The night deepened. Once again, the Dragonfang Arena opened.
But this time - there were no spectators, no battle reports, no announcers - only two figures stood in the center:
One, the boy who had risen as the Illusion King, Yamiya Sou.
The other, the resurrected iron-fisted asura from the "Death List" - Kouga Kuon.
"You're not afraid of me?" Kuon chuckled softly, clenching his fists, the very air around him trembling.
"Then don't hold back."
Yamiya Sou's gaze was cold as he stepped forward.
"Fear has nothing to do with you.
What I fear is becoming someone like you."
[Illusion vs. Brutality - Round One] The moment the battle began, Kuon threw a punch!
A wild, animal-like force shattered the floor of the Dragonfang Arena!
Yamiya Sou's body blurred like smoke, shredded by the shockwave - but in the next second, he reappeared behind Kuon!
An illusion: Mirrored Cross "Up to your old tricks again?" Kuon growled, spinning around in a fierce counterpunch - only to hit a mere projection!
[Playing Card - Queen: Mirror Realm] "This isn't the magic of the past," Sou said as he flipped a card at his fingertips, a strange light gleaming in his eyes.
The queen's whisper materialized into reality, forming illusionary chains that swirled around Kuon, binding him in an instant.
[Iron Fist Suppression - Breaking the Illusion] "Hmph." Kuon snorted.
A burst of compressed aura, like a flame explosion, erupted from his body, shattering the chains!
Facing several illusions at once, he smashed five of them with one blow, tore through the blurred layers with a second blow-and the third blow struck directly at Sou's real body!
"So fast!" Sou's expression sharpened.
He barely managed to block, but the impact sent him back five steps, and the cards in his hand almost slipped out.
[Illusion King - Queen Form Stage Two] At that critical moment, the Queen card shifted into a new formation - like a blooming flower crown, it unfolded into a defensive illusion ring.
"The second form of the queen?" Sou murmured.
At that moment, he understood.
It was the Queen's exclusive defense mode - [Shadow Within Shadow].
Before an enemy could strike him, he would have to pass through two layers of illusionary clones.
Unless they could directly perceive the core of his mind, they would never reach his true body.
But Kuon just smiled.
"This... is getting fun."
[Battle Ongoing - Escalating Conflict] The battle raged for dozens of rounds.
Kuon's violent aura pressure distorted the air itself into crushing walls.
Meanwhile, Sou's continuous illusions pushed him closer and closer to the awakening of his second card - the [Playing Card - King].
The Queen's whisper brushed Sou's ear:
"Stronger... Just a little stronger... and you'll hear Jack's voice..." [Outside the Arena - Magic Division Strategic Meeting] In the operations room, Hakuran and Mido Karuma were hastily gathering information.
"The Vice Principal is missing, and the Principal has sealed himself off - this fight may not be a simple duel," Karuma said grimly.
"You think... this is the execution phase of the 'Illusion Purge Plan'?" Karuma's eyes widened.
"Exactly," Hakuran replied calmly.
"Kuon is only one of the executors.
Fonk is buying time.
If Yamiya Sou wins, we have a chance to turn the tables."
[Final Clash: Illusion vs. Iron Fist] Finally, Sou fully unlocked the Queen.
Five Illusion cards now orbited around him: Mirror, Chain, Shadow, Ring, and Oath.
"Kuon--this battle is for the Magic Division.
And for myself."
Kuon raised both fists, a whirlwind of flaming aura swirling around him.
"Then show me, 'Illusion King'--if you can survive my final blow!"
Yamiya Sou leaped high into the air, all five cards blossoming around him - only to meet the world-shattering fist that tore the sky apart!
[Meanwhile, in a hidden tunnel beneath the tower, Fonk spoke into a secure line.
"Jack has manifested, the queen is on the threshold, the king is about to awaken... Do you still want to continue?"
On the other end, the vice principal's voice was icy:
"Yes. We will continue, Fonk.
Because illusions are too dangerous - they must be purged."
Fonk was silent for a moment.
"Then come and try.
This game... isn't over yet."Illusion King × Iron Fist Suppression