The sun timidly pierced the horizon, bathing the city of Chronos in a golden glow. The air was crisp, carried by a light breeze that rustled the leaves in the courtyard of the Kazan Dojo. A nearly sacred calm lingered, broken only by the soft footsteps of a few early students.
In that suspended tranquility, five figures stood, still and silent.
Samuel, arms crossed, eyes focused.
Kai, leaning against a wooden pillar, eyes half-closed.
Helydia, upright and poised, glancing between Canon and Kazan.
The old master stood tall, hands clasped behind his back, his face tight with impatience.
And Canon… Canon tapped his foot, bare arms tensed, war axe resting on his shoulder, his eyes sharp as blades.
"This damn blondie gonna make us wait all morning?" he growled.
Kazan gritted his teeth. "If he's not here in two minutes, I'm throwing him out of the dojo myself."
A familiar, nonchalant voice rang out from the entrance:
"That's the welcome you give an artist? I'm offended."
Dante strolled into the courtyard, hands in his pockets, his dark blue shirt still unbuttoned at the collar, sunglasses gleaming in the morning light.
His gaze swept across the group… and froze on Helydia.
He slowly removed his glasses, shamelessly staring.
"Well damn… if someone told me an angel fell down here, I'd have shown up earlier."
Helydia raised an eyebrow, slightly amused.
"Is she the one I'm fighting?" he added with a crooked grin. "I'm ready to lose."
"You'll lose, but not for the right reasons, blond twig," Canon growled, stepping forward, axe already gripped.
"Oh…" Dante smirked. "There's my favorite gorilla. Starting to worry you'd run away."
Kazan cut in, raising a hand. "Enough. To your places."
The two combatants moved to opposite ends of the courtyard. Silence fell, interrupted only by the breeze rustling through the leaves.
Canon held his war axe in both hands, solid and unmovable.
Dante unsheathed his katana in one fluid motion, the blade catching the morning light.
Kazan raised his arm.
"Begin."
Dante burst forward, activating Awakened Speed. His body blurred, appearing and disappearing like a mirage. He aimed a swift strike.
Canon didn't move. Anchored Stance. A ripple of energy rooted his feet into the ground. He absorbed the attack and countered with a heavy swing of his axe.
Dante vanished behind him—Flash Slide—and slashed at his back.
Canon spun and unleashed Flame Spit, a roaring jet of fire. But Dante walked through it, unaffected—Fire Resistance.
He retaliated with Twin Edge, a phantom blade appearing alongside his real one. Canon blocked one strike, but the second grazed his side.
Celestial Shield. A glowing barrier stopped the blade just in time.
The courtyard trembled with the force of the clash.
Canon roared and activated Armed Arm—his right arm turned metallic red, doubling in length and power. He struck with brutal force.
Dante slid back and raised a hand. Ice Lance. A freezing spear materialized and shot toward Canon—he shattered it mid-air.
Blow after blow, skill after skill.
Cracks spread across the stone.
Sweat ran freely.
But then—
As Canon brought his axe down in a crushing arc, Dante met the blow head-on with Twin Edge—channeling the full speed and pressure of his blade.
A deafening crack.
Canon's axe split in two.
The handle snapped like splintered bone, the blade fell with a heavy clang onto the stone.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Kai and Helydia froze. Samuel frowned.
Dante lowered his katana slightly, grinning.
"Oops."
But Canon didn't flinch.
He dropped the broken hilt, cracked his neck, and clenched both fists.
"You're dead."
Anchored Stance activated again—dust lifted from under his feet.
With a roar, he charged, fists glowing with energy.
Dante narrowed his eyes. Flash Slide—a blur to the side.
Canon anticipated it.
He turned, his Armed Arm now covering his whole forearm like armor, and launched a punch that forced Dante to block mid-air.
Ice Lance, again. Canon smashed it with his bare hand.
Celestial Shield, now deployed at the center of the courtyard to deflect Dante's spinning katana.
Punch after punch. Dash after dash.
Canon moved like a brawler possessed.
Dante like a phantom trying to outrun a storm.
Minutes passed. Dozens of skills unleashed.
Sweat, dust, blood.
Ragged breathing. Torn clothes.
No sign of surrender.
Then, as they both prepared one last charge—
Dante's blade raised.
Canon's fists clenched.
Two blades intercepted them in a flash.
Kazan.
One katana stopped Dante.
The other blocked Canon's punch mid-air.
"Enough!" he barked.
The courtyard fell silent.
"We're done for today… Before one of you ends up in pieces."
Canon backed off, chest heaving.
Dante, too, slowly sheathed his katana.
He turned to Helydia, his lip bleeding but still grinning.
"You're still here? If you're impressed, I'm free tonight."
Helydia didn't answer.
Canon walked past, not even looking at him.
"Drop dead, blondie."
Dante smirked.
Samuel locked eyes with Kazan.
No one had won.
But no one had lost either.