Chapter 20: The End Of Shoto Kazami

With a guttural roar that echoed through the empty halls, Shoto barreled toward the window. The force of his charge shattered the glass, sending shards flying as he leaped through and landed with a thud. He stood atop the broken remains of a once-regal throne, the breeze catching his hair and ruffling his tattered clothes. His dilated white eyes, brimming with raw energy, locked onto the silver-haired figure across the room. Hina and Yuumo was already in the room, defeated all thanks to Tetsuya's onslaught of attacks that had happened prior to Shoto's arrival.

Tetsuya stood by the throne chair, his expression cold and calculating. His silver hair shimmered under the pale light filtering through the shattered window. He met Shoto's eerie gaze without flinching, his demeanor unshaken despite the feral energy radiating from his opponent.

Without a word, Tetsuya stepped down from the throne, his movements smooth and deliberate. In an instant, he surged forward, closing the distance between them like a blur. Shoto, equally unrelenting, dropped Neko from his grasp and charged to meet him head-on.

Their fists reeled back simultaneously, the sheer intensity of their power sending ripples through the air. When their punches collided, the sound was like thunder, a shockwave blasting outwards from the impact.

Tetsuya wasted no time. As soon as their fists parted, he spun into a roundhouse kick aimed directly at Shoto's temple. Shoto, reacting with sharp instincts, raised his arm to block the attack. The force rattled his bones, but he held firm.

Tetsuya didn't stop. Using his momentum, he lifted his other leg, aiming a second kick at Shoto's head. This time, Shoto ducked, his body moving with inhuman speed to avoid the blow. Tetsuya, unbalanced, fell forward, landing face-first on the ground.

Seeing an opening, Shoto dropped low, planting both hands on the floor. He slid his foot forward in a swift, calculated strike, aiming to kick Tetsuya while he was down. But Tetsuya, as if sensing the attack, pushed off the ground with both hands, propelling himself upward in a swift motion.

Mid-air, Tetsuya twisted, driving a kick toward Shoto's face. Shoto reacted just in time, catching Tetsuya's leg with both hands. With a growl, he shoved Tetsuya forward.

The silver-haired fighter flipped in the air, landing gracefully back on the broken throne. His movements were fluid, almost effortless, as if the chaotic fight was merely a dance he had long since mastered.

Shoto rose to his feet slowly, his breathing heavy but controlled. His growls were low and feral, his fists clenching and unclenching as he stared at Tetsuya with a predator's focus.

Tetsuya smirked faintly, wiping a speck of dust from his sleeve as if mocking Shoto's efforts. The tension in the room was palpable, the air charged with anticipation as the two prepared to clash again. 

The air between Shoto and Tetsuya was heavy with tension, each fighter poised to strike. In unison, they charged toward each other, fists flying in a series of rapid, unrelenting blows. The sound of fists colliding echoed like thunder in the empty room, each strike a testament to their raw strength.

Shoto, with his adrenaline still surging, met Tetsuya's attacks head-on. Their punches collided repeatedly until Tetsuya's fist finally connected with Shoto's face, sending him staggering backward. For a brief moment, Shoto's tense muscles began to slacken, and his eerie, dilated white eyes flickered back to their usual green.

From the corner of the room, Neko watched quietly, his feline eyes narrowing. He saw the change beginning to take hold in Shoto—the fear, the hesitation, the timidity creeping back into his posture.

Tetsuya noticed it too, his grin spreading wider. He wasted no time, lunging forward and delivering a swift kick to Shoto's face. The force lifted Shoto off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Dust rose from the impact as Shoto lay there, his body battered from both his previous fight with Shoei and the relentless assault from Tetsuya.

Struggling to rise, Shoto wobbled unsteadily. His breathing was labored, and his gaze was unfocused. Tetsuya, now on one knee, watched him with an almost predatory glee. Rising to his feet, he began hopping lightly from side to side, his movements loose and confident.

"I've been waiting for this moment, Shoto Kazami," Tetsuya said, his voice dripping with malice. "Finally, I get to break you."

Tetsuya dashed forward, feinting a roundhouse kick. Shoto instinctively raised his arm to block, but the move was a trap. With blinding speed, Tetsuya shifted his momentum, bringing his other leg up and striking Shoto under the chin. The impact sent Shoto flying backward, skidding painfully across the floor.

Bruises from his earlier fight with Shoei were now joined by fresh injuries. Shoto's body trembled as he pushed himself to his feet, his breaths shallow and uneven. A strong gust of wind blew through the shattered window, pushing Shoto back slightly as Tetsuya closed the gap in an instant.

With precision and ferocity, Tetsuya drove his elbow into Shoto's lower abdomen, forcing the air from his lungs. Shoto doubled over, clutching his stomach, a pained groan escaping him. Before he could recover, Tetsuya's knee came up, connecting squarely with his face, followed by a powerful kick that sent him sprawling once more.

Tetsuya grabbed Shoto by the collar, yanking him upright before slamming his forehead into Shoto's. Blood sprayed from Shoto's nose as his head snapped back. He collapsed onto the ground, motionless for a moment, his body battered and broken.

"Pathetic," Tetsuya sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're weaker than I thought, Kazami."

Shoto stirred weakly, his trembling arms struggling to push himself upright. But his body refused to cooperate, and he fell back to the floor.

Tetsuya's laughter filled the room, loud and sinister. "IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH, KAZAMI!"

With a sudden burst of energy, Tetsuya leaped into the air, performing a flawless front flip. At the peak of his jump, he twisted his body into a 360-degree spin, bringing his heel down like a hammer onto Shoto's chest, aiming directly for his heart. The impact was devastating, the sound of the blow echoing through the room.

Shoto's body convulsed, his heart momentarily stunned by the force of the strike. But Tetsuya wasn't finished. He followed up with a scissor kick, striking Shoto's ribs, before delivering an axe kick to his head. The final blow drove Shoto's limp body into the ground, leaving him motionless amidst the debris.

Tetsuya landed gracefully, standing over Shoto's lifeless form. His silver hair fell into his face as he frowned, his expression a mixture of disappointment and irritation. "Is this it?" he muttered, his voice low. "I expected more from you, Shoto Kazami. What a waste."

He turned away from the battered body, casting one last glance at Shoto before walking toward the throne chair. The battle seemed over. Shoto Kazami, the timid boy who had defied his fear for so long, now lay broken and still on the ground, the echoes of his fight fading into silence.