Previously, Mei's duel with Yumi turned into something unexpected as Yumi figures out Mei"s only weakness.
Mei's gaze never wavered, filled with a fierce determination. "You've made a grave mistake underestimating me. I may be weak under the sun, but even so…" she smirked, her voice dripping with defiance. "I'm still too much for you, am I not?"
Yumi's eyes narrowed in intrigue, a grin pulling at her lips. "Is that so?"
Mei then turned to me, her voice unwavering. "Izumi, I'll pass this fight over to you."
"Huh?" I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Me? How am I supposed to fight her?"
Yumi scoffed, amusement glinting in her eyes. "Look at him. He's scared out of his mind."
Kaito hesitated, looking back at me with a hint of doubt. "Do you really think he can handle it? I mean… fighting like this…"
Mei's gaze softened as she glanced over at me. "When Izumi gets serious, I doubt Yumi can even touch him."
I steadied myself, feeling a spark of resolve build within me. "Titles mean nothing in a fight, Yumi."
She smirked, rolling her shoulders as dark energy crackled around her. "Bold words for someone so green. Come on, then. Show me what you've got!"
The battle picked up in intensity as Izumi faced off against Yumi in the club room. Shadows flickered around Yumi, and she smirked with that same unsettling calm as she watched him ready himself.
Izumi clenched his fists, feeling the tension in his muscles as he murmured, "Demonic Arts: Water." He raised his hands, pulling in the moisture in the air to form a thick, swirling wall of water around him. "You're not going to find this as easy as you think, Yumi."
Yumi's eyes sparkled with amusement as she launched forward, a faint aura of darkness radiating from her. "That's cute, Izumi. Really. But you'll have to do better than a little water." She flung her hand forward, and an Xsphere tore through his water shield, dissipating it as if it were nothing.
The impact sent a shockwave through the club room, rattling the shelves and scattering papers. Kaito and Takashi could barely keep up with the chaos unfolding, and Mei leaned in, her voice steady. "Takashi, Kaito—what Izumi's doing is using his Demonic Arts. You're seeing his water arts in action… it's impressive, but Yumi's shadow techniques are relentless."
Takashi swallowed hard, watching with wide eyes. "But… he's giving everything he's got. Doesn't he stand a chance?"
Mei's gaze remained focused on the battle. "He does, but only if he can tap into more of his power. Yumi isn't just any opponent."
Izumi gritted his teeth, the realization hitting him hard as his water arts seemed ineffective. Without wasting a beat, he transitioned. "Demonic Arts: Lightning!" A crackling aura of electricity pulsed around him, granting him a burst of speed as he dashed to the side, evading Yumi's next attack.
Yumi laughed, her voice echoing as she lunged after him. "A little lightning won't save you, Izumi. Come on—stop running and fight!"
Izumi skidded to a stop, his expression resolute. "You wanted a fight? Fine." He held out his hands, sparks dancing along his fingertips as he combined his skills. "Demonic Arts: Sparkle!" A glowing shield of energy appeared, its iridescent hue absorbing her Xspheres as they hit, each impact sending a ripple of energy through the shield and vibrating the air around them.
Yumi grinned, an amused glint in her eye. "For someone using such low-level demonic arts, you're putting on quite the show, Izumi." Her voice held a note of surprise, but it quickly turned sly. "But I see it… the toll it's taking on you. You're running out of breath."
Izumi felt his energy draining but held his ground. "I can keep up. Don't get cocky," he shot back, raising his fists. The spark of exhaustion in his eyes couldn't escape her sharp gaze, though.
"Oh, really?" Yumi chuckled, her expression shifting as if she'd uncovered a secret. "You're drawing strength… but it's sapping your stamina. Could this be… a Fate Pact?"
Mei's eyes widened, a shadow of alarm crossing her face. "A Fate Pact? No… that's impossible… isn't it?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but the realization struck her hard.
Takashi, standing beside Mei, clenched his fists. "What's that supposed to mean, Mei?" he asked, a tremor in his voice.
"Fate pact, it is considered one of the most sacred form of pact, no one knows about its origin, how it is forged nor what effects it has on the user. Unless they are searched for. For a person to bare this pact means that…he is a…chosen one. This pact brings both light and blood on the user. It's a give and take type of pact."
With a sly grin, Yumi twirled her fingers, a shadowy aura spiraling around her as she reformed her stance. "Nice trick. But let's see how long you can keep that up."
Izumi and Yumi's battle intensified, both figures moving in rapid bursts of energy. Izumi lunged forward, his fists crackling with lightning, aiming for Yumi's midsection. She sidestepped effortlessly, shadows curling around her, then retaliated with a swift barrage of Xspheres.
Izumi swerved, parrying each one as they whizzed past him, narrowly avoiding impact. "You're faster than I thought," he muttered, breaths coming quick.
Suddenly, she dashed forward, her figure disappearing in a blur, only to reappear inches from him, her hand reaching toward his chest. Izumi barely managed to twist to the side, feeling her fingers graze his ribcage, and he countered with a swift lightning-enhanced punch. The energy crackled, lighting up the room as it made contact, but Yumi slipped back with a smirk, barely fazed.
