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  Chapter 10: Brutality vs. Strategy**

  The cracks in the bar widened by the second. The structure lay in ruins, the ceiling slowly collapsing and revealing the storm ravaging Salem. Lightning illuminated the scene, and rain poured through the holes, streaming down the blackened walls. The thunder drowned out the sounds of battle, while the environment reflected the chaos and terror of the confrontation.

  Amok watched Yuzuki with unusual interest, his black eyes fixed on the warrior as if trying to decipher him. Something about the young fighter stirred a curiosity he could not explain—an inkling that this clash would bring change. Beside him, Alkaraz wore his usual sadistic smile but hesitated to advance, sensing something was different.

  Yuzuki rose, gasping, his green eyes shining with determination. He locked his gaze on Amok and Alkaraz, as if peering into their souls. The *Dankai* protection around him vanished, leaving him exposed. A single strike now could be fatal.

  Amok tilted his head slightly, intrigued.

  — Alkaraz, do not get close. Something is wrong — he murmured, never taking his eyes off Yuzuki.

  Suddenly, Yuzuki disappeared. His presence vanished completely, leaving Alkaraz and Amok tense.

  — Where is he?! — Alkaraz roared, spinning around in search of any sign of Yuzuki.

  High above, in the shadows of the collapsing ceiling, a silhouette appeared. It was Yuzuki—floating in midair, his sword held in both hands. With a powerful downward slash, he broke the ceiling apart, raining debris down on his enemies. Dust and rubble filled the room, obscuring vision.

  — He is trying to split us up! — Amok shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

  But it was too late. Amid the debris, Alkaraz and Amok were torn apart.

  ***

  ### **Symphony of Death**

  Yuzuki emerged from the dust, his form standing out like a predator ready to strike. He gripped his sword firmly, his posture echoing Gotier's teachings. Then his voice rang out through the bar:

  — **Symphony of Death!**

  Now separated from Alkaraz, Amok shuddered as he stared at Yuzuki. Something had changed. He realized Yuzuki was copying his own moves—the technique he had believed unique was now being used against them.

  From the rubble, Alkaraz let out a cry of pain.

  — Bastard! — His voice echoed as he clutched his right arm—which had just been severed. Blood pooled on the floor, mingling with the rain.

  With chilling calm, Yuzuki stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Alkaraz. He looked every bit the hunter facing his prey.

  Mao, watching from the corner of Yuzuki's mind, exploded into frantic laughter.

  — **Yuzuki... You are an incredible host!** — he cackled with near-manic satisfaction. — **He copied Amok's technique! But... that is not all.**

  Mao's tone grew serious as he studied Yuzuki's behavior.

  — **It is not just the technique. He is getting stronger. During the fights against Zeke, Gabriel, and Kubo, I saw it happen. He learns, adapts, evolves. He is... unique.**

  ***

  ### **Yuzuki's Blood Ability**

  Mao concluded gravely:

  — **That is it. Yuzuki possesses a clan's blood ability: the more disadvantaged he is, the stronger he becomes. This... this is brilliant.**

  As Mao spoke, Yuzuki kept his focus on Alkaraz and Amok. Despite the pain and exhaustion, he advanced, his resolve unshakable.

  Outside, the storm roared. Between flashes of lightning, a swift figure raced across rooftops and walls. Yuri, wearing his wicked grin, leapt from building to building. He neared the shattered bar, his eyes locked on the chaos below. When he arrived, he paused for a moment, surveying the scene.

  — Finally... — Yuri whispered, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

  With a single bound, he crashed through the ceiling and landed inside with a thunderous impact. Every eye in the bar snapped to him.

  ***

  ### **The Extinct Kanji Clan**

  The tension in the bar was suffocating. Raindrops dripped through the smashed ceiling, blending with the heavy breaths of the combatants. Yuri now stood on the floor beside the main door, watching with a cold smile.

  Yuzuki held his stance firmly, even knowing he hovered on the brink of collapse. Alkaraz, furious and in pain, finally broke the silence with a roar of agony as blood poured from the stump where his arm had been. He extended his remaining hand toward Amok, who met his gaze with restrained hatred.

  — Do not you dare! — Amok snarled, sensing what was coming.

