Inside the hall.
Everyone present—Almy, Ethan ,Mousta, Khaled—stares at Connor in shock.
Maru stands alert, eyes sharp.
Stan waits at the door, confused, not understanding what just happened.
Connor stands with no injuries… but clearly in pain.
Connor, with a wide sinister grin showing his serrated teeth:
"Oh? You were about to end it?! Sorry… I'm not done having fun."
Khaled slips back into a fighting stance and pulls out his axe again.
Khaled, in his head:
"His scales… so that's it. They give him insane protection."
The two start walking toward each other—
but just before they clash, a loud bell rings through the hall!
Mousta checks his watch:
"Fight's over."
Connor:
"What?! … We just started!"
Mousta :
"Three minutes only. It's a test fight, kid."
Connor, disappointed:
"That was just a warm-up."
Khaled looks at him with a smile:
"This was just to see your skill and level, Connor. And it looks like you might become one of our best fighters."
Connor shifts back to full human form, completely unfazed:
"Yeah, yeah… whatever."
Khaled laughs:
"You're really hungry for a fight. Don't worry—there are plenty of battles coming. You'll get your fill."
He turns toward the group:
"Alright! Now… who's taking on Ethan ?"
(He speaks to Stan and Mousta.)
Stan and Mousta exchange a glance.
Mousta to Stan:
"Let me test him. I'll leave Maru for you."
Stan:
"As you wish, brother."
On the other side, Connor leans toward Ethan mockingly:
"Careful. You're about to face a buffalo, man."
Ethan, nervous in front of Connor:
"…I'm dead."
Both enter the circular arena, lit by a bright white spotlight, waiting for Khaled's signal.
Almy watches from the stands, her eyes sharp, filled with curiosity and a hint of admiration for Ethan.
In her Mind :
"What's his power, I wonder?"
Maru and Stan sit across from each other, silently observing.
Connor sits next to them, still aching from Khaled's earlier strike.
Khaled sets the timer to three minutes.
The bell rings—
Fight start.
Mousta steps in with heavy strides, broad shoulders, fists clenched, eyes calm and disciplined—pure military experience radiating from him.
Ethan stands opposite him, breathing deep. Tiny droplets of water float around his hands.
Mousta, low and strict:
"Three minutes… Show me you deserve to fight with us."
Ethan, trying to steady himself:
"I'll try my best… just don't go too easy on me."
Ethan scans the hall quickly, searching for any water source.
He spots barrels filled with water at the edges of the hall and near the stands.
He moves fast, pulling water from the barrels toward him—
but at that exact moment, Mousta charges forward and throws a punch at him.
Ethan forms a small water circle around his foot and darts away instantly.
Mousta:
"Don't run… attack me head-on!"
Ethan, striking with a sharp water string:
"Yeah no—getting close to someone your size is suicide."
The water hits Mousta's chest…
He doesn't even budge.
Mousta, annoyingly calm:
"This? Warm. Like a morning shower."
In the stands, Almy types notes about Ethan, thinking:
"He controls water! That's rare."
Ethan lifts his arm, creating a small wave that wraps around Mousta, trying to pull him.
Mousta plants his foot deep into the ground.
The wave breaks uselessly against his solid body.
Mousta raises an eyebrow, smirking:
"Relax… I won't need more than 10% of my strength."
Ethan, breathing hard:
"I'm trying… but you're— you're heavy like a mountain!"
Mousta charges suddenly:
"Real fights don't wait for you to adapt!"
He slams his fist into the ground. Dust explodes upward.
Ethan retreats quickly, wrapping spinning water around himself like a shield.
Maru reacts quietly:
"…Wow."
His eyebrows lift at Mousta's power.
Stan analyzes calmly:
"Ethan's not weak. He just needs to learn how to use water in close combat."
Connor laughs mockingly at Ethan dodging around Mousta.
Khaled, arms crossed, watching:
"Stan's right. Ethan's strength is long-range combat. If Mousta grabs him, it's over."
Ethan forms a water spear and fires it like lightning.
It pierces Mousta's shoulder—
then explodes into water.
Mousta stops.
Looks at his shoulder.
Smiles for the first time.
Mousta:
"Now we're talking…"
He charges at Ethan like a human tank, heavy steps echoing loudly.
