Sawano lunged after him with unrelenting bloodlust in her eyes. Ryuji, noticing her approach, summoned three shadow puppets around him and charged forward to meet her.

He swung a right hook, which she blocked with her forearm, but the puppets pressed the attack. Strikes rained down on her from all directions, a relentless hail of unarmed blows.

She could do little but curl up, defending as best she could. Every strike she tried phased through the puppets, causing no damage as they instantly regenerated. She watched carefully, observing their patterns.

After a few moments, she spotted a rhythm. Ryuji and his puppets kept switching positions to attack, and finally, she could predict where he would appear next. She broke her defensive stance, withstanding the three puppet attacks to land a strike aimed at the real Ryuji.

As her fist neared its target, his body vanished, and her blow phased harmlessly through him. The original copy retaliated with a sharp right hook to her face.

She realized the terrifying truth: not only could he control his puppets, but he could also swap places with them. Her chances of victory had narrowed, but she refused to yield. Curling into a defensive stance once more, she began gathering magical power.

Exhausted but determined, she finally broke her defensive pose. She thrust both hands forward, summoning a towering cylinder of fire that surged outward in all directions.

The flames struck Ryuji, scorching him and his shadow copies. He was sent flying backward; his puppets incinerated in the blast.

Rotating mid-air, he landed and regained his footing, trying to stabilize his breathing. He watched in awe as Sawano held her ground.

She did not pursue it immediately. Instead, she took a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts.

"The way he combines magic and martial arts… if this keeps up, I won't stand a chance," she thought, her mind racing. "But… what if I try it too? It's worth a shot."

Ryuji noticed his opponent was distracted and seized the opportunity. He sprinted forward at full speed, leapt into the air, and aimed a Superman punch at her jaw.

Sawano, seeing her target approaching, broke her fighting stance and closed her eyes.

"Concentrate," she thought, as if time itself had slowed to a crawl.

At the last possible moment, she slid her right foot forward, dodging the strike, and thrust her right fist toward his abdomen. Ryuji's punch grazed her forehead, but he could not control his body mid-air, leaving him vulnerable to her counterattack.

"Concentrate!" the thought echoed in her mind.

"Create," she focused, summoning a small ball of fire in front of her fist. It glowed like a miniature sun, rotating slowly under her control.

"Compress," she thought, forcing the flame to spin faster and shrink smaller and smaller, gathering immense energy.

"Impact!" Her eyes flared as she thrust the flaming sphere and her fist forward, driving it into her opponent's abdomen.

At the point of impact, the compressed ball of flame shrank to a minuscule size, only a fraction of its original diameter. Then it expanded explosively, sending shockwaves across the field and scorching the soil beneath their feet. The raging fire formed a massive mushroom cloud, blinding anyone who looked directly at it, its heat reaching beyond the arena walls.

The blast sent the young man hurtling through the air, unstoppable in his trajectory.

His body collided with the walls of the stands, carving a giant crevice into the structure. A massive dust cloud rose, choking the spectators. The crowd, once roaring with excitement, fell silent, unsure of what they had just witnessed or how to react.

When the dust finally settled, the two warriors appeared in view, standing amidst the aftermath.

Sawano winced in pain, barely able to stand. Her right arm and leg, the left side of her face, and her upper chest were scorched beyond belief. The bruises from Ryuji's earlier attacks were barely visible now, hidden beneath layers of black soot from the full force of her own flame.

Ryuji lay on his back amidst crumbled stone, coughing up blood and struggling to breathe. His infamous suit had been burned away in parts, some still smoldering. The damage revealed his body: his abdomen and lower chest were blackened with deep burns, darker than his own shadows. His eyes struggled to stay open, and each breath was ragged as he winced in pain.

Ryuji fought to stay conscious. He leaned against the shattered stones around him, forcing himself upright. His breath was unstable, pain lancing through his body, and his eyes threatened to close as if begging him to sleep, but he persevered.

Gripping the crumbled wall for support, he pulled himself to his feet. He refused to yield. He refused to back down. He refused to go quietly into the night.

Finally stabilizing his breath, blood still spilling from his lips, he limped forward toward his opponent.

Sawano watched him, awe and determination shining on her battered face. She too limped forward, each step heavy with exhaustion.

