Hellish Fire!

Rajin slowly stood, his legs steady as he wiped away the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Each muscle in his body felt like it was coiled with power, and yet his demeanor remained composed, almost indifferent to the damage he had taken.

He lifted his head, locking eyes with Ryuu, Meiko, Hibino, and Hikuro, all standing across from him, their bodies taut in preparation for another strike.

The battlefield was eerily silent, the tension thick and suffocating.

A malicious grin spread across Rajin's face, revealing a hint of his savage amusement.

His voice came low and menacing, like a predator toying with its prey.

"Heh… You're all doing better than I thought. I didn't expect anyone here would even get close enough to land a hit on me."

The corners of his lips curled higher, his expression darkening.

"Looks like the fight's about to get interesting."

As his words hung in the air, the injury from Ryuu's punch—a deep, crimson gash on his cheek—began to heal.

Before their very eyes, the torn skin knitted itself back together, the blood retreating as if time itself had reversed.

Within moments, Rajin stood unmarked, his flawless appearance restored.

The four warriors in front of him were left speechless.

Their eyes widened in disbelief. Not only had Rajin healed without the aid of any visible magic, but he had done so effortlessly, as if it were second nature.

None of them possessed the healing element, but they knew enough to recognize that no ordinary healing magic could work this fast.

The sight left them rattled.

(This… Is this the power of manifesting your body?)

Hikuro's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

(To heal so quickly without even possessing a healing ability? If that's what we're up against, then this battle is going to be much harder than we thought.)

A low rumble echoed through the battlefield.

Suddenly, lightning crackled through the air, filling the sky with sharp bursts of light as the clouds above began to darken.

Hikuro stepped forward, his eyes locked on Rajin. He was calm—eerily calm—as if preparing for something far greater than what had already transpired.

Rajin's smirk deepened as his eyes flicked toward Hikuro, bemused by the younger fighter's boldness.

"Oh? So, you're coming at me all alone? Guess you really do have a death wish."

Without breaking eye contact, Hikuro stepped forward, his face unwavering.

"Rajin, since both of us wield lightning, why don't we settle this here? Let's see whose power truly reigns supreme."

The bold challenge sent a wave of disbelief through the arena, not only among the fighters but through the entire audience watching in silence.

The crowd, moments earlier roaring with energy, fell into stunned silence. All eyes were on Hikuro.

His challenge seemed like madness—sheer, reckless courage.

Everyone had already witnessed the impossible feat Rajin had accomplished: the manifestation of his body.

It was no ordinary magical ability. It meant that Rajin had refined his strength, his magical capabilities, and his physical form to the extent that he could transcend natural limits.

The fact that Hikuro was willing to go head-to-head with such a foe was nothing short of astonishing.

Even Rajin, for all his arrogance and bravado, was caught off guard by the audacity of Hikuro's words.

His eyes narrowed. He laughed, the sound filled with disdain.

"You really must be tired of living. I didn't realize the people of the Tanaka family were this foolish."

Hikuro ignored the taunts, his face betraying nothing.

Behind him, Ryuu, Meiko, and Hibino exchanged uncertain glances. They were horrified.

To challenge Rajin head-on was no different from walking into the jaws of death itself.

Ryuu, unable to hold back, stepped forward.

"Hikuro! What are you doing? You can't defeat Rajin on your own! Fall back before it's too late!"

Ryuu's voice was filled with urgency, desperation bleeding through.

But Hikuro didn't turn around. Instead, he allowed a small, bitter smile to cross his lips.

His voice, however, remained firm.

"I know what I'm doing, Aramiya-kun. Don't interfere."

(Can't these idiots see what I'm doing?)

Hikuro thought with growing frustration.

(Especially those two… how could Hashida Yoshiro take them as his personal disciples when they can't even recognize a feint?)

Ryuu's expression shifted. He watched Hikuro closely, and slowly, understanding began to dawn.

A small, appreciative smile curled at the edge of his lips.

(Hikuro, I see it now. You're trying to become the sacrificial pawn for the team.

Thank you. We won't let your sacrifice be in vain.)

Hikuro raised his arm, the air around him humming as purple lightning began to crackle in his palm.

