In the fading light of the evening sun, the air crackled with tension and expectation. The iconic, serene setting of the Hakurei Shrine stood stark against the tumultuous energy building in the air — an interesting juxtaposition. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as three figures watched intently from the shrine's steps. Reimu Hakurei, the shrine maiden with a fierce resolve; Suika Ibuki, the ever-sassy sake-loving youkai; and Marisa Kirisame, the ambitious witch with an eye for mischief. They were not merely observers; they were partaking in a contest of their own — a betting pool on who would emerge victorious in the imminent battle. “So, who do you think will take it?” Suika smirked, swirling her sake gourd merrily. She was always looking for a reason to indulge in a drink or a gamble. “Honestly, I can't see anyone defeating Thragg, that brute,” Marisa replied, hands on her hips and an unmistakable gleam in her eye that said she might enjoy being the underdog. “He’s got that ridiculous strength and durability. Flash is fast, but I don’t know if speed will be enough.” “We’ll see about that. The Flash is known for his agility and cunning. He can break the rules of time and space!” Reimu retorted, squinting towards the horizon. “In battles like these, something as simple as speed can turn the tides — even against someone like Thragg.” “But this is Thragg we’re talking about! You know, the guy who can lift entire multiverses? He could snap Flash like a twig!” Marisa shot back, her bubbly confidence straining against the grim reality of the contest unfolding. As the last sliver of the sun dipped below the horizon, two silhouettes appeared on the battlefield — Thragg, a hulking figure radiating an overwhelming aura of power, and The Flash, who seemed almost ethereal, a streak of vibrant yellow amidst the darkening surroundings. They stood face to face, and the tension skyrocketed. Thragg cracked his knuckles, a sound that was almost like thunder rumbling through the air. “You think you can outpace me, you little speck of light?” His voice was deep, echoing with confidence. “I’ll wipe the floor with you.” The Flash raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “You think your muscles intimidate me? Speed kills, Thragg. And I’m death incarnate.” “Keep talking. It’ll all feel like a distant memory when you’re flattened into the ground,” Thragg shot back, his eyes gleaming with an almost violent anticipation. Before either had a chance to react, the fight exploded into motion. The Morning Light - Part 1 The instant the two combatants lunged at each other was a symphony of fury. Flash surged forward like a bolt of lightning, his form blurring into a streak of yellow, leaving miniature shockwaves in his wake. He darted around Thragg, teasing him with lightning-fast jabs that barely grazed the Kryptonian-Viltrumite champion. But Thragg didn’t flinch. Instead, he rotated and swung his arm with the force designed to launch galaxies, the sheer velocity of the blow creating a whirl of wind that pushed everything nearby. “Too slow!” he roared, and his fist cleaved through the air like an axe. The Flash, always a heartbeat ahead, vibrated his molecules and phased through the punch. In an instant, he was behind Thragg, landing a rapid volley of punches that merely seemed to annoy him. “Is that it? Come on, I’ve faced faster things at the grocery store!” he taunted, his voice light. With a growl of irritation, Thragg turned sharply — too fast for most to witness, but The Flash saw it coming in the split second he had. He vaulted over Thragg, completing a full flip in mid-air, and landed gracefully behind him. With each movement, The Flash played to the crowd, ensuring the eyes of Suika, Marisa, and Reimu were glued to him. The Morning Light - Part 2 But the strategy was beginning to wear thin. Thragg, despite his overwhelming strength, showcased an incredible capacity for adaptation. “Faster than a speeding bullet, huh? Let’s test that!” he bellowed, the ground trembling with each of his steps. His body glimmered, and then he unleashed a blinding stream of heat vision; a torrent of burning energy hotter than a star, slicing through the air aimed straight at Flash, who had only moments to react. With a blur of motion, he ricocheted off a nearby tree, altering his trajectory just in time to evade the deadly stream that incinerated everything in its path. “Nice try, but you’ll have to do better than that!” Flash shouted, energy coursing through his body as he channeled the Speed Force, crafting a shield with his own energy, created from pure speed. He closed in on Thragg again, striking low this time with a series of kicks aimed at the warrior’s knees. Thragg grunted in annoyance but took the opportunity to sidestep, grabbing Flash by the leg with lightning reflexes and propelling him into the air. The Flash flew upward with dizzying velocity, spinning in an upward arc before plummeting down toward the ground. With sheer will, The Flash controlled his descent, tapping into the Speed Force to shift his equilibrium. He landed lightly, the impact barely registering. Thragg grimaced at the resilience of his opponent. “You’re tougher than you look. I’ll give you that,” he grunted. With a roar, Thragg rushed forward, his fist raised like a hammer set to crush rock. For The Flash, this was a challenge he relished — perhaps his whole life had led up to a moment like this. He danced nimbly, a blur against the backdrop of turmoil encircling them. And then, in a flash, he zipped behind Thragg again. “You know, your fighting style is about as advanced as a caveman’s! Would you like me to teach you how to use those muscles?” he mocked again, delivering a flicking punch that barely