YOSUKE SHIN
We entered the house and went straight to my room to drop off belongings before the battle.
That's when it hit me. I turned to Jiro. "How are you going to fight now?"
He blinked. "What do you mean how?"
"You just unlocked your second stage. If you fight, your light core can be easily destroyed at any moment," I said.
"How is that possible?" he asked.
"Think of your light core like a cube. If you unlock the second stage, it's like you stretch that cube," I explained.
He frowned, trying to follow. I kept going. "When you stretch that cube, your core moves into a 'damaged' phase. To heal that damage you need to absorb light from the atmosphere."
"So if I fight now, I'll put my core in use and it can be destroyed at any moment?" he repeated.
"You are right," I said.
Silence settled in the room for a beat. Then he asked, "Now what are we going to do?"
Before I could answer, a knock sounded on the door. It was time. I opened it—Naemi stood there with a wide smile. "Master wants to see both of you," she said.
We followed her to the underground arena.
I knew this place existed, but the scale surprised me. The room was massive. White walls and ceiling were trimmed with black details. For some reason the ground was grass — it felt surreal, like stepping into a cultivated field under a cathedral.
We waited. Then they appeared.
The head of the village and five members of the personal army. A shiver ran through me, equal parts dread and excitement. These weren't ordinary opponents — this was a different level of strength.
"So what are we doing here?" I asked.
The head of the village replied, "The two of you against two of them," and he pointed to members of his personal army.
"There is a problem though," I said. "He just unlocked the second stage of his light core so he can't fight."
A guy with red eyes and red hair laughed. "This guy wasn't even at his second stage. What we are doing here is a waste of time."
Jiro stepped forward, annoyed, but I put a hand on his shoulder and calmed him. He understood — these were just hotheads.
"Yes, he is right," another guy with cyan eyes and cyan hair said. A girl with black hair added, "I don't know what both of you are saying—this guy seems to be handsome."
"If you can't fight, pack your things and get out of here," the head of the village snapped.
"Who said that we won't fight?" I shot back.
"I will all alone fight two of bastards of your choice," I declared.
The red-eyed guy bristled. "Who are you calling bastard?"
The cyan-eyed guy stopped him before he did something stupid. I smirked. "Actually make it three of your people, but if I win I take the lady with me," I said, pointing at Naemi.
"Your cockiness will be the reason you will die, kid," the head of the village said.
"So this battle is to the death?" I asked.
"I wasn't interested in a battle like this, but you got on my nerves," he said, his expression crooked and almost psychopathic.
"So we have an agreement?" I pressed.
He nodded. We shook hands.
"Make your picks. I will wait back here with the others," I said, stepping aside.