DING!
The elevator doors slid open.
Eleo, Tony, and Kenji froze.
A whole squad of Ascendants were just... chilling. Some leaned on crates, others played cards, and a few stared at the blinking red alarm like it was a mild inconvenience.
The second the doors opened, every head turned in sync.
Long, awkward silence.
Kenji's eye twitched.
One of the Ascendants slowly reached for his blaster.
Eleo grinned, waving enthusiastically. "Hey, guys!"
Tony nodded. "Lovely day for a shootout, huh?"
Kenji, without breaking eye contact, slammed the close button.
Nothing happened.
He pressed it again.
The Ascendants pulled out their blasters.
Kenji's hand moved at light speed, spam-clicking the button like he was fighting a final boss.
The doors closed just as a storm of laser fire erupted.
PCHOO! PCHOO! PCHOO!
A bolt narrowly scraped Tony's skull.
Tony sighed. "What a waste of good craftsmanship."
Kenji exhaled. "Okay, now we should be heading to the—uh... is it the roof?"
Tony gave a thumbs up. "Yep."
Kenji leaned against the wall. "Good."
Silence.
Eleo started tapping his feet.
Kenji and Tony slowly turned their heads toward him.
Tony, after a brief pause, joined in.
Kenji sighed. Clap.
Now all three were making a dumb rhythm.
Kenji facepalmed.
Tony facepalmed.
Eleo just kept vibing.
DING!
The elevator doors slid open.
Eleo, Kenji, and Tony stepped onto the massive rooftop.
Then they saw it.
Their jaws dropped.
Towering over them, anchored to the landing pad, was Hunk's flagship—a colossal leviathan of steel and gold floating in the night sky like a king's personal warship.
The hull was sleek but heavily armored, plated in shimmering obsidian black with streaks of iridescent blue that reflected the city lights like an aurora. Jagged wings stretched from the sides, each lined with rows of propulsion engines humming with deep, ominous energy.
The front of the ship was shaped like a unicorn's head, its sharp pink horn extending forward as if ready to pierce the heavens. A pair of mechanical "eyes" glowed with soft purple light, scanning everything below.
Atop the vessel sat an ornate, throne-like command deck protected by a translucent dome that shimmered like liquid glass. Inside, dozens of Ascendants moved with military precision, monitoring screens and controls.
The lower half featured grappling hooks, docking stations, and weapons embedded seamlessly into the body—like a sleeping beast hiding its fangs.
It wasn't just a ship.
It was a flying fortress.
But near the ship, every single Ascendant on the roof stood fully armed.
And at the center—
Hunk. Arms crossed. Smug. Waiting.
Eleo's eyes bulged. "HOW DID HE GET UP HERE SO FAST?!"
Hunk smirked. "Well, bunny kid, I simply jumped."
Kenji's eye twitched. "That high?!"
Hunk nodded. "Indeed."
Long silence.
Hunk cracked his knuckles. "Now, are you three going to come over here and fight me like men?"
Eleo gulped. "What if we don't?"
Hunk grinned. "Then I'll come to you."
Kenji sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Tch. Fine. Let's get this over with."
Tony stretched. "You know, I was hoping for a bigger entrance. Maybe some dramatic music. Perhaps a sudden betrayal. Something fun."
Eleo nodded. "Yeah! Like, what if Hunk was actually—"
Hunk exploded forward like a missile.
Eleo screamed. "OH CRAP HE'S FAST!"
Kenji barely had time to react before a meaty fist crashed into his stomach.
BOOM!
The impact folded Kenji in half. His body tumbled like a ragdoll, flipping backward, skidding toward the edge of the roof.
"Oh crap—!" Kenji coughed, scrambling to stop himself.
He was seconds from flying off.
"INK ROPE!"
A thick strand of black ink wrapped around Kenji's leg.
Eleo planted his feet, gripping the rope with both hands.
"Gotcha, Kenji!"
Kenji stopped just inches from the ledge, breathing heavily.
Eleo grinned. "Phew, that was close!"
Then his ears twitched.
Hunk was already charging toward him.
Eleo gulped. "Oh no."
BAM!
Tony teleported directly in front of Eleo, his skeletal foot colliding with Hunk's face.
The impact barely pushed Hunk back a few steps.
Tony landed gracefully. "Alright, Mayor Hunk, let's not get too crazy here."
Hunk rubbed his jaw, grinning wider.
The Ascendants raised their blasters.
"Mayor, should we fire?!"
Hunk held up a hand. "No."
The soldiers hesitated.
Hunk cracked his neck. "I want to fight this skeleton."
Tony pointed at himself. "Me? Personally?"
Hunk nodded.
Tony blinked. "Should I feel honored or terrified?"
Hunk's smile grew darker. "Terrified."
Tony sighed. "Right."
The wind howled across the rooftop.
Hunk's muscles tensed. The air crackled as he lowered into a fighting stance.
