The fighters head to their respective cabins. In his room, the young redhead gives in to his restless thoughts:
— What could his power be? He really is strong! He's going to break me completely... —
A feeling of anguish begins to course through Jhony's entire body, but he tries to pep himself up at all costs:
— No way! I took a blast of lightning from my master, what can a few little punches do to me? Hahaha! —
He laughs, but he is clearly in despair; his body trembles, his heart beats rapidly, and he begins to break into a cold sweat.
Meanwhile, in Araújo's cabin, the warrior is completely focused on performing his exercises:
— I believe my opponent won't want to trade punches with me, so he's going to run! I need to warm up my legs to chase him down! —
Araújo visualizes the scenario with a huge, sadistic smile on his face while performing his explosive squats.
Jhony remains desperate. He paces around his cabin, consumed by anxiety, trying to devise some last-minute strategy. However, the only image that comes to his mind is the brutality with which the bandana man's previous opponent was massacred.
With his hair already completely disheveled, he comes across a mirror and stares at his own reflection:
— What am I doing? I'm anxious because of a fight! I know I'm going to get beaten up either way! Why am I afraid of taking a beating? —
Jhony stares deeply at himself as he brings his head closer to the glass.
— You know what? I don't give a damn! —
He delivers a violent headbutt against the mirror, shattering it into pieces. His forehead begins to bleed from the cuts, but using the few remaining shards of glass, he stubbornly starts to comb his own hair.
— Let's go back to the old ways, shall we? This time I'm inspired! —
He shapes a pompadour, adopts a stern expression, and waits for the moment to be called.
Meanwhile, in his quarters, Yasoke watches the broadcast on the arena television. He remains pensive about the samurai and his friend's fate in the confrontation against the ogre, Araújo. Distractedly, he picks up a chip and starts eating:
— Good luck, friend. I'll pray you don't get violated. —
In the bleachers, Yuji returns to his seat and begins to observe the surroundings. Roko suddenly appears by his side, which doesn't surprise him; however, the presence of Henrique Loss catches his attention: the young man sports an impeccable appearance, without any trace of battle.
— Hey! How did you recover so fast? And also, why are you here? — Yuji questions the young man.
The youth promptly responds with a smile:
— The doctors are very good, and I have teleporation. —
Yuji understands the situation and remains silent, settled in his corner.
Behind the scenes, the master of ceremonies prepares to take the stage:
— I have to narrate this time! In the first two I stayed too quiet, they're going to think I'm an amateur and my salary will drop! —
The announcer momentarily loses heart at the thought, but soon regains his vigor, and his eyes begin to emanate latent flames.
To announce the second phase of the third stage, an immense column of fire rises to the sky right in the center of the arena. From within the incandescent maelstrom emerges a man enveloped in blazes: it was the announcer himself.
— ARE YOU READY FOR THIS FIGHT?! —
The crowd roars in unison the word: "YES!"
— THEN, FIGHTERS! YOU HEARD THE CROWD! YOU MAY ENTER! —
Jhony and Araújo hear the command and begin to leave their cabins. In the bleachers, Yasoke already gets his bag of chips ready and Yuji prepares the popcorn, while Roko and Henrique remain quiet, limiting themselves to watching.
— FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ARENA, ENTERS THE GLADIATOR, THE DESTROYER OF DREAMS, THE MAN WHOSE BANDANA IS STAINED WITH BLOOD! HIM: ARAÚJO COSTA! —
At that moment, Araújo enters the battlefield executing a cartwheel to the center of the arena, where he awaits his opponent with a sadistic smile.
— AND FROM THE OTHER SIDE, THE YOUTH WITH BLAZING HAIR, THE ONE WHO ALSO DESTROYED THE DREAMS OF MANY, A REVELAÇÃO! — The announcer spots the combatant and adds: — AND HE HAS COME OUT DIFFERENTLY! HE HAS A POMPADOUR AND HIS FACE IS COMPLETELY COVERED IN BLOOD! HE IS JHONY! —
Jhony advances with slow and calculated steps; drops of blood drip from his face with every movement. His stern expression conveys coldness and determination, sharply contrasting with Araújo's facial expression. The youth stops his steps directly in front of the man with the red bandana.
— It looks like your face is bleeding, friend. — Araújo says with deep mockery.
Jhony remains in absolute silence.
— THEN LET'S BEGIN THE FIGHT! THE FIRST FIGHT OF THE SECOND PHASE OF THE THIRD STAGE IS ABOUT TO START! —
The announcer gestures with his hand in the shape of a gun; from the tip of his index finger, a tiny sphere of fire emerges, which he quickly shoots, decreeing the official start of the combat.
The competitors remain static, measuring each other with their gazes.
— AND AT THIS MOMENT THEY ARE ANALYZING EACH OTHER! —
Both hold the position for long minutes, staring at each other without showing the slightest microexpression.
— THEY ARE STILL ANALYZING EACH OTHER! —
The crowd shows complete incomprehension, a feeling shared by the announcer himself, since no blow is dealt. Given the climate of extreme tension, Yasoke temporarily stops eating his chips. The public remains in a deathly silence upon witnessing the immobility of the warriors.
— Hey, you brainless fools, do something! — A stout spectator bellows toward the battlefield, but the fighters continue to stare fixedly at each other.
Yuji carefully observes the scene once, twice, and concludes that he is unable to decipher the intentions of both.
Suddenly, Araújo makes a move.
— AT THIS MOMENT, ARAÚJO MAKES THE FIRST MOVE! —
The crowd goes wild, but the general expectation is shattered: Araújo Costa merely extends his hand in a cordial greeting, displaying a gentle smile.
— HE EXTENDED HIS HAND! —
In the announcer's mind, the question echoes incessantly: "Why aren't these guys fighting?"
Jhony observes the affable expression of his opponent and decides, likewise, to extend his hand to return the gesture. The two join palms in a firm grip; however, the moment Jhony tries to pull back, he finds himself unable to do so, as Araújo retains his arm with excessive force.
Before the young redhead can sketch any reaction or understand what is happening, he is hit by a brutal kick directly to the head, spinning him around from the impact.