The dimly lit corridors of the school building stretched endlessly, dust dancing in the pale moonlight that seeped through the broken windows. Hina and Yuumo moved cautiously, their footsteps muffled by the old wooden floorboards. They were hunting for Tetsuya, and Hina's grip tightened around her kendo stick, anticipation crackling in the air like a storm waiting to break.
Then, she found him.
Inside an abandoned classroom, where the air was thick with the scent of neglect and decay, Tetsuya sat like a king on a throne of discarded furniture. His silver hair shimmered under the faint light, his expression unreadable, his posture relaxed but commanding. Hina smirked, stepping forward while twirling her kendo stick lazily.
"To think I'd find you before Shoto and the others… I must be one lucky girl," she mused before slamming her weapon against the ground, pointing it directly at him with a wicked grin. "I'm going to enjoy ki—"
"Kicking my ass, right?" Tetsuya interrupted smoothly, chuckling as he slowly stood. The moment he moved, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, making his silver strands dance around his sharp eyes. His gaze flickered to Hina's body, noticing the fresh bandages wrapped tightly around her arms and torso.
"I have to admit," he mused, tilting his head with amusement, "I'm surprised you're even standing after the last time I left you in a heap." He reached out without warning, gripping the sleeve of her military uniform and yanking it back, revealing more of the bandages beneath. "Standing tall like nothing happened… let's see how much more you can take."
Tetsuya struck first, launching a powerful uppercut aimed at her chin. Hina barely dodged, stepping back just in time before swinging her kendo stick toward him. With swift precision, Tetsuya raised his arm, blocking the strike. He seized the moment, lifting her weapon upward to throw her off balance before attempting a brutal kick to her face.
The blow connected.
Hina staggered back, her vision swimming as if the world itself had twisted into a blur. Her breath hitched, and for a fleeting moment, she wasn't sure if she was still in control of her own body.
Then, another strike.
Tetsuya's fist crashed against her skull, splitting the skin open. A slow trickle of blood ran down her face, but instead of despair, she laughed—a wild, reckless laugh that sent a chill through the air.
Dropping her kendo stick completely, she lunged.
Tetsuya met her charge head-on, their fists colliding with a force that sent shockwaves through the room. He reeled his right arm back, throwing a devastating haymaker. Hina responded with a vicious kick, dragging her boot across his cheek, leaving behind a shallow cut.
Tetsuya touched the wound with his fingers, then smirked, his eyes gleaming with something almost feral. Without hesitation, he drove his foot into Hina's stomach, sending her skidding backward. The impact knocked the wind from her lungs, leaving her gasping for air—just like last time.
"Looks like this fight is over," he taunted, tilting his head slightly. "I thought the Red-Haired Demon was stronger than this, but I guess even demons need to breathe."
Hina's grin widened, her teeth stained with blood.
With a sudden burst of energy, she shot forward, her fingers tightening around her kendo stick once more. Tetsuya moved to counter—but too late. Hina slammed the weapon into his abdomen, forcing a cough from his lips. She didn't stop there. She struck again—this time against his head—then delivered another punishing blow to his legs.
Tetsuya staggered.
Seeing her opening, Hina leaped into the air, preparing to bring her weapon down for one final, decisive strike.
But then—
CRACK.
Tetsuya's fist met the kendo stick mid-air, shattering it into splinters.
Before Hina could react, his roundhouse kick crashed into her, sending her body hurtling to the ground with a sickening thud.
And he wasn't finished.
Grabbing her by the hair, he yanked her upward, delivering a brutal punch to her stomach. Another blow struck her left shoulder, then her right—hitting her vital points with unrelenting precision. He drove his fist into her once more, then another, each strike more devastating than the last. The final uppercut sent her flying out of the classroom, her blood splattering against the hallway walls as she collapsed, barely conscious.
Yuumo found her moments later.
"Hina!" she cried, kneeling beside the fallen girl, her breath hitching as she saw the battered state of her friend. Hina was still breathing, but it was ragged, shallow—on the verge of stopping. Without hesitation, Yuumo lifted her up, her eyes locking onto Tetsuya's smirking face.
Without a word, she turned and fled, carrying Hina out of the building.
Tetsuya chuckled darkly, stepping back into the ruined classroom. He wiped the blood from his cheek, then turned his gaze toward the doorway.
A new presence was approaching.
A roar echoed through the halls, shaking the very foundation of the school.
Shoto was coming.
Smirking, Tetsuya sat back onto his makeshift throne, resting his chin on his knuckles.
"Let's see if you can do any better."
He waited.
The real battle was just beginning.