Chapter 14 – The Broken puppet
Romen cannot move.
Not because he is defeated...
But because something else is holding him still.
He struggles with everything he has. Every muscle strains. Every nerve screams.
Nothing responds.
Then—
His entire body freezes.
Exactly like Paul.
Lee slips both hands into his pockets and smiles.
"Dr. Mqara."
He raises his voice.
"Open your cave."
Silence.
No answer comes.
---
Inside the laboratory...
Punk slowly opens his eyes.
He sits up on the operating table before calmly stepping onto the floor.
Dr. Mqara grins.
"Perfect."
He presses a button on the remote.
The metallic collar around Punk's neck begins glowing bright red.
Violent streams of electricity burst from the device.
Punk clenches his teeth.
"AAAGHH!"
His body trembles under the shock.
Then...
The pain disappears.
His expression becomes completely calm.
Dr. Mqara's smile widens.
"Excellent."
Punk slowly lifts his head and looks directly at him.
Dr. Mqara points toward the exit.
"Finish your allies."
Without saying a word...
Punk begins walking toward the door.
The reinforced doors slide open automatically.
Dr. Mqara follows behind him.
---
Outside...
Romen remains frozen where he stands.
Lee waits beside him with a relaxed expression.
As Punk steps out, Lee glances toward the laboratory.
"Stop Paul and Goul first."
Punk nods once.
Then—
He vanishes.
A violent gust of wind follows as he rushes toward the laboratory.
CRACK!!
The front wall explodes inward.
Broken stone scatters across the floor.
Brittne is thrown backward and crashes onto the ground.
Lee immediately grabs her arm and pulls her away from the collapsing structure.
The pressure created by Paul and Goul's battle continues tearing the laboratory apart.
Both warriors stop fighting.
Slowly...
They turn toward Punk.
Punk smiles.
His eyes remain fixed on both of them.
Behind him, Dr. Mqara smiles proudly.
Lee folds his arms.
Brittne rises to her feet, brushing the dust from her clothes.
She notices Punk standing silently...
Smiling at Paul and Goul.
Lee glances toward Dr. Mqara.
"Deactivate Goul."
"I want to observe this."
"...and enjoy Punk versus Paul."
Brittne nods.
"I agree."
Dr. Mqara raises the remote.
He presses a single button.
Immediately...
Goul steps backward.
The glow fades from his eyes.
His body becomes motionless once again.
Like a lifeless statue.
Punk notices him...
But says nothing.
Dr. Mqara laughs loudly.
"Go!"
"My newest subject!"
"My greatest creation!"
Punk instantly charges toward Paul
His fist crashes into Paul's cheek.
BOOM!!
Paul slides backward before regaining his balance.
Without hesitation—
Paul activates his Limit Breaker.
Golden energy erupts around him.
Punk's smile grows even wider.
A cruel...
Almost Goul-like smile.
He throws back his head and lets out a savage roar.
His own Limit Breaker erupts.
Power Multipliers begin stacking one after another.
His aura swells violently.
Without warning—
He launches himself toward Paul.
The collision shakes the entire laboratory.
Paul barely manages to react.
Several blows land cleanly.
Others are blocked.
Even so...
The force sends Paul crashing through a row of system consoles.
Sparks explode into the air.
Dr. Mqara quickly raises his hand.
"Enough!"
"Take the battle outside!"
Neither of them argues.
Both warriors burst through the shattered wall and soar into the open sky.
---
Moments later...
They arrive at the prison arena.
Thousands of prisoners fill the massive stone stands.
The moment Punk and Paul land...
The entire arena erupts.
Cheers.
Screams.
Mad laughter.
The prisoners go wild.
High above the arena sits a special platform reserved for the commanders.
Lee calmly takes his seat.
Dr. Mqara sits beside him, unable to hide his excitement.
Brittne arrives last...
Bringing Romen with her.
She rests a hand on his frozen shoulder and forces him to remain beside her.
Behind them...
Goul stands silently like an unmoving guardian.
His blank white eyes never leave the battlefield.
Lee smiles.
He slowly rises from his chair.
His voice echoes across the arena.
"Round One..."
"...begins."
"Punk..."
"...versus Paul."
Dr. Mqara bursts into laughter, nearly spilling the drink in his hand.
"This is going to be fun."
Lee notices Brittne resting her arm on Romen's frozen shoulder.
"You seem unusually attached to him."
Brittne shrugs.
"I just don't want him falling over."
Lee smirks before turning back toward the arena.
Below them...
Punk takes one step forward.
Paul mirrors him.
A cold wind sweeps across the battlefield, carrying dust between the two warriors.
Silence.
Then—
Both explode forward at the same time.
BOOM!
The ground shatters beneath their feet.
Punk leaps high into the sky.
Paul follows instantly.
Midair—
Punk forms a strange hand sign.
A massive sphere of energy begins gathering between his palms.
Without hesitation—
He hurls it downward.
Paul twists through the air and narrowly dodges.
The sphere crashes into one side of the arena.
BOOOOOOM!!
An entire section disappears.
Stone.
Steel.
