Previously

" A-A back attack at point blank range?! " Muramatsu cried out.

'No one else was behind the two except for Asuna and she couldn't have gotten there that fast when the attack happened' Nakamura's thought were in a whirl.

Karma stared at the scene in shock. His lips settled into a frown as Nagisa grinned at him innocently as if he didn't take out two people at once after appearing out of nowhere.

It has come down to the final three : Asuna & Nagisa VS Karma

Present

" I get it. " Karma realised, " He was blending in with Karasuma-sensei. The only one using self-defence force camo and waited for his prey at the perfect sniping point! "

While Karma thought, Maehara snuck closer to him with a triumphant grin, 'Gotcha!' was he thought but before he could land a hit, a dagger with red paint stabbed his face shield dead in the centre, stopping him.

Maehara Hiroto from BLUE team : DEAD

" This is why I get so antsy, its because he pulls these kinds of stunts. " Karma sighed as he stood up and smirked while twirling the dagger in his hand, " Sorry Asuna, but I need to take you out to fight it out man-to-man. "

" He's targeting Asuna? Wouldn't it be better to take out Nagisa instead? " Takebayashi asked.

" It's all on Karma's thought processes. Seems like he wants to go head-on with Nagisa. " Koro-sensei answered.

" It's now down to those three. " Sugino sighed, nervous.

" Pretty smart of Nagisa to hide behind Karasuma. " Irina remarked.

" The referee has the least presence in the players' vision. Nagisa zeroed in on that, blended in and waited until the moment he could score the most kills without any counterattack. " Koro-sensei explained, " He has the most natural sense of a born killer! And what about Karma? Comparing on regular school grades, Karma has got Nagisa beat on all accounts. But he must have realised by now, that when it comes to enemies in this assassination classroom, his greatest foe is Nagisa. "

" Is it just me or does it feel like Asuna got caught up in the boys' antics again? " Kataoka wondered.

" She got caught between Asano's and Karma's feud during the exams too. " Kayano pointed out, sweat dropping.

The class watched as all three survivors hid within the nature. It was silent, no one could hear their movements. That is, until the wind rustled the trees and they could hear the faint sounds of daggers clashing and in the distance, they saw two figures moving about one another in a flurry. 

Then, Asuna had burst from the trees, deflecting Karma's dagger while throwing in some attacks of her own.

'Got you!' Karma thought as he then kicked her legs off of the ground, making her lose her balance but she immediately did a backflip, kicking Karma away from her, using the momentum.

She was about to escape until she felt a splat of paint land on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Karma holding a gun in her direction.

She sighed, standing up properly as she dropped her dagger.

Kawasaki Asuna from BLUE team : DEAD

" Hai, hai, I'm dead. " she said as she pulled down her hood then patted Karma's cheek, " Now, don't roughhouse too much. It'll be a shame to see your pretty face get marred. "

She winked as she skipped away towards the safe zone.

" Now, we're one to one, Nagisa. Let's finish this. " Karma grinned as he turned around, walking to the open space.

'He moved already, huh?' Karma thought as he stood in the clearing while Nagisa was hidden with is rifle ready.

" Nagisa! Put down your gun and come out! " Karma shouted as he held a knife, " We'll settle it with these! "

Nagisa blinked in surprise.

" Nagisa, you idiot! Shoot him! he's right in the open! " Sugino groaned.

" I don't think he'll shoot. " Kayano said in disagreement.

'That Karma...he's playing dirty' Nagisa thought, 'If I ignore the challenge and shoot him with no provocation, the red team will be hard-pressed to accept they way they lost. And he knows that'

Nagisa dropped the rifle and placed a hand on his leg where the dagger was sheathed, 'If I want everyone to be in agreement to save Koro-sensei, I have no choice but to face him in close combat---his specialty'

Nagisa stepped forward from his hiding place with his hood down, unarmed except for a dagger. Everyone was shocked at this outcome.

" They're gonna go head-to-head?! " Sugino said in disbelief.

" Nagisa wants Karma out of everyone else to understand his desire to save Koro-sensei after all. " Kayano explained.

