**[Saturday's Last Fight – Combat Zone]**
The atmosphere grew more tense. Videl Satan's name was announced over the gym's speakers. The young woman adjusted her gloves and stepped into the ring with determination, not yet noticing who she would face.
—And in the red corner... Takeshi Midorikawa!
Videl spun around sharply.
The man stepping into the ring had a robust build, hair with streaks of gray combed back, and a hard gaze. He carried himself like someone who had seen real fights, not just tournaments.
When he reached the center of the ring, his eyes settled on Videl.
—Videl... Satan?
She nodded.
—Yes, I'm Mr. Satan's daughter.
Takeshi's face changed instantly. His brow furrowed deeply, and his jaw tightened.
—Hmph... So you can't escape his shadow, huh?
—You knew him?
—We were dojo mates. Until he decided marketing and the spotlight were more important than real combat. —Takeshi spat to the side, annoyed—. I don't recognize a clown as a martial artist.
Videl gritted her teeth.
—My father may have his flaws, but he saved people too! And I'm not here for him, I'm here for myself!
Takeshi simply raised his fists.
—I'll teach you that carrying his last name has consequences.
**[Start Bell]**
Videl wasted no time going on the attack. Her punches were fast and precise, like needles. However, Takeshi endured them all without retreating, blocking them with arms as solid as stone.
—Damn it, it's like hitting a wall! —Videl growled mentally.
Whenever she tried to retreat or flank him, Takeshi responded with powerful, direct strikes, aiming to take her out in one blow. One of his kicks grazed her abdomen and sent her rolling across the floor.
—I can't fight him head-on. I have to use my speed... my agility.
**[Prolonged Fight – Minutes Later]**
The audience watched nervously. Videl ran, jumped, dodged, struck... over and over, like a whirlwind. Her feet were a blur, her fists a barrage of steel.
Takeshi began to show signs of fatigue. Every blow he had previously resisted now made him retreat a fraction.
She was winning... but her stamina was running out.
—You're doing great! —someone shouted from the crowd. It was Daniel, from the shadows of the waiting area.
Videl heard him.
And she clenched her teeth.
—I won't lose here!
With a perfect spin, she managed to land a hook to Takeshi's side, making him stagger. She gave him no respite. Two kicks to the torso. A straight punch to the jaw.
BAM!
Takeshi fell to his knees. He tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't respond. The ref began the count, and upon reaching ten...
—VICTORY FOR VIDEL!
**[After the Fight]**
Videl breathed heavily, sweaty, with scratches on her face and her uniform slightly torn. Takeshi approached with difficulty, and to her surprise, extended a hand.
—You've got guts. You're not like your father. You're... you.
Videl smiled, tired but happy.
—Thank you. That's all I wanted to prove.
**[End of the Day – Announcement Zone]**
The final was officially decided.
—Tomorrow at noon, the grand final of the Kuoh Tournament will be between... Videl Satan and Daniel Hernández!
Both names echoed through the speakers. In the audience, some were already debating who would win. In the higher stands, Hikari and Hibiki smiled with pride.
From another corner, Alya crossed her arms and murmured:
—He'd better win...
Meanwhile, Daniel and Videl exchanged glances from a distance.
A spark of excitement, rivalry, and mutual respect grew between them.
The final would begin the next day.
The sun was already setting behind the trees, painting the Kuoh sky orange.
The group of three walked through the quiet neighborhood streets. Daniel walked in the center, with Hikari and Hibiki on each side, while Alya walked a step behind, her face blushing as she held a bag with bandages and ointments.
—Alright, hold still —Hikari murmured, gently pressing a gauze pad on Daniel's cheek.
—How am I supposed to stay still if your sister is treating my arm at the same time? —he replied with a lopsided smile, bearing the sting.
—Don't complain —Hibiki said in a soft but firm voice—. Shiranui gave you a fight. You can't complain about a few scrapes.
Alya watched everything while wiping Daniel's injured hand with a cotton swab.
—I don't understand why you took so many risks... that guy wasn't normal.
