CELESTIA
Chapter 101 — Those Who Refuse to Fall
Silence had taken over the arena.
Ranmaru was still standing, despite his exhausted body. His uniform was torn in several places. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, while his legs trembled beneath his weight.
Opposite him, Kai remained motionless.
His arms were still covered in glowing electrical currents. The energy stored inside his body crackled around his shoulders, making the air vibrate around him.
Ranmaru slowly raised his head.
— I haven't lost yet.
Kai stared at his opponent.
Then he smiled.
— You know what? I'm actually starting to like you.
— I'm not here to become your friend.
— Too bad.
Kai cracked his knuckles.
— Because you're going to have to put up with me a little longer.
In the stands, Zayn leaned forward.
— Is he serious?! Ranmaru is still standing after all that?!
Yojuro, sitting beside him, never took his eyes off the arena.
— He's not really standing anymore. He's simply refusing to fall.
Rodrigue crossed his arms.
— Sometimes, that's even more dangerous.
On the battlefield, Ranmaru closed his eyes.
His Eye of Orientation lit up.
Possibilities appeared before him. Trajectories, movements, attacks. Several futures overlapped, but many of them were becoming blurry.
His blessed energy was dangerously low.
He could no longer afford to waste a single second.
Kai vanished.
— RIGHT!
Ranmaru immediately turned around.
Kai's fist passed just inches from his face.
But Ranmaru had already imagined a solid surface beneath his feet. He pushed off it, spun through the air, and drove his knee toward Kai's face.
Kai raised his arm.
The impact unleashed an explosive wave of energy between them.
Both fighters were thrown backward.
Kai landed on his feet and slid several meters across the ground. Ranmaru, meanwhile, landed heavily on one hand.
He immediately pushed himself back up.
— You're starting to slow down, he remarked.
Kai wiped the blood running from his lip.
— And you're starting to talk too much.
He charged forward again.
This time, Ranmaru didn't retreat.
He created three constructs around himself. Geometric shapes appeared in the air, each positioned along a different trajectory.
Kai threw his first punch.
The construct shattered.
His second punch destroyed the next one.
But the third wasn't meant to block him.
It materialized behind Kai.
— What?!
A powerful force struck him in the back.
Kai was sent flying forward, but managed to turn around before hitting the ground. Ranmaru appeared in front of him and struck his abdomen.
The blow forced Kai backward.
A second attack followed.
Then a third.
Ranmaru kept attacking, giving him no time to regain his balance.
— He's using his constructs to change the angles of his attacks! someone shouted from the stands.
Yojuro gave a slight nod.
— He's no longer just trying to predict Kai. He's turning the battlefield into a trap.
Kai blocked another strike with his forearm.
— You really think I'm going to fall for that?!
His arm began to glow.
The stored energy exploded upon contact with Ranmaru.
The white-haired boy was violently pushed back. He crossed part of the arena before crashing into the ground.
A cloud of dust rose into the air.
Kai remained still, breathing heavily.
But he was no longer smiling.
Ranmaru had just made one thing clear: even weakened, he could still find openings.
A silhouette rose from within the dust.
— Seriously…
Ranmaru spat some blood to the side.
— You could at least let me finish one attack.
Kai raised an eyebrow.
— You want me to let you attack?
— No.
Ranmaru looked up.
— I want you to try and stop me.
His Eye of Orientation glowed even brighter.
An enormous construct appeared above him. It resembled a series of translucent platforms suspended in midair.
Kai looked at the phenomenon.
— Another one of your tricks?
— Try to keep up.
Ranmaru leaped.
He landed on the first platform, then the second. His body shot through the air at an astonishing speed.
Kai looked up.
Ranmaru was already coming straight at him.
Their fists collided, producing an explosion that echoed throughout the entire arena.
Kai was forced one step backward.
Just one.
But Ranmaru had managed to make him move.
— WHOOOOOAAAH! Zayn shouted.
Kai looked at his opponent with an almost challenging smile.
— Not bad.
He clenched his fist.
— My turn.
A wave of energy spread around him.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Kai released the energy accumulated in his arms and punched the ground.
A luminous shockwave swept across the arena.
Ranmaru leaped onto his constructs, avoiding the first wave. He created another beneath his foot, abruptly changed direction, and soared above the next attack.
But Kai was following his movements.
He spun around.
His fist shot straight toward him.
Ranmaru crossed his arms.
The impact was devastating.
Several of his constructs disintegrated instantly. He was hurled toward the ground and rolled several meters across the arena.
For a few seconds, he didn't move.
Kai approached.
— This time, are you staying down?
Ranmaru placed one hand against the ground.
His fingers trembled.
He tried to get back up, but his arm nearly gave out immediately.
In the stands, Zayn had stopped talking.
Yojuro carefully observed the young Tracker.
— His blessed energy is almost completely depleted…
Ranmaru lowered his head.
He didn't have many options left.
His Eye of Orientation could still show him possible futures, but they were becoming fewer and fewer. His body could no longer keep up.
Kai stopped a few meters away.
— Ranmaru.
The boy raised his eyes.
— You don't have anything to prove to anyone.
Ranmaru remained silent.
Then he gave a faint smile.
— I know.
He wiped the blood from his face.
— That's exactly why I'm still going.
Kai didn't answer.
Ranmaru slowly straightened up.
His Eye of Orientation illuminated one last time.
And for the first time in several minutes, Kai felt something change.
It wasn't a new attack.
It wasn't a construct.
It was a possibility Ranmaru had deliberately kept hidden until now.
Kai raised his arms.
— Then come on.
Ranmaru stared at his opponent.
— Gladly.
Both fighters charged forward simultaneously.
And the entire arena held its breath.