A/N: Sorry about the hiatus last week, but I have returned, and part III of the Showdown is here. This is the finale of the Showdown, BUT it is not the end of the story. This was a pretty interesting chapter to write, and I hope all of you enjoy it. Sorry for any errors, typos, OOCness and overall crappy writing. Find out how the battle ends, or doesn't end, and I'll be back next week with the next chapter :D

Descending to the ground gradually as he dropped toward the clearing where the fight had begun, Yuma glanced back in search of the assassin. He had hoped that it would take the long way and run back through the maze to get to the clearing. The assassin wasn't slow at all, but it would still take time for it to get through the whole thing, enough for Yuma to come up with some sort of plan.

Unfortunately, things were not going the way Yuma wanted at all that day, and his bad luck streak continued. The assassin had gotten up on top of the walls of the maze, and was moving swiftly over the rubble of the collapsed factory. Yuma wasn't good with math or calculations, but he didn't need those to know that he and the assassin would reach their shared destination at about the same time. With the uneven maze walls, the assassin faced more obstacles than Yuma, who had a clear path, but that wouldn't be much of a hindrance, and would give no more than a second or two to Yuma to get ready for the incoming attack. He had no choice but to improvise, making decisions on spot, coming up with plans on the move and hoping he didn't get himself killed before he was able to end the fight.

Yuma kept an eye on his opponent, who was not slowing their approach in the slightest. Both Yuma and the assassin were ready to settle the fight, only they had different outcomes in mind. The problem was that Yuma was at a severe disadvantage against such a strong opponent without his combat body.

The second his feet touched the ground, Yuma spun around to face the assassin, and jumped backwards just in time to avoid being sliced to ribbons by sharp claws. The assassin's claws twitched in annoyance when they completed their swing, the being obviously not happy about missing it's target.

Yuma's eyes narrowed at he watched the assassin come again, and he did his best to track its movements as accurately as possible, dodging when it went in for the kill again. He dodged up, right, left, up again and down, instinct commanding his body to move every which way just in time to avoid every strike. One wrong move would mean death, even though his body wasn't real.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yuma noticed Tachikawa step forward, bending his knees as he got ready to join in.

"Not yet, Tachikawa-san. The assassin isn't after any of you, and it likely won't attack as long as you stay out of this. Don't risk getting into a fight you may not be able to win unless you're forced into it," Yuma said, raising his voice loud enough for all his comrades to hear. He saw surprise on the faces of his team mates, while Tachikawa looked a bit unsure. Jin and Rindo shared the same knowing look, as if they had already known what the words that were coming out of Yuma's mouth would be.

It took a second, but Tachikawa slowly backed up again. He kept out both his Kogetsu blades, not daring to sheath either of them. He still didn't look very happy about the plan, partially because he didn't want Jin's kouhai to be killed when he had the power to at least try preventing it. It didn't help that the audience included Yuma's team mates, who were more innocent when it came to matters concerning death. He didn't want them to see their friend be murdered. The other reason behind Tachikawa's displeasure was that thrill-seeking side he wasn't entirely able to silence. He was aching to fight a Black Trigger user, one who intended to use their power to kill him rather than simply subdue him like Jin had during the Black Trigger Retrieval mission.

On the battlefield, Yuma continued to dodge. With each movement, he checked the space between himself and the assassin, waiting for the perfect opportunity. In reality, he would probably have to settle with 'best' rather than 'perfect'. The likelihood of him getting a golden opportunity was far too slim to be counted on.

After what felt like the millionth dodge, a claw grazed Yuma's cheek, cutting open a small wound. The familiar black gas that seeped from injuries of his civilian Trion body hissed out from his cheek, upsetting his focus. However, at the same time, Yuma noticed an opening in front of him, and it stole his attention. The assassin had slashed from it's left to its right using it's right arm, creating an unguarded space in it's front. The opportunity wasn't perfect, but Yuma wasn't sure if he'd ever get a chance as good as the one in front of him again.

"Boost, Septa!" he shouted, bending his knees before jumping forward with all the strength in his artificial legs. Yuma could see his comrades to his left just inside his range of vision as he jumped. He could see that none of them were moving, waiting to see what would happen. The assassin's claw, the one that had swung outward in its previous attack, began to move back toward Yuma, blocking his sight of those he had become friends with since coming to Japan.

