Drex didn't give them even a second to think.

  The instant Daiki shouted that they were ready, Drex vanished—and reappeared directly in front of them. Before either of them could react, his hands shot forward and smashed both of their heads straight down into the marble ptform.

  A deafening crack rang through the arena as the marble fractured beneath the impact, shards scattering like glittering knives. Dust and small chunks of stone burst into the air.

  Pain exploded through Izan's skull, white-hot and blinding. Daiki groaned beside him, both of them momentarily stunned, blood already trickling from small cuts along their foreheads where the marble had split under the force.

  But they recovered fast.

  Both pushed up, gasping, chests heaving, eyes darting around the arena.

  "…Where did he go?" Daiki muttered, tail twitching uneasily.

  Izan wiped blood from near his eyebrow and scanned the arena. The air felt wrong—too still, too expectant.

  Then he looked up.

  "DAIKI—"

  Too te.

  Drex dropped from above like a falling bde, shadow cutting across the sunlight. In a blur, he drove a brutal punch straight into Daiki's stomach.

  The impact folded Daiki in half and unched him across the arena. His body smashed into the bleachers, stone cracking, dust raining down in a mini avanche.

  Drex nded lightly and chuckled under his breath."…I might be trying a little harder than I meant to."

  Izan's eyes narrowed, irritation fshing.

  He dashed forward, fists blurred in a flurry of jabs, elbows, and a spinning strike—but Drex flowed with them effortlessly, blocking, weaving, parrying. Each blow shook the air, sending micro-shocks across the marble beneath their feet.

  Then Drex caught him off guard.

  A sudden grab—A twist—

  He hurled Izan upward.

  Before Izan could stabilize, Drex leapt and delivered a crushing bicycle kick straight into his face, unching him back across the arena—directly toward Daiki.

  Daiki had just staggered to his feet when Izan smmed beside him.

  Daiki's tail expanded rapidly, thick fur bristling, raised like a living shield, blocking Drex's sight for just a fraction of a second.

  That fraction was enough.

  Izan pnted his foot on the tail, unching forward with explosive speed, striking Drex midair—hard enough to stagger him slightly, even through the block.

  At the same time, Daiki surged upward from below, fists and tail striking in perfect sync.

  Gunshots cracked across the arena.

  Magic bullets streaked downward toward Daiki, glowing faintly, trailing sparks. He dodged frantically, but a few bullets struck the marble—exploding violently, sending him skidding backward into the ptform, cracks spreading like spiderwebs beneath him.

  Izan nded nearby, chest heaving, blood trickling from his lip.Good… the perfume's still in the air, he thought, steadying his breathing.I've been waiting for the right moment…

  Illusions began to manifest.

  One Izan became ten.Ten became fifty.Hundreds shimmered into existence, phantoms of motion, all rushing toward Drex.

  Drex nded lightly, gncing directly at the real Izan, eyes narrowing.

  Izan's stomach twisted.How…?

  The illusions surged anyway, flooding toward Drex from every angle. Daiki pushed through the fading smoke, eyes bzing.

  Drex raised one pistol, firing five shots—not at them, but at the marble ptform.

  The bullets ricocheted wildly, tearing through illusions, each duplicate flickering and vanishing in sparks.

  Daiki dashed through the chaos, striking Drex's blind side. Izan attacked from the front.

  Drex twisted—firing one bullet at Izan, another at Daiki—one massive explosion between them hurled both across the marble, skidding, muscles trembling, bruises forming along arms and ribs, blood streaking faintly down their faces.

  But they forced themselves up again, charging from opposite sides.

  Hand-to-hand combat erupted, muscles straining, strikes reverberating, Drex blocking and dodging with surgical precision—one hand per attacker.

  He dashed aside, almost letting Izan and Daiki collide.

  Then Drex appeared behind Izan, striking.

  Daiki reacted instinctively, smming his palm over Izan's head, leaping, pushing him downward while grabbing his colr.

  Drex's eyes narrowed. Why sacrifice yourself…?

  He struck Daiki midair—but Daiki bent his arm, twisting, tossing Izan upward instead.

  Izan unched off Daiki's back, driving both feet toward Drex.

  Drex smirked—then a spirit wolf materialized, blocking the strike.

  Drex dashed away as both boys crashed to the marble, sweat and blood streaking their faces, muscles screaming.

  Daiki growled softly; his tail and ears expanded again, power fring visibly.

  They charged once more.

