Kouga waited alone in the preparation room, the low hum of the holographic systems filling the silence. His opponent had already been decided — Durandal, the strongest of Schicksal's Valkyries.
He rolled his shoulders, loosening his muscles. It wasn't nerves — just focus. Otto's voice still echoed in his mind, promising a signal once both combatants were ready.
When the buzzer finally sounded, the metallic door slid open with a soft hiss. Light spilled into the room, painting his shadow across the floor.
Kouga stepped out into the arena just as Durandal entered from the opposite side. The air between them almost vibrated with tension. Both stopped at the center, facing each other under the artificial sky of the training dome.
For a moment, the two regarded each other silently. Then Durandal extended her hand — polite, disciplined, ever the model Valkyrie.
Kouga mirrored the gesture. As their hands met, Durandal tilted her head slightly, her sharp blue eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Why aren't you in your battle suit?" she asked, voice calm but edged with curiosity.
Kouga gave a faint, knowing smile. "You'll see."
Her brows furrowed slightly at the cryptic response, but she released his hand and stepped back, lowering her stance as her energy began to rise.
Then Otto's voice boomed across the arena speakers, smooth and almost theatrical."I'm certain you two know the rules. Just make sure the building is still standing by the end of the day."
The voice cut out, leaving silence.
And in that heartbeat of stillness—
Kouga moved first.
He lunged forward in a blur, fist cocked back — and mid-strike, energy flared around his body. In an instant, his form was engulfed in red light as the armor of GekiRed materialized around him.
Durandal's eyes widened, caught off-guard by the sudden transformation — but her reflexes were sharp as ever. Her gauntlet-clad fist came up to meet his.
The two punches collided with a thunderous crack, sending out a shockwave that rippled through the air like an explosion. The arena floor shuddered beneath them, scattering dust and sparks.
Both fighters were thrown back, sliding several meters before digging their heels into the ground to stop their momentum.
For a moment, neither spoke — only the sound of energy crackling between them filled the arena.
Then, in perfect synchronization, both lowered into fighting stances again.
In the observation area,
"I really don't like this," Theresa muttered, arms crossed as she stared down into the arena. Sakura stood silently beside her, watching the clash unfold below.
Each exchange between Kouga and Durandal sent tremors through the walls. Even when their blows met only air, the sheer force made the reinforced glass hum. But it wasn't the destruction that unsettled Theresa — it was the reason this battle was happening at all.
"Why did Grandpa even agree to this?" she whispered under her breath as another impact shook the building. "What could he possibly gain from it…?"
Her gaze flicked toward Kouga — now fully clad in his GekiRed suit — just in time to see him take a solid punch to the helmet from Durandal.
"Oh dear, talking to yourself again, Madam Theresa?"
Theresa nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned sharply to find Rita standing behind her, the maid's polite smile as composed as ever.
"Rita! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Rita chuckled softly, covering her mouth with one gloved hand. "My apologies, Madam Theresa. I didn't mean to startle you. But I couldn't help overhearing your question about why the Overseer permitted this little spectacle."
Theresa sighed, muttering something about Rita's impossible hearing, and turned her attention back to the arena.
Unfazed, Rita stepped up beside her, eyes calmly tracking the fight. "The Overseer's interest was piqued after witnessing that boy's armor in action," she explained evenly. "He wanted to study its capabilities further — this match simply provided him a convenient opportunity."
Theresa frowned, her eyes narrowing as she cast a quick glance toward her grandfather.
Rita cast an amused glance at Theresa before her attention shifted to Otto, who appeared distinctly unimpressed by the spectacle before him. Suppressing a sigh, she excused herself from further teasing and walked a few steps closer to the Overseer's side.
"Are you not enjoying the match, sir?" she asked politely.
"I was expecting something a bit more… extraordinary," Otto replied, reclining casually in his chair. "A simple fistfight, though? I find it both surprising and disappointingly mundane."
"Then perhaps you'll allow me to join in," Rita offered with a graceful bow. "A two-on-one engagement might push him to reveal more unorthodox techniques."
Otto's expression flattened at her suggestion. "You know your role, Rita — and so does Durandal. She'll fulfill her purpose first. Then, you'll have your turn. Is that clear?"
"Understood, sir."
Rita masked her irritation behind her usual pleasant smile. Showing displeasure before the Overseer would serve no purpose. Instead, she turned back toward the window overlooking the arena, silently awaiting the signal for when her part would begin.
Among the crowd of students gathered several meters behind the instructors—
"Come on, Kouga! Kick her ass!"
"Kiana-chan, language!" Mei scolded, though her eyes never left the battle below.
