World of Hearts: Linked as One (Book 1)

2-2: Explosive Duel! Kizuna vs Yujo!

"Alright, Kizuna will be up first," Gintoki said. "Now who—"

"I'll be his opponent," Yujo's voice caught everyone's ears.

Kizuna looked to see Yujo walking up to him. Yujo looked like he was waiting for this very moment. It was like a boxing champion waiting for the next challenger to step into the ring. No... it felt like it was more than that.

It was as if a tiger was waiting for its next meal to show up.

Kizuna felt that intimidating presence that Yujo seemed to radiate around him. The air had a tinge of danger with the faint smell of blood choking his nose.

"You can take this guy," Sora said. "You got that little trump card that he doesn't know that you have."

'You mean that power I used just a month before I left home?' Kizuna thought. 'But that was a one-time thing... even if I can draw it out—'

"Just believe in yourself," Sora said. "It's what I would do."

Kizuna could only take in Sora's advice.

—

Yujo looked at Kizuna, staring him down with that intimidating stare of his. He waited for this moment to come, the moment he could truly show off his power before Kizuna. What he did to the Behemoth was just the tip of the iceberg.

'This time, you will see my power,' Yujo thought. 'I will show you just how powerful I am, and I will show it by beating it into you. Prepare yourself, Kizuna Daichi.'

—

Riku was watching from within the shadows. He looked at the two boys who were looking at each other in the eyes.

'Yujo... Kizuna...' Riku thought. 'It's time to see the fruits of your training.'

—

"You think Kizuna can take on Yujo?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know," Yoh said. "I can feel the difference between the two. Yujo has a bigger power level than Kizuna does."

"You can tell?" Izuku asked.

"It's in the soul," Yoh said. "Each soul has its own heft. The heftier the soul, the stronger the person is."

"I've never seen Yujo this serious since we fought that special grade curse," Yuji said. "I don't think that Kizuna kid knows what he's got himself into."

"Not like he can back out of it now," Megumi said.

"Yujo's not the type to hold himself back when he gets serious," Nobara said. "That kid is going to die."

Maka Albarn, Death the Kid, and Black Star were looking at the two. Behind them were Soul Eater Evans, Patricia "Patty" Thompson, Elizabeth "Liz" Thompson, and Tsubaki. Maka closed her eyes for a moment.

"I should be the one fighting," Black Star said. "Why did the Sora and Riku wannabes go first?"

"Last time I checked, the supposed reincarnation of Sora decided to take the plunge and found himself fighting the Riku clone," Soul said. "My money's on the Riku clone by the way. He just looks cool."