Saito tightened his grip on his sword.
"Yeah."
"But you're not the only one here with a God Eye."
His eyes suddenly changed.
A radiant symbol appeared in his pupils.
Seraph.
The air around Saito trembled.
Kyle's expression changed.
"Seraph..."
He stared at Saito's eyes.
"That's a rare one."
Saito smirked.
"So..."
"You still want to fight?"
Kyle grinned.
"Heh."
"Of course."
He suddenly lunged forward.
WHOOSH!
His sword came straight toward Saito.
Saito calmly stepped aside.
Kyle's blade cut through empty air.
Saito raised his hand.
"Repel."
BOOM!
An invisible force blasted Kyle backward.
"GH—!"
Kyle flew across the ground.
But before he could recover—
Saito suddenly appeared above him.
Kyle looked up.
"Already?!"
Saito extended his hand.
"Repel."
KRAAAM!
The force slammed Kyle straight into the ground.
BOOM!
Dust exploded outward.
The earth cracked beneath him, leaving a large crater.
The crowd gasped.
"WHOA!"
Bomb stared at the crater.
"...That was fast."
Rin's eyes widened.
"Captain didn't even use his sword."
Fanny crossed her arms.
"Yep."
Alya watched through her transparent tablet.
"His Seraph is getting stronger."
Kaito remained focused.
"Don't celebrate yet."
The dust slowly began to settle.
A silhouette moved inside the crater.
Kaito narrowed his eyes.
"...He's getting back up."
Saito smiled.
"Good."
"I was hoping you'd last longer."
Kyle smirked as Saito stood over the crater.
"You fell right into my trap."
Saito narrowed his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
Kyle's red clock-like pupils began to glow.
"Time Stop."
CLICK.
Everything suddenly froze.
The wind stopped.
The dust hung motionless in the air.
Even Saito and the Blue Scarf crew became completely still.
Kyle casually walked toward Saito.
He looked around at the frozen battlefield.
"Oh?"
"What's wrong, Blue Scarf?"
"Can't move?"
Kyle stepped closer and smirked.
"That's unfortunate."
SLAP!
He slapped Saito across the face.
Saito couldn't react.
Kyle followed with several punches to Saito's chest.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
Kyle stepped back.
"Enjoy the rest of your beating."
He raised one hand.
"Time..."
"...resume."
WHOOSH!
Everything suddenly moved again.
Saito stumbled backward.
"UGH!"
His head snapped to the side from the slap, while the pain from the punches finally hit him.
He touched his chest.
"...How dare you."
Kyle grinned.
"You couldn't even move."
Saito's expression hardened.
"Then let's see if you can dodge this."
His Seraph began glowing.
"Divine Spear!"
SHING!
A massive spear of radiant energy shot toward Kyle at terrifying speed.
Kyle's eyes widened.
"Whoa!"
He quickly raised his sword.
CLANG!
The spear struck his blade.
The force pushed him backward.
"NGH!"
His sword began to crack under the pressure.
Kyle's eyes widened.
"Too strong!"
He immediately jumped aside.
BOOM!
The Divine Spear tore through the ground where he had been standing, leaving a deep scar across the earth.
Kyle landed several meters away.
He looked at the destruction behind him.
"...Okay."
He grinned.
"Now that's more like it."
Saito tightened his grip on his sword.
"Still want to call me weak?"
Kyle's Chronos continued ticking.
"Absolutely."
Kyle suddenly lunged forward.
Saito moved at the exact same moment.
BOOM!
Their auris erupted simultaneously.
The pressure swept through the battlefield like a shockwave.
WHOOSH!
Several villagers gasped and staggered backward.
Some of them couldn't withstand the overwhelming pressure and collapsed.
Alya's expression immediately changed.
"Saito!"
"Stop!"
Saito's eyes widened.
He glanced around.
Villagers were lying on the ground, while others were desperately trying to get away.
Kaito immediately shouted toward the crowd.
"Everyone, get back!"
Rin and Bomb rushed forward to help move the villagers away.
Fanny looked toward Saito.
"Captain!"
Alya raised her transparent tablet.
"Their auris is affecting everyone around them!"
Saito clenched his fists.
He looked at Kyle.
Then at the civilians.
His expression became serious.
"...We need to take this somewhere else."
Kyle lowered his sword slightly.
He looked around at the fallen villagers.
"...Yeah."
For the first time, his expression wasn't arrogant.
"Agreed."
Saito nodded.
"Then let's move."
Kyle smirked.
"But don't think I'm letting you escape."
Saito smiled back.
"I wouldn't expect you to."
The two fighters stepped away from the village, their battle temporarily paused.
Kaito sighed.
"Finally."
Bomb looked at the unconscious villagers.
