Bob was unfazed by Becky's anger. He smirked dismissively. "Look, I don't owe you anything. You're just a hot-headed bitch to me, Becky. We're better off without your ass."

  Becky's face shifted from frustration to outright anger. "The hell did you call me? You arrogant—"

  Lina tried to mediate. "Becky, let's calm down and--"

  But Becky was already in Bob's face, seething with anger. She interrupted Lina. "You're gonna regret talking to me like that, Bob! I’ll kick your ass!" With fire in her eyes, Becky clenched her fists, ready to confront Bob head-on.

  Bob raised his hands mockingly. "Oh, am I supposed to be scared? Go ahead, Becky. Make my day."

  Without hesitation, Becky swung her fist towards Bob's jaw. Satisfaction flashed across Becky's face as Bob stumble backward.

  But Bob quickly regained their composure, wiping away a trickle of blood from their lip. They grinned wickedly. "Well, that was a nice try, Becky. But you'll have to do better than that."

  Bob retaliated, launching a swift counterattack, knocking the wind out of her. Becky gasped for air, momentarily winded by the unexpected strike.

  Lina desperately called out, "Stop! Please, stop!"

  Bob paid no heed to Lina's pleas. They continued their assault, landing blow after blow on Becky. Becky fought back with vigor, landing a powerful kick to Bob's chest. This blow momentarily staggering them. Becky then unleashed a barrage of punches fueled with rage.

  The crowd behind them became divided with some cheering for Becky, while others rallied behind Bob.

  Dj stepped forward and positioned himself between Becky and Bob. His looked at them with disapproval. "Enough of this. Bob, a man shouldn’t act this way. I don’t care how angry Becky got; you and Lina abandoned them and now you're showing disrespect. That’s not cool in my book."

  Becky, still catching her breath, looked up at Dj with a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. She felt a surge of warmth for him.

  Bob, nursing a bruise on their cheek, glared at Dj. "What do you know about this, Dj? You just swoop in like you’re some hero. You’ve got no idea what we’ve been through you vigilante!"

  Dj remained calm but firm. "I know enough to see that you’re in the wrong. You were supposed to be a team. Leaving Becky and Sybil high and dry wasn’t fair, and it definitely wasn’t the right way to handle things."

  Lina hesitated on the sidelines. She took one step closer. "Dj, we didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. We were just trying to—"

  Dj cut her off. "You can explain later. Right now, we need to stop this madness before it gets any worse."

  Bob’s anger flared. "Who do you think you are to lecture us? You’re just some washed-up guy with a bounty on his head!"

  Dj’s face remained unchanged. "I’m someone who knows the value of loyalty and respect. And right now, you’re not showing much of either."

  Bob’s eyes burned with frustration. "I don’t have to take this. I’m going home." With that, he turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving the tension hanging in the air.

  Lina called after him, "Honey, what about..." but her words were swallowed by the crowd as Bob disappeared into the throng of spectators. She sighed deeply.

  Dj turned his attention back to Becky with his face softening. "You calmed down?"

  Becky avoided his gaze. "I guess."

  Dj offered a small smile, hoping to ease the tension. "You shouldn’t try to engage people so roughly. It only escalates things."

  Becky huffed. She looked away and crossed her arms. "It’s their fault in the first place."

  Sybil, who had been watching the exchange nervously, spoke up. "Um, maybe we should just ask for what we came here for?"

  The suggestion cut through the tension, and Dj nodded, appreciating the shift in focus. "Sybil’s right. We have a job to do, and we can’t get distracted."

  Becky uncrossed her arms. "Fine. Let’s just get this over with."

  Lina, still standing awkwardly, gave an apologetic smile. "I’m sorry for everything. Bob just gets... hot-headed sometimes….”

  Becky sighed. Her face softened. "I’m sorry too, Lina. I shouldn't have gone off like that. It's just, you know, things got intense.”

  Sybil turned to Lina. "Can we get the communicator from you? We need it for the mission."