" Let's go watch closer in! Asuna's already down there. " Okajima said, gesturing to where Asuna stood to watch the battle.

" It's...not like I still don't want to kill him but taking on a tough opponent with a strong resolve, well...I still have that sense of accomplishment when I took down Rinka. Will I feel like this if we kill Koro-sensei? " Toka asked, uncertain.

" Here comes the wavering opinions. " Hazama scoffed, " Guess we change our tune the moment the camp stops working, huh? "

" Some of us showed a strength we didn't expect like Kayano, Mimura and Kanzaki. And some went ballistic like we thought they would, some got all fired up to do better next time, and some irresponsible-looking' types turned out to be all serious. " Terasaka stated as Nakamura rolled her eyes.

" Oh shut it. "

" That guy we thought to be just a runt turned out to be a genius assassin, and a guy we thought to be a genius turned to be working hard all along secretly. Whichever of them who wins is fine by me. With all these different skillsets, we just might be able to handle any challenge that comes our way. " Terasaka said his opinion.

" Eh, since when did Tersaka become so mature? " Asuna teased.

" Shut it you! You and your ability to be in a horror film with that concealing presence ability! " Terasaka snapped.

" It's my specialty. " Asuna winked.

" More like coming from a horror movie. " Muramatsu muttered.

In the meantime, Nagisa and Karma had met in the middle with Karma taking off his uniform top, leaving his navy blue undershirt on.

" Ah, Karma really does look good in anything. " Asuna sighed as she took pictures on her phone.

" This fiancee really is consistent with her photo taking... " the class deadpanned.

'Ever since first year, I looked up to Karma...' Nagisa thought as he recalled their earlier years together as classmates.

" Sensei, what's this here? " first-year Karma asked.

" Oh? Akabane, you're moving to second-year syllabus already? " the teacher asked incredulously.

He did what he wanted and was completely unafraid. And yet, he was smart and could do anything.

" Ok~ That's all I was wondering about, I've got the rest. " Karma interrupted his teacher who was in the midst of explaining the answers to his questions and took back his book.

" Wait---Akabane! "

" I'm leaving early cause I'm thirsty. " Karma grinned.

If only I could be like that. That's how I felt, in my ordinariness.

" Whoa, no way! Nazzoni directed Sonic Ninja? That's so cool! " Karma exclaimed from behind Nagisa who was reading a magazine with him reading behind him, " Oh, it opens today? Let's go, Shiota! "

" Eh, uh, yeah! " Nagisa smiled.

So I was happy when he talked to me and when we started to hang out. That was halfway through our first year.

Nagisa and Karma were seen to be playing a video game together.

But we couldn't stay friends for long.

Nagisa and Karma were conversing as they walked back together in a cramped alleyway with few stores established there. They were met with some high schoolers.

" You, Karma? Ya got some nerve beating up our pal like that. " one of them snarled as the other behind him had a bandaid on his right eye.

" Eh~ This is the first time I've heard of such a thing. Besides, he started it. " Karma lowered his bag.

" What? Bullshit! He told me--- " the man was cut off as Karma threw his bag into the air, distracting them and then punching the first guy.

Karma then pushed his bag in midair to land in Nagisa's arms before straddling the first with his fists raised.

" Can't hear you! What was it again? Come on, say it! " Karma taunted as he punched the man repeatedly.

He could stand where he was because he had the strength to win in studying and fighting both.

Nagisa stared at the scene with wide eyes.

His was a stage I could never hope to share. He must have gotten bored, being on my stage with me.

Nagisa watched as Karma left the classroom without a glance at him.

By the time he got suspended, we'd gotten back to being plain old classmates.
~
He's a harmless little mouse, making him one of the few people a combative guy like me didn't have to be careful around. But looking back, I put that distance between us...because there already was a part of him back then that made me feel uneasy.

" Huh? Where did he go? Nagisa! " Karma called out, looking for Nagisa with his own tray of food.

I could put my guard down around him...

A finger poked at him from the back causing him to gasp. Karma felt like a sword had pierced through him and whirled around, gritting his teeth.

