Ezekiel lunged forward, his movements fluid and precise as he drove his weapon toward Tetsuya. At first glance, it appeared to be a scythe, but as the weapon extended, its true form was revealed—a kusarigama, a sickle attached to a chain.
Tetsuya's sharp reflexes kicked in, and he leaped to the right. The sickle's edge grazed the lower part of his white t-shirt, tearing a thin slit into the fabric. Skidding across the gym floor, he swiftly opened his jacket, glancing down to assess the damage. A small rip—not much, but enough to make things interesting.
Without wasting a second, Tetsuya surged forward, aiming to close the distance between them.
Ezekiel, however, yanked the chain back, pulling the sickle toward him in a seamless motion. The black-cloaked figure began twirling his weapon rapidly, the speed generating a small gust of wind that whirled around him.
Tetsuya jumped mid-air, his body twisting as he prepared to land a powerful kick to Ezekiel's head.
But the wind generated by the spinning kusarigama acted as a shield, deflecting the attack and pushing Tetsuya backward. He flipped midair, landing a few feet away. His brows furrowed in confusion as he processed what had just happened.
'So, he can use wind? Interesting…'
Still, hesitation wasn't his style. Tetsuya dashed forward once again.
Ezekiel, anticipating this, swung his weapon skillfully, the chain whistling through the air as the sickle moved in unpredictable patterns.
Tetsuya aimed another kick, but before it could connect, Ezekiel launched the sickle straight at his incoming foot. The impact sent his kick veering slightly off-course, forcing him to retreat momentarily.
Not one to give up, Tetsuya charged in once more, adjusting his angle.
Ezekiel swiftly retracted his weapon, pulling it back just in time for the sickle to scrape against Tetsuya's leg. The unexpected hit forced Tetsuya forward slightly, causing him to momentarily lose balance.
The sickle snapped back into Ezekiel's grasp, and with a flick of his wrist, he spun it rapidly before launching it straight toward Tetsuya's head.
Tetsuya's body reacted instinctively. He bent backward, narrowly dodging the deadly blade. The sickle struck the floor, bouncing upwards before ricocheting toward the ceiling.
This was his opening.
In one explosive motion, Tetsuya propelled himself forward. He closed the gap in an instant and finally landed a solid kick directly into Ezekiel's gut.
The impact sent the cloaked figure stumbling backward as his hood was thrown back, revealing his full appearance for the first time.
Ezekiel was clad in a black ninja kimono, but what stood out most were the glyph tattoos covering his body from head to toe. His eye twitched violently as he steadied himself.
The sickle, having bounced off the ceiling, came hurtling back down—this time, straight toward Tetsuya's side.
A sharp pain tore through him as the blade connected, slicing a deep gash along his ribs.
Tetsuya gritted his teeth, dropping to one knee as he clutched his bleeding side.
Ezekiel reeled in his weapon slowly. His voice, cold and emotionless, broke the silence.
"You're good," he admitted, "but not as good as me."
Those would likely be the last words he spoke. Ezekiel wasn't much of a talker.
—
Meanwhile
Ren, unable to contain his frustration, grabbed Shoto by the shoulders, shaking him slightly.
"What the hell is going on, Shoto?! Why is he here?!"
Before Shoto could respond, Neko interrupted.
"I brought him in."
Everyone—Hikaru, Ren, Yuumo, and Shoto—turned to the feline, who remained perched on Ren's shoulder.
"It happened before Endo's fight," Neko explained.
—
Two Days Ago
Hikaru had left, dragging his swords behind him. Shoto sat cross-legged on the floor, staring intently at the Dark Sword. He exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the handle before glancing at Neko, who wore his signature smirk.
"There's still a lot you're not telling me," Shoto murmured.
"In due time," Neko replied, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Shoto sighed, shifting his gaze toward the distance.
"You can come out now, Tetsuya."
From the shadows, a silver-haired figure emerged, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. A soft, wicked smile played on his lips.
"You're so bad at acting," Tetsuya remarked. "So, what sword do I get? Heard there was a wind one?"
Shoto hesitated, his nerves evident. "I-I wasn't acting… I just forgot I had to ask you…"
Neko began to say, "So you will join us, yes?"
Tetsuya smirked, nodding, walking past him toward the gym door.
"Well, now that I'm part of your so-called team, let's get one thing straight."
He stopped at the door, turning back with an easygoing smile.
"It doesn't matter if you already beat me or somehow gotten stronger. I will always be the strongest out of the six of you."
—
Back to the Present
Despite his wound, Tetsuya slowly stood up, smirking at Ezekiel. The sight of his confident grin seemed to infuriate the tattooed warrior.
Ezekiel's grip on his weapon tightened. His glyphs pulsed ominously as he began swinging his kusarigama in rapid circles, whipping up a violent tornado.
The destructive winds ripped apart the gym floor, sending wooden planks flying. The entire structure trembled, the ceiling cracking under the pressure.
Shoto, Zan-Xi, and the others braced themselves, struggling to hold their ground as the tornado threatened to drag them in.
"Damn it! He's trying to take us all down with him!" Hikaru shouted over the roaring winds.
Shoto's eyes locked onto Tetsuya, widening in shock.
The silver-haired fighter was smiling—a cocky, exhilarated grin.
And then, he let go.
The tornado's pull lifted him into the air, sending him spiraling toward the ceiling. But instead of resisting, Tetsuya twisted his body midair, landing expertly on a metal guardrail.
Using the wind's momentum, he launched himself forward—straight into the heart of the storm.
With precision and overwhelming force, he drove a devastating kick into Ezekiel's face.
The impact sent Ezekiel hurtling through the air, crashing violently into the far wall. His body slumped, unconscious.
As the tornado dissipated, Tetsuya landed lightly on his feet. He turned toward the others, flashing a casual wave.
"Told you."
Ryuji, still battered from his previous fight, gaped in disbelief.
"What the hell…"
Shoto glanced at Ezekiel's fallen form, his mind replaying Tetsuya's words from days before.
Neko's gaze shifted between Shoto and Tetsuya, his grin widening.
"Well then, I suppose it's time to give him his swo—"
Before he could finish, Tetsuya walked past them, reaching out to ruffle Yuumo's hair. She jolted slightly in surprise.
"Just one thing," Tetsuya muttered. "I don't do swords."
With a final wave, he strode out of the ruined gym.
—
Zan-Xi clicked his tongue in irritation. He glanced at Ryosuke—still unconscious—and then at Ezekiel, who had vanished without a trace.
Stepping into the center of the gym, Zan-Xi called out to Shoto.
"Two more fights left—for the Fire and Dark Swords. In three months, I'll see you then. You probably don't even have the guts to face me anyways…"
With that, he and his group turned to leave.
Shoto barely registered his words, except for three months and what he said afterwards..
That meant time to train or so they all thought.