The arena is set, specially modified for their battle. Mukai stands on his half, back straight and nose up, looking at Najo with the bottom corners of his eyes. Behind him is a large pool of water that stretches to the outer corners of his half. On the other side, Najo fixes his stare on Mukai. He remembers when Moto mentioned Mukai's problem with him on the first day. Behind Najo are two opposing poles of electricity and various-sized boulders, plenty for him to work with.
The boys walk forward as Mr. Jumbo approaches the center. They stop in their positions five meters from each other.
Mr. Jumbo: "This is the quickest way to solve conflict. The fight will only end once one admits defeat. I went through a lot of trouble to set this up, so this better be entertaining."
He raises his hand straight up as he steps out of the way. "Ready!"
Najo smashes his fists together, making sparks. Mukai puts his right hand forward, and the water around them forms waves moving inward.
Moto sits in the terraces with Sheu and Sukai.
Moto: "Water conducts lightning, so this should be easy for Najo."
Mr. Jumbo: "Hajime!"
The instant he says that, Najo dashes at Mukai with a lightning fist. Najo finds himself crashing into a cylinder of water.
Sukai: "I wouldn't be so sure."
Mukai: "Nox pool."
He says as Najo slows down under the increasing pressure of the cylinder. The dense water pushes Najo out, sending him flying back. He backflips, landing on his feet. He starts flicking small lightning bolts at Mukai, but Mukai's water wall neutralizes them.
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Moto is vexed. "Water conducts electricity, why isn't he getting zapped?"
Sukai: "Our mother is a master in both water and lightning, so Mukai is already acquainted with such powers."
Moto: "Wow, she must be powerful."
Sukai: "Strongest in the nation, and the only person he respects"
Najo jumps back and sends the rocks flying at Mukai.
Mukai: "Water diamond, Christopher," he mutters as a diamond-shaped water shield forms in front of him, blocking the barrage of rocks.
Najo plants his feet and hurls a boulder twice his height. Mukai makes a water sword and slashes upward, slicing it in half. Right as his hands are in the air and light peers between the rocks as they separate, Najo thrusts in and delivers a vicious lightning punch, sending Mukai flying into the pool behind him. The lightning half cheers for their own.
Mukai hears the muffled sound of cheers against him. "Do they think this outsider is stronger than me? I've been training for years longer than him. I won't accept it."
He bursts out of the water and sends a barrage of large water bullets.
Najo: "Just so you know, that one was for Sheu. I owe you one more."
Mukai, with his pride bruised, pulls all the water bullets back and they form a bubble around Najo. Najo cannot breathe in it. Mukai raises it into the air and forcefully crumples his hands, maintaining the bubble around Najo as he struggles to escape before running out of air.
It's useless. There is nowhere to step for leverage, and the bubble moves with him as he swims forward.
Sukai: "This is bad. At this rate…"
Then the boulders Najo had thrown levitate toward him. Before he runs out of breath, he manages to bring one in and he jumps off it, popping his head out of the bubble.
Mukai dissipates the water. As the drops fall, Najo stands on one of the falling rocks and unleashes bright bolts of lightning around himself, ready for a final attack. Mukai can sense that the end is near. He prepares his attack as well.
Mukai: "Water spear, Chamisa."
The water in the pool flows to him and forms a giant spear, detailed with swirl patterns flowing down the handle. Najo concentrates the lightning into his hands. Mukai's spear takes aim, and Najo jumps down the falling rocks.
Time feels as if it has slowed down. Moto hopes the gravity advantage gives Najo the victory, while Sukai secretly hopes his brother wins.
Just as they are about to clash, a black portal opens behind Moto and Sukai. Kangetsu walks out and grabs Sukai from behind, his hands bloody. He explodes blood in his right arm, then raises it to cover Sukai's mouth.
Kangetsu: "Don't move."