" I'm right here, Karma. Didn't you see me? " Nagisa asked innocently.

...but something kept me on alert. Something that could kill me in my sleep one day.

Karma stared at him in silence for a while before taking a seat with his usual mischievous aura around him.

" Sorry 'bout that, Nagisa. You were just so small that I couldn't see you! " Karma teased.

" Ugh. " Nagisa pulled a face.

He was just so honest and good, unlike me that my anxiety just had to be all in my head. Still, he had this mysterious...something...

In Karma's view, he saw behind Nagisa, a faceless person with Nagisa's hair with fangs and serpents surrounding him.

Nagisa's eyes opened to show yellow snake-like eyes.

...that I wanted to drag out of him and crush. And that part was scary. But there's no pint in beating him in fights and in class. This whatever-it-is is something else altogether.

It was hard to handle and before I knew it, we had drifted apart.

Now, for the first time, in year 3, we're up on the same stage : assassination!

The two stood across each other with their daggers unsheathed.

And we need to win to get our points across! 

The two looked up at each other, both with matching expressions. Wide, crazed eyes with a fanged-grin.

" You're going down! " the two snarled at each other.
*
Everyone watched in worry and anticipation.

" A desire to win, to conquer---the great competitive spirit permitted in the young! You must forget all about me! Your own answer is right before your eyes! " Koro-sensei stated as the two ran at each other, their daggers clashing.

" Kill! " Karma declared.

" Save! " Nagisa protested as he jumped, avoiding Karma's attempts to get him off balanced only to have him grab his arm and twist it in an attempt to flip him over.

But Nagisa immediately flipped himself over, landing in front of Karma and tackling him. Karma stood strong, not letting Nagisa overpower him and kick him away. Nagisa rolled back and quickly got on his feet, running Karma's chance to attack him while he was down.

" A tackle of that timing won't bring him down? " Sugaya asked in surprise.

" There is a huge power difference between them. " Chiba stated.

" Yes, if one knife connects, one wins but Karma's active skills will use the lead-up to that moment to his advantage. Now look at Nagisa, " Koro-sensei explained, " he has another knife! "

" In preparation for the clap stunner? " Kayano questioned.

" But Karma has already noticed it. " Asuna interrupted softly, " It won't be easy to use that move against him when he's very aware and high on alert for situations that could let Nagisa use it against him. "

" Two assassins, their weapons and approaches worlds apart. How will they settle this? Stay tuned! Nyurufufufu! "

" Seriously? " Asuna deadpanned.

" I had to! " Koro-sensei defended himself.

Karma ran towards Nagisa, swiping at him with his knife. Nagisa doing the same with his own until his arm got caught by Karma and was brought down by Karma. He kicked Karma away, rolling backwards before jumping onto Karma, his knife nearly making contact until Karma held back his arms from making the finishing blow.

Karma then pushed him away, rolling away from him.

'If I take these blows wrong, I'll be inked for sure' Karma thought as he kicked up some leaves at Nagisa who ran at him before kicking him at his side, causing him to fall. Nagisa clicked his tongue, looking behind him before rolling away quickly as Karma jumped with his devil-like grin, his knife making contact with the ground instead.

'Now!' Nagisa thought, kicking away Karma's knife.

'Nice! He took away his knife!' Karasuma thought in amazement.

'Now's my chance!' Nagisa thought as he stood up, about to run at Karma until he got headbutted by him, dropping his knife.

" They both dropped their weapons! "

" But Nagisa has another one! "

Just as Nagisa reached for his spare, Karma ran at him, throwing punches and shoving him backwards, distracting him to not reach for the spare.

" I'm not letting you draw it, " Karma flexed his hand, " the moment you do, I'll hit you again. "

Karma grabbed Nagisa, kneeing him in the gut several times, " I'll knock you out, then take my sweet time dealing the final blow! "

When Karma stopped for a second, Nagisa gritted his teeth and punched him in the face, hitting his nose.

Karma grinned, " That's all you got? "

Karma punched Nagisa back, harder than what Nagisa had dealt him. But while in midair, he kicked at Karma's face, drawing some blood to dribble down from his mouth to his chin. Then, Karma grinned again.

