Volume 1, Chapter 4 - "Came from the night"

Tomorrow was the "Voluntary Match" that everyone had been waiting for.

There haven't been anyone who wanted to fight another person.

Or so I think.

Our class was in the training arena which is going to be the place for the match to be held.

Other divisions are going to be spectating the match so I guess our match is just for an example when two highly capable manifesters use their powers to the best of their abilities on their opponent.

Or at least what happens when two manifesters fight.

I was in deep thought of this until Dai snapped me back to reality.

"Yo. Are you good?"

"Oh yea I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Let's continue."

Dai practiced his technique on me yet again.

And yet again, I make easy work of his attack.

I looked around where Ina was. 

She's sparring with another person.

That's great!

It feels refreshing to see someone who had been away from their original home to come back and enjoy it again.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around surprised as to who it was.

"Hey Konpeki. It's been a while since we talked."

"Ah, right. You've been busy with student council stuff huh?"

"Yes I have been, but I'm finally done with some chores."

Heh, I see.

"Anyways Konpeki, would you care to spar?"

Fujiwara asking me to spar?

I've always wanted to know what its like to fight her and her manifest.

"Bring it!"

"If you say so."

That smug look she's giving me.

She's confident.

Should I be worried?

 (3 hours later)

It was 9 o'clock at night and I was on my bed.

Ughhh.

"I can't believe I couldn't even touch her, let alone see her. She was too fast for me and ended the sparring match with just one attack by cutting my pants off."

My mystic eyes were no help since they couldn't keep up with her speed.

"I guess I should have known."

I've got to develop my mystic eyes more.

And what's worse is that Shinji has been challenging me to the "Voluntary Match" ever since it was announced.

"*Sigh* Can't I catch a break!"

CREAK

Hmm?

I heard a door open and Sagiri should be sleeping.

I went to investigate the sound but not before taking my katana with me.

There was a shadow coming from the kitchen so there was someone or something in there.

When I came into full view of the kitchen, I couldn't believe it.

"Ack!"

The sound of plates falling down really gave my ear some good therapy.

The person in front of me was my childhood friend, Ina Watson.

I totally forgot that Ina was living with us until we found her a place to live.

"Don't scare me like that Seiryu! You know I don't like it!"

"HUH! You're the one who's going through all the food in the fridge!"

"Uhh yea."

She said it so casually as she stuck a leftover onigiri in her mouth.

"Alright well, don't eat too much. It's not good for you. You should look in the mirror sometime."

"WAIT WHAT?"

Ah.

Ina Watson getting triggered feels so refreshing to this day.

 (The day after)

"Alright everyone! I'm Professor Iron. The professor in charge of teaching the Scorndragon Division."

All of the divisions were here to spectate the match.

Who will participate in the match?

"Now I am going to announce the two brave students who volunteered. Now then please step forward"

There were actually people who wanted to fight each other?

"The first is Konpeki Seiryu!"

WHAT!

I never volunteered.

I then heard an all too familiar laugh.

I turned around to see Shinji right there smiling at me.

"And the second is, Ryudou Shinji!"

Of course it was him.

I should have known.

"Now then you two, step forward!"

Me and Shinji step forward shoulder to shoulder and turned to each other.

Professor Iron explained the rules to us.

Except there were no rules.

In battle, there are no rules.

"Alright now that we got that out of the way. You two, go to the opposite sides of the arena. Once you do, the match will start."

We both headed to our respective sides and once we did the Professor started a countdown.

"Alright. The match will begin. In 3. 2. 1. Begin!"

[ROAR SALAMANDER!]

Shinji started off strong by immediately using his manifest.

He is physically invincible in this form of his, but I developed a technique that would break through that invincibility.

He starts off by charging at me with his fist ready.

I could hear the cheers of my peers but they were for Shinji.

He was basically a so-called "Role Model" to them.

But they don't know what he is truly like.

I must show them his true colors.

[FIRST SINGULARITY, MYSTIC EYES OF THE FUTURE]

He's fast.

But not fast enough as I dodged his punch and backed away from him.

I need to be able to bait out one of his other abilities.

But he is looking pretty frustrated since I dodged his attack.

"Aargh!"

"Aww is the baby crying?"

I said that with so much superiority.

I can imagine Dai reacting to what I said just now.

Shinji charges at me again in an attempt to punch me once more but I dodge it yet again.

"You're never going to touch me if you don't use your other powers, Shinji!"

"Aaaargh! Shut up!"

That's right, Shinj, get more frustrated.

[SALAMANDER RUSH BREAK!]

A sudden flash of fire whooshed right passed me.

And he somehow landed multiple hits on me resulting in a bleed effect.

"What the–"

"That's what you get for trying to provoke me. I know what you're planning. You have something up your sleeve. I'm not dumb."

Shit!

He's aware of the plan!

But, I have a bigger problem as his newly revealed attack bypassed my Mystic Eyes.

"I knew something was up since you were able to easily dodge my attacks. Then I remembered that you said that you looked at me. So I developed this attack just to bypass your vision."

Well then, I've got no choice.

"I dare you to hit me with that attack again!"

I took a look at the spectators looking for Dai and Ina.

Ina gave me a thumbs up.

Very reassuring, thank you.

Dai nodded at me and I knew that I would have to pull this off.

"You're not just provoking me are you now!"

"Whatever! Just attack me with that technique! Surely it will grant your victory!"

"It's your death wish!"

[SALAMANDER RUSH BREAK!]

In order to stop this attack and win, I have to preemptively predict how fast the attack is traveling at.

