Chapter 19: The Morning Challenge (Part 2)

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Leo's wings shimmered in the morning light, reflecting the anticipation of the crowd as the fight reached its peak. Both Leo and Rin were breathing heavily, neither willing to back down. The tension in the air was palpable, and all eyes were on them.

"Remember the bet, Leo," Rin said, her voice calm but serious. "If you lose, I get one wish."

"And if I win," Leo replied with a grin, "I get that permission slip with your mark."

Rin nodded, her eyes narrowing. "Let's see if you're worthy."

With a sudden burst of energy, Rin charged forward, her katana flashing in the light. Leo responded instantly, his wings propelling him upward as he dodged her strike. But Rin was quick, and before he could react, she was right in front of him again, her blade aimed at his chest.

Leo blocked with his forearm, the impact vibrating through his body. She's not holding back at all.

He pushed her back with a powerful flap of his wings, creating some distance between them. But Rin wasn't giving him any time to rest. She came at him again, her katana slicing through the air with precision and speed. Leo had to stay on the defensive, dodging and blocking her relentless attacks.

As they exchanged blows, Leo began to see patterns in her movements. He could tell she was testing him, trying to see how far she could push him. But he wasn't going to let her have the upper hand. Not when there was so much on the line.

With a sudden burst of speed, Leo closed the distance between them and spun behind her. He landed a light tap on her back, causing her to stumble forward slightly.

Rin quickly regained her balance, but there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "You're not bad."

"Same to you," Leo replied, his tone light but focused.

They stood across from each other, both of them breathing heavily. The fight had pushed them to their limits, but neither was willing to give up.

Rin's eyes narrowed. She knew this would be her last chance to end the fight.

She lunged forward, her katana aimed straight for Leo. But just as she was about to strike, Leo moved with lightning speed, dodging her attack and using his wings to propel himself upward. He hovered above her for a moment, his gaze locked on hers.

It's time to end this.

With a powerful flap of his wings, Leo shot downward, aiming for Rin's exposed back. But before he could land the final blow, Rin twisted her body and deflected his attack, sending him flying backward.

Leo landed gracefully, his wings folding behind him as he stared at Rin. She had managed to hold him off—just barely.

For a moment, there was silence between them. Then, Rin slowly lowered her katana, her expression unreadable.

"That's enough," she said, her voice steady.

Leo blinked, surprised. "You're calling it?"

Rin nodded. "I've seen what I needed to see."

There was a murmur from the crowd as the tension in the air began to dissipate. Leo relaxed his stance, though he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that the fight had ended.

"I guess that means I win?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rin sheathed her katana and walked toward him, her expression serious. "Yes, you win. You've earned the permission slip with my mark."

As she extended her hand for a handshake, Leo reached out to take it. But just as their hands were about to meet, Rin's foot slipped on a patch of loose dirt, and she stumbled forward.

Time seemed to slow down as Rin fell, her eyes wide in shock. Before Leo could react, she crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Leo instinctively wrapped his arms around her to cushion the fall, but when they landed, he found himself on top of her, their faces inches apart.

Rin's breath caught in her throat as she realized the position they were in. Their mouths were so close, but not quite touching. The sudden intimacy of the situation left her completely flustered.

From the sidelines, Rin's underling, Satori Tamaba, had been watching intently. The moment she saw her leader fall under Leo, her eyes widened in horror. Without thinking, she pulled out her baton and charged forward.

"Get off of her, you idiot!" she yelled, swinging the baton down with all her might.

Before Leo could react, the baton made contact with the back of his head, forcing his face down toward Rin's. The next thing he knew, their lips had met in an accidental kiss.

There was a stunned silence as the realization of what had just happened sank in. Leo quickly pulled away, his face red with embarrassment, while Rin lay beneath him, her face completely flushed. The mask covering the upper part of her face had cracked from the impact, leaving only half of it intact.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then, Rin's underling stepped forward, her face red with fury and embarrassment.

"You... you...!" she stammered, her voice shaking with emotion. "Because of you, Rin-sama...!"

Leo stood up, rubbing the back of his head where the baton had hit him. "Hey, I didn't mean for that to happen! It was an accident!"

Satori's eyes blazed with anger, though her face remained as red as a tomato. "Because of you... because of you, Rin-sama... I'll... I'll...!" She struggled to get the words out, her embarrassment making it difficult for her to speak.

Leo raised an eyebrow, confused. "You'll what?"

Satori took a deep breath, her fists clenched at her sides. "I-I'll castrate you!"

Leo blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"My name is Satori Tamaba, from the Five Swords!" she yelled, her voice trembling with embarrassment. "And I'll... I'll... castrate you, Leo!"

Leo couldn't help but chuckle at how hard she was trying to finish her sentence. "You're really working hard to get that out, aren't you?"

Satori's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she raised her baton threateningly. "Shut up! I'm serious!"

Before the argument could escalate any further, Rin finally stood up, brushing herself off. She was still visibly embarrassed by what had just happened, but she managed to compose herself.

"That's enough," she said, her voice low but firm. "Let's... just forget about what happened."

Leo, still rubbing the back of his head, nodded. "Yeah, probably a good idea."

Rin shot him a glare, though her face was still red. "And don't think this changes anything. You still won, but... just keep your distance from now on."

Leo raised his hands in surrender, a small smile on his face. "Got it, got it."

As the crowd began to disperse, Rin turned away, her hand absentmindedly touching the cracked mask on her face. She couldn't believe what had just happened, and she silently vowed to never let something like that happen again.

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