The dojo was wrapped in silence.
The faint echo of footsteps and the whisper of wind through the open windows made the Kazama family banner sway lazily.
At the center, Asuka and Lili faced each other.
Their eyes burned with determination; there was no arrogance, only the silent understanding that this time, it would be real.
The crowd lined the edges of the dojo, forming a tense semicircle of anticipation.
One of the senior students stepped toward the side wall, where a Chau Gong hung beneath the Kazama family flag. He gripped the mallet with both hands — its handle wrapped in red cloth, and looked to the master, who nodded silently.
In one solemn motion, the student raised his arm and struck the center of the gong.
GONG!
The deep, vibrating sound rippled through the air like a living wave, echoing across the wooden beams, running beneath the floorboards, making every heart beat in unison.
The vibration lingered for a moment and, when the last trace of sound faded into the air, the fight began.
WHOOSH!
The first strike came from Lili — a swift, sharp side kick. Asuka blocked with her forearm and instantly retaliated with a straight punch to the abdomen. Lili stepped back, spun in a precise arc, and countered with a high spinning kick that sliced through the air by mere millimeters.
Asuka ducked, sliding sideways like water, and launched a quick series of jabs — tap tap tap — each one deflected by Lili's technical, controlled movements.
CLACK!
Lili slipped in a short heel thrust that forced Asuka to defend with crossed arms, feeling the vibration travel up to her shoulders.
Their breaths began to grow audible.
The rhythm built.
Strike. Block. Dodge. Counter.
No clean hits, yet every clash felt like a promise of something greater, the tatami was pulsing beneath their feet like a war drum.
Lili smiled — that infuriating smile that got under Asuka's skin more than any hit.
Asuka narrowed her eyes, heat flooding her veins.
The audience was motionless, as if even breathing might disrupt the balance of that dance.
With a firm push, Asuka was the first to break the harmony.
She surged toward Lili like a wave crashing against the shore. Her opening combo was direct: jab – cross – high spinning kick. Lili blocked the first two, but the third grazed her face, stealing a faint gasp of surprise.
"My, such impatience, Asuka. Did you mistake this for a street brawl?" Lili murmured, her soft tone burning like salt on a wound.
Asuka didn't reply. The fire was in her eyes, not her words.
She charged again — bam bam — each strike heavier than the last. Lili retreated with precision, blocking, slipping away… until she was forced to yield ground. The tatami trembled with every impact.
THUD!
A front kick from Asuka slammed into Lili's guard, pushing her back. The blonde slid across the floor, regained posture with a graceful spin, but it was clear now that Asuka was setting the pace.
From the side, Kaido watched, jaw tight. He knew that look — Asuka was trying to finish the match in one breath.
"She's gonna end her…" someone whispered from the crowd.
But even under pressure, Lili kept her composure. The teasing smile didn't fade — it only sharpened. Her arms trembled from the weight of each block, but her eyes… oh, her eyes gleamed with something else.
She wasn't just holding on. She was waiting.
Asuka struck again… low hook, roundhouse kick, final rush.
Lili blocked the first, dodged the second, and stopped the third at the last instant — CLANG! — the sound rang through the dojo like restrained thunder.
The audience held its breath.
The air felt heavier, as if the fight had suddenly gained a new gravity.
Asuka advanced like a hammer. Lili, for now, was the wall that received the blows.
. . .
Up to that point, Asuka had dictated the pace — but something shifted in Lili's eyes. That spark of discipline, of training, that no one would expect behind her usual playfulness.
Lili stepped back, measuring. A short, sharp smile crossed her face and in an instant, her stance changed. Her body moved with speed and precision.
WHOOSH!
A perfect side kick passed so close to Asuka's head that it made her hair dance in the air. The surprise was immediate.
"Nani?!" Asuka gasped, heart racing.
There was no time to think. Lili pressed forward with a sequence blending grace and strength — rapid punches, spinning kicks, low sweeps and leaps that defied gravity. Each strike was calculated, forcing Asuka to dodge, block and counter in a rhythm that nearly stole her breath.
CLANG! THUD!
