WebNovels

Chapter 9 - You and I...

The arena hums with pressure. The next match lingers in everyone's mind.

Kaijou Kuronami versus Sora Kagehashi.

The duel that matters most. Here, Yamada finally witnesses what his creations have become.

It begins now—the first battle between two apexes.

Hayami glances at Bakura, her heart pounding. "Will he really be alright? This is Sora we're talking about."

Bakura crosses his arms, wincing as pain flares from his last duel. "I don't know. We've proven ourselves. It's his turn to settle his debts."

The arena erupts when Sora steps in, his smirk drawing wild cheers. Across the stage, Kaijou emerges—face still wet from a quick wash before the fight.

The two stand across from each other, their bodies still, but their eyes locks in their personal war. The referee stands between them. His hand raises highly as usual. 

"Kaijou Kuronami versus Sora Kagehashi... round 1."

"Begin."

Tensions escalate, everyone holds their breath, anticipating both of these monsters' moves. Sora slowly approaches, his stride deceptively calm and steady. "I must admit, you still have the guts to seek this fight."

Kaijou tilts his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. His mind racing with predictions of Sora's sudden attacks. "What? You think I would back off just because... You're Sora? No. I was never scared of you."

Then in a blink of an eye, something like a blur to others, Sora has already kicked Kaijou right on his temple. 

Kaijou stumbles from the unknown force that lands on him... his vision almost blurring, that wasn't a kick... That was an attempt of murder.

Sora whistles, the voice echoing around the arena. "Wow... You always surprise me, that was a precise kick that should've killed you, yet you still stand."

"How annoying."

Sora dashes again, everyone above trying to find out where he will attack next. Kaijou circles, he reads, observe and wait...

Sora's kick lands from behind, Kaijou turns and parries it away with his hands, he spins, twisting lowly to sweep Sora's legs as he returns to the ground. Sora notices this, his smirk faltering slightly, before he leaps in the air, barely dodging Kaijou's counterattack.

Both men stare at each other, above? Everybody's heart is pounding rapidly. Even Satou, Even Bakura. Other Ascendants begin to murmur with themselves... in awe of the fight they are witnessing.

Holy shit! How did Sora dodge that?

No way... Kaijou deflected his kicks just like that?

This is nuts! Why are we even here with these monsters!

Yamada stares from the surveillance room, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "Oh... what a theatrical performance... A battle of adaptability— that determines who the winner by who reads the other..."

Sora bares his teeth, his anger flaring as he moves swiftly, Kaijou braces himself, then before he realizes, Sora appears at his side, striking a knee to the face. 

CRACK!

Kaijou stumbles, his vision blurring, all he sees is a Grim Reaper... trying to take his life away. Sora appears infront of him, as he grabs his hands, Kaijou twists Sora's hand with his strength, forcing out a groan from him. Kaijou steps to the side, and delivers a fast jab at Sora's rib.

CRACK!

Sora grits his teeth, his eyes widening as the pain spikes up in his nervous system, he coughs blood, the force fracturing his ribs. "Agh! You... I will kill you!" he hisses, his frustration at its peak.

This is the first time... everyone witnesses that the inevitable Sora finally breaks. Finally 

The referee stands in their way, forcing them to stop. "Enough. We'll conclude the first round here. Please have a 5 minute break before continuing."

Sora breathes violently, before turning around and goes to his spot to rehydrate himself. His eyes lock on Kaijou's dark yellow eyes...

Satou and Suki stands behind him, not daring to ask him anything... All Sora sees is Kaijou getting support from Bakura and Hayami...

It boils me... How others just help you... Why not me? WHY NOT ME?

Sora's eyes darkens, his smirk resurfacing as he steps back into the arena. He licks his lips, now... He knows what to do.

The two meets each other's gaze as Kaijou slowly enters the arena again. The referee stands between them, his hand raises highly... "Kaijou Kuronami versus Sora Kagehashi... round 2."

"Begin."

Sora grins with malice, he circles Kaijou, his mind racing with opening ideas... "You know... maybe I should mimic your style... right? Maybe... just maybe... being calm and calculated— is only the way to beat you."

Kaijou's eyes follow Sora, tracking every movement he makes. "You are panicking, your mind races with thoughts— how can I beat him? What should I do? Let me answer you back... you can understand my pattern because we both fight the same way— You and I... are the same"

"But the difference is... we're miles apart."

