The energy in Titan Coliseum had shifted. Ash''s victory over Renshiro Takeda had been unexpected by many, and now, all eyes were locked on the rising contender from Nova Helix Academy. The crowd buzzed with speculation—was Ash a true competitor, or had he simply exploited a traditionalist''s weaknesses?


    Ash didn''t care. He wasn''t here for their approval. He was here to win.


    His next opponent''s name flashed across the towering holo-displays:


    ASH ATSUYUKI (Nova Helix Academy) vs. IZANAMI KURO (Onmyo Academy)


    The crowd''s murmurs grew louder. Izanami Kuro. The Phantom Blade. A legend in the making.


    The Assassin''s Duel


    Ash stepped onto the battlefield, the arena shifting beneath his feet. This time, the digital environment simulated a mist-laden bamboo forest, obscuring sightlines and forcing close-quarters combat.


    A perfect setting for an assassin.


    Izanami was already there, standing motionless among the shifting fog. She was clad in sleek black dueling attire, her long dark hair tied back in a precise braid. Twin short blades rested in her hands, their edges shimmering under the artificial moonlight.


    Her voice was soft but carried through the mist. "You fight like a killer. But you''re too loud. Too direct."


    Ash smirked. "And you talk too much. Let''s get on with it."


    The gong rang.


    Izanami disappeared.


    Predator vs. Predator


    Ash barely avoided the first strike.


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    A blade whispered past his throat, cutting a thin line through his uniform. She''s fast. Faster than anyone he had fought before. Ash twisted, striking where she should be—but she was already gone, a flicker in the mist.


    Another attack. This time from behind.


    Ash ducked just in time, spinning with a counterstrike, but hit nothing but air. Izanami was everywhere and nowhere.


    Kaito watched from the viewing box, his jaw tightening. "She''s hunting him. Like a damn phantom."


    Kenshiko''s voice crackled in. "She''s using a predictive evasion algorithm—her movements are reacting to his strikes before he even fully commits. Ash needs to change his rhythm."


    Breaking the Pattern


    Ash narrowed his eyes. He had fought assassins before, but this was different. Izanami wasn''t just dodging—she was reading him, using micro-movements to anticipate his attacks before they even landed.


    Fine.


    He''d fight without a pattern.


    The next time she attacked, Ash didn''t block.


    Instead, he lunged forward, taking a shallow cut across his shoulder—but it gave him just enough space to react. His hand shot out, grabbing the fabric of her sleeve and yanking her forward.


    For the first time, Izanami was off-balance.


    Ash didn''t waste the moment. He slammed his elbow into her side, sending her skidding back through the mist. She twisted mid-air, landing gracefully—but there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes.


    The hunter had just been wounded.


    The Finishing Move


    The fog shifted, clearing slightly. Izanami wasn''t untouchable.


    Ash exhaled, loosening his stance. "You move well. But you''re used to fighting prey."


    Izanami''s grip on her blades tightened. "And you''re used to fighting thugs."


    Ash grinned. "Then let''s see which is better."


    The next clash was a blur. Speed against adaptability. Precision against ruthlessness.


    Izanami tried to disappear again—but Ash forced the fight into chaos, disrupting her footwork, closing gaps before she could escape. Every movement she made, he made unpredictable. No patterns. No wasted motion. Just sheer, relentless pressure.


    The final exchange came in a flash of steel.


    Ash''s blade stopped an inch from her throat.


    Izanami exhaled sharply, frozen in place. Her own short sword was poised at Ash''s ribs—but just a fraction too slow.


    The match gong rang. Victory: Ash Atsuyuki.


    Silence. Then the arena erupted.


    Izanami sheathed her blades, her expression unreadable. "Interesting."


    Ash smirked, rolling his shoulders. "That''s one word for it."


    She turned, stepping into the mist once more. "Win this tournament. Then I''ll fight you again. Properly."


    Ash watched her vanish, then turned his gaze to the tournament brackets.


    Two fights won. The next challenge awaited.