The underground arena buzzed with anticipation as the announcer’s voice echoed through the chamber. The crowd roared in excitement, eager for the next bout. This was no ordinary match—this was a spectacle of speed, deception, and sheer agility.

“Kaito the Acrobat versus Luca the Phantom!”

Kaito stretched his arms, his muscles lean and built for flexibility. His body had been honed through years of parkour and acrobatics. He wore a sleek, tight-fitting outfit designed to maximize movement. His jet-black hair was tied in a short ponytail, his amber eyes sharp and confident.

Across from him stood Luca, a fighter wrapped in mystery. He wore a half-mask that covered his mouth, leaving only his piercing blue eyes visible. He was notorious for his erratic, unpredictable fighting style, as if he existed in multiple places at once. His stance was relaxed, almost lazy, but Kaito knew better than to assume this meant weakness.

The referee raised his hand. “BEGIN!”

Like a shot fired from a gun, Kaito exploded forward, leaping into the air. His foot barely touched the ground before he twisted and launched himself sideways, flipping through the air toward Luca.

Luca smirked and disappeared.

Kaito’s eyes widened—what?!

A chill ran down his spine as he felt movement behind him. He flipped midair just in time to see a shadowy blur sweep past him. Luca had dodged, or rather, he had vanished only to appear behind him in an instant.

Kaito twisted, barely avoiding a strike aimed at his ribcage. Luca’s palm grazed his skin, and the moment it did, Kaito felt a strange numbness creep over him. He landed, rolling backward before springing to his feet.

“Fast…” Kaito muttered, shaking off the sensation. “But I’ve fought fast guys before.”

Luca chuckled. “Not like me.”

Kaito dashed forward, using his incredible reflexes to fake left before springing into a corkscrew flip, landing just behind Luca. He threw a lightning-fast kick.

But Luca was gone.

Again.

Kaito felt the air shift and spun, throwing up his arms to block. A knee smashed into his forearm, forcing him backward. He backflipped, creating distance, but Luca was already in front of him again, delivering a rapid series of attacks that forced Kaito on the defensive.

Luca wasn’t just fast—he was unreadable. His movements had no pattern, no rhythm, no logic. Kaito prided himself on being able to predict an opponent’s motion, but Luca was a phantom in the truest sense.

Kaito gritted his teeth. “Alright… let’s see how you handle this.”

He launched himself upward, bouncing off the walls of the arena. He somersaulted off a pillar and twisted midair, his leg slicing toward Luca’s head.

Luca dodged.

But Kaito anticipated it.

Mid-kick, Kaito twisted his body at an impossible angle, changing the trajectory of his attack at the last second. His heel connected with Luca’s jaw, sending him stumbling backward for the first time in the match.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Luca touched his chin and chuckled. “Impressive.”

Kaito smirked. “Figured you out.”

Luca tilted his head. “Have you?”

Before Kaito could move, Luca rushed forward at inhuman speed. Kaito flipped backward to evade, but Luca appeared beside him, striking his ribs with a palm. The strange numbness returned, spreading faster this time.

Kaito gasped. “What… is this?”

Luca’s voice was calm. “Pressure point disruption. The more I touch you, the more your body refuses to respond.”

Kaito’s limbs felt heavy. He struggled to move as Luca came at him again, phasing in and out of view like a shadow. Kaito tried to keep up, tried to anticipate, but his body wouldn’t listen.

A sharp kick to his abdomen sent him sprawling.

The crowd gasped.

Kaito groaned, trying to push himself up, but his arms barely responded.

Luca stood over him. “Speed alone won’t save you.”

Kaito’s breath was ragged. His mind raced for a solution. His acrobatics were useless if his body wouldn’t move properly. But there had to be a way…

Then it hit him.

He wasn’t fast enough to keep up with Luca. But what if he didn’t need to see him to react?

Closing his eyes, Kaito took a deep breath. He felt the vibrations in the air, the shift in weight on the ground.

Luca moved.

Kaito reacted.

At the last second, he spun low, his leg sweeping out. Luca, mid-step, was caught off guard. Kaito felt the impact against Luca’s knee and heard the sharp intake of breath as his opponent staggered.

The numbness was still there, but he could move just enough.

He had to end it now.

Using the last of his strength, Kaito flipped up, launching himself into a rapid series of unpredictable attacks. His movements became chaotic, mirroring Luca’s own erratic fighting style. He twisted, spun, flipped—anything to keep Luca from predicting his attacks.

For the first time, Luca was on the defensive.

Kaito roared, spinning into a brutal corkscrew kick aimed at Luca’s head.

Then, everything went black.

When Kaito came to, he was lying on the ground, staring at the flickering arena lights. He tried to move but felt a sharp pain in his ribs. He could barely breathe.

The announcer’s voice rang out.

“The winner of the match—LUCA THE PHANTOM!”

The crowd erupted into cheers as Luca stood over him, his face calm. He extended a hand.

“You were close,” Luca said. “But you hesitated.”

Kaito groaned, gripping Luca’s hand and pulling himself up. He chuckled weakly. “Guess I still have a lot to learn.”

Luca gave him a rare smile. “We all do.”

As Kaito limped out of the ring, he glanced back at Luca. He had lost… but something inside him had awakened. A new hunger to grow stronger.

The tournament was far from over.

And next time, he wouldn’t fall short.

—End of Chapter 16—