When Kamiya returned to the battlefield, the memories of that tragic day resurfaced with a brutal clarity. This was where his brother had fallen—the place where he failed to protect him. The anger he harbored toward himself was almost suffocating; if only he had been faster, stronger, he could have saved Yasue. This loss, combined with Sato's, weighed on him like a curse, yet he vowed to grow stronger to protect those he still loved.
"This... this is where the tide of battle turned," Kamiya said, his voice heavy with sorrow he couldn't quite conceal. His words cast a shadow over Soma; knowing his uncle died here was a strange feeling.
"So, this is the place... my father fought here as well." Rikimaru's voice carried deep longing. He missed Sato, the man who had cast such a long shadow over his life; alongside his mother Miki, Sato had been his pillar. Now, he stood in the emptiness left by his father.
As they moved forward, Kamiya's gaze searched the landscape, desperately looking for any sign of Yasue's body. But when they reached the cliff's edge, his heart sank—Yasue's life energy hadn't faded naturally; it felt as though it had been pulled into the void just beyond the cliff.
Rikimaru and Soma exchanged a silent, resolute glance before following Kamiya down the rugged rocks. Upon reaching the bottom, Kamiya searched around, hoping to find some trace of Yasue's essence. But there was nothing.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows, wearing a cat mask. "It seems we're here for the same reason," the figure taunted with a sly tone.
"You!" Kamiya shouted, his voice filled with rage. Leaving Rikimaru and Soma behind, he charged forward, fists raised, advancing swiftly toward the cat-masked figure. Kamiya unleashed a flurry of uncontrolled punches, "Don't think for a second you're leaving this fight alive!"
Soma Naizen was shocked by his father's unrestrained anger and stood frozen, watching the scene unfold.
Though the cat-masked figure dodged some punches, they couldn't keep up with Kamiya's speed and took several hits to their body and arms. "Half Shapeshifting: Tiger Claws," they called out, summoning razor-sharp claws—a genetic ability unique to the Xigua clan, which allowed partial transformation into animal traits. However, the cat-masked figure struggled to fully wield this ability, only able to transform certain limbs. This limitation was due to their upbringing: they were found and adopted by a city family after getting lost in the forest as a child, far from the wild nature of the Xigua clan. Despite the deadly advantage it provided, the partial transformation was not enough. Even against an opponent who hadn't yet used his full power, Kamiya would be difficult to defeat. The figure's hands grew into deadly claws, and they lunged at Kamiya, who narrowly ducked the attack. The cat-masked figure kept slashing with their claws, which Kamiya blocked directly with his gauntlet armor. The armor was close to shattering, deeply marked by claw strikes.
"Is this what you wanted?" Kamiya ignored the stinging pain from the cuts on his arm, landing a powerful punch beside the cat-masked figure. Even without his Seimei-Sen eyes open, Kamiya still held the upper hand in power and skill; however, the cat-masked figure's claws gave them a ruthless advantage. The figure stumbled to the ground under the force of his blow. "Why? Why did you target us?" Kamiya demanded.
The cat mask had shattered, revealing that the figure was a woman. Blood trickled down her face from a gash on her eyebrow. "Someone from the Xigua clan, why are you targeting us?"
The cat-masked woman was filled with fear; she felt certain she would die here no matter what she did. Perhaps there was a way out by talking; was it too late for that? If only she had been raised by her true family, she might have been stronger, capable of surviving. But there was nothing she could do now; it wasn't even her choice. Even if she fully transformed, could she truly beat someone this powerful? Questions flooded her mind. She wasn't sure she could escape. "Wait…" she murmured, her words slipping out through the pain.
"Talk already! No problems when you were attacking us and trusting your allies, huh?" Kamiya taunted, a slight grin on his face.
"I... had to fulfill my duty. I did what I was commanded to do." The deep pain was fading, replaced by a dull ache.
"Why would the Xigua clan give such an order?" Kamiya questioned. "I'm not from that clan; I got lost as a child and was adopted by a family in the city. When I learned the truth later, I was cast out by my own clan," the cat-masked woman replied, her anger rising as she recalled her past.
"It wasn't my fault! My real family rejected me!" she cried, unable to hold back her tears, which mixed with the blood on her face. "I am Hama Pinguo... not truly a Xigua. I only have their power." She had regained some of her strength but didn't move.
"So you really did grow up in the city; no wonder you're this weak. A true Xigua should be able to fully transform," Kamiya mocked.