" He's taking Nagisa's attacks on purpose. " Hara observed.

" His hits have to be doing something. He's been training a whole year! " Sugaya reasoned.

" Karma is a combat assassin who values the process. Bargaining, strategy, how to defeat your foe...and after that battle comes hi assassination. " Koro-sensei said as the two traded blows, " Nagisa on the other hand is a pure assassin, single-mindedly searching for that one strike which will lead to victory. And Karma take sit all, one after the other. If he wins like that, even Nagisa will have to accept defeat. "

Karma then delivered an uppercut at Nagisa causing him to grasp at his chin in pain. As Nagisa was bent down, Karma raised his leg up high and then brought it down. Nagisa laid on the ground, unresponsive. Karma stared at him, panting.

" An axe kick! " Terasaka exclaimed as everyone else who were watching winced, " Bring that to a fight and the other guy won't stand a chance! "

Karma turned around, grabbing his knife and stared at Nagisa's body.

'I'll probably never find another place like this again, where your feelings can be right out in the open' Karma looked at Koro-sensei with a grin, 'But I will kill him...because I believe its right'

Karma approached Nagisa's body, raising the knife and just as he bent down...

CLAP

...Nagisa had sat up and did the clap stunner move successfully.

'What---now?!' Karma thought as he slid backwards from the impact, luckily, he had bit his tongue to keep his consciousness, smirking 'That's the last of his strength!'

" He bit his tongue to keep from going down! " Koro-sensei gasped.

'Just you try killing me, Nagisa...with that talent I never had!' Karma thought as Nagisa grasped his knife, 'I'll break it all right over my knee---and win!'

Nagisa thrust his knife at Karma's direction. To Karma, that knife was surrounded with a purple aura---Nagisa's bloodlust.

'All that bloodlust, condensed into that knife. If I can just dodge that, I'll---' Karma froze when he saw that Nagisa had let go of the knife instead of continuing the attack with it, 'Huh?'

The aura of the knife was gone as Nagisa tackled Karma, wrapping his arms around Karma's torso and pushing him down.

'N-No bloodlust?!'

" HIYAAAAH! " Nagisa screamed as he brought Karma down in a hold.

" An arm-triangle choke?! "

" That arm pressing on his carotid will make him pass out! " Karasuma elaborated in awe, " It's an even more perfect position than his earlier triangle choke! "

Karma struggled, trying to get out of Nagisa's hold that even the veins on his neck were popping out while Nagisa did his best and used his full weight to keep him down.

" You will hear me out! " Nagisa spat out.

" How is he pinning Karma down so well?! " Yoshida wondered.

" Nagisa used his own best assassination skill as a sacrifice and chose martial arts for his finisher. " Koro-sensei explained, " All so he could end things using Karma's specialty, not his. "

Karma struggled, hitting Nagisa in the back to let go of him however, it did not deter him one bit.

'Just like I did to him---he's trying to get me to accept defeat. This is bad' Karma's face began to turn purple from the lack of oxygen, 'at this rate, I'm done for!'

Karma's hand reached out, grasping at the ground and it eventually found the hilt of a knife. Bringing it up, he saw that it was his and right then and there, he could just win by stabbing Nagisa in the back since he was too focused on maintaining his hold on Karma.

" A knife! " Kimura exclaimed.

" That close? " Kayano's brows furrowed in worry.

Karma slowly brought the knife closer but halted when he saw Nagisa's desperate attempts to bring Karma down, his desperate attempt to maintain the arm-triangle choke.

" Me, fighting? " first-year Nagisa asked in disbelief, " I think I'd be too scared to even hit someone. Well, if my life depended on it... "

The knife with red paint was stabbed to the ground.

" I give up, uncle. Nagisa, I lost. " Karma admitted, patting Nagisa on the back.

But Nagisa wasn't listening and strengthened his hold.

" Oi, listen! " Karma shouted.

" That's enough! Due to the red team's surrender, the blue team---the 'save' camp---has won! " Karasuma announced as Nagisa loosened his grip.

" YES! " the blue team