Xavier's pulse was sharp, tight beneath his skin, but he held himself together.
Zane—the top fighter of Segment 10—stood in his space like he belonged there, like he had every right to invade the room just because he wanted to. It had been clear from the start that he was testing limits, pushing just to see how Xavier would react.
But when the door opened unexpectedly, neither of them moved.
Xavier's roommate stepped inside.
For a moment, silence filled the air, thick and unmoving. The tension had been sharp before, but now it had shifted completely.
The roommate hesitated—Xavier saw it immediately. The slight stiffening of his shoulders, the way his breath faltered for just half a second before he composed himself.
But the fear was there.
His gaze flickered between Xavier and Zane before he finally spoke, voice quiet, uncertain.
"Who is this?"
Zane turned his head slightly, looking at him like he wasn't worth acknowledging. But after a pause, he answered anyway.
"Zane."
The name landed like a weight in the air. It wasn't spoken casually—it was said with the kind of certainty that meant everyone should already know it.
Xavier's roommate swallowed but didn't respond immediately.
Then, finally—"You're the top fighter of Segment 10."
It wasn't a question.
Zane exhaled slightly, just enough for the ghost of a smirk to play at his lips.
"And yet, you still had to ask who I was."
The roommate didn't respond.
Xavier saw it—the fear creeping just slightly higher now—but still contained. His roommate wasn't used to being in these situations, wasn't used to standing in the middle of tension like this.
And Zane knew it.
"You don't belong in this conversation," Zane said, gaze shifting back to Xavier like he had dismissed the roommate entirely. "Leave."
The order hit hard.
Xavier saw his roommate stiffen, caught between hesitation and forced composure.
But Xavier wasn't about to let Zane dictate anything here.
The moment Zane looked back at him, Xavier moved.
Fast.
It wasn't reckless—it was calculated.
One moment, Zane was standing with confidence, relaxed. The next, Xavier had closed the distance, striking hard, without hesitation.
The first hit landed clean, sending Zane stumbling back.
The second wiped the smirk off his face.
And suddenly—it was a fight.
Zane reacted instantly, his stance shifting as he absorbed the force, countering with a quick feint and a sharp elbow strike. Xavier saw it coming, twisting just enough to avoid full impact, but the force skimmed past his ribs, knocking him slightly off balance.
Zane capitalized. He moved fast, launching a precise knee toward Xavier's abdomen. Xavier barely blocked in time, stepping back as the hit connected with his forearm instead. The impact burned, but he didn't let it stop him.
Instead of retreating, he surged forward, forcing Zane onto the defensive.
Xavier swept in low, aiming for Zane's legs, but Zane adjusted mid-step, twisting away just in time. The movements were rapid, layered with experience, each step measured. They weren't just throwing wild punches. They were dissecting each other's fighting styles, calculating weaknesses, adapting.
But Xavier had started this fight, and he was determined to finish it.
He switched tactics, using feints to lead Zane into a misstep, then drove forward with a fierce combination—jab, cross, hook. Zane managed to block most of it, but the final hook grazed his jaw, snapping his head slightly to the side.
Xavier didn't stop.
He pressed forward, forcing Zane toward the wall. His strikes came harder now, faster, testing Zane's defenses. But Zane wasn't Segment 10's top fighter for nothing.
He read Xavier's movements, anticipated the next strike, and suddenly—
Zane made a choice.
Instead of continuing the fight, he shifted—a sudden movement, sharp, breaking away from the exchange entirely.
And before Xavier could react—
Zane was gone.
Disappearing through the open door.
Leaving only his voice behind.
"Next time," Zane said, distant but certain, "you won't catch me off guard."
Xavier exhaled, pulse still high.
His roommate barely moved, still processing what had just happened.
Then, finally—"What did you just do?"
Xavier rolled his shoulders slightly, shaking off the tension, stepping back.
"Made sure he didn't think he could walk in here whenever he wanted."
The roommate exhaled sharply, shaking his head before muttering something under his breath.
"You do realize that was Zane, right?"
Xavier didn't react immediately.
Then, finally, he shrugged.
"He'll remember my name too."