Chapter 5: Reckless Abandonment

Screams of the raging and crowded bar full of people crashed against Joker's ears. He hadn't heard a group this loud in ages. weather that is good or bad is up to someone else.

Breaking him from his almost drowned out thoughts was the short announcer and referee of the tournament. Somehow he was louder than the rest of the rowdy sum of people and their screams of bilge.

"The last fight was only a warm up for the upcoming danger barreling straight towards Moéru Jonetsu and his dear friend in the audience, only known as Joker. Their fate is unknown by them and us all, but with the next fight underway we can clearly see that this will be tough for the new youngster in town!" Although working in a town where you're only nice to the person who's paying, he was quite cheerful that a new contestant could make it into the second round of his annual Fight Pit Tourney. He was clearly a man who liked theatrics when it comes to fights.

'Left hook, right jab, left uppercut!' Moéru thought abruptly to try and predict his opponents moves, it was clear that the second round opponent was miles above the first round opponent.

With a swift block the muscular man he was fighting took another blow to his metal arm that was similar in color to Moéru's own. The man's next move seemed to be faster than the rest, he sent a blurry looking fist to Moeru's gut. Only then Moéru realized the challenges that laid ahead, He was lifted off the ground by the stinging blow as he tried to move but was just sent careening into the wall of the cage from an intense kick to the abdomen causing Moéru to leave a trail of blood on the floor as he flew.

"Hey kid, get up! Stop being a wimpy sandbag and get the hell up!" His opposer cried out wanting to beat the young man more.

Joker's hands ran through his hair and ended up sitting there for a moment. "Fuck, this might just get him killed!" Mumbling to himself wasn't going to stop the fact that Moéru was being crushed in this fight so far.

'He is powerful and fast, but not at the same time... if I can just find the right moment I'll finish him off in one hit!' He stammered in his head as he got picked up off the ground and punched in the face. Almost cracking his cybernetic faceplate.

As soon as the man was going to drive his fist into Moéru's face plate he was stopped by the ear bleeding sound of metal bending and wires popping as they snapped. Moéru had grappled the man's forearm with both hands and crushed it almost in half.

"Shaaa!" Moéru screamed as he threw the piece he had broken off to the ground. The man just quivered a bit as he looked at his destroyed hand.

The man was a bit scared of how strong Moéru turned out to be. "H-How..?!" The man cringed while he held the torn cybernetic arm with his other hand.

Moéru put his hands up in a defensive position. "I was waitin' for the right moment." Then he stomped the man's knee in, punched him so hard his nose shattered, and gave him the wallop he deserved. Moéru screamed "Shaaaa!" Once again as he delivered a flurry of punches to hastily take down his opponent. "I didn't even have to use my fire that time.." he said to himself with a small smirk.

"An amazin' fifty hit combo! He's done it, Moéru Jonetsu has gone on the offense!" The announcer cried as he slapped his hand onto the table in excitement.

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Joker paced back in forth in the locker room. "You got so lucky there... what happens when one of em' has a power better than yours?!" He scolded.

"I'll just hope I can beat them in hand to hand combat." He said with a sigh. "Plus you worry too much, it's going to get hard sure, but we need the money!" He added while putting the credits he earned from the fight into his wallet.

"You're sounding a bit reckless there." Joker replied with a bit of a frown.

Moéru just rubbed his eyes. "So? ... Look, it's just a few more fights then we can get the hell outa this shitty prefecture and make our way back to Vaarin!" Joker just scoffed at what he said.

"Whatever you say kid. I'm gonna go get something to eat.."