Rizra stood in the snow-covered clearing, her breath visible in the icy air. The unconscious forms of Makoto and Emily lay tied up behind her, evidence of her earlier triumph. She glanced at the figures emerging from the forest shadows—Angel, Dark, and Bondo. Their eyes glowed faintly, a telltale sign of Streetka's control.

  Angel's usual cheerful demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating glare. Dark loomed silently, his aura suffused with an oppressive energy, and Bondo cracked his knuckles, his lightning sparking erratically around his fists.

  Despite the odds, Rizra smirked, placing a hand on her hip. “Well, look who it is—Streetka’s little puppets. I didn’t realize it was ‘Gang Up on Rizra Day.’ Next time, send a formal invitation.”

  Her casual remark earned no response, only the sound of Angel's magic activating, crackling with ominous power. Dark’s shadows stretched across the snow like reaching tendrils, and Bondo’s lightning began to arc in the air, charging up.

  Rizra rolled her shoulders, preparing herself. "Guess I’ll have to remind you three why they call me the best brawler on the team. Bring it."

  Angel was the first to attack, her magic manifesting in the form of radiant projectiles that rained down on Rizra. She dodged swiftly, her reflexes sharp as ever, and countered by slamming her fists into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth. The ground cracked and shifted, disrupting Angel's aim and forcing her to retreat.

  Dark capitalized on the chaos, his shadowy tendrils shooting forward to restrain Rizra. She sidestepped one and punched another, shattering it with brute force. “Nice try, shadow boy,” she taunted, only to be blindsided by Bondo’s sudden charge.

  His lightning-infused punch connected with her shoulder, sending a jolt through her body and forcing her back a few steps. She gritted her teeth against the pain and retaliated with a sweeping kick, her reinforced boots smashing into his ribs. Bondo staggered but didn’t fall, his lightning flaring as he prepared for another strike.

  “You’re tougher than you look,” she muttered, rubbing her shoulder. “But I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”

  The fight quickly turned into a chaotic melee. Rizra was relentless, using her earth magic sparingly to gain the upper hand without exhausting herself. She traded blows with Bondo, dodged Angel’s relentless attacks, and shattered Dark’s shadows every chance she got. But the three of them worked together with an eerie synchronization, their controlled minds making them unyielding.

  Rizra landed a heavy uppercut on Bondo, sending him stumbling back, only for Dark’s shadows to seize her ankle and yank her off balance. Angel followed up with a blast of radiant energy, hitting Rizra square in the chest and sending her skidding across the snow. She groaned, coughing as she forced herself back to her feet.

  "You’re really making me work for this," she muttered, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. Her body ached, her stamina waning, but her determination burned brighter than ever. She glanced back at Makoto and Emily, still tied up and unconscious.

  “I can’t afford to lose here,” she said under her breath.

  As her enemies closed in, Rizra cracked her knuckles and smirked. “Alright, round two. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  The battle raged on, Rizra holding her own despite the overwhelming odds. She was battered and bruised, but she refused to back down. Her sheer willpower and combat skill were a testament to why she was one of Music club’s strongest fighters. Rizra wiped blood from her lip, her bruised body glowing faintly as her whispered command, "Enhance Attributes," coursed through her. Her muscles pulsed with newfound energy, her speed and strength multiplied. Dark noticed the shift, his shadowy tendrils hesitating for just a second—but it was all Rizra needed.

  She closed the distance in a blur, her fist burying itself in Dark’s stomach before he could react. The force sent him flying into a nearby tree with a loud crack. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

  Before Angel and Bondo could fully process what had just happened, Rizra spun on her heel, grabbed Dark's limp body, and hurled him—along with Makoto and Emily—all the way back to the cabin. The sound of their impact echoed in the distance as Rizra turned her attention back to the remaining two.

  Angel’s face twisted in controlled frustration as her wings unfurled. With a powerful flap, she ascended into the sky, summoning radiant projectiles to rain down on Rizra.

  "Flying now, huh?" Rizra muttered with a grin. "Let’s see how long that lasts."

  Rizra crouched low, her enhanced legs coiling with energy. With a single leap, she shot into the air like a missile, catching Angel mid-flight. Her kick connected with Angel’s torso, sending her plummeting back to the ground. Angel hit the snow hard, the impact knocking her out cold.

  That left only Bondo.

  He stood there, unmoving, his body surrounded by a crackling storm of red and blue lightning. The sheer power radiating from him was almost suffocating. Rizra knew he wasn’t just strong—his lightning made him relentless. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  “You’ve done well, Rizra,” Bondo said, his voice calm yet laced with menace. “But you’re not walking away from this one.”

  Rizra scoffed, her hands curling into fists. “Funny, I was about to say the same to you.”

