The wind was still, but tension sparked like lightning between the two fighters.
"You better be ready." Shun narrowed his eyes, his stance calm but brimming with focus.
"You bet I am." Rei responded, cracking her knuckles. A confident grin played on her lips.
With a flick of his wrist, sharpened wooden spikes burst from the ground toward Rei. She leapt to the side, the earth cracking beneath her feet.
"Dustling Arms!"
Two jagged, rust-colored arms erupted from Rei's back, twitching like limbs with a will of their own.
"Ew… they look rusty." Shun grimaced, dodging as Rei rushed in, her dusty appendages swinging at him.
"That's going to be you in a second!" she barked.
The arms swiped in arcs, seeking contact, but Shun weaved between them, fluid and fast.
"I'm not letting that creepy thing touch me."
"We'll see about that."
He raised a hand. "Wood Grab!"
Vines of wood snaked from beneath, coiling around Rei's arms and legs, locking her in place.
"Give up."
But Rei smirked. "You wish."
She touched the vines.
FWSSSH!
The wood crumbled into fine dust.
"Damnit! Wood Spikes!"
Spikes launched from all sides, but Rei dashed through them, her summoned arms vaporizing any that got too close.
"She's getting close—too close," Shun thought, biting his lip.
He flipped backward, soaring over Rei's charge. One of her arms reached for him mid-air.
"Wooden Shield!"
A large wooden shield formed in front of him—only to turn into dust the moment Rei's hand grazed it.
"Okay… no more holding back."
Wood burst from beneath Shun, lifting him into the air.
Rei narrowed her eyes. "Looks like he's getting serious."
Shun raised both hands. "Five Giant Arms!"
Massive wooden arms erupted around him, slamming toward Rei.
She weaved around the first, then ran across the second arm, her Dustling Arms scrapping the wood as she flipped onto the third. Pieces crumbled as she moved.
"I can't get close!" Rei thought, gritting her teeth.
"I'm not letting you get close at all."
Suddenly, the arms shattered—splintering into countless sharp shards that flew toward Rei.
She was mid-air.
"I can't dodge!"
SLASH!
The wooden blades sliced across her arms, her side, her back—until she hit the ground with a crash.
From the viewing area, Goro clenched his fist. "Shun has the advantage here."
Kenshiro nodded. "His range and experience… Rei can't keep up forever."
On the battlefield, Rei panted. Blood trickled down her arm.
"Damn it… Pale Reach!"
Her Dustling Arms jolted to life, firing toward Shun like missiles.
"That's too easy to block." Shun snapped his fingers. Two wooden walls appeared.
But—
The arms split, circling around the shields.
"What?!" Shun leaned back in surprise as the arms slapped together—right where he'd been standing.
"Whew. That was—"
WHOOSH!
The arms darted at him again.
"What the hell?!" Shun's eyes widened. He backflipped repeatedly, the hands chasing him until they finally halted.
"It's like those arms have a mind of their own…"
The hands retreated back to Rei.
"Didn't get him… dang it."
Suddenly, Shun charged forward.
"Oh, coming at me head-on now?" Rei smirked.
He hurled logs toward her. She dodged. Her arms swiped at him. He ducked, flipped over them—but the moment he landed—
CRACK!
Rei's fist connected. Shun staggered backward, barely evading a follow-up strike from one of her arms.
"Damn… I might be cooked."
Kenshiro muttered, "He put himself in a death trap. I hope he's got a way out of this."
"Yeah," Goro added. "Rei's totally on the offensive now."
"You can't dodge forever, Shun!" Rei shouted.
"Yes I can!"
"My fault—got your leg."
Shun looked down.
"What?"
His leg was… turning to dust.
"Game over."
"No way you think I'd lose that easy."
The dusted leg shattered—revealing it had been made of wood.
A voice came from behind Rei.
"That was a clone."
Verdant Cage Bloom!
Vines exploded from the ground, wrapping around Rei. Thorn-covered flowers bloomed, creating a dome around her.
"It's over."
Inside the cage, Rei struggled, her strength draining.
"My spiritual force is… depleting."
"I know," Shun replied. "I used this on Uzuki too."
Rei slumped, exhausted. "I give up…"
"Looks like I win." Shun dispelled the cage.
Rei collapsed to the ground, gasping.
"Man… that was fun."
Ten Minutes Earlier – Team 17
Taro cracked his neck. "Be ready, Kaien."
Kaien silently nodded, eyes locked forward.
To Be Continued…