The heat energy from the dragon's power quickly moved to his legs from his chest, stopping inside his calves and generating an explosive charge.

*boom* - releasing the accumulated energy, Yoichi jumped upward, rising in altitude until he passed the highest point of the wave. The wave had reached a height of almost three meters, increasing its destructive force after the distance traveled.

The attack unleashed by Kato's demon reached and overtook Yoichi's position, hurling itself with maximum power towards the peach trees and the walls behind.

*BOOM* - a second explosion louder than the first echoed through the air, and the wave dissipated, flooding the area and slightly bending the trunks of the trees, which soon after returned to their upright position.

"Look! Up there!" someone from the crowd shouted, raising a hand to the sky and bringing the audience's attention to the two challengers. Their duel had moved into the air, and that last action would likely determine its fate.

After the jump, Yoichi found himself in an upward trajectory towards Kato, ready to hit him with his giant claw. The speed of his ascent was too fast to dodge that blow, and the tactics taught to him by Nobunaga were not very effective in mid-air.

If he wanted to strike first, Yoichi would have had to strike Kato the old-fashioned way, using Kenji's power but holding back its draconic spirit.

I have to release only a small amount of draconic power, otherwise, I'll risk killing him! He hastily thought, letting the little dragon's energy run back to his upper limbs.

Following his every command, his legs returned to standard size and his arms were enhanced further, ready to clash with his opponent.

"Aaargh!"

"Aaargh!"

The two challengers shouted in unison as the eyes of everyone present were pointed skyward. The sun drew over the heads of the audience the outlines of Kato's body, followed by a water trail, and Yoichi's, followed by a fiery trail. They looked like two meteors about to collide.

If Kenji's had been simple fire, the result of that fight would have already been written. Instead, what no one but Takamori and Shioko had foreseen happened: Yoichi didn't let the power of the ancient Dragon King take control over his body and, focusing as much as he could on his arm, he let the draconic flames flow through his veins.

*BOOM* - The umpteenth explosion was devastating and created a violent shockwave, forcing all the people around the tatami to cover their faces to avoid being injured.

When the water released from his attack made contact with the flames of Yoichi's arms, Kato derisively smiled for a moment, sure that that was the moment when his opponent would meet his end.

Contrary to his expectations, only the shallowest part of the flames was extinguished by the water, evaporating instantly and releasing thick gray smoke.

A faint roar followed Yoichi's flaming attack, and the draconic flames devoured the Yokusuta's aquatic claw, that reduced it to shreds. In contact with the water, the red flame turned purple and, even if only for an instant, the power of the primordial flame was visible to Kato's eyes.

However, when even the last remnant of the aquatic aura that enveloped and protected his arm disappeared, the blue-haired warrior felt an intense burning spread throughout his body.

"Aaah! Aaaagh!" - the screams that until a moment before had given him the charge turned into cries of terror. Starting from his arm, the small amount of draconic flame released by Yoichi spread to his other arm, chest, and legs.

Yoichi, even before his hand could actually touch his opponent's skin, deactivated Kenji's power. The mere contact between the water and fire auras was enough to end the duel.

Kato immediately lost consciousness, and his eyes closed, unable to hold back the pain. Since he was still in mid-air, his body quickly lost altitude until he fell downwards under the severe action of gravity.

*stomp* - the thud of Kato's unconscious body on the stone tatami was as conclusive as a period at the end of a sentence. On the thin patina of water spread over most of the arena due to the tidal wave created by the lobster demon, the thin lapilli raining from the sky evaporated in a play of grayish fumes.

*tss*tss*tss*

Under the astonished gaze of everyone present and their questioning expressions, that was the only sound present. The cloud of dust from the impact took a few seconds longer than expected to disperse into the air, revealing the location of the two fighters.

The long-haired blond warrior of the Nightblades was there, standing near the corner of the tatami, looking down; a few meters away, lying face down, the bully Kato, flagship of the Emperor's Heralds had suffered a resounding public defeat.

A trail of smoke continued to rise from his blue hair and armor, slightly scorched at his right arm.

Kenji jumped down from Yoichi's shoulders and looked around with its tiny red eyes. In the following instant, the shadow of Kato's demon emerged among the dust.

The Yokusuta stood next to its tamer, aching and with its claws resting on the tatami, desperately trying to hold itself up on its legs.

Suddenly, a small red sphere emerged from the lobster demon's head, floating upward and moving sinuously in the direction of Yoichi and Kenji.

If Yoichi had defeated Kato's Oracle, that single XP point would have sprung from his chest. In that case, however, it was the lobster demon itself who surrendered it to his opponents.

*blop* - making the usual liquid sound that Yoichi had heard many times before, Kenji absorbed the reddish orb, gaining XP. Simultaneously, Yoichi's gaze, aimed at the wet and ash-stained floor, framed a thin blood writing.

[Kenji: (2/10 pts - level 9)]

The writing disappeared almost instantly, and taking courage, the young blonde-haired tamer looked up at his guildmates. Inwardly, he felt he had gone too far and sensed that that fight would cost him dearly.