Chapter 49: Don't Rush
Upper Ruins — Iron Bastion
The dust hadn't even settled before Shinsei moved.
Not a stance or a warning just motion.
CRACK!
The first prisoner dropped neck twisted before he even realized she was in front of him.
Then—
SWOOSH!
She vanished and reappeared inside the crowd.
What followed was not a fight, it was a purge.
Western strikes brutal, direct and efficient.
KA-POW!
Elbows that shattered jaws.
KA-BAM!
Knees that caved in ribs.
THWACK!
Punches that echoed like gunshots.
RATATATATAT!
No wasted movement and no hesitation.
Then—
SWOOSH!
Southern forms.
Fluid relentless and unpredictable.
Her body flowed twisting and weaving, striking from impossible angles.
A kick—
CRACK!
Low, snapping a knee backwards.
"Uaarg!"
A palm—
SLAP!
Upward, crushing a throat.
"Oeeeii!"
A spin—
THWACK!
Clean dropping three at once.
THUD–THUD–THUD!
Five hundred prisoners and she moved through them like a blade through water.
FWOOOSH!
"CHARGE!"
They rushed her and fell.
CRASH!
BOOM!
BAM!
They surrounded her and broke.
KA-POW
THWACK!
SMACK!
They screamed and were silenced.
Bodies hit the ground one after another too fast to count.
THUD–THUD–THUD–THUD!
THUD–THUD–THUD–THWACK!
The battlefield turned into a graveyard of groaning men and she hadn't even broken a sweat.
Fwoosh!
She stopped.
SNAP–SNAP!
Cracked her neck.
"…Is this it?"
She felt pure disappointment.
Then—
FWOOSH!
A fist came flying.
CATCH!
She caught it without even looking.
Brandon.
She glanced at him—
"…Better."
He twisted—
SWIISH!
Trying to overpower her grip.
She let go—
Fwoo..
Only to drive her knee into his stomach.
BOOM!
SKREETCH!
He slid back skidding but didn't fall.
SWOOSH!
FWOO!
Champagne appeared from the side fast and precise, a strike aimed at her blind spot.
She tilted her head barely as the attack missed—
Fwoo....
Her elbow slammed into his ribs—
CRACK!
He grunted but stayed in.
Then Lightning cracked.
BZZTLE!
Monday.
He came in from above, charged a punch that was explosive.
She crossed her arms—
BOOOOM!!!
The impact shook the ground but she didn't move not an inch.
Smoke cleared she was still standing, looking at him.
"…Finally."
The three circled her.
Brandon wiped blood from his mouth, Champagne steadied his breathing and Monday's body sparked violently.
They understood that one-on-one would result in suicide.
But together they would stand a chance.
They moved simultaneously.
SWOOSH!
Brandon went first with heavy strikes, drawing her guard.
BAM–BAM–POW!
Champagne followed sharp, targeting only her openings.
THUD–THUD–THWACK!
Monday came last unpredictable, electric bursts forcing reactions.
FWOOM–FWOOSH–BAM!
For the first time, Shinsei stepped back.
A block—
Thud....
A deflect—
Fwoo...
A counter—
KA-POW!
But now she was working.
Brandon's punch caught her shoulder, Champagne's strike grazed her side and Monday's lightning forced her to guard fully.
SKREETCH!
She slid back boots grinding against rubble.
A small smile formed.
"…Now this…"
She rolled her shoulders—
"…is a fight."
Her aura shifted it became heavier, sharper and more dangerous.
SWIISH!
She lunged faster than before.
Brandon barely blocked his arms shook.
Champagne tried to counter but she slipped through with a palm strike.
BOOM!
He flew.
Monday attacked lightning bursting outward—
BZZTLE!
BZZZ!
She stepped into it and struck him mid-charge.
CRACK!
He hit the ground hard.
Even together they were losing ground slowly and inevitably.
Then—
CLANG!
A sound cut through everything metal familiar.
Shinsei stopped and turned.
At the edge of the раssaged stairway figures emerged from the smoke.
Stepping into the light armed and ready.
Daito.
Behind him.
Wei-Wan.
Fah-jin.
Wasabi.
Zachia.
Avenor.
