Chapter 182: Ayaka Versus Lea, The Fight Between a Dement and a Bulwark

As the dust settled from Kazuichi and Arisu’s intense battle, the training ground buzzed with excitement. Kazuichi and Arisu approached each other, both breathing heavily but wearing satisfied grins.

Panting, Kazuichi wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at Arisu with admiration. "That was incredible, Arisu. I didn’t expect those Blood Bullets. When did you learn to do that?"

There was a hint of pride in Arisu’s eyes as she smiled, accepting the compliment. "It was something I’ve been working on in secret. I wanted to surprise you. Looks like it worked."

Jurou, Kazuichi’s loyal butler and a fellow Bulwark Hybrid, stepped forward, clapping his hands. "That was a job well done, young master, a remarkable display of skill and strategy. Was it true that you were holding back?" He continued, addressing Kazuichi since he couldn’t believe that he was holding back after all that.

Glancing at Kazuichi and back at Jurou, Arisu shrugged her shoulders as she pointed at her nose. "My nose told me so. Also, Kazuichi had shown me something during our mission, it was by far the strongest Blood Art I’ve ever witnessed. Too bad he didn’t show it today."

"You caught me, Arisu. And I apologize. I still couldn’t maintain that form for long, and if I were to use it, there was a good chance that I might injure myself. That’s why I couldn’t go all out." Kazuichi explained.

Lea, who had been watching intently, stepped forward with a look of awe. "Arisu, that was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. The Blood Bullets were impressive too." She awkwardly complimented her since she was never that good at dishing out compliments on a whim.

Reddening, Arisu blushed slightly at the compliments. "Thanks, Lea. It’s something I’ve been perfecting for a while. I figured it might come in handy."

Stepping forward, Ayaka crossed her hands as she nodded in agreement. "It definitely will. We need every advantage we can get in the upcoming camp. And you, Lea, you’re up next. Ready to show us what you’ve got?"

With a nod, Lea took a deep breath as she heaved a huge exhale. "Yeah, I’m ready."

With that, they turned their attention to Ayaka and Lea, ready to witness another epic clash of skills and strength. The air was thick with anticipation, each of them knowing that they were part of something greater than themselves— also, they were just looking forward to seeing each other’s improvements.

Ayaka’s eyes gleamed with excitement. As a Dement Type Hybrid at Stage II, she specialized in speed and powerful kicks. Her Encompass Blood Art was her trump card, but she wouldn’t use it unless necessary. She wanted to see Lea’s potential first.

Lea, on the other hand, stood with a calm determination. The trauma from the Kodoku Experiment lingered, making her wary of using her Blood Art. However, her natural defensive abilities made her a formidable opponent even without it.

Ayaka stepped forward, a confident smile on her face. "Let’s see what you’ve got, Lea."

Lea nodded, her expression serious. "I won’t hold back."

As soon as the signal was given, the two of them mentally prepared themselves for the attack.

With a swift motion, Ayaka closed the distance between them. Her first attack was a rapid series of kicks aimed at Lea’s midsection. Lea’s reflexes kicked in, her torso transforming into an impenetrable shield. The sound of Ayaka’s kicks echoed through the training ground, but Lea remained unmoved, her shield absorbing the blows.

Ayaka leaped back, impressed. "Your defense is solid, but can it withstand this?"

She activated her Encompass Blood Art. Her legs doubled in size, covered in muscle fibers that pulsed with raw power. With a powerful leap, she launched herself at Lea, her enlarged legs aiming a devastating kick at Lea’s shielded form.

Lea braced herself, her entire body tensing as she absorbed the impact. The force of Ayaka’s kick sent shockwaves through the ground, but Lea’s shield held firm. She grunted from the effort but stood her ground.

Ayaka didn’t let up. She spun around, her legs a blur as she unleashed a flurry of kicks. Each one was powerful enough to shatter stone, but Lea’s defense was unyielding. She moved with the attacks, her body absorbing the impact and redirecting the force.

The crowd watched in awe as the two hybrids clashed. Ayaka’s speed and power were impressive, but Lea’s defense was nearly impenetrable. They seemed evenly matched, each one testing the other’s limits.

