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Osamu was the first to strike, undeterred by the show of unity and resilience from his adversaries. He confidently surged forward with Osamu's Strike, his powerful sweeping blow aimed at Jake. But Luna, standing behind Jake, immediately stepped in to protect and back him up. Noticing the strike incoming, she activated her Photon Flash. The lightsaber emitted a blinding flash of light, momentarily stunning Osamu. "My eyes!" he shouted, covering them with his free hand as frustration began to build, swinging his metal pole wildly in random directions.
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As Osamu's vision slowly returned, he saw Jake launching his next attack: Fastball Flick. A barrage of small stones from the carpark flew at high speed toward him. Reacting quickly, Osamu used Osamu's Guard, positioning his metal pole to create a defensive barrier, blocking the small stones. But while Osamu was focused on Jake, Luna had already performed Quantum Leap, teleporting during combat to reappear behind him. She was preparing for a Cyber Slice with her augmented reality visor, aiming for a precise slash at Osamu’s back.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/f/ff/Eerie_Parry.png]
However, Reiji was not out of the equation. Like a specter, he appeared at Osamu's back, using Eerie Parry to deflect Luna's attack with minimal movement, preventing her from reaching Osamu.
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Jake was quick on his feet, grabbing another stone. "Hey Osamu!" he shouted, gaining his opponent's attention. He hurled the stone with Curveball Confound, which curved unpredictably toward Osamu. Osamu, though angry, remained composed, preparing to use Dominance Parry to deflect the stone with his metal pole. But the stone wasn't aimed at his head—it curved downward, striking Osamu in the knee. He cursed loudly in Japanese, "Idiot! Come fight me up close if you dare!"
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] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/b8/Echo_Strike.png]
On Luna’s side, Reiji prepared to slice her again with Whispering Slice, aiming swift, almost silent cuts. But this time, Luna was constantly moving, creating Echo Strike, with delayed afterimages making it difficult for Reiji to pinpoint her exact location or predict her next move.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/19/Reiji_performs_Ghostly_Disarm%2C_Tdisarming_an_opponent_by_slicing_at_the_hands_or_wrists_with_the_penknife%2C_executed_with_a_speed_and_precision_that_makes_the_weapon_seem_to_disappear%2C_as_if_controlled_by_a_phantom.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d6/Sonic_Pulse.png]
Reiji, undeterred, closed his eyes and relied on his other senses to locate Luna. Sensing her position, he prepared to finish the fight by rendering her weapon useless with Ghostly Disarm, aiming to slice at her hands or wrists with his penknife, executing the technique with the speed and precision of a phantom. Luna, noticing Reiji closing his eyes, was already prepared after their previous encounter. She activated Sonic Pulse, emitting a low-frequency pulse from her lightsaber that disrupted Reiji’s heightened hearing, causing his disarming strike to miss its mark and slice through empty air.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d4/Rebel%27s_Jab.png]
On Osamu's side, he was falling back into the same mistake he made during the first round against Jake. His only thought was to hit Jake, driven by rage after the stone had hit his knee. He launched into Rebel's Jab, violently thrusting the end of his pole at Jake in a series of quick, targeted jabs, desperate to land at least one hit. But Jake had a different plan in mind.
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"Luna, switch!" Jake called out, employing Fielder's Choice, making a split-second decision to change his combat strategy. Much like a fielder deciding which base to throw to, he instructed Luna to switch opponents, allowing him to face Reiji while Luna faced Osamu. Jake swiftly moved into Luna's position with Stealing Bases, dodging Osamu’s strikes, while Luna used Quantum Leap, teleporting short distances to evade and reposition herself against Osamu.
Reiji remained unfazed by the opponent switch, his face still an unsettling mask of calm. Osamu, on the other hand, was boiling with rage. His face turned red with anger. "Don't run, you stupid bastard!" Osamu yelled in Japanese, chasing after Jake, his pride and fury clouding his judgment. This was exactly what Jake had planned. Exploiting Osamu’s quick temper and arrogance, Jake had drawn him away.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/a/ae/Neon_Arc.png]
Osamu, in his blind pursuit, made the mistake of underestimating Luna. Seizing the opening, Luna unleashed Neon Arc, sweeping her lightsaber in a graceful motion that left a trail of neon light. The blade cut through Osamu’s shirt and into his back, leaving a painful gash. Enraged by the strike, Osamu turned his fury toward Luna.
“Bitch!” he spat, his attention now fully diverted from Jake. Whoever touched him became a target for his unrelenting thirst for revenge.
Meanwhile, Jake’s new opponent was Reiji. The atmosphere between them was tense as they stood still, each waiting for the other to make a move. Both were strategists, and for a moment, neither made a sound. Reiji suddenly yawned, lazily walking toward Jake. Jake kept his stance ready, but then Reiji extended his hand, offering a handshake.