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  Without warning, Bondo lunged, his lightning propelling him forward with blinding speed. Rizra barely managed to dodge his first strike, the ground exploding where his fist landed. She retaliated with a powerful punch to his ribs, but the lightning coating his body surged into her, sending a painful jolt through her arm.

  “Damn, that stings!” she hissed, pulling back.

  Bondo smirked. “You’re going to have to do better than that.”

  The two clashed repeatedly, Rizra’s enhanced strength and speed keeping her in the fight, but Bondo’s lightning magic gave him an edge. Every time she landed a blow, his lightning lashed out, punishing her for getting too close.

  Bondo raised his hand, summoning a massive bolt of lightning that arced down from the sky. Rizra narrowly dodged, the bolt striking the ground and sending snow and debris flying everywhere.

  “Alright,” Rizra muttered, shaking off the pain. “Time to end this.”

  She dashed toward Bondo, dodging another lightning strike and sliding under his guard. Her fists glowed faintly with her earth magic as she aimed for his legs. With a powerful uppercut, she destabilized him, breaking his stance.

  “Gotcha!” she shouted, following up with a spinning kick to his head.

  But Bondo recovered faster than she expected. His hand shot out, grabbing her ankle mid-kick. His grip was like a vice, and lightning surged through her body, bringing her to her knees.

  “You’re tough, Rizra,” Bondo said, his tone almost regretful. “But you can’t beat me.”

  Rizra gritted her teeth, the pain unbearable. “We’ll see about that.”

  With a roar, she summoned her earth magic, causing the ground beneath them to quake. A massive pillar of rock shot up, slamming into Bondo’s chest and sending him flying. He crashed into a snowbank, his lightning flickering as he struggled to get up.

  Rizra panted, her body battered and barely holding on. She stumbled but forced herself to stand. Bondo was the strongest opponent she had faced in a while, but she wasn’t going to back down—not now.

  The two stared each other down, both preparing for the final clash.

  Hajime, stumbling but determined, pushed his body to its limits. His vision blurred, but his feet never faltered. In just two minutes, he had covered half the vast forest, trees whipping past him like shadows. He briefly glimpsed flashes of battle—Daka’s icy wind and Rizra’s earth-shattering blows—but he kept going. "I can’t stop. Not until I get her back."

  Finally, he reached a clearing. Streetka stood at its center, his chaotic red lightning crackling around him like an aura of pure destruction. Beside him was Sockoo, her expression blank, the fiery aura of her transformation flickering faintly.

  Streetka turned, a smirk spreading across his face. "Well, well. The pitiful devil returns."

  Hajime said nothing, his eyes locked on Sockoo. Streetka tilted his head mockingly. "Oh, not in the mood to talk? Or maybe you’re just too broken to care. I mean, look at you—bloody, stumbling, barely standing. And yet you think you can take me?"

  Hajime ignored the taunts, his voice calm but resolute. "I’m not here for you. I just want her back."

  Streetka laughed, the sound sharp and grating. "How noble. How predictable. Unfortunately for you, she’s mine now. Sockoo—kill him."

  Sockoo stepped forward, her fiery cat form fully unleashed, flames dancing around her body. Her eyes glowed with a controlled fury as she lunged at Hajime with blinding speed. Hajime dodged effortlessly, his movements precise despite his injuries.

  "Sockoo, stop!""I know you’re still in there. Fight it!"

  But Sockoo didn’t respond. She attacked relentlessly, her claws blazing as she slashed at him. Hajime gritted his teeth, dodging every strike. He refused to fight back, even as her flames singed his skin.

  "You’re pathetic,""Won’t even defend yourself? Afraid of hurting your little pet?"

  Hajime’s gaze flicked to Streetka, his jaw tightening. "I don’t hurt the people I care about."

  Sockoo roared, her flames intensifying as she prepared a powerful fire blast. Hajime had no choice. With a swift movement, he closed the distance between them, his leg glowing faintly with energy. "I’m sorry, Sockoo,"

  As Sockoo collapsed, Hajime caught her gently, cradling her in his arms. He carried her to the edge of the clearing, laying her down carefully against a tree. "I’ll bring you back. I promise,"

  Standing, Hajime turned back to Streetka, his eyes blazing. He clenched his fists, flames erupting around his body in a display of raw power. The ground beneath him scorched as his energy surged.

  Streetka smirked, raising a hand as his chaotic lightning crackled louder. "Finally showing some fire, huh? Let’s see if it’s enough to keep you alive."

  The battle was about to begin. Hajime's flames roared hotter than ever, the air itself trembling under the weight of his fury. He lunged at Streetka, but the chaotic manipulator evaded him with ease, sidestepping every strike and laughing mockingly.

  Now Sockoo lies unconscious and safe at his side…

  and the real battle finally begins.