  Lina hesitated, scratching her head awkwardly. "Oh, that little thing? Funny story... It's with Bob now."

  Sybil and Becky’s mouths dropped open in disbelief. They exchanged incredulous glances before Becky exclaimed, "You’ve got to be shitting me!"

  Lina burst into laughter. "I was just kidding! I wanted to see the looks on your faces."

  Becky tried to suppress a smile and look angry. "That's not funny, Lina! You nearly gave us a heart attack."

  Dj chuckled with a wide grin. "Looks like we've got a real jokester here."

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  Lina shrugged. "Hey, I couldn’t resist. But don’t worry, I’ve got the communicator right here." She pulled it out from her bag, handing it over to Sybil.

  Sybil let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, Lina. You really had us going there for a second.”

  Becky, fueled by a sudden burst of confidence, snatched the communicator out of Sybil’s hands. With a series of button presses and various attempts, she struggled to understand the device's functions.

  She fumbled with the device, pressing buttons and squinting at the small screen. "Come on, come on," she muttered, trying to figure out its functions.

  Sybil watched nervously, her laughter a bit shaky. "Uh, Becky, maybe we should just—"

  Suddenly, Lina shrugged off her lab coat, revealing a sleek track outfit beneath. "I can't trust the man to get it done, so I’ll have to do it myself.”

  Everyone looked up in surprise as Lina strode forward. She pointed at Dj with a wicked grin. "I’m going to claim that bounty off of you now that things have finally settled down."

  Dj raised an eyebrow. "You really think you can beat me in a race?"

  Lina smirked. "Oh, I don’t just think it—I know it. I’ve got speed, style, and a knack for winning."

  Becky, momentarily distracted from the communicator, watched Lina with newfound respect. "You’ve got guts, Lina. Let’s see what you’ve got."

  The sun dipped lower in the sky. Dj stood at the starting line, surrounded by a diverse group of racers, including Lina. They prepared for the 1500-meter run.

  The competitors took their marks. At the sound of the starting gun, the racers sprang into action. Dj, however, leisurely strolled down the track with his hands tucked nonchalantly in his pockets. A playful grin was glued to his face.

  Lina surged ahead cutting through the evening air with practiced ease. She glanced back, noticing Dj’s leisurely pace, and laughed. "Come on, Dj! You’ve supposed to be the flaming blur of blue but you're looking like a snail!"

  Dj chuckled. "Why rush when I can enjoy the view?"

  Becky shook her head with a smirk. "That Dj. Always has to do things his way."

  Sybil nodded with a slight laughter. "He’s definitely one of a kind."

  Lina was in the lead and entered the final lap. The crowd's cheers spurred her on. She could almost taste victory and the bounty that awaited her.

  "I’ve got this," Lina muttered to herself. Her eyes were focused on the finish line just ahead.

  But then, in the blink of an eye, Dj sprang into action. His casual stroll transformed into a blur of speed. He sprinted down the track, closing the gap with astonishing speed.

  Lina’s eyes widened in shock as Dj whizzed past her like a gust of wind. For a moment, her mind struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events. She could hardly believe what she was witnessing. Now, Dj had entered his final lap.

  With a burst of adrenaline, Lina pushed herself to go even faster, desperate to maintain her lead.

  But it was too late. Dj surged ahead, effortlessly overtaking Lina and crossing the finish line with a flourish. The crowd erupted in applause.

  Lina skidded to a halt just past the finish line. She dropped to her knees with a look of despair on her face.

  "Nooooo!" Lina cried out throwing her hands in the air. "My bounty!"

  "Better luck next time," Dj teased, giving her a playful wink.

  Some time passed after the race. The energy from the day’s events slowly shifted to a more relaxed atmosphere. People chatted about the races and the surprise bounty.

  Meanwhile, Becky sat on a bench and stared at the communicator gained by Lina with a furrowed brow. She poked and prodded at the buttons.

  "Come on, you stupid thing," she muttered under her breath, trying to pry the device open with her fingers. "Why won’t you work?"

