Uta’s body flickered between yers of distortion, her cws fshing out like lightning.

  Ayase blocked one—dodged the second—

  Then took a gash across the ribs.

  He spun, hand glowing—

  “Come forth, Shunketsu.”

  The world warped.

  Sshes appeared on Uta’s thigh, her shoulder, her arm.

  She hissed—but kept moving.

  Daisuke fnked left, swinging his crystalline bde downward. It shattered into dozens of slivers, each one controlled mid-air.

  Ayase didn’t move.

  A second ter, Daisuke bled from six points on his torso.

  YuYu appeared from behind, ughing—until blood sprayed from his wrist.

  Still—he grinned.

  “Damn, you’re better than before…”

  But Ayase didn’t answer.

  His eyes were already tracking another presence.

  Toshiro.

  Standing at the far edge of the field, bde still drawn—but unmoved. Watching.

  Ayase exhaled once. Calm. Measured.

  “Not going for a sneak attack this time? Maybe you’ve become a true warrior.”

  Toshiro tilted his head, but said nothing.

  Ayase stepped forward.

  “And I remember what you told me st time.”

  He appeared behind Toshiro in a fsh of Yūhō.

  “‘It’s not our time to fight,’ right?”

  His palm glowed with concentrated Tamashkii.

  “Sadly… you were correct. One of mine has called dibs on you, so I cannot be the one to kill you.”

  Ayase smmed his glowing palm against the side of Toshiro’s head.

  BOOM—

  A sharp burst of Tamashkii rocked the air as Toshiro’s body crashed into the ground, a small crater blooming beneath him. Blood trickled from his temple—unmoving, but barely breathing.

  Ayase didn’t spare a gnce.

  He turned back to face the others.

  Uta was already behind Ayase.

  He twisted—

  SLASH!

  Too te.

  A line of red opened across his shoulder.

  Ayase staggered—then vanished.

  Subaru’s eyes tracked him.

  Ayase reappeared behind Subaru, palm glowing—he struck.

  Nothing.

  Subaru was gone.

  He reappeared behind Ayase, bde humming with strange resonance.

  Ayase turned—but was sshed across the side.

  He growled.

  “So…..You are skilled with Yūhō as well?”

  Subaru didn’t respond.

  They cshed—bde to bde.

  Ayase pressed forward, cuts appearing all over Subaru’s sleeves.

  Then—

  Subaru switched styles.

  He flowed into YuYu’s stance. Loose shoulders. Low crouch.

  Ayase blinked. “You’re—”

  SLASH.

  He took a hit across the leg.

  Subaru smirked faintly.

  “Adapt or die.”

  Ayase exhaled, Reibaku crackling.

  “You’re not the only one who can adapt.”

  They vanished in a storm of cshing Tamashkii.