The force of his punch cracked the floor, sending shards of tile and splinters of wood skittering across the ground. Kaito winced, clutching his arms over his face to shield himself. "This… it's like they're tearing the room apart."
Mei's expression remained calm, but she couldn't hide the flicker of worry in her voice. "Izumi's putting everything into his attacks, but he's not keeping up. Yumi has him on the ropes."
Finally, one of Yumi's strikes hit home, and Izumi felt himself being hurled through the wall, a thunderous crash following as he was sent sprawling outside onto the school grounds. A cloud of dust and debris filled the air, and Takashi and Kaito, shielded by Mei, looked on in shock.
Takashi leaned forward, his face pale with disbelief. "Izumi… he's really getting torn up out there."
Kaito's hands trembled as he spoke. "Is he… even okay?
Takashi's eyes widened in horror. "Izumi… he's really… out there…"
Kaito swallowed, tension tightening in his chest. "Mei, he looks—"
Mei's gaze was tense. "Don't underestimate him just yet."
Izumi lay in the crater, feeling a deep, dull ache—not pain, but a numbing, irritating sting spreading through his body as blood seeped from his wounds.
Dust filled the air as Izumi's body left a crater on impact. He groaned, slowly pulling himself to his feet as he felt a new surge of pain in his ribs. Yumi appeared above him, her shadowy silhouette framed by the gaping hole in the wall, her gaze fixed on him with a sinister gleam. "Oh, Izumi… did you think this would end any other way?"
Izumi staggered back as she lunged, her hand reaching out, fingers aimed straight for his chest. With a last-minute jolt of energy, he twisted to the side, narrowly dodging her attack.
"I'm not done yet," he said, his voice low. He closed his eyes briefly, reaching deep within himself. A strange sensation surged through him as his Demonic Arts: Lightning activated in a new form. Energy crackled violently, his hair taking on a brilliant yellow hue that covered most of his head, save for a few remaining black strands at the top. "Quad Resonance… third form."
From the shattered room, Mei and the others could see the transformation taking hold, their jaws dropping at the sight. Mei's lips parted in shock, recognizing the power he was now channeling. "He's… never gone beyond the first form before."
Mei's eyes widened from the club room. "He unlocked it… Quad Resonance!" She explained, voice tight with awe and a hint of fear. "Kaito, Takashi, this form multiplies his abilities by three folds—but it takes a toll on him. His speed, his strength… everything is increased at the cost of his mass energy."
Takashi's eyes widened, awe mixing with worry. "He's pushing himself so far… Izumi, don't overdo it!"
Kaito clutched his arm, his voice barely a whisper. "This is… unreal. Can he really handle this?"
Mei nodded, her voice steady. "If he can maintain it. But Yumi's not one to let him hold the advantage for long."
Then, with a look of fierce determination, he slowly rose, gathering his energy. Sparks crackled around him as his hair began to change, three-quarters of it glowing with a vivid, electric yellow. "Quad Resonance… third form."
Down below, Izumi felt the raw power coursing through him as he took a step toward Yumi. His speed was now unparalleled, and he closed the distance between them in a blink, delivering a flurry of lightning-quick punches. Yumi was forced to step back, her cocky expression finally faltering as she struggled to keep up.
"What's the matter, Yumi?" Izumi taunted, his voice crackling with energy. "Not so easy when I can actually keep up, huh?"
But Yumi's expression quickly morphed back into that same twisted delight. "Oh, you're faster now… but speed alone won't win this." She melted into the shadows, slipping behind him and launching an Xsphere that struck him squarely in the back. The impact sent him forward, scraping across the ground and tearing up dirt as he went.
He pushed himself up, panting, feeling his energy waning. Despite the surge of power, his stamina was draining fast. Yumi stepped forward, the shadows around her pulsating with anticipation.
"I'll admit, Izumi… you surprised me for a moment there," Yumi said, brushing her fingers through her hair as if nothing had happened. "But it's only a matter of time before your power runs dry."
Izumi's breathing was ragged, but he forced himself to stand, clenching his fists as he steadied his stance. "I'm not giving up. Not now."
"Stubborn to the end," Yumi sneered, as her aura grew even darker.
Izumi's eyes narrowed, a spark of newfound confidence in his gaze.
Izumi and Yumi's battle intensified, both figures moving in rapid bursts of energy. Izumi lunged forward, his fists crackling with lightning, aiming for Yumi's midsection. She sidestepped effortlessly, shadows curling around her, then retaliated with a swift barrage of Xspheres.
Izumi swerved, parrying each one as they whizzed past him, narrowly avoiding impact. "You're faster than I thought," he muttered, breaths coming quick.
Yumi grinned, an amused glint in her eye. "For someone using such low-level demonic arts, you're putting on quite the show, Izumi." Her voice held a note of surprise, but it quickly turned sly. "But I see it… the toll it's taking on you. You're running out of breath."
