Four days have passed since that drunken night.
The first morning was an event for Ryuu–waking up to Ilene staring down at him, yelling at him for carrying her and holding her hand, then kicking him out to get ready for the day.
He spent the following days in a similar manner as his first two in the castle: studying magic with Belynda in the morning, training and sparring with Leon in the afternoon, and joining Ilene for meals in the evening.
He had considered asking Belynda about Michael a couple of times, but decided he should focus all of his attention on the Blade exam for now.
On the morning of the fifth day, Ryuu wakes up feeling energized and ready to go.
He springs out of bed and moves to wash himself off.
When he was first given this room he didn’t notice, but there’s a wash area connected to it in the corner, behind where an old wardrobe had been until recently.
It took some nights of cleaning, but it’s now fully functional, and serves as an area where he can cleanse and relax when needed.
Around fifteen minutes after waking up, he meets with Ilene at the usual spot between their halls.
He waves to her as he approaches, noting the way she briefly makes eye contact before averting her gaze.
She must still be embarrassed.
She’s been acting like this ever since that night…
“Today’s the big day,” he begins.
“What time does it start?”
“Just before noon, so we should hurry and have a light meal before it’s too late.”
“Sounds good to me. Lead the way!”
******
They step onto the stone path of the courtyard as the morning chill whips them in the face.
Instead of heading toward the mess hall that Ryuu is used to visiting, Ilene leads him to a building closer to the center of the maze.
This structure has beautiful carvings of vines, crops, and farm animals all along the walls and doors, showing exactly what it’s all about.
As they get closer to the entrance, Ryuu makes out “Castle Cravings” on a hanging sign, and is struck by the smell of breakfast wafting through the doors.
“Oh yeah, this is where I need to be. Why did it take so long for you to show me this?”
“The mess hall is far cheaper. I’d rather not have to pay for two full-priced meals every time we’re hungry.”
“Stingy. I would’ve thought you had a larger allowance than that.”
“If you must know, I’m only permitted to use my allowance on things that my father approves of. Spending money on a man with no connection to us yet is not a decision he can get behind.”
They push through the doors into a cozy, cafe-style restaurant.
A few soldiers and students sit evenly dispersed; the early risers of the castle grounds seem to consolidate here.
Soon, a younger man in a striped shirt guides them to a table against a wall, allowing them to resume their conversation.
“So you’re still living off of the money you made at the Golden Club? Exactly how much did you bet on me?”
Ilene sets her elbows on the table and laces her fingers, resting her chin on them as she replies.
“Let’s just say that if you had lost, I would’ve killed you before Rolf had the chance.”
“Then I’m glad I won.”
They sit in silence for a few moments, before Ryuu’s stomach loudly growls.
“Where are the waiters? Or the menus?”
“They don’t do that here. You’ll be brought the meal of the day, and you’ll gratefully enjoy it.”
Ryuu passes the time by glancing around at other people.
He also tries to get a peek at what they’re eating, but their plates are barely out of view.
Within ten minutes of their arrival, the same young man brings two plates of food and cups of water.
He sets them down and politely says, “Enjoy!” before moving to attend to other customers.
Steaming plates of eggs, ham, and toast sit in front of the pair.
The aroma instantly activates Ryuu’s appetite, and he digs in with fervor.
Ilene moves a little slower, taking measured bites from her meal while watching him with a slightly amused expression.
They clean their plates before long, sipping on water while carrying on with small talk.
“Man, that was good. Probably the best meal I’ve had since Bexter.”
“Oh really? I thought that steak you had in my room was cooked to perfection.”
“Sure, that was pretty good too, but the atmosphere is a factor as well. You know, the mood.”
“Your vocabulary never ceases to amaze me. It’s noble-like at times, then gets mixed with the slums of the Bronze District. Where did you learn to speak like that?”
“Is that a serious question? You know where I’m from. I picked up some things by listening to the people that passed through, and reading books.”
Ilene’s eyes narrow.
“I suppose that was a bit insensitive of me. I don’t imagine you enjoy recalling that place, considering you left.”
“…It’s not like I wanted to leave. I had to.”
“Because of that man you mentioned?”
Ryuu’s fists tighten under the table, his eyes narrowing as he grits his teeth.
“Yeah, because of him. I had to leave my home and travel through the wildlands because of someone out there right now. If I hadn’t met you, I’d still be wandering around out there, just hoping I manage to find him.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, who is he?”