The three girls stood side by side, each wearing a different expression. Kiana cheered at the top of her lungs, fists pumping in excitement, while Mei watched anxiously, torn between admiration and concern. Bronya, as always, appeared calm and unreadable.
Around them, the rest of the students buzzed with excitement, their focus locked on the clash between Kouga and Durandal. Gasps and murmurs filled the air when Kouga transformed into GekiRed, his aura flaring crimson. Yet despite the spectacle, most cheers still went to Durandal — the academy's shining star — prompting Kiana to yell even louder in defiance.
"Come on, Mei-senpai! You know he's got this!"
Bronya tilted her head slightly. "Bronya disagrees."
Both Kiana and Mei turned to her in surprise.
"According to Project Bunny's combat analysis," Bronya continued evenly, "their abilities are statistically even. Neither side has shown their full strength yet."
In the arena —
The clash had reached a stalemate.
"We're really getting nowhere," Kouga muttered, exhaling through his helmet.
He sat atop a broken slab of wall, the result of a single swing from Durandal's lance that he had narrowly dodged. Both fighters now stood armed — Durandal with her gleaming lance, and Kouga with his Geki Nunchaku humming with Ki.
Durandal stood several meters away, breathing hard. Sweat ran down her cheek as she wiped her brow, her armor scratched and bruises forming beneath. Kouga, by contrast, looked mostly untouched, though beads of sweat trickled beneath his GekiRed suit — the only hint of strain.
Durandal lowered her weapon, contemplating for a brief moment before switching her grip to her off-hand. Her voice was steady but fierce."Let's settle this with one last move. Winner takes all."
Kouga sighed, glancing up toward the observation deck where Otto Apocalypse sat, expectant as ever. The look in the Overseer's eyes told him everything — the man wanted a spectacle. And Kouga knew that giving Otto what he wanted would only invite more attention, more "requests," and more headaches.Still, backing down now would only mean losing face.
"Fine," Kouga said, standing as crimson Ki flared around him. The GekiRed aura pulsed, alive and wild.
Both combatants charged forward, their fists drawn back, power radiating from every step. In less than a heartbeat, they met in the center. Kouga struck first, his punch cutting through the air — but Durandal shifted mid-motion, trading her fist for a sweeping strike with her lance.
Kouga saw it coming, but her speed had spiked dramatically. He twisted aside, dodging most of the blow — but not enough. The tip grazed his shoulder.
And then — chaos.
A thunderous crash erupted overhead as glass shattered across the arena. Kouga spun just in time to see Rita Rossweisse descending through the debris, scythe glowing an icy blue as she dove straight toward him.
"Tch—of course he'd pull something like this," Kouga hissed.
In a surge of energy, his aura ignited once more — crimson light burning brighter and hotter as his form shifted into Super GekiRed.
Before either Valkyrie could react, Kouga's fist shot forward, connecting squarely with Durandal's lance. The weapon shattered like glass, and the same strike carried through to slam into Durandal's jaw, sending her flying across the arena.
Without pause, Kouga spun on his heel — his kick whirling into Rita's scythe, breaking it clean in half before the impact connected to her midsection. The blow sent her crashing into the far wall beside Durandal.
Silence filled the arena.
Then — the cheers erupted.Kiana, Mei, and even Bronya were on their feet.Kiana shouted the loudest. "That's my Kouga!"
Kouga exhaled slowly, letting his transformation fade. He didn't bask in the victory — just sighed and brushed some dust from his gloves.
That was when the voice he least wanted to hear echoed through the arena speakers.
"Well now, wasn't that marvelous?" Otto's smooth tone practically dripped false warmth. "If the victor would kindly join me and my dear granddaughter in the upper hall, I would be most appreciative."
Kouga frowned, glancing up toward the viewing deck. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya gave him encouraging waves, and with another reluctant sigh, he started toward the exit.
When he arrived, Otto was already waiting — calm, composed, and annoyingly smug.
"Ah, there you are," Otto greeted, straightening his ornate robes and offering an insincere bow. "Do forgive the less-than-dignified behavior of my Valkyries."
Kouga said nothing, his expression unreadable.
"Of course," Otto continued smoothly, "it would be remiss of me not to offer compensation for your… troubles."
Kouga's patience was already thin. He didn't want to hear whatever the man was planning—until Otto added with a smile that made Theresa visibly tense beside him:
"To foster good relations between us, I've decided that Rita will serve as your personal maid for the foreseeable future."
Kouga froze. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"…What?"
Even Theresa was speechless, her face caught between shock and horror.
Otto simply smiled wider.