Shade
As Aki counted down the start of the battle, tension crackled in the air, palpable even amidst the anticipation of the impending clash.
"So... How did he get here?" Fuyu inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Him and our old inheritor were both competing," Aki explained, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "He lost the competition and was sent to the Sanctuary, but after our old inheritor died in the fight against the spring inheritor, he was chosen to replace him."
"Why didn't you keep him at the Sanctuary?" Fuyu pressed, intrigued by the circumstances surrounding Osoi's presence in the arena.
"He... he was too determined to become a student of one of the seasons," Aki admitted reluctantly, a note of admiration in her tone.
"How determined?" Fuyu probed further, his interest clearly piqued.
"He defeated all of the fellow students in the Sanctuary, beat two teachers, and almost destroyed the building," Aki revealed, her voice tinged with awe.
"All just to become a student?" Fuyu questioned, incredulous at Osoi's single-minded determination.
"No, his true dream is to become a great one!" Aki declared, her voice filled with respect for Osoi's lofty aspirations.
"That is- is that possible?" Fuyu wondered aloud, his mind reeling at the thought of such an ambitious goal.
As the conversation unfolded, Toruri listened intently, absorbing the revelations about Osoi's past with keen interest.
"Wait, so that kid is from the Sanctuary? I heard that place was like a prison," Toruri interjected, his curiosity piqued.
"That's a lie! It's where we send students who didn't become a season student. They learn from elite Purotekuta, hell I used to teach former students there," Fuyu clarified, dispelling misconceptions about the Sanctuary. "Also, the Sanctuary holds the medical part of the Negative Point, and the Purotekuta hideout."
"Oh. Oh wow," Toruri murmured, his eyes widening in realization.
"Are you two going to fight!?" Arasu's impatient voice shattered the conversation, drawing everyone's attention back to the arena.
"He's just staring at me..." Ryoshi remarked, his gaze locked with Osoi's.
"Perfect," Osoi murmured ominously, his voice dripping with menace.
"Perfect?" Ryoshi questioned, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Dark Magic: Cursed Mist!" Osoi declared, unleashing a ball of dark energy towards Ryoshi.
"Surriku No Ha!" Ryoshi countered, summoning his weapon and intercepting the attack. But as the ball of dark magic burst upon impact, a thick black mist billowed forth, enveloping the entire arena in its ominous embrace.
Ryoshi's mind raced as he found himself engulfed in the darkness of Osoi's cursed mist. Panic threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced himself to remain calm, searching for a solution amid the chaos.
"I can't see! Wait, I know what I can do," Ryoshi thought, his mind racing with possibilities.
With a decisive leap, Ryoshi launched himself into the air, seeking refuge from the oppressive mist below.
"Magical Weapon: Akuma No Kumade," Osoi intoned, summoning a sinister-looking pitchfork adorned with glowing white marks on its tines.
"Eh-" Ryoshi began, but before he could react, Osoi's weapon materialized, and the mist dissipated, revealing the arena once more.
"Ok!" Osoi declared, his voice filled with determination as he twirled his pitchfork and charged towards Ryoshi with unwavering resolve.
"I need to play defensive until I can figure this guy out," Ryoshi strategized, bracing himself for the impending clash.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Ryoshi intercepted Osoi's strikes, their blades clashing with resounding force as they danced across the arena floor. Each movement was calculated, each parry executed with precision, as Ryoshi sought to gauge his opponent's abilities.
"You're a difficult opponent," Osoi conceded, his voice tinged with admiration for Ryoshi's skill.
"Only if you let me," Ryoshi replied, his tone confident despite the challenge before him.
Suddenly, Osoi unleashed a barrage of dark magic projectiles, each one aimed at Ryoshi with deadly accuracy. With swift movements, Ryoshi deflected the onslaught, his focus unwavering even in the face of adversity.
"I've got you now!" Osoi exclaimed triumphantly, launching into another assault.
But Ryoshi was ready, his mind sharp and his instincts honed from years of training. With a swift maneuver, he activated his skill: "ICE REVERSAL!"
In an instant, Osoi found his arms encased in a layer of ice, his movements restricted by the frozen bonds.
"What the-" Osoi began, but before he could react, Ryoshi seized the opportunity, launching a counterattack with calculated precision.
But Osoi was not so easily defeated. With a swift motion, he unleashed a blast of dark magic from his foot, sending Ryoshi staggering backwards.
"I've never fought an ice magic user before! This will be a first," Osoi remarked, breaking free from the ice that bound him.
As Osoi surveyed the battlefield, his gaze fell upon something lying on the ground, a glimmer of curiosity flickering in his eyes.
As Osoi bent down to inspect the curious puddle on the ground, he suddenly found himself ensnared by an icy hand that emerged from its depths, seizing his face in a vice-like grip and slowly encasing it in freezing cold.
Ryoshi wasted no time, his instincts guiding him as he charged towards Osoi with unwavering determination, driving his sword deep into Osoi's vulnerable form.
"Darn it! How could I let this happen so early?" Osoi cursed inwardly, his mind racing with the urgency of the situation. "I can't lose now, but... this hand is suffocating me, and the stab this guy just did has me stuck. I might die from this. I can't lose now..."
With a strained effort, Osoi attempted to summon his weapon, but to no avail. Desperation gripped him as he realized the dire predicament he found himself in.
"This is concerning..." Aki remarked, her voice tinged with worry as she observed the unfolding events.
"For you it is," Fuyu retorted, his tone grave as he assessed the situation with a critical eye.
"No, for all of us," Aki countered, her expression grave as she contemplated the potential consequences of Osoi's predicament.
"Should we..." Arasu began, his voice trailing off as uncertainty clouded his thoughts.
