image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/5/5c/Crimson_Flash.png]
The battle raged on between Akane and Pimiko, as Akane's sai clashed with Pimiko's Tekko Kagi, a dance of agility versus agility. Despite the significant damage Akane had taken from both Pimiko and her previous match with Osamu, she refused to give up. She pressed on, determined to wear Pimiko down, making the fight easier for her teammates. Akane executed Crimson Flash, a lightning-fast lunge that closed the distance, aiming to strike Pimiko's stomach with the tip of her sai.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/a7/Whisker%27s_Guard.png]
But Pimiko, swift and alert as a cat, reacted with Whisker's Guard, mimicking the sensitivity of feline whiskers. Her Tekko Kagi deflected the attack with ease, catching Akane off guard.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/3/34/Cute_but_Deadly_Spin.png]
"Naughty! Naughty!" Pimiko teased in a high-pitched, cute voice. Suddenly, she began spinning playfully, but the innocent appearance masked her true intentions—Cute but Deadly Spin. As she twirled, she extended her Tekko Kagi, aiming to catch Akane off guard with a lethal caress.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/70/Sai_Serenity.png]
Akane, seeing through Pimiko's manipulative trick, stood her ground with the calmness before the storm. She performed Sai Serenity, her weapons crossed in a perfect stance of defense and anticipation, locking Pimiko’s cunning assault and controlling the flow of the battle. Pimiko, momentarily surprised, pulled back her Tekko Kagi, her playful demeanor masking her frustration.
Though Akane hadn't landed a strike on her, Pimiko felt a growing sense of unease. Just having her weapon locked by Akane moments ago had shaken her confidence. She knew she needed to lure Akane into making a mistake, either through mind games or a move to disrupt her rhythm. Scanning the battlefield, Pimiko noticed Jake struggling with Osamu.
"Hey, look! Your baseball friend is struggling!" she called out, her voice filled with mock concern.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/8/8e/Dancing_Dragon%27s_Grasp.png]
Akane instinctively turned her head towards Jake and Osamu, giving Pimiko the perfect opening. Pimiko immediately struck with her Tekko Kagi, aiming to capitalize on the distraction. However, Akane quickly realized the trick and transitioned into Dancing Dragon's Grasp, twirling her sais in an intricate pattern, designed to entrap and disarm Pimiko's Tekko Kagi.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6d/Kitty%27s_Whim_Caprice.png]
But Pimiko was one step ahead. It was all a setup for her Kitty's Whim Caprice, a technique where she unpredictably changes her attack patterns mid-combat. With erratic but calculated strikes, she kept Akane guessing. Each strike landed with precision, knocking Akane to her knees.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6f/Purr-fect_Disarm.png]
Even with the hits she had taken, Akane refused to give up. She gripped her sais tightly, slowly rising to her feet, determined to keep fighting. Pimiko, hopping towards her with a sweet, innocent facade, suddenly swiped down with Purr-fect Disarm, swiftly disarming one of Akane's sais using the hooks of her Tekko Kagi. Akane was now left with only one weapon.
"I like your guts, but this has to end, sorry!" Pimiko mocked in her high-pitched, cute voice, her confidence soaring as she sensed victory within reach. She advanced with the grace and assurance of a queen preparing for her final, decisive move.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/94/Brotherhood_Guard.png]
Just as Pimiko closed in, ready to deliver the finishing blow, Carter, fresh from his victory over Ushio, arrived at the perfect moment. With a fierce sense of camaraderie, he positioned himself in front of Akane, shielding her from the imminent threat. Brotherhood Guard, his protective instinct, kicked in as he readied his hockey stick, staring down Pimiko.
What had been a one-on-one duel now turned into a two-on-one situation, the tides suddenly shifting. Pimiko, momentarily surprised by Carter’s intervention, blinked but quickly recomposed herself, her eyes narrowing as she prepared to deal with both opponents.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/75/Pimiko_Nyanko_with_an_innocent_look_exuding_a_sense_of_purity_and_naivety_that_contrasts_with_her_typically_more_cunning_nature.png]
Pimiko knew that a direct confrontation with both Carter and Akane would likely result in her defeat. Instead of attacking, she dropped her hands, abandoning her combat stance, and adopted an innocent, wide-eyed expression. “Oni-chan?” she said sweetly, her high-pitched voice dripping with feigned vulnerability and cuteness.
