Sliding through the doorway, Fester clicked a flutter of photos. Their handheld blinding Horst in the process. “Yo guys, I decided to take care of our yearbook, so say cheese!”

  “Why bother, we’re gonna graduate in ten months. Besides there are only seven of us, we don’t need an annual book,” Horst said whilst he fixed his tie.

  “Nonsense, that’s why we need one,” Fester replied. “You know where the others are?”

  “Eurig is probably somewhere. He only ever practices those skate tricks of his. Cherry is out back I think, and Ayihcah—”

  “I don’t need Ayihcah,” Fester said with a cheery smile. “I’ll go search for the others, bye!”

  “What was that?” Horst asked himself.

  “The wind, all it was was the wind,” Taiga mumbled as he put his head back down to rest.

  Hands blurred, the crackle of static popped with every strike. Knuckles ablaze with lightning, firing jabs that left upturned nostrils. That was the power of the “hell’s punch”. Cherry’s master, DJ Las Baba, learned it from the legendary Lord of Omore Sand and thus taught it to her. Fester narrated as he watched Cherry beat the bloody teeth out of two hooligans.

  “If that’s all ya got, then you stand no chance against Urjo or Taiga, let alone Ayihcah. Go home and train,” Cherry said.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “They can’t hear you,” Fester said.

  “Douche-bags, they just keep on coming. The lot of 'em, more and more.”

  “Y-you know why?” Ooo, scary, she’s getting back to her old self.

  “Obviously, it’s because of that video.”

  Horst brought up the website towards his plan, slapping down his computer in Taiga’s face. “Look, remember that fight with Ben Krow. Somebody filmed it, streaming it all over the net. People directly bet on the outcome. Because Ayihcah got stabbed, loads of complaints came in. From those who bet on this match up thinking it was some preliminary round to the Zodiac Palace, resulting in no payout. He blew up the whole thing. The Zodiac Palace appeared the way it should, and he showed us something; a way to crush it.”

  “What are you trying to tell me?” Taiga asked.

  “Ayihcah gave me the rundown on the rules to the third round. He wants me to get it up on the net, hype it up. He may really be able to finish the round with no winners or losers; to destroy the Zodiac Palace…”

  “What can I do to help?” Taiga straightened a smile.

  “Wow, look at you, like a completely different person. Did the mayor beat ya that bad?”

  “…”

  It was time, dark, as dark as the night we first met. Dressed to match the mood, truly a no better look for the finale. Black suits the both of us, but that uptight way he wears his tie ain’t really him. Unlike him, I like to show a little skin. One can’t help but smile, ain’t that right, Jaromir…Matsya…ain’t that right?