Your Weakest Link

The opposing team turned around at the sound of crackling flames, their eyes widening as they found Takeshi standing behind them. His right arm was raised towards them, a swirling blaze flickering wildly in his palm. The air around him shimmered under the pressure of the intense heat being produced.

The flame grew.

His eyes narrowed.

As he was about to unleash his attack, a familiar voice screamed out to him.

"Stop!"

Izumi walked out from cover, her eyes filled with concern.

"What are you doing?!"

Takeshi's concentration wavered as he glanced at Izumi, the flame in his hand now inconsistent. It was only a brief hesitation, but it was enough. Seizing this moment, the enemy team broke into a desperate sprint, driven by the fear of being in the radius when Takeshi attacked.

Izumi let out a sigh, watching the team vanish in the trees. She then turned her eyes over to Takeshi in disappointment.

"You trying to burn this whole thing down?"

Takeshi ignored Izumi's eye contact, apologizing under his breath. "My bad..."

Behind them, Jin stepped forward, with the others following behind.

"It's fine, Takeshi...We know where they went—it won't take long to track them down."

Jin offered a gentle smile, reassuring that Takeshi's mistake could be fixed.

Panic surged through the escaping team, breathless from the sprint. One of them, a boy in the back, suddenly stiffened.

There was a figure dashing alongside them.

It was Jin.

There for one second. Gone the next.

The boy's heart pounded, fumbling over the uneven ground. Focused on what was beside him, he slammed into the back of a teammate, sending them both sprawling to the ground. Dazed by the impact, he pushed himself up—only to freeze at the sight before him.

Standing directly in their path was Izumi.

She wasn't tense, wasn't bracing for a fight. Rather, she stood there with an eerie stillness. From her right arm, ethereal green particles began to swirl, wrapping around her arm in a glowing energy. Lifting her arm, the particles expanded outward.

The energy swept over the team like a whispering breeze, carrying an overwhelming sense of calmness. Their panic drained away, replaced by an irresistible wave of drowsiness that washed over them.

One by one, the enemy team members faltered, their movements slowing as the green particles enveloped them.

Eyes heavy

Legs weak

The forest around them grew quiet.

With no resisting left, the enemy team slumped to the ground, succumbing to the tranquil sleep. With the targets down, the green particles evaporated into the air.

Jin and the others stepped forward, surveying the fallen team.

"That was amazing, Izumi!" The girl stated in admiration.

Izumi offered a slight smile in response.

"Uh...what about them? How long will they be like this?" The boy questioned Izumi, pointing at the collapsed team beside them.

Izumi tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "A few hours, at least..."

"A few hours?!" The boy responded in disbelief.

Behind them, the sharp snap of a branch echoed.

A footstep

A voice called out to them. "Looks like you beat me to it."

The voice was familiar, something they heard before.

"Souta?" Jin questioned as he looked in the voice's direction.

A figure emerged from the shadows, hands stuffed in his pockets, his stone grey hair and black eyes giving him an eerie look. The closer he got, the more visible the thin scar stretched across his left cheek became.

"I have to say...I've been looking forward to this...Jin."

"So you plan to take us on alone?" The girl questioned Souta. "Aren't you in over your head?"

Souta's eyes cut toward the girl, giving her a side-eye as if her words meant nothing to him.

"He's not alone..." Jin responded to the girl.

"Huh? But he—"

Souta shook his head in disappointment.

"I should've known a trick like this wouldn't work."

Lifting his right hand, Souta flicked his fingers.

"Dismiss..."

A thick haze of smoke peeled away like a curtain. As Jin surveyed the situation, they were no longer facing just Souta—his teammates were now surrounding them.

Souta exhaled slowly, and without warning, a burst of smoke erupted where he stood.

"I'll start..."

The smoke swirled and twisted as Souta vanished from sight. Soon after, smoke formed right behind the girl on Jin's team. With her back turned, she remained unaware of the imminent danger lurking over her.

"With your weakest link..." Souta stated as he rematerialized from the smoke cloud, sending a slice of smoke toward the girl.

"Watch out!" Izumi said to the girl.

Before the girl could react, Jin pulled her out of harm's way just as Souta's dagger—formed entirely of compacted smoke—sliced through the air where her neck had been.

Landing a few feet away, Jin's hands tightly wrapped around the girl's shoulders, enclosing her in his protective embrace

"You okay?" Jin asked the girl in his arms.

The girl nodded hesitantly, but a thin red line bloomed across her cheek, blood slowly beginning to spill out from the wound. Jin's gaze then snapped over to Souta, who now stood a few feet away. With a missed fatal attack, Souta began to spin his dagger around with confidence, the edges sharp and menacing.

"Putting yourself in harm's way just as usual," Souta remarked to Jin, his tone almost mocking as he walked closer. "For what? A girl that hasn't helped this entire time?"

Jin's grip around the girl tightened, his eyes narrowing in frustration. He opened his mouth to argue, but a firm hand landed on his shoulder. Jin turned over to see Takeshi stepping past him, his gaze set on Souta.

"Move..." Souta stated to Takeshi in a commanding tone.

Takeshi said nothing, his expression unreadable—until a sudden flicker of fire sparked in his palm, casting a golden glow.

Letting out a deep sigh, Souta began to face the reality of the situation. "I should've known..."

He tensed into a battle stance, his grip on the dagger tightening.

Then, in an instant, he moved.

A blur of motion—smoke trailing behind as he dashed forward, his dagger slicing downward. Takeshi leaned back just enough to dodge the attack, the edge of Souta's strike passing harmlessly through the air where he had stood a moment before.

And that was the spark that ignited the battlefield.

Softening the grip on the girl in his arms, Jin locked eyes with the other boy on their team.

"You two...go ahead and get out of here."

The two members hesitated, looking at each other for answers. Then, in a mutual agreement, they ran from the fight just as Jin told them to. Once they were out of sight, Jin stood back up from the ground, straightening his posture while analyzing the enemy's movements. To his side stood Izumi, her determined gaze ready for any incoming attack.

The opponents they faced were unskilled, relying more on brute strength than any real technique. Within seconds, the once offensive teammates of Souta were now lying on the ground, their false confidence shattered by the sheer difference in skill.

Izumi turned to Jin, her arms crossed and frustration flickering in her eyes.

"You were holding onto her a little too long there."

Jin turned to her with a puzzled expression. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Jin. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"It wasn't anything...I was just making sure she was alright."

"Mh-hm, and I bet she felt really safe in your arms, huh?"

Jin couldn't find a way to respond, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Just...don't do it again, okay?" Izumi stated to Jin, slipping up on her teasing.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Won't happen again...Promise." Jin responded to Izumi with a slight smile.

Izumi just couldn't help but smile back, almost as if Jin's smile was contagious.

Jin's gaze shifted to the ongoing fight between Souta and Takeshi.

"And what about them?" Jin asked Izumi, nodding his head towards the battle.

Izumi tilted her head, watching the fight unfold.

"Just let them go at it."

There was now only one fight left in the second round.

It was coming down to Takeshi and Souta.