Th-That fall looked pretty bad...
He's never taken a punch that strong. Anyhow, it's his first ever knockdown...
L-Levius...
What's the matter?
This is hardly a hero's death.
There, that's better.
EPISODE 4 HE... HE'S THE REAL THING...
What? Can you only run?
-Look out! -Your head! Be careful!
Pathetic, Levius!
Quit running away!
Shut up! Hold your noise! Bloody amateurs!
Levius...
Absolutely pitiful.
What the hell?! You could've dodged that!
What is it? You're moving strangely!
Focus! You shouldn't have let that hit you!
Your left armor's ruined and the damper can only take a few more hits.
Hey! Are you listening, Levius?!
What is it? What's going on?!
It's weird... His punches come right to where I've dodged.
What?
Great, cook him up any way you like.
I don't need you to tell me that.
Listen! Use your feet and keep your distance!
Yes!
There you are!
But he was totally in his blind spot...
Must be that artificial eye. A naked human eye can't follow that.
That was fatal. His left-hand armor is just about...
Levius...
Looks like the fun's not over yet.
Yes! That's it!
Nice going, Levius!
-Keep it up! -Get him!
Go! Go!
Oh, blimey! Shut the hell up! Goddamn noisy amateurs!
The goddamn noisy one is you!
Good! You're doing great!
Keep this up and you can win.
-Levius! -Go!
Levius! Don't hold back!
You've got an amazing right, but...
It's about time to finish this.
A swing that wide... That punch shouldn't have landed!
Again? Doesn't something seem off?
Damn, his right arm's been busted.
At this rate, Levius is going to die...
I'm supposed to be the one to beat him!
Hm?
Zack! What's that?
There are other similar marks...
The slide marks...?
How stubborn...
Zack! The towel! The towel!
What are you doing?! He'll be killed!
What will you do?
Zack! You listening?
Saved by the bell, huh.
End of round three! We will now have 15 minutes for maintenance!
Now this is a fight.
-That mean old brute. -I feel bad...
It'll be over next round.
What a close match.
Levius!
I'm releasing the valve.
It's worse than I thought. The valves and steam tubes are at their limits.
Levius, water...
Levius, look at me.
I want you to listen very carefully now.
You said the blow would come to where you'd dodge, right?
That's a sidewinder. I saw it in my underground circuit days.
Side... What?
A sidewinder.
You slide your foot as you step.
It's an advanced technique that changes the path of a blow.
I had only been wary of his rough fighting, but I was wrong.
What's truly terrifying is his footwork.
No problems with the armor or the machinery.
End this in the next round.
I was hoping for a little more resistance.
It's about time to end this.
Changing the path with a step?
That's why Levius took so many...
Yeah.
When you think you've dodged it by a hair, you end up taking the hit.
Listen, Levius. His feet.
Next round, carefully watch his feet.
His feet?
Don't trust the initial trajectory. See how his feet slide and read his move.
I got it.
I'm done here. I've fixed the busted valves, but it's temporary.
If you get hit like before, they won't last long.
Levius, figure out how he moves. That's how you're going to win.
Right.
If you can't, I'm ending this immediately...
What's wrong? Do you plan to just stand and take it?
This is it, then.
What a waste of time.
Crescendo.
Gradually rising.
This is the end!
What a beautiful melody.
Levius.
Alright!
How about this?!
Why?! Why's he able to dodge them?!
C-Calm down, Malcolm.
Shut up!
Shit!
Here.
Seems you worked it out.
Yeah... It's just like you said.
Damn it, this is it.
I'm ending it in this round.
Amazing. He sees right through him.
He... He's the real thing...
The real deal.
Don't get cocky!
You bloody bastard!
His stamina's used up. Looks like he's finally slowing down.
No, that's not all.
Watch Levius' footwork.
What?!
A sidewinder.
Your winner, Malcolm Eden!
Well done, Malcolm! You've finally made it to G2!
Dad, congratulations!
What a loser!
Seems he isn't Grade Two material after all!
Dad, you're going to be fine!
Just stop already! That's enough!
What's the point in keeping this up?!
Shut up.
Quit coming to my fights.
Demoted...
Useless...
Do you understand?!
If I had known, I wish they would have killed me earlier...
Instead of losing like a dog,
I'd rather die a hero's death.
I'm certain that's how anyone would feel...
Now, Levius! Knock him out!
What's wrong?! Now's his chance!
Levius! Now! What are you doing?! Hurry up and knock him out!
Why?! Why didn't you use your spin hook?!
M-Malcolm...
Don't...
But...
Don't stop me.
Just a little more.
Just a bit more...
I've nearly got it...
Levius...
Then go grasp it. As tightly as you can.
And now, the sixth round! This is the final round!
A-Awesome...
They must be far past their limits already...
It's exactly the same.
What is?
The way they fight.
Back! He'll head-butt!
No, he's not about to break the rules now.
Huh?
Malcolm's searching too, in this fight with Levius.
For something.
This is the end.
Your winner, Levius Cromwell!
From tranquility to frenzy.
What a melody you've played.
Levius.
I tell you, there were moments where I was so worried!
But Levius, I must say, you're a bloody prodigy!
Uncle, that hurts...
What a loud, hairy pig. You were worrying the whole fight.
You shouldn't be too hard on him. Zack was also fighting...
No lie! I was just hoping you'd be let off with only light injuries!
But to think you'd win so magnificently...
Uncle.
Huh?
M-Malcolm!
It's alright.
Why?
Once you saw through my sidewinder, you clearly had the advantage.
You could have knocked me out whenever you pleased.
Why didn't you?
Because it was fun.
What?
Fighting with you...
It was fun.
The way that you have survived in this harsh world...
I felt it through your fists.
I wanted to learn about that...
In this fight with you.
You naive little bugger.
Wh-What's that?! Levius fought hard--
But...
I want to thank you. With this, I can finally...
Had enough now?
Dad!
Yeah.
Look, Bill! Any idea what this is?!
Yeah, I'm looking, but I have no clue--
It's a promotion bout! Promotion! To G2!
The announcement came today!
Pipe down, you're too close.
It's G2, man! G2! How can you be so calm?!
Well, the prize money is digits more, so it is a big deal...
He's sure coming up rather fast.
Damn fool, "rather fast" my arse!
The Malcolm fight got someone's attention in the Association! It has to be that!
Even so, unless the bout is won, it'd be meaningless.
So? Who's he up against?
Hey, there he is!
The star has graced us!
Well, hello boys.
Hugo! How're you today?!
Over here! Just one photo!
Are the promotion bout rumors true? Have the announcements been sent?!
Come on now, it's no good if you all talk at once.
About Malcolm's retirement, then! Please give us a quote!
He retired? That useless geezer.
Jeez, how boring. I was hoping I'd get to kill him.
They're saying it's because he lost his Levius fight.
We heard you'll fight Levius next. How confident are you?
Idiot...
He's done it now...
How confident?
How confident...
Who am I?
U-Um...
I said, who the hell am I?!
Th-The top ranking fighter in Grade 3. Hugo Stratus!
That's right. Good boy.
Levius Cromwell?
I'll put him to bed with one punch.