Chapter 48: Dancing in Chaos
💥 THWACK!
Rei barely managed to tilt his head as Kozuki's palm strike grazed past his ear.
His heartbeat was racing.
His mind—overloaded.
Nothing made sense.
Kozuki's movements weren't just unpredictable—they were nonsensical.
Rei's Struggle – The Limits of Analysis
Rei had built his entire fighting style on one thing:✔ Understanding movement.✔ Predicting his opponent's next step.✔ Acting before the attack landed.
But now—that system was breaking.
Kozuki wasn't moving in a way that could be analyzed.
💥 A jab—that turned into a fake-out halfway through.💥 A sudden twirl—like he was dancing instead of fighting.💥 A lazy swing—that snapped into a brutal hook at the last second.
Rei dodged.Barely.
His body was reacting on instinct alone.
Kozuki grinned.
Kozuki: "You're tense, Kurogane."
Rei exhaled sharply.
Rei (thinking, frustrated): I can't read him. I can't predict him. If I hesitate even once…
💥 Kozuki vanished from his vision.
Rei's pupils widened.
Where—?!
The Hunter Turns to Prey
Before Rei could react—a foot hooked behind his knee.
His balance was gone.
💥 Kozuki shoved him lightly.
Rei stumbled.
For the first time in this academy—he felt completely helpless.
Kozuki laughed.
Kozuki (grinning): "You're thinking too much, Rei."
He stepped forward—casually.
Kozuki: "See, when I fight, I don't bother with plans. I just do whatever feels right in the moment."
Rei steadied himself, but his breathing was uneven.
Kozuki: "You—on the other hand—are stuck in that pretty little head of yours."
💥 He flicked his hand forward.
Rei flinched.
But there was no attack.
Kozuki burst into laughter.
Kozuki (mocking): "Damn. I don't even have to hit you, and you're already scared?"
Rei's hands clenched into fists.
The entire hall was watching.
The Spectators – Rei's First Real Loss
Student 1 (whispering): "Wait… Kozuki isn't even fighting seriously."Student 2 (muttering): "Yeah. He's just playing with him."Student 3 (grinning): "Rei's getting humiliated."
From the sidelines, Akari Kisaragi clicked her tongue.
Akari (crossing arms): "Kozuki Renjou… He's a different kind of monster."
Souta Arclight exhaled sharply.
Souta: "Rei's not used to this. Kozuki isn't an opponent you can 'figure out'—he's an opponent you have to just fight."
Rei's Realization – He's Not Ready
Rei's mind was spiraling.
This wasn't like Kenji.
Kenji was predictable. Kenji had rules.
But Kozuki?
💀 There were no patterns.💀 No tells.💀 No logic.
Rei (thinking, shaking slightly): How do you fight against someone who doesn't even know what they're going to do next?
💥 Kozuki suddenly lunged.
Rei moved to dodge—
But Kozuki just stopped mid-step.
Rei froze.
💥 Kozuki lightly tapped his forehead.
Kozuki (smirking): "Boop."
Rei stumbled backward.
The crowd exploded into laughter.
Student (laughing): "He's making a joke out of him!"Student (grinning): "Rei looks like a lost child!"
Kozuki stepped back, stretching his arms.
Kozuki (grinning): "Yeah, alright. I'm bored now."
Rei stiffened.
Kozuki: "Let's end this before I make you cry, yeah?"
He rushed forward.
💥 A kick to the knee—Rei lost his balance.💥 A sweep—Rei's legs gave out.💥 A final shove—Rei hit the ground.
BAM.
Silence.
Rei lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Kozuki towered over him, victorious.
The Aftermath – Rei's First True Defeat
Professor Graves smirked.
Graves: "That's the difference between being good and being dangerous."
Kozuki turned away without a second glance.
Kozuki (grinning): "Thanks for the warm-up, Kurogane."
He walked off—leaving Rei on the ground.
The whispers began again.
Student 1: "Yeah, Rei's good at dodging, but in the end… he's still too weak."Student 2: "This proves it. He's not even close to the top fighters here."Student 3: "He thought he could outthink Kozuki? Hilarious."
Rei slowly sat up.
His entire body ached.
But what hurt more—was the truth.
✔ His analysis had failed.✔ His instincts weren't enough.✔ Against real monsters like Kozuki—he was still prey.
Rei clenched his fists.
Rei (thinking, eyes burning): This isn't enough… I need to evolve even further.
Because right now—he wasn't a predator.
He was still prey.