“I don’t know.”
Ilene pauses for a moment.
“You don’t know? How can that be?”
“I had never seen them before that day. At least, I wouldn’t know if I have, since they were wearing a cloak and mask.”
Ryuu leans back in his chair, thinking back to the fateful day.
“There wasn’t much warning. One moment, it was a regular evening–for the most part–and the next, everything was on fire. People were running around and screaming everywhere I looked. I remember something falling, then the next thing I know, I’m sitting up to find that masked bastard staring at me. After that…”
He hangs his head low, unable to get the rest out.
“It’s okay, Ryuu. You can tell me when you’re ready. I’d rather have you in good spirits right now.”
“Right… Yeah, the Blade exam. I need to get myself pumped up.”
He stands from the table and slaps his hands on his cheeks.
Before waiting for a response from Ilene, he dashes out of the restaurant and beelines toward the Aura Tower.
******
Ryuu pushes open the doors of the training room, not expecting to find anyone at this early hour.
“HAH! TAKE THIS! AND THIS!”
The yelling comes from Leon, naturally, as he throws a series of attacks at Master Nolan.
He unleashes technique after technique, pushing his body and aura to their limits.
Meanwhile, Nolan seems to easily dodge every blow at the last possible moment.
He guides Leon into creating openings and punishes him accordingly.
Soon enough, their sparring comes to a pause, and they turn to greet Ryuu.
“Hey, Ryuu! Today’s the big day; what’re you doing here?!”
“Yes, Ryuu. Are you sure you should be running around before your big moment?”
They question him in their own ways, but he shrugs them off.
“I’m not the type to sit still and wait during times like this. I need a warm-up or something.”
He glances at Leon.
“You up for that?”
Leon grins and puffs his chest out.
“Coming for me right after a match with Master Nolan? Just kidding, of course I’m down! Let’s do this!”
They immediately spring into action, trading blows as they have since the day they met.
In the week that Ryuu has lived at Mahora Castle, he’s grown comfortable quicker than he could have ever imagined.
He hadn’t had a partner to train with like this his entire life, instead having to settle for rough murderers and other run-of-the-mill scum, or a certain someone that treated him like a punching bag.
He’s starting to recognize his matches with Leon as something to look forward to each day.
At some point, Ilene arrives, grumbling about being left behind as she moves close to Nolan.
He bows his head once she gets next to him.
“Lady Ilene. Have you come to watch them?”
“I can’t let Ryuu out of my sight today. We’ll have to get ready to go soon.”
They watch in silence for a moment as Ryuu lands a particularly clean blow to Leon’s torso, sending him crashing into a far wall.
“How long have they been sparring together this intensely? I remember him telling me they had a match on his first day of class, but…”
“Every day,” Nolan responds.
“They always have a match after class, but in the past few days Ryuu’s growth has been astonishing. When it comes to pure aura manipulation, I’d say he’s already become average within the Intermediate-Tier. Most of his techniques aren’t far behind.”
“Do you think he has a chance against a sanctioned Intermediate A’yang?”
“Well, there’s always a chance when the opponent is only one tier higher, albeit a slim one. Ryuu has a skill that goes beyond aura, though. He hasn’t shown it yet, but I can see it in his movements. His fighting style seems to be centered around dynamic movements, with a clear focus on ruthlessly crushing his opponent. Something he can’t fully execute in practice.”
Ilene perks up at this.
“You’re saying he’s likely to show his true strength during the exam, since for better or worse, it’s a match to the death?”
Nolan sighs.
“Forfeiting is technically an option as well, but it’s never happened before. Not on the examiner’s end, at least.”
“Either way, I’m just glad he’s in higher spirits now.”
Leon and Ryuu finish up with a final {Charge Point} clash.
They struggle against each other for a few moments, until the auras burst and the two men are sent flying backward.
Leon sits up first, his legs crossed as he smiles.
“Haha! I’m not even surprised anymore at how good you’ve gotten, Ryuu! I have no doubts you can win!”
Ryuu climbs to his feet a moment after that, his face calm and focused.
“We’ll see… But I certainly don’t plan on losing.”
He turns to the other two in the room.
“Ilene, is it about that time?”
“Yes, we should be heading toward the Golden Temple now.”
He nods and moves beside her, the two of them hurriedly leaving the training room behind.
