The training field crackled with energy.
Kazui's hands burst into green flames, spiraling with intensity as they morphed into the shape of a scythe. The heat danced around him, and his gaze sharpened.
Son smirked.
"Two can play that game," he said, unleashing a massive surge of flames from his own hands.
Without warning, both Sōn and Mori charged toward Kazui at incredible speeds almost a thousand times that of sound. Mori hurled daggers at him, which began multiplying midair, while Son rapidly launched fireballs in succession.
Kazui dodged with sharp, fluid movements, using his flame-forged scythe to slice through the barrage. Each slash sent green flaming waves toward his opponents and all over the training field. Mori deftly avoided the slashes, slicing through them with ease, while Son blitzed around them, countering with explosive bursts of flames.
Son suddenly released a massive fire blast toward Kazui. Reacting instantly, Kazui leapt to the side and transformed his green flames into a long sword. He then rocketed forward, kicking Son away with force before engaging Mori in close quarters.
Mori's eyes gleamed with excitement. He drew a sword cloaked in energy, and their weapons clashed with a metallic cry. For a time, it was a pure sword duel—fast, sharp, and brutal, they were moving and clashing around the battlefield at lightning fast speeds.
Soon, they transitioned into close combat. Mori invoked a technique: Tiger Fangs. Energy surged through his fingers as he unleashed massive energy slashes. Kazui blocked and parried with his green flaming blade, slicing cleanly through the oncoming attacks.
Their speed intensified—so fast that Baraka and Kinto, observing from a distance, struggled to keep up properly. "Wow, they're really going at it." Kinto muttered. "Yep" Baraka responded.
Then Kazui shifted tactics. Green flame bullets formed around him and blasted toward Mori in a rapid-fire storm. Mori retaliated with his Tiger Fangs, slicing each bullet with precision as explosions erupted across the field.
Suddenly, Son rejoined the fray, dashing toward Kazui like a comet, flames enveloping his body. Kazui grinned, kicked Mori aside, and charged straight at Sōn.
The two clashed midair with devastating speeds. Kazui conjured dozens of green flame knives and launched them in rapid volleys. Son twisted through the air, dodging at high velocity with the aid of his fire-enhanced momentum.
"If I want to beat Saito..." Son thought to himself, sweat on his brow, "...then I have to push even harder."
Flames gathered on Son's palms—dense, overwhelming. He fired a colossal fire blast toward Kazui. In response, Kazui summoned a powerful green flame arrow and fired it with pinpoint precision. The arrow pierced through Son's attack and struck him "Huh?", Sōn exclaimed, triggering a powerful explosion.
When the smoke cleared, Son stood, exhausted.
"...I'm sitting this one out," he muttered, collapsing to the side.
Kazui turned, breathing lightly "Alright, who's got next?"—only to be ambushed. From above, Deo rocketed down with a blazing arm. Kazui dodged just in time, landing gracefully.
"You're fast," Kazui noted, smirking.
Deo grinned. "It's my turn."
Energy surged over Deo's body as his arm transformed into a massive robotic cannon. Impressed, Kazui ignited his green flames again, hair flaring up like a wildfire.
The two charged, fists and blasts flying at hypersonic speeds. Kazui fired green flame arrows while Deo countered with lasers. Their attacks collided midair, creating a chain of rapid explosions.
Watching from a distance, Sughi observed with a smile.
"They're only this strong at their age? What kind of monsters will they become..."
Back on the field, Deo converted both arms into massive blasters, firing a destructive barrage of energy. Kazui responded with two gigantic flame spheres, hurling them at full power.
The resulting impact rocked the entire field in a deafening explosion.
Few moments later, Sōn still recovering, looked on with a nervous grin.
"I can't believe we jumped him... and still got folded."
Deo lay on the ground, drained. Kazui stood, above him
"I can still go a few more rounds," Kazui said.
"I'll pass," Deo replied, groaning. "I'm taking a break."
Kinto and Baraka, who had been silently observing, still didn't move.
Kazui glanced at them. "You two are next—"
Boom!
Explosions erupted beneath him. Kazui leapt into the air, eyes narrowing as he scanned the field.
From above, Baraka descended, slamming a punch into Kazui and knocking him back to the ground.
As Kazui rose, he noticed the entire training ground was rigged with explosives.
"When did they even set this up...?"
Kinto smirked from the distance. "I don't have any fancy abilities... but I know how to plant explosives—quietly."
Explosions triggered in a wave, and Kazui dodged through the blasts. As he soared into the air again, Baraka appeared overhead, his massive rock hammer enlarged into a giant form.
Kazui narrowly evaded the hammer's swing and countered with a powerful kick, sending Baraka crashing to the ground.
Landing on a rock, Kazui exhaled, flames still crackling around him.
"You two can do better than that."
End of Chapter.