Both of them stood still, neither making the first move. Each focused sharply on the other, reading, measuring, searching for weaknesses, like true martial artists.
Dona began circling to the left and right, eyeing her opponent at the far end of the arena. Her face was tense and vicious, the frustration of a bad morning still written all over it. Shima, on the other hand, looked the complete opposite, calm, fresh, even beauty. She inhaled deeply, exhaled, and stepped her right foot back while raising her left hand forward, assuming a perfect fighting stance.
Dona tilted her head. Something about this girl felt off.
"Shima, you look different from yesterday," she said, pacing back and forth. "Did you happen to find yourself a new teacher?"
Shima said nothing. Her eyes were locked on Dona's movements, sharp and unblinking, like a statue carved for the sole purpose of focus. Every shift of Dona's muscle, every breath, she observed it all.
"Why don't you answer me? Too scared to talk?" Dona smirked. "Fine. I'll make this fight more interesting. I could easily finish you off with my Broja power in one strike… but where's the fun in that? Let's enjoy this a little."
Still, Shima gave no reply. Her breathing stayed steady and deep, saving her energy for action, not words. Annoyed by the silence, Dona lunged forward, her fists flashing toward Shima's stomach in a blur.
She was fast, but not fast enough. With graceful precision, Shima sidestepped just slightly to the right and redirected Dona's body weight with a gentle parry, sending the woman stumbling and nearly losing balance. Shocked, Dona twisted her body and swung a hard right hook at Shima's head.
Shima blocked it effortlessly with her wrist. Another punch came flying from Dona's left, Shima dodged again. Frustrated, Dona swept low to knock Shima's legs out, but Shima jumped high into the air, using Dona's head as leverage for a stunning midair flip.
While still in the air, Dona prepared another punch to meet her, but before she could strike, Shima spun gracefully and smacked Dona's forehead with the palm of her hand. The impact rattled Dona's vision, her eyes went across in opposite directions, her body stiffened, and she froze for a few seconds with a ridiculous expression. Her legs twisted into an X-shape as the crowd burst into laughter.
"You little brat!" Dona yelled once she regained control. She lunged to grab Shima, but the girl had already leapt back to a safe distance, ready for the next attack.
"How dare you humiliate me in front of everyone!" Dona roared.
Instead of fear, Shima chuckled. "Just so you know, Dona, I've only been defending so far. I haven't even started attacking yet."
"Oh, are you pitying me now? Pathetic!" Dona spat on the ground. "I was going to make this quick, but forget it. I'll tear you apart piece by piece. I don't care if you surrender, I won't stop until I've broken every bone in your body. Even if Dumba himself begs me to stop, I won't!"
"Do whatever you want, Dona. I came here only to win."
"You'll regret this, little girl. Take this, the power of Broja!"
An invisible blast of energy shot toward Shima. She hesitated for a split second, remembering yesterday's victims, then rolled sideways. The blast missed her and slammed into the arena fence, leaving a gaping hole and a cloud of smoke.
Dona unleashed more Broja energy, rapid and relentless.
"How long will you keep running, Shima!?" she shouted.
Shima kept leaping and rolling across the field, dodging every beam. Some of the blasts even flew toward the audience seats, but Adrin had already raised an invisible energy shield, deflecting the projectiles into the sky.
Growing impatient, Dona pressed several buttons on the small pouch attached to her belt. The device began to hum louder. Adrin immediately realized what she was doing, she was setting Broja's power to 50%.
"This time, I won't hold back! Take this!" she screamed.
A massive, dense sphere of energy fired toward Shima. Too late to dodge, she drew in a sharp breath, channeled her energy into both palms, and struck the air with a powerful punch. The impact created an invisible barrier that met the Broja blast head-on. The collision triggered a huge explosion like a bomb, the entire stage collapsed as dust and shockwaves swept across the crowd. Panic erupted. Only Adrin remained calm, watching silently.
When the smoke cleared, the stage was gone. The fight continued in open ground, surrounded by villagers who returned to form a ring around them.
Shima stood unharmed. Her anti-Broja suit had absorbed the entire blast. Dona wasn't so lucky, the explosion had backfired, injuring her right shoulder, which she now clutched painfully.
"D-Damn it…" Dona trembled. "How are you still standing!?"
"Is that the best you can do?" Shima taunted.
"Don't get cocky, brat. I still have one last move."
This time, Dona pulled the Broja device off her belt entirely, a small, black cube the size of a matchbox. She no longer cared if people saw her using technology.
Before she could act, Adrin shouted from the front row, "Dona! Don't you dare use Broja at full power! It will kill you, and everyone around you!"
With blood trickling from her mouth, Dona smiled like a maniac. "Ha! Fuck you, old man. Try stopping me if you can!"
She pressed a sequence of buttons. The device whirred, its pitch rising to an unbearable screech. People clutched their ears. Just before she could hit the red button, Adrin leapt from his seat, moving faster than anyone could see, and in less than a second, he had snatched the Broja from Dona's hand and landed beside Shima.
The device went silent in his grip. Everyone stared, frozen, not because of what he did, but because of what he was.
The frail old man was gone. In his place stood a tall, muscular, strikingly handsome man radiating immense energy. His youthful form glowed under the sunlight.
The crowd was speechless. No one dared blink, afraid to miss the sight before them. Several of the village guards recognized his face, including Dona herself.
"Y-you… aren't you…" she stammered.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself properly," Adrin said, his voice calm yet commanding. "I am Adrin Sunaga, the envoy of peace. Herald of the First Human, Adam, to resolve the population crisis on this planet, Velstria!"