  — You have no choice! **Genkai!** — Alkaraz bellowed.

  A black-and-green aura erupted from Alkaraz's body, engulfing Amok in invisible chains. Amok shuddered, his resistance futile against the imposed domination. His muscles contracted as he was forced to his knees, his energy siphoned toward Alkaraz.

  — Damn you... — Amok murmured through clenched teeth.

  Alkaraz drew in a deep breath as he felt his strength returning. In place of his lost arm, a new gruesome limb formed, shrouded in dark energy.

  Across the bar, Yuri watched the scene with interest—and a twinge of irritation.

  — So this is how you survive, Alkaraz? Using cheap tricks to subjugate an ally? — Yuri said, strolling to the center of the bar. — How... interesting.

  Yuri raised his arms and began to chant words in an ancient language. The air grew heavy. The sky outside darkened even further, and the raindrops seeping through the cracks turned crimson. The red light of the seal surrounding Salem flared intensely, and the tolling of a bell echoed through the city, bringing a sense of despair.

  — I am the Blood Demon, Yuzuki — Yuri's voice boomed like thunder. — And you will watch everyone around you perish. **Blood Ritual: Pact of Desperate Souls!**

  Yuzuki watched in horror as the city began to transform. The very air seemed to burn, and Salem's houses were shrouded in a crimson mist. Yuri, now without his cloak, revealed a slender build marked by veins pulsing with vivid red. Behind him emerged his Kugutsu, Blood: a boy with flame-red hair and skin pale as snow, his ruby eyes radiating a mixture of sweetness and death.

  — Help me, Blood — Yuri whispered, almost like a lover calling for his other half.

  Blood tilted his head and smiled sweetly—but the smile was deceptive. A malevolent energy gathered around him.

  — Alkaraz... — Yuzuki began, struggling to comprehend the scene. — Are you willing to sacrifice an entire city... just to defeat me?

  Alkaraz let out a short, dark laugh.

  — Do you think it matters? Those people were already doomed the moment you set foot in Salem.

  Yuzuki looked down, his heart heavy. He remembered his friends lying unconscious in the castle—Akari, Gotier, even Zeke. Guilt and anger mingled within him. He had to make a decision.

  Meanwhile, Yuri peeled off his gloves and advanced deliberately. His golden hair darkened, taking on the same blood-red hue that suffused the city.

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  — Do not worry, Yuzuki. I did this for the two of us — Yuri's tone was soft but dripping with irony. — This will be an unforgettable battle.

  At the same moment, Alkaraz ran his newly formed hand along the black sword he had conjured, sending a wave of energy slicing through the air. A dark mantle materialized across his shoulders, trailing along the floor like living smoke. Amok, though weakened by the *Genkai* technique, shot Alkaraz a look of pure hatred.

  — This will not end here, Alkaraz... You will pay for this... — Amok snarled.

  With his enemies poised for combat, Yuzuki tightened his grip on his sword. A spark of power flared in his chest—more than determination, something deeper, a force he recognized as part of his lineage. He could not fail—not while so many lives depended on him.

  The blood rain continued to fall as the bar threatened to collapse under the weight of the coming battle.

  — Let us end this — Yuzuki whispered to himself, stepping forward to face his destiny.

  Macabre Dance Under the Blood Sky**

  The atmosphere in Salem had shifted into something utterly unrecognizable. The crimson downpour continued to fall, drenching streets and rooftops in the suffocating red of despair. The seal encircling the city pulsed with a malignant energy—an oval barrier that not only isolated Salem but seemed to drain the very lifeblood of all within. Through the narrow alleys, anguished cries rose like wails of the damned, while others collapsed to their knees in desperate prayer. Some had already fallen, consumed by Yuri's ritual, their lifeless forms feeding the ever-growing power of the blood demon.

  Inside the shattered bar, the contrast was stark. Among broken beams and a floor slick with rainwater and blood, a small band of souls Yuzuki had once saved huddled in silent supplication. Children, their eyes alight with flickers of hope, gazed upon him as though he were a beacon in the abyss. A little girl, her hair matted and cheeks streaked with grime, tugged at the sleeve of her guardian.

