Ch.85 Next

The previously calm Kyoto High instantly erupted.

"So arrogant!"

"Too full of himself!"

Insults like these filled the air.

One Yuta Okkotsu they could accept – after all, he had a special grade vengeful cursed spirit and was himself rated as a special grade sorcerer.

But you? A Grade 3 sorcerer, what gives you the right?

Do you really think your Pokemon is on the same level as Rika Orimoto? We acknowledge your command skills, but this is an individual battle, it's about personal strength.

If you were that strong, why was your performance so lacking in yesterday's group battle? It wasn't unreasonable for them to think that – Akira had hidden his power quite well during the group matches.

Only three actions had been observed.

First, he swatted away two low-grade cursed spirits.

This was something all the students at Jujutsu High could do. Grade 3 and below cursed spirits were really just that weak.

Second, he forced a third-year to withdraw.

From Kyoto's perspective, and especially for that third-year defeated by Akira, this wasn't a highlight – it was a stain.

Everyone else had experienced real combat before retreating, even "cunning" Inumaki and Panda, who skillfully used their abilities but just lost by a hair.

But Akira? He used a Grade 2 cursed spirit as a diversion, tricking and ambushing his opponent by making them focus on a supposed game-changing element.

It felt worse than losing outright.

Sure, a loss is a loss, no one could deny that, but to acknowledge Akira's strength from that? Impossible.

A schemer should stay in the back, strategizing obediently. Don't come to the front and play at being strong. Not to boast, but that's what all the big names do.

Third, he sent Gardevoir to stop Hakari Kinji and Todo Aoi.

The problem was, Gardevoir's psychic powers had no visual effects – only when highly compressed would they distort the light and create rainbow colors. Against Hakari and Todo, Gardevoir barely exerted any force, and through the screen watched by crows, there was nothing to see.

At most, they saw Gardevoir appear between the two with a phone, and they stopped fighting soon after. Who would think they were actually forcibly restrained?

The two muscleheads certainly didn't go around broadcasting it. Although Utahime had warned her students to be cautious of Akira, saying his technique was similar to "Cursed Spirit Manipulation," if it were really that, why would they need to fight like that?

He could just team up with Yuta and crush everyone, just like the exchange event ten years ago where two special grades dominated the entire Kyoto school. Utahime and Mei Mei were both there as participants and victims.

That's what a true powerhouse should look like.

Akira might not be weak, but calling him another Yuta? No one would believe that.

After waiting a while without anyone stepping into the arena, Akira spoke again, "Is Kyoto High all talk? You won't beat me like that. No need to hold back – I'm a one-man squad, it's perfectly fair for all of you to come at me."

Fair, my foot.

By your logic, anyone using shikigami should count as participating in a group battle. This guy was really asking for a beating.

Even Nishimiya Momo, who had a good impression of Akira thanks to her relationship with Mai Zen'in, pouted and muttered, "Not cute at all."

"Enough with the lousy provocations," Kamo Noritoshi finally spoke, his voice stern. "Rules are rules, and no one can break them."

"Rules… huh?" Akira sighed. "You've really become something unpleasant, Kamo Noritoshi."

His nostalgic tone, the complicated intonation, made Kamo feel an even greater sense of incongruity. But Akira didn't give him time to dwell on it:

"I gave you all a chance, don't blame me for not seizing it. Now, let's start. Who's first?"

The third-year student ranked first jumped into the arena.

Akira glanced at him. "Oh, it's yesterday's loser."

"That was because of your tricks! Today, I'll pay you back with interest!" The disgraced senior was seething with rage.

"Thinking like that is why you lost."

Akira lazily yawned, leaning back and falling straight toward the ground.

Before his head touched the ground, a teal silhouette appeared, bending her knee just right to cushion the back of the boy's head.

Akira closed his eyes, letting out a comfortable hum, as if he was about to drift off to sleep.

"You brat!!!" His opponent was livid. "Get up!"

"Don't fall for his taunts," Kamo called from the sidelines.

"I know."

The opponent was shouting but made no reckless moves.

Akira's strength aside, his mind was definitely sharp.

If he got tricked again, ambushed again, he'd completely lose face.

"—Technique release!"

Against someone like this, the best tactic was to not let him think – use full force to defeat him!

So he started by releasing his technique, channeling his full cursed energy.

However, before the surging energy could fully convert, a heavy darkness emerged from the shadows, and dark claws mercilessly aimed for his back.

The Dark-type Pokemon, Darkrai, was already on the move.

The sorcerer spun sharply, evading the attack as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

"Knew you'd try that! I'll start washing away yesterday's shame with you!"

The third-year's wrist flicked, and his cursed tool lashed out like a snake at Darkrai.

The force of the wind hinted at his mastery of close-quarters combat. Combined with an enhancement-type curse that enveloped his cursed tool, even a Grade 2 cursed spirit would struggle to withstand it.

But Akira's Darkrai was no longer comparable to a Grade 2 cursed spirit. In less than two months, it had accumulated the equivalent of Gardevoir's eight years of experience, surpassing the level 30 threshold.

With the high starting point of a mythical Pokemon, even weaker Grade 1 cursed spirits wouldn't stand a chance.

Darkrai blocked the attack with a single claw.

Not only did it block, but using the claw's hooked nature, it reversed the momentum, yanking the opponent toward itself.

"This strength… Not good—"

The third-year, with commendable adaptability, knew he couldn't win in a contest of strength, immediately pulling away.

But by then, Darkrai had already activated its move—Quick Attack.

The darkness surged, resembling black lightning, and in an instant, Darkrai was in front of its opponent, slashing with both claws.

This was an extremely high-speed attack, and the power was nothing to scoff at.

As Admiral Kizaru from the Navy once said: Speed is power.

Though Darkrai didn't reach the speed of light, its power still far exceeded the opponent's strongest attack.

The opponent barely registered the movement before his chest was slashed.

And that was with preemptive curse energy defense; a moment later, it would have been fatal.

Just as he thought he'd survived the first strike, the terrifying enemy had already vanished.

"Behind you!"

Ignoring the source of the voice, the injured sorcerer hastily turned, only to glimpse a blur.

That was a residual image, left by sheer speed. Darkrai had once again moved behind him.

Move: Feint Attack.

Also known as Surprise Attack.

Its core purpose? To deceive and ambush.

Dark claws gripped both sides of the sorcerer's throat.

The same move as during yesterday's group battle.

Kyoto High fell collectively silent, as if each person felt those claws on their own necks.

Enjoying the comfort of Gardevoir's lap pillow, Akira turned over, presenting his back to the twice-defeated opponent, and coolly said:

"Next."