Tony exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, bones clicking into place. His stance became fluid, relaxed, almost lazy.
"Alright then, big guy." Tony smirked. "Let's dance."
Hunk vanished.
Tony's eye sockets widened.
Before he could react—a massive hand clamped onto his wrist.
"Gotcha."
SLAM!
Hunk swung Tony like a ragdoll, smashing him into the rooftop. The entire structure shook.
The Ascendants cheered.
Eleo and Kenji winced. "Ooooh!"
Hunk wasn't done.
He grabbed Tony's leg and hurled him into the air.
Tony spun wildly, flipping three times before catching himself midair.
Hunk jumped up to meet him.
A fist came flying.
Tony barely redirected the punch with a swift parry, but the shockwave still rattled through his bones.
"Damn, you hit like a meteor!"
Hunk snorted. "And you feel like a toothpick."
Tony twisted midair, bringing his knee up toward Hunk's jaw.
But Hunk caught it mid-strike.
"Nope."
He swung Tony downward.
Tony hit the rooftop like a bullet.
BOOOOM!
A crater formed beneath him.
Kenji whistled. "Damn."
Eleo crossed his arms. "Ehh, he's fine."
Tony sat up, covered in dust. "Ow."
Hunk landed in front of him, flexing. "Give up yet, skeleton?"
Tony rolled his neck, then smiled.
"Nah. I'm just getting started."
Tony dashed forward, movements a blur.
Hunk swung a devastating right hook.
Tony tilted his head slightly.
The punch whizzed past his face by an inch.
BAM!
Tony's elbow struck Hunk's ribs.
Hunk grunted.
Before he could counter—Tony twisted, unleashing rapid Wing Chun palm strikes.
BAM BAM BAM BAM!
Each hit was precise, sharp, targeting weak points.
For the first time, Hunk staggered back.
The Ascendants gasped.
Eleo pumped his fist. "Yeah, Tony! Hit him with the skelly hands!"
Kenji smirked. "He's annoying, but he's got technique."
Hunk wiped his mouth, grin growing wider.
Then—he vanished again.
Tony's eye sockets flickered.
"Oh, shi—"
Hunk reappeared behind him.
Tony tried to turn—
Too late.
Hunk wrapped his massive arms around Tony's ribcage.
SQUEEEEEZE.
Tony's bones creaked.
Hunk grinned. "Let's see how flexible you really are."
Tony gasped. "I prefer hugs with a little less murder."
Hunk lifted him and suplexed him straight into the rooftop.
BOOOOM!
Tony lay there, twitching.
Eleo winced. "Oooooh, that looked like it hurt."
Kenji sighed. "He's dead."
Tony, still face-down, lifted a thumbs-up.
"Still alive! Barely!"
Hunk chuckled. "Not for long."
He reached down to grab Tony again—
But Tony slid between his legs, popping up behind him.
"Surprise!"
Tony unleashed a flurry of Wing Chun strikes to Hunk's back.
Hunk turned with a backhand.
Tony ducked.
Hunk grabbed his arm again.
Tony twisted, countering the grip. He struck Hunk's elbow joint with rapid-fire palm strikes.
Hunk winced.
"You're fast, skeleton."
Tony smirked. "And you're built like a mountain."
The two stared each other down.
The Ascendants held their breath.
Eleo and Kenji watched, tense.
Tony cracked his knuckles.
Hunk rolled his shoulders.
They charged at each other, fists cocked back.
The tension was suffocating.
Kenji braced himself. Eleo's ears twitched in anticipation. The Ascendants around them held their breath.
And then—
CRASH!
The other elevator suddenly slammed open!
Everyone turned.
And there stood...
Olorun.
Completely fine. Not a single scratch on him.
He strolled out calmly, rolling his shoulders like he'd just come back from a morning jog.
Hunk raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Your ribs are healed?"
Olorun grinned, holding up a tiny empty bottle. "Yep! Thanks to this!"
Silence.
Eleo blinked. "Uh... What is that?"
Olorun waved it dramatically. "A potion! Healed me right up!"
Kenji narrowed his eyes. "You just... had that?"
Olorun smirked. "Nah, I stole it from some dude in a lab coat before I got in the elevator. Figured it might be useful."
Eleo clenched his fists. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG THEN?!"
Olorun sighed. "Well, see, my elevator wasn't working... so I just climbed the rope and pried the door open myself."
Everyone stared.
Kenji's eye twitched. "You climbed. A rope. All the way up here. Instead of fixing the elevator?"
Olorun nodded proudly. "Yup! Good workout too."
Tony gave him a thumbs-up. "Good timing. We could use some help."
Kenji crossed his arms, studying Olorun carefully.
So this is Olorun...
Hunk cracked his knuckles. "Doesn't matter. I'll crush you all."
Olorun stretched his arms, cracking his neck. "Well then, Mayor Big Guy, let's see if you hit harder than those guards downstairs."