Tearing his attention from them, Yuma tried not to think about the fact that the image of them standing there watching, branded into his memory, may have been his last sight of his comrades. This stupid idea of his was plain reckless, just like his idea to join the fight in Calvaria four years ago despite the warning his father gave him. The chances of it working was the same as the chances of Kitora agreeing to help train Osamu without extra convincing. Very slim.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as Yuma dove through the air, arm extended with his fist aimed at the assassin's chest, where a vital part of it's Trion system should have been located, if the being's anatomy was similar to that of a Trigger user in Border while in a Trion body.

'Don't fight a battle you don't think you can win.' Words Yugo had spoken to Yuma years ago echoed through the young Neighbor's mind. Despite knowing how risky and stupid it was, Yuma allowed his eyes to slide shut for just a moment in a mix of sorrow and guilt.

'I'm sorry, dad.' He wouldn't be listening to that advice.

Everything else happened in an instant. Yuma's fist connected with it's target, sending a shockwave through the assassin's body. The dark being jolted before freezing, neither it nor Yuma moving.

Then, Yuma sighed silently through his nose and let his head droop, chin tilting toward his chest as his eyes shut once more, now in exhaustion.

'I knew it.'

-000-

Osamu hadn't been sure what to expect after Yuma and the assassin disappeared into the maze. In his mind, he visualized Yuma returning as the victor, easy and simple. However, the logical part of him knew that the assassin was too skilled for things to be that easy. For Yuma to win, he'd have to take a coupled hits, though there was also the chance that he wouldn't succeed. Osamu didn't want to think about that probability, but the tightness in his gut told him that he shouldn't set his expectations too high.

When Yuma shot into the air from in the remains of the collapsed factories, heading back to the clearing, Osamu knew not to get his hopes up. The possible reality he had dreaded showed its ugly face when the Mikumo squad captain saw the Yuma was no longer in his Black Trigger form, and the assassin was headed toward the clearing just a second behind its target.

'No way... Kuga lost?!'

Osamu had felt his eyes widen and shock, and even without looking at his companions, he knew that they shared similar thoughts.

Before any of the spectators knew it, Yuma and the assassin were locked in a heated game of striking and dodging, a game that was completely one sided. Yuma was doing nothing but dodging, not returning a single attack. He couldn't.

Tachikawa stepped forward, only to be ordered back by Yuma. The young man didn't seem very happy about letting the two Neighbors duke it out, especially when the odds were stacked against Yuma, but Tachikawa seemed to settle more when Jin spoke.

"Yuma couldn't beat the assassin even with his Black Trigger, which he fought with in a real war for years. It's true that he isn't at full strength, not without Replica-sensei's help, but he isn't weak, either. If Yuma lost, you will too, Tachikawa-san. You're strong, but not Black Trigger strong, not on this level. Besides, as much as I want to do what I can to assure the victory of my kouhai, this is his fight. We've intervened too much already. This battle is more important to Yuma than any of us realize. The assassin is the reason why his life was cut short, and the reason why his father is dead. Had there been no assassin, he wouldn't have lost as much as he has. As much as I hate to say it, we need to respect his wishes and let him do this on his own," the brunette explained, sounding a bit tired and a bit concerned, though he hid it pretty well. He was feeling weary still, but that was not something that deserved attention in the current situation.

The Border agents watched as Yuma continued to dodge, both Tachikawa and Jin catching on to what Yuma was doing. They noticed that he was paying a lot of attention to the space between himself and his opponent.

Beside the two attackers, Rindo also noticed what Yuma was doing. Despite the situation, he wasn't giving up. He was looking for an opening to strike. Rindo sighed internally.

'Fighting until the end. He's just like his father...not to mention that Mikumo-kun has rubbed off on him a bit,' the man thought.

Suddenly, Yuma shouted out the name of a seal before springing forward. It was the crossroads unseen by a Side Effect-less Jin, one that would decide the futures of more than just the two fighting, or even those in the vicinity. A fist met a chest, and the two Neighbors stopped, as if they were frozen in time.

After a second, the assassin's body exploded with Trion where Yuma's fist had connected with it, before breaking down with a puff of smoke. Relief filled the Border agents who waited on the sidelines for the smoke to clear, revealing their comrade, the winner of the fight. The smoke did clear after a moment, but the agents weren't met with the sight they had expected.

Instead, the unthinkable happened. Yuma collapsed to the ground, unmoving, black smoke filling the air around him.