Cabdan: "Today's show will be one like no other, gentlemen! Come on in!"

  Cabdan stood at the entrance to the arena, rubbing his hands together, his grin stretching ear to ear. He had spent the entire morning hyping up the fight, and his efforts had borne fruit. The arena was packed -- so full that the crowd spilled into the streets, shoulder to shoulder, barely able to move.

  Gorilla: "Cabdan... We can't let more people in! We're bursting at the seams here!"

  Cabdan's joyous expression didn't falter for a moment.

  Cabdan: "Not a problem! Those who can't fit inside can stay outside and peer through the windows. I'll personally allow it -- free of charge! And make sure they have something to stand on if they can't see. I don't want anyone to miss this spectacle!"

  Inside, backstage, Faya was wrapping her hands and warming up. Her movements were sharp, focused, her steel-heeled boots catching the light as she paced. Still, Barr hadn't shown up yet.

  Faya: "That coward better not have gotten cold feet..."

  A man stepped through the curtain that led into the arena.

  Announcer: "I've never seen the place so packed! The crowd's ecstatic, hungry for blood...!"

  He glanced around, frowning.

  Announcer: "But... where's Barr?"

  Faya shrugged without looking at him, flexing her fists.

  Faya: "Probably too afraid to show his face. Seems like he only dares to act when his opponent's back is turned."

  The announcer raised a skeptical brow. Suddenly, the door connecting the backstage area to another entrance swung open. Barr stepped in, already geared up for the fight.

  Barr: "I'm here. So, can we start yet?"

  He seemed calm, almost bored. Faya, by contrast, stiffened with visible fury.

  Faya: "What the fuck do you think you're doing? You can't just prepare outside the backstage area!"

  Barr smirked, a slow, cocky curl of his lips.

  Barr: "What's the matter? Afraid I'm fighting dirty? Relax... I know the rules as well as you do. I wouldn't dare bring anything that could give me an unfair advantage!"

  Faya's glare hardened, disgust etched on her face.

  Faya: "As if I'd take your worthless word for it... Hey, you!"

  She pointed to one of Cabdan's men.

  Faya: "Get one of his goons to search him. I don't trust him one bit."

  Barr shrugged, still smiling.

  Barr: "Suit yourself."

  The announcer fetched one of Cabdan's enforcers. The man searched Barr thoroughly but came up empty-handed.

  Goon: "He's clear."

  Barr spread his arms with mock triumph.

  Barr: "See? Told you."

  Faya squinted, her voice dripping with contempt.

  Faya: "You're one cunning coward..."

  Barr chuckled, unbothered.

  Barr: "Quite angry, aren't we? That's good! You can let it all out soon enough."

  Faya clenched her teeth, the sense of unease gnawing at her. She didn't buy it -- not for a second.

  Cabdan rushed into the backstage area, his excitement palpable.

  Cabdan: "Are our superstars ready?!"

  He asked, overjoyed.

  Barr: "Ready as I'm ever gonna be!"

  Faya said nothing, holding Cabdan's gaze with a hard, unblinking stare.

  Cabdan: "Good! I'll take that look as confirmation, Faya! Let me just have a quick word with Barr since he took his sweet time getting here..."

  Cabdan pulled Barr aside, speaking in hushed tones in the corner of the room. Faya's eyes narrowed as she watched them.

  Faya (thinking): "Yeah, sure. You're not fooling me... That more than confirms it -- Barr's hiding something, and Cabdan's in on it. You cowards... it's all the same to me. This is a fight I'm not losing."

  When they returned, Cabdan clapped his hands.

  Cabdan: "Very well, all is set. Let the show begin!"

  As Cabdan tapped Faya on the back, a chill ran down her spine. Something felt off -- terribly off.

  He strode through the curtain, sticking an arm out to give the announcer a thumbs up. The announcer cleared his throat and bellowed from the top of his lungs.

  Announcer: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... IS FINALLY HERE!"

  The crowd erupted into a frenzy, stomping and shouting.

  Announcer: "A MATCH YOU THOUGHT WOULD ONLY MATERIALIZE IN DREAMS -- MAN VERSUS WOMAN, RIGHT HERE, AS REAL AS IT GETS! TWO OF THE GREATEST FIGHTERS THIS ARENA HAS EVER SEEN, PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER... GIVE IT UP FOR THE STONE FIST -- BARR!"

  Barr stepped into the ring, radiating confidence as the crowd cheered.

  Announcer: "AND FOR THE UNDEFEATED... FAYAAA!"

