The Lion Tiger growled, its massive fangs gleaming in the dim forest light as it circled Haruki and Yuki. Haruki's grip on his dagger tightened. "Yuki, stay back! This thing is no ordinary beast."
"I'm almost out of Zetsu," Yuki replied, her voice shaky but determined. "But I'll support you however I can!"
With a roar, the Lion Tiger lunged, its powerful legs tearing through the ground. Haruki sidestepped at the last moment, landing behind the beast. He slashed at its exposed flank, but the beast's heightened instincts kicked in. It whipped its tail with lightning speed, forcing Haruki to leap away, narrowly avoiding a fatal hit.
Yuki conjured a weak fireball, aiming for the beast's head. The Lion Tiger turned its ferocious gaze toward her, distracted just long enough for Haruki to dash in again. This time, his blade connected, slicing a deep wound along its back. Blood sprayed, and the Lion Tiger let out an ear-piercing screech.
"Nice one, Haruki!" Yuki called out.
Haruki panted, his eyes darting around the clearing. Something didn't feel right. The Lion Tiger was on its last legs, but a strange presence loomed, prickling the back of his neck.
Before he could warn Yuki, a voice echoed through the clearing. "So, you're the famous Haruki everyone's whispering about. I've been dying to meet you."
A girl stepped out of the shadows, dressed in sleek black assassin's garb. Her long black hair flowed like silk, and her dark eyes gleamed with a predatory focus. A faint smile curled her lips.
Haruki turned to face her, his blade still dripping with the Lion Tiger's blood. "Who are you?"
"Call me Arai," she said with a mocking bow. "And you're even cuter than I imagined. That white hair of yours is quite the look. How old are you? Seven?"
Haruki frowned. "I'm nine, not that young. What do you want?"
"What I want…" Arai's smile widened as she unsheathed twin curved swords. "…is to test the rumors. Let's see if the 'prodigy of black Sun' lives up to the hype."
Before Haruki could respond, she disappeared in a blur of speed, reappearing right in front of him. Instinctively, he raised his dagger to block, the clash of their weapons ringing out like a bell. Sparks flew as her blades pressed against his.
"You're fast," Haruki admitted, pushing her back and darting to the side to avoid her follow-up slash. "But I've fought worse!"
"Have you now?" Arai countered, spinning gracefully and aiming a slash at his midsection. Haruki backflipped, the blade missing him by inches.
Yuki, standing behind him, conjured an ice shard and hurled it at Arai. "Stay away from him!"
Arai glanced at the shard and sidestepped with ease, not even breaking her stride. "Cute trick, little elf, but you're not my target."
Haruki seized the distraction, lunging at Arai with his Lunar Blade Style: Crescent Slash technique. His blade arced through the air, glowing faintly in the moonlight. Arai twirled out of the way, her movements so fluid they seemed almost effortless.
"You've got talent," she remarked, slashing at him with one of her swords. "But talent without discipline is just wasted potential."
Haruki barely managed to parry her strike, but her second blade followed immediately, cutting into his shoulder. He winced, blood dripping down his arm.
"Haruki!" Yuki shouted, firing off another spell—a fireball this time. Arai smirked, using her blade to slice through the projectile as if it were paper.
"Stay back, Yuki!" Haruki ordered, gritting his teeth. "I can handle her."
"Handle me?" Arai laughed, darting forward and slashing at Haruki's leg, drawing more blood. "You're struggling to even keep up."
Haruki staggered but refused to fall. "I'm not done yet," he growled, summoning all his energy. He launched himself forward with explosive speed, aiming for her vulnerable neck.
Arai's eyes widened slightly at his sudden burst of speed. She managed to deflect his blade but was too slow to dodge completely. Haruki's dagger grazed her shoulder, cutting through her armor and drawing blood.
She stepped back, her smile replaced by a serious expression. "Not bad, kid. You're faster than I thought."
Haruki panted, blood dripping from his wounds. "And you're not as tough as you act."
Arai smirked again, raising her blades. "Then let's raise the stakes."
Their clash intensified, the clearing filled with the sound of steel on steel and the crackling of Yuki's stray spells. Haruki moved like a whirlwind, his dagger flashing as he countered and dodged her relentless attacks.
Finally, he saw an opening. With a feint to the left, he forced Arai to overcommit. Haruki surged forward with his Lunar Blade Style: Moonlit Strike, slashing across her side.
Arai stumbled, clutching her wound, but still managed to laugh. "Impressive. You're good, Haruki. Really good. But don't think this is over."
She leapt backward, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as she had appeared.
Haruki dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged. Yuki ran to his side, her face pale with worry. "Haruki, you're hurt!"
"I'll be fine," he muttered, wiping blood from his mouth. "But who was she? And why did she know my name?"
As the adrenaline faded, the Lion Tiger's corpse lay forgotten in the background. Haruki clenched his fist, vowing silently to become stronger.
The chapter ends.