Hama Pinguo felt a surge of anger over her own weakness; she had never been so belittled by an enemy. She desperately wished the Tiger-masked figure would appear to save her, but she knew it was impossible; he had told her to handle this mission alone, quickly. Regret filled her as she recalled his words, but it was too late. "If I were truly a Xigua… but am I not one? Their blood runs in my veins—perhaps I've been limiting myself all this time," she thought, a realization dawning on her.
Kamiya sensed her rising power. "Surrender, whether you're Hama Pinguo or a Xigua. You'll die by my hands. Answer one question, and I'll show you mercy by making it quick and painless. Why did you attack us?"
Hama was now stronger than before, her life energy surging. It was as if Kamiya's blow had caused her to awaken. Her bleeding stopped, and she felt more alive.
"That information is confidential!" she yelled, evading Kamiya and pulling away. "Full Shapeshifting: Tiger Form."
She transformed completely into a tigress, retaining her consciousness but now armed with raw animal power and instincts. As she sped away from Kamiya, he chased her, calling out, "I wasn't expecting this strength—so the Xigua within you still lives. But it won't make a difference; the hunt is the same for me."
Kamiya continued his pursuit, leaping swiftly between thick branches as he tracked Hama, who dashed through the trees ahead. Realizing he was starting to lose ground, Kamiya focused, channeling energy into his eyes. With a blink, his black eyes were replaced by stark white ones, each marked with four intersecting vertical lines. Activating his Seimei-sen eyes granted him immense physical power, perception, and the ability to trace energy flow—an ideal genetic ability for tracking and fighting. He quickly closed the distance, but he knew he'd need a decisive move to stop her. Risking high energy expenditure, he resolved to use two elements back-to-back. "Air: Compressed Push," he shouted, generating a burst of pressurized air beneath his feet as he leaped, propelling him towards Hama. Mid-air, he unleashed another technique. "Lightning: Convergence!" A purple lightning surge exploded from his right hand, arcing toward Hama, damaging surrounding trees as it closed in.
The strike hit with an intense blast, filling the area with a thick haze of dust and smoke. As the smoke cleared, Kamiya stood scanning the ground, looking for the downed tiger. But, though he was sure he had hit her, Hama was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, she emerged from above in partial transformation, pouncing from a branch. Kamiya sensed her approach just in time, swinging a left hook mid-air. The punch connected, hitting her left cheek hard, but she had covered parts of her body in tiger skin, softening the blow. Though she felt the sting, she wasn't as vulnerable as before. When the hit ended, she landed gracefully on her feet, crouching in a tiger-like stance even in her human form.
Hama roared, "Ice: Spear Trap!" Four long ice spikes shot up from beneath Kamiya's feet. He reacted quickly, jumping, though the tips of the spikes grazed his ankles, causing minor injury. Before he could land, Hama lunged at him, her claws slashing toward his face. Kamiya tried to block with his arm guards, but they shattered, and her claws cut deep into his left cheek, tearing into his mouth. Blood filled his mouth, and with a pained expression, Kamiya grabbed Hama's hair, shoving her back. His cheek was torn open, but he gritted his teeth and muttered, "Fire: Flame Breath." As he exhaled, a torrent of flames erupted, catching Hama off guard as Kamiya held her down. She tried to shield her face with her left paw and slashed his left arm with her right, freeing herself from his grip.
Both warriors were severely wounded. Hama's left arm was blackened, entirely charred, and now utterly useless. She stared, horrified at her damaged limb, her eyes wide with shock. Kamiya, too, was struggling, his cheek torn and his left arm bleeding from her claws.
Blood spilled from Kamiya's mouth as he spoke, "It's time to end this…" Despite the pain, he was resolute.
Taking advantage of her weakened state, Kamiya rushed forward. "Fire: Flaming Fist!" His right hand ignited, and as Hama noticed too late, his fiery punch struck her left cheek, searing her face. She screamed in agony, "I'm dying, I'm dying." With no strength left, she fell unconscious, collapsing to the ground.
Kamiya, breathing heavily, felt his endless rage settle as his mouth filled with blood, making it hard to breathe. He watched as Hama's form crumbled to ashes. "I told you this would be your end. Your greatest flaw was your pride and overconfidence," he said, though no one remained to hear his words. Taking a first-aid kit from his belt, he painstakingly stitched his torn cheek and tended to his arm, exhausting his remaining energy. Then, he slumped beneath a tree and drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, Rikimaru and Soma searched for Kamiya for hours, but their efforts were in vain as dawn broke over the forest. Just then, a masked figure emerged from between the trees, catching them off guard. "Lost, are we? Seems you two have lost your way," the figure sneered.
Rikimaru stared back with determination, but Soma, unsettled by his father's absence, shivered in fear. It was his first encounter with a truly formidable enemy.