The sound of impact echoed across the tatami. For the first time, Asuka felt real pressure — her opponent wasn't just blocking anymore, she was striking with intent.
Kaido stepped forward, eyes wide.
"She's… stronger than I thought."
Asuka panted, trying to regain control, but Lili's speed and ferocity were relentless. Each attack carried a message:
"Mameru n'ja nai!"[1]
Lili slid backward with an elegant spin, keeping her distance, then launched a high spinning kick unfolded by a Backflip Kick that forced Asuka to leap back. The impact echoed like caged thunder, and for a moment they both stood in guard, staring each other down as true rivals.
The crowd was utterly silent. Every gaze, every heartbeat, hung in suspense.
Asuka felt something new — respect and alertness. The Lili before her, teasing yet deadly, was no longer an opponent to take lightly.
"Bakamono!" Asuka snapped through gritted teeth, more in frustration than anger, charging once more.
Lili only smiled, ready for the next clash.
The balance had shifted. The fight was no longer a display — it was a duel, fierce and unpredictable.
. . .
Five minutes had already passed since the beginning.
Their muscles burned, lungs seared, every breath carrying heat and defiance.
The fight was no longer an elegant dance. It had become raw strength, refined technique, and pure instinct.
Asuka threw a quick hook. Lili blocked and replied with a front kick that Asuka narrowly dodged. The strike sliced the air — WHAM! — and the two collided again in a storm of attacks, defenses and counters.
THUD! CLANG! TAP TAP!
The sound of feet on the tatami marked the rhythm of a war drum.
Lili spun in a smooth motion and, seizing on a small imbalance from Asuka, swept her leg low and clean — SWISH! — Asuka lost her footing and fell backward, sliding across the mat.
The audience gasped in unison.
Lili didn't hesitate. She raised her leg high, a blade ready to strike and brought it down fast toward Asuka's chest — BAM! — blocked at the last second by crossed forearms. The vibration surged through Asuka's body like lightning, pulling a grunt of pain from her throat.
But she smiled, the smile of someone who refuses to back down.
Taking advantage of her position, Asuka trapped Lili's extended leg, twisted her hips, and executed a low projection technique — pulling and spinning her opponent's weight in one clean motion. It was quick, precise, and beautiful: Lili lost balance and hit the tatami with her chin in a dry THUD!
"Hhh–!" The crowd gasped collectively, torn between shock and thrill.
But Lili wasn't one to stay down. With razor reflexes, she swung her free leg sideways, hitting Asuka's arm and forcing her to release. Both rolled back, rising almost simultaneously, breathing hard, eyes blazing.
Lili brushed her chin, feeling the sting, but laughed — short, elegant, defiant.
Asuka rubbed her sore forearm and clenched her fists.
They stood face to face, hair disheveled, sweat trickling down their temples.
Neither stood above the other. Neither would yield.
"Heh… not bad," Lili whispered, her tone low, almost imperceptible.
"Neither are you," Asuka replied, breathless.
And then, as if an electric impulse ran through them, they moved at once.
A dizzying exchange followed by punches, elbows, kicks, blocks, dodges — all woven in perfect rhythm. Every move mirrored the other, as if they'd trained together for years.
BAM! THWACK! CLANG!
The audience said nothing. Didn't breathe. Completely hypnotized by the duel.
Kaido clenched his fists, not even realizing it.
In the final instant, both lunged — destined to collide.
Asuka pivoted sharply, her body coiling like a spring and unleashed the Spinning Heel Drop, a fierce, upward twist channeling all her strength into an ascending blow.
Lili met her head-on — spinning with elegant precision, each rotation gaining speed, before unleashing her arm in a perfect, cutting arc: Lashing Iris, beautiful and deadly, a spinning slap capable of breaking defenses.
THOOOOM!
Asuka's heel and Lili's forearm crashed at the peak of their movements. A sharp, explosive impact that rippled through the dojo like contained thunder. The floor shook, the air vibrated, and for a brief instant, silence took over everything.
They froze at the collision, muscles tense, breaths ragged, eyes locked on one another like true rivals.
[1] Don’t underestimate me!