"This…" Keita started, and his voice cut across the entire arena, "This is everything you've got!?"
Then he turned towards the stand. "See, this is what nobody tells first-years. You can train every day, believe in each other, fight with your whole heart -" His grin split wider. "- and it still won't matter."
Oren set his shield down with a thud. Ryuu rolled his shoulders, mechanical tendons clicking softly.
Three of them, standing. Iris behind them, hand freshly healed, green light already building again.
Keita stopped walking towards Raizen.
"You challenged us to this" he shouted, loud enough for every seat in the arena. "And you didn't even stand a chance!!"
Raizen didn't answer.
He looked across the arena - once - at Hikari being lowered onto a bench under Osamu's careful hands. At Keahi sitting with her ribs wrapped, blood cleaned from the corner of her mouth. At Ichiro, grim and still, crushing the water bottle he was holding without noticing.
