The two of them is now standing in front of each other. One has great determination to protect Yukimura and Reiko. The other swore to take back Reiko and giver her back to her family.
Regardless of their reasons, the two is determined to fight for those reasons. Kazuya assumed his battle stance and Kenji did the same.
Because of that powerful one punch of Kenji, his left arm is now entirely broken. It was so strong and powerful that his arm had broke. He can do the Power Blow again but for only three times.
He still has his left arm and two legs. He can do it but whether he emerge victorious or not, his arms and legs will be broken if he did it 3 times.
"I have to end this with only one Power Blow!"
This is the line of thought of Kenji. Kazuya doesn't show it but he's affected to that blow. Because of that blow, he's now having a hard time standing. But It will take more than that to take down Kazuya.
He may be weakened because of the lack of Soul Seals, but he's still the legendary samurai of the past. Kenji will going to have a hard time defeating him.
As a start of battle, Kazuya rushed in towards Kenji. He ran so fast that air pressure was emitted to the path that he just took. Kenji can't even catch him with his eyes.
But because of the gust of wind, he calculated Kazuya's location. He depended on the gust of wind to locate Kazuya. But his calculations took him to the conclusion that Kazuya is now...
"He's in front of me!"
While in front of Kenji, Kazuya swung his sword towards the left and slashed Kenji at the body. Of course, he didn't dodged it, no, he can't dodge it.
Kenji Miura is not a wielder like Kazuya and Kakuju. So obviously, he's too weak of a match compared to Kazuya. His only chance of winning is his Power Blow.
The huge slash on Kenji's body was too big of a wound. Blood was gushing out of them. It's a shallow cut so he won't die out of blood loss but It still hurts.
He didn't even patched his wound and stood up again like nothing happened. He assumed a battle stance again. It seems like he's ready to fight but...
"This guy is a monster! I can't defeat him! I can't even see him nor land a hit on him!"
He was enveloped by fear. Kazuya used Fear on him while his crouching down. His determination earlier is now replaced by fear. He's scared by Kazuya! He can't even take one step towards him.
He just stood there while Kazuya is walking towards him to deal the second blow. The only way the Fear Kazuya inflicted is for him to regain his confidence and determination.
But is that even possible? Can someone give him enough confidence to dispel Fear? It's impossible! But when Kazuya reached Kenji's position and was about to deal the final blow, a miracle happened!
"Kenji! Don't give up! Stand! If there's a hurdle that faces you, I'll help you... so... stand!"
From the underground, Yukimura Shouta came back to the surface to support his leader, Kenji Miura!
+++++
Fuck! What the hell's happening at the surface! I can hear lots of noises and rattles, a huge banging sound and more! Don't tell me, the members are getting defeated!
I want to help! I want to help them! But right now, my duty is Reiko! I have to get her out of here! That's my sole duty! For Reiko's sake, for everyone's sake, I have to endure this.
We're already far ahead, I think the school is near. Thank goodness! We reached our destination!
I climbed the stairs that I made beforehand and rose to the surface. The school in front of us is the only building I can see.
"Yuuki-dono, this is the place, degozaru? Then, you should come back there now, degozaru!"
"What are you saying, Reiko!? I can't just leave you here! What if the comrades of the founder comes here, what are you going to do?!"
This is my decision! Even if I already reach my destination, there's no way I will come back! I still have to protect Reiko from danger! But Reiko swung his head sideward and said to me:
"I'm okay here, degozaru! If an enemy comes, I will just hide! It's not visible to my face, but I'm good at it! So get going already, degozaru!"
"But I can't do that! I just can't leave you here! I have to protect you, in case an enemy appeared here!"
This is the right choice! So please... I'm begging you... don't make me regret my decision!
"Yuuki-dono! They're your friends, right? My mother told me that true friends is more important than money! She also said that true friends are rare nowadays, degozaru! If I found a true friend, I won't ever... ever let her die or get hurt, are you the same, Yuuki-dono!"
That's right! Their hearts became cold and they gave Reiko a kind of training that a normal kid can't endure! But... we still fought together!
We faced the ups and downs of life. We faced it together in the past! If someone is down, they'll make him rise! If someone's in the top, then all of us will be in the top! If you can't call it true friends, then what will you call it?!
That's right! I can't let them die or get hurt! I won't let them die!
"Your right, Reiko! True Friends are the rarest thing you can find in this world, It's even rarer than platinum! That's why... I won't let my friends die! I will go back!"
"Yup, that's the right attitude!"
With that, I ran towards the underground passage that we took earlier. But before I do that, I said one thing to Reiko.
"Reiko, thank you. You're a pretty strong kid, you're even stronger than me."
"No, Yuuki-dono! True friends should help each other! Maybe It's because of the fact that I got bullied but... I yearn for true friends."
"Then, when all of this is over, wanna be friends? I'm sure you want to be friends with someone in your age, but..."
Boy, what am I saying? A high-schooler being friends with a grade schooler? Get real, man!
"I want to! When this is all over, I want to be friends with you!"
I'm glad that's how she feels. But when she grew up, I wonder If she'll still see me as a friend. But well, let's not think about the future and just focus on the present.
