Rivals (49)

By the end of that year, Kyo, Tenma, Frost, and Agaki were all promoted to Beta.

They all met up outside of the Gamma Station.

"We've been here for such a long time, it's about time we got promoted." said Frost.

"We had to make up for skipping the Delta Class. Either way it gave us a lot of time to get used to missions and to train." Agaki replied.

Tenma grinned. "I know I've been training nonstop this last year. I'm ready to prove myself on the field for real now!"

Agaki nodded. "Come on, the Betas are stationed further uptown."

At the Beta Station, Kuro, Maki, and Ako were standing around talking in the main lobby when Kyo's group walked in.

Kuro saw Kyo enter the building and scowled. He walked up to him. "What are *you* doing here?"

Everyone could feel the animosity between the two.

Kyo responded, keeping a cheery attitude. "We're Betas now."

"No. I mean *here*, this city, We don't need you here."

Ako tried to intervene. "Hey, Kuro, don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"No! Because of that botched mission, my promotion to Alpha was delayed, they told me that we weren't efficient enough. I've had to work ten times as hard for the last year, and they *still* won't make me an Alpha! It's his fault!!"

(In the First Order, there is a Board of Committees that judge Knights based on their performance. They decide whether someone is promoted or demoted.)

The room went silent.

Kyo's expression fell. "If you're looking for an apology, you won't get one. If you want me to ask you for forgiveness, I won't do that either. I don't know what you want from me. But I will make you acknowledge me. I'll prove to you that I belong here."

Kuro got closer to his face. "If you want me to acknowledge you then meet me on the wastelands outside of the city in less than an hour."

With that Kuro walked out of the building and left.

"I'm going" Kyo said.

"Wait!" Maki exclaimed. "I think fighting Kuro is a bad idea. Just let him steam off. He's really strong."

Kyo stood at the doorway with his back turned. "He challenged me. I won't back down no matter how strong he is."

Tenma grabbed Kyo's shoulder. "Hey, Kyo. We're coming too."

Kyo turned around. "You are?"

Agaki nodded.

Frost looked at Kyo. "You haven't been training all this time just to get beat by him were you?"

Agaki looked at the girls. "Coming?"

They hesitated, but Ako committed. "Ah, whatever I'll go too." She grabbed Maki by the shirt, pulling her along. Maki let out a whimpering scream.

As promised, in less than one hour, Kyo met Kuro in the wastelands.

A rocky and desolate ecosystem that has been ravaged by many great battles.

Tenma and the others watched from a safe distance.

Kuro and Kyo assumed their stances.

Kyo glowed white, and blue lightning charged Kuro.

Kuro quickly moved in.

Kyo dodged the first attack, but Kuro attacks quickly and precisely. He gave Kyo some good jabs.

But even then, all of the training Kyo did strengthened his body immensely. These attacks were light in comparison.

Kyo flipped back to create space, then jumped towards Kuro aiming his leg towards him.

Kuro dodged and Kyo crashed a few inches into the ground.

Maki and Ako were shocked. "He's strong...!" Ako said.

"Kyo and the rest of us had been training with the Royal Guard for the past few months. He underwent harsh gravitational training while fighting hordes of opponents. In terms of pure physical strength, he's the strongest out of all of us." Agaki said.

Kuro was surprised for a split second by Kyo's feat of power, but quickly regained focus.

Kyo ran up to Kuro to get in more close shots.

Kuro dodged most of them flawlessly, but Kyo had an ace up his sleeve. "Mystic Storm!!"

He made a Mystic Storm that was black on the outside and white on the inside. Kuro did in fact dodge the attack, but the storm's attract properties pulled him into it. Right in the stomach.

Kyo then released the attack, activating the repel factor. Kuro was blown away form the force.

Kyo then flew up in the air and started throwing a multitude of fireballs from his hands.

*"He can use fire too?"* Kuro thought. He quickly regained his balance and drew his chokuto sword. He slashed all of the fireballs in half with ease and then put his sword back. "Since you seem to have a large amount of raw power..."

Kuro's hair and eyes started glowing blue with energy. "I'll just beat you with speed! Voltage!!"

Lightning started surging through Kuro even quicker than before.

"Ahh... Kyo lost this fight." Maki said.

Tenma scowled at her. "Hey! Don't count him out until it's over!"

Ako looked at him back. "She's right. That's Kuro's Voltage. Voltage accelerates the lightning energy inside of him. It makes Kuro several times stronger and gives him speed faster than the speed of sound. Kyo isn't able to keep up with that."

In a quick flash, Kuro closed the gap between him and Kyo.

After Kuro got in a few jabs, Kyo tried to counter, but Kuro sidestepped him, getting on his left.

Kyo reacted quickly, but Kuro stepped again, now on his right side and kicked him in his back.

The force was just as strong as Kyo's Mystic Storm.

After rolling some and landing on his back, Kyo stood up again.

Kuro reached for his sword. "I can now understand how you made Beta rank. But the gap between us is still too wide for you. I'll show you why I should be an Alpha by now."

This ticked Kyo off a bit. He made another Mystic Storm and ran at Kuro.

Maki recognized Kuro's stance. "Kyo!!! Don't do it!! Retreat!!!"

Kyo ignored her, he kept running.

Kuro held his sword in his right hand and inhaled a full breath of air. "Lightning Art..."

Blue lightning started charging, seemingly in slow motion. Kuro reached his left hand across his body and grabbed the sword now with both hands.

Kyo was just close enough now.

At the peak of Kuro's focus, he struck. "Kiba: Lightning Fang!!"

In the blink of an eye, Kuro brought the sword above his head and slashed.

The energy from it was enough to cut through his clothing and cause a shallow cut in his chest.

A high powered shockwave of energy and lightning made its way through the wastelands.

Kyo was blown away in the wind.

Kuro then exhaled. "This fight is over. You'd have been dead if you got any closer."

Kyo slowly stood up, being briefly shocked by lightning every few seconds before the effect wore off. "I, can still, fight..."

Kuro put his sword away. "Are you serious? You still want to fight? You're in no condition to continue. I'm done here."

Kyo grit his teeth and clenched his fists. He hung his head in defeat.

"I'll forgive you for what happened before, we're cool now. "

Kuro started walking away. Then he stopped and turned his head back with a smirk on his face. "But I still won't acknowledge you. Until you show me an attack that can counter my Kiba, you're not on my level."

Kuro passed up the group and headed back to the city.

Everyone else looked at Kyo, who now had a big smile on his face watching Kuro leave.