The sun hung low in the sky, casting an amber glow over the quiet streets as Akira and Kiyoshi walked home. The pavement still held warmth from the day's heat, and a soft breeze rustled the trees, whispering through the leaves.
"That Eddie Hatayoshi guy is something else," Akira said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Did you see how fast he moved? And Oddy—man, that guy barely even blinks."
Kiyoshi walked beside him, hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed ahead. "Yeah, they're strong. But they didn't seem like the type to pick fights for no reason."
Akira smirked. "I dunno, I feel like Eddie was holding back. What do you think, should we—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
A figure stood in the middle of the street ahead of them, bathed in the dim glow of the setting sun. He had messy brown hair and a wide grin that made him look both carefree and mischievous. His arms were crossed, but something about him felt... off.
"Oh, great," Akira muttered. "And who are you supposed to be?"
The stranger chuckled, tilting his head. "Me? Just a guy who enjoys a good joke and a little chaos." He stretched his arms unnaturally far, like leaves caught in the wind, before snapping them back into place. "Name's Brian. And you two—" He pointed at them with a playful smirk. "—look like you could use some... entertainment."
Kiyoshi narrowed his eyes. "Entertainment, huh?"
Brian grinned wider, his fingers twitching as the veins in his arms darkened, his skin hardening like bark. "Oh, don't worry. It's all in good fun."
Akira cracked his knuckles. "Alright, stretchy, let's see what you got."
Brian grinned. "Oh, I like you already."
Without warning, his arm shot forward like a whip, stretching through the air. Akira barely dodged as the limb snapped past him, cracking against the pavement. A second later, it retracted back to Brian's side.
Kiyoshi was already moving, flames sparking around his fists. He dashed forward, swinging a fiery punch toward Brian's chest.
But Brian didn't dodge.
His body hardened like wood, absorbing the impact with a loud thud. "Ow," Brian said, rubbing his chest with a smirk. "Not bad, fire guy. But let me show you how it's done."
His other arm twisted like a vine, wrapping around Kiyoshi's leg. With a yank, he sent Kiyoshi flying before slamming him into the ground.
Akira's eyes widened. "Kiyoshi!"
Water surged from his palms as he leaped forward, creating a thin blade of pressurized liquid. He slashed at Brian's stretched arm, forcing him to retract it before the water could slice through.
Brian whistled. "Whoa, that's sharp. I like that."
He lunged forward, his legs stretching unnaturally as he closed the gap in a blink. His hardened fist came swinging at Akira.
Boom!
Akira barely managed to raise a shield of water, but the impact sent him skidding backward.
Kiyoshi got back on his feet, wiping blood from his lip. His flames burned brighter. "He's tough."
Akira smirked. "Yeah, but I bet he's got a weak spot."
Brian cracked his neck. "Why don't you find out?"
Akira took a deep breath, feeling the rush of mana surge through him. Water swirled around his hands, condensing into two glowing water orbs. The liquid shimmered like polished glass, pulsating with power.
Brian tilted his head, watching with curiosity. "Ooooh, what's this? Gonna hit me with bubbles?"
Akira smirked. "Something like that."
With a flick of his wrists, he hurled the water balls straight at Brian's face. The second they made contact—
SPLASH!
A sudden burst of blinding mist exploded, drenching Brian's eyes.
"Gah—! What the—?" Brian stumbled backward, rubbing his face as the water clung to him like thick fog, blocking his vision.
Kiyoshi didn't waste a second. He raised both hands, flames roaring to life. Twin fireballs ignited in his palms, burning fiercely.
"Your turn," he muttered, eyes narrowing.
Before Brian could recover, Kiyoshi launched the fireballs forward. The flames spiraled through the air, illuminating the mist in a golden glow—
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed Brian in a blaze, forcing him to stagger back even more. Smoke billowed around him.
But then—
A deep, creaking sound echoed through the street.
Akira's eyes widened. "No way…"
Brian's body began to grow.
Vines and leaves sprouted from his arms and legs as his form stretched taller and taller. His limbs elongated like twisting branches, his skin hardened with thick wooden layers, and his head nearly reached the rooftops.
