Travelling about ten meters in less than a second, Kato waved the nunchaku at Yoichi. Although the strike was accurate and fast, the young tamer moved sideways, dodging it.

The Kuwatako appeared in his field of view. Kato’s demon pet was a long way from the two fighters, controlling its tamer’s body as if he were a lifeless puppet. ​​

A second low blow from the nunchaku caught Yoichi off guard, hitting him on the leg and forcing him to kneel. With a quick twist of the body, made even faster by the lack of gravity that enveloped him, Kato tried to strike the coup de grace.

He directed the nunchaku’s blunt force towards Yoichi’s temple, knowing that it would risk causing him some severe head trauma if his shot got a hit.

Against the odds of all those present, Ichiro took a step forward, getting in the way of the two warriors. The nunchaku, which had already been moved, hit the neck full of scars of the horse.

The Inoshuma’s hard skin dispersed the weapon’s energy, but the horse was slightly unbalanced laterally.

In the act of true love for its tamer, Ichiro exploited the backlash to lower the neck towards Yoichi, allowing him to jump on its back.

Slamming the hind hooves onto the floor, it snapped forward, exiting Kato’s range. “Where do you think you’re going? Running away like a coward will only slow down your defeat! Sooner or later, I will catch you,” the blue-haired warrior screamed, following Ichiro in flight.

Avoiding at all costs that his enemies approached his Kuwatako, Kato reached them quick as lightning, launching yet another blow, this time directed to the horse’s flanks.

Returning the favour, Yoichi slipped from Ichiro’s back and grabbed the nunchaku with both hands. Clumsily, he hit Kato’s chest with a kick and used the lever of his arms to disarm him.

Taking the nunchaku with him, he fell to the ground and rolled on it for several meters, suffering further damage. Suddenly, Kato’s winning situation was turned upside down: on one side of the tatami, his opponent lay helpless with his weapon in his hands; on the other hand, the Inoshuma was charging its demon pet at great speed, ready to interrupt its skill.

“Aaargh, fuck!” he grunted, using the power of the Kuwatako to fly to Ichiro, trying to stop its run.

Yoichi looked up, pointing his clouded gaze in the direction of his opponent. The fear that Ichiro might be blindsided generated a shiver of fear that ran through his body.

Stretching out his arm towards his demon and not knowing exactly what to do, he screamed with all the breath he could find. “Ichirooo!”

After his scream, just when Kato’s hand touched the horse’s golden coat, the unthinkable happened: making a big leap and exhaling hot air from its nostrils, Ichiro stomped its hooves on the tatami for the umpteenth time.

The blow was so violent that it quickly spread underground. In front of the horse, in the direction of its fangs, the heavy stone blocks of the floor became glowing, swelling slightly along the edges.

Gasping, Kato missed his target, slowing down his flight to witness the scene. Block by block, lots of small geyser-like fire fountains exploded with an upward trajectory, travelling in a straight line to the opposing demon.

As during a fireworks display, everyone present was astonished to see a notoriously peaceful and meek Inoshuma use a fire-type ability of that power.

*boom*boom*boom* – When the penultimate explosion hit one of Kuwatako’s tentacles, the octopus demon was forced to break its skill and move off the fiery trajectory.

Without telekinetic power, the aura that enveloped Kato’s body suddenly disappeared, and the blue-haired warrior fell with his knees to the ground, helpless.

Making the most of that moment of confusion, Yoichi used the remaining strength in his legs to get up and dash in that direction. When he was close enough, he threw Kato’s nunchaku at its owner, hitting him right in the nape.

Fighting like a drunk during a brawl, the young tamer threw himself over his opponent, slamming him with his back to the ground. Trying to straddle on him, Yoichi was kicked on his already damaged leg and was forced to back down to remain standing.

Kato, clouded by rage, got up and pounced on him, ignoring the nunchaku and continuing to fight with his bare hands. Under the critical gaze of their respective guild masters, the two tamers kept on fighting in an old-fashioned way, repeatedly hitting each other with punches and kicks.

Kato plunged a right hook into Yoichi’s stomach, causing him to bow to his toes. Not satisfied, he used his elbow to hit him on the forehead, making the best of his martial arts to make him lose his balance.

Despite the clunky combat style of the new Nightblades member, he managed to parry Kato’s elbow, blocking it with his hand. “Grrr! Do you really think you have a chance to win?!” he yelled, hooking Yoichi’s ankle with his leg and dropping him on his knees.

While the two demons were intent on chasing each other, Yoichi’s fight seemed to come to an end. Without strength and running out of breath, he remained on his knees in front of Kato, who began to hit him with a series of punches in the face.

*punch*punch* – The blue-haired warrior’s knuckles were flayed in contact with Yoichi’s hispid blonde beard, which turned red.

“Yoichii! Stop! Enough!” Enatsu screamed, noting that his companion was about to pass out. “The fight is over, that’s enough! He’s going to kill you like that!”

Under the pleased gaze of Yozo, who looked proudly at his pupil, after every punch suffered by Yoichi, Ichiro limped more and more, weakening.

The young tamer’s face was completely covered in blood, as were Kato’s knuckles. When Yoichi narrowed his eyes, the Heralds warrior squeezed his neck and yelled, “why don’t you give up, asshole?! Do you want to die, you bastard?!”

“I have already… I’ve already won…” Yoichi whispered while a thick blood clot dripped down his neck.