"Hehehehehe!"
Laughter echoed through the forest.
"What the hell are you laughing about?" A man asked, clenching his fists.
Spike slammed his fists together.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hit something!"
He grinned wildly.
"The name's Spike!"
"Let's give each other a damn good time!"
"Gregory."
Gregory calmly cracked his neck and lowered himself into a fighting stance.
"And you're too loud."
Spike's grin widened.
Gregory glanced around.
"You haven't even bothered to ask why you were separated from the others."
"Tehe."
Spike scoffed.
"I couldn't care less!"
He stomped his foot.
"They would've just gotten in my way anyway!"
"I see."
Gregory's expression remained calm.
"So you only care about fighting."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I don't hate that."
He lowered his stance.
"I enjoy combat too."
Then-
BOOM!
Gregory launched himself forward.
In an instant, he appeared directly in front of Spike.
His fist pulled back.
BANG!
BANG!
Two consecutive blows slammed into Spike's stomach.
Spike barely moved.
"More!"
He pounded his chest.
"MORE!"
BANG!
Gregory drove another punch into his stomach.
Spike grinned.
"That's it!"
"More!"
BANG!
Gregory's fist crashed into Spike's face.
The impact released a powerful shockwave that sent Spike's head snapping backward.
"Huh?"
Spike slowly brought his head back into position.
His grin returned.
"Is that all you've got?!"
He grabbed Gregory by the shoulder.
Then-
WHOOSH!
Spike slid one foot backward and pulled his fist behind him.
BANG!
His fist slammed into Gregory's body with devastating force.
Gregory was launched backward.
He tore through several trees before finally crashing into the ground beyond them.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Gregory emerged from the broken trees.
His breathing had become heavier.
But he was smiling.
"...You're strong."
He wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"What rank are you?"
"What does it matter?!" Spike shouted.
He cracked his neck.
"Just shut the hell up and fight, you shithead!"
With a wild grin, Spike grabbed the collar of his shirt.
RIIIP!
He tore it open and threw the ruined fabric aside.
A green diamond-shaped ring on his hand suddenly began to glow.
Gregory's eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
Spike's grin widened.
Gregory stepped forward.
He reached beneath his shirt and pulled out what appeared to be nothing more than a short metal rod.
He tightened his grip around the center.
Click.
The rod suddenly extended.
In an instant, it transformed into a long staff, a sharp blade emerging from one end.
The weapon gave off a faint hum.
Gregory grinned.
"Just as I thought."
His eyes shifted toward the glowing ring on Spike's hand.
"That ring is an Awakened Weapon, isn't it?"
Spike glanced at the staff in Gregory's hands.
His grin widened.
"So is that staff."
For a moment...
Neither man moved.
Then—
They charged.
The instant they closed the distance—
CLANG!
Gregory's staff collided with Spike's fist.
The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing.
Neither man gave ground.
Spike grinned.
Gregory's eyes narrowed.
Then Gregory twisted the staff.
The blade swept toward Spike's ribs.
Spike leaned backward.
The blade passed inches from his chest.
Before Gregory could recover, Spike stepped forward and threw a punch.
WHOOSH!
Gregory ducked beneath it.
The punch continued past him, tearing through the air with enough force to shake the nearby trees.
Gregory spun.
His staff swept low.
Spike jumped.
The blade passed beneath his feet.
While still airborne, Spike twisted his body and drove his heel toward Gregory's head.
Gregory raised the staff horizontally.
BANG!
The kick slammed into the weapon.
The force sent Gregory skidding backward.
Spike landed.
He immediately charged.
Gregory planted his staff into the ground.
Using it as leverage, he vaulted over Spike.
Spike looked up.
Too late.
Gregory twisted in midair and brought the staff down.
BANG!
Spike raised both arms.
The blade struck his guard and drove him into the ground.
Dust exploded outward.
Gregory landed lightly.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then—
BOOM!
