*In a small lounge to the south of the underground stadium*
Carmalitta sat shaking on the wooden chair, a blue blanket carefully wrapping her as she struggled to calm down. Clara walked to her, offering a cup of coffee she had blended seconds ago, accompanied by two strawberry jam biscuits.
"Th-Thank you… Clara," Carmalitta said, her voice still audibly shaken.
Clara sat down on the seat opposite Carmalitta and spoke: "You know you can trust me with anything, right? Please, tell me what happened. What did you see?" she asked with a concerned but curious tone.
Carmalitta softly touched her forehead as her breathing slowly calmed. "That boy, Riko… no matter how pure he acts, his heart is driven by a bloodthirsty desire for revenge against someone. When I peered into his soul, I was mortified by the depths of sadness I felt; it was heartbreaking. I was unable to assess him entirely, but from what I saw, there was a man quite close to him once, whom Riko considered his father," Carmalitta said as she softly placed her palm on her chest, as if touching her heart.
"My heart aches for that poor boy. Someone took his world away from him; I don't know who, but a person killed the man Riko was close to. He yearns to capture and kill the person responsible to end his own suffering—a burden no child like him should feel," she added.
Clara had a serious expression. She could feel from the very beginning that Riko wasn't just strong; he had a hidden fuel within. If he were to become a Marked Mercenary, he would be outstanding in both ways, good or bad. A violent powerhouse would be effective but also detrimental, as it could threaten the ranks of the organization by endangering others.
"Exactly what did you see?" Clara asked, her dress with flower patterns waving elegantly.
Carmalitta closed her eyes, recounting the interaction. "I saw him scream and rage a hundred times over, many threats to his enemy accompanied by tears. It's clear now—that contestant Riko is not who he pretends to be," she exclaimed, looking to the side, ashamed that she passed Riko through the second test out of pity.
*Back in the stadium*
Albert wrapped himself in a soft towel handed to him by Jerak as he walked to the sidelines, still drenched. He caught a glimpse of Felix, who was smiling despite Mei's loss.
"Great job, Albert! That was a sick match," Riko cheered, chewing on chocolate candy. Jetore was now freaked out at how Riko seemingly had an infinite supply of the candy.
"Want me to heal your injuries?" Maddeline asked.
"No, thank you. They aren't that serious. Besides, we marked ones heal faster than normal people; you needn't waste your energy," Albert answered, sitting down.
Mei walked to the sidelines; she looked ashamed and humbled yet also impressed.
"Hahaha! You got your ass handed to you—not so strong now, huh?" Rennet taunted. To his comical annoyance, however, Mei paid him no mind, instead looking toward Felix.
"I'm sorry; I let my guard down and toyed around instead of finishing him," she said, looking down in shame.
Felix smiled before patting her head as if she were a toddler in need of validation—a move that both embarrassed and calmed Mei. "Nah, don't worry about it. You fought pretty well; he just outsmarted you, that's all—nothing to get upset over. Just beat his ass next time, got it!" he encouraged. Mei nodded.
The gesture was heartwarming enough to bring a smile from the others, even Jetore, though he snapped back and looked away before anyone noticed his smile.
"Alright, sissies! The final match is between Riko and Felix—get here now!" Jerak yelled, noticeably exhausted now.
The stadium went silent for a moment; even Mr. Kran looked intrigued. Riko and Felix smiled at each other like predators seeing their prey as they locked eyes and jumped onto the battle platform.
In an instant, the platform shifted into a small rocky atmosphere, with pools of molten hot lava surrounding the fighters. The heat and carbon dioxide from the lava were enough for any regular person to pass out; however, Felix and Riko were not regular people.
"So what's yer name, boy?" Felix asked, circling around as if getting familiar with the area.
"It's Riko, and I ain't letting anyone stop me here. What about you, old man?" Riko asked with a determined smile.
"Old man? Relax, I'm only twenty-five. But the name's Felix, and I've been itching to fight just like you, kid," Felix answered, his eyes staring down at Riko.
In an instant, Riko's right leg morphed into a bionic metal leg, with jet boosters on the back and heavy laser blades in the front, as he launched a propelled kick with incredible force. Felix blocked it immediately, though he experienced recoil from holding the brunt of the attack.
