The Cyber Ascension
Arc 1 — Final Chapter 10: The Ruthless Duel
Yuzurei walked deeper into the mist-choked avenues of the Blue Realm, four katanas spinning lazily in his hands like a gleaming halo.
The towers around him breathed cold light; the air reeked of metal and ozone.
> Yuzurei: "This place is so boring…"
His drawl carried the arrogance of someone who fought for pleasure, not purpose.
Beside him, Musukoni's expression didn't change.
> Musukoni: "Wait. Enemies here never stay hidden for long."
He turned down a branching corridor without another word, his footsteps fading into the hum.
> Yuzurei: "Bye-bye."
He tossed the words over his shoulder like a joke and wandered on, unaware that he was walking straight into the Blue Knights' core—
where the last of them waited.
---
The First Knight
In the heart of the fortress stood Eisuke Ichiro, the First Blue Knight.
Tall. Pale. Precise.
A white coat draped over a black shirt, silver hair brushing his shoulders, and eyes as sharp as shattered ice.
Across his back hung four chained blades—two pairs that gleamed like captive lightning.
> Eisuke (quietly): "Why did you fail me… Tetsuya, Kaizen. I thought your loyalty to Shinjukuna-sama unbreakable."
He exhaled, slow and cold.
"Pathetic."
With a flick of his wrist, the chained swords whirled outward.
Columns split. Walls buckled.
Dust cascaded through the chamber as if the castle itself feared him.
> Eisuke: "Then I'll finish what they couldn't."
---
Far below, Yuzurei stopped mid-step.
A tremor rolled through the air—sharp, clean, promising carnage.
His grin widened until it hurt.
> Yuzurei: "Finally. Someone worth my time."
He descended a spiral stair into darkness. The mist thickened; light fractured through the cracked ceiling where a pale cyber-moon shone.
The air stung with energy.
> Yuzurei: "OHHH—my kind of place! The creepier, the stronger!"
He dropped the last few meters, landing in ankle-deep water that mirrored the blue sky above.
> Yuzurei: "Ah? Water again? Hey! Anyone strong here?!"
His shout echoed across the still surface—
and a shape stepped from the fog.
---
Eisuke Ichiro vs. Yuzurei
Eisuke's chains rattled as he drew his four blades.
> Eisuke: "So… you're the human from Earth."
> Yuzurei: "Yup! Name's Yuzurei!"
> Eisuke: "Eisuke Ichiro. Blue Knight One."
Yuzurei's eyes blazed with delight.
> Yuzurei: "The strongest one, huh? Finally!"
He lifted two katanas, holding them loose, teasing.
> Yuzurei: "Let's play."
Eisuke raised his own weapons, the chains whispering like serpents.
> Yuzurei: "Hey! Copycat!"
Eisuke (smirking): "Heh. Then let's see who's the original."
They moved at once—
steel meeting steel in a storm of blue sparks.
Four katanas versus four chained swords.
Each strike mirrored by another; each rhythm devoured by the next.
The water beneath them erupted with every clash.
> Yuzurei: "Ah-ah-ah! Come on! That all? You swing like you're half asleep!"
> Eisuke: "You couldn't land a single hit if I stood still."
Their weapons blurred. Two shallow cuts bloomed—one on Yuzurei's cheek, one across Eisuke's chest.
Both froze, grinning.
> Yuzurei: "You're the best fun I've had all week."
The duel reignited.
They vaulted through the air, blades screaming, water spiraling upward in violent waves.
Eisuke parried every unpredictable spin; Yuzurei countered each perfect form with chaos.
> Eisuke: "Show me your true power."
Yuzurei: "You asked for it!"
They collided midair. The shockwave shattered the glass towers ringing the arena.
Blue mist turned crimson in the flare of their blood.
> Eisuke: "Too slow."
He vanished—then appeared behind Yuzurei, one blade plunging near his heart.
Blood splattered the water.
Yuzurei laughed through the pain, grin stretching wider.
> Yuzurei: "That's it? Tickles!"
He burst upward again, spinning in midair despite the wound. His hoodie ripped open, crimson soaking through, yet his motion never slowed.
> Eisuke (flatly): "Your endurance borders on madness."
Yuzurei: "Nah—on passion!"
He lunged, twin blades flashing. One sliced Eisuke's chest open, staining the white suit dark.
Eisuke retaliated instantly—four chained blades whirling like turbines—
and struck Yuzurei square in the chest.
The impact hurled Yuzurei through a nearby tower. Metal screamed. Water exploded upward in a halo of debris.
He hit the floor hard, coughing blood, ribs fracturing. Two of his katanas clattered away—but the other two remained tight in his hands.
Across the pool of light, Eisuke stood motionless under the cyber-moon, breath finally heavy.
---
> The strongest of the Blue Knights still stood.
But so did the reckless human who refused to fall.
And the Blue Realm trembled—
for one of them was about to end the other.