"W-What are you doing?! Your hand! Let go of my wrist or you're going to burn yourself!"
While Kodama was in a sheer panic, staring at his smoking hand, Suzuki only frowned slightly. He realized that his spontaneous technique wasn't quite as perfect as he had calculated.
But this is normal, he reasoned internally.
If he had to grade it, the impromptu barrier he had just developed was a massive success. It had successfully blocked and grounded Kodama's localized lightning strike, preventing the lethal electrical current from entering his—or Takeru's—body. However, because his Element barrier wasn't perfectly calibrated, the sheer, searing temperature of the lightning had caused mild, superficial burns across his palm.
Even so, while his feat was shocking to the crowd, Suzuki knew there were far stronger masters and monsters in this world. Blocking one strike didn't make him invincible. What it did do, without a doubt, was permanently solidify his image as the most reliable, capable student in the freshman class.
"I won't let go," Suzuki replied calmly.
"Why?! You're getting hurt!"
"Because if I let go, you're going to kill him."
His voice was low, meant only for her ears, but Kodama heard it perfectly. Her expression instantly froze. Did he notice my killing intent?
Then... why?
Even if he knew she was actively trying to murder his roommate, why did he throw himself in harm's way to stop her?
"I told you earlier, didn't I?" Suzuki smiled faintly. "I don't want a girl I just met to become a murderer. We only just got to know each other. Isn't it a bit cruel of you to try and ruin your life and leave me behind so soon?"
"...As expected, you're totally into me, aren't you?" Kodama muttered, her fierce glare faltering as a blush crept up her neck.
Suzuki could only roll his eyes at her stubbornness.
"But even so, I can't stop," Kodama insisted, her voice trembling slightly. "This is my destiny. It's what I was born for. I have to kill him."
"Why? Did Takeru do something to you?"
"No. But you wouldn't understand."
They had only met an hour ago; there was no way Kodama could explain her ancient, bloody past to a total stranger. Her history was a deeply guarded secret. If the wrong people found out who—and what—she truly was, her entire revenge plan would be ruined.
Then again, Suzuki actually did know a decent amount about this world's lore. Well... sort of. There were still massive gaps in his knowledge because the original Maken-Ki manga was largely just a vehicle for ecchi battles. The fights in the story rarely relied on hard logic or deep mystery; they were usually won through sheer 'spirit,' the 'will to never give up,' and the power of friendship.
Regardless of the plot holes, Suzuki absolutely refused to let Kodama murder Takeru right now. As he had said, it would be a massive waste of her potential if she was arrested for public assassination. Plus, if she really had to kill the guy, did she seriously have to do it on a brightly lit stage in front of the entire academy?
"Then again, Senpai..." Suzuki leaned in slightly. "Why would a dense, hopelessly perverted idiot like him be your mortal enemy?"
"....." Takeru flinched in the background.
Still, Suzuki's blunt assessment acted like a splash of cold water on Kodama's raging instincts. She paused, looking past Suzuki to stare at Takeru. The boy looked terrified, confused, and was currently trying to hide behind Suzuki like a frightened puppy.
"I am not an idiot!" Takeru finally protested.
"You're right..." Kodama murmured, the crackling lightning around her palm finally fizzling out. The suffocating killing intent vanished. It was painfully obvious that someone as remarkably stupid and harmless as Takeru couldn't possibly be the ancient, terrifying enemy from her past.
"Right?" Takeru chimed in hopefully.
"..."
While Takeru was somewhat offended that both of them had casually agreed he was an idiot, he was mostly just relieved that the terrifying upperclassman had stopped trying to electrocute him.
Just as the collective audience breathed a sigh of relief, a sudden blur of motion erupted from the side of the stage. A new figure had materialized right next to Kodama and was launching a devastating strike!
"I won't let you hurt Takeru-sama!"
"Huh?!"
Kodama gasped, whirling around to see a cute, short-haired girl with massive, bouncing breasts charging at her. The girl's arms were equipped with gigantic, viciously sharp metal claws, and she was swinging them straight for Kodama's head!