"That's a neat move, kid, and that kick had some good force behind it. Looks like you'll last long," Felix said with a smirk.
"I'll knock that smirk right off!" Riko declared.
But before he could work on that declaration, Felix flashed in front and launched a large kick of his own that Riko met with his leg in defense. The clash sent intense force pushing Jerak back as the lava around splashed up, creating hazards.
The other contestants were at a loss for words. "T-the hell—the engineer brat's this strong?!" Jetore said with a shaky voice.
Albert, too, was shocked, though not as much as Jetore. "It seems we'll be witnessing a battle between monsters," said Albert.
"No way—that guy with the goofy goggles on his head's actually able to fight Felix?" Rennet asked with an impressed but concerned tone.
Mei was caught off guard; she expected Riko to have been pushed out of the platform from taking the force of Felix's kick. She calmed herself slowly.
"I'll admit that boy is stronger than we thought, but you're forgetting the experience and strength Felix has; he's never lost a battle before. Furthermore, don't forget—he was gifted a very special power by Vesterious, a unique passion mark," she said.
Back on the platform, Riko panted for a bit before collapsing, his bionically formed leg shattered and broken, electricity sparks appearing around. None of Riko's offensive creations had ever been destroyed by brute force from his enemy before, and certainly not from a single hit. For the first time in a long time, Riko was shocked.
"I'm impressed you blocked my kick. Still, though, I expected more. As a Marked Mercenary, you'd eventually run into enemies—whether strange otherworldly beasts like a clawroo, or even other marked ones that are even tougher than me. You need more time, kid," Felix said. The comment damaged Riko's ego, though he knew it was correct.
Riko stood up with a smile. "Shut it already; we're fighting, you know?" Riko replied, weary but still excited.
Felix smiled, indulging Riko's attitude. "Fair enough, but let me ask you a question—do you like animals? Actually, scratch that; it's rhetorical because after this, you'll hate them," Felix said.
Suddenly, his hair glowed white and grew out wildly before flaring up like fire. His eyes grew a fearsome and predatory scarlet glow as he grew razor-sharp fangs and teeth. His already beefy arms enlarged as the skin on them appeared to grow reptilian, rocky scales accompanied by some fur on his elbows as his form shifted; his fingernails grew long and sharp like claws. A passion mark on his chin depicting the symbol of a lion glowed red.
"This is the power of the Mark of the Beast. What do you think of my initial beast form?" Felix asked with a furious voice that shook the platform, causing more lava to spill onto it.
Riko didn't answer; he was too shook to answer, but still determined to win. Jet propellers formed and grew from his back as he took an aerial approach. Riko's right arm turned into a mechanical minigun as he fired a fury of shots. Acting quickly, Felix dug his arm deep into the rocky surface, breaking off a chunk by force before shielding himself from the blazing gunshots.
The smoke formed from Riko's barrage was detrimental as it faded visibility. Before he could react, Felix flashed from the smoke, grabbing Riko in the air.
"I admire your enthusiasm, kid!" Felix shouted before throwing Riko away, hoping for him to fall out of the platform.
"Shit!" Felix said in worry, noticing his miscalculation. Riko struggled against the air as he plummeted down towards the bubbling golden inferno of the lava instead of the edge of the battle area—an accidental death sentence.
"Riko!!" Albert shouted desperately as he stood.
However, Maddeline dashed by, sprinting as she lept up into the battle area before delivering a precise kick to Riko's back with her woman boots, the heels stabbing into Riko uncomfortably as he grunted. The force pushed Riko back in as he landed on a small rocky platform surrounded by the lava, next to Maddeline, who had just saved him.
"Good work and thank you, Maddeline. I was too far and would've failed; he would've died if not for your quick action," Mr. Kran said, his respectful demeanor toward her seeming unnatural to Jetore and Rennet, who scoffed.
Maddeline smirked as she stood over the panting Riko. She gazed back and spoke: "Just doin' my job, sir," she said.
The answer was unexpected to everyone except Albert. "Job? The hell are you—?" Jetore was interrupted by Albert, who paid him no mind.
