BANG! BANG BANG BANG!
Deep within the fog, Setsura and Yura Tsubasa traded blows—no tricks, no magic, just raw power meeting raw power. Both were [Rooks], both masters of close-quarters combat. Their fight was a brutal ballet of fists, each punch shaking the air itself.
Setsura, Tenra's [Rook], was a force to be reckoned with—second only to Yubelluna among his entire peerage. But Yura wasn't easily outmatched. As Sona's [Rook], she wielded the Artificial Sacred Gear, [Mirror Alice], and matched Setsura punch for punch.
CRASH!
Another collision sent shockwaves through the mist. Both women landed in the dirt, breathing hard, arms trembling from the strain.
"Hah… hah…"
Yura managed a wry smile. "Tenra-sama's peerage really is something else. You're incredible, Setsura-san."
Setsura smoothed her hair, returning the smile. "You're no slouch, Yura-san. I thought the fog would give me an easy win, but you've held your own all this time."
"Now, it's our turn. For my fallen friends—I'll make you pay for every one."
Tsubaki drew her blade, her aura flaring—dangerous, wild, and sharper than ever.
Setsura launched after Bennia, feet pounding the earth.
"On it!"
"Setsura, stop her!"
Bennia nodded wordlessly, then vanished into the forest.
"Bennia, I'll stay and fight. You head for the central battlefield—find Sona-sama. I'm counting on you."
Tsubaki took a breath, steadying herself. Yubelluna was right. The fault wasn't with them—it was hers. She was too weak to protect anyone.
Yubelluna met her gaze, unapologetic. They all fought for their own masters—mercy wasn't part of the equation.
"Sorry, Tsubaki-san. We used dirty tricks, but this is war."
Trapped in the fog, forced to listen as her teammates fell one by one, Tsubaki had been utterly powerless. The helplessness gnawed at her, fueling a storm inside.
Tsubaki's voice was ice—her glare could cut steel. She stared down the trio, eyes blazing with fury.
"Yubelluna!"
Sona's new [Knight] was a petite figure clad in shinigami garb, face hidden behind a skull mask.
As the fog cleared, the forest snapped back into focus. Tsubaki Shinra and her last remaining ally quickly regrouped.
Yubelluna nodded and activated her power. The dense mist blanketing half the forest swirled and faded, streaming back into her body. What magic she could recover, she did—her cheeks regained a touch of color.
"Let's disperse the fog, Yubelluna," Setsura suggested. "We're three against two now. We don't need it anymore."
She'd only possessed [Dimension Lost] for a few days. Training helped, but mastery was still out of reach. Yubelluna couldn't help but marvel at Tenra's effortless command of so many Sacred Gears.
Yubelluna shook her head, a weary smile on her lips. "I'm fine. Just burned through a lot of magic. Controlling a Longinus is no walk in the park."
"Yubelluna, are you alright?" Setsura and Isabella noticed her pale face.
Yubelluna's fog had split up and hunted their opponents—by now, their plan was nearly complete.
"The [Queen] is dangerous. The [Knight]… I don't recognize her. New contract, maybe. Abilities unknown."
"Sona-sama's lost five peerage members. Only her [Queen] and one [Knight] remain."
"What's our status?"
Moments later, she joined Yubelluna and Setsura.
A corridor opened in the fog—Yubelluna's summons. Isabella sprang forward, racing to regroup.
The host's voice echoed through the arena. Isabella's lips curled into a smile. "Setsura must've finished her fight too…"
"One of Sona-sama's [Knights], retired!"
"One of Sona-sama's [Rooks], retired!"
Isabella landed lightly, half her face hidden behind a mask, fists clenched with pride. This was Tenra-sama's power—her gift.
Sona's [Knight], Tomoe Meguri, plummeted to the ground, unconscious before she hit the dirt.
"Ahhh!"
Elsewhere, a fireball erupted in midair.
She raised her fist—one final blow.
Setsura offered a gentle nod. "Sorry, Yura-san. Next time, let's have a proper rematch. But for now, I'll take this win."
Yura gritted her teeth, then managed a bitter laugh. "I get it… I lost fair and square."
She gestured at Yura, trapped by her own accumulated weight. "You never saw it coming. With dozens of times normal gravity holding you down, you can't fight anymore."
"You're about to say I haven't hit a hundred punches, right?" Setsura crouched beside her. "The [Hundredfold Gravity Fist] I used against Sairaorg's team was just a prototype. I've perfected it since then. Now, every punch doubles your gravity. I kept it subtle, so you wouldn't notice—let it build up until now."
Her body was impossibly heavy, every muscle straining just to breathe.
"Gravity? No way… You haven't even—"
A moment later, the ground beneath Yura warped—space itself seemed to twist. Suddenly, Yura was pinned flat, crushed by an invisible force.
Setsura just smiled, silent.
"I still have fight left in me," Yura protested, frowning.
But Setsura shook her head. "As much as I'd like to keep trading blows, this fight's already over."
Respect flickered between them, a rare bond forged in battle.
"Let's keep going, then. For our masters' sake—let's see who's stronger today!"
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