Bang!
The two figures collided violently in the center of the beam of light.
There were no magnificent light effects or world-ending energy fluctuations, only the most primitive and savage sound of limbs clashing.
Jiang Jian Yue’s Combat Suit provided an astonishing boost in strength. Every one of her punches and kicks carried the sound of breaking air, acting like a precision killing machine.
Meanwhile, Yuki Asahi unexpectedly held his ground in the head-on confrontation.
The more they fought, the more Jiang Jian Yue became alarmed — if she were not wearing the Combat Suit, she would definitely be no match for him.
Yuki Asahi was completely focused.
He sidestepped, deflected the force, and countered.
Jiang Jian Yue’s whip kick swept toward him. Yuki used both arms to block the force, which was powerful enough to snap a Steel Pillar.
The massive impact caused his feet to plow two deep grooves into the stage, but he endured it through sheer willpower.
“Not bad,” Jiang Jian Yue said, a hint of praise flashing in her eyes, though her movements did not stall for a second.
Using the recoil, she leaped into the air, her knee slamming down like a heavy sledgehammer. Yuki Asahi rolled across the ground, dodging the fatal blow in a disheveled but effective manner.
The ground was smashed into a deep pit, sending gravel flying.
“Too slow!” Jiang Jian Yue’s voice exploded in his ear.
Before Yuki Asahi could even stand up, white fist shadows had already overwhelmed his vision.
Bang!
Watching Yuki Asahi being sent flying more than ten meters away by her punch, Jiang Jian Yue shook her head. “I cheated.”
“Use… use your Ability.”
Yuki Asahi did not answer, nor did he ignite his Golden Eyes. He simply straightened his spine, even though his body was covered in bruises. Every block felt like colliding with a speeding train.
Although Jiang Jian Yue’s breathing remained steady, her heart was far from calm. She could feel Yuki Asahi’s resilience.
This young man, who used to blush just from speaking in front of a crowd, could now keep up with her rhythm.
Whoosh.
Several more intense collisions followed.
Yuki Asahi was forced back several steps, gasping for air as his chest heaved violently. The loss of physical strength began to blur his vision, and his limbs felt heavy.
‘Is this my limit…?’
Jiang Jian Yue looked at the swaying Yuki Asahi, and a hint of pity flashed through her heart. It was enough. He had already proven himself.
However, if they stopped now, would he really want a victory that felt like charity?
No.
Jiang Jian Yue read the fire in his eyes. It was a flame that yearned for equality, a flame that craved the right to stand by her side.
In that case —
Jiang Jian Yue’s gaze sharpened, and her body charged forward once more. This time, her speed was faster than before, and her momentum was even more ferocious, as if she intended to end it with a single strike.
It was a heavy punch aimed straight at his face!
Yuki Asahi’s pupils constricted. This punch was unavoidable.
At that critical moment, Jiang Jian Yue’s footsteps faltered imperceptibly for a fraction of a second.
It was a shift in her center of gravity caused by the high-speed sprint — something almost impossible to catch in a high-speed battle.
It was even a flaw she had intentionally exposed, a gamble she herself found risky.
But Yuki Asahi caught it.
His body reacted faster than his brain. He did not retreat; instead, he took a step forward against the wind of the punch. It wasn’t a hard block, but — Entering Body!
His shoulder, like a slippery fish, squeezed into her inner circle, brushing past Jiang Jian Yue’s fist.
The burning sensation of the friction against his skin made him knit his brows, but he did not stop.
His hands clamped onto Jiang Jian Yue’s overextended arm joint like iron pincers.
He used her momentum, turned his body, and executed a Shoulder Throw!
“Hah!”
Accompanied by a roar, Yuki Asahi erupted with the last of his strength. Heaven and earth flipped. Jiang Jian Yue felt an irresistible centrifugal force, and her entire body was lifted into the air.
Bang!
The muffled sound of the impact made the ground tremble. Jiang Jian Yue was slammed heavily onto the floor, creating a deep pit.
Before she could react, a hot figure had already pressed down on her.
Yuki Asahi was straddling her, his knees firmly pinning her arms down.
His right hand was balled into a fist, stopping just one centimeter from the tip of her nose.
The wind from the punch ruffled Jiang Jian Yue’s bangs.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Under the beam of the searchlight, their posture was intimate and full of tension.
Yuki Asahi panted heavily, sweat dripping from his chin and landing right on Jiang Jian Yue’s cheek.
That drop of sweat was so hot it felt like it might burn her skin.
Jiang Jian Yue stared blankly at the young man above her, whose eyes were fierce yet filled with an incomparable determination. Gradually, her tense body began to relax.
She blinked and a helpless yet relieved smile curled at the corners of her mouth. “You won.”
Yuki Asahi froze for a moment, seemingly coming back to his senses from the frenzy of battle.
He looked at the girl beneath him and then at his hovering fist. His tense muscles instantly went limp.
“Phew…”
He let out a long breath and collapsed directly onto Jiang Jian Yue, burying his head in the crook of her neck.
“So…”
“You’re so heavy…”
Although Jiang Jian Yue complained, she did not push him away. Instead, she raised her hand and gently stroked his sweat-drenched back.
“That move just now… you let me win, didn’t you?” Yuki Asahi’s muffled voice drifted out.
