The darkness trembled. Not out of fear—but because it was ending.
Arai stepped forward, calm now. No rage. No wasted motion. The clone rushed her, fast and sharp, but Arai didn't chase it. She waited. One moment. Their blades clashed, sparks flying, pressure rising. The clone pushed harder, trying to overwhelm—but Arai shifted, slipped past, and turned her body mid-motion.
Her grip tightened. Her eyes locked.
Step. Twist. Flow.
"Dual Fang Sever."
The momentum carried her blade forward—clean, precise—and it cut through. The clone smiled faintly before shattering.
Shizuma moved next. Slow. Controlled.
"…You've decided," the clone said.
"…Yes."
They clashed. Fast. Precise. No hesitation now. No delay. Shizuma stepped in deeper, changing angles mid-exchange, breaking the rhythm completely. The clone reacted—but a fraction too late.
Shizuma stepped through the opening.
"Zero Line Cut."
One clean strike.
The clone split apart and faded.
Kaito exhaled. "…No more waiting."
He moved instantly. No pause. No hesitation. The clone blinked—late. Kaito pushed forward with continuous attacks, not perfect, not clean—but real.
Step. Push. Drive.
"Break Point Rush!"
The momentum burst forward—the hit landed hard—and the clone shattered.
Jenres grinned. "…Alright, control."
She stepped in fast, still wild—but guided now. The clone blocked, but slower than before. Jenres twisted mid-attack, shifted her footing, then struck from a controlled blind angle.
"Wild Fang Breaker!"
Her momentum snapped through—the strike connected—and the clone cracked, then shattered.
Daigo stepped forward silently. The clone stood firm.
He moved—heavy, but precise this time. First strike blocked. Second adjusted. He shifted his weight, focusing everything into one point instead of forcing it.
Step in. Drive forward.
"Iron Break Impact!"
The momentum condensed into a single blow—his fist crashed forward—and the clone broke instantly.
Corjaudo stood last, shaking. "…Don't run."
The clone rushed him. Fast.
He flinched—
but stepped forward instead.
His block was messy. His stance unstable. But he didn't back away.
"…Still here…"
He lunged, hands trembling but moving.
"Scrap Gamble Stab!"
The momentum carried him forward—the blade struck—and the clone smiled faintly before shattering.
Silence fell.
Then the chamber cracked all at once. Darkness collapsed, space breaking apart as all six returned together.
Arai. Shizuma. Daigo. Kaito. Jenres. Corjaudo.
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
"Move."
They ran.
Light appeared ahead—the exit.
They stepped out.
Fresh air. Stillness.
Reality.
And someone waiting.
Tetsuya.
Leaning against a broken pillar, arms crossed, calm as ever.
Corjaudo blinked. "…Oi."
No response.
"Oi! Where were you?!"
Tetsuya glanced at them. "…Didn't need to go."
"WHAT?" Corjaudo snapped.
Daigo frowned. "We almost died in there."
Jenres crossed her arms. "…You just skipped hell?"
No answer.
Shizuma stepped forward, eyes sharp. "You were lucky."
Tetsuya looked at him.
"That wasn't a test," Shizuma continued. "It was beyond that. It wasn't just fighting. It was breaking yourself, understanding it, forcing change. Every mistake was exposed. Every weakness dragged out. You don't survive that—you endure it."
Silence.
Shizuma's voice lowered slightly. "That place… was hell."
No one interrupted.
Because they all knew it was true.
Tetsuya just listened.
No reaction.
No surprise.
"…Doesn't matter," he said.
Footsteps echoed behind them.
Slow. Heavy.
Kaizen stepped forward from the shadows.
No one noticed when he arrived.
But everyone felt him.
His gaze passed over the group, reading them completely.
Then it stopped on Tetsuya.
A faint smile appeared.
"And that boy…"
"…has already met the devil twice." ☠️
Silence.
Corjaudo blinked. "…Twice?"
Daigo frowned. "You're serious?"
Jenres' smirk faded slightly. "…No way."
Kaito exhaled slowly. "…So that's the gap…"
Shizuma said nothing.
But his eyes sharpened.
Arai stared at Tetsuya, grip tightening slightly.
Tetsuya didn't react.
"…It's just training."
Kaizen chuckled softly.
"No."
A pause.
"It wasn't."
The air grew heavy.
For the first time—
they understood.
The difference.
TO BE CONTINUED...