As the bell rang, Kaku Roux sprang forward, his body low and his lips curling into an unnervingly wide grin. His eyes gleamed with a manic energy, a predator closing in on its prey.
Sorin chuckled, rolling his shoulders lazily. "What's this? Was your first beating not enough, Serpent?"
Kaku's snarl was immediate. "Shut it, dammit!" He lunged, his claws arcing upward in a vicious slash. Sorin moved like a whisper, two effortless steps to the side. The claws missed him by a hair's breadth, the force of the swing ruffling his dark hair.
Sorin's smirk widened. "My turn." He surged forward, his arm outstretched and humming with an unsettling vibration. The right hook connected with Kaku's jaw like an explosion, the force sending him crashing into the ground. Dust and tiles erupted around his crumpled form, the punch having completely rocked his brain.
"Osu," Sorin muttered, exhaling softly. He stepped forward, planting a boot on Kaku's face and leaning in. "That can't be all, can it?" His voice was low, almost disappointed.
Kaku growled, struggling beneath the weight. Sorin's grin faltered for the briefest moment, his instincts flaring. He leapt back just as a fireball roared toward him, hissing fiercely, striking the ground where he had stood. Flames licked the air, casting flickering shadows across the room.
Sorin landed lightly, brushing ash from his sleeve. "A little reckless, aren't we?" As he looked back towards the rampaging Loretta, his tone was cool, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Kaku shot to his feet, his claws aimed directly at Sorin's neck, a feral cry escaping his lips. Before he could close the distance, another figure blurred into view.
Ryai intercepted the strike, his massive shuriken unfolded into gleaming blades that locked against Kaku's claws. The two clashed with a screech of metal on metal, sparks flying.
"You again?" Kaku spat, his voice filled with frustration. "I don't have time for you, Ryaihan!"
Ryai's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. "And yet, you can't even lay a finger on Sorin." He shoved Kaku back, his weapon poised between them like a wall. "Pathetic."
In an instant, the arena transformed. The smooth ground cracked and buckled, jagged rocks and towering pillars erupting across the battlefield. Shifting sands swirled in the oppressive heat, distorting the air and making every movement feel like a mirage. The terrain was unstable, an unpredictable maze of arcs and dips waiting to be exploited.
Kaku's eyes darted across the field, locking onto Ryai. For a moment, the boy's form seemed to waver, flickering like a shadow caught in a gust of wind. Before Kaku could react, a sudden whoosh came from behind. He twisted sharply, dashing away just as blades sliced through the space he'd occupied. The near-miss sent a chill racing down his spine.
Jumping into the air, Kaku steadied himself and whispered, "Art of the Wicked: Sen'ei Jashin." His voice carried an unsettling edge, and the air around his arm rippled. From his sleeve, thousands of white snakes burst forth in a violent torrent. Their fangs glistened, and their movements were hypnotic as they surged toward Ryai, coiling and snapping until they latched onto his body.
But Ryai's form dissolved into smoke. The snakes tangled and struck at what was now a boulder, their fangs clinking uselessly against stone. Kaku's brow furrowed, his lips tightening. "A substitution…"
"Mirage Lotus!" Ryai's voice came from behind him.
Kaku spun, his eyes catching the glint of a massive shuriken as it sailed toward him. Ryai hurled it with deadly precision, and as it cut through the air, it multiplied endlessly. The weapons streaked toward Kaku in a dazzling, dizzying storm.
The first few passed through him harmlessly, vanishing as though they'd never existed. Kaku's confidence surged, a smug grin tugging at his lips. "Illusions," he muttered. But then, pain flared. A sharp sting bloomed on his shoulder, then another on his thigh. His grin faltered as more cuts appeared, blood seeping through his clothes. The wounds multiplied rapidly, invisible blades carving into his flesh.
Kaku staggered, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "What… What is this?"
Ryai stood at a distance, his weapon spinning idly in his hand. "You thought they weren't real?" he said, his tone cold. "That's the beauty of the Mirage Lotus, you don't realize the truth until it's too late."
"The hell is this, a damn trick?" Kaku snarled, his feet skidding back against the ground as the force of Ryai's assault finally relented. Dust swirled around him, his chest heaving. But Ryai stood motionless, his gaze cold and unreadable.
"A trick?" Ryai's voice cut through the air like a blade. "No… this is judgment."
