The Weight of Her Name
Blood dripped from Usa-hime’s split lip.
Her vision blurred, her body ached, but she refused to fall.
Valis stood across from her, breathing heavily, a faint scowl tugging at his lips.
The arena was dead silent.
Everyone watching knew—this should’ve been over by now.
But Usa-hime was still standing.
Why?
Because she wasn’t just fighting him.
She was fighting every whisper, every doubt, every mockery.
They called her Rabbit Princess.
They thought it was a joke.
A name meant for a coward.
But in her mind, a single truth ignited like fire.
“My name isn’t a joke.”
She thought of every person who had laughed at her.
“It’s Usagi no Hime.”
She thought of every person who looked down on her.
“The Princess of the Moon.”
Her heart thundered.
“She who will rule all of space.”
And then—
Something answered.
The Cosmic Surge
A pulse of light burned beneath her skin.
The crescent moon on her forehead glowed—not just with power, but with purpose.
A wind that wasn’t real howled through the arena, stirring her platinum hair, sending ripples of shimmering blue-white energy spiraling around her form.
The entire room felt it.
Zyra’s breath hitched. “Oh, hell.”
Cipher, mid-bite of a snack, dropped it. “Okay—okay, this is new.”
Kuro’s eyes flickered, reading the shift. “She’s not the same fighter anymore.”
Raze, watching silently, finally muttered, “She’s awake.”
And Valis?
For the first time—his smirk faltered.
The floor beneath Usa-hime’s feet cracked as she took a step forward.
Her silver eyes locked onto his.
“I’m not done,” she said, voice eerily steady.
Valis’ jaw tightened.
Then he lunged.
Move for Move
He vanished into a portal—reappearing behind her in an instant.
Before, she wouldn’t have been able to react.
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But now?
She turned faster than he expected.
Their fists collided mid-air, energy rippling from the impact.
Valis clicked his tongue. “Tch—”
He warped again, coming from the left—
Usa-hime twisted, blocking his strike, countering with a spinning kick.
He barely dodged.
For the first time, he wasn’t leading the fight.
She was matching him.
Move for move.
His silver eyes narrowed.
“Impossible.”
But Usa-hime just smirked.
“What’s wrong?” she taunted. “Not so easy anymore?”
Valis clenched his fists.
Then he stopped holding back.
Moonlight vs. Abyss
The fight became a blur of impossible speed.
Blue-white moonlight clashed against black void energy, their blows sending shockwaves through the arena.
Valis opened three portals at once, striking from multiple angles—
Usa-hime read his movement, ducking low, sweeping his legs.
He flipped mid-air, landing perfectly—only for her to be right in front of him.
Her fist slammed into his jaw.
His foot crashed into her side.
They both staggered—panting, exhausted, but refusing to stop.
The arena floor cracked beneath their feet.
Their bodies screamed for rest.
But their souls wouldn’t allow it.
“Not yet.”
The Final Clash
Everyone watching felt it coming.
The final blow.
Both fighters locked eyes.
A silent understanding passed between them.
No more tricks.
No more holding back.
Just one last strike.
Valis’ void energy surged around his fists.
Usa-hime’s cosmic aura flared like a burning star.
They charged.
Two unstoppable forces—colliding in the heart of battle.
And then—
Impact.
A deafening shockwave exploded outward.
The entire arena shook.
And everything—
Went still.
The Aftermath
When the dust settled—
Both fighters stood.
Frozen.
Then—
Valis collapsed.
The moment his body hit the ground, the battle was decided.
Usa-hime wobbled.
Her vision blurred.
Then, finally—
She, too, fell.
Both unconscious.
But in Valis’ fading mind—
For the first time in his life—
Losing didn’t feel so bad.
Punishment
Days later…
Usa-hime groaned as she dipped a scrub brush into a bucket of filthy water.
Then, with absolute misery, she began scrubbing the floor of the cadet bathrooms.
“I hate this,” she muttered.
Beside her, Valis—equally miserable, equally stuck in punishment—scowled.
“Shut up and scrub.”
Their punishment for an unsanctioned fight that nearly destroyed the training hall?
Bathroom cleaning duty.
For two weeks.
Cipher had laughed for a full ten minutes when they heard the verdict.
Zyra had patted Usa-hime on the back and said, “Totally worth it.”
Kuro just shook their head and said, “You brought this on yourself.”
And Raze?
They had just smirked slightly and walked away.
Now, as Usa-hime scrubbed the fifth stall of the day, she sighed.
“Okay. Maybe this wasn’t worth it.”
Valis grunted. “You think?”
She glanced over at him.
Despite the exhaustion, despite everything—there was no hostility.
They had both fought their hardest.
Both given it everything.
And now?
Now, they were just two exhausted idiots cleaning toilets.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
Valis snorted.
At first, Usa-hime thought she imagined it.
But no.
The arrogant, untouchable Valis was trying not to laugh.
She stared at him. “…Are you actually enjoying this?”
He glared at her. “No.”
Then—he smirked.
And for the first time, Usa-hime smirked back.
Rivals & Respect
They weren’t friends.
They would probably never be friends.
But in that moment, as they scrubbed in silence, there was an unspoken understanding.
Valis still hated her.
But it wasn’t the same kind of hate as before.
Now, it was the kind that pushed him.
The kind that made him want to be stronger.
And Usa-hime?
She knew one thing for certain.
She had proven herself.
And she wasn’t done yet.
Valis tossed his scrub brush into the bucket.
“Don’t think this means I like you,” he muttered.
Usa-hime grinned. “Good. Hate makes you work harder.”
Valis rolled his eyes.
But—just for a moment—
He smiled.