I gave a huge smile and jumped down towards the hole that I dug. Kenji, everyone, just wait! I'm going to come!
+++++
Yukimura gave Kenji the push he needed to keep fighting. Just by seeing this event unfold before his eyes, Yukimura already knew what happened.
The members are unconscious is now scattered everywhere, while Kenji is now crouching in front of Kazuya. He might be crouching because of the intense pain or he's crouching because he's frustrated but Yukimura arrived to one conclusion.
"I need to help, Kenji!"
With that, he shouted to Kenji:
"Kenji! Don't you dare crouch down in front of the likes of him! If you still have any pride left, stand up! I will help you this time! I'm going to use my Foresight and find his weak spots! You're the one going to attack him! So... stand up!"
As if those sentences is an energizer, Kenji stood up to his feet, and assumed a battle stance again. The two of them is ready to fight now!
But while Yukimura gives encouragement to Kenji, only one thing entered Kazuya's mind.
"Foresight!? As far as I remember, It's one of my Soul Seals! Now that you about it, there's a member of the Deadly Sins who has one of my Soul Seals! So he can already use it, huh? Then, I can't extract it anymore! Damn! In the first place, how the hell did he know that It's called Foresight!? I'm going to collect information later! For now, all I can do is to discipline him that he won't ever use it to do bad things like they did to Reiko!"
While still holding his sword, he assumed a different kind of battle stance. He placed his sword beside him and crouched down while still holding It's scabbard and handle.
He did that and he stared at the two with even more blood lust than before. It's not like he'll kil them but It's a method to know If they're prepared to back out. Since his Fear was defeated, this is the only thing he can do.
But the two of them didn't fazed. They believed at each other that they can defeat him if they work together. With this, the second round of the raid will start!
+++++
Kazuya rushed in towards Kenji attempted to slash Kenji at the body again when...
"Dodge to the right! Kenji!"
Kanji did as he told and dodged at the right. With that, he avoided the slash. Kazuya's slash is heading to downwards left. So dodging to the right will completely evade it.
It's one of the old habits of Kazuya, he tends to slash towards the left in his first slash. Yukimura knew that, and took advantage of it.
"It's really my Soul Seal, Foresight. He just recorded my battle styles, and habits. This is going to be troublesome, but they missed one fatal flaw..."
Kazuya's thought process was spot on! This duo combo has a very huge flaw. To confirm it, Kazuya rushed in again. But this time, he used Presence Erasure so he became invisible.
"To the right! Kenji!"
Yukimura didn't saw him but based on Kazuya's past fights, 66% of his second blows are towards the right and It's enough for him to bet his friend's life. But that's what he thought.
"The both of you are naive."
Kazuya said as he swung his sword and hit Kenji's left flank. Yukimura's calculations are wrong! Kazuya came from the left! Kenji writhe in pain as he touch his now broken left rib.
Kazuya used the back of his blade so It didn't bleed but It still hurts. It hurts so much but Kenji continued to stand up and didn't crouched down even for a second.
Because he promised to Yukimura that he won't crouch down in front of an opponent. So he continued to stood firm, and while his pain was bothering him, he came back to his boxing fighting pose.
"Yukimura! If the two of us will help each other, we can do this! I know we can! A miracle will occur!"
But no matter how the two of them believe for a miracle to occur, nothing will happen. As long as that flaw exists. The huge flaw that Kazuya is talking about is the fact that the two of them... is lacking on communications.
Yukimura's just shouting what Kenji has to do. Even Kazuya can hear that, he can prepare beforehand what to do. If they decides on a signal, Kenji won't see it because he's fighting.
They can't do auditory signals either. They didn't made something like that, and It's impossible for Kenji to crack every one of the signals while fighting.
In short, the two of them is now in the cornered position again! Yukimura didn't replied to Kenji's encouragement, because of the fact... that he already knows what the fatal flaw is.
So he did nothing but to stand there, agonizing about the fact that he didn't noticed earlier. And the fact that the positions they're in now... is the most disadvantaged one.
"What good will these records be if I can't even let him know about it!?"
He's agonizing about his weakness. About the fact that he can't do anything in front of the conflict that they're in.
"Why would I even help Kenji?"
A monologue that Yukimura didn't even thought of has appeared inside of his head. Confusion took dominant on his brain, not understanding what's going on and whose monologue is it.
"Umm, who are you?"
He tried to reply to the mysterious monologue but no one answered. Because in the first place, there's nothing like that. Even if it's only in a split second, It crossed his mind. Abandoning Kenji and running away or giving up.
After a while, he realized that the monologue was his. His agonizing grew even further! To be able to handle the Soul Seal, he needs some kind of depression.
At that time, he wants to go back to the past where the Deadly Sins is still a lively gang where the founder is still their precious friend, Kenji and the other members.
When all of them good for nothing people will band together and built a place where they feel at peace. He wants to go back to the past, that's why Foresight was his Soul Seal.
But right now, despite having a Soul Seal and adding his depression, he's growing another depression on him. He's regretting, agonizing, and hated this part of himself right now.
He never noticed it until now but... apparently, Yukimura Shouta is a... different kind of coward.
END OF CHAPTER 20