Ban and Meliodas made their way onto the ring, Meliodas doing some stretches with his arms.

"Capt- I mean Meliodaf, go and get him!" Diane cheers.

"Hey, Ban!" King shouts. "If you screw up and lose this match I'm gonna tell Elaine!"

"Try and not destroy the ring too much, we still have to fight in it!" Y/N shouts.

"Oh, that's right," Diane says, moving her necktie? way to reveal Elizabeth between her breasts. Y/N and King watch wide eyes as she does so. "You can cheer to Elizabeth. You don't have to worry, nobody's going to see you."

"O-Okay," Elizabeth says, giving Diane a closed eye smile.

"You can't just do that, Diane! Someone could see you." Y/N says.

"Time for the match to go underway!" Love Helm shouts. The gong is rung and everyone begins cheering.

"Sure would be nice if we had more room to move around," Ban says, stretching his shoulder. Meliodas doing the same. He laughs at Ban's comment. "So what's with the laughing? You looking forward to fighting with me that much Captain?" Ban cracks his knuckles.

"I was thinking back to the old days." Meliodas says, smiling. "We had about this much space then, didn't we?"

"It's been a while," Ban says. "Which time are you talking about?"

"Don't worry," Meliodas lifts his hands, in a jazz hands way. "because you'll remember it soon enough." Meliodas then makes a weird nose before seemingly disappearing. Ban's eyes widen before he's punched straight up, blood spitting around him.

"Oh yeah, I think I remember now!" Ban says, his cheek indented from the punch.

Meliodas and Y/N walk down a short corridor, following a knight as he leads them to a door. 

"This place is built like a fortress," Meliodas says.

"Of course, he's the criminal who burned down the Fairy King's Forest four years ago." The knight says. Inside the cell, Ban leans back against the wall yawning with his hands behind his head. A fully grown beard and ripped clothing. 

"But isn't he still alive even after being executed 33 times?" Y/N asks.

"That's right. We've tried everything from beheading to fire. That man isn't human." The knight says.

"Really?" Meliodas says as he and Y/N stop walking. The two share a side glance. "What a coincidence." 

"Huh?" The knight questions.

"Open it." Y/N orders. The knight opens the door and light shins onto Ban's face. He opens his eyes and looks to the side.

"Is it time for another execution?" He asks, seemingly bored. Meliodas and Y/N make their way into the cell and closer to Ban. "I'm not budging for that kind of hassle." The door to the cell begins to close, leaving them in the dark cell. "If you wanna do it then just do it here." He then looks over at the two visitors, looking than from the bottom and up.

"Your just a kid and a chick?" He asks.

"Time to step outside, Undead Ban," Meliodas says.

"Must be boring sitting here in a dark cell?" Y/N adds.

"Look, didn't you listen to a word I said?" Ban asks.

"Guess we'll have to throw you outta here by force then," Meliodas says.

"Let's see you try, don't think I won't beat you-" Ban is interrupted by Meliodas punching him through the wall and outside. Ban has blood running down his face but begins laughing. "You did throw me out!"

"It looks like round one goes to him," Y/N says, wiping some dust off her shirt.

"I say we do this again," Ban says excitedly while he sits up.

"If you wanna rematch, you'll have to leave this place and join us," Meliodas says, wiping off his sleeve. "And if you want, you can even fight my friend." He gestures to Y/N, who smiles and waves at him. "Don't get me started on who will win between you two." Ban looks between the two and lets out a genuine happy laugh.

Ban falls back towards the edge of the ring, Meliodas still suspended into the air watching him fall.

"The fight's been decided with one punch!" Love Helm announces. However, Ban manages to catch himself and balance himself before grabbing Meliodas by his waist and lifting him over his head before bringing Meliodas down to the ground. Only for Meliodas to stop the blow by placing his hands out. He then wraps his legs around Ban's neck and flips him over, Ban landing on his head.

"Show off," Y/N mutters, crossed arms. King, Diane and Elizabeth all look at her, confused. "He knows I've always wanted to do that to someone, but never really had the opportunity." The three sigh at her before looking back at the match. Meliodas gasps as he sees Ban grab him by the ankles, flipping himself onto his feet and taking Meliodas over with him before kicking him up into the air.

"Let's do this!" Ban says, jumping into the air. Meliodas holds his arms in a cross to protect him from Ban's multiple blows.

"That's nothing!" Meliodas shouts, pulling an arm back and punching Ban back down into the ring, causing a massive crack in the side of the rock.

"I told you to not destroy the ring!" Y/N shouts, shaking her fist at Meliodas, who lands back onto the ring.

"Is that Bataan guy dead?" Someone asks.

"Does this even count as a fight?" Someone else asks. The dust clears and Ban lays still in the centre of the ring. He then slowly gets up, uninjured causing some people to grasp. 

"He's not even hurt." Ban then seemingly disappears as does Meliodas before the two engage in an in the air fistfight. After a few seconds, Meliodas hooks Ban in the stomach causing him to cough out blood. He then punches Ban up into the air before he falls back down to the ring onto his back. Meliodas then suddenly feels weak and falls onto his hand and knees.

