Rose strode up to Markus before the fight, her usual playful smirk tugging at her lips. The battlefield around them crackled with tension, the wind carrying the scent of scorched earth.
She stopped just a few feet away from him, tilting her head as she gave him a once-over.
"Hey, big guy," she said, voice casual but laced with something deeper. "You changed."
Markus didn't respond right away. His grip on his sword tightened slightly, but his face remained unreadable.
Rose folded her arms. "I have gotten stronger," she mimicked in a deeper voice, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I can see that, but that's not what I mean."
She leaned in slightly, her tail flicking. "Your eyes," she said, her voice quieter now. "They seem… empty."
Markus stiffened.
For a split second, something flickered behind his gaze. A thought. A hesitation.
"Do they?" His voice was quieter, more uncertain.
Rose studied him for another moment, but before she could push further—
"The fight is starting!"
Takashima's voice cut through the air. The battlefield rumbled as the Magic Domain fully solidified around them.
Markus exhaled, grip tightening around his sword once more.
Rose sighed, shaking her head as she stepped back, rolling her shoulders.
"Guess we'll pick this up later."
Then she grinned, raising her weapon. "But for now… try to keep up, yeah?"
The clash of steel rang out, echoing through the field. Petals scattered into the air from the force of the impact.
Rose didn't slow. She twisted midair, flipping over Markus, her tail whipping as she brought her blade down again.
Markus blocked with one hand, feet planted firm.
She landed, low and ready, slashing at his legs.
Markus stepped back, boots crushing flowers underfoot, his sword cutting down in a brutal arc toward her shoulder.
Rose sidestepped, barely avoiding it.
Then she was behind him.
She lunged, aiming for the gap in his armor.
Markus spun, sword slicing through the air.
Rose barely managed to leap back before it could cut into her.
She grinned, tail flicking.
"Come on, big guy. Keep up."
"Markus is strong. Way stronger than me."
"And he's got way more skill. He barely even looks like he's trying."
"But—he's not as fast as me."
That was her edge. Speed. If she let this turn into a battle of raw strength, she'd lose. But if she could keep the pressure on, outmaneuver him, make him chase her pace—
Then she had a shot.
Rose grinned, tightening her grip on her blade.
"Alright, big guy. Let's see if you can keep up."
She vanished from sight, her body a blur as she shot toward him.
Where did she go?"
Markus's grip on his sword tightened as his eyes darted across the field. Rose was fast—too fast. One second she was in front of him, the next, gone. His ears picked up the faintest rustle of petals behind him.
There.
Without hesitation, he turned, swinging his blade in a wide arc. The air split with the force of his swing, but—
Nothing.
A blur flashed past his vision.
"Tch. She's toying with me."
Markus exhaled, adjusting his stance. He wasn't going to win by chasing shadows. He had to predict her next move.
"Fine. Keep running. But the moment you slip—"
His fingers curled tighter around the hilt.
"I'll end this."
Markus swung his sword in a sweeping arc, cutting through the air where Rose had been just moments before. His eyes darted, searching—she was too fast. Every time he adjusted, she was already gone, slipping just out of reach like a phantom dancing through the flower field.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. He could keep swinging, keep chasing, but he already knew how that would end.
"Tch. Not worth it."
With a sharp exhale, he drove his sword straight into the ground. The impact sent a deep tremor through the field, loose petals and dust kicking up around him as the blade lodged itself into the earth.
Then, he rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck with a small pop before cracking his knuckles.
"Alright then!" His voice rumbled through the field, his grin sharp, almost eager. "Let's throw hand
Markus moved fast, too fast for someone his size. His foot slammed into the ground, sending up a cloud of dirt as he swung a heavy fist in a wide arc, aiming to catch Rose mid-dash.
Too slow.
She slipped under the strike like a shadow, her movements sharp and precise. In a flash, she was at his side, driving a kick straight into his calf.
Markus barely flinched.
She vanished again.
Tch. Where—?
A blur.
She reappeared above him, her blade slicing down in a clean arc.
Markus's hand shot up, catching the weapon mid-swing.