Once they get a safe distance away, he turns to her again.
“Golden Temple?”
“It’s the title of the above-ground area of the Golden Club.
While it’s not exactly forbidden to know of it, it would be better if we didn’t use the term “Golden Club” around others.”
“Understood.”
They continue silently for a short while as they walk through the estate, making it to the main gate before Ilene speaks up.
“Are you ready for this, Ryuu?”
“Ready as I can be.”
“Your opponent is likely to be extremely close to the Advanced-Tier. They will have certain techniques you have yet to experience.”
“I already expected something like that. I do have one question though.”
“What is it?”
“Will they be able to use magic?”
She shakes her head.
“No. Even if they were one of the rare people who train in both paths, they’re bound by the rules of the exam to use only magic or aura, respectively.”
“Am I bound by those rules?”
“No, although that was more than one question.”
“…Are you trying to get me worked up?”
She stifles a laugh and leads him onto the streets as the estate’s gate swings open.
******
They soon reach the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Golden Temple.
People crowd the streets around them, and a good amount have already climbed the stairs for a better view.
Their heads turn as they catch a glimpse of Ilene climbing up.
“Hey, that’s Lady Ilene!”
“I haven’t seen her at an event like this in years. I guess the guy fighting is trying to be her Blade.”
“The man next to her looks familiar. I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before…”
Multiple voices sound out as the two of them reach the top.
They pass through the front pillars and make their way inside, spotting a couple of people waiting on the opposite end of the temple.
Lord Xander and another man await them, their presences overpowering even the thousands of spectators’.
Before any words can be spoken, Ilene drops to one knee and bows her head.
“Father, I appreciate you coming here yourself.”
Father?!
That means this man is…
The duke steps forward and waves a hand absentmindedly.
“Raise your head. I’ve come to see the man you’ve placed your bets on.”
She complies, rising with a nervous glance at Ryuu.
Ryuu takes in all of the details he can: close-cropped black hair, eyes just as dark as said hair, lavish, deep blue robes, and some kind of staff made of solid gold.
This man doesn’t just wield power, he exudes it.
I’ve never felt such an overwhelming presence from one person.
He bows his head and greets the duke.
“I’m Ryuu, the one here to take the Blade exam. I’m sorry it’s taken this long for us to meet, but I’ve heard a lot about you, Your Grace.”
“I doubt that. Spare me the pleasantries. I know you’re not exactly from around these parts.”
“Oh, alright. Well then, what can I do for you?”
The duke lightly smirks.
“I should introduce myself before we begin, it’s only right. My name is Alastair Mahora, otherwise known as the current Duke of Mahora. I heard you’ve already made acquaintance with my son, Xander. And of course, you’ve gotten to know Ilene well enough.”
“Yes, sir. Ilene is the person I’d say I’m closest to at this point in time.”
Her cheeks slightly redden as Lord Alastair offers a low chuckle.
“I see. Well then, I expect a good showing from you. If you truly wish to stand by her side as her Blade, that is.”
He turns with those parting words and moves into the center of the temple.
Ilene elbows Ryuu just hard enough for him to mutter, “Ouch…” then they straighten up as the duke begins speaking.
“Citizens of Mahora! If you’d please hold for a few moments, I’d like to get this exam underway!”
Everyone halts their conversations within a second, giving Duke Alastair the floor.
“Today we have a rare event in store, as I’m sure you’ve all heard! My daughter, Ilene, has found a new candidate for the role of her Blade. A necessity for any family member of a ducal household!”
He pauses and lowers his tone.
“Before I introduce the candidate, and his opponent, allow me to give you all one fair warning. Ninety-eight percent of Blade exams end in the death of a participant, so if you aren’t prepared to witness that, then you should head home now. This will get ugly.”
Murmurs spread around the outside of the temple, yet nobody makes any moves to leave.
They know what they’ve come to see.
He nods.
“Alright then. Without further ado, allow me to introduce the man who will be taking this exam. Come forth, Ryuu!”
Ryuu steps forward, stopping a few paces away from the center of the floor as cheers and applause ring out.
I thought I was used to this kind of thing, but it feels weird fighting out in the open.
It’s not like I’ll get in trouble for it, so why am I feeling nervous?
“And his opponent, a man some of you may know. He was the rising star of last year’s Sacred Games, helping to bring his team to victory with his exceptional mastery of basic aura techniques. Come on out, Alph!”
