The crowd buzzed with energy as the second match was announced.
"Next—Arata Kenzaki of Midoriyama High versus Moru Ito of the Midnight Sun Guild."
From the left gate, Arata swaggered into the arena, blades strapped to his sides and cocky grin wide across his face. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, then narrowed as he spotted Ryker and Sol among the onlookers.
"Watch this, losers," he muttered.
From the opposite gate, Moru Ito stepped into the light. Draped in a long black coat, his face calm and unreadable, Moru moved with the grace of a shadow, his weapon still sheathed at his waist.
No cheers came for him—only silence.
The referee dropped his hand.
"Begin!"
Arata charged.
His twin blades flashed out in a spinning arc, slicing through the air as he closed the distance in seconds.
"I'll end this in one move!" he shouted.
But Moru didn't move. Not even an inch.
The crowd held their breath.
Just before Arata's blades could land—
Swoosh.
Moru took a single step back.
Arata's strikes cut nothing but mist.
"Huh?!" Arata staggered forward.
Moru exhaled.
"Too loud."
In a blink, he vanished.
The crowd gasped.
"Where—?!"
Arata turned—just in time to see the hilt of Moru's blade slam into his stomach.
BOOM!
Arata's body flew backward, crashing into the ground and skidding several meters across the stone floor.
He coughed violently, blood on his lips.
"Tch… Lucky shot—"
But when he looked up, Moru was already standing over him, sword now drawn.
The blade shimmered—not with light, but with stillness. As if the air around it feared to move.
Arata froze.
"End it," said Shidou calmly from the stands.
But Moru didn't strike.
He looked down at Arata, then sheathed his sword slowly.
"Come back when you stop fighting for ego," he said, walking away.
The crowd exploded into cheers and awe.
"Winner: Moru Ito."
3rd Match Aisa Nakamura vs Jasmine katsuragi
The crowd hushed as Aisa stepped into the ring with her sword drawn, facing the elegant and deadly Jasmine Katsuragi.
Jasmine attacked with a piercing Fang Slash. Aisa blocked with her blade—but before she could react, Jasmine vanished.
"She's fast—!"
Suddenly, Jasmine appeared in front of her and slammed her sword against Aisa's, forcing her backward.
A flash of blinding light—
CRACK!
Aisa screamed as her leg gave way, collapsing to one knee. Jasmine raised her sword for the final blow, blade inches from Aisa's face.
Aisa closed her eyes.
CLANG!
Two hands caught the blade.
Gasps erupted from the stands.
One was Shidou Shiranui.
The other—
Ryker Tensai.
His hand gripped Jasmine's sword without a scratch.
Shidou's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Ryker's steady grip.
"The kid stopped an S-Rank's attack… with his bare hand?" Shidou thought.
"Are you okay, Aisa?" Ryker said softly, his voice steady.
Aisa's eyes fluttered open. "Ry…ker…?"
The audience fell into stunned silence.
No one had expected him to move.
No one had expected him to appear like this.
And in that moment, something shifted.
The real battle had just begun.
The air thickened with tension as Shidou Shiranui, the powerful leader of the Midnight Sun Guild, stepped forward.
"You're strong," Shidou said, his eyes fixed on the calm boy before him.
Ryker's gaze didn't waver. "Do you want to fight me?"
Shidou nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
From the sidelines, Aria-sensei watched the two with a knowing smile. Everyone thinks this is a coincidence… but it's not, he thought. This moment was always meant to happen.
— Ryker Tensai vs. Shidou Shiranui —
Without warning, Ryker dashed forward, his fist igniting with a torrent of flames. A flurry of blazing punches struck like meteors, forcing Shidou to raise his arms and block. Ryker gave him no time to breathe—his relentless attacks thundered like a storm.
Shidou managed a counter, slamming a punch into Ryker's face. Ryker flew back, rolling across the arena floor—but before Shidou could capitalize, Ryker dug his heel into the ground and slid to a stop.
In a flash, Ryker appeared below Shidou and stopped his advance with a powerful leg sweep, then rocketed a fist into Shidou's chest, sending him staggering back.
They stood apart for a moment, both breathing steadily.
"Can I use my full power now?" Ryker asked, his voice low.
Shidou grinned. "Yes."
A pulse of energy radiated from Ryker as two glowing swords appeared in his hands.
"Oh… two swords?" Shidou's eyes narrowed. "You must be a student of Naoto Yatsuki."
From the audience, Sol's eyes widened in shock. "He's never used those before…"
Shidou summoned his own blade, its black steel humming with power.
And then—they moved.
The arena was filled with the sound of clashing steel. Their movements were blinding, blades dancing like lightning, every strike met with another. Sparks flew. The ground cracked. The air rippled with raw force.
"He's strong…" Arata Kenaki muttered, his expression serious.
Ryker's swords suddenly glowed with crackling lightning. With one slash, he struck Shidou's chest—blocked. But the second sword came for Shidou's neck—he barely dodged.
THWACK! Ryker's foot slammed into Shidou's face, followed by a second kick to his leg. Shidou fell to one knee, and in a flash—
Ryker's twin swords hovered at both sides of Shidou's neck.
Silence.
Shidou breathed heavily, a faint smile on his lips. "You win."
The crowd sat frozen.
And for the first time…
They truly understood who Ryker Tensai was.
Midnight sun dormitory
The late afternoon light filtered softly through the curtains. Aisa lay on the white bed, her leg bandaged, propped up by a pillow. Her eyes stared at the ceiling, silent… until the door creaked open.
"Hey," came Sol's voice, warm and familiar.
She turned her head slightly.
Sol stepped inside with Izumi and Tasuya behind him. Then Celica, Yumi, Akira, King, Shin, Amelia, Hiroshi, Saki, Arisu, and Mio all followed, flooding the room with presence.
"Aisa!" Celica rushed forward and gently hugged her. "Are you okay? We were so worried!"
"I'm fine," Aisa said quietly, touched by the concern. "Just… sore."
"You were amazing out there," Izumi added, leaning against the wall with a slight smirk. "Even against an S-rank like Jasmine, you held your ground."
Yumi nodded, eyes glistening. "It was terrifying watching it, but… you were brave."
"It's not over," King said in his usual deep voice. "But you proved you belong here."
Shin, arms crossed, observed her leg. "That strike was fast. If Ryker hadn't stopped it—"
"Don't even say it!" Mio interrupted, clearly upset. "Aisa could've—"
"I'm right here, guys," Aisa said with a half-laugh. "Still breathing."
Amelia stepped forward, adjusting her glasses. "It's a miracle your nerves weren't damaged. Your healing rate is impressive."
"Thanks to Hiroshi and Saki's quick support," Akira added, throwing a grateful look at the two.
Hiroshi shrugged. "We just did what we could."
Saki smiled gently. "You're strong, Aisa."
There was a short silence before Arisu spoke up. "And Ryker…"
Everyone went still.
"Yeah…" Sol exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "He surprised everyone."
"He saved me," Aisa said, her voice soft.
The room filled with unspoken emotions. Respect. Shock. Curiosity. Even fear.
"Ryker isn't what we thought," Celica whispered.
"And what is he?" Tasuya asked.
Aisa looked out the window, remembering the moment his hand stopped the sword, his voice—steady in chaos.
"He's the storm," she said. "And it's only just begun."