"Huh?" Carter, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected plea, loosened his grip on his hockey stick, his resolve wavering under the weight of her gaze.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6f/Purr-fect_Disarm.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d4/Feline_Grace_Strike.png]
In that crucial moment, Pimiko capitalized on his hesitation. With a single swipe, she executed Purr-fect Disarm, using the hooks of her Tekko Kagi to knock Carter’s hockey stick to the ground. As it clattered to the floor, Carter’s mistake dawned on him. When he looked up, Pimiko smiled sweetly and swiftly followed up with Feline Grace Strike, her Tekko Kagi slashing with cat-like precision. She targeted Carter's back, already bruised from his earlier battle with Osamu. The pain was too much for Carter, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping out his final words: "I'm sorry, Akane," before passing out.
"Stupid Ushio, couldn’t even handle this pig!" Pimiko sneered in a commanding tone, derisively dismissing both men.
Now, with Carter incapacitated, Pimiko turned her attention back to Akane, who still held only one sai. Slowly, Pimiko advanced toward her, eyes glowing with the thrill of victory. "Boys, they're so stupid and unreliable, don’t you think?" she mocked, her voice deceptively sweet.
"No, they are not!" Akane suddenly shouted, her voice brimming with courage despite her shy and quiet nature. She rushed forward with her single sai, determined to defend her friend’s dignity.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/5/5b/Feline_Finale.png]
“Such bravery!” Pimiko mocked as she unleashed her signature technique, Feline Finale. The relentless flurry of strikes came from all directions, embodying the unpredictable and lethal nature of a cornered cat. Akane, armed with just one sai, struggled to fend off the onslaught. Her defense faltered, and the barrage of strikes overwhelmed her.
Akane, still standing after the onslaught, slowly collapsed to her knees before finally falling unconscious to the ground. The carpark crowd watched in shock at Pimiko's ruthless efficiency. Akane had fought bravely, but Pimiko had taken down two members of Jake's team. The tide had turned, and the advantage now lay with PROUD, shifting the battle to a 4 vs. 3 matchup.
The duel between Yoko and Daika continued to captivate the onlookers. Yoko's adherence to the bushido code—emphasizing honor, courage, and benevolence—kept her steadfast in choosing peace over fighting, relying on defensive moves. In contrast, Daika, defending PROUD's power within Seiryu High, attacked relentlessly, trying to break through Yoko's defense. Resentful of Yoko's gentle and compassionate nature, which made her well-loved, Daika harbored bitterness beneath her fierce exterior.
Halfway through the battle, Yoko, with her kind and gentle nature, took the opportunity to speak, still hoping her words could bring an end to the conflict. "Daika, this fight... has no purpose at all. Shall we just stop?" she pleaded, not wanting to continue the battle.
Daika, however, was unmoved by Yoko's words. "Meaningless?!" she spat in anger. "People like you, whose lives are lovely, think everything is given and take things for granted. Unlike us, who suffer injustice, we have to fight for our rights, and you're the one destroying those rights!" Daika's voice was filled with rage as she swayed her Kusarigama seductively, preparing to strike again. The resentment she held for Yoko's perceived privilege fueled her determination to continue the fight.
Daika's resentment toward Yoko stemmed from the deeper pain of her past, a pain she had never fully shared with anyone, not even the members of PROUD. In truth, Daika's and Yoko's personalities were remarkably similar—both kind and caring. Beneath her tough, guarded exterior, Daika's heart was genuinely compassionate, particularly toward her friends in PROUD, whom she viewed as her chosen family. However, fate had been cruel to her, shaping her into someone who now wore her strength like armor.
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It all began at her birth. Daika's father, a traditionalist steeped in the old ways, had longed for a son to carry on the family name. When his wife gave birth to a daughter instead, he was overcome with shame and bitterness. Despite Daika doing nothing wrong, her father treated her with disdain, unable to see her as anything but a disappointment. The name "Daika," though unisex in nature, was often given to boys, a constant reminder of the son her father had desired.
Her mother, on the other hand, loved Daika dearly, but she too bore the brunt of her husband's rejection and harsh treatment. One birthday, her mother secretly bought Daika a doll—a rare, tender gesture of affection. When her father found out, his fury was swift and merciless. He smashed the doll's head in front of Daika and threw it away, shattering not only the toy but Daika's spirit. She had cried, not only for the doll but for the love she never received from him.
Despite her father's attempts to mold her into the son he had wanted—teaching her the ways of a traditional Japanese man—Daika's heart longed for something different. She just wanted to be a normal girl, free from the expectations and the weight of her father's desires. But life had forced her into roles she never chose, and over time, she learned to hide her true self behind a wall of strength and coldness.