The two heavily injured warriors met once again in the center. Their bodies were broken, but their eyes burned with ambition and the unyielding desire for victory.

Both warriors launched swift attacks at the same time, their fists colliding with each other's faces. Pain surged through their nerves as their heads snapped back, but neither relented.

Then it happened.

Ryuji's irises flared red, his body revitalizing slightly in the process. Sawano froze for a split second at the sight of his red-blood eyes. That hesitation was all he needed.

With a brutal uppercut from his left arm, Ryuji struck Sawano, her ruined arm unable to block. The blow lifted her off her feet, sending her airborne.

Before she could register the pain, Ryuji was already in motion, summoning his puppets with lightning speed, ready to press his advantage.

Two shadows emerged behind her, moving in perfect sync. One crouched low, serving as a brace, while the other launched itself high into the air.

Beside Ryuji, another puppet appeared, kneeling just in time to catapult him skyward.

Ryuji and the puppet shot upward, meeting mid-air above their helpless target. Curling his legs, he aimed his knees downward, while the puppet delivered a crushing kick to his back, propelling him like a missile straight toward Sawano.

She hung suspended in the air, exhausted and defenseless, staring as his glowing red eyes hurtled toward her like a falling star. There was no escape.

His knees slammed into her abdomen with devastating force. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, driving both of them toward the earth at breakneck speed.

They collided with the ground in a thunderous impact, carving a wide crater into the soil. A massive dust cloud rose, swallowing them both and hiding their battered forms deep within the torn earth.

Ryuji and Sawano, mere inches away from each other, were lying on the ground below the dust cloud. Sawano lay flat on her back, while Ryuji lay on top of her, bracing himself with his hands around her head, their faces close as their sweat and warm breath mixed.

Sawano gently lifted her left arm and stroked Ryuji's cheek as her eyes closed slowly.

"Red… eyes…" she whispered as her final words before her hand fell limp and she lost consciousness.

Ryuji gasped in shock. He hadn't realized his eyes had changed color. The extreme tension must have triggered them without his knowledge. He needed to steady his breathing and calm his emotions before the dust cloud settled—otherwise, his secret would be exposed.

Focusing on deep, controlled breaths, he recalled the techniques his father had taught him. Step by step, he forced his mind to steady.

Finally, his efforts paid off. His irises returned to their natural brown hue. The crowd stood in silence, watching patiently, still unaware of who had won.

Eventually, the dust settled. Ryuji stood over Sawano's fallen form, his head held high. Sweat and blood dripped toward the earth, and his eyes fluttered with exhaustion, nearly succumbing to the pain. Yet he pushed forward, defying all odds.

With a trembling hand, he clenched his fist and raised it high into the sky, declaring himself the winner—and the new King.

The crowd remained silent. The gong did not sound. Every eye was fixed on him, waiting for his next move, for the command that would mark the conclusion of the battle. Slowly, he opened his mouth to speak.

"To all students! Listen well. I am your new king," he announced, his voice carrying across the arena.

To those of you who think your family name will protect you, it will not. None of that matters in battle. Only strength and skill count. And to anyone who refuses to accept me, know this. I am always ready to fight. I will show no mercy.

His words rolled across the field like a war drum, leaving no doubt about his resolve.

The crowd's silence broke into whispers, some fearful, others angered by the new king's words.

Growing impatient, Ryuji roared, "Where is the victory gong?!" His voice cut across the arena as he turned, eyes blazing, locking on a staff member.

The staff member froze, fear evident even from a distance. After a tense moment, he rang the gong, announcing Ryuji's triumph and the rise of a new king.

The Battle of the Kings had ended. The victor: Ryuji Sato.

The headmaster and Professor Tomo remained seated, silent. They neither stood nor spoke, simply observing and following the commands of the new king.

Ryuji bent down, lifting the young tigress from the ground. Every movement cost him dearly, but he forced himself forward, carrying her with the last reserves of his strength.

He limped along the school's corridors, occasionally bracing himself against the walls for support, determined to reach the infirmary despite the pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

At last, he reached a familiar sliding door. Summoning the last of his strength, he pushed it open with his foot and limped inside.

