Frozen Tundra

A Plan to Counter Ghost

Teshii stepped forward, a confident smirk on his face as he wiped dust off his hands.

"Alright, Sunshine and Sub-Zero, listen up," he said, glancing at Hikaru and Reito.

Hikaru, still catching his breath, narrowed his eyes. "You got an idea?"

Teshii nodded. "Yeah. This guy isn't untouchable—he's just tricky. Every time he phases through an attack, he has to become solid right after. There's a cooldown period."

Reito's icy eyes sharpened. "So we time our attacks perfectly?"

Teshii pointed at him. "Yup. One person forces him to phase, and the next person hits when he's solid. But we gotta be precise."

Hikaru grinned. "Alright. Let's take this guy down."

Reito nodded. "I'll lead."

Ghost, standing a few feet away, remained eerily calm. But there was a subtle shift in his posture—he was starting to realize they had figured him out.

"Let's see you phase your way out of this," Teshii muttered.

Perfect Timing

Reito was the first to attack.

He swept his hand forward, sending a wave of sharp ice spikes toward Ghost.

Ghost, as expected, phased right through them.

But that was exactly what they wanted.

The moment Ghost finished phasing through, Hikaru was already there—his fist glowing with radiant light.

Ghost dodged, just barely.

But now he was solid again.

And that's when Reito struck.

The moment Ghost dodged Hikaru, Reito was already moving, his hands glowing with pure ice energy.

"Now!"

With a swift motion, Reito slammed his palm forward—and Ghost took the full hit.

BOOM!

A blast of freezing energy exploded on contact, sending Ghost skidding backward across the stone floor.

For the first time, Ghost looked shocked.

They had hit him.

Teshii grinned. "Bang on."

Ghost's Retreat

Ghost staggered, his expression remaining neutral, but there was a hint of tension now.

He couldn't win this fight anymore.

Instead of engaging again, Ghost turned.

"Not bad," he said simply.

Then—he began to retreat.

But before he could escape—

Reito exhaled deeply, his entire body radiating an overwhelming icy aura.

His hands glowed a deep, chilling blue, and the temperature around them dropped rapidly.

The ground cracked under the sheer cold.

And then—he unleashed it.

"Frozen Tundra!"

A massive blast of ice energy erupted from Reito, freezing the entire battlefield.

The air solidified, ice spreading like a raging storm, trapping everything in its wake.

Ghost was instantly frozen.

Encased in a thick layer of unbreakable ice.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then—

The ice cracked.

And in an instant—Ghost phased through it, escaping before it could fully consume him.

A faint, ghostly smirk crossed his lips before his body disappeared into the shadows.

"Next time," Ghost's voice echoed.

Then, he was gone.

After the Fight

The air was cold and still. The temple, once filled with chaos, was silent.

Hikaru exhaled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Damn… we almost had him."

Reito remained still, staring at the frozen battlefield. His Frozen Tundra had never failed before.

But this time?

Ghost had escaped.

Teshii placed a hand on Reito's shoulder. "Hey, don't look so disappointed, Sub-Zero. We made that guy run for his life. That's a win in my book."

Reito sighed. "…Maybe."

As the group recovered, Hikaru suddenly turned to Reito.

"…Hey," Hikaru started. "There's something I need to tell you."

Reito raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Hikaru hesitated for a second, then looked Reito in the eyes.

"…I know where your mother is."

Reito's entire body stiffened.

His eyes, usually cold and unreadable, widened slightly.

"…What?"

Hikaru took a deep breath.

"You're not an orphan, Reito."

"Your mother is still alive."

And with that single sentence—everything changed.