Fully equipped, weapons in hand and energy restored.
Their presence was now different.
Zachia stepped forward, blade resting on his shoulder, grinning.
"…Round two."
Fah-jin spun her weapon into position, Wei-Wan exhaled slowly centering himself, Wasabi activated her gear systems humming, Avenor faded barely visible and Daito walked to the front Sword in hand.
Eyes locked on Shinsei were calm, focused and deadly.
"…You've had your fun."
Even the air got tense.
Shinsei looked at all of them, then smiled.
"…Good."
She stepped forward—
Step.....
"…Now all of you can come at once."
Behind her.....
High above Cassian leaned forward in his seat.
Coffee forgotten his eyes were gleaming.
Finally the real fight was about to begin.
* * *
The smoke sealed behind them.
No exits, no distractions just pure combat.
Shinsei stepped forward slowly, boots echoing once… twice… then silence.
Her stance was relaxed, too relaxed.
"Two at a time," Daito said quietly, eyes locked on her.
"Test her rhythm. Don't rush."
Monday smirked.
"Yeah… I don't do slow."
"Then learn fast."
First Wave: Monday & Aerin
Monday moved first no hesitation.
BRRZZZZTLE!
Lightning cracked across the floor as he burst forward, a straight-line blitz meant to overwhelm.
Aerin followed a heartbeat later low, silent, aiming for Shinsei's blind side.
Shinsei didn't move up until the last second.
She stepped into Monday's attack.
Fwoo....
Her hand snapped out a Western strike.
It was clean, direct and brutal.
Her fist collided with Monday's chest mid-surge—
BOOM!
The electricity scattered.
BZZZ!!
Monday was sent skidding back, boots tearing into steel.
Aerin struck from behind—
THWACK!
A blade aimed for Shinsei's spine but Shinsei pivoted seamlessly.
Her body flowed into a Southern form circular, fluid, redirecting force instead of meeting it.
She caught Aerin's wrist, twisted it, redirected and used Aerin's own momentum to slam her into the wall.
KA-BAM!
Two attacks and two counters effortlessly.
"…Next," Shinsei said.
Second Wave: Brandon & Champagne
"Oaarr!!"
Brandon roared, charging like a tank with raw power, no subtlety.
Champagne moved opposite light, fast, unpredictable.
"Pressure her!" Zachia called.
Brandon swung first with a heavy hook meant to break guard—
THUD!
Shinsei met it head-on.
Western style again, a short, explosive counterpunch with perfect timing.
Her fist struck Brandon's arm at the joint—
CRACK!
Not broken but disabled.
Before he could recover Champagne was already in.
FWOOSH!
KA–POW–PANG–BAM!
A flurry of strikes fast, precise but Shinsei shifted again.
Southern style, she didn't block.
She flowed every strike redirected and every movement absorbed.
Then—
KA–PANG!
A palm strike soft, controlled but deadly.
Champagne froze.
Then dropped to one knee, air gone from his lungs.
"…She's reading us," Wei-Wan whispered.
"No," Fah-jin narrowed his eyes.
"She's flexing on us."
Third Wave: Wei-Wan & Fah-jin
They moved together.
Not with brute force or speed, but with precision.
Wei-Wan attacked high, as Fah-jin went low—
FWOOSH!
Perfect synchronization.
For the first time Shinsei paused.
Then smiled as she stepped back just slightly and switched Western style, aggressive and intercepting.
She broke their rhythm before it formed—
FWOOSH!
A sharp elbow to Wei-Wan's shoulder—
CRACK!
A sweeping kick to Fah-jin's legs—
THUD!
Both hit the ground hard.
BOOM!
No wasted motion and no openings.
Silence fell again everyone was now heavy breathing with bruised bodies.
Bzz...
Monday stood back up, electricity flickering weaker now.
"…Okay," he exhaled, "she's different."
Daito stepped forward, calm and measured.
"You're not just reacting," he said.
"You're conquering the fight before we can adapt."
Shinsei tilted her head slightly.
"Finally."
She stepped toward him.
"I was wondering when you'd stop sending distractions."
Daito finally enters the fight.
No lightning, tricks nor illusions.
Just a blade.
To be continued...