Shuo barely registered the gasps and wide-eyed stares from the girls on the sidelines. All his focus was locked on Kiba, the two of them eye-to-eye, tension humming in the air. A slow, genuine smile crept across Shuo's face.
"Kiba-kun, you really are something. This fight… it's got my blood pumping. Time for me to go all out!"
Kiba grinned back, just as exhilarated. "Likewise, Nangong-kun. It's been a while since I've had a match this intense."
No more words. Shuo lunged forward, his presence bearing down like a mountain. Kiba, caught in the pressure, barely had time to process before Zangetsu in Shuo's hands began to pulse with swirling black energy—so intense it felt as if the air itself might ignite.
Suddenly, Shuo wound white cloth strips around Zangetsu's hilt and spun it like a propeller. With a sharp snap, he hurled the blade forward—a streak of black and steel slicing through the air.
Kiba's eyes widened at the unorthodox attack, but he recovered fast. With a swift, practiced motion, he met the flying blade with his demonic sword, knocking Zangetsu aside in a shower of sparks.
But Shuo wasn't finished. He yanked the cloth, recalling Zangetsu to his hand, and immediately spun into another assault—this time, a relentless flurry of slashes, each blow sharper and faster than the last. The air whistled around them, the force of the strikes battering Kiba like a storm.
Kiba could only grit his teeth and defend, his blade moving in desperate arcs. In the blink of an eye, his uniform was torn in several places, sweat beading on his brow, chest heaving as he struggled to keep up. Each time he parried, Shuo's attacks came faster, harder, unrelenting. Kiba's stance wavered, his legs trembling, as if he might collapse at any moment.
Finally, after one last desperate block, both fighters broke apart. Shuo stood calm, spinning Zangetsu with one hand, his breathing steady. Kiba, by contrast, was hunched over, chest rising and falling, cold sweat running down his face as he forced himself to remain upright.
The girls watching were frozen, unable to process what they were seeing. Kiba—Rias's "Knight," the peerless swordsman—looked utterly battered and on the verge of defeat.
"Kiba-kun," Shuo called, his voice certain and clear, "it's time to bring this match to a close."
He lifted his blade, eyes narrowing with focus. "This will end in a flash, so be ready. I'm coming."
Kiba's eyes narrowed, every muscle tensed. He locked onto Shuo, holding his breath, the world narrowing down to just the two of them. Even the breeze seemed to pause, the air charged with anticipation. The girls didn't dare breathe.
A heartbeat—then, with a sound like tearing silk, Shuo vanished.
Kiba's instincts screamed. He spun, sword raised, but Shuo was already behind him, silent as a shadow.
"What—?!"
Kiba's body moved on reflex, swinging his sword in a desperate backward arc. But before he could complete the motion, he felt a cold edge brush his neck—a single strand of hair drifted down, severed in the blink of an eye.
It was over.
"No way…!"
"This can't be real!"
"…"
Rias and the others were speechless, their minds reeling. Kiba wasn't just strong—he was at the very peak of mid-class devils, a step away from breaking through to high-class. By Rias's reckoning, Shuo should have been, at best, a strong low-class devil, maybe just entering mid-class territory. Even if he could handle stray devils, this… this was something else entirely.
But the truth was right there: Shuo had cut a strand of Kiba's hair and could have ended the fight at any moment.
Rias searched for an explanation, but nothing made sense. After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice uncertain. "Shuo… was that spatial magic?"
"Nangong-kun, you can use spatial magic too?" Tomoe echoed, eyes wide.
Every girl wore the same look—stunned, almost disbelieving. Even Koneko, usually so stoic, stared at Shuo, mouth slightly open.
Kiba, for his part, could only stare at Shuo for a long moment before managing a wry, admiring smile. "Nangong-kun, you really never run out of surprises. That move… was it some kind of unknown Sacred Gear, or a secret magic technique?"
All eyes turned to Shuo, waiting for his answer.
He gave a helpless smile, shrugging. If only I had a spatial Sacred Gear or magic… but the system's stingy as ever. Out loud, he explained, "Not quite. It's a space ninjutsu I've mastered—Flying Thunder God. It needs a special mark to work. Check Kiba-kun's shoulder; you'll see the seal."
"…"
"…"
Rias let out a long sigh. She'd heard rumors of Eastern ninjutsu, but seeing it in action was something else. Shuo's swordsmanship and martial arts were already beyond belief—and now, spatial techniques? She felt as if she was staring at a bottomless well.
"Ara ara… Shuo-chan, you're getting naughtier by the day. Hiding ninjutsu from us, hm?" Akeno's eyes sparkled with mischief, a sly smile playing on her lips.
She sidled closer to Rias, her voice low and teasing. "Rias, I'll bet you anything—Shuo-chan's still got more secrets up his sleeve. Don't you think?"
Rias nodded, her gaze burning into Shuo. "I do. And I'm more determined than ever to make him one of my own."
Shuo felt a chill run down his spine under Rias's intense stare. Sure, being the center of attention for a group of beautiful girls sounded like a dream, but knowing what Rias was plotting… it was enough to make his skin crawl.
Still, with the mission complete, Shuo's mind drifted to the system. Wonder what I'll get for beating Kiba…
"Ding! Mission complete. You've defeated Yuuto Kiba. Reward: Mid-Class Devil Peak Enhancement Card."
Shuo blinked, then grinned. Well, speak of the devil. Exactly what I needed—more magic power, more stamina. Now I can finally push my Zanpakutō and Rumble-Rumble Fruit to their true limits. Perfect timing.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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