The Stellate Vortex

"A lord... I see. Sure. And what are the conditions?"

"Oh, eager, are we?" Sen chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, you just have to land a single hit on her. If you do, you win."

"Is that it?" Kieth scoffed, already turning toward the door. "Then I'm leaving."

"The match is in the afternoon, so you'd better be ready," Sen called after him, a smug grin on his face.

Kieth left the room, his mind racing as he made his way back to his quarters.

Aina Lo, he muttered to himself. Yeah, I did hear about her. A kid who became a lord... her ability is a mystery, but her martial prowess is something else. Still... a single hit, huh? Sounds fishy.

He reached the door to his quarters and swung it open. Inside, the others were sitting together, talking and laughing. Their attention turned to him the moment he stepped in.

Akane immediately walked up to him, concern etched on her face. "Hey... what happened? Why did they call you?"

Kieth exhaled deeply. "I found out who my next opponent is."

"Who is it?" Vasil asked, sitting up straight.

"Aina," Kieth said simply.

"Who?"

"That girl we met the first time we came here," Kieth reminded him. "The one who took down that monster."

"Her?!" Rita looked at him. "Great. You are fucked."

Kieth chuckled at her statement, but Akane's worry didn't waver.

"How are you going to beat her?," she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I mean she pretty much single handedly took down the monster."

"I only need to land one hit on her to win," Kieth said, shrugging. "The match is in a couple of hours, so I'll go prepare."

As Kieth turned to leave, Akane grabbed the hem of his shirt. "Please win," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He looked down at her hand, then into her eyes. "I will," he said, offering her a reassuring smile before heading out.

---

He made his way to the medical ward, asking about Ushi Chang. After being directed to her room, he knocked. When there was no response, he cautiously stepped inside. She was sitting on her bed, arms crossed, glaring at him.

"Well-mannered, aren't we?" she sneered.

Kieth ignored her tone and took a seat. "I suppose," he replied evenly.

"Why are you here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My third round is about to start."

"And that concern me?"

"It doesn't," Kieth admitted. "But I need to know a couple of things."

"And you think I'll help you?"

"Maybe," Kieth said, leaning forward. "If I win this match, I get the chance to become the lord. But I'll decline the position and suggest you instead."

Ushi's expression faltered for a moment. "And you think they'll listen to you?"

"Let's hope they do," Kieth said firmly. "Now, can you help me?"

"Who's your opponent?"

"Aina," Kieth said.

Ushi's eyes widened slightly. "What? Aina? No way it's impossible".

"I figured as much when they told me I only need one hit," Kieth said with a dry chuckle.

"One hit huh....yea it might be possible,"

"Can you tell me her ability?" Kieth asked

Ushi hesitated, then sighed. "Her ability... it's something else. She doesn't talk about it, so no one knows the exact mechanics, even I don't but I've fought her. It's brutal."

"Can you describe it?"

"She hit me once," Ushi said, grimacing at the memory. "Just once in the stomach. But it felt like that punch hit me 30 times all at once. It's not like she punches repeatedly—it's the same hit, amplified across your body. One strike can leave you feeling like you've been pummeled for hours."

Kieth frowned, trying to make sense of it. "Is it consistent?"

"No. The number of times it repeats seems to vary. Sometimes it's two or three hits; other times, it's dozens. It depends on her... or maybe her mood." Ushi's voice grew tense. "When I fought her, she was playing with me, her movements calculated, but the whole time, she was smiling. Like it was just a game to her."

Kieth leaned back, absorbing the information.

"Well, that's something," Kieth muttered.

"Yeah, you'll need to avoid vital organs. One hit, and you're dead... most likely," she said, crossing her arms.

Wait... does she not know no one dies here? Kieth thought to himself, but he kept quiet. "Well, yeah, I'll try that. Thanks. It was helpful," he replied casually.

"Don't thank me. Just make sure to recommend me—not that I have expectations," she sighed. "Good luck."

"Yeah... I think I'll need it," he said as he left the room. The moment he stepped into the hallway, he could hear the audience cheering, hyped for the fight ahead.

"Guess it's time," he muttered as he left for his room.

In his room, he tied his hair back, grabbed a lance, and practiced his throws. Suddenly, a man clad in heavy armor entered.

"Your match is starting. Get ready," the man said, his voice firm but neutral.

"Yeah, I'll be there," Kieth replied, taking a deep breath. He walked through the passage to the stadium, the roars of the crowd growing louder with every step.

"FELLAS! THE MATCHHH TODAYYYY IS CRAZY!" Jerma's booming voice filled the air. "OUR ONE AND ONLY KIETH VITUS IS GOING TO FIGHT AGAIN! PLACE YOUR BETS!"

Kieth stepped into the arena, greeted by deafening cheers. He was taken aback—he didn't realize he had so many supporters. With a shy smile, he glanced down, trying to center himself.

"And his opponent? None other than the Lord—AINAAA LOOOOOOO!" Jerma yelled as the crowd erupted.

Through the opposite passage, Aina appeared, casually hopping and smiling, her carefree demeanor unsettling.