Ayaka decided to change her approach. She leaped back, catching her breath. "You’re good, Lea. But let’s see how you handle this."

She surged forward again, this time aiming her kicks at Lea’s legs and head, trying to find a weak spot. Lea responded by shifting her shield, her body moving with precision to block each attack. Ayaka’s kicks were relentless, but Lea’s defense was unwavering.

As the fight progressed, Ayaka began to notice a pattern. Lea was strong and her defense was impeccable, but she rarely counterattacked. Ayaka saw an opportunity to exploit this.

She feinted a kick at Lea’s midsection, then quickly shifted her stance and aimed a powerful strike at Lea’s head. Lea raised her shield to block, but Ayaka was already moving. She spun around, her leg coming up in a high arc and delivering a crushing kick to Lea’s side.

Lea stumbled, the force of the kick breaking through her shield. Ayaka pressed her advantage, launching a series of rapid kicks that targeted Lea’s unshielded areas. Lea struggled to keep up, her shield barely forming in time to block the attacks.

Ayaka’s relentless assault began to wear Lea down. Despite her incredible defense, the strain of maintaining her shield against Ayaka’s powerful kicks was taking its toll. She gritted her teeth, determined not to give in.

The crowd watched in tense silence, the intensity of the battle captivating them. Kazuichi and Arisu exchanged worried glances, knowing how much this fight meant to Lea.

Seeing the exhaustion in Lea’s eyes, Ayaka decided to end the match with one final, powerful kick. She channeled all her strength into her legs, her Encompass Blood Art enhancing her muscles to their limit. With a fierce cry, she launched herself at Lea, her leg aimed for a decisive blow.

Lea saw the attack coming and knew she had to act. Her fear of using her Blood Art was still strong, but she couldn’t let herself be defeated. With a deep breath, she summoned her inner strength and transformed her entire body into a shield. The muscle fibers covered her from head to toe, creating an impenetrable barrier.

The kick connected with Lea’s shield, the impact sending shockwaves through the ground. But Lea stood firm, her complete defense holding strong. Ayaka’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t relent. She pressed her attack, her kicks coming in rapid succession.

Lea’s shield absorbed each blow, her body remaining unyielding. The strain was immense, but she refused to back down.

"I’ve faced worse... much worse. There’s no way I’m backing down from this important fight." She steeled her resolve, her eyes leaking with determination as she prepared for a counter.

Although she’d never mentioned it, she was actually going through the phase of slowly remembering her repressed memories. Her days in the Kodoku Experiment were nothing short of inhumane, and she wanted to forget all of them.

And yet, she knew that she had to face all of it. There will come a time when everything will depend on whether she has overcome her trauma or not, and she doesn’t want to be a burden by then.

After her next flurry of attacks, Ayaka began to tire, her kicks losing some of their power. Lea saw her chance and counterattacked. She dropped her shield and lunged forward, her fist aiming for Ayaka’s midsection. Ayaka tried to dodge, but Lea’s speed caught her off guard. The punch connected, sending Ayaka sprawling.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Lea stood victorious. Ayaka got to her feet, a grin on her face. "Well done, Lea. You’ve got some serious power right there."

Lea nodded, a smile breaking through her usually serious demeanor. "Thanks." She said, cautiously putting her guard up since she didn’t want to be caught by surprise— assuming that Ayaka would continue her onslaught, of course.

But before anyone could react, Ayaka decided to stop the fight, raising her hands since she didn’t want to exhaust herself any further. She knew that she could defeat Lea, but if that meant prolonging the activation of her Blood Art... well, she’d rather just give up.

Kazuichi and Arisu rushed forward, congratulating Lea on her victory. Ayaka joined them, and her respect for Lea was evident.

"You’ve got a lot of potential, Lea," Ayaka said. "With a little bit of training, I’m sure you’d be able to surpass me." She continued, heaving her chest up high (which caused Kazuichi to almost stumble backward)

Lea nodded, her confidence growing. "I won’t. Thank you, Ayaka."