The gathered citizens explode with noise at the name, and a man emerges from the crowd shortly after.
Brown hair swings behind his head in a high ponytail, and his muscular frame makes him stand out immediately.
His clothing doesn’t give off the impression of a noble, but he’s dressed in the Mahora colors of gold and blue.
Alph soon settles across from Ryuu, staring him down with dark, upturned eyes.
“Hey, kid, you ready for this? I’m sorry, but I don’t plan on going easy.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want the fun to end too soon.”
They exchange typical trash talk as the crowd cheers them on.
Duke Alastair allows it for a few moments, then calls for silence with a raise of his hand.
“Move to your sides,” he commands.
“We’ll begin on my mark.”
Alph moves to the far side of the temple, while Ryuu ends up near the entrance.
Ilene remains at the edge of the entrance, watching him with an unbreakable focus.
He glances back at her and smirks, conveying a look that screams: “I’ve got this, just watch.”
“Is everyone ready? Then it’s time for Mahora’s sixtieth Blade exam! Ryuu versus Alph! Let the battle begin!”
******
The already-excited crowd erupts as the two fighters continue to stare each other down.
Ryuu takes a deep breath and allows himself to loosen up, diving back into the state he’s used to: a fighting machine.
He inches forward, crouching down and pushing his lead foot across the ground in small intervals.
Alph takes a different approach and moves forward at a steady pace.
Once he’s within ten feet of Ryuu, his eyes narrow, and a flash of light erupts from beneath him.
“{In-step}”
He appears inside of his opponent’s guard and reaches forward to grab the collar of their suit.
Ryuu’s ready for it, his arm sweeping up and brushing Alph’s aside as he throws a jab to the nose.
The larger man twists so that the jab only grazes him, then he throws a heavy elbow at his opponent’s ribs.
“”{Charge Point}!””
Ryuu skids across the floor from the impact, but is unharmed thanks to his quick reaction.
His muscular foe tilts their head as they straighten up.
“You defended my {Charge Point} with one of your own,” Alph observes.
“That’s pretty good for someone supposedly at the Apprentice-Tier.”
The white-haired warrior doesn’t respond.
He instead focuses his aura and takes off with his own {In-step}, appearing behind his opponent in a blur.
He feints with a high blow and Alph takes the bait, twisting and raising his guard, then Ryuu ducks low and wraps his arms around Alph’s thighs.
He lifts the ponytailed A’yang off the ground with a sharp exhale, before slamming him down headfirst into the solid temple floor.
Before he can take advantage of the momentum, Ryuu senses danger and leaps backward.
“Oh? You’ve got good instincts.”
Alph gives slight praise while rising from the ground.
He shakes his head as if to clear it, then reenters an offensive stance.
“I thought I could draw you in, but if not, I’ll just crush you!”
The two A’yang enter a high-paced exchange, flying across the temple floor and leaving blurry afterimages in their wake.
Their movements are too fast for the average person to track–thanks to {In-step}–but about ten seconds after it began, the exchange comes to a sudden stop.
Ryuu reappears first, his suit torn and repairing itself in real time.
Blood runs down the side of his face in a thin line, though he barely notices it.
Alph appears shortly after.
He stands tall and glares at Ryuu, then glances down at his right arm.
It’s bent out of shape, and appears to be broken in two different places around the elbow.
“What the hell kind of move was that?” he mutters.
“Don’t ask me. I just thought of it in the moment.”
Ryuu smirks while he responds, trying to get a rise out of his opponent, but they don’t bite.
Instead, Alph takes a calm breath and uses {Recovery} to mend his arm.
“Unfortunately for you, my Recovery technique is at the Advanced-Tier. It’ll take a lot more than that to beat me.”
This time, the musclebound fighter stands motionlessly while keeping his eyes locked onto Ryuu.
“You’re the challenger here. Let’s see if you have what it takes.”
Ryuu responds to the call, moving forward at a normal walking pace.
By the time he’s halfway across the golden floor, his suit has almost fully repaired itself, and the moment the last inch of fabric settles into place, he explodes forward.
He waits until he’s within range to quickly pivot behind Alph, yet is met by a palm strike to the sternum.
A shock wave ripples through Ryuu’s body from the blow, but he grits his teeth and pushes through.
