Souta's attacks were relentless, leaving almost no room for Takeshi to dodge. Even with the endless amount of pressure, Takeshi continued to evade with no struggle. Almost as if Souta's attacks were not a threat to him.
With a sudden change of pace, Souta dashed back in at a much faster speed than he once was, aiming his dagger right at Takeshi's chest. Caught off guard by the immense speed which Souta moved at, Takeshi was stuck in a very tight situation. With a quick sidestep, Takeshi barley dodged the incoming attack, feeling the rush of air blow by as the dagger sliced through the space where he had just stood. Crunching his right fist tightly, Takeshi countered Souta as he sent a fierce punch to his jaw. But Souta was already gone, his form dissipating into a cloud of smoke that drifted away before Takeshi's attack could connect.
Reforming a few feet away, Souta wasted no time engaging. He dashed forward once again, this time moving in a zigzag pattern to disorient Takeshi. The smoke around him was now thickened, obscuring his form and making it difficult for Takeshi to predict his next move. Takeshi narrowed his eyes in concentration, following Souta's movements as best he could. Though he could not follow completely with his eyes alone, he turned to another one of his senses. Through the smoke, he could hear Souta's footsteps, the soft rustling of his clothing, and the soft hiss of his breathing as he ran along.
Suddenly, Souta appeared out of the fog to Takeshi's left, slashing downward with his dagger. Takeshi reacted on pure instinct alone, raising his left arm to block the attack. The smoking dagger then collided with his forearm, and for a slight moment seemed as if it might have cut clean through. As the dagger made contact with his skin, a flame ignited where the blade had connected.
Stepping back from the attack, Takeshi took a look down at his arm to see blood pouring from a deep gash on his forearm. With a small spark ignited within his right palm, Takeshi held the heat close to the wound, searing the injury off with his own flame. As Takeshi looked back up, his expression was much different than what it was before. His almost bored demeanor has now changed to something more serious.
With his whole right arm now engulfed in a flame, Takeshi retaliated with a powerful punch aimed at Souta's ribcage. The heat from his attack so intense that it torched the air around them. Souta's eyes widened in shock as Takeshi closed the distance with a burst of speed, now standing right in front of him.
"Ryokukami: Ashen Impact!", Takeshi abruptly shouted as he loaded his punch.
Escaping through the smoke once again, Souta narrowly avoided the deadly blow. Even though he had escaped the full power of the attack, the edge of Takeshi's fist had brushed past his side as he disappeared, searing Souta's right arm as well as his sleeve.
Souta instantly regained his footing as he reappeared, his eyes locking onto Takeshi once more. His breathing was now rather unorganized, and his heart began to race. He couldn't afford to take a hit like that from Takeshi, and would be detrimental if he ever did.
With a flick of the wrist, Souta closed his eyes and began to summon a dark smoke that extended along the forest's floor.
"Ryokukami: Glooming Silhouette...", Souta announced as he raised his dagger.
From the lurking smoke, shadowy figures with human-like shapes began to emerge from the ground. Takeshi's gaze darted between the clones, counting 6 smokey figures who could attack at any time. As the first clone lunged aggressively at Takeshi, he didn't waste any time countering, sending a blazing punch right into the clone's chest. The smoke clone disintegrated instantly, it's form evaporating into thin air.
But the other clones wasted no time, two other's rushing in from the sides right after. He dodged the oncoming attacks from both and obliterated them simultaneously. Another clone then attacked him from behind, leaping into the air to send down a crushing blow. Takeshi ducked below the attack before he sent a flaming uppercut straight through its chest.
The battlefield was illuminated by the rapid bursts of flames as Takeshi obliterated clone after clone. However, Souta's real form remained hidden, moving stealthily among the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
At this time, Takeshi felt a surge of frustration run through him. He knew Souta was planning something, but could not fight what he could not see. The flames in his hands flared brighter as his irritation grew. As he shattered the final clone, a sharp sensation had shot right through him.
