Markus liked pink. He had no deeper thoughts about the color or treasured memories tied to it. He just thought it was neat.

As a knee wrapped in pink light raced for his stomach, he found his opinion on the color souring.

He shifted his stance, angling his body so that the knee glanced off his thigh instead of burying itself in his guts.

Even weakened, the hit still landed with incredible force, sending sparks of pain through his leg.

Markus grit his teeth and pushed forward. He deflected Joshua’s next punch, dipped his head back to avoid an attempted headbutt, then slammed a punch into the man's jaw.

He had almost half a Meter behind the punch. It should have laid the man out, but before his fist could connect, the pink light rushed to his face.

He still staggered from the force, but that was it.

Markus went on the offensive, but there was a slight problem.

His opponent was stronger than him.

He landed two more hits, one to the chest, another to the ribs, but each time the pink was there.

Two wind blasts slammed into Markus’s side.

Carson was playing smart, staying well out of Markus’s reach while peppering him with those annoying blasts. Markus had enough Meter that the blasts weren’t deadly, but they smarted something fierce.

Joshua laughed. “You’re tough old timer! I thought this was going to be boring!”

Markus chuckled but didn’t stop advancing. “I try to entertain.”

“Ah!” Joshua grinned ear to ear as he whipped out a punch, his arm and shoulder covered in pink light.

Markus ducked the hit and threw a quick punch that was blocked in turn.

“Finally, some banter! I’ve been waiting for so long! Everybody’s been such killjoys.”

“Stop joking with the enemy, you jackass!” Carson snarled.

“Speaking of killjoys,” the man grumbled.

They circled each other, each waiting for the other to slip.

Markus wasn’t exactly advancing, but he wasn’t backing up either, so his Meter stayed in place.

Joshua kept talking, and it seemed the man had a lot to get off his chest. “We fight and fight first monsters, then people. And nobodies taking advantage of this situation!”

Markus blinked. “How so?”

A little more.

Joshua threw his arms wide, and Markus nearly attacked him. Only knowing it was likely bait kept him from acting on instinct.

The man sighed and rolled his shoulders. “Everyone’s so-“

He cut off as Markus blasted forward, activating Meter Break as he moved.

Instantly his Meter jumped up to 75% full. Power thrummed along his limbs, and Joshua barely got his guard up. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t Markus’s target.

Carson reacted quickly. He’d give him that.

The instant he saw Markus barreling toward him, he raised a hand, an air wedge solidifying in his grip.

He wasn’t quite fast enough, though.

Markus’s hand clamped around his ankle, hard.

Carson screamed and dropped from the wind wedge only to catch himself on another. “FUCK! I’ll kill you old man!”

Joshua swore and dashed for Markus.

His eyes flicked to the charging man, whose Skill had shifted to his feet, then back to Carson.

No time. Joshua was closing too fast. He gave the abused ankle one last squeeze, dragging a squeal from Carson.

Just before Joshua reached him, he let Carson go and spun.

Joshua’s eyes widened, and he switched his Skill from his feet to his arms.

Markus kicked him in the chest with all his strength. All of it.

With over 75% of his Meter behind it, his boot connected like a speeding truck.

Joshua flew backward, and Markus spun away.

Where had Carson gotten off to? He started running; no point in wasting Meter.

He scanned the air and found Carson flying toward the mall.

Well, if he’s going to hide, I’ll let hi-

The man spun in the air and tossed a wind blast at Margie. The projectile flew more than 30 feet to slam into her shoulder. She staggered, but with Michael’s buff, she didn’t go down.

Well, never mind. The moron couldn’t just do the smart thing.

He took off after Carson.

Meter Break wore off, and his Meter plummeted back down to half.

The sudden drop in power was jarring, but half a Meter was still a lot of strength.

He raced after Carson.

The man saw him coming and went white as a sheet.

He immediately launched himself with another wind blast, then he turned while dragging through the air and shot two more blasts at Markus.

He dodged around them and kept coming.

Joshua would be chasing him, but he’d kicked him pretty far. He would take a second to catch up.

Carson’s current wind blast ran out, and the man quickly caught another before he could fall too far.

In the second that he was falling, instead of moving, Markus gained on him.

“Stay back!” Carson screamed. Then he did something stupid.

Instead of running, he pointed at Markus.

Wind blasts formed in the air, but instead of blasting off, they hung frozen as he made more and more.

He was making an impressive volley, but he was also letting Markus get close.

The air solidified, and Carson fired, nearly a dozen wind blasts screaming for Markus.

Markus could try to dodge several and reduce the impact of more. He wouldn’t even get tagged by too many.

But that would slow him down.

He picked the option he liked more. He advanced.

His Skill blazing, he raised his arms and pushed through the storm.

Blasts slammed into him, stinging and bruising, but he didn’t slow for a second.

Markus had never truly tested what his new limits were. He hadn't had the need.

But as he burst from the volley and his legs tensed, he knew this wasn't even close to his limit.

He leaped before Carson could react.

The man's feet were hanging a good six feet off the ground. Markus cleared it in a heartbeat.

Carson gaped, too stunned to react, as Markus drew his arm back and slammed a punch into his face.

His cheek crunched.

They both landed on the pavement, one with a thud, the other in a crouch.

He rose, turning to face Joshua.

One down. Four to go.