As the words fell, he reached behind his back, his hand closing around the hilt of his katana. The battlefield fell silent, an eerie, suffocating stillness that seemed to draw all sound into itself. Not even the wind dared to whisper. Slowly, Ryai unsheathed his blade, and as the weapon came into view, the silence deepened.
The katana was a thing of nightmares. Its surface was pure darkness, undulating like liquid shadows, and it dripped with an oozing malice that hissed as it splattered onto the ground. The air grew heavier with each droplet, a palpable weight pressing down on everything.
When the blade was fully drawn, Ryai swung it downward. The sound of its darkness striking the floor shattered the silence, releasing a deafening roar that filled the arena. The cries of distant battles surged back into the air as if the blade had ripped apart the fabric of reality.
In the next breath, Ryai vanished.
Kaku's eyes widened, his instincts screaming too late. Ryai reappeared inches from him, his blade carving a diagonal arc across Kaku's body. Pain flared, and blood splattered across the cracked ground.
"Dammit, you damn child!" Kaku roared, staggering back. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his anger only grew. His eyes began to shift, their pupils narrowing into reptilian slits, glowing with a sickly green-yellow gradient. His muscles bulged unnaturally, veins pulsing like writhing snakes beneath his skin. Even his slicked-back hair spiked wildly as his rage consumed him.
Essentia whipped violently around him, shattering rocks at his feet and gouging the ground. The air around him became oppressive, a vortex of raw power. He snarled, his voice distorted and guttural.
"Art of the Fighter…" His body blurred, vanishing from Ryai's sight.
"Breakneck…"
Before Ryai could react, Kaku reappeared, his fist driving into Ryai's stomach with brutal force. The impact launched him skyward. Kaku didn't relent. He followed, his movements a flurry of kicks and punches, each blow hammering Ryai higher into the air.
"Blitz!" Kaku roared, his strikes blindingly fast, a relentless storm of violence. Ryai barely had a moment to process before Kaku wrapped his arms around his midsection.
"Liger Bomb!" With a primal scream, Kaku hurled them both downward. The air split with a deafening crack as Ryai's body slammed into the arena floor, creating a massive crater that sent debris flying in all directions.
Loretta had jumped over the crater the boy laid in, his eyes set on destruction as he chased his enemy, not sparing a second or those around him.
Kaku stood over Ryai, his chest heaving, eyes wild with rage. Foam flecked his lips as he snarled like a cornered beast. He raised his fist to strike again, only to freeze as the ground beneath him trembled.
A blade of pure dark Essentia erupted from the earth, its edge stopping mere inches from his throat. Kaku ducked instinctively, rolling to the side as Ryai advanced. His movements were deliberate, graceful, each step humming with power.
Ryai's blade of Eternal Darkness thrummed ominously, a sound that resonated in the bones. Shadows dripped from its edge like liquid malice, pooling on the ground and dissolving into nothingness. With each swing, Ryai's attacks tore at Kaku's defenses, his strikes precise and relentless, carving shallow cuts that began to bleed.
Then the word appeared.
It hovered in the air before Ryai, ink-black and dripping with malice: "Sight." The letters oozed down like tears, staining the very fabric of everything around them. Ryai's expression was calm, almost serene, as he whispered, "Collapse."
With a single, fluid motion, he swung his blade horizontally. The air itself seemed to shatter. A deafening silence fell over the arena, and in that instant, the world was plunged into utter darkness.
Kaku's scream pierced the void.
Invisible blades struck from every direction, stabbing, slicing, burning into flesh that wasn't truly there. Pain tore through him, searing and unrelenting. He thrashed wildly, his movements frantic, his voice raw from screaming.
Sorin watched the spectacle, his expression hard to read. "What is this?" he asked, his voice cutting through the silence. "An illusion?"
"A little more than that," Ryai replied coolly, his blade now eerily still. The darkness receded, melting away like shadows chased by the dawn.
As the arena returned to view, all eyes fell on Kaku.
He was curled on the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably. Spit dribbled from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were wide with terror, unblinking.
"S-Stop this…!" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.
In his mind, the assault continued. Thousands of phantom blades plunged into him, over and over, each strike a fresh agony. He clutched at his chest, gasping for air, unable to distinguish illusion from reality.
Ryai sheathed his blade with a deliberate motion.
The illusion shattered like glass, reality snapping back into place. Kaku blinked rapidly, his wide, bloodshot eyes darting across the arena. For a moment, he stayed hunched on all fours, his chest heaving like a bellows. Each inhale and exhale came with a guttural growl, his breath rasping like a machine on the verge of breaking. His nostrils flared, the phantom scent of blood from the illusion still clogging his senses, making him snarl in frustration.
