Chapter 34 – Dance of the Tyrants

The gymnasium stood in eerie silence.

The broken body of the assassin lay motionless against the cracked wall. His once-flawless technique had been shattered—both figuratively and literally—by Haruto's overwhelming force.

And now, only two remained.

Haruto.

Kirisaki.

One with the golden eyes of a devil.

The other with the sharp grin of a predator.

Kirisaki rolled his shoulders, his muscles tensing with excitement. "You know, Haruto, I was beginning to think you were just all bark."

Haruto smirked, adjusting his coat. "You're talking as if you've already won."

Kirisaki's eyes gleamed. "No. I'm talking as if I finally get to enjoy myself."

And then, they moved.

First Exchange – The Sparks of War

BOOM!

The force of their clash sent a shockwave rippling through the gym, shattering the nearby windows.

Haruto's fist met Kirisaki's, and for the first time—he felt resistance.

Kirisaki wasn't like the others. He wasn't an assassin relying on speed. He wasn't a brute relying on raw strength.

He was something worse.

A fighter who could do both.

Haruto's pupils dilated. His instincts screamed.

Kirisaki's free hand lashed out—a blade hidden in his sleeve!

Haruto dodged, narrowly avoiding the edge. The cold steel sliced through the air, grazing his cheek.

A single drop of blood fell.

Haruto licked his lips. "Ah. You actually managed to draw blood."

Kirisaki grinned. "Of course. I'm not here to play games."

The excitement in Haruto's golden eyes flickered dangerously.

Neither was he.

---

Second Exchange – The Predator Awakens

Kirisaki lunged again.

His attacks weren't reckless. They were precise. Controlled. Deadly.

Haruto barely evaded the strikes, feeling the wind of each blow pass inches from his skin. Fast. He's fast.

But Haruto was faster.

BANG!

His fist connected—right to Kirisaki's stomach.

The impact sent him skidding backward, his feet carving into the wooden floor.

Kirisaki exhaled sharply. His entire body tensed, absorbing the shock.

But he didn't fall.

Instead—he grinned.

"Not bad."

Haruto tilted his head. Something was off.

Kirisaki wiped the blood from his mouth. "But you're holding back, aren't you?"

Haruto's smirk vanished.

Kirisaki chuckled, stepping forward. "Why? Because you're afraid of something?"

Haruto's fingers twitched.

A memory flashed before his eyes.

A different place. A different fight.

A time when he had not held back.

A time when he had turned the world into a slaughterhouse.

The blood. The screams.

And the name they had called him—

Kuragami.

---

Third Exchange – The Name of the Monster

Kirisaki noticed it. The hesitation. The flicker in Haruto's eyes.

And he attacked.

Faster. Harder. More ruthless.

This time, Haruto couldn't avoid all of it.

A blow slammed into his ribs. Crack.

A knee struck his chin. Snap.

Kirisaki grabbed his collar and threw him—sending Haruto crashing through the benches.

THUD!

The gym shuddered.

For the first time… Haruto was on the floor.

Kirisaki rolled his shoulders. "That look in your eyes… it's like you're afraid to let go."

Haruto groaned, standing up. He wiped his lip, glancing at the blood.

Afraid?

Him?

A dark chuckle left his lips.

He wasn't afraid.

He was just… waiting.

---

Final Exchange – The Chains Break

Haruto exhaled, closing his eyes.

And then, he let go.

BOOM!

The air shifted. The temperature dropped.

A suffocating pressure filled the gymnasium.

Kirisaki's smirk faltered.

The look in Haruto's eyes had changed.

The hesitation? Gone.

The restraint? Erased.

What remained was pure, unfiltered destruction.

Haruto stretched his fingers, rolling his neck. "You wanted my real strength?"

His golden eyes gleamed.

"Then come and take it."

Kirisaki barely had time to react—

Because Haruto was already there.

BANG!

A single punch.

Faster than a bullet.

The impact shattered the air.

Kirisaki's body flew backward, slamming into the farthest wall. CRASH!

He didn't move.

The entire gym shook from the aftershock.

Haruto exhaled, adjusting his collar.

It was over.

The room was silent.

But in the back of Haruto's mind—a name echoed.

Kuragami.

A past he thought he buried.

A past that refused to die.

---

To Be Continued…