Seats.
Hundreds of prisoners vanish in the explosion.
The arena falls silent.
Then—
Panic erupts.
Prisoners scramble over one another, trying to escape.
Lee smiles.
"Amazing..."
"What could be better than watching two gods fight each other?"
Brittne watches calmly.
"The next match should be Punk versus Goul."
Below—
Paul rushes forward.
Punk welcomes him head-on.
Their fists collide.
Shockwaves burst across the arena.
Punch after punch.
Kick after kick.
Neither warrior gives an inch.
Some attacks miss.
Others land with bone-shaking force.
Paul drives Punk backward.
Punk immediately counters with a spinning kick.
Paul blocks.
The impact launches him across the arena floor.
Both land almost simultaneously.
Punk slowly lifts his head.
That same disturbing smile remains on his face.
Dr. Mqara watches carefully.
"Punk is building momentum..."
He raises the remote.
"Let's interrupt that."
Click.
The collar around Punk's neck suddenly glows bright red.
Violent sparks burst across his body.
Punk drops to one knee.
He lets out a roar of pain.
Paul doesn't hesitate.
He rushes forward.
His elbow slams directly into Punk's neck.
CRACK!
Punk staggers.
His body shakes violently.
Electricity continues surging through him.
For a brief moment...
It looks like he's about to collapse.
Instead—
He slowly stands.
His scream grows louder.
His pride refuses to let him fall.
---
Far away...
Inside a sealed chamber hidden deep within the prison...
A fist slams onto a metal table
"This is stupid!"
The voice echoes through the darkness.
---
Meanwhile...
On Earth...
Marina and Lancia step out of a shopping mall carrying several bags.
Beside them...
Sin looks around curiously.
"When is Dad coming home?"
Neither of them answers.
Silence fills the space between them.
---
On the Ascension Planet...
The Supreme Ascension God stands beside the Elder Ascension God.
Both stare toward the distant sky.
"I still can't sense them."
The Elder closes his eyes.
"I don't know..."
"...whether Romen, Punk, or Paul are still alive."
---
Back in the arena...
Paul wipes blood from the corner of his mouth.
Tiny drops of sweat begin forming on his forehead.
Across from him...
Punk continues screaming.
His aura expands again.
Then again.
Power Multipliers continue stacking on top of one another.
The pressure spreads across the entire arena.
Lee's smile slowly disappears.
His eyes widen.
"...He's increasing his multipliers."
"Paul never learned that technique."
Brittne casually rests her elbow on Romen's frozen shoulder while sipping her drink.
"So..."
She glances at Lee.
"Who's winning now?"
Lee doesn't hesitate.
"Punk."
The arena trembles under Punk's rising power.
His scream finally stops.
Silence.
Then—
He begins walking toward Paul.
Slowly.
One step at a time.
Paul doesn't move.
His expression remains completely blank.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Nothing.
Punk suddenly turns his head.
He smiles..
Not at Paul—
But at Lee.
Then Brittne.
Then Dr. Mqara.
Something feels wrong.
Very wrong.
Without warning—
Punk raises one hand.
Energy gathers at his fingertips.
Lee's smile disappears.
"...Punk?"
LASERS explode across the arena.
Not toward Paul...
Toward the spectators.
Toward the prison.
Toward everything.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
Entire sections of the arena vanish beneath the barrage.
Thousands of prisoners are erased instantly.
The arena collapses into flames and dust.
Lee immediately grabs Brittne and Romen.
Dr. Mqara leaps into the sky beside them.
From above...
They watch the destruction unfold.
Nothing remains below except burning rubble.
Not a single spectator survives.
Punk slowly looks up at them...
And smiles.
Then—
He fires another volley of lasers.
Lee barely dodges.
The blast tears through the sky behind him.
Lee immediately turns toward Dr. Mqara.
"What did you do?!"
Dr. Mqara throws back his head and laughs.
"This is incredible!"
"For the first time..."
"My subject is thinking beyond my commands!"
Lee's expression hardens.
Brittne stares in disbelief.
Below them—
Paul charges once more.
Punk meets him alone.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
He overwhelms Paul completely.
Every punch lands harder than the last.
Paul cries out in pain.
His body begins giving out.
Lee narrows his eyes.
"Goul."
"Get down there."
Goul slowly descends from the sky.
His blank white eyes lock onto Punk.
For the first time...
Punk looks away from Paul.
He turns toward Goul.
The smile on his face grows even wider.
Dr. Mqara grips the remote tightly.
"Perfect..."
"Let's see which one is stronger."
Lee doesn't smile.
Not anymore.
His eyes remain fixed on Punk.
"...Something's wrong."
"He isn't following orders."
Brittne glances between Goul and Punk.
"So..."
"Who's hunting who now?"
No one answers.
The prison falls silent.
Only the crackling of burning ruins echoes through the darkness.
Punk slowly raises his hand...
...and points directly at Goul.
Goul doesn't move.
Neither warrior blinks.
The air itself begins to tremble between them.
Lee quietly clenches his fist.
"...This wasn't part of the test."
Chapter ended.