Silence. Silence stretched out for minutes, if not hours. It seemed this was a game of patience, and neither was willing to move first. The silence was unbearable. Suddenly, a thin sound tore through the air. It was thin, then it grew sharp and irritating. Sagiri was not wearing his seals, and the thin sound was the cruelest thing he had ever heard. To his ears, it was like torture. It felt like they were exploding.
His opponent must have come prepared. The sound rose higher and higher and higher, and Sagiri could not feel anything besides the agonizing, crippling white sound tearing at his sensitive ears. He fell on one knee, panting in agony. His hands rushed to his ears to cover them, but it was futile. Only his seals could stop all the noise. His hands came in contact with something wet.
Blood
