Tsukina and Claudia Rose faced off. It was an unprecedented battle—one that no one had ever expected to witness. The goddess of Regalia herself had challenged Tsukina, and despite the overwhelming power gap, Tsukina would rather die than admit defeat. Claudia stood poised, her katana gleaming under the artificial lights of the training ground, its edge impossibly sharp. The white roses beneath her feet were still unstained—pure, untouched. Tsukina, on the other hand, had her feathers at the ready, their razor edges gleaming like black steel. The dark mist at her fingertips wavered, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. Without warning, Tsukina struck first. She lunged forward, her speed almost blinding as she released a storm of Phantom Quills, each glowing feather honing in on Claudia with deadly precision. They whistled through the air like darts of pure death, aiming to tear through flesh and bone. Claudia didn’t move. At the last moment, with a calm expression, her pearly white eyes flickered. Purge. Rose muttered. An invisible force seized Tsukina mid-air. Her body locked up, her muscles refusing to respond as if a thousand unseen hands had gripped her in place. Panic flickered across her face as she realized she couldn’t move—couldn’t even blink. The quills she had fired only moments ago dissipated, vanishing as her concentration shattered. Then came the pain. A searing agony erupted in her chest, spreading like wildfire as if her very organs were collapsing in on themselves. She couldn’t scream, couldn’t even gasp—her lungs refused to obey. The sensation of suffocation gripped her, an unbearable force crushing her ribcage as if an unseen vice had clamped around her throat. Claudia tilted her head slightly, watching her struggle. "Painful, isn't it?" she mused. "I could make it stop... but you’d learn nothing." Tsukina’s vision blurred, her body on the verge of shutting down. But deep within her, a darker force stirred. Black Mist. Like ink bleeding into water, the shadows at her feet twisted and churned before exploding outward. A heavy, ominous mist engulfed the battlefield, the temperature plummeting instantly. Whispers echoed through the air—haunting, chaotic voices that did not belong to the living. The paralysis gripping Tsukina shattered as the mist’s influence clashed against Purge, breaking its hold. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she dropped to the ground, her eyes flickering with fury. "That all you got, goddess?" she spat, staggering to her feet. Claudia remained unfazed. “No. But you asked for it” With a flick of her wrist, she vanished Tsukina barely had time to react before Claudia reappeared behind her, katana already slicing downward. Instinct took over. Tsukina spun, unleashing Feather Frenzy Amplified. A wave of black-mist-infused feathers erupted from her arms, intercepting the strike mid-air. Sparks flew as blade met feather, the force of the clash sending ripples through the mist. But Claudia was faster. She maneuvered effortlessly through the storm of blades, stepping through each attack as if she were walking through falling leaves. Then, with a sudden, decisive motion—she struck. A sharp sting cut across Tsukina’s side. She barely noticed the pain at first, but then—white roses bloomed beneath Claudia’s feet. Red Roses had activated. Tsukina’s body went rigid as a trance-like stillness overcame her. Her vision swam as the world around her distorted, and for a single, horrifying moment, she felt nothing. No pain. No movement. Just stillness. Then, like a delayed reaction—agony. A deep, sharp wound seared through her side, but she hadn’t even seen the blade move. Blood dripped down, staining the once-pure roses a dark crimson. The moment she regained control, she lunged again, fury fueling her. If she was going down, she would make sure to take Claudia with her. But then—Claudia whispered something low enough for only Tsukina to hear. "You underestimate me." Before Tsukina could react, Claudia took her katana—And stabbed it into her own stomach. Tsukina’s eyes widened in horror, but the pain was hers to bear. The blood wasn’t dripping from Claudia’s body. It was Tsukina’s. She gasped as searing agony ripped through her gut. The blood spilled freely, splattering onto the roses below. The Body Swap had taken effect—every injury Claudia inflicted upon herself, Tsukina suffered instead. She dropped to one knee, clutching the wound, her mind racing. If she fought back now, she’d only harm herself further. But stopping meant accepting defeat. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to move. Through sheer willpower, she unleashed Feather Fury, sending a barrage of razor-sharp feathers flying—but the moment she did, a fresh wave of pain surged through her. The action tore at her wound, sending another spray of blood into the air. She was breaking herself. Claudia stepped forward, untouched, unharmed. “Keep fighting,” she taunted. “Go ahead. You’re only making it worse.” Tsukina panted, vision swimming. She refused to submit, but her body was betraying her. Each attack only worsened her condition. The wound bled freely, draining her strength with every passing second. The roses beneath Claudia were no longer white. They were fully red—painted by Tsukina’s suffering. She swayed, trying to steady herself, but Claudia gave her no reprieve. With a final, merciless stroke, she reversed the Body Swap. The damage remained, but now Tsukina was fully back in her own battered body—weak, trembling, on the verge of collapse. "You were strong," Claudia admitted, her tone cool, almost indifferent. "But not strong enough." Tsukina’s body gave out, her vision fading. The last thing she saw before darkness took her was Claudia standing above her, victorious, the bloodied roses blooming in silent testament to her defeat. Silence fell over the battlefield. The students, who had been watching with wide eyes, stood frozen in place—some in awe, others in sheer horror. No one had ever seen a fight like this. No one had ever seen Tsukina brought to her knees. Claudia exhaled softly, then, with a simple snap of her fingers, the blood-stained battlefield was wiped clean. The crimson roses, the splatters of red, the heavy scent of iron—gone, as if the carnage had never happened. But the damage remained. With effortless strength, Claudia lifted Tsukina’s frail, battered body off the ground. She was barely conscious, her breathing shallow, her body limp. Then, without hesitation, Claudia turned and tossed Tsukina toward Ryuu as if she were nothing more than discarded weight. Ryuu barely caught her in time, staggering under the impact. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked down at Tsukina—bloodied, defeated, barely clinging to life. Then, Claudia’s chilling voice cut through the air. "If I see her at this academy again, I will kill both of you." It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.

