Chapter 287: Injury [2] The fight dragged on for nearly twenty brutal minutes, far exceeding the duration of any previous quarterfinal match. What had begun as competitive swordsmanship had devolved into a prolonged beatdown. The spectators, judges, and remaining competitors who had advanced to the semifinals watched in tense silence. The referee found himself in an impossible position. Despite the obvious mismatch and accumulating injuries, Ichigo refused to concede defeat. He remained conscious and technically capable of continuing, which meant no authority could legally force him to stop under tournament rules. Ichigo’s stubborn determination showed his courage and warrior spirit, but what might have been admirable in other circumstances had become dangerous. Each minute that passed increased the likelihood of permanent damage that could end his martial arts career entirely. Kenzo showed no mercy or sportsmanship, continuing his assault on the same injured areas with calculated cruelty that went far beyond competitive necessity. The prolonged suffering had transformed the match from sport into something resembling torture, leaving everyone present to witness Ichigo’s increasingly desperate attempts to survive rather than win. THWACK! CLANG! "This is beautiful!" Kenzo screamed hysterically as his blade found another opening. "This is what competition truly means! No fake smiles, no pretending to be friends—just pure, honest violence!" His eyes gleamed with manic intensity as he pressed his assault. "You welcomed me earlier, didn’t you? Spoke to me like we were comrades! But look at us now—this is our real relationship! This is what warriors are beneath all the polite ceremony!" CRACK! SWISH! Ichigo stumbled backwards, blood streaming from multiple wounds, but his voice remained steady despite his pain. "You’re... you’re wrong, Kenzo. Competition doesn’t have to destroy who we are as people." "LIES!" Kenzo shrieked, his attacks becoming even more frenzied. "Every match strips away the masks we wear! Every strike reveals the beast underneath! You want to hurt me just as much as I want to hurt you, don’t be shy...just admit it!" CLANG! THWACK! "No," Ichigo gasped, barely managing to deflect another vicious strike. "I don’t want to hurt you. I just... I just want to...win. That’s not the same thing." "Win?" Kenzo laughed maniacally. "Pretty word to hide the truth! We’re animals fighting for dominance, nothing more! This pain, this blood—this is the only honest thing between us!" WHOOSH! CRACK! Another strike landed on Ichigo’s already injured arm, eliciting another scream of agony. But even through his pain, Ichigo’s response remained consistent with his character. "Even if... even if that’s what you believe," Ichigo panted, "I won’t let this change who I am." Kenzo’s hysterical laughter echoed through the arena. "Then your father was a fool, just like you!" Hearing Kenzo twist his father’s memory into a weapon, something inside Ichigo finally snapped. The easy smile he always wore, the one that softened his edges and disarmed strangers shattered. In its place flared something else had taken place. Ichigo’s eyes no longer carried warmth; rather, they carried a dangerous glint. Kenzo’s insult hadn’t just wounded him, it had desecrated his father’s legacy. That outrage surged through Ichigo’s veins, filling his body with raw, burning power. Technique vanished, replaced by an untamed fury that turned every movement into a killing strike. CLANG! WHOOSH! THWACK! For the first time in the match, Kenzo gave ground, unable to hold Ichigo’s attacks. Ichigo’s blade pressed forward with incredible force, the weight of his rage making up for the weakness of his battered arms. Each swing seemed to tear a piece of air itself, wild yet driven by the kind of intent that cared nothing for defence, nothing for restraint. Kenzo’s response was not that of fear, but rather of exultation. He threw back his head, laughing, his voice cracking under the hysteria."YES! That’s it! That’s what I wanted! Show me the truth hiding beneath your mask! Everyone has that side to them; the only difference is the activation button." CRACK! SWISH! CLANG! Gasps rippled through the stands. The duel that had seemed one-sided only moments ago changed rapidly. Ichigo’s assault hammered Kenzo with raw force, pushing him onto the defensive for the first time. Where Kenzo’s cruelty had once dictated the flow, now he met Ichigo’s grief and rage, sharpened into violence. But fury is a fire that burns fast. Ichigo’s strikes, once relentless, began to falter as time passed by. The pain in his arm crashed back into him like a wave. His shoulders sagged. His blade slowed. His guard sagged, leaving openings he could no longer close. Noah closed his eyes for a moment as if he could already see the next scene. "His adrenaline has run out...he no longer has any fuel...he’s done." Kenzo saw his chance. His blade came down in a vicious arc, smashing directly into Ichigo’s already wounded arm. The sharp crack of bone breaking cut through the arena louder than the crowd’s collective gasp. CRACK! "AAAAHHHHH!" Ichigo’s scream ripped from his throat as his sword fell from his grasp, skittering across the stone platform. Clink! Ichigo’s arm dangled uselessly, bent at an unnatural angle that would never recover to its previous state again. The referee shot forward to the platform. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚 His voice rang out, hard and commanding, "Match concluded! Medical team required!" The medical team responded immediately; they had been on standby the whole time, knowing that Ichigo would need all the help he could when the match concluded. But Kenzo’s frenzy had not burned out. His eyes bulged with manic hunger, his grin stretched too wide, and he lifted his sword again. CLANG! Steel met steel. The referee’s blade intercepted Kenzo’s swing an instant before it could double down on the injury. The impact rattled the platform, a reverberation of authority clashing against madness. "THAT’S ENOUGH!" the referee thundered, his voice booming. His weapon locked Kenzo’s in place. "The match is over. Either stand down or be barred from ever stepping into this arena again." Kenzo lowered his weapon and the same smile returned to his face. "Oh, I apologise. I didn’t know that the match has ended." His eyes landed on Ichigo before a look of shock appeared on his face. "Oh no! Is he okay?"