Looking over his shoulder, Jin calmly analyzed the situation he was in. With enemies wrapped around his team, now was the time to make a move.
"You were the one setting ambushes...", Jin stated softly, his eyes piercing into Souta, "Do you really have room to complain about a challenge"?
"Don't get the wrong idea...I never needed an advantage.", Souta responded to Jin's remarks as his lips curled into a faint smile, a source of reasoning residing within his voice, "It was just to work on some new strategies I had in mind".
"And this is all you came up with?", Jin questioned, trying to break through Souta's composure.
"No...I wouldn't say that's all.", Souta responded smoothly, his calm voice betraying nothing, "I had something else up my sleeve".
After his statement, a sudden burst of smoke erupted where Souta had been standing. As the grey mist twisted and swirled, Souta had vanished from sight. Right behind the girl on Jin's team formed smoke once again. With her back turned, she remained unaware of the imminent danger lurking near.
"I'll start...with your weakest link!", Souta said to himself as he rematerialized from the smoke, reaching his hand out to grab the girl.
"Watch out!", Izumi stated in a startled voice, locking eyes with the girl on their team.
As the girl began to turn around, she was forced from the way of harm by Jin, saving her just in time of the attack. Jin's hands wrapped tightly around the girl's shoulders as he landed, enclosing her in his protective embrace.
"You okay?", Jin said in a comforting tone, holding the girl gently in his arms.
The girl nodded in reassurance, startled by the situation that she was just put in. A cut then appeared along the girls cheek, blood slowly beginning to spill out from the wound. As Jin's gaze flicked over his shoulder, there stood Souta with a weapon in hand, a dagger which was formed out of compacted smoke. With a missed fatal attack Souta began flip his dagger confidently, the edges of his blade sharp and menacing.
"Putting yourself in harm's way just as usual.", Souta remarked, his tone almost mocking as he slowly advanced toward Jin, "For what...a girl that hasn't helped you this entire time"?
Jin's grip tightened slightly around the girl, his eyes narrowing in frustration.
"That was almost a killing blow!", Jin snapped at Souta in an irritated tone, "You're doing too much for just training...This isn't a real fight"!
"Too much?", Souta questioned in a patronizing tone, "What I'm doing is training. Just on a different level than you all".
As Jin opened his mouth to respond, only a breath came out as a firm hand fell on his right shoulder. He glanced to the side to see Takeshi stepping forward, his broad frame moving past Jin to place himself in front of Souta.
"Move...", Souta said to Takeshi as he let out a brief sigh, "You're not the one I want to fight".
He stared down Takeshi warily, knowing full well that a direct confrontation with him would not end in his favor. There Takeshi stood quietly with his head slightly titled to the left, a fierce expression written along his face. Suddenly, a flame ignited from Takeshi's palm, a swirling light which casted the surrounding area in a warm glow.
"Straight to the point huh?", Souta stated in a calm manner while taking a deep breath, holding his dagger in front of his face, "Then so be it...".
Souta made the first move, his body a sudden blur as he dashed towards Takeshi, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. As his hand raised into the air, Souta sent a slash down on Takeshi, a streak of smoke trailing behind both him and his dagger. With a fluid motion, Takeshi leaned back just enough to dodge the attack, the edge of Souta's strike passing harmlessly through the air where he had stood a moment before.
Their fight was the spark that ignited the entire field into battle. The teammates of Souta, who were standing guard a short moment ago, had now jumped in to fight the remaining members.
Still holding the girl in his arms, Jin locked his eyes on the other boy on their team.
"Take her...", Jin commanded to the other boy, his voice stern yet soft as he handed the girl off.
The boy hesitated before finally grabbing the startled girl.
"You two go ahead and get away from here", Jin said to the boy.
The boy nodded in understanding of Jin's command, grabbing the girl and running from the fight just as he was told to. Once they were clear from sight, Jin stood back up from the ground, straightening his posture and analyzing the enemies movements. Right next to him stood Izumi, her determined gaze ready for any incoming attack.
The opponents they faced were unskilled, relying more on brute strength than any real technique. Izumi moved through the attacks with a graceful fluidity, her short black hair swaying with every dodge and counterattack. Jin's attacks were precise, every move he made calculated and fatal to the oncoming attackers.
Within seconds, the once offensive teammates of Souta were now lying sleepless on the ground, their false confidence shattered by the sheer difference in skill. Izumi switched her gaze from the enemy to Jin, her expression shifting from a serious concentration to a mix of frustration and jealousy.
"You were holding onto that girl a little too long.", Izumi stated as she crossed her arms over her chest, her tone sharp and accusatory, "It was just a little cut".
Jin turned to Izumi, confusion written all across his face.
"What?", Jin replied in a genuinely confused tone.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about", Izumi said to Jin, her tone a mix of irritation and teasing, "Don't think I wouldn't notice".
"I was just making sure she was alright.", Jin responded in justification of his actions.
"Sure...", Izumi stated to Jin's remark, clearly not satisfied with his answer, "Just...don't let it happen again, alright".
"Noted..", Izumi said in a gentle tone, his amusement evident as his smile widened, "I'll keep that in mind".
Izumi glanced back at him, her expression softening just a fraction.
"But what about him?", Jin asked as he looked over at Takeshi.
"We will let him handle it.", Izumi responded as she watched Takeshi expertly dodge Souta's attacks, "Just hope he doesn't burn the whole place down".
The only lasting fight of the second round now stood between Souta and Takeshi, their fight escalating the longer that they go on.