Spike burst out of the dust.
His fist came straight for Gregory's face.
Gregory's eyes widened.
He crossed his staff in front of himself.
CRACK!
The punch slammed into the center of the staff.
The weapon bent under the force.
Gregory's feet left the ground.
He was launched backward.
But before he could crash into the trees—
He twisted.
His feet struck the trunk of a tree.
BOOM!
He pushed off.
The tree splintered beneath his feet as he shot back toward Spike.
The staff spun rapidly in his hands.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then—
CLANG!
The blade struck Spike's forearm.
Spike's grin vanished for a fraction of a second.
Gregory followed with a thrust.
Spike shifted his body.
The blade grazed past him.
He grabbed the staff.
Gregory's eyes widened.
Spike yanked.
The weapon nearly tore from his hands.
But Gregory released it.
He stepped forward instead.
His fist drove toward Spike's stomach.
BANG!
Spike absorbed the blow.
Then laughed.
"Hahahaha!"
He grabbed Gregory by the shoulder.
"Got you!"
He pulled Gregory toward him.
His other fist was already cocked back.
Gregory's expression changed.
He slammed his knee into Spike's stomach.
BAM!
Spike's grip loosened.
Gregory slipped free.
His staff was already spinning back toward him.
He caught it without looking.
The moment his fingers closed around it—
He swung.
WHOOSH!
Spike ducked.
The blade carved through the tree behind him.
CRACK!
The trunk split.
Spike glanced over his shoulder.
Then looked back at Gregory.
His grin slowly returned.
"Now that's more like it!"
Gregory smiled.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Spike clenched both fists.
The green diamond ring on his hand pulsed brightly.
"Let's keep going!"
Gregory lowered his staff.
"Gladly."
And once again—
They disappeared into the forest.
The two fighters tore through the forest, moving in opposite directions.
Branches snapped beneath their feet as they raced between the trees.
Neither slowed down.
Until—
The forest suddenly opened.
A vast lake stretched before them, its surface reflecting the moonlight.
Both men came to a sliding stop on opposite sides of the clearing.
Spike immediately launched himself forward.
He spun through the air and drove his foot toward Gregory.
BANG!
The kick caught Gregory squarely and sent him flying across the clearing.
He crashed through several trees on the opposite side of the lake.
But Gregory recovered almost instantly.
He pushed himself upright.
Without wasting a second, he grabbed his staff and threw it.
WHOOSH!
The weapon cut through the air.
Spike had just leaped over the lake when—
BANG!
The staff slammed into him midair.
"Gah—!"
Spike was sent flying backward.
He crashed into the base of a tree.
CRACK!
The trunk shook violently from the impact.
Gregory stood on the opposite shore, breathing heavily.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm.
"Tch."
He looked across the lake.
"This guy's becoming a real problem."
He took a deep breath.
"Good thing he's reckless."
SHK!
Gregory's eyes widened.
His body suddenly flew backward.
BANG!
He crashed into another tree.
His eyes slowly drifted downward.
A familiar weapon was sticking straight through his chest.
His own staff.
The weapon hummed faintly.
Gregory stared at it for a moment.
Then sighed.
"...It's okay."
He grabbed the staff.
"I know you didn't do it on purpose."
He pulled it free.
Then—
"Hahahahahaha!"
Spike's laughter echoed across the lake.
Gregory looked up.
Spike stood on the opposite side, completely unfazed.
"You're worth my time!"
He slammed his fists together.
"Come on!"
"Don't tell me you're done already!"
Gregory stared at him.
His breathing was heavier now.
They'd already been fighting for quite some time.
"We've been at this for a while..."
He wiped the sweat from his brow.
"How the hell does this guy still have so much energy?"
Spike's grin widened.
"What's wrong?"
"You getting tired?"
Gregory's eyes narrowed.
"...Not even close."
Spike laughed.
"Good answer."
He lowered his stance.
"Now come and prove it!"