Rule 1: no weapons are allowed and…
Rule 2: You can win by knockout or throwing your opponent outside the arena.
With Nero and Tamia outside the arena Kazuki dashes straight to Faizan, his elbow parallel to the ground.
The punch comes flying like the wind. Faizan easily dodges to his right side and delivers a strong kick to Kazuki's gut.
Kazuki rolls over and over until he reaches the edge of the arena coughing violently.
'Is he trying to make me let down my guard or what?' Faizan thinking to himself.
Kazuki slowly stands fiercely staring at Faizan. He once again dashes at Faizan, but he stops a few centimeters in front of him throwing punches like a whip.
Similar to before Faizan easily dodges them.
*Bang* Delivers a devastating knee to Kazuki's nose.
He floats through the air, time seemly seems to have slowed down. He smashes into the ground, his vision is blurred, his brain wiggling like a yoyo and a red liquid flowing out of his nose.
'Could this be over for him after two kicks?' Everyone looking on speculate.
While everyone is speculate that, a small memory fragment of a burning house and a men with long black hair comes to his mind.
He stands panting heavily and wipes his blood from his nose.
"Guess you were right Reiji!"
A month before. Reiji was training but it was more like sparing from Hinata's eyes. During this time Reiji specifically told Kazuki that when his in a fight he should not rush in. Which he now realize he just did.
Rather he told him to get into a range where he can have the advantage, and he plans to do just that.
He walks up to Faizan standing face to face and Faizan questions if he has stopped pretending.
It happens in the instant before Reiji can even exhale. He throws a barrage of punches. Confused by this unexpected barrage all he can do is block them.
*Bang* Delivery yet another kick, he leaps away.
Not because it landed, but because Kazuki was able to block it.
However rather than be shocked his heart beats in joy, knowing that he was correct that Kazuki might know something about.
'Yes!' He looks at Nero and adds. 'Just to make sure I need to fight him a little longer.'
The two of them sprint to each other and Kazuki without wasting anytime throws his barrage of punches again.
Seeing all of them approaching he blocks each one asking himself is he trying to make him let down his guard like before.
Yet again an opening appears and he himself knowing he can not waste this opportunity he throws a solid fist.
But, something is wrong. Why the hell is he looking up at the vast blue sky.
*Crash* The hard yet cold ground of the arena fills Faizan with pain all over his body.
He directs his head to Kazuki.
"I hope you still have some fight left?" Stands up. "After all I still have a lot more than you can imagine."
"Yea! Can not wait."
"Good." Kazuki sense happiness in his voice.
Kazuki throws his punches again, however Faizan sidesteps them.
"Are you going to keep using the same move over and over?" With scorn in his torn.
Unlike the other times Kazuki has a plan. While Faizan is sidestepping Kazuki faints to his right.
Caught off guard, Kazuki lands three strong blows to his gut.
The four spectators gasp in shock. However Kazuki is not done. A smile spreads across his face and he hands him another blow.
Faizan leaps backwards holding his stomach.
"Yes Kazuki! That was incredible." Reiji yells to him.
"I was never hundred percent sure he would land one punch let alone four. Shame they didn't get through." Lia whispers to herself.
On the other side of the arena Nero and Tamia stare at Faizan with a calm expression.
"Well now he has made this brat to have hope that he might win." Tamia speaks.
Faizan glances at her with spite. Notice his eyes somehow she grins at him.
"I don't blame him, after all what that boy just did was sorta of a surprise even for me."
Tamia gets baffled. Since from her own memories this is the first time Nero has complimented someone aside Faizan.
"Even so all those punches were all lucky ones. Thanks to his fighting style he tends to hold back most of his raw strength." He adds.
"If it wasn't for that, Faizan would have won a long time ago. Also if he could stop overthinking whatever is on his mind."
Hearing all that Faizan walks forward to Kazuki.
'Once again his right.' Sighs. 'Speculating weather Kazuki knows something or not won't get me nowhere unless…"
Like an thin sting getting untangle he disappears before Kazuki's eyes. And in an instant a bullet like punch lands on Kazuki's stomach, feeling like a small explosion.
He immediately flys out of the arena hitting the ground like a cannonball. He coughs his spite, while holding his stomach.
The same time Reiji and Lia runs up to him with panic in their eyes.
"Kazuki! Kazuki!" He reach him, holding him by his neck.
A few meters on the second floor of the academy stands a figure about the same height as Faizan.
After a few seconds the light begins to reveal his figure. The figure is the clementine boy who is starring down Kazuki with pity.
"Shouldn't you be going home? Koruto." A voice coming from behind him.
He turns around and sees Kaito getting near him.
"Something caught my attention." Turning his gaze back to the arena, as Kaito stands beside him.
"Oh! What happened to him?"
Koruto explains that while he was heading home he saw Kazuki and Faizan exchanging blows. Before Faizan used his Sei to defeat.
"Oh! You know about Sei?" Side eying him.
"Do not act so surprised. Kaito Hein a member of the special force." Ignoring his gaze.
"Hahaha. Caught me red handed. Koruto Higuma first born of Kurashi Higuma the madman."
Kaito directs back his eyes to the arena.
"If you know all that then, why are you attending this academy? Am sure that the Higuma region has its own academy."
"Well I heard that this academy has produced the finest ninjas over the years."
"Wow! Your father has informed you quite well. Am sure you must've been trained till your bones could not work anymore, just to be applicable to enter this academy."
For a moment Kaito can see a finch in Koruto's eyes. He grins as hush falls over them.
"Anyways, you mentioned Faizan being able to use Sei. How proficient do you think he is with it?"
"I don't know. I sense his still holding back a majority of his power." He turns to Nero and Tamia.
Adding. "One more thing I suspect his not the only one who is able to use it."
Kaito observes Nero a bit. He realize what Koruto just said might be true. Though it is faint he sees the Sei emiting from Nero. With how it is right now he bets it might fill out a house itself.
"But, that's only from what I can see right now. If he were to release it at full I wonder how big it would be." Mumers to himself.
Silence falls over them again.
***
Down at the the arena where Tamia is congratulate Faizan.
"Well done Faizan." Clapping her hands.
"No need and am sorry Nero. I should have not thought so much for a ninja like him. Unable to react to that punch told me everything about him."
Nero stares at him for a sec and then release a sigh.
"That does not matter now. I bet you two heard what those two were saying." The two of them nod in agreement.
"I want us three to enter the academy tournament. During that time Faizan I want you to find out more about that ninja Kaito and Tamia do your usual thing."
"Yes!" They say it at the same time.
On the other hand Reiji and Lia place Kazuki's unconscious body against the arena wall. He fiercely looks at Lia saying.
"Take care of Kazuki. It will only take a few seconds and please don't lose your fight. Not only is this about knowing their strengths but, is to make sure they get no info about my father."
He stands up walking to the arena stairs. He climbs on and on to the arena, his hands clenched.
"I will be next now!"
Nero, Tamia and Faizan quickly turn their attention to him.
TBC.