Goul drops from the sky like a meteor.
The ground explodes beneath his feet.
Before he can make another move—
Punk roars.
His aura erupts once again.
Another Power Multiplier ignites.
The pressure becomes unbearable.
Paul barely dodges the first exchange.
Then the second.
Then the third.
But Punk is simply too fast.
Too powerful.
A devastating punch crashes into Paul's ribs.
CRACK!!
Paul is launched across the arena.
He tears through layers of broken stone before collapsing onto one knee.
Blood drips from the corner of his mouth.
He struggles to breathe.
Punk slowly walks toward him.
The smile on his face never disappears.
He grabs Paul by the head.
Then—
He repeatedly slams Paul's face into the shattered ground.
Again.
Again.
Blood splashes across the broken stone.
Paul grows weaker with every impact.
Brittne instinctively covers her eyes.
"...I've seen enough."
As she steps backward, her grip slips from Romen's frozen body.
Romen crashes heavily onto the ground.
Goul notices.
Lee notices too.
But neither of them moves.
Paul's face is soaked in blood.
Still...
Punk refuses to stop.
Lee finally shouts,
"Punk!"
"Stop!"
"That isn't part of our orders!"
Punk doesn't even acknowledge him.
Lee's expression hardens.
"Goul!"
"Now!"
Goul charges forward.
Without even looking—
Punk grabs Paul and hurls him straight toward Goul.
Goul catches Paul effortlessly by the throat before throwing him away with monstrous force.
BOOOOM!!
Paul crashes into the distant wall of the Main Base.
Cracks spread across the enormous metallic structure.
Blood bursts from the back of Paul's head.
His fingers twitch once...
Then become completely still.
Dr. Mqara's smile disappears.
"No..."
He desperately presses button after button on the remote.
Nothing happens.
His eyes widen.
"Punk..."
"...he isn't responding."
For the first time...
Fear appears in his voice.
---
Meanwhile...
Romen's fingers twitch.
His eyelids slowly open.
He stares up at the dark prison sky.
He tries to move.
Nothing.
Lee's freezing technique still binds his entire body.
He grits his teeth.
"...Move."
Nothing happens.
Golden energy suddenly flickers around him.
"Limit Breaker..."
His aura awakens.
Weak at first.
Then stronger.
Then even stronger.
Golden light spreads across the battlefield.
Lee notices immediately.
"...Romen."
A loud crack echoes through the air.
CRACK!
The invisible force imprisoning Romen shatters into countless fragments.
Romen slowly rises to his feet.
One hand presses against the massive wound in his chest.
Blood still stains his clothes.
His breathing remains uneven.
Yet...
He stands.
Brittne stares in disbelief.
"How...?"
She looks toward Lee.
Lee remains silent.
Even he doesn't understand how Romen breaks free.
Nearby—
Dr. Mqara growls in frustration.
He presses a hidden button on the remote.
Instantly—
The collar around Punk's neck burns crimson.
Violent arcs of electricity surge across his body.
Punk's smile vanishes.
He throws his head back and screams.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
His cry echoes throughout the prison.
Then Dr. Mqara laughs.
"I knew this day would come."
"So I prepared a final switch."
"If a subject ever becomes impossible to control..."
"...this overrides everything."
Punk's body trembles violently.
Slowly...
His eyes become completely white.
His expression empties.
Dr. Mqara points toward Romen.
"Kill him."
Lee narrows his eyes.
"...That wasn't part of the plan."
High above—
Goul returns.
Instead of attacking...
He simply hovers in silence.
Watching everything.
Romen ignores everyone around him.
He slowly walks toward Punk.
One hand remains pressed against the wound in his chest.
Every step is painful.
He finally stops only a few meters away.
His eyes never leave Punk.
"...Punk."
"Can you hear me?"
No answer.
Punk slowly turns his head.
An unnatural smile stretches across his face.
"...Let's find out."
His voice sounds mechanical.
Inhuman.
Romen's expression hardens.
He finally understands.
Punk isn't fighting by choice.
He's being controlled.
Silence hangs between them.
Then—
Romen lowers his stance.
Golden energy ripples around him.
"Fine."
"If that's truly what you want..."