fazed Thragg. The Evening Twilight - Part 3 This was beginning to feel like an overpowered game of cat and mouse. “Playtime’s over!” Thragg snapped. Harnessing his energy, he unleashed a massive shockwave aimed at The Flash directly. The blast was potent enough to send debris flying in all directions, creating a localized storm of dust and remnants from their battlefield, but Flash was all too quick. He zipped away again just before the shockwave hit, narrowly avoiding catastrophe, though the sheer force of it did send him crashing into a nearby tree. “Nice try, Thragg! But you seem to forget — I can run circles around you!” It was still that unmatched confidence in his tone, that unwavering belief in his speed. Now, realizing he needed to get serious, The Flash entered a new realm of motion. He tapped into the depths of the Speed Force, pouring every ounce of effort into spiraling around Thragg like a whirlwind. In the middle of this insane tornado-like motion, he crafted intense energy constructs, weaving them together into a jagged barrier. Instantly, he slammed it down toward the ground like an explosive bomb. “This is for all the times you thought you could overpower me!” Flash shouted, drawing immense energy into the constructs, sending them hurtling toward Thragg, who braced himself. The impact was monumental, an explosion of color and force, shattering sound barriers, sending shockwaves rippling through Gensokyo. The Final Hour - Part 4 As the dust settled, there was an eerily beautiful silence for a brief moment before Thragg roared out of the wreckage, baring his teeth like a predator caught in a momentary lapse. “That all you got?” he boomed as the earth shook under his feet. Flash realized he had underestimated the resilience of his opponent, but he wasn’t discouraged. “Alright, big guy. Let’s take this up a notch!” He surged forward, striking at a speed that would make the universe weep. He started creating Speed Force tornadoes all around, disorienting and confusing Thragg enough to grasp the upper hand momentarily. With renewed vigor, The Flash aimed the tornado at Thragg, forming powerful constructs that resembled spears, launching them with all his energy and determination. The constructs honed in on Thragg, and there had to be an end in sight for such destructive power. But Thragg had had enough. In a stunning display of overwhelming strength, he broke free of the constructs, locking onto Flash’s position and pivoting into a punch, "...at the speed of light!" The impact resonated like thunder as Thragg's fist connected, sending The Flash spiraling across the field, crashing into boulders, dust exploding everywhere. As he lay there for a moment, panting, it became clear that a breaking point had been reached. “Oh, come on!” Suika exclaimed, her hands balled into fists as she hovered at the edge of her seat, eagerly watching. “He can’t go down like that!” Reimu sighed, a knowing smirk playing on her lips as she leaned forward, “This isn’t over yet.” The Ultimate Showdown - Part 5 Rising from the ground, The Flash gritted his teeth. He could feel the exhaustion kicking in, but he was no stranger to it — he was born to push against limits. “Let’s see how you like this!” he shouted defiantly, summoning the vast energy of the Speed Force. With unwavering determination, he began vibrating at a nearly imperceptible frequency, phasing through the lingering debris surrounding him. As he emerged on the other side, Thragg was momentarily confused. And with unchecked energy, Flash lashed out in a blinding whirlwind, creating an afterimage of himself, multiplying as he circled Thragg at an impossible speed. Each punch he threw sent streaks of energy too fast for the naked eye to follow, building more and more momentum, culminating in an attack of unprecedented power. Taking a deep breath, Flash plunged at Thragg — echoing the priorities of power and speed — and at this moment, he was enacting the ultimate revelation of the Speed Force’s potential. Thragg was taken aback by the barrage, stunned as the air around them crackled with energy, and for the first time, he felt the weight of what he had underestimated: the swiftness of a Hero. The Verdict - Part 6 But just as victory seemed within The Flash's grasp, Thragg unleashed an undeniable roar that ripped through the air. He forced all his residual energy into one monumental punch, one distinct reaction of pure strength that detonated into a maelstrom. It tore apart the realm around them, the very fabric of time threatened, and it became a race against fate. The impact resonated throughout Gensokyo as dawn broke, fracturing the very ground beneath, as Reimu rose to her feet, shaking her head. The dust cleared, revealing The Flash barely struggling to stand, while Thragg remained firm, though visibly exhausted. As the two recovered for a moment, it was clear who had transformed the battlefield this time. “Winner…” Suika called out, stunned and breathless, as she looked to Reimu and Marisa, realizing a prize had been claimed. “...is Thragg!” Reimu shouted, jumping up, confirming the victor. “Loser… The Flash!” Winner Thragg Loser The Flash The sun was now fully risen, casting a warm glow over the ruins of the battle. But as the echoes of victory settled, the harsh reality sank in for the victor. “Now, you two,” Reimu said with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes, looking at both Thragg and the unwilling Marisa beside her, who had tried to sneak away. “You’re going to help me rebuild my shrine after all the destruction you’ve caused. Move it.” And with that, the three figures of Gensokyo were left to tend to the aftermath, a peculiar end to an intense confrontation on the sacred grounds of the Hakurei Shrine.