Izumi felt his energy draining but held his ground. "I can keep up. Don't get cocky," he shot back, raising his fists. The spark of exhaustion in his eyes couldn't escape her sharp gaze, though.
"Oh, really?" Yumi chuckled, her expression shifting as if she'd uncovered a secret. "You're drawing strength… but it's sapping your stamina. Could this be… a Fate Pact?"
Mei's eyes widened, a shadow of alarm crossing her face. "A Fate Pact? No… that's impossible… isn't it?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but the realization struck her hard.
Takashi, standing beside Mei, clenched his fists. "What's that supposed to mean, Mei?" he asked, a tremor in his voice. "Izumi… he's—"
"Fighting with a Fate Pact means exchanging one's energy for greater power. But…" Mei's gaze tightened, worry flickering in her eyes. "It's risky."
Undeterred, Izumi lunged forward again, fists blazing. "Don't act like you've already won!" His voice was strained but defiant, challenging Yumi.
She only laughed, effortlessly slipping into a shadow before reappearing behind him. "Getting tired, aren't you? How much longer can you keep up this little act?"
Izumi spun around, thrusting his fist toward her, only to strike air. He stumbled, breath ragged, and Yumi's smirk grew sharper. "Look at you, barely holding up."
Izumi's eyes narrowed, determination flaring. "I'm not done yet."
But then, she struck. A sudden force slammed into him, hurling him through the club room wall. He crashed onto the school grounds outside, the impact sending a cloud of dust and debris billowing around him.
Takashi's eyes widened in horror. "Izumi… he's really… out there…"
Kaito swallowed, tension tightening in his chest. "Is he even okay…?"
Mei kept her gaze locked on Izumi's fallen form. "He'll be fine… He's stronger than you think."
In the crater, Izumi gritted his teeth, ignoring the dull, irritating sting that spread through his body as he staggered to his feet. Blood trickled from a few cuts, yet he clenched his fists, steadying his breath.
With renewed resolve, he rose, channeling energy until sparks crackled around him. His hair began to change, nearly three-quarters of it glowing in a vivid yellow, leaving only a patch of his natural black. "Quad Resonance… third form."
Takashi's mouth fell open in awe. "I-Is he… stronger than before?"
Mei's gaze turned fierce. "Yes… he's reached another level. But it comes at a cost."
Izumi's eyes locked onto Yumi's with a new, steely resolve. "No title will help you in this battle, Yumi."
Yumi grinned, unphased. "Big words for a boy on borrowed strength. Bring it on!"
I was covered with wounds all over my body and I think that fall might have broken a bone or two as well.
Even so I continued to fight back for what I want to protect.
With every dash, every blocked punch, I felt the adrenaline surging through me, fueling that storm of anger churning deep inside. Each time Yumi deflected, that distance between us became a tool—a chance to gather more speed, more force. My fists sparked with lightning, each blow crackling louder than the last, driven by more than just raw power. I was striking for all the lies, for the twisted game she'd played, and for the justice that had to come.
"Enough!" I yelled, pulling back, my energy mounting. "I'll end this with one hit!" The air around my fist began to shimmer, charged with a white-hot aura that spiraled around my arm, glowing brighter and more intense than ever. This wasn't just a spark—I was pouring everything into it, pulling on every ounce of strength I had.
"Demonic Arts: Level 6, White!" I dashed toward her, my whole body propelled by the force of my shout, the power in my arm rippling. "Take this!"
But as my punch neared her, Yumi's expression shifted to a smug grin. "You're so naive."
Before I could react, a shadow burst from the ground, massive and fast, rising like an unholy wall between us. I barely had time to register its size—a hulking creature, easily the length of an airplane, its form coiled in darkness and malice. The sudden appearance brought me skidding to a halt, heart pounding as I tried to gauge the new threat towering over me.
The sheer force of the serpent's emergence sent me skidding back, dust swirling as I steadied myself. My mind reeled. There's no way... My gaze traveled over the massive creature towering before me. Mei, for once, was at a loss, her eyes wide with shock.
"How… How could you summon something like that in the middle of the city?" she muttered under her breath. Meanwhile, Takashi and Kaito stood frozen, fear clear in their faces. Neither of them moved or even dared to speak.
As the dust finally began to settle, the full size of the creature came into view. Shadows coiled and twisted around its body, giving it an otherworldly aura. I squinted, realizing something odd.
"Wait a minute," I mumbled, mostly to myself. "This thing came out of the ground... but where's the hole?"
Yumi's smug laugh broke through my confusion. "Oh, are you confused?" she taunted, her voice dripping with confidence.
Takashi, his voice trembling, turned to Mei. "What kind of monster is that?"
Kaito didn't say a word, but his eyes were locked on Mei, waiting.
Mei took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. "That monster… that monster… both she and Yumi spoke in unison, as if sharing a bitter truth. "It's a living creature borno f shadows. That monster is the Abyss Serpent."
What in the world did this girl summon, this monster might even be equal to the strength of the higher rank kaijus. *Gulp*.
To be continued…