Narrator: “They destroyed everything in 2077…( the monsters wreak havoc on Earth) But all that did was make us move. ( humans fleeing to escape pods) Some ran, some stayed… (people hiding in destroyed buildings) And here we are, trying to fix the mess THEY made.”

Narrator: “30 years later”

Akio (sighs):”GOD, this gets annoying…”

Haru (glancing at him): “No, you just like to complain because you’re not at the fighting grounds… you’re stuck helping lost people instead.”

Akio: “I mean, yeah, but working like this still sucks, dude.”

Haru (smirking):”But hey, you’re helping in your own way, right?”

Akio:”Yeah, but come on… you gotta admit, not having a gate sucks. I mean, all the cool fighters have theirs… and we’re stuck doing this?”

Haru (shrugging):”Yeah, but look at the bright side. At least we’re not gonna die helping lost people. And hey, we’re on the best planet Virethos. Could be worse. Could be Cryost… now that’s a hellhole.”

Akio:”Yeah, you’re right, but come on… you gotta admit, not fighting cool monsters is so boring.”

Haru (shrugging):”I think it’s for the best. Not like we’re gonna make a difference out here anyway.”

Akio (grinning):”HA! Speak for yourself. Someone’s gotta be the strong guy around here. Might as well be me.”

Haru:”You really are a bimbo, I mean, just look at you.”

Akio (grinning):”WHAT?! Aye, I think my poses are amazing.”

(There’s a loud bang on the sidewalk near them)

Akio (groaning):”I thought we got everyone… ughhh.”

Haru (pausing, looking around):”But we did, didn’t we?”

(they go check it out)

Akio (coughing):”What the hell, who’s smoking a storm back here? I thought there’s no smoking at this hour?”

Haru (coughing, voice sharp):”WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!”

(They see an Ashwalker for the first time.)

Akio: “Haru it’s probably just a dude in a costume smoking”

Akio: “hey dude uh where’s your home we can take you there safely if you don’t mind”

(The Ashwalker turns around and lets out a screech.)

Akio (eyes wide, freaking out):”AAHHH WHAT THE FUCK, NAH WE GONE!!”

Haru (screaming, backing away):”AAAAAAAAH!!”

(The Ashwalker chases them.)

Akio (panicked):”WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?!”

Haru (also panicked, but trying to think):”I DON’T KNOW! WHAT IS THAT THING?!”

Akio (eyes wide):”DO WE GET HELP?!”

Haru (deadpan, barely holding it together):”NO, WE WAIT AND DIE—YES, WE GET HELP.”

(Akio suddenly stops running.)

Akio (sighing):”Okay, see, I really didn’t need the sass.”

Haru (frustrated, practically yelling):”YOU’RE GONNA DIE, YOU BIMBO!”

Akio: “YOUR RIGHT IMA BE QUITE”

(he sprints while they switching roads trying to lose the Ashwalker)

Haru (panting):”MY LEGS ARE GIVING UP!”

Akio (frantically):”PLEASE NOT NOW!”

(Haru trips and screams.)

Haru:”AAAAAAAAH!”

(Akio sprints and kicks the Ashwalker.)

Akio (smirking):”HA! YOU BUM OF A CREATURE!”

(He picks up Haru.)

Akio (grimacing):”We have to fight, don’t we?”

Haru (sarcastically):”Yup. Finally, you got something right.”

Akio:”HEY!”

Haru (grinning):”I’m just playing.”

(The Ashwalker charges toward them.)

Akio (punching the Ashwalker):”YOUR BUNZ AT FIGHTING, YOU UNWASHED CLOTH!”

Haru (kicking the Ashwalker):”Stop, don’t be mean to it!”

(They both laugh.)

Akio (grins): “GET READY FOR THE BEATDOWN OF YOUR LIFE!”

Haru (laughs): “YUP, WE GOT THIS!”

(They charge at the monster, landing hit after hit until it collapses.)

Akio: “Damn, that thing was trash at fighting.”

Haru: “Yeah, seriously. It was so weak.”

Akio (glancing at Haru): “Sooo… uh, what do we do with it?”

Haru: “…I actually have no idea.”

(Suddenly, two glowing keys appear in their hands.)

Akio: “OH MY GOD, IS IT TIME?!”

Haru: “I thought we were regulars… I guess not.”

(They twist the keys in the air and two massive gates appear before them.)

Akio (grinning): “Ohhh yeah, this is about to be amazing!”

