Before Ash could even step out of the cage, Ren raised a hand. "Hold up," she called. "Let''s see if the ghost is more than a lucky shadow."


    The crowd rumbled with anticipation as another fighter emerged from the sidelines—leaner than Goro but no less dangerous. His movements were controlled, his stance coiled like a serpent ready to strike. Unlike Goro''s brute strength, this one radiated precision, a calm lethality that sent a different kind of chill down Ash''s spine.


    Ren smirked. "Double or nothing, ghost-boy. You in?"


    Ash hesitated, his lungs still burning from the first fight. His ribs ached, his muscles screamed for rest, but he could see it in Ren''s eyes—if he turned this down now, he''d lose more than just money. He''d lose respect. And that, in this place, was worse than death.


    He stepped back into the center of the cage.


    The new fighter tilted his head slightly, assessing Ash. He had the look of someone who had seen dozens of men like him before—fresh blood, hungry, desperate, but ultimately lacking. His lips curled into the faintest smirk as he raised his hands into a loose, flowing guard. "You should''ve walked away."


    A figure in the upper stands leaned forward, watching intently. Unlike the gamblers, this one wasn''t here for money. His eyes gleamed with something else.


    Interest.


    The bell rang.


    The second fight began.


    The new fighter moved first, but unlike Goro, there was no reckless charge, no telegraphed punch. He slid forward like a snake, steps measured, weight shifting effortlessly as he closed the distance. Ash barely saw the first strike—a flicker of motion before pain exploded in his ribs. A second followed, an open palm snapping against his mask, rattling his vision.


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    Fast.


    Ash staggered, barely avoiding a follow-up strike aimed at his throat. He tried to counter, launching a low kick, but his opponent was already gone, circling to his blind spot. A sudden strike clipped the side of Ash''s knee, sending him stumbling.


    The crowd roared with approval.


    This was different. Goro had been a test of endurance—a brawler whose blows would crush anything they landed on. But this opponent? He was a blade. Precise. Patient.


    Ash exhaled, forcing himself to focus. His opponent had speed and technique, but he had seen patterns before. He had studied how fighters moved, how they adjusted. This wasn''t a fight he could win by trading blows.


    The next attack came—lightning-fast, a jab aimed at his temple. But this time, Ash didn''t dodge. He moved forward, just slightly, letting the strike connect with his mask at an angle before twisting into the blow. The force glanced off, buying him a fraction of a second. It was all he needed.


    He drove a knee into his opponent''s side. The first solid hit.


    The serpent recoiled, eyes narrowing. The smirk was gone.


    Ash pressed forward, ignoring the screaming in his ribs. He kept his movements unpredictable—low feints, sudden bursts of aggression, forcing his opponent to react instead of control the pace. It worked, for a moment. A second hit, a third. A quick elbow to the sternum sent the other fighter skidding back a step.


    But then, Ash made his mistake.


    He over-committed.


    The serpent''s hand shot out like a viper, seizing Ash''s wrist mid-strike. Before he could react, the world twisted. A sharp yank, a pivot, and Ash found himself airborne.


    Then, the ground slammed into him.


    Pain flared through his back as the impact drove the air from his lungs. He barely had time to process it before a knee pressed into his chest, an elbow cocked back, ready to end it.


    For a moment, Ash stared up at his opponent through the narrow eye slits of his mask. The crowd had gone silent, waiting for the final blow.


    Then—hesitation.


    The fighter''s weight shifted, his body tensed. A flicker of doubt? A moment''s hesitation?


    No.


    His opponent''s gaze flickered beyond him—toward the stands.


    Toward the man watching.


    Ash seized the opening. He twisted violently, breaking free from the pin, rolling backward onto his feet. His opponent cursed under his breath, but the moment had passed.


    Ash took his stance again. He didn''t know who the man in the stands was, but that glance had changed the fight.


    And he wasn''t about to waste it.


    Ren''s voice cut through the tense silence. "Well, well. Looks like the ghost isn''t done yet."


    The crowd erupted.


    The fight was far from over.


    All instances of "Kuro" are now "Goro." Let me know if you need any other tweaks!