Jake and Osamu’s fight raged on, with Jake still trying to formulate a solution to break through Osamu's dominating momentum. With the fight now only involving Jake and Luna against the formidable trio of PROUD—Pimiko, Osamu, and Reiji—the pressure was mounting, especially as Jake had to focus primarily on Osamu.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/ac/Jake_performing_Stealing_Bases%2C_his_agility_allows_him_to_move_quickly_and_stealthily%2C_evading_capture_or_sneaking_up_on_foes.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/14/Home_Run_Swing.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d0/Velvet_Paw_Silence.png]
After blocking Osamu's relentless assault, Jake remained calm, quickly repositioning himself using Stealing Bases, moving stealthily to Osamu's blind spot. From there, he wound up for a Home Run Swing, aiming to land a heavy hit on Osamu's back to disrupt his tempo. Just as Jake was about to strike, the unpredictability of the battlefield reared its head. The number advantage of PROUD began to play its role, and Pimiko, with her Velvet Paw Silence, moved quietly and lethally like a cat stalking its prey. She aimed to neutralize Jake from behind, hoping to catch him off guard.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/f/fb/Jake_Harada_performing_Batter%27s_Intuition%2C_allowing_him_to_read_his_opponents%27_movements%2C_giving_him_the_ability_to_react_swiftly_and_strike_with_precision.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/c/c4/Jake_Harada_performing_Home_Run_Swing%2C_swinging_his_baseball_bat_with_exceptional_power%2C_aiming_to_knock_out_opponents_or_send_projectiles_back.png]
However, Jake's instincts kicked in. His Batter's Intuition flared, warning him of the danger behind. Without hesitation, he turned around, unaware of who was behind him, and swung his bat with a powerful Home Run Swing, this time toward Pimiko's face. The bat whizzed through the air at a blistering 72 mph, and Pimiko, realizing she couldn’t defend in time, panicked. In a flurry of movement, she raised both hands in the air, throwing her Tekko Kagi to the ground.
"I give up!" Pimiko shouted in her high-pitched, cute voice, signaling her surrender in Japanese.
Jake managed to halt his bat mid-swing, the bat stopping just an inch from Pimiko’s face. The force of the swing created a gust of wind that blew against her, making her close her eyes and tremble in fear, hoping she wasn’t about to be struck. The sudden surrender left Jake momentarily stunned, and he instinctively lowered his bat.
But in that split second, Jake had forgotten there was an even more dangerous threat lurking behind him—Osamu.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/c/c0/Proud_Stand.png]
This brief distraction was all Osamu needed. Though Pimiko’s surrender removed the number advantage, it created the perfect opening with Jake's back turned. Seizing the moment, Osamu executed Proud Stand, planting his steel pole firmly on the ground and using it to springboard himself into a high kick, launching an aerial attack directly onto Jake's back. The forceful blow sent Jake tumbling to the ground.
Pimiko’s surrender, while seemingly innocent, had been a feint—a clever ruse that allowed Osamu to land the first strike. It demonstrated the lethal combination of cuteness and cunning that Pimiko wielded so effectively. As Jake struggled to recover from the hit, Pimiko stepped aside into the crowd, officially declaring herself out of the fight. She winked slyly in Osamu’s direction, her earlier combativeness replaced with smug satisfaction. Osamu, acknowledging the success of their shared strategy, blew a playful kiss back toward her, their unspoken alliance further solidified by the trickery.
The crowd murmured in shock, realizing how Osamu had turned the tide using deception, while Jake lay on the ground, momentarily set back, slowly regaining his bearings as he pushed himself up with his baseball bat for support. Osamu stood nearby, smiling smugly, tapping his steel pole against his free hand, exuding confidence. He made no move to attack Jake, allowing him to regain his composure, as if the battle had already been won. His predatory eyes glared at Jake, filled with malice.
"Stand up!" Osamu taunted in simple English, relishing the chance to torment Jake for the embarrassment he suffered during their first encounter.
Jake took advantage of the momentary reprieve, scanning the car park. He saw Carter and Akane, both having lost their battles, being tended to by the school nurse. Yoko, having chosen not to continue her fight with Daika, stood nearby, helping her friends recover. His gaze shifted to Luna, who was engaged in a fierce struggle with Reiji, visibly straining to hold her own. Kaito's plan, while ingenious, hadn't fully accounted for the unpredictability of human nature and the sudden, dynamic shifts that could turn the tide of battle.
Jake understood the gravity of the situation. If he lost now, Luna would be left to face both Osamu and Reiji alone, a challenge that seemed insurmountable.
"This isn't over yet," Jake declared, his voice firm with determination. He stood tall, no longer leaning on his bat for support, and held his ground, preparing for whatever Osamu had in store for him. His resolve was unshaken, knowing that the fate of his team rested on his ability to withstand the assault and turn the battle around.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/12/Luna_Estrella_performing_Holographic_Feint_move%2Ccreating_holographic_illusions.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/02/Morbid_Precision.png]
Luna's arms were still bleeding, but she paid no attention to the pain. With a strategic flourish, she deployed her Holographic Feint, conjuring a circle of luminescent duplicates of herself, creating an illusionary cage around Reiji. The shimmering images moved in sync with her, offering a chance to strike from unexpected angles. Yet, Reiji remained unfazed. With his eyes closed, he relied on his Morbid Precision, running directly toward the real Luna, targeting the tendons in her wrist, aiming to incapacitate her grip on the lightsaber.
