Chapter Fourteen: “Opening Bout”

Chapter Fourteen: "Opening Bout"

Tournament Arc – Round I

The crowd's roar echoed across the ten floating rings, but for Takashi Satoru, the world had narrowed to one target. His chest rose and fell steadily, energy flowing beneath newly sculpted skin. Eight disciplined abs flexed with the rhythm of his calm breathing. He stood in the hallway outside Platform One, hands in pockets, eyes fixed straight ahead at the crimson glow of his name hovering in midair:

Takashi Satoru vs. Ryozen Iro (Zenin Clan, 2nd Year)

Beside him, Sakura wiped her palms against her fox-sigil gauntlets, the magic thread tingling under her fingertips. She offered a silent nod.

He returned it, jaw set.

Floating Announcer's sigil erupted in light: "BEGIN!"

⚡ First Clash – Tactile Shock

Takashi stepped forward. The ring's surface flickered as they entered. Ryozen Iro—a wiry boy with hair like polished obsidian and Zenin energy crystals embedded at his wrists—smiled confidently.

"You look... different.",Ryozen taunting.

Takashi didn't reply. Instead, his eyes narrowed.

Ryozen ignited his aura—a violet crackle around his fists. Two energy blades formed in his palms like lightning rods.

He charged.

Takashi sidestepped with cool grace. The first blade slashed the ring's edge, melting stone to vapor. He raised a palm—Oblivion Thread whispered through the air. It ran along the scar, siphoning the blade's energy, fracturing it between his fingers.

A collective gasp rose from the stands.

🧠 Mid-Fight Strategy Breakdown

Ryozen blinked, surprised.

"Energy drains fast. Yours even faster."

, Takashi teased.

He swept a leg low—Ryozen jumped back.

Takashi sprang off the ring wall, flipping into the air—

"Oblivion Spinning Fang!"

A spiral of red-black aura coiled around him like shadow chain, striking Ryozen's chest midflip. The impact knocked Ryozen backward into the barrier.

Energy shattered.

Sigil Detected: Tension rising. Audience silent.

Tactical Shift

Ryozen surged back to his feet, breathing heavily. His eyes flickered with struggle.

"You... siphoned energy... unfair!", Ryozen struggled.

Takashi stepped forward.

His stride brought him closer—danger closer with each step.

Takashi:

"This is Tenkai. Not a playground."

He flicked his wrist. Red-black tracer lines snaked across the floor, binding the area.

"Oblivion Trap Seal."

The ground glowed red. Ryozen's movement stopped—the blade in his hand flickered, as if trying to run.

Clash and Finale

Ryozen roared, smashing his fist into the trap. Aura exploded—stones cracked, dust rained, and Sigils flickered.

Takashi advanced, aura condensing into one punch.

Step. Two. Three.

"Oblivion Piercer—Cataclysm!"

A punch of pure erasure. It shook the ring midair, waves distorting the floating platform's runes.

Ryozen flew off the ring, unconscious, energy drained, aura flickering out like a sun going dark.

Aftermath and Reaction

Time flickered back to normal. The ring stabilized.

The scoreboard lit up: Match One: Victory – Takashi Satoru

The stadium erupted in applause. Students cheered; Special Years watched, impressed.

Sakura leapt inside the ring, spirit fox dancing around her.

"That was amazing."

Takashi brushed off dust, breathing heavy.

Ryozen, still limp, was carried off on a spirit stretcher. His crest flickered out.

Post-Match Council Reactions

High above, the Teaching Council watched.

Amara (smiling grimly):

"He's a natural siphoner."

Kyouda (nodding):

"The trap seal… elegant."

Kaien (relieved):

"He won. No permanent harm."

Rengoku watched silently, eyes unreadable.

Finally, he whispered to Headmaster Yorei:

"He's growing into his curse… and his destiny."

Yorei's response was a cool nod.

Closing Hook

As the next matchlights prepared, Takashi clutched his crest.

He walked from the ring. His abs still gleamed with aura, tempered by calm.

In his mind, one phrase flickered like flame:

"Two days. Two fights. One evolution."

Tournament Arc – Round I, Match Two

The ring was silent.

Airi Satoru stepped onto Platform Two like a shadow under moonlight—calm, unreadable, and smaller than most of the competitors. Her sleeves fluttered in the wind, hiding the faint glow of her cursed thread bindings.

Across from her stood her opponent:

Mei Kurogane — Second Year, Tsukihara Clan — soul siphoner, infamous for her "Choke Bind" technique that targeted spiritual cores directly.

Her hair was bone-white. Her eyes were dead.

"They're sending a little Satoru girl against me? Did you bring your plushie?", Mei smirking

Airi didn't respond.

But something in the air pulsed—a dual presence. One gentle, one dangerous.

Announcer Sigil: "Match Two – Engage!"

Mei moved first—fast. Her fingers traced a cursed sigil in midair. Tendrils of soul-thread erupted from the ground, sharp as razors.

"Soul Choke: Thousand Veins Bind!"

They surged for Airi's chest. But—

She vanished.

In a shimmer of dual aura—blue and violet, soft and cursed.

She reappeared above, hands drawn into a weaving seal.

"Soul Unravel: Twin Thread Rejection."

Blue light burst from her beads. The tendrils snapped apart in midair.

Gasps filled the stadium.

Kaien Tsukihara, watching from above, leaned forward.

"She rejected Mei's bind… without recoil?"

Rengoku said nothing. But his eyes burned.

Mei sneered. "Cute tricks."

She stomped the ring—summoning a soul siphon circle, a black lotus swirling at Airi's feet.

"Your power is borrowed. Your spirit is cracked. Let me break it fully."

The lotus surged upward—slashing Airi's side, pinning her down.

She coughed blood.

"Weak," Mei whispered. "Just like your parents."

Silence.

Airi's fingers curled. Her vision blurred.

And then—

Her eyes shifted. One blue. One glowing violet.

"You shouldn't have said that."

The ring trembled.

Airi stood. Taller somehow. Her voice changed—layered. Her spiritual form split behind her—two spirits emerged: a glowing girl of light, and a smaller horned child made of curse threads.

Mei stumbled back.

"We are not weak.", said Airi's split voice

She raised one finger.

"Demon Lullaby: Hollow Cradle."

The cursed spirit howled—a distorted child's wail. The sound rippled through the field. Mei screamed, clutching her ears. Her soul bind broke instantly.

Airi blurred.

She appeared behind Mei, her cursed hand pressed gently to her spine.

"Goodnight."

Pulse.

Crack.

Mei collapsed, unconscious, soul seals cracked and body twitching.

Final Phase: Verdict and Fallout

The audience was silent for three seconds.

Then erupted in cheers.

Match Two: Victory – Airi Satoru

From above, Kaien whispered, stunned:

"She stabilized both halves. She's harmonizing with the cursed child."

Yorei nodded. "But for how long?"

As Airi walked from the ring, her aura dimmed.

Sakura ran to meet her, grabbing her shoulders.

"That… wasn't normal."

She collapsed into Sakura's arms.

To be continued