Rose's ears twitched in surprise, but she didn't hesitate—her free hand curled into a fist, aiming straight for his jaw.
Markus caught that too.
Her tail flicked in frustration. "Wow! You're getting real touchy with me, big guy."
He didn't even react.
Crack.
His forehead slammed into hers, the impact sending a shockwave through her skull.
"Ow! What the hell—"
"This is a fight." Markus Said as he slammed his forehead into hers mid-sentence, the impact sending a shockwave through her skull.
Before she could recover, his grip tightened.
Then, with brutal efficiency, he hurled her into the ground.
The earth cracked beneath the impact, petals flying into the air as Rose let out a choked gasp. She barely had time to process before Markus loomed over her, fist already reeling back.
Move!
Her body tensed, and in an instant, she was gone.
A gust of wind where she had been.
Markus's punch slammed into the dirt, the ground trembling beneath his knuckles.
He exhaled slowly.
Fine.
If speed was her advantage, he'd just have to hit her before she disappeared again
Rose smirked as she backed up, shaking out her wrists. Markus was already closing in again, his heavy steps kicking up dirt, fists raised to end this fight in one clean blow.
She needed an opening.
"Gotta pull out my worst trick." She thought to herself, with a smirk on her face.
Markus was nearly on her, his fist a blur as it came down like a hammer.
Then she shouted.
"You caught a feel of my boob, you perv!"
Markus froze mid-swing.
"What—?!"
His punch veered off course, barely missing her.
Rose took full advantage.
With a swift kick to his gut, she sent him staggering back. She flipped away, grinning wide as she landed on her feet, tail flicking with amusement.
Kai, watching the fight from the screen, palmed his face.
"That's low... even for her."
Rose knew this was her chance.
Her breath came fast, her chest rising and falling as she tightened her grip on her sword. Markus was open—just for a second—but a second was all she needed.
Her muscles screamed, but she ignored them. She pushed off the ground, surging forward, blade poised to pierce through his chest.
"Take this!!"
Then—
Nothing.
The warmth of the sun vanished. The scent of flowers, the resistance of the ground beneath her feet—all of it disappeared. Darkness swallowed everything.
A sudden chill ran through her.
Then, just as fast as it had faded, reality snapped back into place.
The training hall.
The energy of the domain flickered and dissolved like mist, the battlefield gone. Rose stood there, blinking in stunned silence, her sword no longer in her hand.
The realization hit her like a freight train.
"I LOST?? BUT HOW?!"
Arnik stood with his arms crossed, watching the playback with sharp eyes. "That was… amazing."
Crowne let out a wild, manic laugh, clapping his hands. "That was the funniest thing I've ever seen!"
Kai adjusted his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose as he analyzed the footage. "It was hard to see, but Markus threw a punch so fast, and so strong, that it knocked Rose out of the domain instantly… He didn't hold back on that one."
Rose's ears flattened, her tail flicking in frustration.
Markus just stood there, rolling his shoulders like he hadn't just punched her into another dimension
Alaric clapped his hands together, his ever-elegant demeanor unshaken. "Well, that was a great battle."
Kai smirked, glancing over at Rose.
She narrowed her eyes. "What's so funny?!"
"Oh, nothing." Kai stretched his arms behind his head, his grin widening. "Just that I lasted a whole three seconds longer than you did."
Rose froze. "What?!"
"Eat it and—"
SMACK.
Rose's hand cracked across Kai's face, sending his head whipping to the side.
Kai blinked. His vision blurred, little stars flickering in and out of his sight.
"Ooo shut up, idiot!" Rose huffed, crossing her arms. "You only lasted longer because you could use magic! All you did was run away like a big baby!"
Kai groaned, rubbing his cheek. "Hah... yeah, okay, fair."
Meanwhile, off to the side, Aika was still curled up on the bench, fast asleep, completely oblivious to everything that had happened.
Alaric exhaled, placing his teacup down.
"Well then," his gaze swept across the group, lingering on Markus and Arnik.
"It's time for the final match—Markus versus Arnik."