When the smoke cleared, Brian grinned down at them, towering like a tree. His wooden body looked nearly indestructible.
"Well," he chuckled, his voice deeper now. "That was fun, but I think it's my turn."
His giant fist swung downward, aiming straight for Akira and Kiyoshi—
Akira and Kiyoshi jumped in opposite directions just as Brian's massive wooden fist smashed into the ground. BOOM! The pavement cracked, sending debris flying everywhere.
Akira rolled to his feet, panting. "Okay—this guy is way more annoying than I thought."
Kiyoshi's flames flared around his hands as he stood up, eyes sharp. "We can't take him down with normal attacks. We need a new plan."
Brian stretched his massive arm again, swinging at Akira like a giant wooden whip. Akira barely managed to leap over it, but the force of the wind sent him spinning midair.
"Whoa—!"
Before he could land, Brian's other arm shot out, catching him in midair. The wooden grip squeezed tight around his body.
"Gotcha," Brian grinned.
Akira struggled, his breath hitching as Brian's grip tightened. "Not… good…"
Kiyoshi's fists burned brighter. His eyes darted around, thinking fast. If Brian's body was reinforced with wood, then—
"Akira! Steam him!"
Akira's eyes widened. Of course!
Using what little movement he had, he summoned all his water—but instead of attacking, he directed it onto Kiyoshi. The water splashed over his brother's arms, soaking them.
Kiyoshi clenched his fists, igniting his flames hotter than before.
FWOOSH!
The water on his arms instantly turned into searing hot steam, filling the air around them. The thick mist engulfed Brian's body.
"Gah—?!" Brian coughed, his wooden skin absorbing the moisture. His tough armor weakened, growing softer and less durable.
Akira smirked. "Big mistake grabbing me."
Using the last of his strength, he condensed water inside Brian's hand—then froze it instantly.
CRACK!
Brian's fingers stiffened and shattered like brittle branches, forcing him to release Akira.
"AGH—!" Brian stumbled back, shaking his hand as wooden splinters fell to the ground.
Akira landed hard, gasping for breath. "That… took way too much energy…"
Kiyoshi stepped forward, flames dancing in his hands. "Time to finish this."
Brian's grin faltered for the first time. "Ooooh… Maybe I overdid it."
Brian shrank back to his normal size, his towering wooden form collapsing into itself like vines retracting. His grin returned, but his eyes burned with determination.
"Alright, fine," he said. "Let's see if you can handle this."
With a flick of his wrist, sharp wooden spikes sprouted from his palms. They gleamed under the streetlights, resembling jagged daggers.
Kiyoshi's flames flared up. Akira forced himself to stand, preparing another water attack.
Brian lunged—
THOOM.
A heavy sound echoed through the street.
Brian froze.
A giant hammer rested lazily on the ground beside him, its head larger than his torso.
The air suddenly felt heavier.
Slowly, Brian turned his head—
Oddy stood there, holding the hammer with one hand.
His usual relaxed expression remained, but his presence alone sent a cold chill down Brian's spine.
Brian swallowed. "Uh…"
Oddy tilted his head. "You still fighting?"
Brian dropped his wooden spikes immediately.
"N-Nope! Actually, I was just about to leave," Brian said, raising his hands. "You know what? Fighting isn't really my thing. I think I'll, uh… take a vacation."
Then—he turned and bolted.
Akira blinked. "Wait, what?"
Kiyoshi stared as Brian disappeared down the street, running like his life depended on it.
Oddy yawned, resting the hammer on his shoulder. "Huh. Thought he'd last longer."
Akira let out a wheeze. "Dude. You didn't even do anything."
Oddy grinned. "Didn't have to."
Kiyoshi sighed, letting his flames fade. "At least that's over."
Akira sat down on the cracked pavement. "Man, I need food after this."
Oddy smirked. "Let's go, then."
With Brian gone, the three of them walked off into the night—leaving behind the wrecked street as proof of their battle.
(End of Chapter.)