(Akira's Part)
Akira stepped out of the dusty classroom and walked into the next room. It was quiet. But a girl sat on top of the desk, staring blankly out the window.
"Hey, who are you?" Akira asked sharply.
The girl slowly turned, a faint smile on her lips.
"I'm Shino Arakawa. Rank 4. And you?"
Akira replied with a casual yet threatening tone.
"Me? I'm the one who will destroy all of you."
Shino still smiled. But this time, her smile carried a different meaning — as if she was eagerly awaiting this challenge.
Without warning, she raised her hand. A red magical aura flared around her.
✨ "Verse I – Scarlet Bind."
Red magical chains exploded into the air, wrapping around Akira's body from every direction. These chains didn't just restrain physically — they sealed movement and suppressed inner energy.
Akira froze, struggling to break free.
"Tch... magic, huh?"
He activated his telekinesis, focusing intensely to disrupt the chains' structure.
"Break."
The chains cracked and shattered around him.
But Shino didn't stop.
✨ "Verse III – Silent Nocturne."
A black aura enveloped the room. The world fell silent — all sound disappeared, power was cut off for a moment.
Shino stepped forward.
"You think you're strong? This is just the beginning."
Yet Akira stayed silent. His eyes began to glow strangely.
"…I don't want to use this technique... but you forced me."
He activated his forbidden power — Mind Telekinesis.
His focus sharpened, pressing directly on Shino's brain.
BOOM!
A mental explosion occurred. Shino screamed loudly, clutching her head as blood dripped from her nose and ears.
Her body flew backward, collapsing.
Akira gasped, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Sorry, Shino. I didn't want to use this skill."
Suddenly, a chuckling voice came from the sidelines.
"Hahaha… It's okay," said a supervising teacher. "Shino isn't dead. She's just… disqualified from the match."
Shino managed a smile.
"Heh… This is just a short break."
Her body vanished in a teleportation glow.
Akira stood alone in the empty room, looking at his trembling hands.
"…I'm afraid one day this power will destroy me instead."
After the fight, Akira went upstairs. Unexpectedly, two familiar faces awaited him.
"Hah? Hiro? Satou?"
Satou grinned.
"Eh, even the monkey Akira is here."
"You looking at your own face?" Akira shot back sarcastically.
Hiro tried to calm them down.
"Enough. We have to hurry, there was an explosion—"
BOOM!!
They rushed toward the sound. At the end of the hallway, they saw Hanako lying, bleeding.
"Hanako!!" Hiro shouted.
But another voice interrupted.
"Hey, Hiro? What are you doing here?"
He turned. It was Mizuki Yamato. Rank 3.
""Did you do this to Hanako?!"
Mizuki wasn't angry. She stepped forward.
"Hiro, I need to talk to you."
Hiro glanced at Satou and Akira.
"Hey… maybe you guys go upstairs first."
After they left, Mizuki lowered her gaze a little.
"Why… do you never reply to my messages?" she said softly.
Hiro was surprised.
"Eh? Messages? Sorry… I didn't notice. I've been too busy."
Mizuki bit her lip, her face flushing.
Without a word, she activated her power.
✨ Special Attack: Falling Star Dance
A rain of glowing strikes danced in the air, bombarding fiercely before ending with a massive explosion of light.
Yet Hiro… just stood still. He didn't dodge. He took it all.
The dust settled. Hiro was still standing.
"Because I can't hurt someone I once saved…"
Mizuki's heart pounded wildly. She turned away, face burning red.
"Idiot…"
"Tch… I never thought you'd still be the same."
Hiro smiled faintly.
"Sorry… I really didn't get to read your messages."
Mizuki lowered her head slightly, then smiled.
"It's okay… As long as you're here now."
"But we have to save Hanako!" Hiro urged.
Mizuki replied calmly,
"She's fine. I didn't fight her seriously… Hanako just fainted."