"Stupid woman. Don't fool yourself."
The Blade Warrior's voice thundered as he finally drew the long silver sword on his back.
Steel flashed.
Cold light burned.
He walked straight through Susan's force field, ignoring the impact as if it were a breeze.
"My sword can't be stopped by the likes of you."
Susan didn't blink.
"Really? Then I'll test that myself."
But before steel could reach her—
A bolt of lightning crashed between them.
"Lightning Style. Raikiri."
Ryuuto appeared out of nowhere, thunder splitting the darkness as he slammed his palm of condensed lightning into the Blade Warrior's blade.
"BOOM!"
The shockwave forced the Blade Warrior back dozens of steps, skidding deep grooves into the concrete. His grip nearly slipped.
"Ryuuto! You… you came!"
Susan's voice trembled, relief and guilt entangled so tightly she didn't know where to look.
He touched down beside her, eyes sharp enough to cut steel.
"You're not going anywhere alone again. Not like this. Not while I'm alive."
Ryuuto tapped her nose gently.
"If anything happened to you… I'd erase that bastard from existence."
"Hah! What big talk."
The Blade Warrior spat on the ground, humiliated by being ignored.
"You two done flirting? I'll gladly send you both to hell—"
"Hey."
Ryuuto vanished.
And appeared in front of him before the next heartbeat.
"What's wrong with you? Did you brush your teeth with a sewer pipe this morning? Your breath alone is a war crime."
He snapped, voice sharp as a whip.
The Blade Warrior staggered, speechless.
Then—rage.
"Go die! I'll pierce a few holes in your chest!"
Dozens of silver darts erupted toward them.
"Unfortunately… you won't."
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!
Ryuuto's blades split into a blooming storm of mirrored steel, shredding every incoming dart and firing several back at the Blade Warrior, forcing him into a sloppy, frantic defense.
Susan, protected within her force field, watched him in stunned pride.
He moved like a red streak, every motion sharp and precise.
Her heart hammered, not in fear—but in awe.
"Who the hell ARE you?" the Blade Warrior growled.
Ryuuto tilted his head.
"You wrote the challenge letter and still don't know my name? Did your brain fall out on the way here?"
He drew a line across his throat with a smirk.
"Come here. I'll adjust your memory for free."
"You're Ryuuto…"
Bloodlust surged in the Blade Warrior's veins.
"Finally."
"Finally? You mean finally found someone to beat the arrogance out of you?"
"Hmph. Enough talk!"
The Blade Warrior's aura burst.
Hundreds of blade-shadows tore through the air at once, every one fatal.
Susan gasped. "Ryuuto!"
Eight Trigrams Palms: Revolving Heaven!
Ryuuto spun, palms a blur.
Chakra erupted outward in a whirling dome, sending every blade flying back like ricocheting bullets.
"What?!"
The Blade Warrior raised his sword too late.
A returned blade carved across his cheek, leaving a long, bloody gash.
Ryuuto grinned.
"Cut by your own knife… that's gotta hurt."
"You—Bastard!"
He lunged, sword out.
Too slow.
Ryuuto's Byakugan flared open.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Air Palm!
Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!
Eight Trigrams: One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Palms!
Eight Trigrams: Three Hundred and Sixty-One Palms!
A storm of hits detonated across every pressure point on the Blade Warrior's body.
He rose into the air, convulsing uncontrollably, like lightning was ripping through his nerves.
Ryuuto stepped forward, finger pressing lightly against the man's throat.
"Victory announcement time. You challenged me… and this is the result."
"I—I haven't lost!! Not yet! Fight me till dawn!"
The Blade Warrior roared, eyes wild, refusing to yield even as his sword lay forgotten on the floor.