The students stared, many with mouths agape, some tapping their feet with a mix of both nervousness and excitement. Most hesitated for only a moment before Kojiro's wild grin pulled them forward. "Step through!" he shouted, gesturing toward the shattered window. With a collective shuffle, the class clambered through the jagged opening.
Daiki carefully hopped down, his knees bending on impact. He winced a bit, tugging on the bracelet on his wrist. Ren landed beside him with a loud thud, cracking his knuckles and laughing.
"Finally! Some real action! I was getting bored just standing around," he shouted, laughing. "Let's see who's got some real guts!"
Daiki frowned slightly but stayed quiet, walking forward while fixing his collar.
The rest of Class 1-F fanned out across the arena. Daiki quickly realised that almost everyone in this small class had interesting personalities. Some were nervous, others were a little too eager. Some danced lightly on their toes, testing the ground. There was some kid in the corner muttering what sounded like strategies to themselves.
All of this served to make Daiki even more nervous. All the fights he had been in up to this point were life-or-death.
Kojiro shouted once again, sheathed sword flicking in the sun. "Now that everyone's through the window, it is time to duel! I will select the pairings, and you will fight! Reckless or cautious, bold or careful, I will see it all." Dust and sunlight mixed as Kojiro's grin stretched almost impossibly wide.
"Now then!" he shouted, facing the class. "The first match will be..." He narrowed his eyes, scanning the group, "Daiki Fushino! Ren Takagi! Step forward now!"
Ren's hair shone in the sun as he cracked his knuckles and walked into the middle of the arena. His bright eyes sparkled with excitement. He began bouncing on his heels, a wide grin planted on his face. "Hope you're ready to get crushed, Fushino!"
Daiki frowned a bit, rolling his shoulders. Fighting a meathead was great news.
"I guess I don't have a choice, huh?"
"Of course not!" Kojiro barked. "You fight Takagi now, or you get killed by me later! Show me your teeth, lambs."
Those words served as the motivation Daiki needed.
He stepped forward into the middle of the arena, a tight feeling spiking within his chest. He stepped back, raising his arms into a defensive stance. His eyes stayed on Ren. His muscles coiled as a drop of nervous sweat dripped down on his face.
Ren simply had his hands on his hips, a confident smile shining on his face.
"Begin!" Kojiro's voice sliced across the arena.
Ren moved instantly.
His foot slammed against the stone floor, and Daiki watched in shock as his skin began to shimmer, hardening into a rough, rock-like texture.[1]
Was that his Ketsugojin?
Before Daiki could even finish his thought, Ren immediately lunged forward, charging like a landslide. His fists swung through the air directly at Daiki's head, body moving like a bullet across the arena. "Come on, Fushino! Give me a fight!"
Daiki pivoted, slipping his head to the side, barely avoiding Ren's first strike. Ren immediately followed up with another blow, a sweeping hook to his temple. Daiki dodged by the skin of his teeth, ducking under the blow and stepping back to make distance.
All of those punches felt heavier than they should, and they didn't even hit him. His Ketsugojin, Surge, and the forward motion it gave him were nowhere to be found. He didn't know what to do. Another drop of nervous sweat left Daiki's forehead before Ren charged forward again.
He laughed loudly, throwing out a violent kick at Daiki's midsection; Daiki moved sideways, once again avoiding a crushing impact.
For whatever reason, he felt like his heart was going to pop out of his chest.
His breathing shortened.
And then suddenly...
He felt it.
Surge, and all the energy that came from it. His limbs felt alive, his reflexes sharpened, and his eyes began to flare. He saw it. A chance to strike. A chance to become the oppressor instead of the victim. He clenched his fist, his body shrouded in a aura of blue flame and energy.
The whole world suddenly made sense.
Seizing the opening, Daiki threw a swift hook into Ren's side. His Reiki surged through his entire body, resulting in an explosive and powerful blow that sent Ren staggering sideways. He was feeling the same rush of energy he had felt during the evaluation, and the same that had carried him when he protected that girl.
Surge was finally present.
Without pausing, Daiki exploded forward to close the distance, following up with a blistering hook to Ren's chin. It hit, but Ren stayed grounded. It had felt like he hit a stone, and his grin stayed prevalent. With no wasted movement, Ren violently swung his fist forward, a haymaker flying towards Daiki's head like a rocket. Daiki reacted before thinking, as he dipped under the punch and let his momentum carry him forward. Then, Daiki sprang upward off his legs, driving a hook straight into Ren's chest, which packed enough force to make him stagger back.
Despite it all, Ren still looked like he was having the time of his life.
"Not bad, Fushino!" Ren shouted, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You're scrappy!" He leapt back, then charged forward like a bull, throwing a wide and wild hook with his right fist. Daiki reacted instinctively, using his forearm to block the hook, and then pushed forward to shove Ren with an elbow that launched into his chest.
As that exchange of blows ended, the two students circled each other, both breathing heavily, muscles straining. Dust rose around their shoes as they shifted on the platform, eyes locked. Daiki noticed how reinforced and tough Ren's body was, absorbing blows with almost rock-like hardness. He could feel it every time he hit him.
He couldn't meet this dude head-on. He was too tough for that.
Daiki adjusted, waiting for Ren to charge forward once again.
And so he did, lunging forward, shouting, "You're good! I like it! Don't think I'll hold back!"
Daiki's eyes sharpened despite the incessant pounding in his chest. "Neither will I!" He pivoted, twisting his body mid-step to land a knee strike, followed by a rapid hook to Ren's jaw. The impacts rattled Ren slightly, but he still laughed, enduring and just moving forward.
An Unstoppable Force vs An Immovable Object.
The fight escalated, and movements became a rhythm of feints, blocks, and strikes. Each clash of shoulders or fist sent dust into the air; each dodge or counter displayed instinct and adaptation.
Daiki's Reiki surged with each moment, Surge allowing him to keep moving forward, muscles firing faster, reflexes sharper, but he was still unable to deal any long-lasting damage. All he had was scrappy movement and instincts. It felt like he was fighting a Gorilla.
Finally, Kojiro clapped sharply. "Enough! Both of you! If any of you break something, Sagawa-san will be upset with me."
Daiki and Ren stepped back, chests heaving, dust and sweat coating their uniforms. Ren walked over to Daiki and gave him a hard slap on the shoulder, laughing. "Not bad, Fushino! You've got real spirit."
Daiki twisted his bracelet, heart pounding and gave Ren a small grin. "Thanks. You're really tough."
The rest of Class 1-F finished their duels rather quickly:
Some students created or projected elements, like fire or ice. It was a cool experience for Daiki.
Others physically boosted themselves, like Ren and Daiki.
All in all, lots of potential and chaos were displayed, but very little control. Everyone was still raw in their potential.
After the last pair of students had fought, Kojiro had enough. "Class is done! Rest, recover, and remember—tomorrow, we're gonna have a field trip!"
A ripple tore through the crowd.
A field trip with this guy could never be normal.
As they climbed through the broken window, whispers ran through the students. Some laughed, some teased, some looked like they were quietly plotting.
And before Daiki knew it, he felt like he was going to pass out.
[1] Ren's Ketsugojin, Essence Reinforcement, allows him to reinforce any part of his body with the properties of materials he touches.