Fubai's Blaze: The Arena's Fury

After spending a while at the shelter, Rei comes to realize that Lì is A-Yin's gofer, constantly bustling around the camp to manage and organize various tasks. The red demon is very kind to her, suspiciously kind. It is plausible that his job is to keep her under control. 

Lost in her thoughts, Rei finds herself wandering through the camp, her senses attuned to the rhythms of life around her. In the heart of the training arena, a figure catches her eye – a demon with olive skin etched with scars, donning a shirt that conceals his arms, save for a glimpse of ink escaping from his right sleeve. With a powerful and lumbering grace, he wields an axe. 

Rei places her hand on the railing, propelling herself with a push from her right foot, effortlessly vaulting over it. If memory serves her right, this must be Kahn. Lì has inundated her with names and details, leaving her somewhat uncertain about his identity. Evidently, Kahn was among those who arrived on a naval freighter the same night she ventured to the docks seeking information.

"You there!" she yells at him, approaching. The demon turns, raising an eyebrow, as she asks, "Do you want to train?"

"With you? You're a wren."

Her gaze immediately hardens in a silent threat. 

"If I were you, newbie, I wouldn't raise my crest too much. I'm a middle demon, and you are the pocket version of a fubai."

The minor demons turn to them, gathering around the wall, their giggles directed at her. Mocking glints in their colored eyes fixate on her, stirring anger to a boiling point. Her gray fingers scratch against the sword sheath as she tries to control her breathing to calm down, but their derisive smiles make every attempt futile. 

Who the fuck do you think you are?

A-Yin swiftly approaches, drawn by the commotion. The moment they spot him, the demons retreat, creating a vacancy in the front row for him. Her gaze, laden with warning, doesn't bode well. It's going to be funny, he thinks.

Rei draws her sword, staring into Kahn's amber eyes. "You sound like a scared little pussy, general of my ass."

The leader bites his tongue, trying not to laugh.

An annoyed snort comes from the thin mouth of the muscular demon, who immediately opens his arms in a gesture of defiance. "How dare you disrespect me!" Kahn growls angrily as strands of blue rasuah writhe and coil around his frame, like serpents wrapping themselves around a mighty oak. Each tendril flexes with contained power, ready to unleash devastation upon his opponent.With a primal roar, he launches himself forward with a terrifying velocity, his massive axe poised to cleave through bone. 

Yet, with a sudden and nimble duck, she evades the impending blow. Exploiting his exposed side and the undefended arms still locked in an attacking stance, she swiftly and precisely maneuvers her blade to breach his flesh. The fabric of his shirt tears, and a few drops of blood trickle from the tip of her sword. The unarmored demon clenches his teeth, more from vexation than pain, indeed, the wound is superficial and will heal quickly.

A collective "Oh" of astonishment resonates through the crowd. A-Yin arches an eyebrow, finding the clash intriguing, and he places his hands on his chin, scratching the skin near the black scales. She is fast and agile, which is undoubtedly an advantage over the muscular demon's slowness. On the other hand, Kahn is a middle demon, and he knows that his general still has a hidden ace.

Kahn intensifies the corruption in his muscles, enveloping his body in a bluish glow that now extends to his red horns. He doesn't seem to appreciate having made a fool of himself. Yet the fubai doesn't seem scared or surprised, instead an amused grin marks her face as she mocks him. "Look at you, so scary." 

"Stop before you get hurt." His empty threat provokes nothing but laughter and a quick attack, which is blocked with the handle of the ax. 

Their eyes bore into each other with determination. As the tension mounts, Kahn's grip tightens on his weapon and a bluish tendril snakes its way up his arm, forcing her to step back. But just as victory seems within his grasp, a sudden eruption of black flames engulfs her blade, casting an ominous glow upon their faces. The infernal flames eat hungrily at Kahn's hands, searing his olive skin with agonizing heat. With a pained roar, he recoils instinctively, the scorching pain tearing through his senses like a wildfire.

Another sharp hit from top to bottom, this time much stronger than before. The blade excruciatingly embeds in his left shoulder.

With a derisive tone, she retreats as the demon raises a hand to his fresh wound. 

"This is really unfair. We should be equal in this battle!" she mocks him as she puts back the sword from whose sheath a light smoke emerges. Then her hands move forward, beckoning him to come closer. Rei is now so elated that her fangs protrude from her lips. "Come on, big guy, catch me!" 

A-Yin's eyes widen with surprise. What is she doing? She certainly cannot be stronger than him, yet she confronts him in his own realm of expertise. Do you have a plan, or are you just a cocky brat? 

The muscular demon throws the ax away, charging at her again. However, his arms grasp only emptiness, as she skillfully evades each attack. Rei moves with nimble grace, her long hair teasing his fingers and sparking from the slight electric shocks. 

Annoyed by his apparent weakness, she turns to the demon. "I want to make friends here, so I'm going to help you," she declares, abruptly halting in front of him. 

