Mikami ran too slowly, so Kuchiki Rukia tucked her under one arm and carried her with Shunpo.
"Teacher Kuchiki," Mikami asked curiously, "what is an underground boxing match?"
Rukia narrowed her eyes. "You have to understand-not every noble is talented. Some rise through their own abilities, but others are born into privilege and stall because they lack talent. That imbalance warps them. The result is underground boxing."
"Everyone who enters agrees to risk death. Win, and you get everything. Lose-and you die."
"Since it's done with fists and not swords, death doesn't come immediately. It breaks you down-one punch at a time..."
...
"A mere two hundred thousand Kan? I wouldn't even look at it," Yuta said as he took his seat. The glowing arena below stood out in the darkness, surrounded by tiers of dimly lit benches that felt like the inside of some old-world theater. Every person wore a mask.
"Since Mr. Yuta has no interest in competing, we won't pressure him."
Aratsuka Suma stood and moved toward the center of the ring. "Next-we welcome No. 6 against the Big Black Bear!"
"The Big Black Bear," he continued with vibrant flair, "is said to have muscles harder than steel. What sort of spectacle awaits us tonight?"
From the crowd emerged No. 6-ragged, barefoot, barely standing. He walked forward under the arena lights.
His opponent loomed across from him-massive arms thick as tree trunks and fists the size of cooking pots.
"Begin!"
No. 6 was down with the first punch-slammed flat into the floor and thrown backwards with force that echoed across the arena.
Hirano sat beside Yuta with ease and watched the fight unfold.
"His name is Kira," he said. "Poor guy's from Rukongai. Mother's sick-no money to treat her-so he staked his life on this match."
"But against that monster? He's already dead meat."
Kira dragged himself to his knees-only to be knocked down again by another crushing blow straight to the spine. A bone cracked loud enough to hear from the front row. Dust billowed where he fell. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Punch after punch followed-each landing against his ribs, his skull, his back. He tried to rise-again and again-but his body failed him faster each time.
Kira fought like someone clinging to their last chance at life-for his mother's medicine, for his last bit of pride-but every strike drove him deeper into failure.
And around them-cheers filled the air.
"Well fucking played!"
"Come on, get up!"
"What? Already done?"
Yuta sat with arms crossed. Each punch made his eyes narrow further… colder… until none of the screams reached his ears anymore.
No punches stopped coming.
No blood stopped spilling.
Soon only slaps of wet flesh sounded with each strike-Kira's body breaking beneath every blow while nobles around them cheered themselves hoarse.
When Kira stopped moving entirely-the bear raised his arm for another punch-but it froze midair.
Like iron locked in place, his wrist wouldn't move.
He turned-and found Yuta standing before him. A single index finger rested lightly against the bear's wrist-a tap so delicate it couldn't possibly stop him... could it?
"What's one thousand minus seven?" Yuta asked without any reaction-eyes lowered-as if the bear wasn't even worth looking at directly.
"Huh? What did you say?" barked the bear.
"I asked," Yuta said again, "what's one thousand minus seven?"
"I'll fucking kill you!" The bear lunged with his left arm-
"Wrong answer." Yuta flicked his finger upward once-elegant in motion-but the sound it made drowned out everything else in the arena.
...
Elsewhere-Kuchiki Rukia and Mikami Asui arrived at the mouth of the underground arena where Kagari Ryoka and Kusaki Neka stood waiting.
Ryoka pointed to the opening in front of her. "Teacher Kuchiki-that's where we saw Yuta last go in."
Mikami followed her gaze to the dark path ahead-a jagged hole dropping deep into the earth, gaping wide like it was ready to swallow them whole.
"Move," Rukia commanded-and stepped forward with no hesitation.
Her robes snapped in the wind as she advanced toward the entrance-ready to descend-until two cloaked Shinigami blocked her path with drawn blades.
Rukia placed her hand on Sode no Shirayuki's hilt and pressed down slowly-knuckles tightening one by one-as her tone dropped ice cold: "Move aside. I don't want to kill anyone tonight."
Neither soul reaper moved a muscle-but her sword flashed bright anyway-
Hair sliced from their temples fell softly in two neat lines between them and Rukia stepped once closer.
"My next cut takes your heads."
Her hair shifted across her shoulders as she leaned forward-and for reasons she couldn't explain-her urgency only grew heavier inside her chest. Was it because Yuta was her student…? Or because he was Yuta? Or was it shame…?
Mikami Asui watched every movement without blinking-even now too slow to keep up. He hadn't seen her unsheath her blade. He hadn't seen her move or strike or even return it to her waist-it happened too fast for any understanding.
Clap clap clap-
Footsteps followed applause as Aratsuka Suma approached them casually with hands raised.
"Incredible... That blade would've killed them both," he said admiringly. "Miss Kuchiki-thank you for sparing them."
He turned angrily on the guards: "Do you both have shit for eyes? You don't recognize Miss Kuchiki? The hell is wrong with you?! Do you want your heads chopped off?!"
"Yes…" Both guards quickly backed away without protest.
Suma offered them another smile and bowed low at the entrance. "Please come in, Miss Kuchiki! Your arrival honors us here at Aratsuka Dojo."
Rukia didn't answer-instead walking past him coldly into the depths below.
They passed through two turns of rough stone walls before-
BOOM!
Ahead of them-something enormous slammed into stone loud enough to shake everything underfoot. Rocks fell from the walls and ceiling while dust filled their throats like smoke as one heavy tremor followed another-bracing everyone in place as if the whole structure might collapse at once.
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