"...then don't expect any mercy."
The prison trembles.
Two Limit Breaker auras collide.
For the first time...
Friends prepare to fight each other.
Without another word—
Romen explodes forward.
Punk instantly dodges and counters with a vicious elbow.
Romen blocks it with his forearm.
A shockwave erupts between them.
Neither gives an inch.
They exchange punches faster than the eye can follow.
Then—
Both launch themselves into the sky.
The battle reaches an entirely different level.
Exchange after exchange.
Strike after strike.
The air itself begins tearing apart.
Powerful gusts of wind sweep across the battlefield below.
Dr. Mqara points excitedly toward the fight.
"Punk is about to win!"
He bursts into manic laughter.
High above—
Romen absorbs repeated strikes.
Punk never lets the pressure ease
His confidence is overwhelming.
Every attack grows heavier than the last.
Romen is pushed backward several times.
Yet he refuses to fall.
Suddenly—
Punk stretches out both hands.
Dark energy gathers between his palms.
"Death Sphere."
Far below—
Lee's eyes narrow.
Romen immediately senses what's coming.
He slides backward through the air and raises both hands.
Golden energy gathers before him.
"Survival Ball."
Both warriors continue charging.
Neither looks away.
Lee watches silently.
"...This fight is reaching another level."
Even Brittne begins cheering.
"Come on, Romen!"
Punk finishes charging first.
He throws the Death Sphere.
Romen immediately responds.
He launches the Survival Ball straight toward it.
The two attacks collide.
For one brief second...
Everything becomes silent.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A massive explosion consumes the sky.
Violent winds sweep across the battlefield.
Debris flies in every direction.
Lee instantly escapes.
Goul grabs Brittne and Dr. Mqara before carrying them away from the blast.
Smoke fills the sky.
Everyone watches.
Waiting.
Wondering who is still standing.
The smoke slowly fades.
Punk remains floating high above.
Blood drips from his mouth...
...and from his right hand.
Yet he smiles.
A weak laugh escapes him.
Below—
Romen stands on the shattered ground.
One arm hangs limply at his side.
His breathing grows heavier.
But...
He remains standing.
Both warriors survive.
Punk laughs again.
His Power Multipliers consume too much energy.
Now only his Limit Breaker remains active.
Romen also lets his Limit Breaker fade into his Enhanced State to preserve his strength.
Punk points toward him.
"You're finished."
"This..."
"...is what I've wanted ever since I first met you."
Romen remains silent.
Punk continues.
"Every mission."
"Every battle."
"Every training match..."
"You always surpass me."
"As if I were nothing."
"I never held back."
"Not once."
"And yet..."
"You defeated me every single time."
An evil laugh escapes him.
"But not today."
His eyes burn with obsession.
"I'm finally..."
"...finally above you."
Silence.
Romen simply watches him.
Then he speaks quietly.
"If you were really above me..."
"...you wouldn't need a collar to prove it."
Punk's smile freezes.
His hand slowly reaches for the metal collar around his neck.
For a brief moment...
He says nothing.
Romen takes one slow step forward.
"That collar isn't making you stronger."
"It's chaining your true strength."
"If you break it..."
"...you won't need anyone's orders."
"...Not Lee's."
"...Not Dr. Mqara's."
"...Not anyone's."
Punk grips the collar tightly.
Then laughs.
"You're wrong."
"I'm the king now!"
Romen shakes his head.
"A king?"
He points directly at the collar.
"I don't see a king."
"I see a chained dog wearing his master's leash."
Punk's eyes widen.
"SHUT UP!"
His aura erupts violently.
Far away—
Lee notices the conversation.
"...Why did they stop fighting?"
Dr. Mqara narrows his eyes.
"I don't like this."
"Romen is trying to manipulate him."
Brittne glances toward Dr. Mqara.
"Can Punk actually remove that collar?"
Dr. Mqara throws his head back and laughs.
"Impossible."
"You've already seen it."
"No one can break my masterpiece."
High above—
Punk slowly turns.
His gaze locks onto Lee...
Then Brittne...
Then finally Dr. Mqara.
His smile returns.
"You still think..."
"...I'm your puppet?"
Chapter ends