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/d/d5/Reiji_Haruka_performs_%27Unseen_Stab%27%2C_and_employs_this_move_under_the_guise_of_camaraderie_or_distraction%2C_delivering_a_sudden%2C_precise_stab_to_an_unsuspecting_target.png]
Jake, taken aback and momentarily stunned by the unexpected gesture, felt something off. His Batter's Intuition kicked in just in time, allowing him to dodge the incoming attack. It was Reiji’s Unseen Stab, a deceptive move aimed at delivering a sudden, precise stab. Jake had narrowly avoided it.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/98/Slide_Dodge.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/61/Jake_Harada_performs_Curveball_Confound_as_he_throws_an_object_that_curves_unpredictably%2C_disorienting_his_opponent..png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/0d/Skeletal_Dance.png]
Sliding away with a Slide Dodge, Jake repositioned himself, fully aware of Reiji’s dangerous, manipulative nature. He now understood why Kaito had warned him and what Luna had been up against. In a quick motion, Jake picked up a stone and tried for a Curveball Confound, sending the stone curving unpredictably toward Reiji. However, Reiji evaded the attack effortlessly, using Skeletal Dance, his quick, darting movements making him seem like a specter flitting away from danger.
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As Reiji closed the distance, his penknife within cutting range, he launched into Morbid Precision, targeting Jake's pressure points, aiming to incapacitate him. Jake reacted swiftly, using Bunt Block to deflect the incoming attacks with quick, precise movements of his bat. Reiji, surprised by Jake's fast reaction, momentarily faltered. Seizing the opportunity, Jake swung his bat with all his might, performing a Home Run Swing with exceptional power. This time, it connected, hitting Reiji's arm and sending him tumbling sideways, finally breaking through Reiji's eerie calm.
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Jake's swing on Reiji left a noticeable aftermark, exploiting Reiji's physical fragility due to his scrawny and fragile physique. In his wildest thoughts, Reiji never expected anyone to land a hit on him, but Jake, being resourceful and adaptable, had countered his mind games. Yet, creepily, Reiji sat upright almost instantly, his expression blank, not betraying the pain he was surely enduring. Jake, gripping his bat tightly, moved closer, prepared to deliver another of his signature swings.
"It's over! Give up now!" Jake demanded, expecting Reiji to surrender.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/5/52/Manipulator%27s_Feint.png]
Reiji, with unsettling calm, raised his hands, seemingly in surrender. One hand still clutched the penknife, which Jake expected him to drop at any moment. Jake's stance relaxed for just a fraction of a second. But without warning, it was a Manipulator's Feint. Reiji, using psychological warfare, had lulled Jake into a false sense of security. He never let go of the penknife. In one swift motion, from his seated position, Reiji drove the penknife into Jake's midsection.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/14/Home_Run_Swing.png]
Jake, reacting instinctively to the pain, swung his bat with all his might in a final Home Run Swing, landing the blow squarely on Reiji's head, finally knocking out the chilling threat. Reiji fell back, his penknife slipping from his grip. His final word, barely audible, was a whispered "Sleep..." in Japanese, as he was knocked out and neutralized. But even in defeat, Reiji had landed a critical blow on Jake, his cold and calculated nature ensuring that he left his mark before falling. Jake winced, feeling the deep pain from the strike, knowing that while Reiji was down, the toll had been taken on him as well.
While Jake was locked in his intense battle with Reiji, Luna faced her own fight against Osamu. His aggressive nature and brute force were worlds apart from Reiji's calculated mind games, making it an entirely different challenge for Luna, who was already carrying injuries from her previous encounter.
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Osamu charged at her with full intensity. Luna, sensing the threat, activated her lightsaber and created a Holographic Feint, forming duplicates of herself to confuse and disorient him. But Osamu, unimpressed, sneered, "Lame!" and quickly executed Wild Fury, a chaotic flurry of swings, jabs, and spinning moves that dispersed the illusions with ease. Within moments, he found the real Luna and roared with triumph as he lunged forward for a decisive strike.
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Luna, in desperation, activated her Plasma Shield, reversing the polarity of her lightsaber to create a protective barrier. However, it was a Bully's Bluff—Osamu didn’t aim to strike the shield but instead extended his steel pole with Authority's Grasp, hooking around Luna’s knee. With a powerful yank, he dragged her across the rough pavement, sparks flying as her body skidded across the asphalt. Realizing she was outmatched, Luna looked up, seeing Osamu looming over her, his face twisted into a smug grin, savoring his moment of dominance.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/9e/Vengeful_Smash.png]
With a roar, Osamu lifted his steel pole high above his head, preparing for his Vengeful Smash, the final, brutal blow. "DIE!" he spat in Japanese, the pole poised to strike Luna with the full weight of his fury.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6b/Jake_performing_Pinch_Hitter%2C_assessing_when_to_step_in_and_defend_his_allies%2C_using_his_bat_to_protect_and_counterattack.png]
Just before the pole came crashing down, Jake, having defeated Reiji, appeared once again in the nick of time. Pinch Hitter, a strategy he had employed before to save Akane, came into play again as his bat intercepted Osamu's steel pole mid-swing. It was déjà vu for Osamu, who snarled in frustration, glaring at Jake with pure hatred. "You again!" he hissed, pressing his steel pole down harder, determined not to let Jake stop him this time.