"That got out of hand."
Rin nodded.
"Way too fast."
Fanny looked toward Saito.
"At least he listened."
Alya lowered her tablet.
"Now let's make sure nobody else gets hurt."
Saito and Kyle walked away from the village, putting some distance between themselves and the crowd.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
Then Saito glanced sideways at Kyle.
Kyle glanced back.
Saito suddenly moved his leg.
TRIP!
Kyle's foot caught against it and he fell forward.
THUD!
Kyle looked up.
"...Did you just trip me?"
Saito blinked innocently.
"Oops."
"Accident."
Kyle slowly stood up.
"...Okay."
He dusted himself off.
Saito continued walking.
Then—
BAM!
Kyle suddenly punched Saito in the shoulder.
Saito gasped.
"Ow!"
Kyle smiled innocently.
"Oops."
"Accident."
Saito's eye twitched.
"...Oh, you."
Kyle crossed his arms.
"What?"
"You want more?"
Saito turned toward him.
"Are you seriously starting this?"
"You started it!"
"I tripped you!"
"Exactly!"
"That was an accident!"
"And punching me was an accident?"
Kyle nodded confidently.
"Yep."
Saito stared at him.
"...You're unbelievable."
Kyle grinned.
"You're the one who started it."
Saito pointed at him.
"Keep talking."
Kyle pointed back.
"You keep talking!"
The two continued arguing as they walked.
Behind them, Kaito watched in silence.
Bomb sighed.
"They're supposed to be rivals, right?"
Rin nodded.
"Yeah."
Fanny tilted her head.
"They sound more like siblings."
Alya smiled.
"Give them five minutes."
"They'll probably start fighting again."
Kaito sighed.
"Probably."
Kyle suddenly stopped walking.
"Guys..."
Saito looked ahead.
Two figures emerged from the forest.
A young woman walked up first.
"Captain!"
"We've been looking for you for hours!"
Behind her came a broad-shouldered man.
He looked at Kyle and crossed his arms.
"Enjoying your peaceful little moment without us?"
Kyle grinned.
"Of course."
The two newcomers then noticed Saito.
They stared at him.
"Who the heck are you?"
Saito pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"I'm Blue Scarf."
The girl's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Jokun City's Conqueror?"
Saito nodded.
"Yep."
Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Childish."
Saito's eye twitched.
"...What did you say?"
The broad-shouldered man stepped forward.
"I'm Yarui."
He pointed toward the girl.
"And this is Karen."
Karen gave a small nod.
"Nice to meet you."
Yarui then gestured toward Kyle.
"And this is our captain, Kyle."
Kyle smirked.
Saito stared at them.
"...Your captain?"
Yarui nodded proudly.
"We're the Chaos Gang."
Saito immediately covered his mouth.
His shoulders started shaking.
Kyle's eyes narrowed.
"What's so funny?"
Saito tried desperately to hold it in.
"Nothing..."
"Nothing at all."
Yarui frowned.
"What's funny?"
Saito finally burst out laughing.
"Pfft—"
"Chaos Gang?"
He wiped his eyes.
"Now that's childish."
Kyle's expression darkened.
"You need to stop laughing."
Yarui looked at Kyle.
"What?"
Kyle pointed at him.
"And you need to stop revealing our gang's name to random people!"
Yarui blinked.
"...Oh."
Karen sighed.
"Captain..."
"You really picked an interesting group of people."
Kyle rubbed his forehead.
"This is going to be a long day."
Saito wiped the last bit of laughter from his eyes.
"You know what?"
"Let's have a drink first."
Kyle immediately grinned.
"Of course, loser."
Saito's eye twitched.
"Oh, you—"
Before Saito could step forward, Kaito calmly grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Easy, Captain."
Saito looked at him.
Kaito nodded toward the others.
"Actually..."
"That's a brilliant idea."
"Let's have a drink."
He looked at the group.
"Everyone can calm down and introduce themselves properly."
Saito sighed.
"Fine."
Kyle crossed his arms.
"Alright."
"I'll follow what you ask, Noctarion."
Kaito nodded.
"Good."
Yarui looked confused.
"Wait."
"You two are just going to drink together after trying to beat each other up?"
Saito shrugged.
"Why not?"
Kyle smirked.
"Sounds fine to me."
Karen sighed.
"I have a feeling this is going to get complicated."
Bomb nodded.
"Definitely."
Rin grinned.
"At least we're not fighting."
Fanny looked at Saito.
"For now."
Saito sighed.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
Kaito started walking toward the nearest tavern.
"Come on."
"Before you two change your minds."
Saito and Kyle followed, still glaring at each other.
Neither of them looked particularly convinced that the rivalry was over.
But for now...
A drink would do.