Ryai stood a few paces away, his shoulders rising and falling heavily. Sweat dripped down his face, soaking the edges of his cowl, but his hand never wavered as it rested on the hilt of his blade. His eyes were locked on Kaku, unflinching despite the fatigue weighing him down.
Sorin appeared beside Ryai in an instant, his presence grounding. He placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder, his tone calm but edged with authority. "Kid, it's alright. I can take him from here. You don't have to push yourself so hard."
Ryai shook his head, wiping the sweat from his brow with a trembling hand. "No!" His voice was sharp, resolute. "I can do it. Please, Sorin."
Sorin hesitated, searching Ryai's determined gaze before exhaling a slow sigh. Without another word, he retreated, his figure a blur as he moved to the edge of the arena to observe.
Kaku's head snapped toward Ryai, a feral growl rumbling deep in his throat. Without warning, he launched forward on all fours, his claws extended, his movements a blur of savage intent.
Ryai didn't flinch. As Kaku's claws came within inches of his chest, Ryai sidestepped with precision, his blade staying sheathed. With a deft motion, he caught Kaku's outstretched arm and pivoted. Using Kaku's own momentum, Ryai twisted low, slamming him into the ground with a resounding crash.
A plume of dust exploded from the impact, engulfing them in a choking haze.
Inside the cloud of dust, Ryai remained steady, his breaths controlled but strained. Kaku, sprawled on the ground, growled in frustration, clawing at the dirt as he prepared to rise again.
Kaku's body began to convulse violently, his limbs jerking at unnatural angles. His jaw creaked as it opened wider and wider, a grotesque, unnatural sound that sent a chill through the arena. It was as if something invisible was clawing its way out of him, forcing his body to break under its pressure. The sickening crack of bone and the wet squelch of tearing flesh echoed through the silence.
Then, with a final, gut-wrenching snap, Kaku's body collapsed inward, crumpling to the ground like an empty skin suit. The arena seemed to hold its breath.
Ryai froze, his eyes darting around. "What the hell…?" he muttered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his folded shuriken. The sight of Kaku's empty, lifeless shell sent a wave of unease crawling up his spine.
Before he could piece together what had happened, Sorin's voice thundered across the arena. "From behind!"
Ryai spun on instinct, snapping his shuriken into place just in time. The force of an invisible attack slammed into his blade, sending a jarring vibration up his arm. He staggered back, his gaze frantically scanning the air.
Then Kaku appeared.
His form materialized slowly, as if emerging from another dimension, first a translucent outline, then a ghostly figure, until he was fully visible. His body had changed again, reverting to its lean, sinewy state. His hair was slicked back, his eyes sharp and calculating. The wild, frenzied look from before was gone, replaced by an eerie calm.
Ryai gritted his teeth, his breath ragged. "Looks like someone's back to their senses. What was it? Some kind of drug?"
Kaku chuckled darkly, his voice low and mocking. "You've got bigger problems to worry about, boy."
Before Ryai could respond, his eyes caught a blur of movement. Too late.
Kaku's other arm surged forward like a striking serpent, his clawed hand latching onto Ryai's side. With a savage twist, he tore out a small chunk of flesh. The pain was immediate and blinding, a white-hot burst that ripped through Ryai's nerves.
"Arghhh!" Ryai screamed, his voice raw with agony. His shuriken snapped open instinctively, the sharp metallic sound cutting through the chaos. He stumbled back, clutching his wounded side, blood seeping between his fingers.
Kaku stood tall, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "What's the matter, Ryai? Losing your edge already?"
Ryai's vision blurred as the pain throbbed in his side, but he forced himself to stay upright, his weapon at the ready. The arena seemed to close in around them, the tension thick and suffocating.
Ryai's fingers trembled as they pressed against the cold floor. At first, he thought the numbness spreading through his hands was from blood loss, but then he noticed the shift, a sharp crackling sound, like glass fracturing under immense pressure.
He looked up, his breath hitching, as the arena changed in an instant. A thick cloud of steam hissed into the air, obscuring his vision for a moment before it cleared. On one side of the battlefield, the ground froze over, jagged spires of ice erupting violently from the floor. Frost crept outward in delicate yet deadly patterns, consuming everything in its path. Opposite the icy wasteland, molten pools bubbled and churned, the floor splitting to reveal veins of glowing magma. Small volcanoes emerged, spewing bursts of fiery rock that sizzled on contact with the cooler air.