Connor scoffs, half impressed:
"Damn. He moves like a mammoth!"
Ethan gathers water from the floor and air, a big wave spiraling around him.
Mousta braces:
"Alright… show me everything."
Ethan fires a compressed water blast like an arrow.
Mousta lifts his arm and takes the hit—the water bends around him without knocking him back.
Ethan, shocked:
"Impossible… that's my strongest attack!"
Connor, from the seats:
"He has no chance."
Stan:
"No—he just needs focus. He's actually good."
Connor:
"Are you blind?! His attacks don't even move Mousta!"
Khaled:
"Stan's right. He's scared and tense—that's why his attacks are weak."
Khaled raises his voice so Ethan hears:
"Ethan! Focus. Stop panicking. Think of this as a performance test. Mousta won't hurt you—this isn't a real fight!"
Ethan hears him, still panting hard.
Mousta stands a few meters away:
"Your strength isn't in force… it's in timing and control."
Ethan hears both of them.
He closes his eyes for a moment, trying to shake off the anxiety.
In his mind :
"It's just training."
Then he lifts the water around him—
and it flows like a painting:
Circles.
Waves.
Patterns forming in perfect harmony.
Droplets shining in the air like tiny stars.
Almy watches, amazed:
"Wow… the way he moves. It's beautiful… it feels emotional. He's incredible."
The seated trio—Maru, Connor, Stan—are stunned.
Maru speaks for the first time:
"That's amazing."
Khaled:
"Looks like an art performance!"
Stan:
"He's a real artist!"
Mousta stands like a mountain before him, arms crossed, a small smile on his face:
"Alright… now that's interesting."
Ethan begins striking—
each attack flowing with choreographed beauty.
Mousta blocks them, but this time he actually has to use effort.
They're sharper, more precise, stronger.
But then—
DING!
The bell rings. Time's up.
Mousta stops right in front of him.
The water collapses around Ethan, who is gasping for air.
Mousta extends a hand:
"You're not weak. You just don't trust the water you command.
Train with me for 60 days…
and I'll turn you into a monster."
Ethan, giving a nervous smile:
"Sixty days with you? … That sounds like torture, not training."
Mousta chuckles:
"You'll thank me someday."
Khaled approaches Ethan.
Khaled:
"I'm proud of you. I loved those last moments—your fighting style is unique. You just need practice to sharpen it."
Stan joins in:
"Yeah, true. But there's one weakness… something only I noticed."
Khaled turns to him:
"What is it?"
Stan:
"He needs to learn close-range combat. And what to do when there's no water source. I noticed he kept trying to create distance from Mousta."
Khaled:
"You're right. That's a sharp analysis."
Then to Ethan:
"But don't worry—you'll learn all that here."
Ethan smiles gently:
"Thank you… all of you."
Still catching his breath, he looks up toward the seats—toward Almy.
Their eyes meet.
She smiles softly from afar.
He lowers his head and sits down next to Connor.
Connor:
"Still alive? That's a miracle. Hahaha—just kidding.
But hey, I actually liked your fighting style… even if it was weak."
Khaled turns to Mousta:
"Now… we test your friend."
He glances at Maru, sitting silently.
Mousta:
"Yeah."
He calls out:
"Maru! Your turn. Come on—show them what you can do."
Mousta to Stan:
"You're fighting him?."
Stan:
"Of course. As you wish, brother."
Maru and Stan stand face-to-face, a few meters apart.
Khaled:
"What's your name, bro?"
Maru, gentle and calm:
"I'm Maru Yang."
Khaled:
"Honored to have you with us. I'm Khaled Saiden."
Stan:
"And I'm Stan Thorn. I'll go easy on you since you don't have any superpowers—don't worry."
He smiles kindly.
Everyone watches Maru…
silent, calm, eyes deep and unreadable.
Mousta stands in the corner, muttering to himself:
"Come on… show them what you've got."
"The episode is on fire! 🔥🔥
Etha shocked everyone, and Mousta showed us a whole new level of power.
What about you guys? What was the strongest moment for you? I want to see your reactions below!"
"And tell me—what do you think about Maro and Stan?
Does Maro even stand a chance against him?"