His powerful hand seizes her by the hair, lifting her like prey. Electric shocks course through her lean body, causing tiny involuntary twitches in her muscles. Yet, it's a level of discomfort she can handle, having endured greater pain in past sparring sessions with less gentle opponents. With arms crossed, Rei questions, "Why are you giving me so much freedom?"

Kahn waves her in the air mockingly. "What do you think you're doing? Melee is definitely not your strong suit."

I'll not be so sure anymore. A-Yin clenches his hands on the railing, eagerly awaiting her next move.

With a swift and calculated movement, she hurls her fist towards Kahn, aiming to distract him. As his hand moves to block, a cocky smile graces her lips and she delivers a devastating blow, under his armpit, with the pointed tip of her boot, infused with potent black rasuah. 

The impact jolts Kahn, a shockwave of agony coursing through him. He grimaces, a primal growl escaping his lips as he spits blood. His grip on her hair weakens, allowing her to plummet, but her hands grasp onto the neckline of his black shirt refusing to yield even as gravity threatens to pull her down.

A headbutt onto his mouth.

The impact is thunderous, a sickening crunch reverberating through the air as bone meets bone with brutal force. Khan's world spins as pain explodes in his head and he meets the ground with the fubai straddling him.

Blood gushes from his split lips, a crimson river staining the ground beneath them, his breath ragged and labored.

In a swift motion, Rei seizes the dagger strapped to her thigh, the glint of cold steel flashing in the light as she aims it at his throat. "You shouldn't judge your enemy by their size."

The blade is lightly pressed against his rough skin, which tears and bleeds. "You are weak and slow." the fubai thunders. 

His amber eyes glare at her as the minor demons get quiet, shocked.

"But I'm willing to help you if you stop being a dick." Rei gets up from the ground and holds her hand to make him stand up. His disdainful gaze remains fixed on her, but a spark of curiosity is ignited by her proposition. Despite his initial reluctance, he accepts her offer to stand, acknowledging the respect owed to a formidable opponent. 

The arena gates swing open, and a dozen minor demons rush in as they realize the situation has settled. Stepping forward, one of them, with pink eyes gleaming and a broad smile adorning her face, addresses Rei, "That was impressive! No one expected that, judging by your physique."

Rei's white eyebrow arches, irritation evident in her expression, causing the smaller demon to tremble.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I-I am Lesia. I don't have great skills in handling rasuah, and I can't imbue it in my weapon, but can you teach us some moves in close combat?" 

A smirk curls on the fubai's lips, and she replies, "Of course, I have nothing better to do," extending her hand. "I'm Rei." Behind her, Kahn secures his brown hair into a low ponytail and gives her a pat on the shoulder. "I can be your sparring partner."

Wu's green poisonous gaze follows her every movement while A-Yin approaches, intrigued. The little fubai seems full of surprises, which amuses him to the point of wanting to try her skills firsthand. Grinning, he turns to Kahn and jests, "Let me take over, or tonight you won't sleep from the pain."

"Boss." the word rings slowly and provocatively from her lip, and a smug smile forms on his face, too pleased by how Rei pronounced it. 

"No rasuah, classic hand-to-hand combat," he announces, shifting his gaze toward the minor demons. "We'll take it slow so you can all observe the movements. At each pause, I want you to suggest actions for either of us, so you can understand the consequences of your decisions.."

Turning to Rei, they both commence a cautious circling, maintaining a precise distance. "Do you do this kind of exercise often?" she inquires, her expression amused.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't have a lot of sparring partners, so think of it as an interactive test class."

His eyes sweep over Rei, taking in her appearance. Her white hair is gathered in a high ponytail, flowing down to the lower back with each movement. A dark turtleneck embraces her neck, while a thin leather armor tightens around her torso, accentuating her slim waist and curves. The trousers cling to her legs, adorned with numerous black leather strings on the thighs. His gaze lifts to her lilac eyes, and pleased with what he sees, he adds, "If it goes well, I might think about doing it more often."

He receives a puff in response and hears the minor demons murmur, intrigued by the clash they will shortly observe. 

"Are you going to stand there much longer?"

"As they say, ladies first." With a sly smile, he makes a short bow with his torso, waving his hand forward in a gesture of false reverence. Seizing the opportunity, the fubai lunges forward to grab his wrist. However, just as she's about to make contact, she finds nothing but air. He has skillfully evaded her, sidestepping and casually placing his hands in his pockets. "Bravo. You were almost there."

Rei turns her head and challenges him, "Aren't you underestimating me?"

"Of course not. What makes you think so?" he retorts with a nonchalant demeanor.

Advancing a step, Rei repeats the same lunging motion, this time targeting his scruff. The demon attempts to sidestep once more, but in an instant, he feels a foot rise from the ground and he is forced to jump not to fall. The sweep trip is so forceful that it destabilizes him completely, causing a hand to come out of his pocket without him realizing it. A-Yin smiles, satisfied, and raises his guard with a sharp look. 