  — He will protect us, will he not? Yuzuki is our hero! He never gives up... — she whispered, her voice trembling yet fierce with faith.

  Yuzuki's heart tightened at her words as he surveyed the devastation around him. A brutal choice loomed: surrender and spare the city, or stand and battle these monstrous foes, risking every life he had sworn to defend. His mind flicked through memories of Akari, Gotier, and Zeke—unconscious in the castle's shadows. The weight of their lives pressed upon him like a crushing stone.

  — **Do you hesitate, Yuzuki?** — Mao's deep voice echoed in his mind. — **Remember: the greater your disadvantage, the mightier your power. But can your heart bear the cost?**

  Clenching his fists, Yuzuki lifted his gaze to meet the looming forms of Alkaraz and Yuri—each radiating an aura of oppressive menace. He drew a slow, measured breath, letting resolve bloom within him even as fear clawed at the edges of his soul.

  ***

  ### **The Battle Begins**

  Alkaraz, wielding his newly forged green-and-black energy sword, advanced with astonishing speed. He was a storm of slashes and thrusts, forcing Yuzuki to retreat constantly. Each blow unleashed an explosion of power, further wrecking what remained of the bar.

  — Come on, little warrior, show me what you can do against true power! — Alkaraz roared, a sadistic grin on his lips.

  Yuri, meanwhile, stood back for a moment, watching the fight with an arrogant smile. From his hands, tiny blood daggers began to form, floating around him like a lethal swarm.

  Yuzuki did not falter, despite the onslaught. He seized every opening, copying Alkaraz's movements. His body moved as if dancing, adapting to his opponent's tactics. When Alkaraz delivered a horizontal strike, Yuzuki responded with the same technique, intercepting the attack with millimeter-perfect precision. Yuzuki's sword briefly glowed as he matched the enemy's energy flow.

  — This cannot be! You... you are mimicking me? — Alkaraz shouted, furious.

  — Not just mimicking. I am improving — Yuzuki replied, his voice cold as ice.

  Meanwhile, Yuri laughed in a mix of madness and excitement.

  — No matter how much you resist, Yuzuki. With every second that passes, my power grows. Do you feel it? The pain, the despair. This city is my sacrifice, and every drop of blood that falls is a reminder of your futility! — He raised his hands, and massive weapons—spears, swords, and axes—formed from the blood, hovering around him like a deadly arsenal.

  Yuzuki leapt aside to evade a massive blade hurled at him, landing with agility as a spray of blood stained the floor where he had stood. Yuri did not pause, conducting the weapons like a maestro in a deadly concerto.

  — You can run, but I will always be one step ahead — Yuri flashed a dangerous smile.

  In the corner of the bar, Amok watched in silence, his eyes locked on Yuzuki. He felt an almost irrational attraction to the way the warrior resisted.

  — *Impressive... so fragile, yet so stubborn. Alkaraz and Yuri do not understand the greatness in this. Perhaps I should join him...* — Amok murmured to himself, a subtle smile forming.

  Yuzuki pressed on, now alternating frantic attacks between Yuri and Alkaraz. His blood ability was in full effect—the more he found himself cornered, the more powerful he became. Each swing of his blade carried greater force; every movement grew faster and more precise.

  Inside his mind, Mao offered constant instructions.

  — **Alkaraz leaves his right flank exposed when he strikes. And Yuri... focus on his legs—he needs stability to manipulate the blood. Take advantage of that!**

  Yuzuki gave a slight nod, absorbing the information as he continued the fight. With each passing second, the battle grew more visceral. Deep cuts appeared on the bodies of all involved. Alkaraz, now drenched in blood, roared in fury as his sword cleaved through beams and walls in pursuit of Yuzuki. Yuri, with Blood at his side, seemed ever more monstrous, his skin taking on a vivid red hue as he channeled the ritual's power.

  Yuzuki, breathing heavily, paused for a moment. He looked toward the children and the hopeful faces of the civilians.

  — I will not give up. Not for a single second. You all deserve to live. — With those words, he channeled every last ounce of his strength, preparing for a final strike against Yuri and Alkaraz.

  ***

  ### **Macabre Dance Under the Blood Sky!**

  The blood storm roared, dyeing the streets a crimson shade of despair. The screams of Salem's people blended with the howling wind and driving rain.

