The forest buzzed with the sounds of battle, the rustling leaves and distant chirps drowned out by the heavy breathing and the clash of wills between Shunjiro and Ryota. Sweat dripped down Shunjiro’s brow, his muscles aching from the relentless exchange. He circled his opponent warily, searching for an opening that didn’t exist. Ryota’s every move was precise, every dodge calculated, and every counter strike lightning-fast. Shunjiro clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath his skin. I just need to land one good hit… one solid blow to turn this around. But no matter how hard he tried, Ryota was always one step ahead, weaving through attacks like he could read Shunjiro’s every thought. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that,” Ryota remarked, a cocky smirk curling his lips as he sidestepped yet another strike. He was maddeningly calm, like this was all a game to him. “But persistence without power? It’s meaningless.” Shunjiro gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening. Stay calm, think. There’s always a way. But every strategy he tried seemed futile. Ryota’s speed and cunning left no room for error, and Shunjiro couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. “Come on, Shunjiro! You can do this!” Itsuki’s voice broke through the fog of doubt clouding his mind. She stood off to the side, her hands glowing faintly with healing magic. Her support was a lifeline, her words giving him the strength to keep pushing forward. But even with her help, it felt like he was barely holding on. Ryota’s attacks were relentless, and every time Shunjiro thought he’d gained the upper hand, Ryota would slip away like water through his fingers. Ryota chuckled, his voice dripping with condescension. “You’re just outclassed, kid. Face it.” Shunjiro’s frustration boiled over. Outclassed? He refused to accept that. He closed his eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath. He could feel the spiritual energy coursing through him, buzzing just beneath the surface of his skin. It wasn’t enough to overwhelm Ryota, but maybe, just maybe, he could outmaneuver him. Opening his eyes, Shunjiro surged forward, channeling every ounce of energy he had into his movements. His speed increased, his strikes coming faster and harder than before. Ryota’s smirk faltered ever so slightly as he was forced to dodge more aggressively, his calculated counters becoming less confident. “What the-?” Ryota barely had time to react as Shunjiro closed the distance between them. His fist connected solidly with Ryota’s stomach, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through the air. The impact drove the breath from Ryota’s lungs, his eyes widening in shock. He stumbled back, clutching his stomach as he tried to steady himself. That hurt. For the first time in the fight, he looked shaken. Shunjiro stood tall, his chest heaving with exertion, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. “Got you now, Ryota,” he said, his voice laced with satisfaction. But Ryota’s response was not what he expected. A guttural sound escaped Ryota’s throat as he doubled over, his body convulsing. Before either of them could process what was happening, a torrent of vomit erupted from Ryota’s mouth, splattering across the ground, and all over Shunjiro. “Eww! Gross!” Shunjiro recoiled, his face twisting in disgust as he wiped futilely at the foul-smelling mess now covering him. “What the hell, Ryota?” Ryota staggered backward, coughing and clutching his stomach, too disoriented to respond. Meanwhile, Itsuki was already rushing to Shunjiro’s side, her lips pressed tightly together as she tried to suppress a laugh. “Looks like your punch hit him harder than you thought,” she said, her tone laced with barely concealed amusement. Her hands glowed as she began using her healing magic to clean Shunjiro up. “Yeah, no kidding,” Shunjiro muttered, grimacing as he looked down at his vomit-covered clothes. “This is officially the worst fight ever.” Itsuki giggled despite herself, her hands working quickly to remove the sticky mess. “You’ve been through worse,” she teased, though her eyes shone with sympathy. “At least you’re still standing.” “Barely,” Shunjiro muttered, glancing over at Ryota, who was still doubled over, looking pale and shaky. What a mess. He sighed, shaking his head. Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me? With a final swipe, Itsuki finished cleaning him up, stepping back with a grin. “There. Good as new. Now, go finish what you started.” Shunjiro nodded, his resolve hardening. He wasn’t about to let something like this derail him. Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to Ryota, who had finally managed to straighten up, though he still looked worse for wear. “Alright, Ryota,” Shunjiro said, his voice steady, his fists clenching at his sides. “No more games. Let’s end this.” Ryota glared at him, his confidence clearly shaken but not entirely gone. “You’re… tougher than I thought,” he admitted grudgingly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “But don’t think for a second that this is over.” Shunjiro didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. His body was already moving, his energy surging as he launched himself at Ryota one last time. The forest seemed to hold its breath as the two clashed, their movements a blur of speed and power. Shunjiro could feel the end approaching, his attacks growing sharper, more focused. Ryota, for all his bravado, was faltering, his earlier composure replaced by desperation. One more hit. That’s all I need. Summoning the last of his strength, Shunjiro delivered a final, devastating punch that sent Ryota sprawling to the ground. The forest fell silent, the fight finally over. Shunjiro stood over his fallen opponent, his chest heaving, his body trembling with exhaustion. “It’s done,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. From the sidelines, Itsuki cheered, her voice ringing out in the stillness. “You did it, Shunjiro!” A tired smile spread across his face as he looked over at her. Yeah… we did it.