Hours Before the Second Battle of the Sacred Swords
In a deserted junkyard, five warriors stood, each gripping a sword chosen for them. Hikaru, Ren, Ryuji, Yuumo, and Hina examined their weapons with quiet anticipation. Hikaru slung his sword across his back, carefully resting his arm on its hilt as he addressed the group.
"Alright, here's the situation. We've already seen Inamaru use the same ability as Endo. He likely has more tricks up his sleeve, but for now, our immediate opponents aren't from Hikotu High. That means—" He paused, glancing at the others before continuing, "—we need to figure out what these swords can actually do."
Yuumo glanced down at her weapon, her cheeks puffing in frustration. Compared to the others, hers was shorter, its blade chipped and fragile-looking.
"Why do I get the broken one?" she muttered, visibly annoyed.
Hikaru shot her a glare before sighing and scratching the back of his head.
Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention. Shoto strolled toward them, accompanied by a small feline figure—Neko. The cat leaped onto Ryuji's lap, curling up comfortably before speaking.
"If you want to unlock the power of your sword, you can do it now," Neko said, his voice carrying an almost indifferent tone. "First, you must resonate with it. Awaken its true form, and it will become any weapon suited to you. However…" The cat's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "If you learn the sword's true name—well, that's a journey only you can take."
The group exchanged confused glances. Silence hung in the air.
"…What?" they all said in unison.
Neko sighed dramatically before shifting his expression into something oddly serious—despite still being a cat.
"Fine, I'll dumb it down for you. Hold your sword and say this word… Éveiller."
Present—The Battle Begins
"Éveiller."
The moment the word left Ryuji's lips, the Earth Sword in his grasp pulsed with energy. The blade shimmered, reshaping itself until it became a pair of weighted gloves encasing his fists.
Ryosuke, standing across from him, let out a short laugh. But before he could get another word out, Ryuji was already in front of him, his fist driving forward with blinding speed.
The punch connected. Ryosuke staggered back, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he quickly recovered. Grinning, he lunged forward, aiming to return the blow.
Ryuji dodged—almost. The attack seemed to have missed at first, but a sharp pain suddenly tore across his face. A deep slash appeared, causing him to stumble to the side.
Yuumo's eyes widened. "What just happened?" she asked, turning to Ren beside her.
Ren squinted at the fight, puzzled. "I don't know. It looked like he dodged, but then—"
"It was delayed."
Both of them turned as Hikaru adjusted his glasses, sighing.
"The attack landed a second later than expected."
Ren scoffed, crossing his arms. "Jeez, Mr. Know-it-all. Anything else? Or are you planning to shoot an arrow at him?"
Before Hikaru could snap back, his gaze flicked around the group. His expression shifted.
"Wait… Where the hell are Shoto and Neko?"
Ren and Yuumo followed his gaze, only now realizing their absence.
"Wasn't Kazami just here?" Yuumo asked.
Hikaru let out an irritated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That idiot…"
Meanwhile—A Confrontation in the Halls
Shoto walked alone down the dimly lit hallway, his destination clear. He had split off from the group under the excuse of needing some air, but in truth, he was heading back to the gym after a quick detour.
Neko, padding silently beside him, suddenly leaped onto his shoulder.
"You should've gone before we came to this school," the cat muttered.
Shoto scowled, turning his head slightly. "I know that! I just thought—" He stopped mid-sentence, his footsteps halting.
A figure stood ahead in the hall, positioned just far enough to allow for conversation, but close enough to radiate undeniable tension.
Zan-Xi.
His arms were crossed, and a devilish smirk curled at the edges of his lips.
"Let's talk… Cousin."
Back to the Battle—Ryuji vs. Ryosuke
The fight raged on. Ryuji's rapid jabs continued to miss, while Ryosuke's strange delayed strikes kept throwing him off. The rhythm of the battle was unnatural, making it nearly impossible for Ryuji to counter properly.
Then, with a sudden burst of movement, Ryosuke lashed out—a powerful kick aimed directly at Ryuji's face.
The boxer barely registered the impact before the delayed effect took hold. His body was sent skidding backward, crashing against the floor with a harsh thud.
Ryosuke chuckled, effortlessly flipping back onto his feet before leaning against the wall where his group stood watching.
"Come on, Ryu-boy! I know you can do better than that!"
Ryuji groaned, pushing himself up. His vision blurred momentarily, but something caught his attention—his gloves were glowing. A faint aura pulsed from them, growing brighter with each passing second.
"Wh-what the…?" His voice barely rose above a whisper.
Ryosuke stepped away from the wall, confidence radiating from him as he closed the distance. "I'll finish this right here."
But before he could strike, Ryuji moved—fast.
He surged forward, throwing a punch straight into Ryosuke's gut. The impact sent a violent gust of air shooting past his opponent. Ryosuke coughed up blood, staggering back as his hands clutched his abdomen.
Ryuji clenched his glowing fist tighter. His entire arm felt weightless yet impossibly powerful.
Without hesitation, he struck again.
An uppercut.
The moment his fist connected with Ryosuke's chin, a shockwave exploded from the impact. A deep tremor rippled through Ryosuke's body, his form launching skyward. He crashed hard against the gym's ceiling before plummeting back down to the ground.
Unmoving.
Bloodied.
Unconscious.
Silence filled the air.
Ryuji stood over his fallen opponent, his breathing heavy. His right fist remained raised, still glowing faintly.
This power…
This was just the beginning.