The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood and the raw shouts of battle. Valhalla and Toman clashed, a storm of fists and fury, but all eyes were on the makeshift arena where Baji Keisuke stood. His loyalty, once absolute, was now a painful question mark, dangling precariously in the balance. He fought with a ferocity that bordered on desperation, a whirlwind of black hair and powerful strikes. He was there to expose Kisaki, to reclaim his place, but the path was fraught with peril. Then came the moment that threatened to shatter everything. Kazutora, a ghost from the past, eyes burning with a twisted mix of resentment and despair, moved with chilling precision. The sharpened metal, glinting menacingly, was aimed squarely at Baji's back, a fatal blow moments from landing. Time seemed to slow, the chaos of the fight fading into a dull roar. Baji, focused on the immediate threats in front of him, was oblivious to the impending danger from behind. But just as Kazutora lunged, a blur of motion interrupted the grim ballet. Y/N, with a desperate cry, launched forward, tackling Baji with all their might. The impact sent Baji sprawling, pain shooting through him as he hit the ground. He gasped, disoriented, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. The pipe, intended for him, instead struck the empty air where he had stood. As Baji pushed himself up, his eyes, usually blazing with reckless abandon, held a flicker of bewilderment, then a dawning realization. He looked from the shocked face of Kazutora, whose attack had been thwarted, to the panting form of Y/N, who now lay where he would have fallen, having absorbed the impact of the unexpected intervention. The fight raged on, but for Baji, the world had just tilted on its axis. He was alive, not because of his own strength or foresight, but because someone else had chosen to put themselves in harm's way for him. The chilling touch of what could have been, the silent whisper of death averted, settled over him, a profound and heavy weight.
"YOU?"