The electricity sparked and hissed as it gathered, growing stronger with each passing second.

"What's wrong, Rajin?"

Hikuro taunted.

"Afraid to take my challenge seriously?"

He raised both arms to the sky, his voice booming across the battlefield.

"UPPER INTERMEDIATE LEVEL LIGHTNING SPELL! LIGHTNING OF DESTRUCTION!"

The sky darkened ominously as if responding to Hikuro's call.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and dark storm clouds swirled overhead.

Without warning, a massive bolt of purple lightning shot down from the heavens, its immense power crashing onto the ground where Rajin stood.

The impact was catastrophic. The ground shattered beneath the strike, sending debris flying in every direction.

Dust clouded the battlefield, creating a thick, impenetrable fog of destruction.

The sheer force of the attack sent shockwaves across the arena, shaking the very earth beneath their feet.

(That must have done some damage…)

Hikuro thought, his heart racing as he watched the dust settle.

But as the dust cleared, his heart sank. Rajin stood in the center of the devastation, completely unharmed.

Not a single mark marred his body. The battlefield was ruined, but Rajin was untouched.

"How…?"

Hikuro stammered, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

(No matter how much he's strengthened himself, how can he remain unscathed after that attack?)

Rajin's eyes gleamed with a cold, malevolent amusement.

"You really don't get it, do you?" He stepped forward, his voice dripping with condescension.

"The Tanaka family really is full of fools."

"What do you think, boy? How do you think I achieved body manifestation?

I used my own lightning magic on myself, over and over, until my body adapted.

Now, your lightning spells only make me stronger."

Hikuro's heart pounded in his chest, panic setting in as Rajin advanced toward him.

His legs felt like lead as he struggled to move.

But before Rajin could strike, a blur of motion shot across the battlefield.

Ryuu, his fists clenched tight with fury, dashed toward Rajin with incredible speed.

His fist swung forward with all his strength, aiming for Rajin's face.

THWACK!

A massive explosion rocked the battlefield as Ryuu's punch connected.

Dust and debris flew into the air once again, blinding everyone in the vicinity.

For a moment, it seemed as though Ryuu had succeeded.

But when the dust cleared, the sight that awaited them was far worse than they could have imagined.

Rajin stood there, holding Hikuro's limp body as a shield.

Blood dripped from Hikuro's face, the force of Ryuu's punch having landed squarely on his teammate.

Hikuro's eyes were half-closed, his consciousness slipping away from the intense pain and blood loss.

Rajin's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.

"You idiots really thought you could outsmart me again?"

Before Ryuu could react, Rajin threw Hikuro's limp body to the ground with a sickening thud.

He then vanished from sight, moving too fast for any of them to track.

A scream echoed across the battlefield.

When Ryuu spun around, his heart dropped.

Rajin had appeared behind him, holding both Meiko and Hibino by their throats.

The two warriors were gasping for air, their faces pale as blood trickled from their mouths.

Rajin laughed, enjoying the terror in Ryuu's eyes.

Rajin threw Meiko and Hibino to the ground with a brutal force, their bodies crumpling like ragdolls.

Blood dripped from their mouths as they lay motionless, their consciousness slipping away.

Ryuu stood frozen, his fists trembling in the air, helpless against the overwhelming power of their enemy.

The battlefield, once alive with battle cries and the clang of weapons, had become deathly silent.

Only the sound of the wind echoed, carrying the weight of the defeat that was looming over Ryuu and his comrades.

Rajin's eyes glistened with malice, a demonic smirk dancing on his lips as he relished in their misery.

"You all thought you could stand against me? Pathetic."

Rajin taunted as he slowly advanced toward Ryuu, each step deliberate and filled with malice.

"You should've known better. Once I've learned from a mistake, I don't let it happen again. You'll never trick me twice."

In a blink, Rajin disappeared from Ryuu's sight. A split second later,

THWACK!

Rajin's fist connected hard with Ryuu's gut, sending a surge of pain through his body.

The cracking of bones echoed in Ryuu's ears as his abdomen caved under the impact.

Blood spurted from his mouth, the taste of iron flooding his senses as he stumbled backward.

