Sho leaned against the wall, still catching his breath from his intense battle with Mon. The waiting room felt eerily quiet compared to the roaring Colosseum outside. His body ached, and fatigue weighed him down, but his mind was restless. Mon's power was terrifying—far beyond anything Sho had encountered before.
As he sat there, Kyoko walked in, her eyes filled with concern. "You still in pain?" she asked, taking a seat beside him.
Sho let out a tired chuckle. "More than I'd like to admit."
Kyoko folded her arms. "Mon is strong. It's no surprise since he's the leader of the Tsukigiri Clan. But I didn't expect him to be that overwhelming."
Sho exhaled. "Yeah… I think he's stronger than Joe. Maybe even twice as strong."
Kyoko frowned. "That's terrifying."
Before they could continue, the door creaked open again. A young man with short, spiky red hair and sharp golden eyes stepped inside. He adjusted his glasses with a smirk.
"Looks like you barely made it out alive, Sho."
Sho turned toward him and grinned. "Kuki! Took you long enough to show up."
Kyoko raised an eyebrow as she looked between the two. Who was this guy?
Sho noticed her confused expression and quickly stood up, ignoring the soreness in his body. "Kyoko, this is Kuki Kazan. My childhood friend and a warrior from the Kazan Clan. We grew up together."
Kyoko blinked in surprise. "Childhood friend?"
Kuki nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Yep. Sho and I have been through a lot since we were kids. We trained together, fought together, and even got in trouble together."
Sho smirked. "Mostly because of you."
Kuki chuckled. "Hey, don't act like you were innocent either."
Kyoko watched their interaction with curiosity. It was rare to see Sho so relaxed with someone. He was always serious about battles, always focused. But with Kuki, it was different—there was history here.
"So, Kuki… from the Kazan Clan, huh?" Kyoko finally said. "You guys specialize in fire and earth techniques, right?"
Kuki nodded. "That's right. We're known for our explosive power." He then turned to Sho. "I saw your fight with Mon. That was brutal."
Sho sighed. "Yeah. He's a monster."
Kuki's expression turned serious. "His power level is 80,000, Sho. That's not something you can just overcome with strategy alone."
Kyoko's eyes widened. "Wait, you knew his power level?"
Kuki nodded. "Of course. I've been analyzing all the fighters here."
Sho, however, barely reacted. He just nodded. "Yeah… I figured it was something like that."
Kyoko stared at him. "That's it? You're not shocked?"
Sho smirked slightly. "After fighting him, I already knew he was way above me. The number just confirms it."
Kyoko exhaled. "And the difference between me and him is…?"
Kuki adjusted his glasses again. "40,000 or 50,000"
Kyoko clenched her fists. That much?
Sho noticed her troubled expression and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Power levels aren't everything, Kyoko. Strength isn't just about numbers."
Kuki grinned. "Sho's right. Even if Mon is stronger now, that doesn't mean he'll always be ahead."
Kyoko exhaled, nodding. "I guess you guys are right."
Sho looked at Kuki with a smirk. "So, are you in the tournament?"
Kuki smirked back. "Of course. And if we end up fighting, don't expect me to go easy on you."
Sho grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Kyoko crossed her arms and smiled slightly. "This is going to be interesting."
As they stood there, the tension from before started to fade. The battles ahead would be difficult, but Sho felt a renewed sense of strength. He wasn't alone in this.
And no matter what, he would keep fighting.