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image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d3/Plasma_Shield.png]
Luna saw the attack coming and quickly reversed the polarity of her lightsaber to create a Plasma Shield, deflecting the strike just in time. It was a close shave, the penknife barely missing her wrist.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/ae/Neon_Arc.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/0d/Skeletal_Dance.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/b6/Ghastly_Riposte.png]
Seeing Reiji off-balance after the missed attack, Luna seized the opportunity, performing a Neon Arc with her lightsaber—a sweeping motion that left a glowing trail of neon light as it sliced through the air toward Reiji. But Reiji’s eyes opened as he moved with a Skeletal Dance, his eerie, specter-like movements easily darting away from the strike. His face came dangerously close to Luna’s, and with a chilling, calculated gaze, he unleashed Ghastly Riposte, a counterattack designed not just to wound, but to terrify, his blade aimed to capitalize on her moment of surprise.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/17/Quantum_Leap.png]
Luna, reacting with lightning reflexes, teleported using Quantum Leap, a short-range teleportation ability that allowed her to evade the attack, reappearing in a different location. Breathing hard, she kept her focus, knowing that one wrong move could mean the end. The battle between the keystone of her team and PROUD's most dangerous member continued, with every move pushing her to her limits.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/3/35/Reiji_Haruka_prepares_to_perform_%27Reaper%27s_Whisper%27%2C_captures_his_lethal_precision_and_the_silent%2C_deadly_essence.png]
The crowd in the carpark, witnessing Luna's mastery of her advanced tech, could only respond with awe. Her display of futuristic skill left them speechless, but it elicited no reaction from Reiji, whose unsettling expression remained unchanged. His reliance on human cunning and the sharpness of his blade was all he needed. Slowly, he raised his penknife to his lips, pressing a finger to them in a chilling gesture of silence. "Shhhh..." he whispered, as the entire environment seemed to fall into an eerie quiet.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/8/8e/Reaper%27s_Whisper.png]
With the fluidity of a master, Reiji unleashed his ultimate move: Reaper's Whisper. The world around him seemed to fade into shades of black and white as his penknife sliced through the air with deadly precision. Luna, despite her tech-enhanced abilities, couldn’t follow his movements. Stabs and slashes came at her from every direction—her back, her knees, her arms—all vital areas targeted with pinpoint accuracy. The combination of strikes felt like a ghostly dance of death.
When Reiji finished his assault, the oppressive silence lifted, and the light around them seemed to return. Luna stood there, trembling, with multiple injuries spreading across her body. Her strength drained from her limbs, and as if in slow motion, she began to collapse. Her lightsaber, once glowing with vibrant energy, slipped from her grasp, the blade flickering out as her knees buckled, sending her slumping to the floor.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/ab/Sadist%27s_Delight.png]
Luna knelt on the ground, vulnerable and in pain, her arm bleeding from the random cuts and stabs inflicted by Reiji. But for Reiji, with his morbid and sadomasochistic tendencies, it wasn't enough. He prepared to carry out Sadist's Delight, planning to carve intricate patterns into Luna's arm, treating her body as his canvas and emphasizing his enjoyment of pain.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/13/Pinch_Hitter.png]
Just as Reiji moved to strike, a desperate cry rang out, "Luna!" It was Jake, his voice cutting through the tension like a sword. Seeing Luna in danger jolted him into action. Without a moment's hesitation, he abandoned his duel with Osamu and rushed to her side, driven by an unshakable commitment to his friends. At that moment, Jake embodied the essence of the Pinch Hitter, stepping in to defend Luna at her most critical hour. His baseball bat intercepted Reiji's penknife, the weapon bouncing back from Jake’s swift intervention, halting the sadistic act.
Arriving beside Luna with the swift grace of a guardian, Jake shielded her from further harm. "Can you keep fighting?" Jake asked, his tone filled with concern rather than worry about the fight's outcome. "If you need to drop out, please do. I don't want you getting hurt even more."
Feeling the warmth of Jake's presence beside her, Luna found a renewed sense of support. The ominous aura that had surrounded Reiji seemed to dissipate, rendering him less daunting. "Jake, I can still fight," she declared, despite her multiple injuries. Her spirit remained unshaken as she gripped the hilt of her lightsaber. With a hiss, the energy blade reignited, casting its familiar purple glow. She stood up, back-to-back with Jake, ready to face whatever was left of PROUD.
Osamu, now walking slowly toward Reiji’s side, looked unimpressed by Jake's intervention. Reiji, clearly unhappy with Jake’s interference, had lost his chance to "complete" his sadistic artwork on Luna. Osamu sneered in Japanese, "The boy wants to play hero. What do you say we finish them both together?"
Reiji, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion, flipped his penknife with an ease that was almost casual. His voice, a soft and deadly whisper, carried the weight of an impending storm as he simply replied with one word in Japanese: "End." The tone, imbued with cold, detached amusement, hinted at the darkness lurking within, ready to be unleashed upon Jake and Luna.
The air around them grew thick with tension as Osamu and Reiji, standing side by side, prepared to launch their final, coordinated assault, a grim alliance of brute force and calculated malice. Jake and Luna, backs against each other, could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on them—This was it—the final stand against PROUD's most dangerous members. The air was electric with anticipation as the crowd in the car park remained rooted in place, not a single soul daring to leave. All eyes were fixed on the battlefield, knowing that the outcome of this fight would determine the future of Seiryu High. The weight of the moment hung heavy, for whoever emerged victorious would forever alter the balance of power within the school.