"Naoki, since you're already here, would you mind helping me with something?" Kyouka asked suddenly, her expression turning grave.
"Sure." Naoki nodded casually. "As long as it's something I'm capable of and it doesn't violate my morals."
"Relax. What I'm asking isn't difficult for you." Kyouka turned toward Himari, who was standing a short distance away.
"Eh? Commander?" Himari looked confused as she suddenly became the center of Kyouka's attention.
"The task is simple. Naoki, I want you to spar against Himari, assisted by Yuuki." Kyouka said without further ado.
"That's it?" Naoki raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. That's all. What do you say?"
"Fine by me."
Naoki had already guessed where Kyouka's train of thought was heading. Sure enough, Kyouka immediately explained her intent to Himari as the girl approached.
"Himari, use this opportunity to learn something from Naoki. Your Peach Blessings share a similarity: the ability to copy. It's not impossible that some form of resonance or new understanding occurs when your powers clash."
"Commander... Understood! I'll give it everything I've got!" Himari replied enthusiastically.
She felt deeply moved that Kyouka was so invested in her growth, making her respect for the Seventh Unit Commander deepen even further.
Meanwhile, Naoki strolled over to Ryunosuke and Yuuki, who were still tense from their earlier exchange.
"Yo! Lolicon! How did it feel to be kissed by an elementary schooler? Let's hear your testimony before the FBI hauls you away." Naoki teased with a mischievous smirk.
"Naoki, you too... Haaah... Ryunosuke is understandable because he doesn't know about the Reward mechanism, but you're different! You know exactly why that happened."
Yuuki let out a weary sigh at his friend's joke. However, his eyes suddenly sharpened, alight with a burning fighting spirit.
"Naoki, we didn't get a chance to fight at the previous exhibition because of the Eight Thunder Gods' interference. To be honest, I've really wanted to test my skills against you directly."
Naoki returned the gaze with a faint, challenging smile. "I've been looking forward to trading blows with you too, Yuuki. Let's see just how well you can keep up with my «Pandemonium»."
Ryunosuke: "😐".
This dismissive attitude, this total disregard—as if he were nothing but trash—was the final trigger that snapped his patience.
The ultimate insult is indifference.
Ryunosuke clenched his fists so hard his nails turned white, feeling completely ostracized from a world where these "special" men held sway. In the midst of the combat-ready atmosphere between Naoki and Yuuki, Ryunosuke was just a forgotten shadow, a spectator whose presence was relegated to that of a mere Background Character B.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The sparring match was decided, and execution followed without delay.
Naoki stood in a relaxed stance, both hands tucked into his pockets. He was ten meters away from Himari and Yuuki, who had already taken up high-alert fighting positions. Their expressions were in stark contrast to his; both looked as serious as if they were facing a Demon King planning to conquer the world.
On the sidelines, Kyouka, Nei, and Shushu stood at a safe distance. They formed a line to protect Ryunosuke, ensuring the ordinary human wouldn't be blown away by the shockwaves the battle was bound to create.
"You don't need to hold back out of fear of hurting me or getting hurt." Naoki said lightly. "I don't have a Ginna Club, but I do have a Peach Blessing that can heal others' injuries in an instant. Himari, I think you know better than I do which one I'm talking about."
At that hint, Himari's eyes widened. She immediately guessed which power he meant.
"«Transience»..." Himari's expression became complex. "I didn't think you'd go as far as copying my grandmother's ability, Azuma Tobera."
Naoki just shrugged nonchalantly. "When I was filtering for Peach Blessings with healing capabilities, «Transience» went straight to the top of the list. Compared to other healing types with limited applications, it's far more flexible since it's essentially Vitality Manipulation, not just simple mending."
He then gestured with his hand for them to make their move.
"Come on, let's get started. On a real battlefield, the enemy isn't going to wait for you to finish your transformation like in a Sentai series."
Himari grumbled under her breath as her gaze sharpened. "I don't need you to tell me that!"
"Yuuki! Let's wipe that annoying look off his face!" Himari shouted with determination.
"Yeah! I'm also really fed up with Naoki calling me a lolicon!" Yuuki barked back.
Without wasting a second, Yuuki took a deep breath and kissed the back of Himari's hand, which she had extended toward him to activate the contract.
*WOOOOSH!*
The transformation began instantly. A violent gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, swirling fiercely to form a shroud that hid their figures. As the wind slowly died down and the dust settled, Yuuki had completely shifted into his Slave form.
"Whirlwind!"
In this form, Yuuki transformed into an anthropomorphic creature—a fusion of a Shuuki and a predatory canine. His head featured a snout with pointed ears, rows of sharp teeth, and a pair of glowing green eyes behind a mask. His attire had changed drastically into a ninja-like suit, complete with a long, flowing light-blue scarf, black arm and thigh guards, and dark hakama pants that suggested extreme agility.
"Wind, huh..." Naoki remarked in a calm tone, devoid of any fear. "In that case, I'll face you with a similar element. Using «Ame-no-Mitori» here would feel unfair to you. Besides, you'd have no way to neutralize my Infinity."
Instantly, the black-gold inverted cross pattern appeared in Naoki's eyes, signaling the activation of «Pandemonium».
*SHING!*
Within his consciousness, the A'arab Zaraq slot on the Qliphoth Tree diagram glowed brightly.
"By the way, Himari." Naoki said suddenly, breaking the tension just before the clash began.
"What now?!" Himari snapped, still in her high-alert stance.
Naoki smirked, his gaze teasing. "Call me 'Brother-in-law.'"
"..."
The atmosphere fell into a bizarre silence.
Himari froze, her mouth slightly agape, but no words came out. It was true—Yachiho had already told her everything about their relationship—but it still felt incredibly strange. Calling a guy her own age by that title felt awkward and surreal.
Himari's face flushed beet red, not out of romantic embarrassment, but out of sheer irritation. Without answering the ridiculous request, she immediately deflected with a loud shout.
"Yuuki! Attack him right now! Smash that annoying face of his!"
"On it!"
Watching the scene, Naoki couldn't help but chuckle internally. Witnessing the way Himari gave commands and how Yuuki reacted so obediently, Naoki felt as if he were watching a Pokémon Trainer issuing instructions to their star Pokémon in the heat of a match.
"Alright then. Show me what your 'Pokémon' can do, Himari."
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