Haru: “I just hope yours doesn’t suck.”

Akio (laughs): “HA! WATCH, A MAN AS STRONG AS ME COULD NEVER.”

Haru (pauses, then softly): “Just… be safe.”

Akio: “Tch- like anything could take me down.”

(They step into their Gates.)

Akio (looking around): “Wait… this is my Gate? It looks… weird.”

(He steps forward, the ground creaking beneath his feet.)

Akio (frowning): “Is this a boxing ring? Why the hell—?””

Spirit (grinning wildly): “FINALLY! MY GUY! ABOUT TIME SOME SHITHEAD SHOWED UP!”

Akio (cracking his knuckles): “AYE, WHO YOU CALLIN’ A SHITHEAD? I’LL DROP YOU RIGHT NOW!”

(The spirit grins, forming blood red boxing gloves around its fists.)

Spirit: “THEN GET IN THE RING, FUCKFACE!”

Akio (grinning back): “OH, I’M COMING AND YOU’RE GONNA REGRET IT!”

Spirit (grinning): “What’s your name, fuckface? Don’t wanna kill someone I don’t know.”

Akio (cracking his neck): “Name’s Akio THE MAN WHO’S GONNA BEAT YOUR ASS AND MAKE YOU REGRET EXISTING!”

Akio (smirking): “And what about you, bitch?”

Spirit (grinning wider): “I’M VERMILLION THE SPIRIT THAT WILL BREAK YOU AND END YOU!”

(Inside Haru’s Gate she stands on a mountain, staring at a strangely blue sky.)

Haru (frowning): “A mountain…? And why is the sky blue? It’s never blue…”

(Two twin spirits emerge.)

Spirit 1 (calmly): “This is Earth… before the destruction.”

Spirit 2 (nodding): “Mhm.”

Haru (raising an eyebrow): “And how would you know?”

(A sudden burst of static glitches through the air.)

Spirit 1 (glitching): “It’s because we are… (static) huh?”

Spirit 2 (tilting their head): “Hey… why can’t we say it anymore?”

Spirit 1 (sighs): “Damn. So I guess, to her, we’re just spirits now.”

Spirit 2 (shrugs): “Guess so, brother.”

Spirit 1 (turning to Haru): “Well, no point in names then. I’m your Time Stop power.”

Spirit 2 (grinning): “AND I’M YOUR MOMENTUM POWER!”

Haru (crossing her arms): “Huh. That’s cool. So… are we gonna fight?”

Spirit 1 (calmly): “Yeah.”

Spirit 2 (grinning wide): “NO WE’RE GONNA KILL YOU!”

(Back to Akio’s Gate he swings wildly, but Vermillion dodges every punch with ease.)

Akio (breathing heavily): “Fuck…”

Vermillion (grinning): “AYE, MY TURN!”

(Vermillion throws a devastating haymaker Akio is sent flying, blood spraying into the air.)

Vermillion (laughing): “HA! PUSSY!”

(Akio stumbles, gripping his face, blood dripping onto the ring. He grits his teeth, eyes burning with rage.)

Akio (growling): “No… I won’t die to this bitch made motherfucker!”

(With a roar, Akio lunges forward, fists flying faster this time, his punches land. Breaking his bones with every punch, first his wrist then the arm itself.)

Akio (snarling): “I’LL KILL YOU!”

(His body surges with energy, his blood igniting like fire. The ground trembles as his power awakens, and suddenly, the fight is even.)

Vermillion (disgusted): “EW, YOU HAVE MY POWERS, YOU FILTH!”

(Akio grins, his movements becoming sharper, stronger. Each hit drives Vermillion back.)

Akio (shouting with each punch): “I. WILL. DEFEAT. YOU!”

(He throws a right hook with his bones showing and Vermillion staggers.)

Akio: “I’LL—”

(a brutal body shot with one arm breaking it, Vermillion gasps)

“KILL YOU!”

(His blood solidifies around his fist, forming a razor-sharp boxing glove that makes his arms now connected by blood. He drives it straight through Vermillion’s chest.)

Vermillion (coughing): “Fuck… should’ve thought of that…”

(Akio steps back, panting.)

Akio (confused): “Wait… aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

(Vermillion sighs, rubbing his head.)

Vermillion: “What? No, dumbass. I was your power trial, you fucking idiot.”

(He smacks Akio in the back of the head.)