THWACK!

Rajin followed up with a punch to Ryuu's face, sending him crashing into the dirt, his nose bleeding profusely.

But before he could even hit the ground, Rajin was behind him again, sending another vicious punch into Ryuu's chest.

CRACK!

The sound of ribs breaking reverberated through the battlefield.

Ryuu's breath was knocked out of him, his body flailing like a puppet as he was tossed around like a toy by Rajin's onslaught.

With each blow, more blood sprayed from Ryuu's mouth.

His vision blurred, and every nerve in his body screamed in agony.

Rajin stopped, standing over Ryuu's broken, bloodied form.

The smirk on his face never wavered.

"You call yourself a fighter? Look at you now, lying in your own blood.

Is this the Aramiya Ryuu? The one with the unique magical powers?"

Ryuu could barely move, his body screaming with pain.

His breaths were shallow, every inhale punctuated by the sharp sting of broken ribs.

He felt the cold ground beneath him, and for the first time, fear began to creep into his heart.

Not for himself, but for his friends—Meiko, Hibino, Hikuro—all of them beaten, bleeding, helpless.

And then there was Ryoko…

Ryoko. The thought of her brought a sharp pang of emotion through his pain-ridden body.

He turned his head, searching for her, his heart sinking as he saw Rajin walking toward her.

In the arena, the spectators watched in horror, their cheers now silent.

Shigeru's eyes burned with hatred, watching helplessly as Rajin brutalized Ryuu.

Akiko, unable to watch any longer, closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

She had grown fond of Ryuu in the past months—he had become like a son to her.

Watching him suffer like this tore her apart.

.

.

.

.

On the battlefield, Ryoko trembled, her eyes wide with terror.

She had tried to break through the magical array that held her, but its power was too strong.

Her heart ached as she saw Ryuu, lying in his own blood, barely able to stand.

"R-Ryuu-kun…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached out toward him, her body frozen in place by the array.

Rajin's eyes flickered with cruel amusement as he approached her.

"Oh, Ryoko-san… you still care for this weakling?"

He grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back as she screamed in pain.

"Look at him! Pathetic. Worthless. He's not worthy of your attention, of your protection. Why can't you see that?"

Ryoko sobbed, but her eyes never left Ryuu. She didn't care what Rajin said—Ryuu was everything to her.

He had fought for her, protected her, even when it seemed hopeless.

Rajin's fury grew when he realized she wasn't even acknowledging him.

"Fine, then. If you won't choose me, then you're just as worthless as he is. I'll kill you both here and now!"

His hand crackled with purple lightning, growing brighter and more menacing with each second.

"G-Get… away…"

a weak voice cut through the chaos.

Rajin turned, surprised to see Ryuu struggling to rise to his feet.

His body was broken, drenched in blood, but somehow, he was standing.

Rajin laughed mockingly.

"Oh? You're still alive? What was that, Ryuu-kun? Speak up. I can't hear you."

Ryuu's hands shook as he struggled to maintain his balance.

His voice was weak but defiant.

"I said… get away… from Ryoko-san."

Rajin's smirk widened. He tightened his grip on Ryoko's hair, causing her to scream in pain.

"And what are you going to do about it? You can barely stand, let alone fight. You can't even walk over here to stop me."

Ryuu's gaze hardened. His fists clenched at his sides, and the ground beneath him began to tremble.

Slowly, a fierce crimson aura started to build around him, the air rippling with intense heat.

His blood-soaked body began to glow with an otherworldly light, and his eyes burned with fiery determination.

"I said…" Ryuu's voice grew louder, more forceful.

"LEAVE RYOKO-SAN ALONE!"

With a roar, Ryuu erupted in flames—pure red fire that engulfed his entire being.

His eyes glowed a bright crimson, and the ground beneath him cracked under the weight of the raw power he was emitting.

The pressure that filled the battlefield was unlike anything anyone had ever felt before. It was primal, unstoppable, terrifying.

Rajin's grin faltered, his amusement giving way to confusion.

"W-What… What's happening!?"

His grip on Ryoko loosened as he stepped back, his eyes wide with shock.....