Out of the swirling dust cloud, three figures step forward, moving through the chaos of overturned carts and broken pavement. Liza points them out casually to Justin. "Jozu, Bone Soldier, and Saraya. C-rank troublemakers. Nothing too special."
Justin glances at them with a raised brow, arms crossed, already sizing them up. "Jozu can turn his body into a sword, Bone Soldier… makes weapons out of his own bones, and Saraya's… slippery. She can evade attacks pretty well," he says, nodding slowly, more analytical than impressed.
Braxton, however, immediately reacts with wide-eyed awe. "Whoa! She can slide around like that? And he can turn his body into a sword? That's insane!" He bends his knees slightly, tail flicking with excitement, practically vibrating with energy. Every single ability catches his full attention.
Liza hovers a few feet above them, wings tucked neatly, letting out a small sigh. She's clearly a little amused by Braxton's reaction. "Relax, Tiger Eye. They're C-rank. Not exactly top-tier threats like Oblivion Maw or something," she says, her tone almost teasing.
Justin shrugs, leaning slightly forward as he scans the trio. "I mean, they've got some tricks, sure, but nothing that worries me," he says with a half-smile.
The three villains, meanwhile, glance over at the trio of rookies, sizing them up just as they do. They might be C-rank, but they still have enough skill to make a fight interesting.
"Don't underestimate us!" Bone Soldier barks, his voice echoing beneath the cloud of dust.
The three villains bristle at the dismissive tone, their anger clear even through the matching yellow trench coats and face masks that mark them as a team. They've been called C-rank nobodies by Justin and Liza, but they're not about to let some rookies treat them like amateurs. Eyes narrowing, fists clenching, they spread out, ready to prove themselves.
Without hesitation, the fight erupts. Each villain matches up against one of the young heroes. Bone Soldier charges toward Justin, bones jutting from his arms like jagged spears. Saraya slips and slides around Liza, testing her mobility. Jozu lunges at Braxton, sword-formed body glinting under the city sun, forcing Tiger Eye to react instantly.
"I've actually got a bone to pick with you," Justin quips as he darts through the air, weaving effortlessly around Bone Soldier's jagged, flying attacks. Each strike glints dangerously, but Justin's reflexes are sharper. He smirks, dropping pun after pun as he dodges and counters, shredding Bone Soldier's bone projectiles mid-flight. With a final swoop and a well-timed punch, he sends Bone Soldier crashing into a nearby pile of debris, out cold.
Meanwhile, Saraya's slippery movements keep her a blur on the ground, but Liza matches her with equal speed. She carefully times a toss, hurling an ice grenade that explodes beneath Saraya's feet, freezing her legs to the slick surface. Saraya struggles, attempting to slide out before Liza delivers a precise strike, knocking her out cold with minimal effort.
Across the street, Jozu's sword-like body clashes against Braxton's hardened were-tiger form. The two trade blow after blow, fists and blades ringing with sheer force, a test of raw strength and endurance. Justin and Liza watch as Braxton counters every slash, eventually forcing his full power through Jozu's metallic surface. With a massive, final strike, Braxton sends Jozu flying backward into the wall, incapacitated.
As the dust settles, a new figure emerges from the bank, carrying a duffel bag stuffed with money. Unlike his teammates, he wears a distinctive Kabuki mask rather than the generic black face coverings. Both Braxton and Liza recognize him immediately: Summoner Solomon, the B-rank leader of the Alley Cutters. Known for his ability to summon and manipulate countless blades at once, Solomon's cunning and ruthlessness make him a far more dangerous threat than the C-Rank goons who came before. The real fight is just beginning.
"Jozu, I know that strike didn't knock you out cold. Collect the others for me, would you?" Summoner Solomon's voice cut through the chaos, low and sharp with a cold, traditional Southern drawl. "Isn't this quite the disappointment? I can't leave you lot alone for five minutes without things going to shit." He assessed the situation with a practiced eye, shoulders straight, expression unreadable behind the Kabuki mask. With a flick of his hand, multiple shimmering blades materialized behind him, hovering in the air before shooting toward the three heroes with deadly force. Each one had to dive, dodge, or deflect, narrowly avoiding severe injury.
Jozu groaned as he struggled to his feet, gathering Saraya and Bone Soldier just as instructed. They moved quickly toward their getaway car, with Jozu cutting down any authorities that happened to stand in their path. The trio's retreat was far from clean, but Solomon's power gave them a fighting chance.
The blades Solomon had summoned were razor-sharp, slicing through the air with lethal velocity. Liza and Braxton both flinched as a few grazed their bodies, leaving thin but painful cuts. Justin, however, remained largely unfazed. His super-durable skin absorbed blows that would have seriously injured the others. Without hesitation, he surged forward, eyes locked on Solomon.
Braxton's protective instincts kicked in immediately, launching him between Liza and the incoming blades, claws extended and muscles coiled. Liza hesitated for a moment, unwilling to admit it, but allowed herself to rely on Braxton's shielding. Deep down, she didn't like the idea of being protected by a rookie, yet she knew it was pragmatic.
Solomon's lips curved beneath the mask as Justin closed in. With a snap of his wrist, he summoned a massive, gleaming sword imbued with raw energy. He swung it toward Justin, who met it head-on with a clenched fist. The collision sent a shockwave rippling through the street. Solomon's snicker shifted into a full-blown, almost maniacal laugh.
"For a rookie, you sure have some tough skin on ya," he said, eyes glinting with excitement. "I feel a rush! I can spare a minute or so to spar with a youngling like you, I suppose. Let's do this, kid! However, it's only polite to introduce yourself; I'm Summoner Solomon. So, what's your name, kid?"
"The name's Emerald Atlas. I'm the guy who's about to kick your ass!" says Justin as he pushes Solomon's sword attack backward, making him stumble ever so slightly backward.
An even bigger grin slides across Solomon's face as the two's one-on-one fight begins.