"Well, that makes two opponents down... but there's still one left."
"Hmph. There's really no point in continuing the duel. The outcome is effectively decided."
Of the three heirs, Enji had been knocked unconscious and tossed from the arena, while Masanaga had fled the duel grounds of his own accord. Only Katsuyori remained.
Hugo and his team were still perfectly unscathed. The result was so obvious it was practically a foregone conclusion.
And yet, despite the circumstances, Katsuyori stood tall and imposing. He fixed his gaze on Hugo and his allies before speaking.
"...Impressive. It seems the tales of Hugo Clay and his companions were no exaggeration. The situation is three against one; our defeat is all but certain. However—!"
Katsuyori’s eyes snapped wide as he gripped his massive odachi with both hands, taking a combat stance.
His water-attribute magic surged, radiating an intensity that belied his hopeless position. He shouted with the unshakeable pride of a warrior.
"As the next head of the House of Ikkaku, turning my back on a foe without a fight is out of the question! Even if I am to be struck down, I shall uphold my pride until the very end!"
"Magnificent. As one who also carries the weight of a Great House, you have my sincere respect."
Despite their different origins, Marcos—holding the same status as the heir to a noble family—offered genuine praise for Katsuyori’s conduct.
Katsuyori had remained a silent bystander while his two allies fought dirty. Now, even after those companions had been pathetically defeated and the entire crowd had turned against him, he acknowledged his loss but refused to yield. He was the picture of a dignified samurai.
Determined to go down with honor, Katsuyori let his spirit surge through his body. A fearless smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he spoke again.
"...Besides, this isn't entirely a pointless struggle. I have the chance to demonstrate my prowess before Lord Tadakatsu and Lady Sakura. Fleeing and wasting such an opportunity would be beneath a man of my station."
"So, no matter how bad the odds are, you refuse to look like a coward in front of the woman you love... I can respect that, Katsuyori. Man to man."
"What's the plan, Hugo? The match is basically over, but..."
"You two, step back. I want to settle this with him one-on-one."
The fight was a lost cause, but that was no reason for a man to run while the woman he loved was watching.
Empathizing with Katsuyori’s spirit, Hugo clenched his fist and signaled for Marcos and Ryuga to stand down before stepping forward.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it? Hugo Clay... let's settle this man-to-man!"
"My apologies. I am truly sorry that my companions resorted to such tasteless, dishonorable tactics. At the same time... you have my deepest gratitude for answering my request and meeting me in single combat!"
"Heh! Don't worry about it. You're nothing like those guys. Besides... when two men have a score to settle, it's gotta be one-on-one!"
Rather than hiding behind a three-to-one advantage, Hugo insisted on meeting Katsuyori as an equal. He replied with a smirk hidden beneath his helmet.
Katsuyori, for his part, was grateful to Hugo for offering a fair fight, even though Hugo had already expended energy dealing with Enji’s underhanded schemes. He leveled his twin odachi.
"Hahaha! And there is one more reason for this fight! I shall see for myself if you are a man worthy of being entrusted with Lady Sakura! Come at me with everything you've got, Hugo Clay!"
"Oh, I intended to from the start! I'm breaking this out for the first time in a while, too!"
Hugo snatched up a discarded katana dropped by Enji’s summoned samurai and transformed it into his own signature weapon.
He didn't stop there. Releasing the power of a fire magic ore and coating the blade in micro-particle metal, he instantly reshaped the weapon into a massive greatsword as he shifted into his Purple Flame Armor.
"Magic-Slaying Crimson Lotus Blade! This is the real deal! Soul and spirit, at full power... I'm coming for you, Katsuyori!"
"Not just a shifting armor, but a trump card like that as well...! You truly are a man who defies all expectations, Hugo Clay!"
The greatsword was named 'Crimson Lotus,' but the purple flames swirling around it carried an intensity and heat that far surpassed its name.
Even from a distance, Katsuyori could see his own water magic evaporating under the sheer heat of those flames. In that moment, he felt the true weight of the gap between their strengths.
Furthermore, he knew that even if he somehow won this clash, Hugo wasn't even at his best after the previous battles.
As Marcos had pointed out, the fight was essentially meaningless. It wasn't just that the outcome was decided; there was truly nothing to be gained from it, win or lose.
And yet, he refused to run. For the honor of the Ikkaku name and his own pride as a man, he had no intention of choosing any path other than a head-on collision.
If there was nothing to be gained after the battle, he would find his own meaning within the struggle itself. Even if the world called it a pointless fight, it was enough that he had found a reason to stand his ground.
Most of all, he had to answer the resolve of Hugo, who was meeting him with everything he had. Katsuyori poured every ounce of strength into his stance and unleashed his magic power with a thunderous roar.
"Eldest son of the House of Ikkaku, Katsuyori Ikkaku... here I come!"