  Sybil, who had been watching Becky’s struggles, finally stepped forward with a cautious tone. "Uh, Becky? I think you’re going to break it if you keep doing that."

  Becky paused, glancing up at Sybil with a sigh. "Well, it’s not like it’s working anyway," she replied while gesturing at the seemingly useless piece of technology.

  Sybil chuckled softly and gently took the communicator from Becky’s hands. "Let me have a look.”

  Becky watched as Sybil deftly navigated the buttons. In moments, Sybil had accessed the communicator's interface.

  "There we go," Sybil said while holding up the now-functioning communicator. "It’s all about knowing which buttons to press and in what order."

  Becky looked at Sybil. She was half-impressed and half-irritated. "Show-off.”

  The connection was established. The screen flickered to life, and a holographic projection of Dr. Kintovar appeared.

  On the other end of the the horizon, Dr. Kintovar was engrossed in supervising the training of Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle with their powerful cannons. She received a call on the device. The holographic projection of Becky and Sybil materialized before her.

  "Doctor Kintovar, we've got news," Becky blurted out. "Dark Whirlwind is planning to participate in the Eastern Annual Tournament!"

  Kintovar eyed them curiously. "I see. That complicates matters. How did you come across this information?"

  Becky quivered slightly. “She came and attacked The East, but then Dj talked his way into making her enter the tournament instead of destroying the East. It's a big deal, Doc. We know what Dark Whirlwind is capable of! She's also gonna kill anyone that faces her and not obey the rules!"

  Sybil chimed in. "We need to prepare for the worst case scenarios. The Tournament will be a prime opportunity for Dark Whirlwind to cause chaos..."

  "Interesting," Kintovar said while raising up a hand under her chin. “Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle recently participated in a Western Practice tournament. While they didn't claim victory, Roselle showed promise, making it to the semi-finals against a very powerful Sword Magic user."

  Becky and Sybil listened intently, absorbing the Doctor's words.

  "However," Kintovar continued,"there's a way to elevate their capabilities further. I'm going to search for something called the Suxena Nexus."

  The mention of this unknown term left Becky and Sybil perplexed. "Suxena Nexus? The hell’s that, Doc," Becky asked.

  Kintovar responded. "It's a part of the preparation process. You two don’t need to worry about the details. What's important is that during the tournament, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle will be at full power. They've undergone enhancements since their last encounter with Dark Whirlwind, and with the Suxena Nexus, they will become even stronger."

  "Doctor Kintovar, what about us," Becky questioned.

  Kintovar's gaze shifted between Becky and Sybil. "I've provided you Becky with a Hammer and Sybil with a Sword. When you both started, your magical power was significantly lower compared to other mages, but my inventions have gradually elevated your abilities."

  She continued, “I suggest you both train with the tools I've provided. Understand this, my technology isn't designed to impose limitations. The only limits you face are the ones you set for yourselves."

  Becky and Sybil nodded. Then a realization just hit Becky. She replied with surprise in tone. "Wait, you're actually coming to the Eastern Annual Tournament?"

  Kintovar nodded "Yes, I plan to be there. As for our location and arrival, it'll be a while before we make it there."

  Becky suggested, “Oh boy! You've gotta see where we're staying! It's this massive mansion in the Tournament District. The place is incredible. I'll send you the location so you can find it when you get here!"

  Kintovar nodded with a smile. "That sounds interesting. Send me the details, and I'll try to drop by once we're in the area."

  After the holographic call with Becky and Sybil came to an end, Dr. Kintovar turned her attention back to the training session with Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle. She was about to walk off when a voice from behind a nearby tree startled her.

  "Are you ready to go after the Suxena Nexus, Kintovar?" It belonged to Juliana, Kintovar's grandmother.

  Kintovar turned to face her. "Yes, I am. With Dark Whirlwind's participation in the Eastern Annual Tournament, we must ensure that Roselle and the others are as prepared as possible. The Suxena Nexus will play a crucial role in their development. We will depart as soon as possible."