  The crowd's roar grew deafening as Faya emerged, her expression dead serious.

  Announcer: "TOUCH HANDS, YOU TWO!"

  They approached, bumping their fists together.

  Barr: "Hey, bitch... After we're done here, I'm finishing what we started yest --"

  Stolen story; please report.

  Before he could finish, Faya spat directly in his face.

  The crowd erupted with wild screams.

  Announcer: "OH-HO-HO! LET THE MATCH BEGIN ALREADY! SOUND THAT BELL!"

  Barr wiped his face, sneering.

  Barr: "You're gonna regret that so much."

  The cowbell rang.

  Faya: "My list of regrets starts and ends with not kicking your teeth in sooner."

  The fight began with an explosion of movement. Faya darted toward Barr, her focus razor-sharp. As she slid low, aiming for his legs, Barr braced himself, ready to strike.

  Faya: "No attempt to evade...?"

  Pushing off the ground mid-slide, Faya shifted her momentum, springing to her feet before Barr could counter. He grinned.

  Barr: "Come closer. I won't bite. Well... maybe I might."

  Faya narrowed her eyes, taking calculated steps back.

  Faya (thinking): "Whatever trick he has, he seems awfully desperate to land a hit. Sucks to be him, then."

  Barr lunged, throwing a jab. She dodged easily, but he immediately followed up with a reckless, open-handed swing that cut through the air with surprising speed. Faya's instincts kicked in, and she managed to sidestep away from the blow whilst retaliating with a swift straight nose punch, sending him stumbling back as blood started dripping from his nostrils.

  The crowd roared.

  Faya: "He doesn't even care about throwing proper punches... He just wants to hit me at all costs! Why...?"

  Her gaze dropped to Barr's hands. Something gleamed faintly beneath his wraps -- embedded in the space between his fingers, thin, sharp edges peeked through...

  Faya: "Are those... Fucking razors?!"

  Barr had concealed them beneath his wraps, but the more he punched and moved his hands, the more they cut through the cloth and exposed themselves.

  Faya: "You really are a coward... Acting all tough yet you can't even beat a girl without cheating."

  Barr grinned, his confidence faltering as Faya spat out her disgust.

  Barr: "Shut up and come here, you fucking whore...!"

  Barr rushed her again, snarling. As he kicked out, Faya sidestepped again, grabbing his leg mid-motion and sweeping his grounded leg out from under him. Barr hit the dirt hard, his back slamming into the ground.

  Audience: "WOO!! TAKE HIM OUT, FAYA!"

  Cabdan's face darkened. Things weren't going according to plan.

  Faya: "You think you're the only one who can fight dirty...?"

  Barr's teeth clenched as he scrambled to his feet, but Faya wasn't about to let him recover. Spinning on her heel with practiced speed, she sent a roundhouse kick straight toward him. Her steel-heeled boot gleamed under the lights as it collided with his arm.

  The sickening crack of bone echoed through the arena.

  Audience: "SHE BROKE IT! SHE FUCKING BROKE IT!"

  The crowd erupted, some screaming in shock while others cheered with frenzied excitement.

  Audience: "SHE CAN'T USE HER HEEL LIKE THAT! HE WASN'T DOWNED YET -- DISQUALIFY HER!"

  Audience: "SHUT UP! LOOK AT HIS HANDS! HE BROUGHT RAZORS TO THE DAMN FIGHT!"

  Cabdan grimaced at the uproar, his mood souring.

  Barr staggered back, cradling his arm, which now dangled at a grotesque angle. His face twisted with agony and fury.

  Barr: "YOU BITCH... WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FUCKING ARM?!"

  Faya smirked, raising her fists.

  Faya: "What's the matter, not used to battle injuries...? Are you gonna cry next?"

  Her taunt struck a nerve. Barr's breathing grew erratic, his teeth grinding audibly. With a guttural roar, he charged at her, ignoring the pain that wracked his body.

  Faya leaped gracefully over him as he lunged, landing behind him with ease.

  Faya: "Come on, Barr. That won't do! Try harder!"

  Barr: "I'LL KILL YOU IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

  His movements became more erratic, more desperate. Blood dripped from his arm as he flailed wildly, the razors on his hand wraps tearing through the air -- he was getting desperate. Well... desperate would be an understatement...

  Audience: "What the hell is he doing?!"

  Gasps rippled through the crowd as Barr bit down on the wrist of his broken arm. With a primal scream, he began tearing through the flesh, ripping the mangled limb free. Blood spattered across the dirt floor, and some audience members turned away, retching.

