He set down his beer bottle and looked at Mai, his expression suddenly serious. "Miss Mai, I know my behavior earlier made you angry. How about... we have a little spar? Let me show you what my 'Thug Boxing' can do."
Mai blinked, then her eyebrows arched as a proud smile curved her lips.
This guy actually dares to challenge me?
She stood up. That explosive figure was even more alluring in the dim lighting.
Hands on hips, she looked down at Cloud. "Challenge me? Are you sure about this? I don't hold back."
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Cloud rose too, meeting her gaze fearlessly.
"Good! You've got guts!" Mai's fighting spirit ignited. "Since you're so sincere about it, I suppose I can... reluctantly give you some pointers!"
"Hey, hey, you two are serious?" Terry watched from the sidelines, happy to fan the flames. "It's too cramped here. Come on, let's go to my usual spot—the abandoned warehouse!"
...
South Town docks, Abandoned Warehouse No. 3.
The vast warehouse stood empty, lit only by a few emergency lamps casting dim yellow light that stretched the two facing silhouettes into long shadows.
Terry and Andy stood at a distance, serving as referees and audience.
"Cloud, be careful—Mai's scary when she gets serious." Terry offered a warning.
Andy frowned. He couldn't shake the feeling that Cloud's challenge had ulterior motives.
In the center, Mai had already assumed the classic Shiranui stance, fan in hand, eyes sharp. Her entire demeanor had transformed.
From a slightly lovesick tsundere girl into a battle-hardened, powerful kunoichi.
"Ready? Here I come!"
Before she finished speaking, her figure vanished from where she stood!
So fast!
Cloud's heart clenched. The combat instincts from the Super Soldier Serum kicked in, and he reacted instantly—stepping half a pace to the left.
Whoosh—!
A scorching gust of wind brushed past his cheek. Mai's figure had appeared exactly where he'd been standing.
"Not bad reflexes!" Mai's crisp battle cry rang out as she pressed the attack. "Dance of the Blazing Sun!"
Her form instantly split into three blurry afterimages, attacking Cloud simultaneously from three directions! Real and fake intertwined, impossible to defend against!
[System Tip: Left is a feint, right is a diversion, her real body is directly ahead, targeting your lower body!]
Alarm bells exploded in Cloud's head.
Without hesitation, he abandoned defense against the two flanking images. He raised his right leg high and brought it down in a powerful axe kick aimed at the empty space in front of him!
THUMP!
A muffled impact. Mai's figure materialized beneath Cloud's foot.
She'd blocked the heavy kick with her arms, surprise written on her face.
He... actually saw through my Dance of the Blazing Sun?
Cloud's attack connected, but he didn't linger—immediately retreating to create distance.
"Miss Mai, your dancing... is beautiful." He was breathing hard but still smiling.
"Quit the smooth talk!" Though surprised, Mai's offensive only grew fiercer.
Her jade foot tapped the ground. Her body spun like a top, stirring up a fragrant breeze.
"Dance of the Flying Squirrel!"
She transformed into a red whirlwind, descending from the air toward Cloud!
The move was both deadly and alluring. Cloud could even smell the faint cherry blossom scent drifting from her body.
But he didn't dare lose focus.
[System Tip: Attack trajectory is parabolic. Weak point is the split-second when she reverses direction—her core will pause for one second!]
Now!
Cloud didn't retreat. He charged forward, directly into that red whirlwind.
The instant before Mai was about to hit him, he suddenly ducked low, slipping past her at an impossibly tricky angle—right beneath her!
At the same time, his right hand—hidden behind his back—shot out with lightning speed and lightly smacked that springy, well-rounded... posterior.
SMACK!
The sound was crisp. The sensation was excellent.
The entire warehouse plunged into deathly silence.
Terry's mouth hung open in an "O" shape, beer forgotten in his hand.
Andy's face went black as a pot bottom.
Mai's body froze in mid-air.
She slowly landed, mechanically turning around. Her pretty face had gone red enough to drip blood—whether from embarrassment or rage, impossible to tell.
"You... you... you just..." She pointed at Cloud, lips trembling, unable to form a complete sentence.
"Tactics! This was purely tactical!" Cloud's face was the picture of righteousness. "As the Art of War says: 'Attack what is unprepared, strike where unexpected!' I was disrupting your rhythm!"
"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU PERVERT!!!"
Mai completely lost it. Powerful fire-attribute chakra erupted from her body—she looked like she'd literally caught flame.
"Super Special: Crimson Hornet!"
She transformed into a blazing meteor, charging at Cloud with murderous intent!
Seeing this, Cloud dropped all playfulness. His expression turned deadly serious.
He knew—this was the moment that would decide victory or defeat.
He bent his knees slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and fused everything he'd learned from Terry with all the combat arts he'd plundered.
"Bring it!"
With a roar, Cloud stood his ground and charged directly at the incoming flames!
The two figures collided in the center of the warehouse!
BOOM—!
A powerful shockwave radiated outward from the point of impact, kicking up clouds of dust.
Within the dust, two shadows tangled together, fists and feet exchanging blows in a rapid-fire staccato.
One was agile as fire, the other solid as a mountain—fighting to a standstill!
Though Cloud couldn't match Mai's technical refinement, the system's precise weak-point analysis, combined with his enhanced strength and reaction speed, let him bridge the gap through sheer force.