The tornadoes finally died.The rain faded.The skies cleared.
And right on time-
THUMP.
Rokuro's body dropped out of the air, landing in the mud like a crashed icicle.
Shichiro rushed over, kneeling beside him."Yo, you alive or…?"
Rokuro groaned, blinking. "Yeah… yeah, I'm good. Just… dizzy. I think my heart took me somewhere."
Then he stood up like nothing happened.
And raised his hand.
"So uh… who wants to spar?"
Katsu grabbed his wrist and helped him up."Why so sudden?"
Rokuro dusted himself off."…Dunno. I feel stronger."
Shichiro smirked. "Yeah? We should probab-"
"Heh." Kentarō flashed a thumbs-up."I'd probably cook you all. No need to spar."
Katsu placed a hand on his shoulder."Sure you would, Kentaro."
"It's KENTARŌ.""Right, Kentaro."
Kentarō screamed into the sky.
The Training Grounds
Hours later, built from "Survival Cement," grass, mud, and prayer, the training arena stood proudly before them.
Kentarō squinted at the walls."How did you… think of this?"
"It's literally mud and grass," Katsu said, shrugging. "Name just sounded cool. And the wall is like, barely a foot tall."
ROUND 1: SHICHIRO vs. RYOSEN
Ryosen cracked his knuckles. Two massive golden Buddha hands manifested at his sides.
"Try not to cry," he said, casually picking his nose.
The hands clapped inward, trying to crush Shichiro.
Shichiro backflipped, igniting into a burst of heat, FLAME BURST!
He fired rapid fire-bullets, each one whistling through the air.
Ryosen dodged most of them…until one nailed him right in the forehead.
"OW- BRO." He cupped his face.
Before he could recover, Shichiro's whips lashed out, LASSO SNARE!
Wrapped tight.
"Gotcha now, sucker." Shichiro smirked.
He yanked Ryosen toward him and punched a fire bullet directly into his face.
BOOM.
Ryosen rolled backward, coughing smoke.
"Do you really have to say your moves out loud man?. Your so cringe."
Winner: Shichiro.
ROUND 2: KENTARŌ vs. KATSU
Kentarō cracked his neck. "Try not to blink."
Katsu raised his fists. "Try not to cry."
"Wanna bet?" Kentarō smirked.
"Sure… Kentaro."
"IT'S KENTAR-!"
Time froze.
Kentarō was stuck mid-yell, eyes wide.
Katsu casually walked around him, poking his cheek."Yep. Works every time."
Time resumed.
"-Ō?!"
Kentarō fell face-first into the dirt.
Katsu crossed his arms proudly.
Winner: Katsu.
Kentarō punched the ground. "I HATE YOUR HEART."
ROUND 3: AEGIS vs. KENTARŌ
Kentarō pointed dramatically."Old man, I WANT YOU."
Aegis blinked. "Old?, I'm seventeen."
"Too late. You're old."
Aegis sighed, shifting into his glowing armor form, plates of celestial metal forming around him.
Kentarō twirled his daggers. "Alright, let's-"
BONK.
Aegis flicked him on the forehead.
Kentarō dropped to his knees."THAT WASN'T A FLICK. THAT WAS A BULLET."
Aegis smiled politely. "Victory."
Winner: Aegis.
ROUND 4: THE ONE EVERYONE WAITED FORROKURO vs. SHICHIRO
The ground frosted over instantly.
Shichiro's eyes widened. "Bro chill- I mean, don't chill- I MEAN-"
Rokuro stepped forward, calm, composed, and terrifyingly focused.
He put his hands together.
FWOOOM.
Two massive ICE DRAGONS erupted from the ground, coiling through the air, roaring silently.
Shichiro stared."…Okay never mind we are NOT sparring."
The dragons charged.
Shichiro dodged by a hair.Rokuro raised his palm. "Ice Archer Volley. Yahoo yay new move"
"ok lil bro."
Shichiro sighed.
A dozen archers formed behind him, firing-then splitting-then multiplying-until arrows turned to thousands.
Shichiro screamed, "BRO YOU LEVELED UP WITHOUT US THAT'S NOT FAIR. But I can do that too."
Shichiro clapped, and fire appeared within his hands, and he formed it into a bow, and fired. Thousands of fire arrows fought against ice arrows in the air, and they came crashing down.
A wave of frost and fire exploded under their feet
Shichiro froze waist-deep.
Rokuro tapped his staff lightly on the ground.
CRACK.
Shichiro toppled backward in defeat.
Winner: Rokuro
CHAPTER ENDING
The boys lay on the ground afterward, exhausted, bruised, laughing.
Katsu wiped sweat off his forehead. "Okay… yeah… Rokuro's banned."
Kentarō raised a hand weakly. "Seconded."
Ryosen groaned, "Im never fighting Shichiro again."
Shichiro pointed at Rokuro."You. Are. A menace."
Rokuro smiled softly.
"Thanks. Maybe.. We can make a combo with like an ice dragon and a fire dragon.. That would be epic."
Shichiro chuckled.
"Hell yeah. That would be cool."
The Haven of Six echoed with laughter long into the night.
Tomorrow, more storms were coming.More threats. More monsters.
But tonight?
They were just boys fighting their hearts out.
Together.