"After a full day of matches, we have reached the finals of the loser's bracket!"
The announcer's voice carried across the arena as people settled in.
"Only two participants remain!"
A screen displayed the names.
Futago Kamo
Kinzoku Gojo
"Futago's taking it."
"He hasn't even used his cursed technique yet."
"Yeah, he's been ending fights without showing anything."
"Still," another voice added, "that Gojo guy hasn't exactly struggled either."
"That's true. He only lost once—and that was early."
"And he dominated everyone else after that."
The betting area off to the side was already active.
"Odds are shifting—Futago's still the favorite!"
"Of course he is."
"Hasn't even gone all out at once."
"Who do you think is going to win Satoru?" From the stands Suguru asked, he seemed a little interested in this fight.
"Probably Futa-chan, from what my clan gathered he is the stronger of the twins." Satoru Gojo answered.
"... Futa-chan?"
"Yeah, It's a nickname I made for him. He is gonna love it don't you think"
"..."
"Satoru, you shouldn't be so brash, quiet kids like Futago are the ones you have to watch out for. He might genuinely crash out mid-fight if you call him that" Suguru warned.
"What? I just gave him a good nickname, it's just a short version of his name. If anything he should be honored I granted him this"
__
Kinzoku POV:
I didn't look toward the crowd.
Didn't acknowledge the noise.
"…Second."
The word sat in my mind.
That's all I had ever been.
Second to Satoru.
Second in recognition.
Even now
People weren't watching me.
They thought I was going to lose to some 10 year old brat.
"…Wastrel."
My jaw tightened slightly.
Satoru Gojo.
Blessed with the Six Eyes and Limitless.
Given everything from the moment he was born.
And yet
No discipline, nor structure.
No understanding of what it meant to carry the surname Gojo.
I exhaled slowly.
"I would've been a better head."
I finally said it, the truth I always believed.
Even if it was to just myself, this validation was necessary.
Strength wasn't just talent.
It was a responsibility. Consistency.
Things Satoru lacked.
Things I had.
"…And I still lost."
My gaze lowered slightly.
To that child.
Tomogui Kamo.
"If I knew he was that strong I would have tried more. I wouldn't have bothered holding back to surprise Satoru."
"…That won't happen again."
This time, I couldn't risk it, I had to win this, or I wouldn't have the chance to defeat Satoru Gojo in front of everyone.
No reason to hold anything back.
'Futago Kamo, you will lose this match no matter what.'
My thoughts began to cool down as I approached the fighting stand.
___
Futago POV:
"Final match of the loser's bracket!"
The announcer raised his voice again.
"Futago Kamo versus Kinzoku Gojo! Both contestants enter the arena!"
I stepped forward without saying anything.
'I have already seen what Kinzoku can do, I just have to get close and pressure him with h2h. He is inferior to me and Tomogui in that regard. Plus our physical stats far surpass his after the Holy Ichor buffs. '
Across from me, Kinzoku walked in at the same pace. He had his own thoughts about this battle.
'I can't lose this match no matter what. No matter what. Him and his brother haven't been using their cursed technique throughout the whole tournament, most likely keeping it a secret. Meaning he will do the exact same during this fight. I just have to keep my distance and not let this become a brawl.'
'Even if it does become a brawl I have something special prepared for him
We stopped a few meters apart.
Unlike my fight with Gojo there were no introductions or cocky remarks. All I could see was the strict teenager prepared to strike once that match started.
"Begin!"
Kinzoku moved first.
Metal shifted around him immediately—plates and fragments lifting from his body and the ground near him.
They shot forward in sharp bursts.
I stepped to the side, letting one pass.
Another came from a different angle, I ducked under it.
A third
I caught it with my hand and crushed it, letting the fragments fall as I kept moving forward.
'Straightforward.'
More pieces came.
Denser this time.
Faster.
I didn't slow down.
A quick step in, a punch
The metal shattered on contact.
I closed the distance.
Kinzoku reacted immediately, pulling more material in to block my path, but I was already in range.
A strike to the side.
Another to the center.
Each hit forced him back.
He tried to stabilize, but the gap was obvious.
'Still not enough.'
I didn't use Flowing Red Scale.
I didn't need it.
Another step forward.
Another hit.
Kinzoku's guard held but just barely.
His movement tightened.
Then
He stopped retreating.
"…Fine. I shouldn't have expected to beat you like this. Especially with such ludicrous cursed energy volume being outputted. But whatever if you think you are strong because of the cursed energy you were born with then you are mistaken."
The metal around him shifted again but this time, it didn't form projectiles.
It collected around himself, and began to compress around his figure.
Compressed.
Then spread.
A thin layer wrapped around his arm.
Then his torso.
Then the rest of his body.
The texture changed as it moved.
Not rigid.
Not fully fluid either.
Something in between.
The outer layer hardened into a structured shell, forming clean, defined edges along his frame.
Underneath it, the metal didn't stay still.
It flowed.
Adjusted.
Absorbed.
Each movement caused subtle shifts in density areas tightening, others softening, redistributing force across the surface.
A non-uniform defense.
Blunt force wouldn't land the same way twice.
The armor settled into place, covering him completely.
No gaps.
No exposed areas.
He flexed once.
The surface responded instantly.
Reinforcing.
Stabilizing.
"…Try it now. This is my strongest application of metal manipulation Aegis of Non-Newtonian Fluid"
I watched for a second.
'That armor that formed around him … It looked exactly like the berserker armor from Beserk'
'Why didn't he use this against Tomogui?'
*I'm pretty lucky I don't have to deal with all the bullshit you have to* Adding salt to the injury, Tomogui's voice rang out in my head.
"… I guess I'll have to take this more seriously"
Metal Manipulation Extension Technique Aegis of Non-Newtonian Metal
Aegis of Non-Newtonian Metal was more than just setting a layer of metallic armor over yourself.
The structure of this armor operated on two distinct layers.
The outer shell which was rigid, and unyielding served as the framework. A constructed exoskeleton formed through precise control of metallic mass, giving the armor shape, stability, and immediate resistance.
But the true mechanism lay beneath.
The inner layer did not behave as solid metal.
It flowed.
A semi-fluid metal, governed by cursed energy, designed to respond rather than resist. Under minimal stress, it remained malleable, shifting freely allowing the user to move unrestricted. However, upon impact, its properties changed instantly.
The greater the force applied, the greater the resistance became.
A principle not unlike that of non-Newtonian matter.
Blunt strikes, no matter how powerful, were met with an immediate increase in density. The energy of impact did not concentrate. Distributed across the entire structure, redirected through the flowing inner layer, diffused before it could breach the core.
A strike that would shatter ordinary defenses would instead have its force be absorbed and redistributed.
Such performance was not achieved freely.
This extension technique was only possible with the assistance of Binding Vows.
Including a plethora of binding vows, Kinzoku made a vow that restricted him from using his cursed technique for any purpose other than maintaining the armor.
This was an extension of Kinzoku's cursed technique formed through a decade of research and training.