"Oh no! Looks like both fighters are down!" Love Helm shouts. Ban sits up with his hand held out to Meliodas. 

"You jerk, you've gone and done it now." Meliodas says, knowing Ban's plan. 

"And up we go~" Ban laughs and stands up without using his hands, his back cracking from the awkward position. 

"W-What's going on!? All of Baan's injuries are completely gone now!" Love Helm says. Ban then begins running to Meliodas, who is still on the ground. Meliodas then holds out his fist to punch the man only for him to suddenly appear behind him, shocking Meliodas. Ban cracks his wrist before bringing it down onto Meliodas from behind, causing him to go tumbling across the ground. Ban laughs and jumps up and down while punching the air.

"I'm floating like a butterfly now!" Ban says. Suddenly he's elbowed from the side by Meliodas, a tooth flying off and onto the ground as he goes skating off to the side before him and Meliodas stand face to face. "You knocked out one of my teeth!" He then uses a finger to open his mouth, showing the supposedly 'knocked out tooth'. "Or not!" Meliodas jumps forward towards Ban, only to then be headbutted away. 

"You see that guys," Diane says. King nods.

"It's getting harder for the Captain to follow Ban's movements now," He says.

"So you thinking his stamina is starting to run out now?" Diane asks. Y/N shakes her head.

"Once Meliodas started to slow down, then Ban's agility shot threw the roof." She says. King and Diane gasp.

"What are you trying to say?" Elizabeth asks.

"Ban's magical ability, Snatch, can sap an opponent's physical skills like speed and power," Y/N explains. "He's not the Sin of Greed for nothing." Ban punches Meliodas, who does a spin in the air and grabs Ban's arm, pulling him over and onto the ground before going back and forth. 

"Meliodas has turned the tables! He's beating Baan like a rug!" Love Helm says. The crows watch in awe at the small boy with such power. "Look at the raw power!" Mid-air, Ban holds out his other hand and points it to Meliodas, causing him to become dazes as Ban lands back onto the floor and snatches his arm out of Meliodas's hold. His entire upper half then gets bigger and more muscly as he punches Meliodas away, him landing on his feet.

"This feeling is the strength of yours flows from you into me!" Ban says, back arched. "Oh man, this is such a rush!" Meliodas looks down at his shaky hand. "I wonder how much power I ended up taking!" Ban jumps into the air and down towards Meliodas. "Time to find out!" Ban goes to punch Meliodas, however, Meliodas's fist also meets Ban's. It crushes past Ban's hand and into his stomach. Ban coughs out blood and skates back, going right to the edge. His tiptoe is the only thing keeping him on the ring as his entire body is arched back. "This has gotta be some kind of joke or something. Just how bottomless is your power Captain?" He begins fixing his arm into the correct position, before grabbing his face and pulling it forwards. "I made up my mind." The two sins make their way over to each other.

"Given up?" Meliodas asks.

"I've just been chipping away at your speed and power for now," Ban replies. "But I need to do a little more than that if I wanna wrap this up and move onto a fight with Y/N. So I'll just take it all!" Ban holds out both of his hands as Meliodas watches with a close eye. Meliodas steps forward and begins throwing punches at Ban.

"Hurry up and finish him off already!" Diane shouts.

"If Ban steals all of his strength then he'll win," King says, fingers on his chin as he watches the fight observantly. Ban is still being repeatedly punched by Meliodas. "So the Captain's gonna have to take him down before that."  Y/N watches with a smirk and crossed arms.

"Meliodas may be a pervert, but he is smart. Especially when it comes to fighting." She says. Meliodas's punching begins getting slower and weaker until he lands one on Ban's cheek and it does nothing. Meliodas's fist slips down as he falls back onto the floor, staring up at Ban.

"That was delicious!" Ban says, smirking as a purple aura covers him. "Captain."

"It looks like things have turned around, folks. Meliodaf was pretty much pummelling of Baan the whole round, has just run out of steam!" Love Helm shouts, causing the crowd to make noises of shock.

"Uhm, Sir King?" Elizabeth asks. "What is going on with Sir Meliodas?"

"Ban's sapped his physical abilities, now he doesn't have anything left." He explains. Ban steps closer to Meliodas.

"Well it looks like you and I are finally coming to an end of this little scuff of ours, isn't it Captain." He says. "What should I do now?"

"Ban!!" Diane shouts, waving her arms in the air as King and Y/N holds her back. "If you do anything more to the Captain I'm never going to forgive you!! Friendship over, understand!"

"Just butt out will you," Ban replies. "I've won this fight so don't go telling me what to do." Meliodas lets out a little snicker, causing Ban to look at him. 

"Sounds to me like your a little punch drunk, cause I'm the one, who's winning," Meliodas says, smiling up at him. Ban chuckles and smirks.

