Titan Rumble Ch 6: The Place where it will be settled, Mindscape

(Cain)

"She... wants to fight me?" I muttered, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the back of my neck. The thought flashed in my mind—her fist, easily the size of a boulder, crashing down on me, the ground splitting beneath her knuckles. I shuddered. She might not actually squash me like a bug, but I was pretty sure that fight wouldn't end well.

"What a pain," I muttered, trying to shake off the nervous image.

"Forgive her," Mr. Takamura said from above, his voice deep and steady. It had that strong-yet-gentle tone, like he was trying to explain something delicate. "Yuna has always been a prideful one. She gets that from her mother."

"Pride?" I asked, not entirely understanding. "What would an Alpha need to be so prideful about?" I couldn't wrap my head around it. I mean, they were already giants, respected by everyone—what else could they possibly need?

Mr. Takamura was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. "You don't remember, do you? That time you and Yuna fought as kids?"

I scratched my chin, squinting as memories started flooding back. "Oh yeah, I think I remember. She went down in three punches, right?" I chuckled a little, feeling a tiny swell of pride in my chest. But it faded quickly, noticing how intense Yuna's gaze was as she marched on ahead, back ramrod straight.

Mr. Takamura chuckled too, a deep, rumbling sound. "Yes... and ever since that day, Yuna has pushed herself relentlessly. She doesn't want to ever feel that kind of embarrassment again. She wants to be strong enough that no one, especially not an Omega, could best her. For that, you have my thanks."

I scratched my head, caught off guard by his gratitude. "Uh... you're welcome, I guess?"

Still, I glanced back at Yuna, who hadn't slowed down. She was laser-focused, every muscle in her body tense. She wasn't going to let me off easy. But honestly? I wasn't one to back away from a challenge.

"Well," I said with a sigh, watching her march with that intense fire in her step. "I've never been one to turn down a fight."

***

(Yuna)

I counted every step, every second ticking away as we reached the front door. My father unlocked it, and I felt my heart pounding harder with each passing moment. This was it.

As we stepped inside, my eyes locked onto the tiny figure perched on my father's shoulder—the same "speck" that had once dared to embarrass me, the one now chosen to inherit my father's dojo. Just thinking about it made my chest tighten with a fierce, bitter anger. I didn't care if he was an Omega; there was no excuse for a Beta to stand above me, let alone him.

I took a few steps toward my father, each one making Cain's little head turn a bit further, and a flash of fear flickered in his eyes as he noticed me. That same familiar, helpless look that made me want to laugh. For a split second, my lips almost curled into a grin. But then, the satisfaction faded as quickly as it came, the anger simmering back.

I extended my finger, holding it near my father's shoulder. "Come. Let's get this over with," I said, keeping my voice steady but firm.

Cain hesitated, his face unreadable. Then, slowly, he started to make his way onto my finger. I watched him carefully, noting the small, precise steps he had to take to cross a single ridge. Every movement, so small, so careful. Fragile. I've been taught all my life to respect Omegas, that their lives are to be treated with the utmost care. I understood that principle, and yet... watching him struggle to balance as he made his way to the center of my palm, I couldn't help but wonder: why?

"Why are we meant to hold beings this fragile in such high regard?" I thought, feeling a trace of irritation.

Cain finally settled in the middle of my hand, looking up, his expression cautious. I gave him a single nod and turned, careful but quick, and began walking toward the training room. I could feel his tiny weight shift with each step, and I moved with the practiced care I'd learned since childhood, careful not to jostle him too much.

After a few more steps, I finally reached the sliding metal doors of our training room. I opened them, revealing a vast, high-tech space filled with projection equipment and mental simulators, the pinnacle of Alpha training technology. I felt a surge of pride as I walked him inside.

"Welcome to the Mindscape," I announced, glancing down at him.

He took a quick look around, then sighed, muttering under his breath, "Great."

This was no ordinary training room. The Mindscape was where I trained to push the limits of my strength, where I'd honed my skills in ways few Alphas ever could. And now, it was where Cain and I would settle this once and for all.