The crowd caught their breath, mesmerized by the sudden appearance of waves that surged like a torrential tide.
With the weight of the sea at his back and his fighting spirit at its peak, Katsuyori charged straight at Hugo, channeling every fiber of his being into his twin odachi.
"Katsuyori... I see your resolve! That’s why I’m going all out, too!"
Hugo roared back, unleashing his magic power and flames in a singular burst.
Purple flames erupted from his joints, radiating a scorching heat that stunned the onlookers once again. Hugo channeled every lick of fire into the Magic-Slaying Crimson Lotus Blade.
A sound like a jet engine’s roar filled the arena. Hugo raised the greatsword—now wreathed in hellfire that threatened to pierce the sky—and brought it crashing down on the charging Katsuyori with a guttural shout.
"Magic-Slaying Crimson Lotus Blade: Purple Flame Grandeur—Wind, Forest, Fire, Slash!"
"Guh!? Uoooooooh!"
Katsuyori braced himself, crossing his odachi as a massive blade of fire descended upon him.
He manipulated the sea at his back, turning the water into a desperate shield. It was useless. The waves evaporated in a heartbeat, scorched into nothingness by the sheer heat of Hugo's purple flames.
(...I knew. I knew it would end like this. This is... it!!)
Katsuyori couldn't have held his ground for more than a few seconds against that strike.
He’d known this would happen. He’d accepted the risk of a shameful defeat and the reality of their insurmountable power gap long ago.
Yet, the battle wasn't meaningless. Even if it was only for the briefest of moments, crossing swords with Hugo had made his stand worthwhile.
As a small smile touched Katsuyori's lips, a violent explosion engulfed the arena.
He was thrown back by the blast, coughing as he tumbled across the stone, yet his face looked strangely clear when he finally spoke.
"I yield... You win...!"
"It was only at the very end, but that was a hell of a fight. Next time, let’s do this without all the baggage."
Hugo offered a hand to the man who had accepted his defeat with such grace. Katsuyori nodded and took it, pulling himself up as the audience erupted into applause, moved by the sportsmanship displayed in the duel’s final moments.
"Hugo Clay... as a show of samurai's mercy, I have one question for you."
"What is it?"
Hugo felt a prickle of tension at the man's grave tone, but he kept his face steady.
Katsuyori let out a long breath, cleared his throat, and began to speak.
"I’ve spent my life training to be a man worthy of the House of Ikkaku. But deep down, I did it because I wanted to be strong enough to protect Lady Sakura. I was confident in my strength... but it seems I was just a frog in a well. Your blade taught me that."
After ridiculing himself, he looked at Hugo once more and continued in a heavy voice.
"Give it to me straight, Hugo Clay. Who is stronger—me, or Lady Sakura?"
"I’m sorry, Katsuyori. Truthfully? I think Sakura has the edge."
"I see. Don't apologize. It's embarrassing, but I think I knew that myself."
Katsuyori’s raw power was undeniable, but Sakura paired her strength with the refined beauty of her technique. Hugo, having seen her fight and sparred with her several times, didn't want to crush the man's pride, but he couldn't lie. Katsuyori simply nodded, looking as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"So I never had the right to stand by her after all. I was just arrogant enough to think I could protect her."
"Don't let it get you down. You're far from weak. Besides, it’s not a defeat as long as you don't accept it as one, right? There was this 'Banana Baron' who used to say that. It sounds like a cheap excuse, but it's actually pretty deep when you think about it!"
"Haha! I have no idea what you're talking about, but I appreciate the sentiment. My apologies, Hugo Clay... I leave Lady Sakura in your care."
"Wait, what? Uh... well, I’ll do my best, I guess..."
Hugo dodged the commitment, sensing that a direct "yes" would lead to nothing but trouble. As he wondered how much more complicated things would get if Sakura or Tadakatsu heard that, the duel between the trio and the Yamato heirs came to a close. Hugo’s group stood victorious, and the audience showered them with applause, satisfied by a clean resolution to a conflict that had started so poorly.