Katsuro wipes blood from his lips, his smirk widening.

  "Not bad, Ryuko. Not bad at all."

  Ryuko spins his daggers, his stance fluid and effortless. "You’re still alive? That’s annoying."

  A deep crimson aura crackles around Katsuro’s bracelet as his form activates.

  "Take Form—Guren!"

  Bdes of raw energy extend from his knuckles, each strike now carrying a devastating force.

  The moment he lunges, the entire floor beneath them cracks apart.

  Ryuko counters, slipping just past each attack with inhuman precision. He twists in mid-air, flipping behind Katsuro in a blur.

  "Shadow Requiem."

  A dagger glides across Katsuro’s ribs, but instead of pain, Katsuro ughs.

  "You still don’t get it, do you? You’re fighting a Musabori Elite. Who’d ever show their real power to a traitor double agent like you.”

  With a roar, he drives his energy-infused fist straight into Ryuko’s stomach, sending him crashing through the next room.