Gracie and Hake Meet

Maxwell does the same as the others, grinning down in a cocky manner before looking at the two. "Number 3, I hope you both are prepared."

Once everyone had drawn their lots, he gave the three of them a slight nod, before tossing a streamer to Hake, and saying "If you would, please take us to these co-ordinates."

Gracie raised an eyebrow at the katana slashes literally opening a portal into wherever the hell they were meant to be going, as she said "Great.... I'm meant to fight a guy that can apparently tear holes in reality. How lovely." She said, gesturing to Maxwell "After you, I guess."

He allows Maxwell to enter through before him, after they all go through the vortex closes on its own. Hake looking around with stern eyes before directing his attention back to Blaze. "So this is where we battle? Very well then."

Just before Hake steps through the portal, however, she grips his shoulder, pulling him back and placing a swift kiss on his cheek, grinning slightly as she said "For good luck. You'll need it~" Before stepping in, her expression returning to a neutral one by the time she entered the stadium "Damn. Feels kinda eerie without an audience here or something"

Blaze gestured towards the stadium, looking down at the list on his streamer as he said "Alright. Gracie, Hake, both of you are up first. Enter the ring whenever you're ready."

Gracie grinned as she made her way down to the stadium, and once they were out of earshot of both Blaze and Maxwell, she stepped a little closer to Hake, grinning as she said "Now now, don't get too embarrassed on me. It isn't fun if you don't try at all."

He looks down at her, sharpening his stare. "I do not mean to come off as arrogant, but if I do then you'll be hospitalized."

Gracie grinned at him as he said so, shaking her head as she replied "I do love it when people underestimate me. Makes my job a whole lot easier." She said, mimicking a kissing noise before standing across from him in the ring "I specialize in catching people off guard, as I'm sure you know already."

He lets out an exhale of air, closing his eyes before nodding. "I must admit, you are proficient at what you do." He places his left hand on the scabbard on his left side and grabs the hilt of the katana with his right hand. "However I have been yearning for this opportunity ever since I was born, I cannot allow you or anyone else get in the way of my destiny..."

Gracie nodded slightly as he said so, settling into a stance of her own as she said "I hear you, but it sounds like this is something your family wants for you, rather than you wanting it yourself, you just don't know any better. It's sad, really."

Hake thinks about her words for a moment, nodding in agreement. "Yes, it is true this is something I was groomed into by my family. I had my objections during my time of youth, but-" He reopens his eyes, in an instant he not only appears in front of Gracie but he gives her a heavy jab into the stomach with the hilt of his katana which was drawn halfway out of its scabbard. "-after all I have experienced throughout my time at SCOA. I've come to realize something: I don't wish to become a Lieutenant only for the sake of my ancestors, but for myself, for those I cherish and the future of Zaiwynneska as a whole."

Gracie's eyes widened slightly at the speed with which he moved, letting out a surprised gasp as the hilt of his katana connected with her midriff, causing her to drop down to one knee, as she muttered "Not bad... But what if I do this?" And, as she spoke, her hand closed around some of the dirt on the floor, and she flung it at his face, in an attempt to blind him!

Hake sheaths his katana back in quickly and readies himself; preparing a heavy slash, the dirt gets into his eyes and forces him to close them, letting an annoyed grunt out before he takes a step back. His hands remaining on both the scabbard and hilt of the katana. "Dirty tricks, but I can't deny their ingenuity." He says while blinded, focusing on his other senses.

"I don't play to be nice, I play to win!" Gracie exclaimed, before rushing towards him, slashing his flank with her knives as she passed him, before attempting to sweep his legs, and force him to the floor!

Hake doesn't let himself get pulled forward, however he hold his left palm out and the knife gets driven deep into his hand instead, causing him to grunt loudly. He fully reopens his eyes and gives her a determined glare, grasping onto her wrist tightly with his free hand.

"For a brief moment, you had me in a position of vulnerability and wasted no time capitalizing on it. I commend you for that, not many have been able to leave bloody marks on me. I now realize why you are here, you're a genius and a prodigy with your tactics like none I've ever faced. However-" He begins to crush her wrist with his hand, leaning over her. "-Your intellect can only carry you so far in battle."

Gracie let out a sharp cry in pain as he began to crush her wrists, trying to force some separation by delivering a hard knee to his gut, as she grunted "I'm.. not done yet..."

Hake bites down on his teeth and grunts, taking the knee into the gut but also crushing her wrist even more on instinct.

"An impressive shot, now it's my turn."

He pulls her wrist forward which in return takes the knife out of his palm with ferocity, afterwards he clenches his right fist before he pulls her back in by her wrist, delivering a harsh blow into her stomach.

Gracie let out a drew in a sharp breath of air as she felt the blow connecting with her gut, and she would have dropped to the ground if not for Hake holding her wrists, as she muttered "This wasn't exactly how I planned us being this close to each other would go...."

Hake holds onto her wrist less tightly after the blow, looking down at her with a slight smile after she speaks. "So you planned this from the start?" He chuckles under his breath, continuing: "You're quite the conniving one. As brutal as this encounter was, I believe we caught a glimpse of each other's true self. Don't you agree?" Hake seeming out of character as it's not like him to act like this during battle.