Pinky slammed a fist on the bar counter, his voice booming. "No fighting in here!"
Nova gave a small nod, his calm demeanor unchanged, and walked toward the door. Kenji followed without hesitation, his steps steady and resolute.
Olorun groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Kenji, think about what you're doing! This isn't just some sparring match."
Kenji didn't stop or even look back. "I've already made up my mind." His tone was cold, final.
The group stepped outside, where the open space seemed to stretch endlessly under the pale light of the moon. Nova unsheathed his sword slowly, its polished blade gleaming. "Kenji," Nova said in a low, commanding tone, "no abilities. Just swords. Let's keep this pure."
Kenji nodded, unsheathing both of his swords. The air between them grew heavy with anticipation.
Eleo, Tony, and Olorun stood off to the side, watching intently. Tony leaned toward Eleo, whispering, "Doesn't this remind you of when Kenji fought Mikage?"
Eleo's eyes widened in recognition. "Yeah, I remember. But just how strong is Nova?"
Tony smirked, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Nova's on another level. He's destroyed entire islands before, and once fought someone who could control gravity. That guy summoned three meteors, and Nova sliced through all of them in one swing."
Eleo's jaw dropped. "Wow… He's insane!"
Olorun crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he watched the two swordsmen take their stances. "Kenji's not gonna back down, is he?"
Tony shook his head. "Nope. This fight's already written in his soul."
Kenji and Nova locked eyes, the tension thick as the crowd of three watched silently. Without warning, Kenji surged forward, his twin swords gleaming as they sliced through the air. Nova raised his blade effortlessly, parrying the attack with a resounding clang.
Nova's expression remained calm, almost bored. "You're decent," he remarked coolly before planting a powerful kick to Kenji's chest.
The force of the blow sent Kenji skidding backward, his boots grinding against the dirt as he regained his footing. "Not bad," Kenji muttered, his grip on his swords tightening. "But I'm just getting started."
Nova smirked, resting his blade on his shoulder. "Show me then. Let's see if you're worthy of that title."
Kenji dashed in again, this time feinting left before spinning to Nova's right, his blades striking in rapid succession. Nova's movements were fluid as he deflected each strike, his swordplay precise and almost effortless.
"You've got speed, but no finesse," Nova taunted, countering with a swift diagonal slash. Kenji barely managed to block, the impact sending a shockwave through his arms.
Olorun clenched his fists, watching intently. "Damn it, Kenji… don't lose your head."
Eleo leaned forward, his eyes wide. "He's holding his own, though!"
Tony, calm and calculating, observed the flow of the battle. "Nova's not even breaking a sweat. Kenji's gonna have to dig deeper if he wants a shot at this."
The duel continued, sparks flying as the blades clashed again and again, each swing heavier with purpose. Nova's smirk grew as he began to press Kenji harder, his strikes becoming faster, more calculated.
Kenji gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of every blow. "This is what I've been waiting for," he thought, a determined glint in his eyes. "A true test of my strength." The blades sang a deadly song as Kenji and Nova continued their fierce exchange. Kenji lunged forward, aiming a low sweep with his left blade, but Nova sidestepped gracefully, his sword coming down in a sharp arc. Kenji brought his right blade up just in time, sparks igniting from the clash.
Nova pushed down, his strength forcing Kenji to his knees. "Your stance is sloppy under pressure," Nova said, his voice calm but piercing. With a sharp twist, he disengaged and swung horizontally.
Kenji ducked under the swing, pivoting on one foot to deliver a spinning slash aimed at Nova's midsection. Nova parried it with ease, following up with a quick thrust that grazed Kenji's shoulder.
Kenji winced but didn't falter. He leaped back, gaining distance, and steadied his breath. "He's reading me too easily," Kenji thought, his mind racing. "I need to change the rhythm."
Nova, sensing Kenji's hesitation, dashed forward with a flurry of precise strikes. Kenji deflected the first two, sidestepped the third, and barely avoided the fourth. Nova's blade was relentless, each attack faster and more accurate than the last.
"You're losing focus," Nova said mid-strike, his voice calm yet cutting.
Kenji gritted his teeth, using both blades to block a heavy overhead slash. The impact sent him sliding back several feet. "No abilities… just skill. This is what it means to face the strongest," Kenji muttered to himself.
Drawing a deep breath, Kenji charged again, this time feinting a high strike before sweeping low. Nova anticipated it, leaping into the air and delivering a spinning slash mid-flight. Kenji barely managed to cross his swords above him, blocking the powerful blow as he stumbled backward.
Nova landed lightly, his stance unshaken. "You've got heart, but heart won't win this fight," he said, his eyes narrowing.
Kenji smirked, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Maybe not… but I'm not done yet."
He rushed forward again, his blades moving in unpredictable patterns. Nova's calm demeanor shifted slightly as he was forced to take a step back, deflecting the erratic flurry of strikes. Kenji pressed harder, his movements faster, more desperate.
But Nova, with a single, calculated move, parried both of Kenji's blades and stepped inside his guard. His pommel struck Kenji's chest, sending him staggering backward and gasping for air.
Kenji fell to one knee, his swords trembling in his hands. Nova approached slowly, his blade pointed at Kenji's throat.
"It's over," Nova said, his voice firm but not unkind.
Kenji looked up, his face a mix of exhaustion and acceptance. He gripped his swords tightly before slamming them into the ground beside him.
"Slash me down," Kenji said, his voice steady despite his labored breathing. "Because I have lost."
The silence that followed was deafening. Nova stared at Kenji for a moment before lowering his blade. "You've lost, but you're not defeated," Nova said, his tone softer now. "Live to fight another day. Learn. Grow."
With that, Nova turned and walked away, leaving Kenji kneeling in the dirt, his resolve unbroken despite his defeat. Eleo walked up to Kenji, concern etched on his small face. "Kenji, are you okay?" he asked softly.
Kenji managed a weak smile, wiping the sweat and dirt from his brow. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "Just a little sore."
Olorun crossed his arms, looking at the horizon. "If we were to go to World 2, do you really think we'd even make it?"
Tony scoffed, leaning against a nearby tree. "Probably not. There are people like Nova there. Maybe not as strong, but definitely stronger than us."
Eleo, ever optimistic, chimed in. "We're strong enough! But maybe we should ask the pig in the bar for directions."
Olorun rolled his eyes but smirked. "Fine. Let me handle this."
He strode back into the bar, his confidence unshaken despite their earlier fight. "Excuse me, my dear sir," Olorun said with exaggerated politeness. "Would you be so kind as to tell us where the nearest city is?"
Pinky, busy cleaning a glass, glanced up. "Oh, you mean Orka City? If you keep heading straight through the forest, you'll get there."
Olorun raised a brow. "And how long would that take?"
Pinky scratched his head. "Hmm… about three days, give or take."
Olorun's jaw dropped. "Three days?!"