Not only at home did Daika’s father control her life, but he also forced her to cut her hair as short as a boy’s and insisted she wear pants to school. Fortunately for Daika, the school rules required girls to wear skirts, a policy her father had no choice but to comply with. At elementary school, both boys and girls shunned her due to her father's rigid upbringing. She was mocked and isolated, with boys telling her she was a girl and shouldn't play with them, while the girls insisted she was more of a boy and had no place among them. This constant rejection bred a deep resentment in Daika. She longed for a normal life and the friendships that always seemed out of reach.
By the time she entered high school, where students could carry weapons, life had not improved. Seiryu High, before PROUD was even formed, was no refuge. She was bullied even more intensely, her father’s influence still casting a shadow over her. "So, you’re joining the boys' karate club? Hahaha!" a group of five small-time bullies taunted her while pushing her around.
"I warned you not to touch me!" Daika retorted, holding her Kusarigama upright in defense.
"The tomboy wants to fight!" one of them jeered, as they prepared to strike her all at once, weapons raised. Before they could make their move, a voice, eerie and barely awake, spoke from nearby.
"Commotion?" the voice mumbled. The student, scrawny and fragile-looking with a white punch perm hairstyle, had been sleeping on a patch of grass behind a wall. He stood up slowly, his presence unsettling.
"Mind your own business, creep!" one of the bullies shouted, unnerved by the strange figure. But the boy stood silently, his sunken, ghostly eyes fixed on the scene.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/2/28/Reiji_performs_Whispering_Slice%2C_A_technique_that_embodies_Reiji%27s_sadomasochistic_nature%2C_involving_swift%2C_almost_silent_slices_that_leave_shallow_cuts.png]
"Move, creep!" another bully yelled, but before he could finish his sentence, the boy had already closed the distance. In one swift, silent movement, he delivered a Whispering Slice, leaving shallow cuts on the bully's arm, causing it to bleed.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/01/Reji_Haruka_performs_Eerie_Parry%2C_reflecting_his_ghostly%2C_skeletal_appearance%2C_Reiji_uses_the_penknife_to_deflect_and_redirect_attacks_with_minimal_movement.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/f/fa/Ghostly_Disarm.png]
"What the..." the other bullies gasped, realizing they were in trouble. They attacked all at once, but the boy remained unfazed. With a skeletal, ghost-like appearance, he executed Eerie Parry, deflecting and redirecting their attacks with minimal effort. The number game didn’t faze him in the slightest. He moved with such unsettling precision, using Ghostly Disarm to slice at their wrists and hands, disarming them one by one as if controlled by some invisible force.
"This guy's a phantom!" one of the bullies shouted, realizing they were no match for him. In a panic, they all fled, leaving Daika standing there alone with the eerie boy.
The boy slowly walked toward Daika, and as she prepared to thank him for his help, she said, "Thank—" Before she could finish, the boy placed a finger gently on her lips. "Shhhhhhh," he whispered, signaling her to remain silent. "Reiji Haruka," he introduced himself, his finger lifting from her lips, allowing her to speak.
"Daika Tsuyoshi," she replied, though unsure what to make of the strange encounter. Reiji’s expression remained blank as he spoke in his low, almost ghostly tone, "Follow." Without waiting for her response, he turned and began walking, leaving Daika to follow behind, unsure of where they were headed but curious about the person who had just saved her.
They eventually arrived at a club room, where Osamu sat, escaping from his classes. As soon as Reiji entered with Daika, Osamu’s eyes lit up with interest. "Reiji, what have you brought me?" he asked, curious about why the typically aloof Reiji had suddenly brought a girl along.
"Name... D..." Reiji said monotonously, leaving the rest hanging in the air.
Osamu’s yellow contact lenses gleamed as he smiled wickedly. "Your name starts with a 'D'?" he demanded, his tone sharp as he turned to Daika.
"Yes..." Daika replied hesitantly, unsure of what was happening, a tinge of fear rising as she noticed the steel pole in Osamu’s hand. She instinctively gripped her Kusarigama, ready to defend herself if needed.
To her surprise, Osamu suddenly placed his free hand on her shoulder, leaning in with a smile. "You’re in," he declared.
"In?" she echoed, confused by his words.
"In my gang, PROUD, which I’m forming," Osamu said with a grin. Without fully understanding, Daika found herself accepted into the newly forming group. Osamu had been searching for someone with a Japanese name starting with a "D" to complete the acronym for PROUD but hadn’t found a suitable choice—until Reiji brought her to him. Trusting Reiji’s judgment, Osamu accepted Daika immediately. Though it felt strange at first, PROUD eventually became her shield, offering her the protection and sense of belonging she had long craved.
