The First Men Chronicles

Chapter 24: The Tag-Team Showdown – Sakamoto & Lee vs. Wang & Silva

The dim glow of the Hunter Association office flickered as Akebi stepped inside, her voice crisp yet composed.

"President, it's Sakamoto's turn."

Bartoni, seated behind his grand desk, exhaled slowly. His sharp eyes flicked toward her before he leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the wooden surface.

"Oh?" he muttered, a small smirk creeping onto his face. "So, they're going ahead with the tag-team match at once?" He stretched his arms over his head. "Interesting. Let's see how this one plays out."

A deafening roar of excitement erupted as the stadium came into focus. Thousands of fans packed the stands, the energy pulsing through the air, shaking the very walls of the arena. The battlefield below gleamed under the harsh stadium lights, the vast, reinforced flooring spread out like an empty canvas—ready for another masterpiece of destruction.

The massive screen above flashed the names of the fighters.

Lee & Sakamoto vs. Wang & Silva.

The commentator's voice thundered through the speakers, feeding into the tension.

"Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your seats! This isn't just a fight—it's a battlefield! Four warriors, but only TWO can advance!" He let the words hang in the air, the crowd roaring in response. "Will they work together, or will they betray each other? The choice is theirs!"

At one end of the ring, Wang smirked. He cracked his knuckles, his confidence evident. "I was hoping for something fun today."

Lee adjusted his gloves, his stance firm beside Sakamoto. "We're in this together," he said, his tone unwavering.

Sakamoto barely reacted. He tilted his head slightly. "Oh."

Lee turned his head sharply. "What do you mean, 'Oh'?"

Before Sakamoto could answer, a sudden gust of wind cut through the arena.

BOOM!

Silva's chest expanded unnaturally, his stomach swelling with air like a balloon filling to its breaking point. Then—he released it.

A devastating tornado-like gust exploded from his mouth, the sheer force tearing through the ground and surging toward his opponents.

Lee's instincts kicked in immediately. He leaped backward, flipping midair, narrowly avoiding the powerful blast. Using the ropes as leverage, he launched himself even higher, evading the attack by a razor-thin margin.

Sakamoto, however, remained completely still,Then, in a single, fluid motion, he lifted his hand.

His fingers trailed across his face as though slipping on a mask.

And in that moment—everything changed.

The temperature dropped.

A suffocating pressure filled the air.

With a slow, deliberate swing, Sakamoto brought down his axe.

The wind blast split apart instantly.

The severed gusts dissipated, vanishing as though they had never existed, leaving only a scar of cracked earth in their wake.

Lee had just landed, but before he could say anything, Sakamoto had already moved.

A blur.

He vanished from sight, reappearing closer to Silva, his eyes locked onto his target. Deadly. Precise. Cold.

"Lee's lightning is weak against wind. That means I take him out first."

Silva's fingers snapped up—dozens of wind bullets shot forward, each one sharp as a blade, tearing toward Sakamoto.

But he didn't dodge.

He redirected.

With each step, his axe twisted and turned, catching the wind bullets along its edge and sending them spinning off course. His movements were calculated, effortless.

Then, he swung.

SHING!

A powerful, crescent-shaped slash erupted from the Axe, cutting through the air like a guillotine.

Silva's eyes widened.

Too fast.

The slash connected.

Blood filled the air.

A perfect, clean cut.

Silva's body split in half before he could even scream.

The stadium fell into utter silence.

A single breath escaped Sakamoto's lips, slow and measured. Then—

A chilling exhale.

Wang's grin widened. "I love guys like you."

Sakamoto slowly lifted his axe, his fingers running along its surface. Something felt… different.

"It's stronger than before, why? Since I left Eagle Island, it's changed."

But there was no time for reflection.

WHOOSH!

Blood burst from Wang's palms, whips of crimson lashing out like living creatures, each lined with jagged spikes.

CRACK!

The whips snapped toward Sakamoto—

Until lightning struck.

"Lightning Style: Stream Flow!"

A bolt of crackling energy split through the air, clashing against Wang's attack, interrupting it just before the blood tendrils could reach their target.

Lee had stepped in.

But Wang was already moving.

A flicker of red.

His movements were erratic, unreadable—dangerous.

Lee barely had time to react.

A sharp pain exploded through his stomach.

Wang's fist had buried itself deep into his gut.

Lee's body bent inward, the sheer force of the hit sending him flying across the ring.

He crashed hard against the far corner. The impact shook the entire stadium.

A cough—blood spilled from his lips.

One down.

Sakamoto turned.

But something about Wang was… different,Then he saw it.Wang's fingers had sharpened—his nails elongated, dripping with his own blood.This wasn't just Blood Manipulation anymore.This was something else.A darker, more sinister transformation.Sakamoto's grip tightened around his axe. His breathing remained steady—