Ryuu had always known Claudia was powerful, but this… this was different. For the first time in his life, he felt true fear. His breath hitched, his entire body stiffened. There was no doubt in his mind—if he defied her again, she would follow through. And as Claudia turned away, the weight of her words sank deep into his bones.

As Claudia disappeared from sight, the tension in the air remained suffocating. The class was still recovering from what they had just witnessed—bloodshed, raw power, and the absolute dominance of the goddess herself.

The teacher walked over to Ryuu and Jayce, his expression unreadable. His gaze then flicked to Ash, and he let out a deep sigh before speaking.

"Will she be alright?" he asked, his tone neutral.

But Ryuu didn’t answer. He was too focused on Tsukina, his grip tightening around her as he tried to steady his breathing.

Jayce, however, had his eyes locked onto Ash, his hands clenched into fists.

"This wouldn’t have happened if you would've just minded your damn business!" Jayce snapped, his voice laced with fury. He could feel his glitch sparking uncontrollably, his anger boiling over. Not only was Tsukina’s life in danger, but now Ryuu’s was too. And it was his fault.

Ash met his glare with irritation, crossing his arms lazily.

"Then do a better job at hiding~" he taunted, rolling his eyes as if this was nothing more than an inconvenience.

That was it.

Jayce felt his fury ignite, his glitch flaring violently around him.

Before Jayce could lash out, the teacher stepped between them, raising a hand.

"Enough," his voice was firm, cutting through the tension. He looked at Jayce first. "Losing your temper won’t change what happened. Focus on what’s important."

Then, his gaze turned to Ash. "And you—quit instigating. You did enough today."

Ash scoffed but didn’t argue. He simply turned away, shoving his hands into his pockets.

The teacher exhaled, looking at Ryuu, who still held onto Tsukina’s frail body. "Take her and go. She needs treatment immediately."

Ryuu didn't need to be told twice. Without another word, he motioned for Jayce to follow, and the two hurried out of the academy, Tsukina's unconscious form in their care.

Back at their place, they worked quickly. Jayce helped Ryuu lay Tsukina down, her breathing shallow, her body still battered from the fight. The wounds from Claudia’s Red Roses were deep, and the blood loss had drained her of energy.