“Well, if that wasn't the prefect fight to inaugurate this tournament!!”, the crowd cheers.

  “And you don't have to wait! We'll continue with the second fight right away!!”, the moderator shouts to hype the crowd.

  Erika says: “Hey, this is already the first fight for Raiden, isn't it?”

  Atsume replies: “That enemy ghost guy could be strong.”

  “Yeah! Some people have dangerous powers even though they're not so very physically strong.”, Erika says, “Those thorns from Sting Lady probably have the potential to take down people with immense power.”

  Raiden enters the arena and the crowd cheers as the ghost guy enters too. He has chin length hair with purple tips and purple eyes. A little purple ghost also buzzes around him.

  “Oh my, he looks very shy. I like that. Ketsuki also has some kind of shyness.”, Atsume states.

  “Nah, I think he’s just very awkward. Doesn’t know how to talk to people.”, Erika answers.

  The moderator introduces the fighters: “On the one side we have our first newcomer this month, ‘Lightning Fist – Raiden’! We don’t know a thing about his powers so be ready for surprises!”

  Raiden waves into the cheering crowd and looks just like Enzou.

  The moderator continues: “On the other side, we have another newcomer and we don't know an ounce of his powers as well! Make space for: ‘Exhaunter’! Let’s hope they’re going to put up an entertaining fight and get your bets ready!”

  The crowd cheers one more time and then goes silent again.

  “Well, well, well, you don’t strike me as a fighter. But don’t think I’m going easy on you now.”, Raiden warns him.

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll fight with all my might.”, Exhaunter says and gets interrupted by his little talking ghost.

  “I’ll say it again. This is the fight where we’re finally fighting for real and not holding back! Did you hear me?”

  Exhaunter replies to the ghost: “You know me. I can’t do this to you. What if you get hurt?”

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  He turns to Raiden, walks to the middle of the arena and stretches out his hand. Raiden looks confused for a second and then shakes his hand.

  “My name is Yurei.”, he says.

  Raiden answers while smiling: “Nice to meet you, Yurei.”

  They line up ten meters away from each other and go in a fighting position.

  Yurei shouts: “Minami, go!”, and the little ghost flies over to Raiden with high speed.

  Raiden wants to find out what Minami can do and crosses his arms to block. Minami flies right through his arms and stops inside of his torso. Raiden gets confused and after a few seconds he notices that he’s getting more and more exhausted. He jumps away and dodges Minami who now chases after him and tries to keep him away from Yurei. Raiden has a hard time dodging Minami because she is exceptionally fast but he had enough time to charge his fists.

  Shurui analyses for the girls: “This is Minami’s own special ability. She exhausts the enemy with a rate of around 5% of their full stamina per second when she is in direct contact with them.”

  “I said it! If they don’t look that strong, they have a specific power with huge potential!”, Erika proudly says.

  Atsume adds: “Doesn’t this mean that that ghost guy has powers on his own and Raiden is actually fighting a team of two?”

  “Seems like it. I don’t know where the sucked-up energy ends up at but I assume one of them receives Raiden’s stamina. And the ghost guy should be able to have a power of himself, you’re right Atsui-chan.”, Shurui explains.

  “Did you just call me Atsui-chan?”, Atsume asks.

  “Yup, I think that name suits you better.”, Shurui answers.

  Atsume responds: “I’ll allow it.”

  Raiden now lands a hit on Minami and sends her flying into the ceiling.

  “Wow, didn’t think I could hit her.”, Raiden thinks and runs in the direction of Yurei who screams, “Minami!! Noo!!”

  Raiden also hits Yurei, who was distracted, with his other fist.

  Yurei flies into the boundary of the arena just like Sting Lady and Minami flies over to him, screaming: “Yurei! Are you okay?! Please be okay!”

  She hugs him with her stubby little hands and starts crying.

  Yurei is still conscious, gently pats Minami on the head and quietly says to her: “I’ll be okay. If we give up now, I’ll be fine.”

  Appalled, little Minami now replies: “But you wanted to win! You said we’ll never give up!”

  “I know I said that but we don’t need to risk our lives in this tournament. I don’t want you to get hurt even more.”, he says, smiling and still talking very quiet because he can’t really raise his voice without hurting.

  “Stop saying such things! You’re definitely the one who’s more hurt! But if you stop being so reticent about letting me fight, I’ll develop thoughts that you’re not trusting me anymore!”, Minami says.

  Yurei continues to talk: “I know you’re saying it to protect me but it’s still bad to extort me like that.”

  He leans his head against the wall and looks up. He starts daydreaming of his past.

  Yurei, now as a narrator begins to tell his story with Minami: “I was just an ordinary boy and had a pretty normal life and my parents gave me the attention I wanted. One day, I saw a shop for cuddle toys and they bought me one. On my home planet, they’re alive and that was totally normal. My parents though, they somehow took this as an excuse to stop raising me like a normal child…”