The Divine Crucible was deafening.
Thousands of spectators filled the colossal arena, their voices merging into a single wave of noise that shook the stone beneath the fighters' feet.
At the center of the arena stood two competitors.
Kaito Aramaki.
A seasoned Shōin fighter who had already survived his first tournament match.
And his opponent—
Kuroya Shidou.
A relatively unknown participant whose name had only recently begun appearing on the tournament records.
The announcer raised his hand.
"Fighters, prepare yourselves."
Kaito lowered his stance.
Across from him, Kuroya remained completely still.
His expression was calm.
Almost too calm.
The announcer's hand dropped.
"BEGIN!"
Kaito moved first.
His Shōin activated instantly.
Kuroya raised one hand.
The air changed.
A thin layer of frost spread across the ground beneath Kaito's feet.
The audience erupted.
"Ice Shōin!"
Kaito jumped backward as a massive pillar of ice erupted from the ground where he had been standing.
He landed several meters away and narrowed his eyes.
Fast.
Kuroya's fingers moved slightly.
Another wave of ice shot toward him.
Kaito dodged.
Then another.
And another.
The arena rapidly transformed into a frozen battlefield.
Kaito finally found an opening.
He rushed forward.
Kuroya's eyes followed him.
For a fraction of a second, Kaito saw something strange.
A dark silhouette appeared behind Kuroya.
Kaito stopped.
The silhouette disappeared.
"What…?"
Kuroya tilted his head.
"Something wrong?"
Kaito stared at him.
"No."
He shook the thought away.
I'm imagining things.
He charged again.
Their Shōin collided.
Ice shattered across the arena.
The crowd roared.
Neither fighter noticed the thin, almost invisible particles drifting through the air around them.
Kuroya did.
His eyes remained fixed on Kaito.
Breathe.
Kaito inhaled.
And the world changed.
For a moment, the arena became silent.
The crowd disappeared.
The Divine Crucible vanished.
Even Kuroya was gone.
Kaito stood alone in darkness.
Then—
A voice whispered behind him.
"You should have remembered me."
Kaito spun around.
Nothing.
His vision returned.
The arena was still there.
The crowd was still screaming.
Kuroya was standing directly in front of him.
Kaito's breathing became heavier.
"What did you just do?"
Kuroya smiled faintly.
"Nothing."
Kaito tightened his fists.
He couldn't explain what had happened.
He couldn't explain why his instincts were screaming at him.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Kuroya raised his hand.
Ice began forming around his arm.
"Let's continue."
Kaito took his stance.
Neither fighter knew that the battle had already become something far more dangerous than a tournament match.
Kaito gritted his teeth.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him.
But there was no time to think.
Kuroya thrust his hand forward.
A wave of ice erupted from the ground.
Kaito jumped.
The ice tore past him, spraying shards across the arena.
He landed on one knee.
Kuroya was already behind him.
Kaito barely turned in time.
CRACK!
An ice-covered fist slammed into his guard and sent him skidding across the floor.
The crowd erupted.
Kaito caught himself before reaching the edge of the arena.
He's faster than before.
Kuroya slowly walked toward him.
"You're getting slower."
Kaito stood.
"Or you're getting predictable."
He rushed forward.
Kuroya raised his arm.
Ice formed around his forearm—
But Kaito suddenly changed direction.
He drove his attack into Kuroya's side.
BOOM!
Kuroya was thrown backward.
The crowd roared.
Kaito smiled.
"Got you."
Kuroya landed on his feet.
For the first time, his expression changed.
Not anger.
Something closer to amusement.
"Did you?"
Kaito's smile disappeared.
The arena blurred.
For a split second, he saw Kuroya standing in three different places.
Left.
Right.
Behind him.
Kaito froze.
Which one is real?
The three figures moved simultaneously.
Kaito swung toward the one on his right.
His attack passed through empty air.
The real Kuroya appeared behind him.
"Too slow."
Kaito felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.
Ice pierced through his clothing.
He stumbled forward.
The crowd screamed.
Kaito grabbed the wound.
"What the hell…?"
Kuroya stood several meters away.
His eyes were completely emotionless.
"You still don't remember."
Kaito stared at him.
"Remember what?"
For the first time, Kuroya's expression cracked.
His eyes filled with hatred.
"Nothing."
The temperature dropped.
Kaito felt the hairs on his arms rise.
Kuroya raised both hands.
The entire arena began freezing.
Pillars of ice erupted around them, forming a massive cage.
The spectators went silent.
Kaito looked around.
He's preparing something big.
He activated his Shōin.
Energy surged through his body.
Kuroya whispered:
"Then I'll make you remember."
The ice shattered.
Kaito charged.
The two fighters collided at the center of the arena.
Their attacks struck simultaneously.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Kaito's eyes widened.
Something was wrong with his vision again.
The arena lights stretched.
The crowd's faces became distorted.
The sound of thousands of people disappeared beneath a deafening ringing in his ears.
Kaito's breathing became shallow.
He couldn't tell where he was.
He couldn't tell what he was seeing.
He couldn't even tell if he was standing.
Then he heard a voice.
"Use it."
Kaito's eyes widened.
"Use… what?"
A strange sensation spread through his body.
His Shōin reacted.
He didn't understand why.
He didn't understand what was happening.
But his body moved.
Kaito released a technique.
The attack struck the arena floor.
A massive shockwave spread outward.
The crowd gasped.
Kuroya stood untouched.
Kaito stared at his own hands.
"What… did I just do?"
Silence.
Then the tournament officials began shouting.
"STOP THE MATCH!"
Kaito looked toward them.
"What?"
An official stepped into the arena.
"Kaito Aramaki!"
Kaito's heart dropped.
"You have violated tournament regulation"
The entire arena fell silent.
Kaito's face went pale.
"What?"
"You knowingly activated a prohibited Shōin interaction during combat."
"I didn't—"
"Your match is terminated."
Kaito looked toward Kuroya.
The other fighter was standing completely still.
His face was unreadable.
Kaito pointed at him.
"He did something to me!"
Several officials immediately surrounded Kaito.
"Do not resist."
"I didn't cheat!"
"Kaito Aramaki, by authority of the Divine Crucible, your tournament status has been altered."
Kaito's breathing stopped.
The official looked directly into his eyes.
"You are hereby transferred to the Third Division."
The crowd exploded into whispers.
Kaito stood motionless.
"No…"
He shook his head.
"No, I didn't do anything."
But nobody answered him.
The officials escorted him toward the exit.
Kaito looked back one last time.
Kuroya was still standing in the center of the arena.
Watching him.
Their eyes met.
Kaito suddenly noticed something.
Kuroya wasn't smiling anymore.
He looked almost…
satisfied.
Then Kaito was taken away.
The arena doors closed behind him.
The officials turned toward Kuroya.
One of them raised his hand.
"Participant Kuroya Shidou, remain where you are. You will be questioned regarding—"
He stopped.
The spot where Kuroya had been standing was empty.
The official stared.
"What…?"
Another official ran into the arena.
"Where did he go?"
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No trace.
No Shōin signature.
No exit had opened.
Kuroya Shidou had simply—
disappeared.
And for the first time that day, the Divine Crucible became completely silent.