Mishima Prefecture — Zenith Coliseum
The Zenith Coliseum towered above the outskirts of Mishima like a fortress, its steel arches cutting into the misty sky. Banners whipped in the wind — massive red letters spelling out:
G.O.D — GOD OF DESTRUCTION TOURNAMENT.
The four of them — Genji, Blaze, Xao Min, and Asumi — stood at the base of the main stairs, staring up.
Blaze whistled low.
"This place smells like blood and broken dreams."
Asumi cracked her knuckles, her breath steaming in the cold air.
"Good. Feels like home."
Genji tightened the strap on his gloves, his dragon spirit humming quietly inside his chest.
No turning back now.
Together, they ascended the stone stairs — every step a heartbeat pounding louder.
At the summit, rows of registration tables awaited, manned by grim-faced officials. Around them surged a tide of fighters — hundreds — from all corners of the world. The air throbbed with tension, the scent of sweat, leather, and ozone thick.
Each fighter radiated power.
Monsters in human skin.
One Rule burned overhead, written in black fire across a digital board:
No weapons. No mercy. No excuses.
The Registration Hall
Inside the hall, massive screens listed names already registered. Some names flashed in red — "ELIMINATED" — with notes like Disqualified during pre-registration brawls.
Xao Min's eyes widened.
"People are already dying?"
"Not dead," Asumi said flatly. "Yet."
Blaze bounced on his heels, electricity dancing in his fingertips.
"Man, this is it. World legends. Future kings and queens of martial arts. We're gonna—"
A BOOM shook the hall as two fighters crashed into a wall nearby, dust and concrete spraying outward.
An official barely looked up from his clipboard.
"Next!"
Genji exhaled slowly. Focus. Focus.
They approached the desk. A scarred man with cybernetic eyes scanned them.
"Names," he barked.
"Genji Takashima," Genji said.
"Blaze Kuronuma ," Blaze grinned.
"Xao Min Feng," Xao Min chirped.
"Asumi Maoshinara," Asumi said, arms crossed.
The official tapped his tablet.
"You're in. Bracket placements will be announced tomorrow. Don't die before then."
As they stepped away, a ripple of energy moved through the crowd.
Something — no, someone — was approaching.
The Rivals Emerge
First came a masked swordsman, cloaked in black, a single katana sheathed across his back. His aura was cold — colder than death itself.
Every step he took, fighters unconsciously moved aside, clearing a path like he was royalty.
A rumor whispered through the crowd:
"That's Kurosawa... The Phantom Blade."
Kurosawa paused at the registration desk. Without a word, he placed a bloodstained token on the table.
The official nodded grimly.
"Verified."
He turned away — and for the briefest moment, his masked gaze locked onto Genji.
A pressure like drowning slammed down on Genji's lungs.
Xao Min clutched his sleeve tightly, whispering,
"...He's a monster."
Before Genji could respond, another roar of excitement tore through the hall.
From the far entrance came a psycho boxer, bare-chested despite the cold, his body a tapestry of brutal scars. His fists were wrapped in black chains instead of tape, rattling with every step.
He laughed maniacally, punching the air — each punch creating sonic booms.
"WHO WANTS TO DIE?!" he howled, teeth gleaming like a wolf's.
Blaze's mouth fell open.
"Bro... that's Krieg. The Human Bomb."
Krieg headbutted an entire marble column, shattering it, before casually strolling to the registration desk — blood dripping down his forehead.
"No ID," he growled. "My fists are my passport."
The official — wisely — let him through.
Not a moment later, a chilling synchronized movement caught their eyes.
A twin duo — a boy and a girl, identical silver hair, identical emotionless faces. Their movements were so perfect, it was like they shared a single mind.
They wore lightweight, reinforced combat suits with a strange sigil stitched into the fabric — a serpent eating its own tail.
"They're the Gemini Twins," Asumi muttered. "Former black ops experiments. Fight like one body."
As they registered, the boy twin turned slightly — staring directly at Xao Min.
A cold smile ghosted his lips.
Xao Min shivered.
"I'm... not scared," she muttered.
Blaze elbowed her playfully.
"You're trembling, Penguin Queen."
She punched him in the ribs without looking.
Then — the floor vibrated.
An unnatural humming.
They turned — and saw a fighter striding in who wasn't human.
An android — sleek, chrome-armored, with blue circuits pulsing beneath translucent skin.
It moved with terrifying precision, scanning everything with glowing white eyes.
Rumor exploded instantly:
"That's A-01 — the Adaptive Unit. A killing machine built just for this tournament."
The android stopped at the desk, its voice modulating.
"Designation: A-01. Purpose: Combat Evolution. Registration: Confirmed."
Its mere presence made nearby humans sweat.
Genji clenched his fists.
If he hesitated even one second in front of a thing like that... he would die.
A Challenge in the Air
The tension inside the hall sharpened to a razor's edge.
Suddenly — Krieg, the psycho boxer, slammed his fists together and laughed.
"I don't give a damn about the brackets. I wanna kill someone now!"
He pointed — directly at Blaze.
"You! Lightning boy! Step up!"
Gasps rippled through the hall.
Blaze froze.
Genji stepped forward instinctively, but Blaze grinned wide.
"Nah, Genji. I got this."
He rolled his shoulders, sparks crackling around him.
Krieg cracked his knuckles, chains rattling.
"Outside. Now."
The First Clash
A massive circle formed outside the Coliseum as word spread.
"Unofficial match!" someone shouted. "First blood only!"
Krieg stomped into the center, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Blaze jogged in opposite, grinning like a lunatic.
Xao Min bit her nails.
"Is Blaze stupid?! Krieg is ranked top 20 worldwide!"
Asumi's eyes narrowed.
"He's not stupid. He's got something to prove."
The referee raised a hand.
"Start!"
Krieg charged.
Blaze barely sidestepped the first blow — an earth-shattering right hook — but the wind off it still stung his face.
Before he could counter, Krieg pivoted — left jab, uppercut, elbow smash — a brutal, berserker combo.
Blaze blocked two — the third crunched into his ribs.
He staggered back, coughing blood.
Krieg laughed.
"Too slow, little spark."
Blaze grinned, teeth bloody.
"You're too loud."
Suddenly — his aura exploded — the wolf spirit flaring to life, silver and blue.
He dodged Krieg's next charge with inhuman speed, pivoted low —
and unleashed a spinning electric roundhouse kick straight into Krieg's temple.
CRACK!
Krieg stumbled, blinking — then laughed again, blood trickling from his ear.
"I LIKE YOU!"
The referee rushed in, waving.
"First blood! Fight over!"
Boos and cheers erupted.
Blaze staggered back to the group, wiping blood from his mouth, still grinning like a maniac.
Genji clapped him on the back.
"You're crazy."
Blaze winked.
"And you're slow. Hope you keep up, Dragon Boy."
The Final Warning
As they returned inside, a massive screen flared to life above the hall.
An image appeared — a silhouette wreathed in golden light.
No name.
No face.
Only a message:
"He waits at the end of the path. Only the strongest will reach him. The Champion."
The screen glitched out with a screech.
The official cleared his throat.
"Brackets announced tomorrow. Be ready. Most of you won't survive the first day."
The fighters stared at each other — hundreds of warriors, killers, legends.
Hungry.
Ready.
No friends. No mercy.
Only blood.
Only glory.
Only survival.
To be continued.