His fists light up with aura as he throws a barrage of punches, matching his opponent blow for blow with neither of them able to find an opening.
Without pausing for a breath, Ryuu brings his foot high and arcs it down in a heavy axe-kick.
The attack connects with Alph’s shoulder and brings him to a knee, allowing Ryuu to line up a perfect {Charge Point} hook.
Just as his left fist is about to crash into his opponent’s jaw, the challenger feels a sudden burning pain in his gut.
“Ughhh…”
He slumps to the ground as Alph stands again, aura coating his right hand.
“You left yourself wide open there. You’re lucky this arm was broken a minute ago, or that would have ended it.”
Ryuu barely registers the man’s words.
He can feel the blood rushing through his head as he works through the pain.
Taking a punch like that with no aura to defend against it was a huge mistake.
“Get up! You’re just getting started, Ryuu!” Ilene shouts from the sidelines.
The outburst seems to surprise even herself, but she continues watching with faith.
He groans and rolls to the side as a foot stomps down where he was a moment before.
Instead of pushing himself up, he spins on his hands and sweeps out Alph’s legs.
“Wha–!”
BANG!
Alph’s confusion is cut short as Ryuu throws a back kick after causing him to fall.
The young warrior’s heel connects to the underside of Alph’s chin–while midair–with a cannon-like impact, then sends him tumbling across the floor.
Ryuu glances over as he stands and notices the blood pouring out of Alph’s mouth.
He must have bit his tongue pretty badly!
If I can stop him from using {Recovery}, then I can make him suffocate!
The re-energized fighter wastes no time, using {In-step} to appear over his opponent and drive a hammer fist directly onto his mouth.
Alph’s vision is blurred with tears as he feels the impact.
His head bounces off of the floor twice, and he hears a crack from somewhere inside his skull.
“Wa– waith!” Alph shouts.
“Wha’ tha hell are you?!”
His head is knocked back again without an answer.
Ryuu has locked onto him now and won’t let go, pinning him and slamming down fist after fist.
After ten of them land, he can sense that Alph is on the brink and aims for a throat shot to finish it.
The moment his fist begins to come down–
SHING!
Splat!
Ryuu pauses, his mind racing to catch up to what just happened.
My fist didn’t reach him?
No, he blocked it somehow.
But why didn’t I feel it?
Actually, I still can’t feel it…
Splat, Splat, Splat.
He looks to his left and finds an arm laying on the ground a few meters away.
The constant dripping noise draws his attention, and so he lowers his gaze to see a stream of red pouring from his shoulder.
“…Huh?”
Ryuu becomes lightheaded as he falls backward off of Alph, his hand unconsciously gripping the stump where his arm used to be.
What?
My arm… How did it get over there?
What did he do?!
His opponent struggles to his feet, aura wisping around him as {Recovery} mends the worst of his injuries.
A short sword stained with blood rests in his hand, which he whips through the air to somewhat clean off.
“To think you’d make me use a weapon… You’re clearly no Apprentice A’yang. Not to mention those movements of yours. You’re obviously a dangerous opponent.”
He slowly struts toward the grimacing Ryuu curled up on the ground.
“I can’t fault you though, as I’m also no mere Intermediate A’yang.”
Aura shoots out from within him, wrapping around the short sword like an outer shell.
Dammit!
What the hell is Intermediate-Tier about this guy?!
I can’t afford to die here!
I still haven’t gotten my revenge!
I haven’t paid that masked bastard back for what he did!
I’m losing too much blood.
I’m running out of energy.
Is this it?
Just like his past brush with death, Ryuu’s thoughts speed up immensely.
He watches Alph’s sword begin its path downward, aimed directly at his chest.
He feels the life force steadily leaving him through his missing arm.
He senses the ambient mana in the air, no more than a part of the world he’s about to be taken from.
Mana!
What am I doing?!
His remaining hand thrusts upward as he shouts “[Barrier]!” The dragon scale shield he had been working on for the past week appears above him, and blocks the incoming sword with little difficulty.
Alph is surprised for a moment, but only a moment, then kicks Ryuu out from under the barrier.
As he rolls across the floor, his magic art dissipates and Alph streaks forward, bringing their sword up once more for a devastating overhead slash.
Ryuu reaches out and grabs his removed arm, raising it as a makeshift defense.
