
He returned and matched her pace.
Molly fired a huge pink orb.
It hit his face. Nothing.
"Fun's over, Molly. This isn't going how I imagined."
She froze. Her vision blurred. Her breath came out shallow, chest barely rising. Her knees trembled as an invisible weight pressed down on her body. Her eyes dimmed, shadows covering their usual spark, and her heartbeat felt distant—as if muffled under waves. Her energy faded like smoke in the wind. She clutched her chest, gasping, but no air filled her lungs. Then, slowly, she dropped to her knees.
Clara screamed, "Molly!!"
Everyone stood in shock. Even Ortus.
Kylie and Kuina were still unconscious.
Prestik knelt. "Molly? Are you okay?"
She didn't respond.
He checked her pulse.
"She's dead... she died from the overload."
Mira dropped her mic. Lika collapsed, crying. Everyone froze.
Suddenly-
Kuina's eyes snapped open.
Still chained. Still broken.
Her voice was cold. Controlled.
"Molly...? Dead...?"
Her breath quickened. A low hum vibrated around her chains. The metal began to glow faintly red. A distant heartbeat echoed, not hers-something deeper. Stronger. The air bent around her.
In the stands, Ortus narrowed her eyes. "That aura... no... it can't be..."
James felt it too, but didn't say a thing
Clara whispered, "Kuina... please... hold on. Don't break just yet."
Piper gritted her teeth. "Let her break. Let her shatter everything."
Mira stumbled back from the ring. "No. This is bad. If she releases that power inside chains... everyone in this arena could die."
Mortis blinked slowly. "She's going to make Ortus regret everything."
To be continued...