They closed the distance in a rush, both moving with the kind of speed born from years of survival. Kael swung first, his fist cutting through the air like a blade, but Yu leaned just enough to let it graze past his ear. At the same moment, Yu's own punch skimmed Kael's side, close but not quite landing. Without missing a beat, Yu drove his knee upward, slamming it into Kael's flank with a dull thud.
Kael didn't flinch or block; he absorbed the blow, a grim smile twisting his lips. In one fluid motion, he hooked his hand under Yu's knee and shoved his palm against Yu's chest, lifting him off the ground. The world tilted, and Yu hit the dirt hard, the impact jarring through his bones, forcing a cough from his lungs. Kael was on him in an instant, his fist descending like a hammer.
Yu twisted his head aside, the punch cratering the earth beside his ear. He retaliated with a sharp jab to Kael's nose, feeling the crunch, but no blood came, Kael shook it off as if it were nothing, firing back immediately. Yu dodged by the slimmest margin, the wind from the swing ruffling his hair.
He's built like stone, Yu thought, his mind racing even as he moved. Natural toughness, absorbing everything. My hits won't dent him. I've got the edge in technique and strategy, but that body of his... it's massive, unyielding.
Another punch came, heavy and furious, but Yu's sixth sense flared, giving him that fraction of a second to weave away. Kael's frustration boiled over, his face flushing with anger. Yu's fingers brushed the ground, closing around a handful of loose pebbles. He clenched them into his fist, adding grit and weight, then surged forward two quick strikes to Kael's nose, solid and unforgiving.
Kael reeled back, clutching his face as blood finally trickled down. He staggered off Yu, cursing under his breath. Yu pushed himself up, his head throbbing with a dull ache. Why does it hurt like this? The sixth sense has never pushed me this far before...
Kael steps back, wiping blood from his nose, his grin twisted with disdain. "Playin' dirty, huh? Figures, comin' from a weakling like you."
Yu's eyes narrow, his breath steadying despite the headache. He yanks off his torn tunic, tossing it aside, revealing a lean, muscled frame, scarred from years of carrying burdens, but strong, forged by survival. His fingers tighten around the pebbles still clutched in his left hand, their edges biting into his palm, keeping his focus sharp. The crowd murmurs, their gazes shifting, but Yu doesn't care. His attention locks on Kael, every movement, every breath.
Kael snatches a bamboo sword from a hunter watching nearby, its surface worn but solid. He advances, eyes blazing, and swings horizontally with his right arm, aiming for Yu's head. Yu leans back, the blade whistling past, close enough to stir his hair. The world slows, colors fading to gray, his sixth sense kicking in, sharp and heavy, like a weight in his skull. But this time, it's different; he can't move as fast as he sees, his body lagging behind his mind. Kael doesn't stop. He pivots, driving the bamboo sword into Yu's stomach with a quick, brutal thrust. Yu stumbles back, pain flaring, nearly falling, his feet scrambling for balance.
Gritting his teeth, Yu grabs a wooden staff from a bystander. He charges Kael, swinging the staff downward in a vertical arc. Kael sidesteps, his body fluid, and counters with his own vertical slash. Yu reacts fast, raising his staff to block. The bamboo sword meets the wood with a sharp crack, the two locked in place, trembling under the strain.
Shizuka watches from the sidelines, his breath catching. A test of strength, he thinks, eyes flicking between them. Yu's lean frame tenses, muscles taut, while Kael's bulk pushes forward, unyielding. The crowd holds its breath, the air thick with the clash of wood and will.
Kael bore down, his bamboo sword pressing against Yu's staff with relentless force, his bulk a wall of muscle. "You're nothin' in a fight like this," he growled, leaning in, pushing Yu toward the ground. Yu's muscles strained, every fiber taut, his knees bending slightly under the weight. His eyes darted, scanning Kael's stance for any opening, his mind sharp despite the ache in his body. Then he saw it, Kael's knee, slightly forward, unguarded. In a flash, Yu stomped down hard on it, feeling the joint buckle under his heel.
Kael stumbled, his balance thrown, and Yu seized the moment. He slipped to the side, breaking the pressure, and thrust the tip of his staff into Kael's throat with a quick, precise jab. The crack of wood against flesh echoed, and the crowd gasped, a collective "Ooh!" rippling through the onlookers.
Kael clutched his throat, coughing, but his eyes blazed with fury. He caught Yu's next swing, grabbing the staff's tip with one hand and driving his fist into Yu's stomach with the other. The blow landed like a stone, forcing Yu to his knees, a sharp cough tearing from his chest, pain blooming where Kael's fist had struck.
Kael straightened, still wheezing from the throat hit, and grabbed a fistful of Yu's hair, yanking his head up. "You broke my damn nose," he snarled, blood smearing his face.
Yu, gasping, forced a bitter laugh through the pain. "Son of a mare," he spat, the words sharp with defiance, echoing Kael's earlier insult to his mother.
Kael's face twisted, his fist rising for another blow, but Shizuka was there in an instant, stepping between them. "Enough, Kael!" His voice was firm, his broad shoulders blocking Kael's path. Kael glared, his grip on Yu's hair tightening for a moment before he let go, shoving Yu back. He turned, stalking off, the crowd parting silently as he passed, their whispers trailing in his wake.
Yu stayed on his knees, catching his breath, the sting of the fight and the weight of his own words lingering in the air.
The crowd had dispersed, leaving the training field quiet, the air still heavy with the tension of the fight. Yu sat on the dirt, catching his breath, his stomach aching from Kael's punch. Shizuka crouched beside him, his broad shoulders relaxed, a faint grin playing on his lips.
"Damn, Yu," Shizuka said, clapping a hand on Yu's shoulder. "You were badass out there, even if you got your ass handed to you. Should be a hunter, man."
Yu snorted, wincing as he pressed a hand to his side. "Lyin's a sin, Shizuka. I'm pretty sure Kael rearranged my guts. I'll stick to carryin' stuff and watchin' you lot."
Shizuka chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, wise guy. So what's the lesson we learned today?"
Yu's eyes flicked up, his voice steady despite the pain. "A man's gotta be strong in his mind, same as his body."
Shizuka nodded, his grin widening. "Fair. And you and Kael? You're even now. You called his mom a mare, he called yours one. Tit for tat."
Yu let out a dry laugh, the memory of the insult still stinging but softened by Shizuka's easy tone. "Yeah, guess we're square."
Shizuka stood, offering a hand to pull Yu up. "If we had water, we'd be washin' off this mess. But we don't, so let's head back to the cave."
Yu took his hand, hauling himself up with a grunt. "Yeah," he said, his voice quieter now, the weight of the day settling in. "Let's go."
Yu and Shizuka trudged through the glowing crystal tunnels of the cave. Yu's stomach still ached from Kael's punch, his knuckles bruised from the fight, but Shizuka's easy chatter kept the silence at bay. The faint hum of voices grew louder as they neared the central chamber, where the skylight carved a circle of starlit sky above. People were already gathering, their shadows flickering across the walls, drawn to the Elder's sermon like moths to a flame
Shizuka looked at Yu, and then to the center, where the elder's sermon would begin... "and here we go," she said, knowing what would happen next.
."