Ryai's heart pounded as he instinctively pulled his hand back, but not before frost began to crystallize around his fingertips. The ice clung to his skin like a living thing, relentless and cold as death. He staggered to his feet, shaking off the encroaching frost, only to feel it nipping at his boots as he stepped away. If he stood still too long, the ice would consume him entirely.
The air itself felt alive, a cruel balance of searing heat and biting cold that prickled against his skin. Ryai's breaths came in short gasps, each exhale a puff of vapor in the frigid air. He tightened his grip on his weapon, his fingers tingling with both fear and resolve.
He hesitated, his hand hovering over the weapon. The whispers had already begun, faint and insidious, clawing at the edges of his mind.
"Do it," they murmured, their voices slick and venomous. "Draw us. Let us take the burden."
Ryai clenched his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow despite the cold. He couldn't afford to lose control, not now. But the ice was spreading faster, its jagged edges snaking up his legs, trying to root him in place. His chest heaved as the magma's heat pressed against his back, the opposing forces threatening to crush him between them.
"I have no choice," he muttered, his voice low and strained.
With a sharp motion, Ryai placed his hand on the hilt of his katana. The whispers surged, growing louder, more insistent, like a storm raging in his mind. He unsheathed the blade in one fluid motion, the sound of steel cutting through the air accompanied by a haunting wail.
The darkness of the weapon seemed alive, dripping malice as it devoured the light around it. The whispers threatened to overtake him, each one a needle piercing his thoughts. But Ryai grit his teeth and steeled his will. He would not falter. Not until he had won.
Kaku steadied himself, his arms posed in front of him, trembling slightly as he whispered under his breath. With a sudden motion, his limbs lashed out like striking serpents, streaking through the air towards Ryai at terrifying speed. Ryai bolted, weaving between jagged pillars of ice, each strike narrowly missing him and leaving cracks in the frozen structures.
Ducking behind one of the larger spires, he leapt into the air, his katana raised high, the blade singing with malice. With a yell, Ryai swung downward in a wide arc, aiming for Kaku's exposed frame. But Kaku twisted away at the last second, his movements unnaturally fluid, and countered with a swift kick. "You Fool!" He shouted, lightning Essentia crackled around his leg as it slammed into Ryai's already-injured side.
Ryai gasped, gritting his teeth as pain lanced through him. He stumbled but refused to falter, forcing himself forward through sheer will. With a desperate yell, "I cannot lose!" he lunged, his blade slicing through the air. The edge caught Kaku's side, leaving a shallow cut.
Kaku glanced down at the wound and froze. His breath caught in his throat as his vision warped. In his mind's eye, he saw himself nearly torn in half, his torso hanging by mere strands of flesh. The image sent a shudder of panic through him, "Focus!" he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek, the sharp pain snapping him back to reality.
When his focus returned, Ryai was already closing the distance, his face contorted with pain but determined.
"Dammit Ryaihan!"
"Lesser Lightning Cloak!" Kaku roared, his body surging with sparks of electricity. The lightning crackled violently, wreathing him in a protective veil as he threw his arms up to block.
Ryai's katana descended with unrelenting force. The blade clashed against Kaku's electrified defense, halting for a moment as it met bone. The Essentia around Kaku flared wildly, but Ryai roared, every muscle in his body straining as he pushed the weapon down with sheer determination. The katana tore through Kaku's body, cleaving him in half.
For a moment, silence hung in the air as the two halves of Kaku's form separated, then erupted into flickering flames. His body disintegrated into embers, Kaku has been eliminated.
Ryai staggered back, his vision swimming as he clutched his wounded side. He fell to his knees, his katana slipping from his grasp and clattering to the floor. "I did it Sorin." He whispered as a familiar blue flame engulfed him, its warmth washing over him as the pain in his body began to fade. He slumped forward, his vision fading as he, too, was transported from the battlefield.
The announcer's voice echoed across the arena, booming with authority. "Both combatants, Ryaihan Yami and Kaku Roux, have been eliminated!" The crowd erupted into murmurs and applause, awed by the intensity of one of the many fights happening.
Meanwhile, in the infirmary, the two fighters lay, dreamless sleep. Their bodies were whole again, free of wounds, as if the battle had never taken place. Yet, the toll it had taken lingered in the quiet of their unconscious minds.
Sorin, watching from atop of a pillar of ice wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. A small smile played on his lips as he murmured to himself, "Now that was a fight to be proud of boy."