  "…You two really don't quit," Drex murmured, his voice sharper now.

  A single strike hit Izan—one second too slow—bsting him into the bleachers, leaving another deep dent in the stone.

  Daiki followed, kicking three times midair toward Drex's head. Drex dodged each, caught Daiki's legs, and hurled him toward Izan.

  Izan caught Daiki, spun once, and threw him back at Drex.

  Drex fired bullets midair; Daiki dodged—until one exploded, sending him skidding again.

  Izan charged through smoke, bullets streaking past him, sliding low across the marble, closing the distance.

  Drex aimed both guns—but Daiki struck midair.

  The spirit wolf appeared; Daiki grabbed it and hurled it toward Drex.

  Drex froze for a fraction, poison briefly locking his muscles, blood slipping from his nose.

  He recovered, barely dodging Izan's kick.

  Both boys pressed forward—but Daiki's enhanced form colpsed. Tail shrank, ears returned to normal. Exhaustion hit like a tidal wave.

  Drex shadow-stepped, striking.

  Izan tried to block—but the force sent him crashing into Daiki, the collision flinging both across the arena, skidding across marble.

  Izan y there a moment, chest heaving, staring at the sky, forcing his body to recover.

  Daiki tried to rise… then colpsed, unconscious.

  Drex chuckled quietly.

  At that moment, two figures appeared behind him—Ayame and Shiranami.

  They struck simultaneously.

  "…Why are you two here?" Drex asked, eyes narrowing.

  "WE WANT THE 300 POINTS!" both shouted, voices wild and unhinged. Ayame's eyes burned with crazed excitement as she recovered her stance.

  Drex let out a low chuckle, rolling his shoulder as he faced them."Your powers won't work on me," he said calmly. "Shiranami… your bde needs to taste an enemy's blood to awaken properly. If it tastes your own blood—or an ally's—it backfires. You know that."

  His eyes shifted to Ayame."And you… without Aiyana, you're half as strong. I doubt she'd lend you her power so easily."

  Shiranami drew his sword. Ayame drew her dual bdes.

  "SHUT UP!" they both shouted loudly at the same time, voices echoing across the arena as they charged forward.

  Strikes blurred, speed climbing beyond limits, Drex blocked with his pistols.

  Let me use it. Now.Ayame's thought rang sharply, demanding power, impatient and fierce.

  Far away, Aiyana groaned. Fine… just don't overdo it.

  Ayame vanished, reappearing with Shiranami repeatedly, fshes of light and steel, striking from every angle.

  Drex chuckled, rolling his shoulder, fatigue now creeping into his otherwise perfect movements.

  "I can sense where you'll be… a second before you arrive," he said, voice sharp.And at this rate… I might actually have to start trying.

  His kick unched Ayame backward, sword spinning dangerously.

  Drex appeared above her, driving her face through the marble ptform, leaving a deep crater. She went unconscious instantly.

  Shiranami froze—then charged.

  Drex shattered his sword. Shiranami grabbed him—enough time for Izan to shadow-step behind Drex, nearly nding a headkick—

  —but Drex twisted sharply, slipping out of Shiranami's grip with a burst of speed and driving a kick into him, sending Shiranami crashing across the arena. The broken half of the bde spun through the air, scraping Drex's leg slightly before cttering away.

  Shiranami fell, cursed, vulnerable. As he tried to rise, his sword slipped and the blood on its edge brushed against his own arm. Instantly, the effect backfired. His body stiffened, muscles locking as the paralysis surged through him, forcing him back to one knee, unable to move properly for several seconds.

  Anger fred in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he smmed his fist and then his forehead once against the ground in frustration.

  "Damn it!" he shouted loudly, voice echoing across the arena.

  From the stands, Sayaka, Rin, and Kawa watched.

  Sayaka: Izan… you've gotten far stronger than I expected.

  Rin: "They're incredible… especially Izan and Daiki. They keep rising no matter what."

  Kawa: "Whoa… this is insane!"

  Back on the battlefield, Izan's chest heaved, blood streaking his nose and chin.

  Drex tilted his head. "…Just give up."

  Izan exhaled, closed his eyes, breathing slowed, steady, controlled, focused.

  Power stirred. A red-pink aura fred. One tail formed, ears sharpened, energy flowing outward.

  Sayaka smirked. Rin watched, captivated. Kawa's eyes sparkled."Ooooh! Cool!"

