(A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don't hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

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The force behind the strike caused her to jerk back a little, but she caught herself and sent a retaliatory strike with her right fist, the punch surging straight for his head while he faced the opposite direction.

He crouched instinctively, his head dodging the fist as though he had eyes facing his back.

Her punch cut through the air harmlessly, grazing only wind.

Seris didn't linger on the miss. She twisted her wrist, using the motion to redirect her next attack, stepping forward with her left foot. The boy ducked again, slipping beneath her guard with ease. His smaller frame gave him better angles; she knew that much already.

The boy swept his leg toward hers, aiming to trip her. Seris caught the motion mid-swing, her knee bending as she jumped lightly, avoiding the full sweep. She landed a step away, already turning to face him.

Her instincts flared. Kairos Step.

Her body moved on its own, timing the smallest shift of his foot placement, the brief tell before his next move. She stepped just out of range as his elbow flew past her ribs. The air grazed her side.

"You're fast," he said between breaths.

"You're predictable," she countered.

He frowned, tightening his stance again. His steps became sharper this time, each one pressing closer, feinting high before attacking low, or the reverse. It would have worked on someone reactive, but Seris wasn't reacting; she was observing.

The rhythm of his movements followed a clear pattern: two quick strides, one delay, then strike. The moment she caught the rhythm, she stepped into him, breaking the distance entirely. Her shoulder collided into his, and before he could adjust, she hooked his leg and twisted her torso, sending him staggering back.

Jamal barely caught himself. He rolled once and came up on his feet, panting. His eyes narrowed, his expression focused even more.

Seris rolled her shoulders, easing out the stiffness. She wasn't as quick as he in bursts, but she could read him now. His strength wasn't overwhelming; his advantage lay in tempo.

'That, I can break,' she thought.

He charged again, straight line this time. She waited until the last second, activating Kairos Step once more. The world slowed, not truly, but perception sharpened. His motion blurred into fragments, every twitch mapped in her mind. She stepped diagonally, pivoting on her heel. His punch whistled past, missing by inches.

Her counter came instantly. A low kick struck behind his ankle, forcing his balance off. As he fell, she spun, using the turn to bring her elbow down across his back. He hit the ground hard, rolling twice before regaining distance.

He spat out dirt, but instead of frustration, he looked almost amused.

"You read me too well," he said.

"I've had practice," Seris said, steadying her breath.

The boy crouched again. This time, he didn't rush. His eyes watched her carefully. He shifted slightly to the right, then lunged.

Seris barely saw the movement before he was close again. He had changed his rhythm. His acceleration spiked unexpectedly, and the punch landed on her arm with a solid thud. The impact vibrated through her forearm, numbing it slightly. She countered with her left leg, kicking out toward his knee. He blocked with both arms, absorbing the impact and sliding back a few feet.

Both paused. Their breathing grew heavier, the air around them thick with tension.

Seris's muscles ached faintly. The fight had gone longer than most of her encounters. Her opponent wasn't reckless; he learned as quickly as she adapted. The small size she had teased him with earlier now frustrated her, giving him natural agility she had to compensate for through prediction.

He dashed forward again, this time zigzagging in a compact radius. It was clever; it broke the pattern and forced her to rely purely on instinct.

Seris activated Kairos Step again, letting her perception flow. The faintest twitch of his arm signalled his next feint, and she turned with it. His right hook grazed her cheek, but before he could press, she trapped his arm and pushed forward, turning his motion into her own leverage.

He flipped over her hip and hit the ground flat. The moment he tried to rise, she stepped onto his wrist, holding him still.

He twisted sharply, using his free hand to grab at her leg, pulling to destabilise her. She shifted weight immediately, moving back to release his hand, then stomped down again, this time beside his arm. The force jolted through the soil.

Jamal gritted his teeth.

"You're persistent." He said.

"So are you," she said, voice calm.

His free hand suddenly shot toward her ankle again, but this time she was ready. She hopped back, then leapt forward, her knee connecting lightly with his shoulder to push him back down.

He stayed there, breathing hard, looking up at her.

"That's enough," he said finally, his tone even.

"You've got me." He admitted.

Seris didn't move immediately. She kept her stance steady, eyes locked on him for any sign of deceit. When she felt none, she relaxed her shoulders and stepped back.

He sat up, rubbing his shoulder.

"You don't look tired." He noted.

"I am," she said honestly.

"More tired than you can imagine," she said with an exhale.

He chuckled weakly at that, then reached into his pocket, pulling out his sigil stone.

He looked at his sigil stone, his eyes clear with hesitation and unwillingness, but he had lost, and so he had to give it to her.

He handed it to her with great reluctance.

Seris nodded and accepted it silently. The stone glowed faintly as she merged it with her own.

He stood, dusting himself off.

"Guess this is where I fade out." He said,

"Seems so," she replied, stepping aside as the faint shimmer of extraction began forming around him.

Her gaze lingered on the place he had been, seconds after he had completely disappeared.

"That was wonderful," She muttered, before slumping on the ground.

She clutched her sigil stone, her finger hesitating on the button. She hadn't checked the rankings since the trio, but she had to now. Jamal had given her a lot of points.

Orion- 543 points

Seris- 498 points

Kaelen- 450 points.

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Seris- 498 points.

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