Without warning, Souta emerged from the smoke behind Takeshi, his dagger raised high and poised to strike. Takeshi turned around just in time to see the blade coming down toward his left shoulder blade. Instinctively raising his arm to block, Takeshi was ready for the attack once more. But this time was different from the past, Souta was now fully prepared for what was about to happen. He feinted the attack, pulling back at the last second and bringing his knee up into Takeshi's side. The impact of the attack was solid, driving the air out from Takeshi's lungs.
Now seeing his enemy staggered, Souta began to form a ball of concentrated smoke within his left hand.
"Ryokukami: Clouded Reaver...", Souta stated as he sent a burst of smoke flying towards Takeshi.
Takeshi saw the attack coming from a mile away and raised his right hand toward Souta's direction.
"Ryokukami: Infernal Blaze!", Takeshi said as he sent a concentrated burst at the incoming smoke.
The two forces collided in midair, the heat from Takeshi's flames instantly vaporizing Souta's attack. In an eruption of smoke from the impact, the battlefield had become obscured from all viewpoints. With Takeshi now unable to see anything, Souta took this time to confirm his next move.
Out of nowhere, waves of flames abruptly emerged from the eruption, heading directly in Souta's direction. Souta took a deep step back as the fire enclosed him, narrowly avoiding the impact of the attack. As he landed with a roll and came up on one knee, his eyes darted across the battlefield. The smoke from the impact was now spreading at a fast rate, the smoke covering the battlefield like a suffocating blanket.
With everything going according to Souta's plan, he dashed back into the smoke where Takeshi would be unable to track him. Now in control of the whole battlefield due to the amount of smoke at his disposal, Souta now had the complete upper hand in this fight.
"This is my world...", Souta stated to Takeshi, his voice echoing as he melded into the smoke, "There is no escaping it".
Takeshi's gaze flicked all over the place, unsure of where and when Souta would appear. His line of sight dampened so severely that he could barely see his own hands through the haze.
In an instant, Souta dashed through the smoke, his dagger aimed straight for Takeshi's back. But just as Souta closed the gap, Takeshi spun around with a roaring flame erupted from his right palm.
"Got you...", Takeshi stated under his breath, his eyes locked on Souta.
The blast ripped through the air, consuming everything in its path. Souta barely had time to react, raising his arms to defend himself, but the firepower was too much to handle. His eyes widened in shock as the fire collided with his body, the intense heat searing through his defenses.
The flames caught him on his left side once again, the attack searing through his clothes and skin. The once-smooth surface of his arm now bore the angry marks of a harsh burn, the flesh blackening and charring under the intense heat. He gritted his teeth as he stumbled back, trying to ignore the pain that flared up with every movement he made.
Takeshi advanced slowly, his eyes blazing with determination. He knew this fight was now over once he saw Souta could barely stand, his strength deteriorating due to the pain. It didn't take long for Souta to fall one knee, his breathing pattern ragged and pained. The smoke around him began to thin out, revealing the extent of his injuries. Holding his burnt left arm close to his chest, Souta looked up at Takeshi with a mixture of pain and frustration.
"Is this what you wanted?", Takeshi questioned in a steady tone.
Souta could not help but give into a faint smile, despite the pain coursing through his body.
"Yeah...It was a good fight.", Souta responded in a pleased tone.
Takeshi then extinguished the flame in his hand as Souta lowered his head.
"I surrender...", Souta stated out aloud in an optimistic tone, as if he was pleased with the outcome.
The smoke around them had dissipated completely, finally showing the impact of Takeshi's final attack. The surrounding area was now completely charred, scattered embers lighting up the darkened ground.
Suddenly, an instructor dropped behind Takeshi, surveying the destruction around him with a neutral expression.
"Team 7 has won the second round and will now move onto the next battle.", the instructor announced in a commanding voice, "Everyone...please make your way back out of the forest".