Storm had just smoked two grown men like expired cigarettes.
His confidence was in the sky, break-dancing with angels.
But the universe wasn't about to let him celebrate.
Because the arena… went silent.
Not the normal "oh wow" silent — no.
This was "the air feels like it's watching you" silent.
A figure stepped out of the darkness, slow, calm, and hateful.
Project B1.
Verix.
He didn't speak. Didn't blink. Didn't breathe loud.
He just walked straight toward Storm with that "I kill planets for cardio" energy.
Storm:Uhh… hello? You good bro? Can I call you Lord Mosquito seems like it would suit you?
Storm laughed nervously.
Verix didn't care.
As Verix walked past an injured warrior, the guy suddenly lifted off the ground choking on his own blood, blood that ripped itself out of his mouth and nose like it was obeying a master.
Storm froze: Oh… so THAT'S the type of villain we're dealing with.
Verix stopped a few meters away, head lowered, hair covering his face.
Then in a soft, calm, terrifying whisper:
Verix: Nice to meet you.
Storm's heart damn near left his body.
Storm: …nah. Nope. I'm black, I don't have to take this horror movie bullshit. I should just leave.
Verix: There is no forfeiting. Only winning… or not existing.
Storm snapped.
Storm: Aight I've had enough of your anime villain bullshit and oh heads up your about to get your ass whooped.
He dashed in phantom dashing at angles until the whole arena blurred—
Except Verix's body kept turning… following Storm… perfectly.
Storm's soul panicked like a cat near a bathtub.
Storm: BRO CAN YOU STOP LOOKING AT ME?! I can't even get close without my body dipping like it owes you money!
Up in the stands:
Mysterious Man 2: He's not running away automatically. Verix is controlling him.
Mysterious Man: And he senses Storm's blood. That's how he tracks him.
Storm wasnt having none of that — he was already scheming.
Storm: Aight… I just gotta be TOO fast. So fast even my blood can't keep up.
He went God-Like Speed.
Four delayed phantom dashes.
Too fast to track.
The hits landed CLEAN — chest, jaw, ribs, stomach — sending Verix flying.
Verix wiped blood off his mouth… and grinned.
That blood turned into spikes and launched at Storm at homing-missile speed.
Storm zig-zagged through the arena terrain — sliding between rocks, wall-running, flipping, the whole map exploding behind him.
The blood spikes finally blew up, giving Storm an opening.
He rocketed toward Verix—
But Verix dodged the punch, flipping back.
Storm skidded across the dirt.
Storm (thinking): Did this dude just DOUBLE JUMP? Nah this not fair.
Storm charged upward with a launch punch — fist smashing Verix in the stomach and sending him way into the sky.
Verix retaliated by detonating his own spilled blood mid-air, creating a massive explosion.
Storm barely avoided the center but his leg caught the blast.
He fell to the ground, one leg half-cooked and trembling.
Mysterious Man 2:He's weakened. Verix can control him easier now.
Verix raised a hand.
Storm's blood began to vibrate—
Storm refused to stop moving.
Even limping, sliding, crawling — he kept motion alive.
When Verix landed, Storm charged like a raging bull, tackled Verix, grabbed him mid-jump, and yeeted him into a mountain.
Electric pulses followed, blowing the cliff open and shaking the entire arena.
Storm sprinted into the smoke—
—blood spikes chased him—
—he ignored them like they were debt collectors—
He punched Verix at insane speed, some landing, some dodged—
Until the blood spikes closed in.
Verix smirked.
Storm looked doomed.
But Storm phantom dashed out at the last millisecond, leaving Verix to be nuked by his own spikes.
Verix exploded.
Storm tried to run—
His leg said "nah bro" and gave out.
Both were swallowed by the blast.
The air cleared.
A body fell from the sky.
Storm.
Motionless.
Was this the end?
Storm's memories flashed — family, uncle, home, everything.
Lightning surged.
BOOM.
He hit a superhero landing, electricity exploding around him.
He was still ALIVE.
Barely.
Verix was not.
Mysterious Man: WHY WON'T THIS KID FUCKING DIE?!
Mysterious Man 2: He keeps surprising me…
Storm stumbled, barely standing, electricity flickering like a dying phone battery.
The Mysterious Man snapped his fingers.
The entire arena and crowd vanished — except Storm and the two men.
Storm blinked at the emptiness.
Storm: …did I wi–n?
Mysterious Man: Not yet. There's still one opponent left.
Storm groaned.
Storm: Oh fucking hell when will this shit end, fuck it Who is it ?
The second Mysterious Man stepped into the light.
Storm's eyes widened.
Storm: Chase?
The man removed his cloak.
It wasn't Chase.
It was Mentor.
Storm: Mentor…? How could you betray me?
Mentor: A man's gotta do what he needs to do to survive.
Storm was too injured to stand straight.
Storm: after everything we've been through and I thought you were starting to warm up to me but all this time nothing but a lie
Storm: I can't fight you. I'm done… I'm finished…if I go any further im going to break something.
Mentor: You don't have a choice, kid.
Storm sighed, got to one knee, then forced himself up.
Storm: …fine.
Both of their bodies surged with electricity.
They dashed toward each other.
The screen faded black.