After delivering the final blow, Yasoke turned his back and walked toward the infirmary. However, the narrator, upon inspecting Zulmy's body, was startled when the young woman abruptly stood up, consumed by fury.
— HEY, YOU TRASH! DON'T YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK ON ME! THE FIGHT ISN'T OVER YET! — she shouted, wielding her chains once more.
Yasoke turned around, wearing an expression of pure mockery.
— The fight is over! I finished you with a punch! Just accept it.
She began to grit her teeth, completely outraged.
— AND YOU THINK I ACCEPTED IT? I WAS KNOCKED OUT FOR JUST A FEW SECOND-LEVELS! THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT AS A VICTORY!
— But you were knocked out, obviously it counts!
— IT DOES NOT!
— It does!
— IT DOES NOT!
Yasoke began to lose his patience.
— IT DOES!
— IT DOES NOT!
— OF COURSE IT COUNTS!
— I SAID IT COUNTS, WOMAN!
— AND I SAID IT DOESN'T COUNT, YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!
Yasoke was already preparing to deliver another punch, while Zulmy positioned herself to hurl one of her chains.
— Just accept it, or I'll have to defeat you all over again! — the young man threatened.
— That was pure luck, you cretin! It won't happen again!
Both prepared for the imminent clash. Yasoke concentrated pure macogo in his fist, while Zulmy infused her energy into the chain. They lunged at each other for a mutual attack, until a dense darkness loomed over them, instantly transporting them to a completely pitch-black room.
— HEY, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! — the maiden and the young man in slippers exclaimed at the same time.
— It's a room of darkness. You two were about to strike each other and get badly hurt, I simply stopped you!
— And... who are you? — the young woman in the dress asked.
— My name is Rokko. I am practically responsible for this boy and his idiot master!
— Cê tá falando do Yuji! (You're talking about Yuji!) — Yasoke deduced.
— Exactly, Yasoke!
Suddenly, the dark room vanished. The two combatants found themselves lying on adjacent cots in the infirmary, with their wounds already in the middle of being repaired.
— Hey... what is this guy DOING NEXT TO ME?! — Zulmy startled, waking Yasoke up abruptly.
— Wait... what... is happening... why is there a monster next to me?!
— Did you just call me a monster, you hideous jerk?!
— Yeah, I did! And what are you gonna do about it?
— I'm gonna leave you so hideous that you'll look like a mix between a chupacabra and a dragon!
As the two began a physical brawl on the cot, pulling each other's hair, Yuji appeared in the room.
— Hey, guys, let's stop fighting. Neither of you is actually ugly... well, maybe Yasoke!
— I heard that, alright! — the pupil grumbled.
— It's important to understand that whoever lost has to accept that they lost, no matter how pretty you are! — Yuji continued, addressing the girl.
— Are you calling me pretty?! I'm 16 years old, you know?
— I know, that's why I don't mean anything by it, I just wanted to highlight your beauty!
— You see beauty in this thing? I think you're blind, huh! — Yasoke muttered.
Zulmy grew deeply infuriated. Her eyes, originally pink, flashed a deep crimson-red. She turned her face away with disdain.
— And you're a supermodel, right?! You joke! You don't have a single defining feature other than dressing like a sissy!
Yasoke fell silent immediately, his eyes wide with surprise. Yuji had the same dumbfounded reaction as the boy. After the outburst, the young woman's eyes returned to their original pink tone and she tossed her head sideways.
— Humph! Your next fight is against Jhony, right? Do you think you can win, kid?
— Obviously! I'm gonna smash that little redhead's face in! — Yasoke replied, punching his fist against his palm and flashing a confident smile, accompanied by Yuji.
Zulmy turned her face once more, adopting a more contained and timid expression.
— Just make sure you don't lose, okay! You beat me! I won't accept you losing, got it?!
— Of course, girl of despicable appearance, I'm gonna win this fight!
"I'm gonna jump at this bastard's throat and then strangle him with my chains," Zulmy thought, visibly irritated, though she remained silent. Yasoke stood up from the cot and began to warm up right there.
— Look, girl of despicable appearance! You destroyed my clothes! My jeans and my white tank top, which is already completely covered in blood because of you!
— It's a tournament! Did you want me to cuddle you instead of hitting you?
— Preferably yes, or better yet, forfeit!
Zulmy responded by throwing up her middle finger. Yuji, seeking to restore serenity, intervened again:
— Look, Yasoke, this tournament isn't just about rubbing it in everyone's face that you're strong! It also serves as a learning experience, you gained a lot of experience!
Curious, the girl asked:
— Are you by any chance the master of this hideous gremlin?
— Yes, I am. And he's not that ugly, he just has an average appearance.
When the two looked to the side, they caught sight of Yasoke doing a handstand, counting the seconds by blinking his eyes—a count that was, evidently, completely wrong.
Meanwhile, in the other medical wing, Jhony was celebrating winning a bet he had made with the on-duty doctor.
— I won, see! Now hand over the cash, hehehe!
"I hate my job," thought the professional, resigned.
— Fine.
The doctor handed the amount of money to the red-haired youth. Jhony jumped off the cot, stood on his feet, and began to stretch vigorously.
— My fight against my friend is approaching! And I need to teach that cocky jerk a lesson!
At that moment, Jhony allowed himself to recall their childhood, back when they used to play-fight.
— Hey, Yasoke, let's see if you can knock me out!
— I don't know, but I'm gonna beat you up!
The first memory brought to mind a score of 1 to 0 for Yasoke—a victory by accidental knockout, when there is no genuine intention to knock someone out. On that occasion, after Yasoke was thrown into a small pile of trash, an old metal wheel plummeted directly onto Jhony's head, leaving him unconscious.
Jhony shook his head, trying to dismiss the image.
— Not that memory! Hold on...
He searched his memory for the second time they played-fight. The score had been tied 1 to 1 by Jhony, again by an accidental knockout. Yasoke had lunged to strike Jhony; the red-haired boy simply dodged the attack, and the impact of the golden-eyed boy's fist rebounded against himself, resulting in his own knockout.
Returning to the present, Jhony concluded with a smile:
— Come to think of it, neither of us has ever knocked out the other for real!