I'LL TRY

We faced the other team in tense silence.

“Who would have thought we’d meet so soon?” Renji broke the quiet, a sly grin tugging at his lips.

“Yeah… didn’t expect this,” I replied, keeping my eyes locked on him.

“Well then,” he said, shifting his stance, “no use wasting words now, right?”

“I guess not.”

Sakura and Mikio crouched, ready for anything, and I could see the other team mirrored our tension.

Kenji raised his hands, signaling the start. “Then… let’s begin.”

Aya lunged at Sakura with a sharp kick. Sakura raised her arm to block, but the force slammed her backward into a tree. The bark splintered under the impact, and she staggered to her feet, teeth gritted.

Mikio charged at Daigo, firing a volley of soundwaves. Daigo absorbed the blasts head-on, not flinching, his calm aura unnerving even me.

Renji sprinted toward me, every step thundering against the ground. I braced myself, ready to meet him head-on.

Renji’s aura pulsed faintly, a warm golden glow that hummed with barely restrained power. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” he called, fists tightening.

Aya crouched low, every movement deliberate. “Try not to trip over yourselves,” she taunted, her voice soft but cutting, “I’d hate to clean up more losers today.”

The first move came from Sakura. She spun low, legs whipping like blades, the tips of her toes shimmering as her aura formed razor-like claws. She kicked a horizontal arc at Aya, who vanished mid-step, her Radiant Step masking her presence. Aya reappeared behind Sakura, slicing through the air with twin dagger strikes aimed at her back.

Sakura twisted with impossible flexibility, narrowly avoiding the blades. “Is that all you’ve got?” she hissed, claws flashing as she launched into a spinning kick that sent Aya skidding backward.

Mikio didn’t waste a moment. He sprinted forward, a blur of speed, hands igniting with flickering flames.

He punched a series of rapid fire-enhanced blows at Daigo. The first blast struck Daigo’s armored chest, sparks flying off his Iron Fortress technique, but the impact barely fazed him. “You’ll need more than that,” Daigo growled, his voice like gravel.

Renji’s aura surged around me, bolstering my strength instinctively. “Stay focused!” he shouted. I lunged toward him, ready to intercept, but Renji pivoted, fists swinging like hammers that carried the weight of his aura.

I had been watching, calculating. My shadow writhed at my feet, dark tendrils snaking across the ground. With a sharp leap, I struck, legs whipping out in a Taekwondo-style kick, each strike encased in liquid shadow. A vine shot from the darkness, wrapping around Renji's ankle, but Renji spun free, Aura trailing the motion. “Not bad,” he muttered, “but I’m faster than that!” He sent a fiery punch , sending me skidding backward.

Aya struck again, her movements silent as she closed in on Sakura. “Predictable,” she whispered, launching a lightning-quick kick to Sakura’s side. Sakura blocked with a sweeping leg, sparks dancing as her claws clashed against Aya’s hidden energy blades.

“You’ll have to do better than that!” Sakura spat, springing backward with uncanny flexibility, kicking out mid-air and forcing Aya to roll aside.

Renji bellowed, his aura flaring. “Move as one!” He slammed his fists into the ground, sending shockwaves forward.

His teammates felt their strength spike, muscles coiling with renewed vigor. Mikio grinned, rushing forward with a burst of speed and fire, fists blurring.

My shadows surged, twisting into a massive sphere aimed Renji. He leapt, narrowly dodging, and hurled a fist at it. The sphere exploded in a shower of black and red, scattering dust and smoke. My eyes narrowed; I formed a shadow canon with my hands, blasting a concentrated beam toward Renji.

Aya flickered again, vanishing into her Radiant Step. She landed behind Daigo, blades aiming at his side. “Come on, slowpoke,” she whispered. “Let’s see if you’re really that strong.Defeat that guy”

Daigo grunted, shifting his stance. His Iron Fortress flared, the blades clanging harmlessly against the hardened armor.

Sakura recovered, spinning low to sweep Aya off her feet. They collided in mid-air, Aura claws slashing, but Aya’s Radiant Step allowed her to vanish and reappear just in time to escape the kick. “Persistent, aren’t you?” Sakura breathed, eyes narrowing.

I pivoted, legs whipping like a taekwondo whirlwind. Each strike a mix of shadow and fire, I made sure my movements were precise, calculated.

Renji shouted, aura surging. “Push forward!” His fists smashed into the ground, sending waves of energy at Sakura. She leapt, flipping mid-air, landing elegantly as sparks clashed around her.

Mikio’s speed blurred again, streaks of fire and soundwaves streaking through the air. Daigo countered with a punch, each strike a challenge to Mikio’s agility. “Not fast enough!” Mikio gritted, fire licking around his fists as he smashed a punch into Daigo's face.

Aya darted, a ghost of movement, kicking and slicing where she could, mocking every opening. “Too slow! Too weak!”