Kieth glanced up to the stands. Vasil and Rita were there, but Akane was noticeably absent. He sighed. It was no surprise; she hated fights. Turning his attention back to Aina, he noticed her staring at him, her smile unnerving.

"She's just a kid," he reminded himself, trying to push aside his discomfort. Aina was a child who had died young—her life likely filled with regrets. But he couldn't let that distract him. He tightened his grip on the lance and took his stance.

"LET THE FIGHT BEGINNNNN!" Jerma bellowed.

Kieth dashed forward, lance aimed for a clean thrust. But Aina ducked low, dodging effortlessly before kicking the lance with immense force. The weapon snapped in half. She followed up with a second kick, narrowly missing as Kieth stumbled backward.

The damage is doubled, not the knockback... Kieth realized, grimacing as he watched her hop lightly mid-battle. Suddenly, her movements sped up.

"What the hell?!" Kieth spun, trying to track her erratic movements. But when he looked down, it was already too late. She was beneath him, smiling.

A punch slammed into his gut, driving the air from his lungs. He gasped, but before he could recover, a kick to his face sent him flying. The crowd roared with excitement.

Struggling to his feet, he saw her leg aimed for another strike. He rolled back just in time, scrambling for the broken piece of his lance. When he turned, she was gone again. Acting on instinct, he stabbed behind him. She was there, but she caught the attack effortlessly, smiling as she leaped onto his face, twisting his body and slamming him to the ground.

Dazed, Kieth looked up at the sky, only to see her descending with a powerful punch. He rolled aside just in time. The ground where her fist landed cracked like shattered glass.

"Fuck... I gotta end this fast. It already hurts," Kieth thought, wiping blood from his mouth.

He lunged with a punch, but she dodged, countering with an uppercut that sent him staggering back. Regaining his footing, he raised both hands to block. She grabbed his arms and forced them apart, landing a brutal double-kick to his chest. Blood trickled from his lips, but he couldn't stop.

Blow after blow rained down as he desperately tried to block.

She's not even using her ability… he thought, panic creeping in.

Aina spun, aiming a kick. Kieth caught her leg and smiled triumphantly. But before he could strike, a flurry of phantom kicks exploded across his torso. His stomach churned violently, and he vomited, collapsing to his knees.

As he looked up, her fist connected with his nose. The force was enough to black out the crowd's roar for a moment.

She was relentless, her punches landing one after another, each targeting a vital spot. Kieth could barely defend himself as the blows rained down. Then, with an almost playful leap, Aina stepped back.

Kieth struggled to his hands and knees, blood dripping from his mouth. His body ached, his vision blurred, but he forced himself upright. His fists clenched despite the pain. He couldn't stop now—not yet.

Just as he prepared to strike, it hit him.

Every punch she had landed before—all of it—amplified at once. Aina's ability surged through him, and the compounded pain overwhelmed him in an instant. It was unbearable. Kieth staggered, coughing up blood as his vision faded. His eyes rolled back, his legs buckling beneath him.

I… can't win... he thought bitterly, "I'm not strong enough."

As his knees began to give out, he saw her. Akane.

She was there, standing in the crowd, she came even though she didn't want to, tears streaming down her face. Her mouth moved, but he couldn't hear a word. The world slowed to a crawl, every detail sharp yet distant. But he understood.

"Get up please," her expression seemed to say.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

A scream tore from his throat as Kieth forced himself to his feet. His legs trembled violently under the strain, but he didn't stop. Pain coursed through him, but he dashed forward.

Aina's eyes widened in shock, but she recovered quickly. She threw another punch, and Kieth barely dodged it. He swung wildly, but she blocked it with ease. Her movements were swift, precise, and merciless.

Kieth pressed on, trying to land just one hit, but every attempt was met with failure. She landed another blow—then another. The pain was excruciating, but this time, Kieth counted.

The first hit… followed by seven more. Eight punches.

Then it happened again. Her ability surged, multiplying the pain of her strikes. Kieth gasped as he felt the phantom blows—forty punches in total—each one hitting him all at once.

The crowd seemed to fall silent, or maybe his senses were shutting down. His body trembled violently, every nerve screaming for him to stop.

And yet, he moved forward.

He couldn't see the crowd anymore, couldn't hear their cheers or gasps. The only thing he could see was Aina, still calm, still smiling.

Her next punch came fast, but this time, Kieth deflected it just enough to send it into the ground. The arena floor shattered beneath her fist, dust and debris flying into the air. For the first time, she faltered.

This was his moment.

Kieth's body felt broken, his hands swollen and trembling. If this failed, he wouldn't get another chance. He clenched his fist and screamed, pouring everything he had into one final punch.

With all his remaining strength, he struck.

Aina's eyes widened as the blow connected, her body jolting back. It wasn't enough to knock her out, but it was enough to stop her, if only for a moment.

Kieth fell to his knees, then crumpled to the ground. He couldn't see anymore—darkness overtook him.

The last thing he remembered was the deafening silence in his mind.

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