The ground was still murmuring in disbelief because of what they witnessed, no one saw her move. One moment, Naoki stood ready the next he was unconscious. The mysterious girl stood at the centre of the arena, calm and unbothered, her eyes scanned the crowd as if searching for someone. She didn't bask in victory, she simply turned and walked away, her cloak fluttering behind her like a fading echo.Back in the waiting area, Blessing and Yuki exchanged a glance."Who is she?" Blessing asked, still taken aback. "I don't know but she's not here to impress," Yuki said quietly. "She's here for something else."Meanwhile, the proctors were reviewing the updated matchups. The trials was nearing its end. Whispers of strategies, quirks and potential alliances buzzed in the corridors like electric tension.Kaito learned against the wall with folded arms glancing at the board. His earlier match had made him a subject of fear and fascination. But his eyes weren't on the names, they were on her. The one who had ended Naoki in seconds. There was something about her presence that unsettled even him."She's different," he said under his breath. "And not just in skill."Up in the stands, Elan smirked and leaned forward. "One by one, the strong are showing their colours," she said. "Although it's actually getting pretty scary."As the sun began to dip and the second rounds commenced an announcement echoed through the entire arena. "Next match, Blessing Chiaki versus Kaito Kurozawa."Yuki turned to Blessing, surprised. "Already? That's fast…" Blessing shrugged, though his heart thumped in his chest. "Don't worry I got this."He walked slowly toward the ring, each step feeling heavier that the last. Behind him, he could feel Kaito's presence calm, steady like a blade drawn but not yet swung.From the crowd Yuki's eyes followed them both. A hint of concern for Blessing but also a faint smile curved her lips."So that's him." Kairo said as he looked down upon the two from were Elan was. "That's Kanji's student." "Interesting isn't it." Elan said. Kairo widened his eyes as he turned and looked at Elan. "Huh you mean the boy?" he asked.Elan sat down as she crossed her legs. "No I mean what were about to see." She paused as she put her hands together. "Blessing versus Kaito, I've been waiting for this fight for a while now." She grinned like a kid as she stared at Kairo. "Finally a match up that's worth a busy person such as myself." She said as she laughed silently.Kairo just looked at Elan blankly. "Busy person my ass you just eat, sleep, talk nonsense all day and repeat, you're the least busy person there is." Kairo thought to himself.In the ring Blessing stopped a few paces away. The air between them shimmered with tension."I saw you're fight," Kaito said as he stepped forward. "You're not bad but… you're not on my level."As the arena held its breath, Blessing and Kaito at the centre, two storms circling each other in silence. Every eye was on them. Yuki leaned forward slightly. Even Elan was no longer smirking.But somewhere behind the trial grounds, in a dimly lit observation room where shattered monitors flickered and blood pooled beneath collapsed bodies another scene unfolded.The mysterious girl stood there, her expression calm despite the crimson soaked floor. Around her layed the twisted forms of proctors silent and lifeless. At the edge of the room, Headless leaned casually against the wall, fingers dripping with fresh red."Congrats on winning your match Rika." He said, voice low.She didn't flinch. "You didn't have to kill all of them."Headless chuckled eyes unreadable behind his pale mask. "Of cause I did, I'm just playing the game you invited me to, remember?"She folded her arms. "This isn't part of the plan."He leaned closer, whispering like a child with a secret. "Ooh really well it is now."Rika stepped forward, eyes narrowing as she stared at the screen showing Kaito. Her fingers twitched, a subtle pulse of energy gathering in her palm."The plan changed huh?" she said. "But I hope you know I'm still gonna kill him."A cold hand caught her wrist. Headless's grip wasn't tight, but the pressure felt like a thousand chains."You'll get what you want with him soon enough," he said voice unnervingly calm. "But not just yet."Rika scoffed, yanking her hand free. "Why not he's right there?"Headless tilted his head like a curious child. "I know but if he dies now the story will fold way too early. The real game hasn't even started yet Rika."She clicked her tongue, frustrated. "Fine I'll wait for now, but if he causes even a little proble…""He will," Headless interrupted a smile in his voice. "That's the fun part."They turned back toward the flickering screen just in time to see Blessing and Kaito begin their match.A breeze stirred the dead room. Outside, the storm was about to break.Back in the grounds the arena was silent. Not the kind of silence that comes from emptiness but the charged, breath holding kind that meant something huge was about to happen. Kaito stood tall, arms crossed, calm yet cocky. His aura buzzed with dormant power.Blessing took a deep breath, eyes narrowing. The echoes of Kaito's previous fight still lingered in his head. Fast, brutal, unshakable confidence.The proctor raised their hand. "Begin."In a heartbeat, Blessing moved first slashing the air with precision. A sudden burst of wind surged forward, sharp and slicing aiming directly at Kaito's side.But it vanished immediately as if a switch had been flipped, the airflow collapsed mid motion.Kaito didn't flinch. "That all got?"Blessing gritted his teeth and launched another attack. This time a spiralling burst meant to surround and bind him.Gone again. "Nullification," Blessing thought, "He's cancelling every particle of my attacks."Kaito smirked and walked forward, slow, deliberate. "I'll give you points for the stunning visuals, but all that dancing wind means nothing if it never hits, does it?"Blessing clenched his fists. "Think, think." His mind raced as he darted back, launching a barrage of crescent shaped wind blades gusts from multiple angles. All erased.The crowd murmured. One proctor whispered, "He's completely shutting him down."Kaito kept advancing, step by step. "You really thought this was your level, my level."Blessing's chest rose and fell, steadying his breath. His wind attacks useless. Every technique was erased before it could touch Kaito. Still the air was his domain and Kaito hadn't nullified everything.Suddenly he slammed his foot down. A violent gust beneath him kicking up a storm, shattered tiles and loose debris from the arena floor. Dust and stone spun into a blinding cloud.Kaito shielded his eyes, stepping back slightly."You can nullify my air based attacks…" Blessing's voice echoed through cloud of dust.The dust cleared, and Blessing was already in front of Kaito, mid swing."But you can't nullify my fist."Just as Blessing thought he had landed a clean punch Kaito had blocked grabbing Blessing's punch."What?" Blessing murmured his facial expression shocked.It was finally here the match of the century, an unstoppable force versus an unshakable fortress, which would remain standing everyone was about to find out the truth soon.
