The Promise of Tomorrow

Chapter 20

"Ghhrk!" Kotori's grunts of struggling could be heard as she was countered with a left hook once more. Blood was trickling down on her mouth due to being hit by sharp counters. Despite being the stronger one Kotori was struck down and countered in the middle of her swings. However, they were nothing too serious as Kotori kept enduring and charged in recklessly.

'That's weird... Despite her being weaker and less durable than Tohka, she keeps shrugging my hits.' Y/n pointed out in his mind and was doubting if his hit and run methods were working. Despite it only being a minute, he could feel pressure from Kotori's blind rush. It was like there was a sensation that there is something off with Kotori. Despite this, all the spectators could see was Kotori doing the same pattern all over and getting herself hurt repeatedly.

"Hm? That's weird... Why is Karasawa not going for the finishing hit?" Mikie asked, curious as to why Y/n was being so cautious despite him being in an obvious advantage. "Don't you think it's weird that Itsuka is just doing the same thing over and over again?" Origami answered Mikie's question with another question. 

Origami was right. Ever since the fight started, the pattern was the same. Kotori rushes in, tries to pressure Y/n with strong swings, and ends up getting countered and he dances around Kotori and rains down quick jabs at her eye while she is stunned. It was as if she was letting him fall into a repetitive cycle over and over again. "You're right. She's leading him on. He's getting so used to the rhythm and pattern, but I don't think he'll fall for a trick like that." Mana agreed, but stated that Y/n would be able to see through the trick Kotori was setting up.

The assumption Mana made was right. The halberd then started to coat itself in flames under Kotori's mental command and with one hand, she swung it in an arc and the flames shot out which made Y/n move away. 'You devious little-' Y/n complained in his head as he realized what she was doing. She was staving him away by using his innate fear of fire. When she tried this again, Y/n charged in with his eyes closed, knowing the pattern all too well:

Only to get hit clean with a liver blow. 

A stinging pain coursed all over Y/n's body, and he tried to hide it by smiling at Kotori and then changed his own strategy too. Instead of moving around, he charged and clashed with Kotori's shoulder, wanting to force out an infight. 'I should've known it would come to this! I won't be able to face my fears if I keep running away!' Y/n steeled his decision to have a close range match with Kotori. Suddenly, the halberd was swung at him again, and Y/n evaded it at the last second before slipping in a full body right hook as a counter and followed it up with another using his left. Kotori blocked just in time and the two planted their feet onto the ground, exchanging strikes that seemed to be dodged or blocked by the two.

Despite the fact that fire blazed and grazed his face, Y/n continued to fight at Kotori's range. He wanted to prove to Kotori and everyone else that the scared brat 5 years ago was no more. He continued attempting to keep calm, throwing feints at each exchange to bait Kotori into dodging his false attacks and land a clean hit.

Suddenly, Kotori felt an unknown desire rise. From being hit over and over with counters and the frustration of not being able to keep up with Y/n's speed, the desire was telling her to destroy him. It wanted nothing but to burn and torment Y/n for the damage she took. It wanted nothing but to destroy him.

Wanting this fight to stop, Kotori jumped away and stopped the exchange, and made a pillar of fire that surrounded her. It had stopped Y/n in his tracks, not wanting to be burnt to a crisp. However, it seemed like he had something up his sleeve and was about to use it when he heard something from the transceiver hidden in his ear.