Akio: “OH! So we’re good?”

Vermillion (grumbling): “Tch. Still don’t think you deserve my powers, but whatever.”

Akio (offended): “HEY!”

Vermillion: “LEAVE, BRO.”

(He smirks, launching Akio out of the Gate with a massive punch.)

Akio (flying out with healed arms, screaming in triumph): “RAAAAAAAAAAAA—I’M HIM!!!”

(Inside Haru’s Gate she’s barely keeping up. The spirits move too fast, too unpredictably. Every attack is like death flashing before her eyes.)

Haru (panting): “Fuck… I can’t even keep up…”

(The twin spirits Time Stop and Momentum Control are having the time of their lives.)

Spirit 1 (calmly): “Ima stop time again.”

Spirit 2 (grinning like a maniac): “OMG OMG LEMME MAKE YOU FAST EVEN WHEN TIME STOPS!”

Haru (eyes widening): “WAIT—!”

(The spirits pause, looking at her.)

(Haru suddenly grins then blitzes forward, kicking the hell out of both of them.)

Haru (yelling): “I WILL DEFEAT YOU BOTH!”

(The spirits crash to the ground. Spirit 1 instantly stops time, but Haru is ready, she shifts into a defensive stance before everything freezes.)

Spirit 1 (annoyed): “Hey, that’s cheating NO FAIR!”

(Haru moves again but to Spirit 1, it’s like she’s teleporting. Her movements are unpredictable, unnatural.)

Spirit 1 (panicked): “Wait, how did she get your powers, dude?”

(He looks at Spirit 2.)

Spirit 2 (frustrated): “I DON’T KNOW!!!”

(Haru suddenly stops, realization hitting her. She grins wide.)

Haru: “Wait a minute… (grin widens) THAT MEANS I CAN STOP TIME TOO!”

(She snaps her fingers and time freezes.)

Spirit 1 (shouting in frozen time): “THAT’S NOT FAIR!”

Spirit 2: “YEAH, WHAT THE HELL?!”

Haru (laughing): “Doesn’t matter, I WILL DEFEAT YOU!”

(With time frozen, she unleashes hell, fists flying, every punch landing perfectly. The spirits are helpless.)

Spirit 1 (desperate): “OKAY OKAY STOP YOU WIN, PLEASE!”

Spirit 2 (gasping): “DUDE, GET HER OUT OF HERE”

(Spirit 2 KICKS Haru out of the gate and she’s launched back into the real world, now glowing with her new powers.)

Haru (landing, breathing heavily then laughing): “I FEEL ALIVE!!!”

Akio (sitting with his feet up, casually eating): “Ayy, my favorite coworker! Don’t worry, I got you food too!”

Haru (taking the food, looking exhausted but grateful): “Thanks. That was exhausting.”

Akio (grinning): “Of course! Gotta fuel the strongest guy around!”

Haru (rolling her eyes): “You and your ego… but yeah, this actually hits the spot.”

Akio (laughing): “What can I say? I’ve got great taste.”

Haru (hesitantly): “Hey, uh, I have a question…”

Akio (glancing up from his food): “Yeah? What’s up?”

Haru (looking thoughtful): “Did your spirit show you Earth?”

Akio (frowning, shaking his head): “No, why would it? I mean, Earth’s been gone for almost 30 years. What’s there to even talk about?”

Haru (pausing, eyes distant): “They showed me. The sky was blue, the flowers were… beautiful. The animals were too. They tried to tell me what they were, but… it was all static, like they couldn’t finish the sentence.”

Akio (raising an eyebrow): “That’s weird. Almost like they wanted to tell you something.”

Haru (nodding): “Yeah, they looked human… but not, y’know? Something was off about them.”

Akio (shrugging): “True. Mine had demon wings, but then again, what spirit knows boxing? Aren’t they supposed to be just elements or something? Not people?”

Haru (laughs): “True. But still, the government must know something about this.”

Akio (leaning back, pondering): “Yeah. I do wonder what happened to all the kids on Earth we had to evacuate… we sent them to three different planets.”

Haru (sighing, rubbing her temple): “Honestly? I have no idea. All I know is that’s how the gates were born. Only the bravest, the ones who could take down monsters, get one… Maybe the way we got ours was by killing that one monster.”

Akio (grinning): “Maybe. But also, you’re talking too much.”

Haru (smiling, nudging him): “HEY!”

(They laugh, the tension easing between them.)