Sora chuckles echoes throughout the arena, a haunting melody in the silent air. "Hah! You think... we still aren't the same? You're just a monster... Like me!"

Sora surges forward, his movements sharper, more precise, like a storm that refused to be contained. Sora's fist nears Kaijou's face, Kaijou raises his hand to block the strike, but... Sora feints, a deliberate stumble before he strikes down Kaijou's rib with his fists.

Kaijou's eyes widen, he is integrating deception into combats... with Sora gaining moment, he tries to control it and release a bombard of attacks to overwhelm Kaijou.

Kaijou tanks his hits, noting that his attacks get weaker when he is focusing on defeating him. He smirks, like he finally solve a piece of a thousand puzzles.

His smirk sends chills towards the Ascendants watching above... even Sora looks uncertain. The Ascendants mutter against themselves... discussing Kaijou's smirk.

Kaijou... he's smiling through the pain... what monster are you?

Sora went all out... just for Kaijou to simply shrug it off...?

Kaijou's more crazy than Sora!

"Sora... your hits were ineffective... not because you grew tired... or you didn't go all out. It was because your punches do not carry weights."

Gasps spreading across the Ascendants, Sora's jaw tightens as the words hit him. "Say that again," he mutters, voice low and hard.

"That's the difference between you and me. You inflict pain to justify your suffering... while I suffer, in hopes anyone doesn't feel what I experienced."

Kaijou dashes forward, his speed blinding Sora, now the tables have turned... Sora will have to stay on the defensive. Kaijou's kick nears Sora, he narrows his eyes, and twists lowly, in attempt to sweep him like how Kaijou had previously done it.

Kaijou slips, Sora's adrenaline rushes in his blood at the clear opening. A brutal stomp aiming for Kaijou's chest— but he vanishes.

A blur of movement, a calculated shift. 

Sora's foot strikes to the ground where Kaijou should have been, and in that split second off imbalance, Kaijou strikes from his side.

A crushing uppercut to his chin, then a strike to Sora's solar plexus. A devastating follow-up, each strike more brutal than the last. Sora reels back, coughing violently, even more blood spills out from his mouth.

For the first time, he looked up at Kaijou, and in his eyes, there was something he had never felt before.

Doubt.

Kaijou exhales, refusing to continue, letting Sora rethink his own situation. "You've already lost."

One final strike, delivered with all the force of years of pain, rage, and resolution. Kaijou's fist collided with the side of Sora's head, sending him crashing into the ground.

The world seemed to freeze as Sora lay there, motionless, his body refusing to move. The arena erupted in a mix of horror and awe. Kaijou... wins?

NO!

Then... Yamada descents onto the arena, a slow deliberate clap echoes through the space, cutting through the noise like a blade.

 His eyes gleaming with amusement. "Impressive, my son." His voice is calm, almost affectionate. "Truly, you never fail to entertain."

Kaijou's breath hitches, his body still coiled for battle. "I'm not your son, and I never wanted to."

Yamada chuckled. "Still so defiant. But you misunderstand." He leans forward, his voice lowering, darkening. "Did you really think I would let you walk away just because you won?"

From the shadows, two figures stepped forward.

Kotinari and Shinji. 

Yamada's most trusted assassins—the deadliest forces under his command. Two adults with capabilities to kill anything precisely in their sights.

The crowd falls into deep silence.

Shinji cracks his neck, his expression unreadable. "The boy's strong," he murmurs, "but strength means nothing against inevitability."

Kotinari's lips curls into a humorless smile. "Let's see how long you last, Ascendant-900."

They attack in unison.

Kaijou barely has time to react before Shinji's kick is at his throat. He dodges, but Kotinari is already there, striking with inhuman precision. A precise kick, targeting for Kaijou's spine. 

CRACK!

Kaijou falters, he feels like he wants to collapse. 

They are faster. Sharper. Deadlier.

For the first time in his life, Kaijou is outmatched. A strike to his ribs. A kick that sends him reeling. Blood drips onto the ruined ground beneath him.

Bakura and Hayami watches with wide, knowing if they intervene... there's no guarantee, that they could be helpful...

His vision blurring, his body giving up... when suddenly. Kaijou hears his voice. Shibuma.

Kaijou. May I fight now? 

You've beaten Sora now, you may rest as I will handle these two.