  — Yuzuki! You are our only hope! — shouted a woman, clutching a child to her chest as tears streamed down her face.

  Inside the bar, the tension hung thick in the air. Yuzuki, breathing heavily, held his stance firm. Mao, in his spectral form, hovered at his side, watching the fight with a grin that mixed amusement and malice.

  — **You know, Yuzuki... you entertain me like no one else** — Mao whispered in a chill tone. — **How about a little gift? Let us reshape this battlefield.**

  Mao raised his hand, and the floor around Yuzuki writhed, sprouting dark thorns that formed a living barrier of protection. Shadows pulsed around them as if alive, deepening the gloom of the room.

  Across the bar, Yuri laughed uproariously, his domineering presence intensifying by the second. Blood, his Kugutsu, floated at his side, the boy's sweet smile stark against his ruby eyes brimming with murderous intent.

  — Do you think that will save you, Yuzuki? This is my domain! — Yuri thundered, slamming his open palm into the floor.

  Instantly, pillars of blood erupted, creating barriers that encircled Yuzuki and Mao's shadows. Red spikes shot from the walls like serpents. Yuri unleashed his **Blood Prison** technique, trapping Yuzuki within a pulsating, impenetrable sphere.

  — Inside here, you are my plaything. Let us see how long you last.

  Within the prison, Yuzuki closed his eyes and attuned to the swirling energy. He had already memorized Yuri's patterns, and his technique-copying ability began to take shape. With supernatural agility, he recreated the blood spikes and hurled them back at the barrier.

  — You are good, Yuri. But whatever you do, I do better.

  The barrier cracked, and with a swift motion, Yuzuki shattered it using his blade infused with Mao's shadowy energy.

  Meanwhile, Alkaraz surged forward with his sword crackling in green and black energy.

  — **Ventriloquist Slash!** — he shouted, spinning his blade in an arc so fast it seemed to multiply. The ghostly slashes cut the air, striking Yuzuki with a force that sent him crashing into the wall.

  With no respite, Alkaraz followed up with his "Chaotic Puppet" technique, weaving threads of energy that wrapped around Yuzuki's arms and legs, binding his movements.

  — You are nothing but a puppet in this battle, boy!

  As Yuzuki struggled against his restraints, Amok watched in fascination, a strange gleam in his black eyes. He was drawn to Yuzuki's stubborn resolve and skill, feeling a connection he had never known before.

  — *Incredible... he is more than I imagined* — Amok murmured to himself. — *Perhaps... he is the perfect host.*

  Mao noticed Amok's look and laughed, as if he already read the demon's mind.

  — **So, you finally recognize his potential? Thinking of switching sides, Amok?**

  Amok only offered a slight, knowing smile and remained silent.

  With a cry of effort, Yuzuki shattered the binding threads. He spun through the air, his sword slicing in a fluid motion that mirrored Alkaraz's attack—but with even greater precision.

  — You call me a puppet? Then watch me dance better than you! — Yuzuki roared, his blade raking deep gashes across Alkaraz's armor.

  Blood spurted, yet Alkaraz grinned, exhilarated by the ferocity of the fight.

  — Finally, boy! Show me what you are truly capable of!

  Outside, the screams of Salem's residents intensified. Some fell lifeless, drained by Yuri's blood ritual. The sky burned a deeper red than ever, and the barrier encircling the city throbbed like a diseased heart.

  Yuzuki felt the weight of his duty grow, but his blood ability surged in response—each strike stronger, each movement faster and deadlier than the last.

  Sensing Yuzuki's rising power, Yuri lifted his arms and conjured a massive blood-forged weapon: a grotesque scythe that seemed to wail with the souls of its victims.

  — This is the end, Yuzuki! No matter how hard you fight, I am the Blood Demon!

  Yuzuki, however, raised his sword—now fully infused with Mao's shadowy energy—and advanced, his eyes ablaze with determination.

  — I am Yuzuki, of the extinct clan! And I will not fall before I protect this city!

  The chapter ends with steel crashing against steel, a flash of crimson light illuminating the wrecked bar, and the deafening roar of battle.