"Now I just realized. Ryoshi, back away from him!!!" Fuyu's command rang out with urgency, overriding any hesitation.
"Isn't you telling me what to do against the rules?" Ryoshi challenged, a hint of defiance in his voice.
"SHUT UP AND DO IT!!!" Fuyu's response brooked no argument, his authority absolute in the face of danger.
"Listen to him!" Aki urged, her voice filled with urgency as she echoed Fuyu's directive.
"Kuroshi, take out your gun and lock down Osoi's body!" Fuyu commanded, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.
"Yessir! Yume No Ju!" Kuroshi responded without hesitation, summoning her weapon and aiming it at Osoi with unwavering focus.
"What's going on!?" Toruri exclaimed, his confusion mirroring that of his companions.
"I don't know," Kuroshi admitted, her attention fixed firmly on the unfolding crisis.
With Ryoshi leaping back and Fuyu and Aki rushing to the arena, tension hung thickly in the air, the outcome of the confrontation hanging precariously in the balance.
Arasu's revelation sent a ripple of astonishment through the group, Toruri's expression reflecting his newfound understanding.
"So you're saying Osoi also has a demon in him that is currently taking control?" Toruri's voice trembled with a mixture of apprehension and realization.
"Well, I don't know for sure but-" Kuroshi began, her words interrupted by a deafening explosion that rocked the arena, shrouding a specific area in billowing clouds of dust.
As the dust settled, Osoi emerged from the haze, his once-familiar features now twisted by malevolent intent. His eyes glowed black, pupils ablaze with crimson fury, while a thin, elongated tail with a pointed arrow-shaped tip snaked behind him.
"It's been a while since I've seen the sun," Osoi, or rather, Kurai, remarked, his voice dripping with dark malice. "The area you had me confined in was quite dark. The only person I got to see was Osoi, he's a good kid. That's why I'll make sure to not kill everyone he loves. No. I'll put them in eternal suffering!!! Starting with you," he declared, his accusatory finger pointing squarely at Ryoshi.
"Meeeeeeee?" Ryoshi's voice quavered with disbelief, his gaze darting between Kurai and his companions.
"Osoi... Don't do this," Aki pleaded, her voice laced with desperation.
"Don't call me Osoi, I'm Kurai," the entity declared, its name resonating with sinister power.
"Hey, Kurai, instead of hurting that boy over there-" Fuyu began, but before he could finish his sentence, Kurai vanished and reappeared behind Ryoshi, poised to strike. Yet, before he could land the blow, his fist was intercepted by Fuyu, halting his deadly assault in its tracks.
Fuyu's stoic command cut through the tension, his voice resonating with authority.
"How about you fight me first," he declared, his tone deep and resolute.
A voice emerged from the shadows, defiant and veiled in mystery. "No!"
Undeterred, Fuyu issued a command to Kuroshi, but before her weapon could be launched, it was halted abruptly, revealing Yoraki's presence as he sat cloaked just meters away.
Kuroshi's exclamation rang out in disbelief as Yoraki made his presence known.
"Ah, so you knew I was there the entire time, Fuyu," Yoraki acknowledged.
Fuyu's response was blunt. "Yeah, your invisibility sucks!"
Ignoring the banter, Yoraki swiftly moved into action, summoning his weapon and striking Kuroshi with precision, causing her to collapse.
"Kuroshi!" Arasu's cry echoed through the arena, laced with concern.
As Yoraki leaped into the arena, Arasu confronted him, demanding his attention, but Yoraki remained focused on his objective.
Meanwhile, Ryoshi observed the unfolding events with a mix of apprehension and determination.
Engaging with Kurai, Yoraki proposed a bargain, offering to aid the demon lord in achieving his goals by securing a better vessel. However, Kurai's response was laden with frustration.
"I don't even want to be in a vessel!!!" Kurai exclaimed, his frustration palpable. "Do you realize how weak I am in this form? My vessel has only unlocked 2% of my true power!"
Undeterred, Yoraki pressed on, leveraging this newfound knowledge to his advantage.
"Getting you a better vessel is also a part of getting your true form back," Yoraki explained, his voice unwavering. "But on the other hand, now I know how weak you are, and now I can take advantage of that."
With a swift swing of his sword, Yoraki attempted to strike Kurai, but his blow was deftly blocked, setting the stage for a confrontation of unparalleled intensity.
As the dust settled and the chaos subsided, Yoraki's incredulous exclamation cut through the tension.
"What? Fuyu, no..."
But Arasu, now clad in a formidable suit of golden-green spiky armor, stood before him, wielding his Magical Weapon, Kamigami No Yoroi. With the strength and durability of a Magical Weapon, Arasu's armor appeared invincible.
Undeterred, Yoraki leaped over Arasu, aiming another strike at Kurai. However, before his blow could land, a black portal materialized in front of him, sucking him in.
"That should send him far away," Aki remarked, before unleashing a red ball of magic at Kurai.
Kurai recoiled in agony, his body convulsing as the demon was forcefully contained within him once more. Osoi's inert form fell to the ground, his ordeal seemingly at an end.
Ryoshi, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, demanded answers. Fuyu, however, remained cryptic, citing the need to report the situation to the N.P.O.D.
As Rai's urgent announcement echoed through the arena, signaling the end of the promotional test and the discovery of a grim development, Fuyu urged his companions to depart.
With a mixture of confusion and disbelief, Ryoshi struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, Arasu stood in stunned silence, grappling with the indignity he had suffered at Yoraki's hands.
As they prepared to leave, Aki offered a parting remark, prompting Arasu to vent his frustration.
"He... HE TREATED ME LIKE A WALL!!!" Arasu exclaimed, his voice trembling with indignation.
But Aki's response was resolute. "Cry about it when we're in the prison," she retorted, her tone leaving no room for argument.