Arena — Tournament Stadium
The crowd buzzed, tension stretching like a wire about to snap.
Manso stood across the ring, bouncing slightly on his feet. His armor pulsed faintly with DU energy.
Renji — calm, cocky, unshaken — cracked his knuckles and stepped forward.
Manso (smirking):
"I've heard it all before. Let's see if you can back it up."
Renji (chuckling):
"Action, huh? Let's see if you can keep up with mine."
Their eyes locked.
Announcer:
"BEGIN!!"
⸻
BOOM—!!
Renji vanished from his starting point, closing the distance in a flash.
His fists were already in motion.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Three sharp strikes aimed for Manso's chest—blocked, but not without damage. The sheer force pushed Manso backward, his heels grinding across the stone floor.
Renji (taunting):
"What's wrong? Can't keep up?"
Manso growled, retaliating with a sharp roundhouse kick.
Renji ducked—
SPINNING BACKFIST!!
WHACK!!
Manso's jaw snapped sideways as he stumbled.
Crowd:
"OHHHH!!!"
Cheers exploded.
Renji stayed on him—no hesitation, no wasted motion.
Manso regrouped, anger rising.
Manso (serious now):
"Not bad. But you're not winning this that easily."
FWWOOOM—!!
A barrage of DU blasts erupted from Manso's palms.
Renji dodged them all—vanishing, reappearing, a phantom on the battlefield.
Then—
SMASH!!
He appeared behind Manso mid-blast and slammed an elbow between his shoulder blades.
Manso dropped hard—face-first.
Renji stood over him, expression flat, aura rising.
Renji (cold):
"I told you… I'll end this soon."
⸻
But then—
Renji's eyes sharpened.
Only he noticed it.
A small motion—barely visible.
Manso's jaw twitched.
His throat moved.
Renji (quiet, disgusted):
"Tch… swallowed a pill?"
Manso began to twitch.
DU energy exploded from his body—doubling. Tripling. His aura flared with a violent, unstable hue.
Gasps from the crowd.
Spectator:
"Whoa! What's going on?!"
Genzō (cold, focused):
"That wasn't just anything…"
He glances at the empty vial rolling near the edge of the arena.
Genzō (sharp):
"—Purge Pill."
Enro (confused):
"Purge Pill?"
Genzō (calm, but deadly serious):
"Short-term boost. Massive. Muscle expansion, nerve acceleration, instant power spike…
But in exchange… it burns through your organs.
Fast."
The air grows still.
Genzō looks to the side—toward Benru, sitting too relaxed, too quiet… and smiling.
Genzō's eyes lock onto him.
Genzō (low, realizing):
"…He knew."
Enro (alarmed):
"Then that means—Renji's in trouble. We have to stop the match!"
Genzō turns to Enro.
Then—
He laughs. Low, proud, fearless.
Genzō (grinning):
"No pill should ever be able to defeat my student."
His voice sharpens.
Genzō (serious, confident):
"Renji was trained by me… just like you were."
He folds his arms.
Genzō (smirking):
"If Manso wants to burn his life away to win—
…he better pray it's enough to survive what's coming."
Back in the arena
Renji (low, unimpressed):
"No matter how many of those you swallow…"
He stepped forward, eyes sharp, voice like steel:
"…you'll never reach my level."
⸻
TO BE CONTINUED…