  Drex tilted his head. "…I wonder what that could be…"

  Izan crouched low, body bending in a fluid, cat-like stance, muscles coiled like a spring. In an instant, he unched forward, striking Drex with double the speed he normally wielded. Drex barely managed to dodge, moving with practiced precision while letting out a sharp ugh.

  "I've got to hurry this up… my old bones are getting tired," he muttered, dodging and blocking with a mixture of amusement and strain.

  He tried to push himself faster, and for the first time in the fight, he was slightly ahead—but Izan, pushing past his limits, barely kept up. Both of them moved beyond their usual peak, trading blows in a blur. Jabs, hooks, kicks, spins—all collided with bone-cracking force. Sweat and blood streaked their faces as every strike forced them to dig deeper into their reserves of energy and mana.

  Minutes passed in relentless combat. Izan could feel the drain, every fiber of his being burning with effort. He pushed, dodged, and struck, but even at peak speed, he felt the cost mounting.

  Meanwhile, Daiki staggered to his feet, blood streaming across his face. Every inch of him was coated in crimson, but his lips curled into a faint smirk, ears twitching slightly with anticipation. Ayame rose as well, her dual swords in hand, blood rushing from a cut on her forehead. Her eyes had gone fully white, pupils rolled slightly backward, and she grinned with a wild, almost sinister delight.

  Shiranami tossed his weapon aside and joined the assault, each of them striking Drex simultaneously. Drex's spirit wolves sprang to life, intercepting attacks and shielding him as he engaged Izan directly. Explosions of energy and blood forced the four combatants back, and Izan's body tingled with the burn of exertion.

  He realized something crucial.

  "Try putting your blood on him," Izan instructed, voice strained and commanding.

  Shiranami froze. "What? Why would I—" he yelled in disbelief.

  Daiki growled, cutting him off. "Just do it."

  Ayame's expression twisted into pure rage, a berserk gleam in her eyes. She sshed her own arm, blood flowing freely. "I'll do it!" she shouted, grabbing Shiranami's arm and smearing a streak of her blood across it, marking him as part of the ritual.

  Izan's voice faltered, concern tinged with nerves. "Woah… you didn't have to go that far."

  "Shut up. Let's hurry this up," she snapped, eyes burning with intent.

  They all nodded, following his lead. Drex chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying the chaos.

  Sayaka watched from the stands, quietly analyzing the scene. So… Izan discovered his Kitsune power. Just one tail, but already he can ignite anyone's blood at will… she thought, narrowing her eyes. But… does he even realize he can control anyone's blood? So far, he's only shown it with his own. That means… the potential is far greater than anyone knows.

  The battlefield became a deadly symphony. Every time Drex fired, ten bullets streaked outward, followed by a massive, single explosive round. Izan, Ayame, and Daiki dodged with precision, countering and surging forward, their movements a blur of speed and power.

  Daiki expanded his tail, thickening it like a living shield, and positioned it in front of Ayame and Izan, absorbing one of the rger explosions. Sparks and marble fragments rained around them, blood and dust mixing in the air.

  Shiranami shadow-stepped behind Drex, striking his hand and leaving a smear of blood that spttered onto Drex's coat. The blood sizzled faintly, catching fire from the residual magic in the arena, making him momentarily flinch. Drex smirked, but his mind raced—wondering what had caused that brief, unexpected cut and why Shiranami was smirking.

  Shiranami shadow-stepped behind Drex, striking his hand and leaving a smear of blood that spttered onto Drex's coat. Drex smirked, but his mind raced—wondering what had caused that brief, unexpected cut and why Shiranami was smirking.

  Before Daiki and Izan could close the distance, Drex spun sharply and kicked Shiranami across the arena. He skidded along the marble, momentarily stunned, blood streaking across his face from the impact, giving Drex a fraction of a second to refocus.

  Only then did the blood on Drex's coat begin to react. The stain sizzled faintly, then flickered to life, small fmes spreading across the fabric from the lingering magic in the air. Drex felt the heat and flinched slightly, gncing down for just a split second in irritation as the fire started to eat at his coat.

  Seizing the moment, Ayame teleported both Izan and Daiki midair, repositioning them instantly so Drex's original aim with his guns missed entirely. The battlefield erupted into chaos again as all three prepared to csh once more, the air thick with dust, blood, and crackling energy.