Now, facing Yoko and the others, who sought to bring down PROUD, Daika’s heart burned with a deep conflict. "Your words mean nothing at all," she reiterated, her voice carrying a reluctant yet firm tone, steeling herself for the fight ahead.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/4/44/Silent_Willow_Strike.png]
"You leave me no choice, Daika," Yoko said, realizing her words were failing to reach Daika. She understood that the only way to change Daika’s mind was through action. Yoko resolved to win, not to harm, but to break through the walls around Daika’s heart. With that resolve, she initiated Silent Willow Strike, a swift and silent attack aimed at non-lethal points on Daika's body, meant to incapacitate without causing any serious harm.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/a5/Lunar_Arc_Strike.png]
Daika, not willing to back down, responded with her Lunar Arc Strike, swinging the sickle in a graceful yet deadly arc that combined precision and elegance. The clash of their weapons echoed in the carpark, but it wasn't just steel colliding—it was the clash of their spirits, a fierce declaration of their deepest beliefs.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/4/46/Autumn_Leaf_Cut.png]
Yoko refused to give up, determined to find a way to break through Daika’s defense, which mirrored the cold exterior that protected her vulnerable heart from the harshness of the world. With the grace and serenity of autumn leaves drifting from their branches, Yoko executed her Autumn Leaf Cut. The move wasn’t aggressive but precise, a deceptively sharp strike that carried both finesse and purpose.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d8/Chain_Dance_Guard.png]
In response, Daika spun the chain portion of her kusarigama, performing her Chain Dance Guard, skillfully parrying Yoko’s carefully aimed tanto strike. The moment their weapons collided, a fleeting spark marked the contact, halting Yoko's meticulous attempt.
"Daika, please..." Yoko pleaded once more, her voice filled with earnest hope.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/2/2d/Eclipsing_Shadows.png]
Daika, unmoved by the plea, continued her assault. Finding an area where the car’s shadow thickened, she slipped into the cover of darkness using Eclipsing Shadow, blending with the shadows to conceal her movements and exploit the versatility of her kusarigama. She attacked from an unexpected angle, her weapon cutting through the dark.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/bc/Rising_Sun_Thrust.png]
Yoko, whose eyes never left Daika, spotted the attack and answered with Rising Sun Thrust. Starting from a low stance, she quickly rose into a targeted thrust. The clash of their weapons reverberated through the carpark once more—darkness met light as their opposing natures and beliefs collided in battle, neither willing to relent.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/9d/Zenith_Slash.png]
With no clear answer as to who held the upper hand, Daika’s frustration reached its peak, tears brimming in her eyes. "Why do you all have to destroy my life?" she cried out, her voice shaking with emotion. She continued to believe that if PROUD lost, her life would revert to its former state—ostracized and alone. In desperation, Daika unleashed her ultimate move, Zenith Slash, channeling all her strength and resolve into the attack. The powerful overhead slash, combining the lethal force of both the sickle and the chain, symbolized her struggle for self-acceptance and the strength she had gained in overcoming her doubts and fears. With this one move, she hoped to end the fight and secure victory for PROUD.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/61/Harmony_of_the_Blade.png]
Yoko felt the force of Daika’s resolve, the intensity of the sickle and chain hurtling toward her. She knew she needed to respond with equal strength to resolve the conflict. Summoning her ultimate technique, Harmony of the Blade, Yoko moved with grace and balance, blending defense and attack seamlessly, each motion in perfect alignment with her principles. This technique embodied her commitment to balance and respect, even in battle, where she sought to minimize harm.
The clash of their ultimate techniques was breathtaking, a powerful testament to their skills and life philosophies. As the dust settled, both combatants knelt on the concrete carpark floor, exhausted and unable to continue, with no clear victor. Daika, tears streaming down her face, was crying in frustration, feeling as though she had failed to secure the future she feared losing. Her Kusarigama lay discarded beside her, and with it, her will to fight.
Yoko, still able to stand, slowly approached Daika, her tanto still in hand. The audience watched with bated breath, expecting Yoko to finish her off. But in an unexpected move, Yoko dropped her tanto and gently embraced Daika, patting her on the head. "It’s okay, Daika. Everything will be alright… it’s okay," Yoko whispered, consoling her. Daika, overwhelmed by the kindness, cried harder on Yoko’s shoulder, finally letting go of her pain.
The fight had ended just as Kaito had predicted: "Your adherence to the Bushido code and your kindness may be your greatest strengths to unlock Daika’s heart and win this fight." Yoko, choosing not to harm her, had won by reaching Daika’s heart, while Daika, no longer able to fight, accepted Yoko's compassion.
With Daika and Yoko out of the battle, the fight now continued with PROUD against Jake’s team in a 3 vs. 2 situation, as the battle for Seiryu High’s fate pressed on.