Rain pressed down on Yunara like a weight.
Not a drizzle. Not a storm that passed.
It stayed.
Relentless.
Heavy drops struck the flooded streets, breaking the surface again and again, turning the ground into rippling water stained with blood.
In the middle of it—
Two figures stood.
Bare skin.
Open wounds.
Breathing that refused to steady.
Raikaro.
Kaizo.
Neither moved.
Not yet.
Kaizo inhaled slowly.
Rain filled his lungs.
Cold.
Sharp.
Mixed with iron.
Blood.
His.
Rai's.
The street's.
And beneath it—
A pattern.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
A subtle shift in Rai's shoulder.
A slight drop in weight.
A momentary stillness.
There.
Rai moved.
Kaizo's body responded before thought.
His blade came up—
Perfect angle.
Perfect timing.
But—
Nothing met it.
His sword cut through rain.
Empty.
Rai's strike never reached.
Kaizo's eyes flickered.
A shift.
Small.
Almost invisible.
Then—
Pain.
A line tore across his side.
Clean.
Precise.
Blood spilled immediately, mixing with the rainwater at his feet.
Kaizo stepped back.
One step.
Measured.
Controlled.
But his mind—
Was not.
I read it.
I knew it.
Rai didn't follow.
Didn't press.
He watched.
Waiting.
The rain filled the silence between them.
Kaizo inhaled again.
Faster this time.
Rain.
Blood.
Movement.
Too many layers.
Focus.
Another shift.
Lower this time.
Kaizo adjusted instantly.
His stance dropped.
His blade angled downward—
Again—
Nothing.
The strike vanished halfway.
No impact.
No clash.
Only change.
Then—
A second line cut across his shoulder.
Deeper.
His body jerked slightly from the force.
…What is this…
Rai stepped forward again.
Unhurried.
Kaizo's grip tightened.
He inhaled sharply.
The pattern was there.
He could feel it.
Sense it.
But it kept—
Breaking.
Rai moved.
Kaizo reacted.
Too early.
Again—
Empty space.
And then—
Pain followed.
Another cut.
His body dropped lower this time.
One knee brushing the flooded ground.
Water splashed outward.
His breathing broke for a moment.
He's not faster…
His eyes lifted.
He's changing…
Kaizo pushed himself up again.
Quick.
Almost forced.
Rain ran down his face, mixing with the blood from his forehead.
Rai didn't rush him.
Didn't speak.
That silence—
It pressed harder than any attack.
Kaizo exhaled slowly.
Then don't follow the start.
His stance shifted.
Slightly looser.
Less rigid.
Rai stepped forward.
Kaizo didn't move immediately.
He waited.
A fraction.
The attack came.
Kaizo moved—
Not at the beginning.
At the middle.
Steel met steel.
A short clash.
Sharp.
Violent.
Then separation.
No injury.
Rai's eyes changed.
Just slightly.
Kaizo noticed.
There.
Another attack.
Rai changed again—
But this time—
Kaizo didn't chase the first line.
He followed the shift.
The blade passed closer.
Still grazing.
But not cutting deep.
A shallow wound.
Progress.
Kaizo exhaled.
Then—
Noise.
Fragments flooded his mind.
Rin.
Haru.
The earlier fight.
Blood.
Movement.
Voices.
Rain.
Everything at once.
His grip tightened.
…Not now…
Rai moved again.
Kaizo reacted—
Late.
A clean strike landed across his chest.
His body dropped hard to the ground.
Water exploded around him.
For a moment—
He didn't move.
Rain hit his face.
Hard.
Cold.
…Still…
His fingers twitched.
Still not enough…
He pushed himself up.
Slow.
Unsteady.
But he stood.
Rai watched.
Unmoved.
Unshaken.
Kaizo laughed.
Low.
Rough.
"You're good…"
He wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Really good…"
His breathing steadied.
Not calm.
But controlled enough.
His eyes lifted again.
Sharp.
Wild.
Focused.
"You changed it…"
Rai said nothing.
"Not speed…"
Kaizo tilted his head slightly.
"Timing."
Rain struck harder.
Kaizo adjusted his grip.
"If I can't catch the start…"
A step forward.
"I'll take the middle."
Rai moved.
This time—
Kaizo didn't rush.
Didn't predict.
He followed.
Clang.
A solid clash.
Both pushed.
Separated.
Moved again.
Faster now.
Water shattered beneath their feet as they crossed distance again and again.
Rai attacked—
Changed—
Kaizo followed—
Adjusted—
Again.
Again.
The rhythm broke.
Reformed.
Broke again.
Neither held control for long.
A cut landed on Rai's arm.
Small.
But real.
Rai stepped back half a step.
Kaizo stepped forward.
The gap—
Closing.
Rain poured harder.
Blood continued to fall.
Neither stopped.
Kaizo raised his blade again.
His voice steady now.
"You're not untouchable."
A breath.
"Not anymore."
Rai didn't answer.
He moved.
Kaizo moved with him.
And this time—
Neither was chasing.
They were colliding.
Fast.
Sharp.
Unfinished.
The storm swallowed the sound of steel.
And the fight—
Was only getting started.
To be continued…