Fight

***

Early in the morning, Zeno washed up in his bathroom and went to have breakfast before 

before heading to Zeff's house.

The cafeteria was a little crowded.

When he arrived, everyone stopped eating and talking, concentrating on his figure.

The students gave him intrigued looks, probably because of yesterday's event.

After filling his plate, he went to an empty table.

At the same time, the girl in the wheelchair entered, served herself and returned to her table.

"Hello."

She nodded quickly to say hello and began to eat slowly.

Zeno concentrated on his food.

However, before he could finish, a commotion attracted him.

"Are you Zeno?"

A man with black eyes and spiky black hair with a blue tinge interrupted Zeno's lunch. His long hair hung over his face like fringes.

"I'm Izuna Nova, the brother of the person you beat up yesterday."

Not interested in him, Zeno resumed his meal in peace.

Zeno took a sip of tea and resumed his meal. Stuffing his face with meat.

"How dare you ignore me!" He said, kicking the table over.

Zeno looked up at Izuna and said: 

"Do you want me to beat you to death asshole?"

Zeno slowly stood up and approached Izuna.

However before the situation could escalate, an instructor appeared between the two.

"Duels are forbidden in the common areas. Go to the arena if you wish to settle your differences." said the instructor in an amused tone.

'It's rare to have duels between students this year, who's going to win, Vildred's disciple or Ariana's.'

"Meet at the arena in an hour, don't run away in fear." Izuna said as she walked away.

"Afraid?" muttered Zeno.

***

"Brat, you're already causing problems," said Zeff in an exasperated tone.

"Leave him alone, old man, I was just like him when I was younger HAHAHA." said Vildred.

"In a duel, man to man, sword to sword, it can be a lack of skill that gets you killed. But often it will be a matter of luck, or if it goes on too long, it will be the man who tires first who tends to die."

"You'd better win or I'll kill you, understand?"

"Yes!"

"Go on then!"

Zeno arrived in the middle of the arena.

Hundreds of students and most of the Artoria Academy staff were present. 

Duels are rarely organised. Most of the students are either busy with their courses or just hanging around.

Zeno and Izuna were facing each other. Both armed with a training sword. Their eyes met for a long moment.

The referee said a few words: 

"This is not a duel to the death. The winner will be decided if his opponent loses his weapon, concedes or is KO'd."

"Understood?"

"YES!"

"Very well. When I pronounce GO, you may begin."

*

"GO!"

Izuna suddenly ceased to exist.

It was just an illusion. He was moving so fast that the human eye was unable to follow his movements.

In a fraction of a second, Izuna covered the distance separating him from Zeno and delivered a powerful blow. However, despite his speed, Zeno managed to react in time, using one of the forms of the dance of the currents, turning his body slightly to deflect the strike.

Although Zeno managed to avoid being hit, Izuna's fist ended up hitting his shoulder, sending Zeno flying a few metres away.

Izuna disappeared again.

He appeared behind Zeno, ready to deliver a devastating blow. Izuna put all his strength into his sword, trying to pierce his liver.

However, at the last moment, Zeno changed position and parried her attack.

Parrying his blow, Zeno approached him and held out his fist.

Izuna took a step to the left and avoided it. Aiming for a small opening, he swung his sword towards his right shoulder.

Zeno parried the attack by holding the sword vertically.

A red aura surrounded Izuna's sword. The ground shook slightly in the face of the aura of the fire attribute.

He stamped his foot and pierced the air.

Zeno raised his sword towards the aura pouring over him.

Blocking the sword made his legs tremble. The ground crumbled beneath him. The speed and power behind this strike was on a different scale to the blows he had deflected earlier.

"My origin grants me the powers of fire. I can become as scorching as fire, as quick as blazes and as devastating as lava!"

Izuna's strikes became progressively faster and stronger. His body wobbled every time he blocked the blows.

"Give up or I'll reduce you to ashes."

"You talk too much asshole."

Zeno struck his sword horizontally. Izuna was pushed back.

"Very well."

The energy emanating from him thickened.

"Do you think you're the only one with combat-oriented powers?"

A black flame blossomed at the tip of his blade.

A very small flame had ignited.

It was as black as night and as deep as the abyss.

When Izuna saw it, a shiver ran down her spine.

The students were overcome by a strange anxiety at the sight of the flame.

Zeno took a step.

His sword created a single line.

A line drawn from top to bottom.

And.

Crack.

Izuna's aura-covered sword shattered in two.

The sound of the impact echoed through the arena.

"Ah..."

Izuna stared at her broken sword, dazed.

"How..."

***

"What??! What just happened?"

"Izuna's sword was severed in a single blow."

"I-it's crazy..."

Zeno could feel the stares of students everywhere. Mistrust, shocked astonishment.

"Wow."

Even Zeff, who was standing at the edge of the arena, was no exception. His eyes were wide.

"HAHAHA he's not my disciple for nothing!" shouted Vildred.

The power of the first move had exceeded Zeno's expectations to the point where he would have cut Izuna in half if he hadn't controlled his intention.

"The duel is over. Zeno wins the fight" shouted the referee.

"Do you think I'm going to give up even though I've lost my weapon?"

"I can't accept that!"

Izuna clenched her fists.

The red aura surrounding her sword coated her entire body. 

Izuna lifted off the ground. 

"AAAAAAH!"

With a scream, he stretched out his fist with all his might. It was a quick, precise punch, imbued with a powerful aura.

Zeno slowly raised his sword, this time the black flame covering his entire sword.

His eyes took on a golden hue and he whispered in a voice that was not his own: 

"First move...Impact!"

The world was split in two.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A cloud of smoke enveloped the arena.

A moment later, the smoke cleared revealing a shocking sight.

The referee was in the centre of the arena, blocking Zeno's sword.

Izuna lay on the ground with one arm missing.

A shocking sequence of events, to say the least.

"Stop."

Zeno released his sword.

Fiuu what power, if I hadn't stopped him, that other kid would have been sliced in half.

"Zeno is the big winner of this fight!"

"Both sides can leave the arena."

Saying this, a medical team joined the arena and took Izuna to the infirmary for emergency treatment. 

"Zeno."

Vildred and Zeff approached him, smiling. Their expressions were full of surprise.

Vildred patted his shoulder with a smile.

"That was a magnificent fight, and that last shot wow."

"Well done kid!"

"I thank you both."

"Without your teachings, I probably wouldn't have acquired that last move. I felt something awaken in me."

"You can go and rest, as promised, tomorrow I will teach you fencing."

"Thank you instructor Vildred."