"I guess you and me are the perfect matches, aren't we Captain," Ban says, cracking each of his fingers. "Well I think I'm gonna deliver the final blow no If you don't mind"

"Stop Sir Ban!" Elizabeth shouts, worried. "Or Sir Meliodas will-"

"No question about it, this match is gonna go to Meliodas," Y/N says, smirking again. Elizabeth looks at her.

"It will?" She asks. Diane gasps before smiling.

"I can see it now, he's playing dead to he can reflect Ban's all-out punch right back at him using Full Counter," Diane says.

"That won't work," King says, causing Diane and Y/N to look at him. "I'm sorry Diane, but the Captain's magical ability. He's only able to reflect direct magical attacks." He explains before looking at the girls.  "So it'll be powerless against an ordinary punch."

"No way!" Diane points her finger at Meliodas. "Then what's he doing out there!"

"Honestly I have no idea," King says. "Y/N, do you know what he's doing?" Y/N shrugs before looking back at the fight, her smirk still on her lip. Ban holds up his fist, smirking.

"If you survive this, make sure to tell me how it felt afterwards." He says. "The taste of a punch that's got both your power as well as mine behind it!" Ban goes to bring it down.

"Sir Meliodas, look out!" Elizabeth shouts. Ban brings the fist down to Meliodas and onto his stomach. Dust covers the entire ring and everyone covers their face from the dust. "Oh no, he attacked him. Sir Meliodas!!" She cries out.  A voice shushes Elizabeth as the dust clears, revealing Meliodas with scraped and ripped clothing. He holds a finger to his lips. 

"Watch the name Elizabeth." He says. Everyone watches in shock at the fact that the one who was deemed to be the loser is standing up as if nothing had happened.

"Look at that! Meliodaf is standing all alone in the ring!" Love Helm shouts. "Where is Baan?!"

"He's right over there," Meliodas says, pointing over to the mountain. They follow his pointing to see Ban lodged inside one of the pillars at the mountains will multiple holes over him.

"This is incredible!" Love Helm says. "It can only mean..."

"I'm the winner," Meliodas says, pointing to himself with a laugh.

"Meliodaf is onto the next round!!" Love Helm announces and everyone begins cheering for him.

"Told ya he'll win it," Y/N says.

"Hey, you see that?" King asks. Diane nods. "The fight was over really fast, but I think I saw something kinda strange."

"Well, I could see how it all played out," Diane says, causing King her in surprise. Y/N doesn't look over but listens in. "Ban landed a punch with all his strength, there's no doubt about it. But as he did that, the Captain crushed his wrist at that same moment, And then, a second later."

"A black crest of his forehead and his eyes hazed over?" Y/N questions. Diane's eyes widen slightly before she nods as she continues the story.

"Yeah, then Ban's body went flying out of the ring. I remember seeing the Captain with the same look on his face before. What is that? Seeing it makes me feel nervous."

"Hey, guys!" Meliodas says, walking over to them. People around him clap for him as he makes his way over to them "Is something wrong? What's with the gloomy looks on your faces?" 

"So, how are you holding up?" King asks.

"See for yourself," Meliodas says, rotating his arm. "Once I clobbered Ban, I felt good as new." 

"But how the heck was he able to move like that before he beat him?" Diane mutters. 

"Something bothering you Diane?" Meliodas asks. "It's not like you to stress out over stuff. The guy your fighting next does look pretty tough though." 

"Aww, many, lucky," Y/N says pouting. "I've got no fight this round~ Man you guys get all the fun." 

"Oh, no!" Diane says, turning around and undoing her necktie. "I better hurry! Hang onto this Captain!" She passed Meliodas the purple necktie that has Elizabeth wrapped up in. Meliodas smirks and lifts her to his face. She holds the purple tie up close, blushing.

"I'm giving you a chance to hold her, don't make me regret it," Y/N says, squinting her eyes at him. He pouts but nods.

"Hey, I just wanna say thanks for the little boost. It helps." Meliodas says with a closed eye smile.

"What are you talking about?" King asks. Y/N smiles.

"Well, I may or may not have given him a little bit of my power before the match." She says, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "You see, Ban was only detecting Meliodas's power, not mine. So I knew Ban would try to cheat and gave Meliodas a little helping hand." 

"But wouldn't that mean you cheated then?" King asks. Y/N pouts.

"Aww~ I guess your right. Am I a bad girl for cheating?" She asks, giving him puppy dog eyes. He becomes flustered and shakes his hands,

"No, no! You were just helping him!" King says, shaking his head. "Y-your not bad, you very friendly and helpful towards your friends!!" Y/N chuckles and wraps her arm around his shoulder, causing him to blush more.

"I'm just kidding, King." She says. "I cheat all the time. You just never see it." He looks at her with a sigh. She snickers a little before catching Meliodas's glance and the two give each other a silent nod. 

"I've got your back, Captain." She thinks. "We won't let them find out about you..." 

【Ａｓｐｅｎ】

28/02/2021

Last Updated: 29/09/2023