Before the claws could connect, Suzuki sighed internally. He smoothly stepped between them, his hands darting out like striking vipers.
"Huh?!"
The attacking girl gasped as Suzuki flawlessly caught her wrist. Instead of blocking the immense force of her charge, he pulled her forward, completely shattering her center of balance. He stepped into her guard, guiding her momentum into a tight, inescapable circle.
Like a leaf caught in a violent whirlpool, the girl was effortlessly spun through the air, flipped completely upside down, and deposited softly onto the floor of the stage, as if she had landed on a plush cushion.
"...Aikido?"
From the sidelines, Principal Minori Rokujo watched in sheer astonishment.
Yes, Suzuki was utilizing Aikido—the martial art that many internet skeptics considered fake or utterly useless in a real fight. Yet, in Suzuki's highly optimized hands, it was an art that bred absolute hopelessness in his opponents. Instead of meeting force with raw force, he manipulated momentum, center of gravity, and kinetic energy, turning his opponents into helpless ragdolls who defeated themselves.
It wasn't about mystical ki, unyielding spirit, or flashy auras. It was pure, terrifyingly precise physics.
Kaitennage (Rotary Throw).
It was a technique where he forced the girl's head down while simultaneously swinging her captured arm forward, creating a brutal centrifugal force that sent her rolling head-over-heels across the stage again and again.
The girl desperately tried to stand up and launch another attack, but Suzuki was already there. Every time she moved, she felt like she was being pulled by an invisible magnet, spun in endless circles like a hamster trapped on a wheel.
"D-Don't hurt her!" Takeru pleaded, watching Suzuki effortlessly completely dismantle the girl.
"Do you honestly think I'm as clumsy as you?" Suzuki replied calmly, not even breaking a sweat.
"...." Takeru.
Suzuki was in complete control. He hadn't hurt the girl at all; he was merely exhausting her stamina.
With the combined combat memories of the Arifureta Suzuki, he had access to countless lethal martial arts. If he wanted to, he could have ended the fight in a single, brutal movement using Bajiquan, or used Judo to violently slam the girl into the stage, shattering her ribs.
But where was he? He was in the Maken-Ki universe, a world where 90% of the combatants were beautiful women. Suzuki had absolutely zero desire to brutally injure beautiful girls. Instead of hurting them, his preferred method of combat was to simply pin them down and gently exhaust them.
"Have you calmed down yet?"
Suzuki looked down at the girl. She was sprawled on the stage, completely exhausted. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed crimson from the extreme, dizzying physical activity.
"I..."
"That's enough! It's over!"
Before the chaos could escalate any further, Principal Minori stepped to the center of the stage, clapping her hands loudly. She looked at Kodama, who immediately lowered her head in shame. She looked at the exhausted girl with the claws, who also looked intensely guilty. Finally, she looked at Suzuki.
Suzuki maintained a perfectly neutral expression. He hadn't done anything wrong; he had only defended himself and others. Yet, as Minori stepped closer, his eyes inadvertently dropped to her chest. Her breasts were simply immense, stretching the fabric of her professional suit to its absolute breaking point.
"....."
Okay, now he felt slightly guilty.
"Excellent work! You are a highly promising newcomer!"
Minori flashed a brilliant, thrilling grin and stepped right into his personal space, happily patting his shoulder. She stood so close that Suzuki could distinctly feel the soft, overwhelming weight of her massive chest pressing against his arm through her suit jacket.
"That concludes our entrance ceremony! Let's give a massive round of applause to everyone on stage!"
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The auditorium erupted into thunderous applause. The freshmen were absolutely mind-blown by the flashy, intense combat demonstration, completely unaware of the actual lethal intent that had just occurred.
As the students began to file out of the hall, Minori turned her gaze to Kodama, the mysterious claw-wielding girl, and Takeru. Her playful smile vanished, replaced by a serious, commanding look.
"You three, stay behind. We need to have a very serious talk in my office."
Suzuki sighed in profound relief. His job here was done. He turned to leave and head back to his peaceful dorm room—
Grab.
Minori's hand clamped firmly onto the back of his collar.
"You too, Suzuki-kun."
"....." Suzuki.