  Audience: "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HIM?!"

  Faya's eyes widened in shock.

  Faya: "What... THE FUCK?!"

  Barr held the torn limb in his good hand, blood dripping onto the ground as he grinned maniacally.

  Barr: "COME HERE, CUNT."

  He charged again, swinging the severed arm wildly. Faya dodged narrowly , but it wasn't good enough this time -- Barr had anticipated it. He hurled the limb at her, the exposed razors scraping her arm as it flew past.

  Faya flinched, glancing down at the shallow cuts. She was quick to brush them off, as they seemed nothing but a light injury, yet Barr laughed maniacally, ecstatic, his voice echoing through the arena. He seemed far too excited for having inflicted such a minor wound.

  Barr: "HAHA... HAHAHA! I DID IT! I WIN! I FUCKING WIN!!"

  The audience found itself in disarray. Some still cheered on, but others were visibly horrified by what unfolded before them. Cabdan now seemed... unfazed. An improvement in mood since last time, but he clearly wasn't happy.

  Faya's jaw tightened as she steadied herself.

  Faya: "I'm putting you out of your misery, you damn lunatic."

  She stalked toward Barr, dodging his wild, erratic swings with ease. As soon as she saw an opening, she drove her fist into his liver with brutal precision. Barr's body jerked, his muscles seizing from the pain. Before he could react, she maneuvered behind him, locking him in a chokehold. Barr thrashed, clawing at her forearms and hands with his razors, but her hand wraps protected her from the worst of the damage. His movements slowed, his strength sapped by blood loss and exhaustion.

  Within moments, he collapsed.

  Audience: "SHE DID IT! SHE TOOK HIM OUT!"

  Faya dragged Barr's limp body to the center of the arena, spreading his legs wide. The crowd erupted into deafening cheers as she began pacing in a wide circle, building anticipation.

  Audience: "HERE IT COMES!!!"

  Faya stopped near Barr's groin, raising her steel-heeled boot high into the air. The metallic shimmer caught the light, casting eerie reflections across the faces of the frenzied crowd.

  Faya: "ARE... YOU... READY?!"

  The audience screamed in unison.

  Cabdan: "She sure wasn't kidding..."

  With all her strength, Faya brought her heel down onto Barr's groin. The sickening sound of meat squishing and organs popping filled the arena. Blood spattered across the dirt as Barr's body convulsed weakly.

  Audience: "HOLY SHIT! HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!"

  The announcer stepped forward cautiously, his face pale.

  Announcer: "Right... sound the bell. SOUND THE BELL before this gets even more disgusting!"

  The cowbell rang, signaling the end of the match. Faya raised her fists triumphantly, her face split into a wild, victorious grin.

  Faya: "YEAH!!!"

  The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, though a few remained frozen in stunned silence. Faya turned to Cabdan, locking eyes with him.

  Faya: "THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, CABDAN!"

  She raised her middle finger high, her grin turning smug. Cabdan's expression soured, and he disappeared backstage, motioning for one of his men.

  Somewhere in the crowd, Jargen and Punjo had front-row seats to the carnage.

  Jargen: "Hohoho! Match of the decade! What'd I tell ya, Punjo?!"

  Punjo hunched over, vomiting onto the floor. He wiped his mouth weakly, trembling.

  Punjo: "Y-yeah... just... gimme a min --"

  He doubled over again.

  Jargen: "Ah, Punjo... never change, buddy. Never change."

  Faya takes a bow, and leaves towards the backstage area. After calming down for a bit, her steps began to falter as her vision blurred.

  Faya: "Why...? Barr didn't even lay a proper finger on me, except for those razors..."

  She glanced at her wounds. A strange purplish hue tinged their edges, and it seemed to be rapidly spreading.

  Faya: "Fuck..."

  Stumbling through the curtain, she spotted Cabdan waiting for her.

  Cabdan: "Nice fight, girl! Is something wrong? You seem exhausted, perhaps you should rest up..."

  Faya's voice was low and weak as she glared at him.

  Faya: "You... I'll kill y --"

  Her words cut off as she collapsed. Cabdan sighed, motioning to one of his men.

  Cabdan: "Take her to the orphanage... Let the nurses deal with her. The doctor won't be coming, I'm afraid they'll have to manage."

  The goon nodded, lifting Faya's unconscious body.

  Cabdan's gaze shifted to Barr, lying motionless in the ring, blood pooling around him. His expression darkened.

  Cabdan: "That one... I'll take care of myself."