Daigo lumbered forward, a living fortress, fists pounding into the ground. Each step sent tremors, and when he collided with Mikio's fists, it sent shockwaves. “End this charade,” he growled.

The fight raged on for what felt like hours, the ground scarred, the air thick with heat, dust, and the smell of burning energy. Claws clashed, fists met shadow, and fists collided with unyielding armor. Each move carried weight, each strike drew a grunt or a shout. Sweat dripped, breaths grew ragged, but no one yielded.

Finally, even the most tireless had to pause. Mikio landed, chest heaving, sweat and soot streaking his face. “This is insane…” he wrote.

Sakura’s legs trembled slightly, claws dimming as her aura flickered. “We… can’t keep this up forever…”

Renji staggered, fists trembling but his aura still flickering, ready to boost the team. Aya leaned against a tree, smirking despite her exhaustion. “Not bad… for a warm-up,” she whispered.

I crouched, shadow receding, my breathing harsh but steady. Fire crackled briefly from my palms, Aeres’ power already burning me from the inside. “We regroup. We need strategy,” I said.

Daigo planted his fists into the ground, shaking off the dust. “Enough for now,” he growled. His Iron Fortress dimmed slightly, his muscles tight with fatigue.

Everyone stepped back, eyes meeting, chests heaving. The fight had pushed them to their limits, and unspoken respect hung in the air.

“Regroup,” Renji said firmly. “We can finish this when we’re ready.”

Sakura’s claws retracted, Mikio’s flames dimmed, my shadows receded, and Aya’s Radiant Step faded as they all pulled back. For a moment, silence reigned, punctuated only by ragged breathing and the distant rustle of disturbed trees.

And in that moment, the battlefield seemed to pause, the two teams sizing each other up, knowing the fight wasn’t over—but that it would resume only when they were ready.

“This fight’s gonna take forever,” Sakura yelled, frustration lacing her voice.

I’m almost at my limit here, Mikio typed, letting his exhaustion show even through the words.

“I know. You’re both tired, and so am I,” I admitted inwardly. With all of us drained like this, they might actually have a chance of winning. I can’t let that happen. I don’t usually do this… but today, I’m going to have to try. Annoying…

“Alright, both of you, listen up,” I said, raising my voice to command their attention.

“Are you about to do one of those inspirational quote speeches?” Sakura snapped, rolling her eyes.

“Of course not. I don’t have that kind of time,” I replied, shaking my head. Then I removed the glove from my right hand, revealing the glowing symbol ‘愛’—Love—etched into my palm.

Sakura’s eyes widened. “Wow… Is that why you always kept your hands covered? Even as a child?”

“Shut up,” I muttered, gesturing for her to quiet down. Let me explain before she ruins this entirely.

The mark on my hand began to glow a deep red.

It’s glowing! Mikio typed quickly, a mixture of surprise and concern in his words.

“Yeah, I know. I guess I have to hurry then,” I murmured, stretching my hand forward for a fist bump.

“Huh? What is that?” Sakura yelled, confused.

“Have you never heard of a fist bump before?” I asked, barely hiding my irritation.

“I have—but why?”

Seriously wasting my time, I thought. “I’ll make it quick. If I give you a fist bump with my right hand, you’ll be connected to me through the Five Gods of Emotion that live inside me. I can draw strength from your emotions and convert it into aura. I can’t turn it off, which is why I wear these special gloves. If I draw power from both of you, we might have a chance.”

“If it’ll help, then sure,” Sakura said, finally giving in.

She bumped her fist against mine, and a soft, ethereal voice echoed in my ears. New connection in social network.

I hadn’t heard that sound in years.

Mikio followed, and the same voice resonated again.

I could feel my aura surge, the red light brightening as the energy from their emotions flowed into me. Heat and power pooled in my chest, spreading through my limbs.

I straightened, fists clenched, and felt the fire of determination ignite inside me.

“Well then… let’s get this over with,” I said, my voice low but steady, ready for the next wave of battle.

Author’s Note:

Hikaru: Ugh… so now I have to share my aura with these two? First it was fighting for fun, now it’s emotional energy extraction. Can’t we just punch things in peace?

Sakura: Hira-kun, stop sulking! The fist bump thing? Genius. Watching your hands glow and then suddenly bossing everyone around—it was epic. You even made Mikio look impressed!

Mikio: writes in flames — “Impressed? More like terrified, but yeah, it looked cool.”

Hikaru: …Traitor.

Sakura: See? Even Mikio agrees! Readers, Hikaru might act annoyed, but he secretly loves showing off his powers.

Hikaru: I do not!

Mikio: writes again — “Oh yes, you totally do.”

Hikaru: …I hate both of you.

Sakura: He says that, but we all know he’d collapse without us. Thanks for reading, everyone! The team-up’s only beginning, and things are about to get even more chaotic.

Mikio: in flames — “Next fight is going to burn hotter. Don’t miss it!”