"You've finally made up your mind." Rei remarks, her tone observant.

"Sounds like good practice." A-Yin then addresses the small audience in a higher tone, "Who can tell me what I should expect from an opponent like her? You just saw her fight Kahn, so you should pretty much have an idea."

Silence ensues until Kahn crosses his arms over his chest and offers his insights, "She is fast and very agile. She has no particular pattern of attack except for the fact that she tends to make the first move."

Rei chuckles in response. It is not worth revealing all of her cards, so for now, she will keep about the same level of the clash with the middle demon. 

The leader adeptly evades kicks and punches, employing quick footwork. When she jumps toward his face, he blocks her ankle and guides her shoulders to the ground. Rei lies with one leg on his shoulder, a fist aimed at her chest. She plans to counter when the training partner's attack slows, leaving a hand's distance between her chin and his knuckles. An interactive lesson, indeed.

A-Yin winks at her and turns to the others, saying, "Let's analyze the situation." His icy blue gaze fixates on the pink-eyed youngling as he asks, "Lesia, what would you do in this case?"

She winces at the sound of her name, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt as she responds in a shaky voice, "I-I don't think I could beat you, Sir."

He chuckles in response. "The purpose of this exercise is precisely that, which is why it's us and not you. Take a closer look at the situation and tell me what you see."

Rei remains still, her muscles tense and ready to launch an attack at the slightest signal from the demon. He, however, appears quite relaxed, too relaxed for her liking. In an ironic tone, she murmurs, "It's only for this reason that we're in this position, of course." 

As she feels his lower abdomen pressing against her she can't help but let out a sigh. The leader smiles at her, his response barely above a whisper. "I told you, if I like it, I might think about doing it more often."

"Idiot."

He laughs back, then, finally, Lesia's voice emerges from the spiral of thoughts that crowd her head. "She is small, and her movements are partially blocked." The youngling brings a hand to her chin and leans forward to observe better. "Can you unbalance him, perhaps with a stroke of the pelvis?"

The leader looks at the fubai as if to say: let her see it. Rei tries, but the demon's weight on her is firm and does not get more than a simple rocking of the position.

"Look at me. What's wrong with my grip?"

Lesia remains puzzled and looks around to see if she is the only one not to know. Kahn goes to her rescue by distractingly touching his leg, and she answers with a questioning tone, "You have your legs open on her."

The leader nods and says, "Now, our dear participant will show us what to do when someone bigger puts himself in this position." Then a nervous grin appears on his lips, and he adds, "Be gentle."

Rei reciprocates with a smile, her eyes gleaming with determination. As the demon's knuckles draw nearer, she braces herself, covering her face, using the momentum to launch her free knee upwards towards his lower abdomen. A-Yin anticipates her move, his reflexes kicking into overdrive as he manages to block her strike just in time. But before he can even exhale in relief, a vice-like grip seizes his wrist, forcing him to lower his head. Caught off guard, he releases the fubai''s leg, is focus now solely on averting the imminent collision with the hard ground. With a desperate twist of his body, he manages to cushion the fall with one hand. But before he can fully recover, Rei is already on the move, her movements fluid and relentless. With the precision of a seasoned warrior, she immobilizes him with a knee pressing down on his shoulder, pinning him in place with an iron grip.

In the swirling dust kicked up by the sudden movement, the demon chuckles, feeling the humerus almost on the brink of dislocation. "Didn't I tell you to be nice?" he rasps, his words tinged with a mix of admiration and grudging.

She lowers her head to whisper, her voice amused. "You still look intact to me, don't complain."

In the audience, the muscular one and the various males wear mixed expressions of pain and relief. Lesia's eyes glow with excitement as she giggles, "You're awesome!"

Having Rei so forward allows A-Yin to leverage himself with a swift push of his feet, executing a somersault. Desperate to regain control, she tries to block him by planting her heel into the ground, but it's too late. His shoulder slips free from her grip, allowing him to swiftly reposition his arm. In an instant, Rei finds herself pinned beneath him once again, her vulnerable belly exposed as her hand remains anchored to his wrist. The sole of his shoe hovers menacingly close to her face.

The entire sequence unfolds with lightning speed, leaving the other demons momentarily stunned into silence. Eventually, some release giggles or sighs of satisfaction. Rei moves away, slapping his foot and releasing his wrist. As she rises to her feet, brushing off the dust from her pants, she can't help but jest, "I didn't know you were so bitter."

A-Yin's smile is sly, his gaze unwavering as he makes an expansive gesture with his hand. "I can't afford to look bad in front of them."

Some whistles emerge from the others, but he silences them with an amused look and turns back to Rei. "Shall we continue?"

"I'll make you eat dust."

The training persists for a while, featuring catches, throws, lunges, parries, and dodges. The minor demons eagerly participate, attempting to imitate each move until it's time for lunch.