Chapter 30 — Lightning and Steel
Jin Yuan stood silent, the blue glow of the realm reflecting off his blade. He unsheathed his massive katana with a single, fluid motion — the weapon settling across his shoulder like a shadow made of steel.
Across from him, the tall figure of Tetsuya Makano watched with a half-smile. He hefted a colossal high-tech axe as if it weighed nothing.
Tetsuya: "What a katana… I'll reply with my axe."
Jin Yuan's eyes flicked to the axe. On its haft, an engraved mark read: Blue Knight — No. 2.
Tetsuya: "Hm. Quite the piece. Still — I'm not the patient type."
Without warning, Tetsuya launched himself into the air. Lightning danced along the blade of his axe, releasing a metallic hum that cut through the cold air. Energy crackled around him, each motion precise and charged.
Jin Yuan met the strike, his katana ringing against the axe in a shower of sparks. Metal screamed. The impact pushed both fighters back half a step — two living storms colliding.
Tetsuya (between strikes): "If you're here… does that mean Kaizen fell?"
He attacked again, blade arcing like thunder.
Jin Yuan: "Yes."
His voice was flat, unadorned. He did not gloat; he simply stated the fact.
Tetsuya spun the axe in mid-combat, the motion so smooth it looked like a dance. Lightning followed each swing, amplifying his speed and force.
Tetsuya: "Come on — I'm bored. I'm itching to kill you."
The axe struck faster, each blow carrying electric weight. Jin Yuan parried, but Tetsuya's electrified strikes made the world sharp and bright, forcing Jin Yuan to rely on timing instead of power.
Jin Yuan's blade carved arcs in the blue air, but keeping pace with Tetsuya's lightning-enhanced tempo was brutal. Every parry cost him a fraction more energy; each clash left him feeling the weight of the realm pressing in.
Tetsuya laughed softly as he pressed the assault. "Oh — you're weaker than I expected. Fine. I'll go easy… for now."
The words were a taunt, but the axe did not slow. Tetsuya's grin stayed fixed; the storm in his hands only grew.
The duel sharpened into a single truth: this was no mere test. It was an execution, and Jin Yuan would have to find a way to survive the thunder.