The crowd was still recovering from Xao Min's victory when the arena lights turned blood red.
Sirens blared.
Chains dropped from the ceiling.
And from the underground lift rose a figure draped in black widow-silk robes, blades glinting at her hips like fangs.
Her dreadlocks were tied into crimson loops. Her eyes—like obsidian daggers.
SHANIQUA BLADE.
---
> "FROM THE BLACK TOWERS OF MAMBA HILL, MASTER OF THE DUAL ECHO STRIKE STYLE, THE VAMPIRE-STEPPER, THE SCARLET VIPER—SHA-NIIIIII-QUAAAAAAAA BLAAAAAAAAAAADE!!"
The crowd erupted in tribal chants.
She blew a kiss toward the audience, then drew both her weapons—thin, curved twin sabers, each one sharp enough to slice wind.
---
From the west gate, a cocky figure strolled in.
Chris Navarro.
Shirtless, tattoos of saints and skulls along his arms and chest. A rosary wrapped around his knuckles. He cracked his neck. Then smiled.
> "Yo. Time to repent, sweetheart."
---
Mimi's voice thundered:
> "THE HOLY KILLER OF BARRIO SAN LUCAS! THE CHURCH'S BRAWLING SON! THE SOUTHERN SAINT—CHRRRRIIIIISSSSSSS NAAAAAVAAAAAARRROOOOO!!"
---
DING!
---
Round One:
Chris came in like a freight train.
Left jab—right elbow—knee to the gut.
Shaniqua vanished.
> "Wh—?"
A blur passed him.
His side burned.
Blood sprayed.
She stood behind him, licking the edge of her saber.
> "Too slow, priest boy."
Chris looked down—four deep cuts on his ribs. His rosary split.
> "You just cut my blessing," he growled.
---
He roared forward.
She ducked—rolled—SLASH! across his back.
Then again—SLASH! up his leg.
> "I see it," Blaze said, eyes wide. "She's using Echo Rhythm Style—she matches her heartbeat to his and strikes in between his breaths."
Chris was bleeding bad. Chest heaving. Knees buckling.
Shaniqua danced—every move fluid, deathly, divine.
> "You sure you're holy?" she whispered in his ear. "Cause you're about to meet your maker."
---
Round Two:
Chris cracked his knuckles.
> "Aight... San Lucas Mode."
He wiped blood across his chest—made a cross.
> "Our Father, who art in Heaven…"
His tattoos glowed red.
> "Forgive me for what I'm about to do."
He sprinted—
BOOM!
Left hook.
BOOM!
Right cross.
Shaniqua blocked—barely.
Then he headbutted her.
She stumbled.
> "You want blood? Let's bleed."
---
He grabbed her—SPINEBUSTER.
The ring cracked.
Chris mounted—RAPID PUNCHES—fists raining like thunder.
Shaniqua slipped a blade from her ankle—
SLASH!
She stabbed Chris in the shoulder—twisting.
He roared.
> "MY TURN—!!"
He grabbed her by the arm—SNAPPED her elbow back.
> CRACK—
She screamed.
Then Chris lifted her—
> "SAINT'S EXECUTION!!"
A rotating suplex slam—she hit the floor like thunder.
Blood gushed from her mouth.
---
Round Three:
Both stood. Wounded. Breathing like beasts.
Shaniqua held one sword in her left hand. Her right arm limp.
Chris held his bleeding shoulder.
> "Gotta admit," he panted. "You're fast."
> "And you hit like a truck," she coughed. "Still gonna cut your damn head off."
They charged.
Her blade came in for a neck slice—
Chris ducked—
> "FLASH PRAYER—!!"
UPPERCUT!!
Her jaw shattered.
She spun mid-air—
He jumped—caught her—
> "CRUCIFIXION DROP!!"
A brutal vertical slam—face-first.
THUD.
Shaniqua lay motionless.
Blood pooled.
The crowd went dead quiet.
---
WINNER: CHRIS NAVARRO
---
Chris stumbled back. Dropping to one knee. Breathing fire.
Kazuya looked stunned. Genji's eyes widened.
> "He went full berserker," Genji muttered.
> "That's not even his final form," Asumi said coldly. "He hasn't prayed in tongues yet."
---
Back in the Golden Skybox, the man in the gold robe smirked.
> "So the Saint draws blood too."
Beside him, the cloaked woman leaned forward.
> "He could be trouble for the Dragon Prince."
---
To be continued