"YOUR DEAD MEAT!"

[FIRST SINGULARITY, MYSTIC EYES OF THE FUTURE]

He still is too fast!

His fist is right at the front of my nose!

Wait.

Is it slowing down?

His fist stopped right there on my nose.

What in the world?

Could it be that my Mystic Eyes upgraded or something?

Heh, whatever it is, I sure hope it stays like that.

I'll also take this as a sign that I should use it now.

[SECOND SINGULARITY, EFFECT AND CAUSE]

How should I explain this attack?

This attack reverses causality.

If my opponent attacks me, using this technique, I can instead reverse the roles.

Essentially, attack me and you lose. However, it only works with contact.

And that's the match over with.

"Ackkkkkkk!"

Using this technique, I sent Shinji flying all the way to the wall, actually creating a hole in it.

I turned to the crowd of students but they were all silent.

To be honest I wanted to hear them yell my name but this is kind of discouraging.

Until I took a look at where Shinji was.

"Im. Not. Done. Yet!"

What?!?!

I thought he was finished!

Well it is Shinji.

[SALAMANDER'S TRUE FORM!]

Manifests have something called a "True Manifest".

True Manifests are basically, the true nature of the beast that manifests in the user but infuses its nature with its host.

A surge of energy surfaced and I could feel it.

The flames that surround him and engulf him are transforming him into his True Manifest form.

True Manifest forms are difficult to achieve but to think that he achieved it is surprising.

"I'M COMING FOR YOU KONPEKI!"

[KORONIDES TRUE FORM]

A huge flash of light appeared in the audience.

I recognize this voice.

If they achieved and used their True Manifest, then it's going to be a quick battle.

The person who called their true manifest was Fujiwara Suisei.

[PARTHENOIS KORONIDES]

Fujiwara unsheathed her sword and dove onto the field resembling a comet where Shinji was, making a crater in the process and pinning Shinji to the floor.

"You crossed the line Shinji. I didn't have the resolve to stop you myself last time, but now it's a different case."

"Urggh"

All this happened so fast.

I was shoved away by Fujiwara before Shinji could make contact with me.

I don't know what would have happened if he did but I can guess that it would be bad.

But the audience cheering sounded good.

"Are you alright Konpeki? I'm sorry, I tried not to push you too hard."

There she goes with her apologizing.

Although I think it was needed.

"Thank you. And you don't need to apologize, he should have done so some time ago."

She turned to Shinji and then nodded to the crowd.

Some students started to make their way to the field.

"I just called for the rest of the council to take him away for disciplinary reasons."

"Hey! Seiryu!"

"Konpeki!"

Ah!

I forgot that Dai and Ina were here as well.

"You alright man?"

"Just a few scratches."

They weren't.

I felt a sudden chill going up my spine.

I turned around to whoever was the cause of it but I couldn't find who was the one.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hah!"

Oh man, that gave me quite a spook.

"Yeah I'm fine. Nothing to worry about."

"Alright! Let's head home after Konpeki gets treated."

 (2 hours later)

On the way home, I felt a strange presence following us.

I kept looking back but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Ina was with me as well but I doubt she could sense it since she gave me weird looks.

She's a pretty good talker so she kept me distracted but I just have the feeling that something may happen.

"Hey do you feel any weird or strange presence around Ina?"

"Hmm? What do you mean strange presence? I don't feel anything."

Just as I thought.

We came upon an alleyway that we were going to pass anyways but with my uncertainty, I nudged her along.

"Hey, let's cut through here."

"What? Why?"

"I can't explain but I think something bad is going to happen if we went the same way we were walking."

Not that I could.

It was unexplainable.

We continued down this alleyway until we passed by a person who was wearing a mask.

I thought nothing of this person until…

"My my. You're really a difficult person for me to reach out to."

Huh?

What this girl said stopped me in my tracks.

This girl had black hair as dark as night.

What did she mean by "reach out to"?

"Uhh. Konpeki? What does she mean by that?"

Right.

Ina was with me.

I turned around to look at the woman but was met with a screeching noise.

[SCREEEEEEEEECH]

"Aaaaagh!"

I clutched my ears and fell to the floor.

This screeching sound didn't affect Ina so I think she's fine.

"Hey! Konpeki! What happened!"

"Aaaargh!"

Shit

I can't do anything!

Ina summoned her spear and directed it at the woman.

"Hey YOU! What did you do to him!"

"My my, a maiden protecting her love. It'd be a shame if her love was wasted."

"What the–"

The girl used her manifest and knocked Ina to the wall, knocking her out.

"Aaargh! INA!"

"Now then. Become a seduced girl."

[BLOOD ARTS, BLOOD MOON SEDUCEMENT]

After the girl used her powers on Ina, Ina rose in a hypnotic look.

Cmon, cmon, cmon!

Get UP!

GET RID OF THIS ANNOYING SOUND OUT OF MY HEAD!

The screeching finally stopped!

YES!

I was able to regain my composure!

The woman turned to me now.

"Now then boy. It's your turn– What! HOW DID YOU RECOVER FROM THAT ATTACK?"

"Ho. So it was an attack."

"Grrrrrrr. I WILL TAKE YOU WITH ME!"

She lashed out to attack me.

Heh, I guess this was the perpetrator of the bloodsucker cases.

But she doesn't look old.

In fact, she sounds around the same age as me.

Could she be a student?

I was going to use the second singularity but I saw something in the corner of my eye.

[PHOENIX FIRE, PHOENIX FLASH ARROW!]