—He wasn't —Daniel replied calmly—. But I needed to test something. Measure something I've been training for a long time...
A few meters away, in the shadows of the park across the street, a figure in a school uniform with bandages watched silently.
Videl.
Her arm was bandaged from shoulder to elbow, and a patch covered part of her forehead.
She leaned against a lamppost, not taking her eyes off Daniel.
—He... isn't normal —she whispered to herself, with a mix of frustration and admiration.
—That speed... that calmness... that strength... He's not just a regular student. But what is he?
Daniel already knew. His Observation Haki had alerted him since they left the gym.
He knew Videl was following them, but chose not to say anything. He wanted to see how long she'd do it.
—We're almost there —Hibiki said, pointing to the house.
—Are you going to sleep over at our place, Alya? —Hikari asked mischievously, making Alya blush intensely.
—N-No! I... I've already imposed on your hospitality enough! —she excused herself quickly, looking away.
She turned to Daniel with a faint blush still on her cheeks and said—: Goodnight, Daniel...
Without thinking much, she kissed him on the cheek.
Daniel blinked, somewhat surprised... but then smiled.
—Rest well, Alya.
She trotted off nervously, slightly covering her face.
Hikari and Hibiki watched everything with a mix of amusement and suspicion.
—She's falling for you too —Hibiki commented casually.
—Isn't it obvious? —Hikari added, laughing.
Daniel just sighed, scratching the back of his neck as the two took his arms.
At the door, they both looked at him sweetly, and without a word, each gave him a kiss on the lips.
—Goodnight, Ashikabi-sama —they said in unison, and went inside with him.
From the distance, Videl watched everything.
She wasn't jealous... or was she?
She didn't know for sure. She just felt a discomfort in her chest and a strange knot in her stomach.
With one last look, Videl turned around and started walking home.
—That boy... is weird —she whispered as she disappeared into the twilight—. But I can't stop thinking about him.
And so the night ended...
With secrets, pent-up emotions, and a final that was approaching.
The morning had arrived with a clear sky and a breeze that softened the heat of the sun. Daniel adjusted his gloves as he walked accompanied by Hikari and Hibiki, both dressed casually but with the energy of those ready to cheer with all their hearts.
—Are you nervous? —Hibiki asked, noticing he wasn't saying much.
—No —Daniel replied with a slight smile—. I'm excited.
—That's what we like to hear —Hikari said, giving him a little punch on the shoulder.
Halfway there, Alya appeared jogging from a corner. Her face was noticeably flushed, and when she reached them, she lowered her gaze a bit.
—G-Good morning... Did you sleep well?
—Yes, thanks —Daniel replied in a calm tone, as if nothing had happened last night.
Hikari and Hibiki just exchanged mischievous glances, saying nothing... but smiling on the inside.
They arrived at the Kuoh gym, which was now more crowded than ever. The main event of the tournament was about to begin, and spectators filled every inch of the bleachers.
The wooden ring, sturdy and wide, seemed almost sacred in the face of everyone's anticipation.
When Daniel crossed the entrance, his gaze briefly met another.
Videl.
She was already there, dressed in tight combat gear. She had some bandages on, but her posture was firm. Her eyes, however, were analyzing him... searching for answers.
She tried to pretend she wasn't looking at him, but her gaze inevitably drifted toward him again and again.
Both Alya and the twins noticed that insistence in how Videl was watching him.
—Interesting —Hikari murmured with a raised eyebrow.
—Very interesting —Hibiki added with a little smile.
Alya just narrowed her eyes, a little annoyed.
---
In the center of the ring, the referee solemnly raised the microphone.
His voice echoed throughout the gym.
—Ladies and gentlemen! After two intense days of combat, we have reached the grand final of the Kuoh Martial Arts Tournament. Two young warriors have overcome obstacles and rivals to reach this point... and now they will face each other in a battle that will go down in history!
Daniel and Videl stepped into the ring, walking with firm steps.
They stood facing each other, their eyes connecting for the first time without any distraction.