The nurse turned at the sight of them. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, and a gentle smile curved her lips.

Ryuji didn't question her change in demeanor. He had other priorities. Wordlessly, he made his way to an empty bed and carefully laid the young tigress down.

His eyes fluttered, but a kind look met the nurse's gaze.

"Take care of her… please," he murmured, then began to walk toward the exit.

"And where do you think you're going with those injuries?" the nurse called after him.

"I'll… be fine," he replied, his voice raspy.

By the time he reached the doorway, exhaustion and pain caught up with him. His legs gave out, and he began to collapse.

Before he could hit the ground, a sticky blue ichor materialized, catching him mid-fall. It cushioned his body, shielding him from further harm.

"Who are you trying to show off to?" the nurse exclaimed, irritation clear in her voice. "You're so annoying! Just like Him!"

With a wave of her magic, she lifted the young man and gently laid him on the empty bed beside Sawano. The two warriors had fought valiantly and finally earned the rest they deserved. The nurse worked her magic to ease their pain and accelerate the healing of their wounds.

A few hours later, Sawano stirred. She gasped, shocked and disoriented, unsure of where she was. Gradually, her fear faded as she realized she was safe in the infirmary. The burn marks on her body had vanished, though a lingering ache reminded her of the battle. She winced as she tried to sit upright.

"Good evening. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked, a gentle smile on her face.

"I'm… okay… What happened?" Sawano replied, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"You lost to Ryuji. He won the tournament. Congratulations, though, you earned the title of Queen," the nurse said warmly.

"I see… I lost…" Sawano murmured, a flicker of sadness crossing her face. But as the memories of the fight rushed back, her expression changed.

"Ahaha! I lost? Who cares? That was an incredible fight!" she exclaimed, joy lighting up her face as she leaned back on the bed.

"But what about Ryuji? He was severely injured, too," Sawano asked, concern in her voice.

"He was here as well," the nurse explained. "He healed faster than you and has already returned to his room."

"I see…" Sawano murmured, her thoughts fixated on one memory—the final strike.

"His eyes… or was that just a hallucination?" She tried to make sense of what she had seen.

"Ryuji Sato… How interesting," she thought, a small smile spreading across her face as a spark of joy returned.

After spending some time in the infirmary, Sawano felt the last of her pain fade away.

She offered a respectful bow to the nurse before turning toward her dorm room.

As she walked, memories of the battle played through her mind, bringing an involuntary smile to her face. She couldn't help but giggle quietly at the excitement of it all.

The next day dawned, but the school had yet to resume its usual routine. The staff were busy cleaning up after the tournament, and the students were granted another day of rest before returning to their duties.

Ryuji spent the morning recovering in his room, regaining his strength after the grueling battle. Later, he received an invitation from the headmaster. Accepting it, he made his way to the office.

He knocked on the familiar oak door and stepped inside, ready to face whatever awaited him.

"Well, if it isn't the young king! Welcome, boy! Please, have a seat," the headmaster said warmly, smiling.

"Greetings, Headmaster," Ryuji replied, making his way to the chair.

"Would you care for some tea?" the headmaster asked, standing to prepare their cups. The aroma of herbal tea filled the room, soothing Ryuji's nerves. He accepted the cup graciously as the headmaster handed it to him.

"So, about our bet…" the headmaster asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Forget about it," Ryuji said. "I lost the bet once again. As promised, I'll stay at the school until graduation."

The headmaster's surprised expression quickly softened into pride.

"Ohoho! I'm glad my students could change your mind!" he chuckled. "I'm sure you'll gain plenty of skills and knowledge during your time here. They will serve you well in the days to come."

"Ah! You'll also be happy to know your friend Yuki earned the title of Jack," the headmaster said.

Ryuji's cautious eyes brightened, and a small smile appeared on his face. "I see… that's great news," he replied.

They lingered over their tea, conversation drifting from one topic to another, smiles shared like gentle echoes of something long missing. For a fleeting moment, it felt like a boy speaking with the grandfather he never had, warmth that comforted, yet quietly stung.

There is a rare beauty in belonging, in finding family where you never expected. And yet, both knew it would not last. When their cups finally ran dry, Ryuji excused himself and returned to his room.