Episode 9 – Cockiness

Ja smirked, wiping the blood from his mouth.
“You’re tripping. Did you just see what we can do?”

His voice was full of cockiness, but deep down… just staring at Arkham made his stomach twist.

Ronin glanced at his brother, then back at Arkham.
Ja doesn’t mean any of that, he thought.

Arkham exhaled slowly, adjusting his hat.
“Alright. I’ll make the first move. But I’m warning you—”

He stepped forward, his glowing eye dimming slightly.
“You ain’t gonna like it.”

Ja cracked his neck, about to spit out a retort—

BLINK.

Arkham was suddenly right in front of him.

Ja’s eyes widened, glowing bright yellow as he dashed back—

But Arkham only pressed a single finger into the ground.

BOOM.

The floor cracked, the walls rattled, rubble raining down around them.

Ronin’s red eyes flared. Using Ja as bait, he dashed to Arkham’s blind spot.

“AHHHHHH!” he screamed, swinging his katana.

CLANG.

Arkham caught the blade between two fingers.

Ronin froze, eyes widening.

Arkham’s smile curved slow and sharp.
Strange… this energy.

He tilted his head, staring at the weapon.
“A Soul Tie, huh? That’s odd.”

With a flick of his finger, he sent Ronin flying, slamming him into the wall with bone-cracking force.

Arkham rose calmly, brushing dust from his coat.
“So… Ronin’s got a Soul Tie katana and a First Wall activation at ten.”

He turned his gaze back to Ja, his smile fading into curiosity.
“And Ja… you’ve got something rare. That Output Wall.”

Arkham’s hat shadowed his face.
“I’ve only seen it once. Back in the day.”

Ja’s body pulsed with blue energy, his rage overflowing.

CRACK—ZZZT!

Energy tore down his right side, splitting across his skin like jagged lightning.

Ja charged, fist cocked back, energy screaming around it.
“I’ll kill you!”

He drove it forward, shouting with every ounce of breath:
“OUTPUT!”

BOOOM!

The impact echoed like thunder—

But Arkham didn’t budge.

He stood perfectly still, Ja’s glowing fist caught effortlessly in his palm.

The glow in Arkham’s eye faded as he chuckled.
“Not bad, kid.”

With a casual flick, he tossed Ja aside like he was weightless.

Arkham adjusted his coat, his smirk returning.
“These boys have potential. Extreme potential.”

But as he lit another cigar, his gaze darkened.
“Still not enough for me to see why Vladimir wants them so bad…”

He exhaled smoke into the flickering light.

“Alright, I’m done with you two.”

“Marsa!” he called out.

The little girl appeared from the shadows, twirling a pair of bright pistols—pink and white.

“Cleaning crew here yet?”

“Almost,” she chirped, lollipop between her lips.

Arkham bent, slinging Simeon’s unconscious body over his shoulder.

He turned to Ja and Ronin one last time.

“Don’t you boys go anywhere…” His smirk widened.
“I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

And with that, he vanished around the corner, leaving Ja and Ronin slumped, too stunned to move.