Jake, his muscles straining against Osamu's overwhelming strength, pushed back with all his might, his bat blocking the deadly blow aimed at Luna. The sound of steel against wood echoed through the car park as the two fighters stood locked in a fierce test of strength.
"Go, Jake!" Yoko cheered from the sidelines, her voice breaking the tense silence. Carter and Akane, now bandaged up by the school nurse, joined in the cheer, clapping rhythmically in support. The crowd, sensing the climactic moment, suddenly erupted in unison, shouting encouragement for Jake.
Osamu's anger boiled over as the crowd turned against him, their cheers fueling Jake's resolve. The two fighters were locked in a deadlock, but Osamu, with his larger frame and brute strength, slowly gained the upper hand. Inch by inch, he forced his steel pole closer to Jake, but Jake, fueled by the support of his friends and the crowd, dug deep, refusing to give in.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/77/Photon_Flash.png]
As the steel pole inched closer to Jake's face, a blinding flash erupted from behind. "Ahh!" Osamu shouted, covering his eyes in pain. Luna, lying on the ground behind Jake, had come to his aid with a Photon Flash, temporarily disorienting Osamu and forcing him to release the pressure of the steel pole as he rubbed his eyes, trying to recover. Jake glanced at Luna and gave her a nod, to which Luna responded with a nod of understanding. Together, they prepared for their next coordinated move.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/1b/Holographic_Feint.png]
Luna activated Holographic Feint with her lightsaber, creating illusions of multiple Jakes and herself. As Osamu’s vision returned, frustration consumed him. He swung wildly at the illusions, his strikes cutting through nothing but air.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/8/8e/Jake_Harada_performing_Slide_dodge%2C_uses_a_sliding_motion_to_dodge_attacks_and_reposition_himself_strategically.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] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/17/Quantum_Leap.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d2/Cyber_Slice.png]
Jake skillfully dodged around with his Slide Dodge, searching for openings and landing hits on Osamu with his Home Run Swing. Meanwhile, Luna used her Quantum Leap, performing short-range teleports, and Cyber Slice, her precise strike with her lightsaber, grazing Osamu. The combination of illusions, constant movement, and precise attacks wore Osamu down. He eventually dropped to his knees, clutching his midsection in exhaustion. Pimiko, watching from the crowd, knew this was the end—she couldn't help him this time.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/1c/Grand_Slam.png]
Seizing the perfect moment, Jake leaped into the air. For his friends, for Seiryu High, he channeled all their resolve into his final strike. With the weight of victory behind him, Jake delivered a Grand Slam into Osamu, the sound of the impact like a thunderclap.
When the dust cleared, Osamu, his jaw clenched in defeat, was breathing heavily. His metal pole lay disarmed beside him, his body bruised and covered in cuts, the result of the relentless battle. The once unassailable leader of PROUD had been brought down, his invincibility shattered. PROUD had fallen.
The car park erupted into cheers from students, teachers, and staff alike. The reign of PROUD was over—a new era, a new beginning for Seiryu High. Without warning, the crowd surged forward, lifting Jake and Luna into the air, tossing them joyfully as they laughed in disbelief.
"We did it, Kaito!" Yoko exclaimed, hugging Kaito in celebration, though they both quickly realized the moment and shyly stepped away, smiling awkwardly at each other.
Carter, filled with excitement, moved in to give Akane a hug, but she quickly raised her hand to his face, stopping him in his tracks, leaving the group to laugh at the sight. The battle was over, and Seiryu High was free.
The remaining members of PROUD walked slowly towards Osamu, their heads bowed, nursing both physical bruises and the sting of their defeat. They had no words, only a somber acknowledgment of what had just transpired. Even Pimiko, who had managed to escape the battle without a single injury, silently helped Osamu to his feet. As he stood up, Osamu gazed at the crowd celebrating their victory, his pride shattered, his spirit bruised.
When Jake was finally released from the cheering crowd, he noticed the defeated members of PROUD standing quietly. He approached Osamu, extending his hand in a gesture of sportsmanship, offering a chance for reconciliation, a way forward for a better Seiryu High. Osamu, however, looked over to the members of PROUD, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. Without acknowledging the gesture, he simply said, "Let's just go," in Japanese. The members of PROUD followed his command, retreating in silence, departing the scene with the weight of their defeat.
As they left, Yoko, Kaito, Carter, Akane, and Luna gathered around Jake. "Jake, what did you say to him?" Yoko asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Nothing much," Jake replied, lowering his hand. "I offered a handshake, but he refused. Let's just continue celebrating."
The group smiled and laughed, joining in with the rest of the students and staff. The school nurses tended to Luna and Jake’s wounds as the celebration continued into the evening. The landscape of Seiryu High had undoubtedly changed, with PROUD’s authority gone, bringing hope for a brighter future.
But a lingering question remained—was PROUD’s hold on the school truly over, or was there something left unsaid in their quiet departure? Only time would tell.