Kaijou pauses before he falls, standing up with his last ounces of strength. His eyes closing.

Once it reopens... dark red irises colors his previously dark yellow.

Kotinari chuckles, "Oh? Shinji-san, did you perhaps went a bit too rough? His eyes are... bleeding."

Suddenly, Kaijou dashes forward, ducking under Shinji's sudden kick. seizing Kotinari's wrist and snapping it with precision.

CRACK!

Kotinari groans. "You little—!" 

But Kaijou is already far gone, a blur of motion, he pivots, catches Shinji's wrist mid-swing, and drives his elbow into his throat. Shinji staggers, choking.

Kaijou appears behind Kotinari within seconds... as he slowly turns around. Kaijou strikes his kick onto his temple sending him crashing down. Then, a final decisive blow shatters Shinji's ribs, leaving him gasping for air.

Kaijou's dark red eyes gleams with exhiliration, as he reaches for the microphone. "Kaijou Kuronami... is the undisputed winner."

Yamada's eyes widen at the carnage left behind. He presses the alarm, as sirens rings in the air. The once-rowdy crowd, now trembling in their seats. Their whispers filled with disbelief.

T-This isn't possible... They were supposed to be invincible!

Kaijou... he's not human. He can't be.

If even Kotinari and Shinji lost... what the hell is going to happen now?

Bakura and Hayami quickly approaching Kaijou, as he leads them to the escape.

"You've proven yourself. But did you really think victory would be enough?" Yamada mutters, his voice irritated.

"We're out of time, ignore him, let's go." Kaijou says, running forward to the doors. 

Bakura scans their surroundings, fists clenching. "They'll send more. We have to go now."

Yamada's fingers drum against the armrest of his chair. "Go? And where exactly do you think you'll run?"

The facility's steel doors groan open, the sound reverberating through the arena like a death sentence. A flood of heavily armed guards pours in, forming an unbreakable blockade.

Satou, watching from the sidelines, exhales. "Tch. Even after all that, the bastard still has more pieces to play."

Kaijou's mind races, his body already preparing for the next fight. But then— Hayami grabs his wrist, her voice urgent. "Not here. We can't win like this." Kaijou hesitates for only a second before nodding. "Then we leave. Now."

Without another word, he lunges forward, leading the charge. Hayami and Bakura follow instantly, moving in perfect sync. The guards raise their weapons, but Kaijou is faster—striking, disarming, moving with ruthless efficiency.

Yamada simply watches, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Run as much as you like, Kaijou. You'll never truly be free."

But Kaijou doesn't look back. The three of them run, as far as they can

As the three catch their breath in the abandoned building, the cold night air seeps through the cracks in the walls. The structure stands skeletal—broken windows, rotting wood, and the scent of decay clinging to the air. Yet, for the first time in their lives, they are beyond Yamada's reach.

Hayami slumps against a fallen beam, pressing her trembling hands together. "We actually did it..." She exhales sharply, disbelief lacing her voice. "We escaped."

Bakura, leaning against a ruined pillar, lets out a dry chuckle. "Don't celebrate yet. He won't let us go that easily." His eyes dart toward Kaijou. "You know that better than anyone."

Kaijou stands near a shattered window, watching the facility's distant silhouette under the moonlight. His body aches, cuts and bruises litter his skin, but his mind remains razor-sharp.

"Yamada expects us to break, not to run. But now that we're out, he'll send everything after us." He turns, his golden eyes glinting in the dim light. "We don't have much time before he tracks us down."

Hayami frowns, hugging herself. "Where do we go? We can't just wander aimlessly. We need supplies, weapons, a plan."

Bakura scoffs. "You mean Kaijou needs a plan. That's what he does, right?" He crosses his arms. "So what's the next move, genius?"

Kaijou remains silent for a moment, then his gaze lands on a rusted terminal half—buried in debris. He walks over, brushing away dust before tapping at the keys. The screen flickers, barely functioning, but it's enough.

"First, we disappear. Yamada has eyes everywhere, but there are places even he doesn't touch." He glances at them. "Shōri Club. They are a group of people that I have heard about before... they just need a leader, an effective one like me. I'll expand it, and we can rival Yamada's influence." 

Hayami gulps, amazed by Kaijou's insight. "Well... you sure have thought about it longer than our current escape.

"This is the war's dawn. He built us. He will watch it consume him."

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