“Huh? Are you… kidding me? Are you… looking down on me?” Jiang Jian Yue’s eyes darted around, her voice stubborn. “You were just… lucky. I happened to… hit a hole in the ground and lost my balance.”
“Is that so?” Yuki Asahi chuckled. He propped up his upper body to look her in the eye again. Those golden eyes reflected the starlight and her slightly flustered face. “Whether it was luck or not, I won.”
“So…”
He lowered his head, brushing aside her high collar as his nose gently grazed hers. “Fulfill your promise, Yue.”
Jiang Jian Yue felt her face burning; even the Combat Suit’s cooling system couldn’t lower the temperature.
In this empty Arena where they were the only two people, all senses were infinitely magnified.
His breathing, his body heat, and the love in his eyes that was almost overflowing — there were no more excuses. There was no more retreat.
“I… I know…”
Jiang Jian Yue turned her head away, not daring to look into his eyes. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum. “From today on… I am… your…”
The following words seemed to scald her mouth, and she couldn’t bring herself to say them.
“My what?” Yuki Asahi asked mischievously, his fingers gently stroking her cheek.
“Your… girlfriend! Fine!” Jiang Jian Yue shouted in embarrassment and anger, then closed her eyes in resignation. “Are you satisfied now, you idiot?”
“Yes, very satisfied.”
In the next second, a warm sensation covered her lips.
In the center of this Arena that was about to witness countless battles and glories, under this night sky that belonged only to them, they kissed as if no one else existed.
The saltiness of sweat intertwined with the intoxicating scent of each other.
Jiang Jian Yue felt like she was melting. All her anxiety, all her unease, her fear of war, and her confusion about the future became unimportant in this kiss.
As long as he was there, as long as this moment was real.
After a long time, their lips parted.
Both were a bit out of breath, yet they still held each other tightly, unwilling to separate.
Jiang Jian Yue’s fingers unconsciously traced circles on Yuki Asahi’s chest, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness.
“Um…” Yuki Asahi suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. “Since we’re already… in that kind of relationship.”
He scratched his head a bit awkwardly. “Can I… change how I address you?”
“Hmm?” Jiang Jian Yue responded lazily.
“Always calling you ‘Yue’ or ‘Predecessor’ and stuff… it feels a bit…”
“Then… what do you want to call me?” Jiang Jian Yue arched an eyebrow. “Master?”
“No way!”
Yuki Asahi’s face reddened, and his eyes wandered. “Just… that kind of… more intimate name…”
“Like Kokoro?”
“Is that not allowed?” Seeing her lack of reaction, Yuki Asahi felt a bit uneasy.
“…”
Jiang Jian Yue buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. “Let’s stick with ‘Yue’!”
“Then… Tsuki-chan?”
“Fine…”
“Tsuki-chan.”
“What is it!”
“Tsuki-chan, Tsuki-chan, Tsuki-chan, Tsuki-chan.”
“You’re so annoying!”
“What about you?” Yuki Asahi looked at her expectantly. “What will you call me?”
“What else… can I call you? Yuki.”
“Eh — that’s too distant, isn’t it?”
“Then… Asahi?”
“That seems… a bit ordinary?”
“Then what do you… want?” Jiang Jian Yue’s voice trembled slightly.
“How about… Darling?”
“…”
“Hehe.”
Looking at the silly, smiling young man, Jiang Jian Yue sighed helplessly, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She was truly defeated by him.
The two of them lingered on the platform for a long time until they were forcibly separated by the reset time set by the Backtrack Backup System.
“Time to go.”
“Yeah.”
“Today’s Finals…” Jiang Jian Yue’s gaze became serious. “Don’t lose.”
Yuki Asahi took her hand and kissed it near his lips. “As you command, Tsuki-chan.”
……
The morning was bright and sunny.
In the Player Lounge, the atmosphere was subtly harmonious.
Inside the ART Team’s lounge, several elites from Tokyo University were gathered around a table. Detailed information about Special Response HQ Unit 1 was spread across the surface.
“The core of Special Response HQ Unit 1 consists of two people with extremely high physical stats.” A boy wearing thick glasses pushed them up and spoke in a flat tone. “Although they have shown amazing combat power, their tactics are simple. The other three often can’t keep up with the two cores.”
“Yeah, true.” Another young man agreed indistinctly while eating a bun. “I feel like only that Captain is a bit troublesome. That Cuiyue is fierce, but she’s easy to provoke.”
“Did that Captain not sleep well last night? I think his state today is a bit over-excited.”
“So, what’s our tactic?”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the silver-haired girl sitting in the corner.
Shadow Girl was holding a cup of hot tea, staring out the window at the blue sky. A faint smile played on the corners of her mouth.
Hearing her teammates’ questions, she snapped back to attention and put down her teacup.
“Tactics?” She stretched her limbs, her tone so relaxed it was surprising. “Just fight however you want.”
The teammates were stunned. “But… this is The Finals! And our opponents are — “
“Oh, don’t be so nervous.” Shadow Girl waved her hand. “Haven’t we already achieved our goals for coming here?”
Demonstrating their strength, deterring certain restless forces, and engaging in friendly exchange — she had even confirmed the attitude regarding “that person.” Her own hidden mission was also mostly complete.
In that case, that golden trophy wasn’t all that important to her anymore.