"Just as I thought. Maddeline is a plant by the Marked Mercenaries; she isn't a contestant—she's already a member of the organization. It appears she was planted in to pretend to be a rookie to keep an eye on some of us and ensure no one is badly injured or killed," Albert deduced. Maddeline wasn't worried; she already knew he'd figured her out earlier.
Felix looked at Kran with disgust, his initial beast form still activated. "So you were aware of the fact people could die, aye?" he asked.
Mr. Kran pushed up his glasses with an uncaring gaze. "Continue your match; our ethics are none of your concern," he said.
Riko stood up, pushing Maddeline away, who tried to help him. "Look here, you bastard! I ain't done with you!" he shouted.
Riko's passion mark glowed a brighter blue as he touched the ground. His arm shifted into a large mechanical arm spanning three meters; electricity flowed around it as some of the rocks on the ground attached and morphed into parts of his arm.
"Machine King's arm!" Riko shouted as he jumped toward Felix, smashing the ground with his enlarged rocky mechanical arm. Felix dodged and blitzed in the air; with a single slash from his blade-like nails, part of the rocky platform was cut like butter, and swirling blades of air force collided into Riko's giant mechanical arm, shattering it as it combusted.
"Pretty neat technique, but can you handle this?" Felix taunted as he gave Riko no time to react, flashing through the air at incredible speed before punching Riko in the stomach, causing him to cough blood.
Riko used this window to generate a laser cannon on his left arm and blast Felix at point-blank range instantly. Felix was pushed back; the blast hurt him despite the seeming lack of intense damage. His mouth bled, and he sustained a small burn mark; however, this made him smile from the thrill more as Felix and Riko blitzed around, exchanging blows, delivering kicks, punches, uppercuts, and slashes. Though Riko was overwhelmed, he held his own—something that gained respect from Felix.
The force of the battle and multiple collisions of firepower caused the foundation to crumble as the lava splashed up, narrowly missing Riko, who fell back, bleeding from the thrashing. Felix stumbled over, grabbing Riko and pulling him up, holding him firm in his beastly grasp.
"L-Let me go! This is nothing!" Riko struggled, trying to break free from Felix's grasp.
Albert, Jetore, and even Maddeline watched in shock, wondering if this was the same Riko they'd fought through the labyrinth with.
"The engineer kid was always freaky, but never pathetic. His nonchalant attitude annoyed me just as much as his excitement over small things, but I didn't expect the loser to flail around so pathetically in a fight. He's out of his league," Jetore commented, pitying Riko.
Albert watched and thought to himself: *Show them, Riko. When you spoke to me, you had the same eyes and kind smile as my brother… please prove to me again. Don't tell me this is who you really are.*
Riko struggled desperately; the thought of losing caused him to act out like a monster. It was almost poetic to see Riko act like the beast while being held by one.
Felix had a somber but serious expression. "Tell me, kid—you don't like losing, do ya? It scares you, doesn't it? Well, before I throw you out of bounds, tell me what you're after. What's had you so worked up?" asked Felix.
Tears of sorrow slowly ran from Riko's eyes. "I-if I… become a Marked Mercenary, I can finally get leads—leads on the bastard who killed the only person I thought of as family! I'll slaughter him, make him suffer for what he did to Zephyr!" Riko shouted with his lungs.
The confession silenced everyone. Albert retained a sad expression, feeling guilty for not noticing anything earlier. He had relied on Riko to get through troubles and help him mend his pain but never once considered if Riko had pain himself. The feeling of losing someone important was not new to Albert, nor was it to Jetore.
"Zephyr, huh? A father figure? So I take it you're an orphan, huh," Felix said.
*9 years ago in a junk yard*
A six-year-old Riko limped through the area, clutching his right arm that sustained a wound and was bleeding. He carried a bag on his back full of random materials and scraps he found lying around. Riko had no family for as long as he could remember; he'd been raised in an orphanage for the first few years of his life. The other children didn't like him; no one did.
Riko never knew the full details, but he was born from a criminal who had claimed many innocent lives—a serial killer who had been put to death shortly after Riko's birth. The pain the people around him felt from their loved ones ripped away caused them to abuse Riko. He was beaten many times, starved, or cursed for existing from the moment he began to speak, and these experiences crushed his tiny heart. Though he stopped caring eventually, from birth he had a love of crafting, building, and making small machines or objects; he found comfort in this passion as it welcomed him more than people did.