The sword slices right through, but its path becomes slightly deviated, allowing him to slip inside his opponent’s guard and land a {Charge Point} elbow.
His strike digs into Alph’s diaphragm and forces them to keel over, gasping and wheezing due to the unexpected loss of breath as their sword clatters to the ground.
The maimed fighter instantly makes a move for the weapon, but his foe quickly snatches it up again.
Aura radiates from Alph’s torso, {Recovery} working overtime as he slashes wildly at Ryuu.
He somehow manages to avoid a direct hit, yet suffers several shallow cuts across his body.
Shit!
I’ve lost too much blood, and I don’t have a way to put him down!
He should be exhausted from his continuous use of {Recovery}, but I’ll still be the first to collapse at this rate!
Alph steps in with a sharp thrust, and although Ryuu sees it coming, his footing slips due to muscle failure.
Shink!
His eyes widen as he feels the impact through his gut.
He looks down to find the short sword buried to the hilt through his midsection, and throws up blood immediately after.
His instincts cause him to grab the hilt and keep it in place, but that doesn’t stop his opponent from kicking him backward and ripping the blade out.
Oh.
I’m dead.
Ryuu finds himself truly at death’s door with nowhere to turn, nowhere to hide.
Even with all of his hard work, the gap between tiers has proven to be too large for him.
No.
Aura wisps around his body as he uses {Recovery} at full throttle.
Since he purposefully kept himself from practicing the technique, it only manages to slow the bleeding, but even that much can be considered a miracle.
I’m not done.
He bends his knees and forms a neutral stance.
Even though Alph knows that one more attack will end it, he finds himself unable to press forward.
The presence emitting from Ryuu now is one that any warrior could recognize–the scent of death.
I won’t fail here, not after giving Ilene my word.
How many times did I promise her that I’d win?
How many times have I resolved myself to become her Blade?!
How many times will I fall short at the critical moment?!
It stops here!!!
As if in response to his emotions, a blinding, golden light bursts to life inside of Ryuu.
It shines outward, bright enough that Alph steps back and the spectators are forced to shield their eyes.
The duke mutters something in shock, so low that only Lord Xander catches it.
“It can’t be… At this time? No, it’s precisely because it’s now. I see.”
“An Awakening?!”
Ilene reaches the same conclusion from across the temple, shock and awe evident in her voice.
“He managed to awaken his Talent at the last possible moment. It’s unbelievable! …I only hope it can end this quickly…”
Ryuu’s body is lifted off the floor, his boots hovering above the ground as a wave of information floods his brain.
Talent: Draconic Armament
Magic Type: Power
Unsealed Spells:
–[Piercing Claws]
–[Shredding Talons]
Progress to Evolution: 7%
Words and statuses continue to whirl around in his mind, but he manages to focus on what he needs for right now.
Talent, magic type… I guess this means I’ve awakened.
Whatever, as long as it lets me win!
Alph regains his senses and charges forward, yelling “It doesn’t matter if you’ve awakened, you don’t have a clue how to properly use your Talent yet!”
He slashes through the cocoon of golden light, but meets no resistance.
Ryuu is gone.
The ponytailed swordsman looks from side to side, trying to find where his nearly-finished opponent fled, then feels killing intent directly above him.
“[Shredding Talons]!”
As Ryuu chants his spell from above, his right leg becomes wrapped in golden light.
It doesn’t just form a simple layer over him, it takes the shape of an oversized limb with razor sharp talons jutting out, akin to the mythical descriptions of a dragon.
He then descends in a flash, attacking with a deadly axe-kick.
Alph manages to raise his sword in time, but the spell slices his blade into four pieces, and slashes through his chest like paper.
The broken sword leaves his hand for good this time, and he slowly backs away as blood spurts out from his torso in a fountain.
He attempts to use {Recovery} to seal the wounds, yet drops to a knee once his stamina reaches its limit.
Ryuu stares at his felled foe from a few feet away as he draws in more mana from the gold around him to fuel his final attack.
He chants “[Piercing Claws]” and his magic responds.
The same golden light forms around him–taking the place of his lost arm–as a dense draconic gauntlet takes shape.
“Wait. Please. I give u–”
Swoosh!
Alph’s words are cut short as Ryuu surges forward and thrusts his claws, piercing through his opponent’s throat, mouth, and forehead.
Death instantaneously greets the Intermediate A’yang, and the bloody battle comes to an end.