PNB Chapter 685 - 685
Chapter 685 - 685
"I'll be back."After leaving those words, Sara departed from the hall.
She had attended the banquet solely for Eiji's sake, and having obtained her answer, she left without any lingering attachments.
However, the words she uttered before leaving conveyed an extraordinary determination.
"Alright, let's get some proper rest too. We need to conserve our energy to face tomorrow's matches in better form!"
Eiji's expression returned to calm as he smiled at his senior sister and the others.
"You're right. Let's set aside unpleasant thoughts for now!"
Touka let out a light sigh, as if trying to exhale all her worries.
The Kurogane Siblings exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
"Family and friends? How utterly boring!"
Just as they were about to relax, a jarring voice suddenly rang out.
The voice was deliberately provocative, filled with intense hostility, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the hall.
It seemed fate had other plans.
Eiji's expression stiffened slightly as he looked over.
There stood a petite girl. Despite it being midsummer, she wore a thick winter coat, with heavy dark circles under her eyes, exuding a strongly gloomy aura.
Her hostility was blatantly obvious.
"...And you are?"
"Tatara Yui! You've actually forgotten me?!"
The girl nearly jumped in fury.
Eiji's genuinely puzzled expression didn't seem feigned—it appeared he truly couldn't remember who she was.
That was precisely why she was so enraged.
During that assault battle, despite her overwhelming advantage with her absolute reflection ability perfectly countering close-combat types, he had easily countered her instead, making her the first Akatsuki Academy member to be eliminated.
"Oh! It's you!"
Eiji suddenly remembered.
Now that she mentioned it, he recalled—she was that reflection girl from back then.
"How's your mother doing?"
"Looking for a fight?"
Tatara Yui's eyes turned cold.
"I wouldn't mind eliminating you right now."
Eiji's lips curled slightly.
The air instantly filled with a tense, confrontational atmosphere.
"Don't look down on me! Last time I just wasn't prepared!"
Tatara Yui sneered.
With a sweep of her hands, a jagged chainsaw appeared in her grip, buzzing incessantly.
Killing intent spread around her, her eyes filled with the desire to avenge her previous defeat.
"That's how losers are—they never admit defeat."
Eiji grinned openly, mocking her without restraint.
I've already forgotten you—don't you have any self-awareness?
Clearly, I stopped taking you seriously long ago!
"You bastard!"
Tatara Yui's eyes blazed with anger.
This guy's mouth was truly infuriating!
Without hesitation, she raised her chainsaw and charged forward, radiating murderous intent.
"That's enough, both of you!"
But at that moment, a spear suddenly thrust between them.
It was a slender golden spear, its shaft gleaming brilliantly, the tassel at the base of the blade swaying with the thrust.
The moment it intervened, the spear deftly bypassed the chainsaw, aiming straight for Tatara Yui's right hand!
Tatara Yui sneered.
As if completely unaware, her chainsaw continued unabated, swinging directly toward Eiji's head.
Eiji's eyes narrowed slightly.
But he showed no intention of making a move.
Instead.
"Ugh...!"
Tatara Yui suddenly let out a sharp cry.
She leaped back like a startled cat, stopping only when she was ten meters away from the golden spear. Looking down at the bloodstain on her right hand, her face was filled with shock and uncertainty.
"What happened? Why didn't my reflection work?"
She had clearly activated her reflection ability just now!
Reflection should have been the absolute bane of close-combat specialists like them, so how had that golden spear shattered it in an instant?
It was as if her reflection ability was completely useless against him!
"That's only natural."
A lean, muscular young man stepped between the two.
He rested the golden spear on his shoulder, his expression carrying a hint of coldness.
"Though the world classifies Blazer abilities into four categories, mine doesn't belong to conceptual interference, causality interference, physical enhancement, or natural interference. It's the much rarer fifth category - unclassified!"
Eiji raised his eyebrows in surprise upon hearing this.
"There's such a category?"
"To be precise, there isn't really such a category," Touka explained quietly to him. "But the Alliance separated abilities that don't fit into the first four categories, forming a category that isn't really a category."
Meanwhile, her gaze had become as sharp as a blade, cutting into the young man's back.
"And he - last year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival champion, Yuudai Moroboshi! - is one of the very rare fifth category users! His ability is called 〈Tiger Devourer〉, which, as the name suggests, allows him to erase magical power!"
Such a thing exists?
Indeed, Blazer abilities come in all strange varieties, so it makes sense to group unclassifiable abilities into a fifth category. But an ability like this man's that can erase magical power - isn't that incredibly overpowered?
Before his spear, reflection layers created from magical power were completely meaningless.
Not just Stella - even if Kurogane Ouma were to come, his ultimate technique 〈Severing Moon Sky Dragon Claw〉 would be nothing more than a gentle breeze before him!
Moreover, the most crucial point was - Blazers' Device are also composed of magical power!
"Could this guy even erase Devices?"
Eiji thought to himself.
No wonder he was last year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival champion. He definitely had some skills and considerable strength!
"There were rumors that students from Akatsuki Academy all come from terrorist organizations," Yuudai Moroboshi said coldly, staring at Tatara Yui. "I didn't believe it at first, but after seeing it for myself, those rumors might have some credibility."
"Tch!"
Tatara Yui's face darkened.
Before this man, her proud reflection ability had undoubtedly been completely neutralized.
"Hey, brat!"
Suddenly, rough footsteps sounded from beside her.
A man with brown short hair came into her view, sporting sharp shark-like teeth and a blue wolf head tattoo visible on his exposed chest. His entire demeanor was extremely aggressive.
"This one's my target to defeat! I don't care who you are, but you're absolutely not allowed to make a move before I do!"
He glared angrily at Tatara Yui.
"Kuraudo Kurashiki?"
Eiji recognized the man's profile.
Donrou Academy's ace, who had once engaged in a fierce battle with Eiji and lost to him.
So he completely considered her his opponent now.
"Who the hell are you! Who gives a damn about who you want to defeat!"
Tatara Yui was in a foul mood, glaring furiously at Kuraudo Kurashiki.
"Hehe."
Suddenly, a warm breath brushed against the back of her ear.
Tatara Yui's pupils contracted, every hair on her body standing on end.
"Who...?"
When had they gotten behind her?
How had she failed to detect even the slightest presence?
"At such a young age, it's better not to get angry so often, you know?"
As Tatara Yui turned her head, a jade-like index finger poked her cheek.