Riko's bag fell as he collapsed to the hard ground from exhaustion; he wanted to cry but couldn't—it was a waste of energy. He wondered if engineering tools existed in heaven as he closed his eyes and lost consciousness, lying in the junk yard.
"Heyyyy, I was gonna ask if you eat meattt!!" a grown voice yelled, shaking Riko as he awoke. He was shocked to see bandages around his body as he found himself on a bed in a small shack. Riko jumped up to see a middle-aged man with bushy hair tied back, messy facial hair growing on his chin, and an aged cloak accompanied by a sweatshirt and black pants.
"I asked you a question, kid," the man said.
"W-who are you?!" demanded Riko, looking defensive.
"The name's Zephyr, and I'm not very well off, so don't expect much, but I'll give you what I can. What's your name?" the man asked with a smile.
"I'm… Riko. Why did you help me?" Riko softly asked, his body crumbling back into the sheets.
"Bahhh! Do you think I'm that bad? I saw a small kid in trouble and did what any other guy would do. And who the hell even hurt you? You want me to teach you a few moves to beat their asses next time? Huh!?" Zephyr said jokingly. "By the way, what's with that bag? It's got a bunch of junk in it," he asked, pointing to Riko's small pouch of a bag he'd placed beside the bed.
"It's my parts; I wanna make a flashlight," Riko answered as he slowly got off the bed.
"Aye, you like engineering, huh? You're a bright kid, but it looks like ye don't have any parents, huh? Wanna crash with me? It'll be fun," Zephyr asked, not that he was giving Riko any choice.
Riko was shocked. After all, no one had ever been kind to him, no one had ever wanted to be around him, and no one had ever supported his passion for creating things before.
"Aww, is the little kid crying???" Zephyr said in a taunting tone.
"Shut up, old man; I'd never cry!" Riko exploded.
For a couple of years, Zephyr raised Riko to fight to achieve his beliefs but also how to respect and help other people's beliefs. Despite how dismissive he acted, Riko loved Zephyr and saw him as the only real family he'd ever have. Zephyr bought him books and taught him to read and learn engineering when he was sad, and when Zephyr struggled to earn enough to put food on the table, Riko would make it his goal to build something that would help, like a massaging chair, to take care of stress. The father-son duo went through many shenanigans but never looked back; they had each other, after all.
Riko had eventually found a dream to work for and someone to make proud. He wanted to engineer things that could help people and to beat down criminals; he wanted to engineer a bright future with his own hands.
The pale light of the moon shone dimly on a particular night; the sound of clanking and screwing could be heard in the garage as Riko worked, making a headlight for Zephyr so he could see clearly when walking at night. Suddenly, Riko felt an eerie sensation wash over him as he dropped his wrench. A voice whispered: "I admire your passion for engineering; let me grant you a gift so that you can be delivered into greater heights."
Riko looked behind him to see Vesterious, a strange, unexplained supernatural being. It was humanoid but had large bat-shaped wings that seemingly showed images of the universe; it had pale white skin with long black nails and long arms extending down as it slouched over. A heavenly halo glowed above its head accompanied by strands of mystical hair that projected glimpses of stars. Riko was unable to move as Vesterious approached, touching his soft left cheek with the tip of a fingernail as light erupted. Riko felt his body become enchanted; though it was unexplainable, it wasn't exactly magical.
As Riko awoke, he heard an explosion near the shack. His heart beat at an unhealthy rate as he ran. Riko's once lit and happy eyes were twisted into animosity and sorrow as he saw Zephyr bleeding, clutching to a figure he couldn't make out. Zephyr left a patient smile as he looked back at Riko before falling down. The figure jumped and disappeared as Riko cried.
"Hey—this isn't funny—Old man!!" Riko cried.
Zephyr coughed blood before patting Riko's head. "L-listen to me… keep engineering. I know you can do it… make a new world," Zephyr said—his last words—before he fell lifeless.
Riko raged, his passion mark glowing, the feeling of the presence of Zephyr's killer engrained into his memory. "I'll kill you! You bastard! No matter where you go! I'll make sure you regret everything—do you hear me!!!" Riko screamed.
That day, the engineer rose, but his heart sank.