The Zodiac, who addressed himself as Leo, stepped closer. His gait lazy but predatory. He was Mikey's height, lean but carved, every muscle along his arms and neck defined like a weapon. Several scars lined his throat and jaw, catching the light like pale threads. His hazel eyes glimmered with the kind of hunger that wasn't just for blood—it was for the thrill of the game. Amelia pulled her knife back up and shifted her stance, ready to fight even if it killed her. He tilted his head at the blade, lips quirking upward, that raspy giggle slipping out again.
"You gonna use that on me?" he taunted. "You wanna hurt me? That ain't very nice of ya."
And in that moment, Tobi felt the air around them shift—not because the Zodiac was the biggest or strongest they'd seen, but because he moved like he enjoyed it. Like every drop of blood was his favorite kind of entertainment. Tobi stepped forward despite the tremble in his legs, every nerve in his body screaming at him to run. It was like standing too close to a wild animal—an apex predator that could tear him apart in an instant. His voice cracked when he spoke.
"G-Get away from her…"
Leo turned lazily, as if the words had been a breeze brushing past his ear. His hazel eyes glimmered with something sickeningly playful, like this was all a game. "I didn't even see ya there," he said, laughter spilling out of him like it couldn't be helped. He was still standing right in front of Amelia, his body loose, his guard down, as if nothing she could do would matter.
Amelia moved first. She flipped the knife in her hand, her wrist snapping the blade forward with speed and precision, aiming straight for his throat. For a heartbeat, it almost looked like it would land. But Leo's hand moved faster. He caught her forearm mid-thrust, his fingers digging into her skin like steel clamps. The sound of bone giving way filled the air as he squeezed until it cracked. She screamed out, dropping the knife as her knees nearly buckled beneath her.
His eyes never left Tobi. "Say… puppy eyes. Is this your woman?"
Tobi's breath hitched in his chest. "N-no… L-let her go."
Leo grinned wide, his teeth flashing beneath the soft orange light bleeding from the fires across the dome. "So, she's free. Don't mind if I take her with me, don't ya?"
Amelia snarled and slammed her elbow back toward his head. He tilted to the side each time, weaving lazily like a snake avoiding a stick. She spat on him, the saliva catching his cheek and dripping down to his jaw.
"Fuck you."
Leo chuckled softly, wiped the spit with his thumb, then licked it off like it was nothing. "You're no fun."
Then, with a sudden twist, her wrist snapped completely, a wet pop echoing in the stands. She screamed again, this time raw and hoarse, before he tossed her aside like she weighed nothing. She skidded across the steps, the breath knocked out of her, her knife clattering uselessly somewhere in the dark.
Tobi's heart pounded so hard it felt like it might rip through his ribs. He didn't even see Leo move—one moment he was near Amelia, the next he was in front of him, palm already cocked back and aimed for his throat. Tobi ducked on instinct alone, the wind of Leo's strike grazing past his cheek.
Leo's laugh was like broken glass dragged over stone. "So puppy eyes has instinct. How fun. But now, I'll ask you what I asked those soldiers. Where's your hideout?"
Tobi's head whipped toward Amelia. She was curled on the ground, holding her broken wrist, her breath ragged but still fighting to stay conscious. "Amelia!" he shouted. Then he turned back to Leo, teeth gritted, forcing the words through the fear. "S-s-screw you…"
Leo tilted his head, his grin widening, the corners of his mouth twitching with excitement. "I guess that's a no. You won't tell me. I'll beat it outta ya."
Before Tobi could move, Leo vanished from his sight. A heartbeat later, pain erupted in his stomach. One punch. Two. Three. Then more, faster than his eyes could follow. His ribs folded beneath the barrage as if he were nothing more than a training dummy. His breath caught in his chest like it was trapped. His knees gave out just as Leo's palm slammed into his throat, choking out any air he had left.
A sharp crack to the jaw sent his head snapping back, stars bursting in his vision, and then Leo jumped, twisted mid-air, and drove a brutal kick into Tobi's back. The force of it launched him off his feet. He crashed into Amelia, both of them hitting the ground hard, rolling down two rows of steps before they came to a stop in a tangle of limbs and broken breath.
Dust hung heavy in the air. Amelia forced herself onto her elbows despite the pain screaming in her wrist. Tobi coughed, clutching his ribs, struggling to keep his focus on the figure standing above them. Leo's shadow stretched across the steps, long and distorted. The Zodiac, Leo, tilted his head back and cracked his knuckles, his grin never faltering. "C'mon. Don't die too quick," he muttered, voice low, almost eager.
Their fight with a Zodiac had only just begun.