Less than thirty seconds had passed since Yūki ran into Shirazumi Rio at the riverside embankment.
In that half minute, Shirazumi had already carved several wounds into Yūki.
Forced off the ledge, Yūki backed into the shadow under the bridge, gripping the short blade hidden against his chest. He stared hard at Shirazumi's next move while retreating step by step.
"You're not running?"
If he turned his back, he'd die.
The bandages on his arms were slashed through. Shoulder, chest, side, calf—six or seven cuts. Blood mixed with sweat soaked his clothes.
"Aren't you afraid?"
Shirazumi toyed with him, advancing half a step, then suddenly accelerating.
[Intuition D]
Like he was doing it on purpose, Shirazumi didn't aim for the throat or heart—only places that wouldn't kill immediately.
He aimed for the wrist.
Steel rang—knife against blade—then a dull impact.
"Guh—"
Yūki avoided his wrist being cut, but ate an elbow strike head-on in the same motion.
Pain flashed white. Warmth filled his nose. He clenched his jaw, fought through dizziness, wiped away the nosebleed, and forced himself upright again—still watching Shirazumi, still bracing.
Half a minute ago, Yūki had spent his last three Fate Power points to buy [Intuition], a skill that let him preemptively sense attacks.
Without it, his pitiful combat ability would have already ended with severed tendons—helpless prey.
"Heh… You're not shouting for help? Not begging?"
Help? If anyone would answer, sure.
Kanbuzi wasn't Tokyo—population was sparse, and it was the dead of night. Begging was pointless too: Shirazumi wouldn't let anyone who knew he was a serial killer live.
Seeing Yūki only defend, Shirazumi kept up his quick tempo, pressing in. Yūki dodged or blocked what he could, backing away to keep distance.
No fatal blows—yet.
Shirazumi didn't seem impatient at all. He remained calm, as if this were entertainment.
The sound of blades cutting air, the clack of metal, echoed in the empty night.
Yūki had barely ever fought in his life. He'd planned to hold out and find a way to escape, but Shirazumi's pressure left him no space to think.
Still—though the cuts increased—each new wound was slightly shallower than the last.
Yūki was adapting to Shirazumi's rhythm.
Adrenaline kept him from collapsing, but Yūki knew he could break at any time—from blood loss, from pain, from something else.
Before that, he needed a moment to counter.
Even if not lethal—if he could force enough space to run.
Clang.
Shirazumi's next strike was blocked. He stepped back, twirling the knife, and asked with amused curiosity:
"Don't tell me you're thinking about how to beat me."
This rare pause was a chance. Yūki decided to provoke him—if Shirazumi lost composure even slightly, Yūki might catch an opening.
Yūki smiled through blood.
"Yeah. I'm thinking… if I get a chance, I'm putting a few holes in you too, senpai."
"Oh? Then I'll try cutting out a tongue for the first time."
In the next instant, Shirazumi's figure vanished from Yūki's view.
Yūki's scalp tingled.
[Intuition]
A cold streak flashed upward—
Yūki barely dodged it. A few hairs were severed.
Then a boot slammed into his chest.
He flew backward into the shadow under the bridge. Something in his ribs cracked—several, by the feel of it.
The short blade flew from his hand, clattered on concrete, then slid down the slope all the way to the riverbank.
"Ha. You even dodged that."
A mistake. Careless.
Shirazumi hadn't lost his mind at all—he'd only increased his speed.
After Araya "lit" his Origin, Shirazumi's body had strengthened. Before, he'd been playing—cat-and-mouse, savoring fear.
That last burst was far faster than before. Yūki could barely dodge now, let alone block.
He struggled to sit up. His stance was broken. And the blade was—
…
Yūki realized Shirazumi wasn't looking at him. Following his gaze, Yūki looked toward the riverbank below.
"Asagami-kun. If you're this weak, don't go doing dangerous things all the time. Understand?"
A girl in a blue-green kimono bent down and picked up the fallen short blade.
It had been a foreign business partner's gift—an antique ceremonial knife, if Yūki remembered right. He didn't know Japanese history well, so it had sat in a drawer untouched.
"Tch… Such a good blade, and you don't even take care of it…"
She lifted it one-handed. Under moonlight, the plum and bamboo crests on the blade gleamed vividly.
"Aoi crest—Echizen Yasutsugu. Edo period. It's a shame to stain it with blood."
Even with only the faint light of streetlamps reflected on the water and the thin crescent overhead, Yūki recognized her.
Ryougi Shiki.
Why are you even here this late—though, no, she'd saved him. He didn't have the luxury to complain.
"Shiki! That guy is the serial killer! Shirazumi Rio!"
Shirazumi frowned, then smiled gently, just like the kind upperclassman at school.
"Ryougi-san, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"
"Shirazumi… who?"
Shiki's brow lifted slightly. Between Yūki's accusation and Shirazumi's denial, she honestly looked confused.
Shirazumi froze.
Yūki forced an explanation.
"He's… a senior… He came to our class before… to see you…"
Shiki thought for half a second, then gave up.
"Don't remember."
To Shiki, even being confessed to wasn't memorable enough to lock in the name.
As for how the rejected party felt… Yūki didn't want to guess.
"Ha… hahahaha… Ryougi Shiki, Ryougi Shiki! Die!"
Shirazumi's malice exploded. He didn't hide it; he didn't seek "kinship." At this stage, his hatred was simple and raw.
Looks like Shiki's better at provocation than I am, Yūki thought faintly. Shirazumi was truly furious now.
-------
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