  They struck back in perfect synchronicity. Drex's eyes flicked to the blood-stained, smoldering coat—then, with a controlled motion, he tossed it toward Daiki. The fmes from the blood hissed as it soared, a dangerous dispy of both his magic and the unexpected contamination of his coat. At the same time, he collided fists with Izan, the force creating a circur shockwave that threw everything around them back.

  Daiki finally colpsed, coughing up blood, exhausted from overexertion. With a tremendous effort, he forced himself to nd back on his feet for a brief moment before finally passing out completely.

  Izan and Drex cshed again, fists colliding with overwhelming force. The impact radiated outward like a shockwave, pushing everything around them violently—stones, debris, and dust scattering in every direction. The sheer intensity of their strikes sent tremors through the battlefield, rattling the marble and creating a zone that kept Ayame and Shiranami at bay.

  Blood smeared across Izan's fist ignited, thin streams of fme coiling around his knuckles. The heat fred with each surge of power, the burning pressure forcing Drex to brace harder, his muscles tightening as the added force bore down on him. The air between them shimmered from the heat and impact, the csh growing heavier with every second.

  Ayame tried to get close, but the force prevented her advance. Even Shiranami, drained and struggling, couldn't breach the zone of impact. Izan's form began to waver, energy and stamina depleting rapidly under the relentless assault.

  Drex smirked confidently. "They're going to lose."

  Drex saw it coming—a fsh of Rin's light sword slicing through the air. But as his eyes widened, he realized the terrible choice before him: if he tried to dodge, the immense force from him and Izan cshing at that very moment would explode, the backsh hitting him with devastating effect. Any attempt to evade now could make him lose everything.

  He had no choice. Drex braced himself and took the strike in the shoulder. He didn't know about Rin's special passive, and the sudden surge of energy from her sword caught him off guard. The impact sent a jolt through his body, leaving him slightly paralyzed for a brief moment—still locked in combat with Izan.

  Izan's punch nded, pure and unstoppable. His form surged back to full strength, energy flowing perfectly. He knocked Drex back into the bleachers with a bone-crushing impact, the force reverberating through the arena.

  His aura flickered, then vanished, leaving him breathing heavily. Rin rose to her feet, reciming her light sword.

  Kawa's voice rang out, excitement practically vibrating in her words. "That was amazing!" She gave Rin a high five.

  Sayaka smiled proudly, clearly impressed by Izan's dispy. She turned to Rin and gave her a high five as well, sharing the moment of triumph.

  Drex pushed himself up, gring at Rin. "Damned Amagawa girl…" he muttered, pride edging his tone. "I should never have let my guard down."

  His spirit wolf slinked off toward Aurelia for healing, while Sayaka, Rin, and Kawa moved to gather the injured students.

  Aurelia arrived swiftly, Valeria following behind. Valeria's soft, slow words sliced the tension. "Well… well… well. You lost to them?"

  Drex mumbled something under his breath, and Valeria chuckled quietly. Aurelia immediately went to work, her magic flowing expertly to heal Izan, Daiki, Ayame, and Shiranami.

  "You overdid it," Aurelia scolded Drex lightly.

  "They'll recover," Drex said, watching her work. "With the best healer in the world."

  Aurelia's cheeks flushed softly at the compliment, a faint smile appearing as she focused on her healing magic.

  He then gnced at Sayaka. "You did a good job with Izan."

  Sayaka smirked proudly, nodding in thanks.

  He turned to Rin. "You should have joined the fight earlier. It might have been fun," he said with a teasing smile. Rin blushed, and Drex patted her hair lightly.

  Kawa piped up. "Why isn't he talking to me?"

  Drex grinned. "Because you're the most annoying of all of them."

  Kawa grabbed onto his spirit wolf as it whined, riding it gleefully. Drex smiled quietly, watching. Sayaka and Rin assisted Aurelia while Valeria and Drex walked away.

  "Now I have to get this pce cleaned up," Valeria muttered. Drex, slightly distracted, apologized.

  "What did you learn about them all?" she asked.

  "They are definitely the future of this school… and eventually, the high school," he said. "If they keep training like this, they'll reach the top in two years."

  Valeria looked impressed, staring into the sky. "Will they… be like us?" she whispered, remembering the past—the old school days, the trials, the sacrifices.

  Drex nodded slightly. "They might even surpass the Celestial Gods. Who knows…"

  They all stared upward, the wind brushing past them, memories fshing, some painful, some proud. Valeria blinked back a tear, gathering herself as she walked toward the school, murmuring to herself.

  "They really might be the future."

  She smiled.