Videl was the first to speak, with a half-smile.
—You don't look like someone who trains... but you hide your strength well. You surprised me yesterday.
Daniel tilted his head a little, relaxed.
—You didn't do badly either, Videl. It was impressive.
—Tsk... —she crossed her arms—. Don't hold back against me. I don't want a hollow victory.
—I won't —he replied, serious for the first time.
The referee lowered the microphone and raised his arm.
—Let the final battle begin! At my signal...!
Daniel took his stance, not yet activating his Haki but letting himself be carried by the tension of the moment.
Videl bent her knees and lowered her center of gravity, ready to move with speed.
The entire gym fell into an expectant silence.
—Begin!
CLANG!
The bell rang, marking the start of the final match.
Two figures lunged forward at the same time.
The battle for respect, pride, and something more... had just begun.
The clash of fists and kicks echoed throughout the gym.
Everyone's eyes were on the center of the ring, where Daniel and Videl exchanged blows with an intensity that seemed straight out of an anime.
Videl, although not as fast as Shiranui, had something that made the difference: a brilliant mind for strategy.
Every attack she launched was a calculated move, a subtle trap, a feint to catch Daniel off guard.
—Tch! —Daniel murmured as he retreated, avoiding a spinning kick that, had he not dodged precisely, would have left him open for a knee to the stomach.
Videl had succeeded: she had left him vulnerable.
But when her attack connected, what she expected to be a decisive blow... merely made a dull impact against an invisible wall.
—What...? —Videl gasped, retreating.
Daniel exhaled calmly.
—Armament Haki. It's a defense technique that hardens my body... something like an invisible armor.
Videl's eyes narrowed, processing the information.
She didn't understand exactly how it worked, but she knew that if she didn't overcome it fast, she would lose.
Daniel smiled.
—I'll keep my part of the deal... I'll fight seriously.
The air seemed to change in that instant.
The laughter, murmurs, and cheers from the audience faded, as if the world itself had stopped for a second.
BOOM!
Daniel's next move was clean, fast, effective.
There was no unnecessary violence, no abuse of power.
Only polished technique, experience, and respect.
Videl was pushed backward, landing on her feet with difficulty... and then fell to her knees.
She was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her forehead as she managed a tired smile.
—I knew you were strong... but I didn't imagine this much...
The referee raised Daniel's arm.
—AND THE WINNER OF THE KUOH TOURNAMENT... DANIEL HERNÁNDEZ!
The gym erupted in applause.
Lights, camera flashes, and cheers accompanied the moment.
Daniel took a deep breath, smiling.
His eyes searched the bleachers for his girls... and he didn't have to wait.
Hikari and Hibiki ran to the ring!
—You did it! We knew it! —Hibiki shouted.
—You're the best! —Hikari added.
Without thinking for a second, they both kissed him at the same time, one on each cheek, and then took turns kissing him on the lips.
The audience fell silent for a few seconds at the scene.
—Huh? What's going on...? —the referee whispered, sweating—. I... I was never that popular at that age...
From the gym entrance, Alya watched everything.
Her face was red, her fist clenched...
—That's enough! —she exclaimed, walking determinedly.
Everyone noticed her.
—A-Alya...! —Daniel said, surprised.
She didn't say anything.
She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him passionately!
The crowd screamed as if in a soap opera.
Cameras focused, the tension was out of this world.
When they separated, Alya looked him in the eyes, still blushing but determined.
—I want to be with you too! I want to be your girlfriend, along with them! I like you, Daniel!
A tomb-like silence reigned for two seconds.
Until Daniel smiled from ear to ear.
—Then... welcome, Alya.
The twins surrounded her with laughter and joy.
—Now we're a complete team! —Hikari said, amused.
—You won't escape our craziness, Alya~! —Hibiki added, hugging her too.
The referee shed a tear.
—Damn charismatic teenagers...
The ovation resumed, this time not only for the victory, but for the complete spectacle.
The Champion had been born.
And he didn't just have strength... he had love, loyalty, and a heart as firm as steel.