Angel and Asaga soared through the air with the grace of the wind, their movements fluid and precise. In the heat of the moment, Angel suddenly came to a stop, causing her opponent to nearly collide with her. Acting quickly, he crouched down, turning at an angle equal to the two right angles, ready for whatever was to come.
Angel's irises narrowed as she concentrated her strength on the point of her weapon, the Golden Roses. With each strike, wooden spears appeared in the air, creating a lethal array of sharp points directed directly at their target.
Asaga rushed forward, unaware of the dangerous trap that lay ahead. But just as he was about to barrel headfirst into the wall of deadly spikes, a warning from Dark Blood made him hesitate.
"Kid! Back off," it growled. "The princess has set a trap for you."
Asaga's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of the sudden warning from Dark Blood. "What?" he exclaimed, just as a wooden spear whizzed past his face.
That was not the only thing that caught him off guard. An illusion suddenly entered his mind, casting him into a dark and unfamiliar space. In the depths of his subconscious, Asaga saw an image of Komodo's fist flying towards him, striking him directly in the chest.
The illusion passed through his mind like a fleeting breeze, leaving him feeling disoriented and confused. Asaga struggled to regain his bearings, but it was too late. He lost his balance and fell hard on his butt, his brow furrowed with frustration.
"Why is Komodo there?" he muttered to himself, rubbing his chest where the phantom blow had struck him. "Am I thinking too much?"
But deep down, Asaga knew that something was amiss. The image had felt all too real as if it had been more than just a trick of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that danger lurked around every corner, that he was walking a treacherous path toward an unknown end.
Asaga propelled himself back to his feet by taking a heavy breath, resolving to stiffen in his irises. He knew he couldn't let his worries and uncertainties get the best of him. If the young warrior was to win the upcoming conflict, he needed to remain concentrated and vigilant.
He looked up just in time to see dozens of similar spears hurtling toward him at lightning speed. Asaga realized with a sinking feeling that there was no way he could dodge them all.
With a rapid movement, Asaga swung his sword, using it as a makeshift shield to block the incoming barrage of spears. But the force of the impact was too much to bear. As each spear pierced the SoulEquiqment, the resulting chain reaction caused Asaga to stagger backward, taking a series of indirect hits.
"Ahhh!!!" he cried out in pain, gritting his teeth as he fought to stay on his feet.
Asaga's body shook with the force of the attack, his breathing ragged and uneven. He knew that he had underestimated his opponent, and now he was paying the price for his mistake. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop the spears from penetrating his defences.
Dark Blood's voice cut through the chaos, drawing Asaga's attention back to the battle at hand. "As expected of someone from the best academies Uchire Academy has," the soul commented, a note of grudging respect in his tone.
As Asaga looked up at Angel, he felt unease. The young lady seemed to be toying with him, holding back her true strength even as she launched her attacks. It was a frustrating feeling, knowing that he was up against a person who could defeat him with no difficulty if she chose to.
Dark Blood's sudden provocation only added fuel to the fire, as he goaded Angel with his words.
"Wow, the young lady seems to be going easy on the boy!"
Angel's face twisted in annoyance at its words. She knew that she wasn't going easy on Asaga, even if it might seem that way to an outsider. She was fighting with all her will, using her skills to overwhelm her opponent and gain victory in a flash.
Her fighting style had always been like this, focused on speed and precision over brute force. She had honed her skills through countless battles, including her confrontation with the Lizardwar in the Dark Dimension.
Angel couldn't escape the sense that something was wrong with Asaga. Despite her advantage in distance and pressure, his reactions were slow. But, he easily blocked all of her strikes. This made her question whether he was putting his best foot forward.
Angel observed Asaga's posture becoming increasingly strained as the duel continued like he was battling to recover his breath. Angel was intrigued by this conflicting behaviour, which she thought was uncommon.
Regardless of his slim stature, Angel understood that Asaga was well-trained and had a thoughtful look. Angel realized she had been too lenient with Asaga because of her conflicting attitude of being both protective and subjective.
While she stared at Asaga, she was overcome with a feeling of recognition, a glimmer of a kid from her past showing through his features. And she could not dispute that he was quite attractive at the time. He was handsome in her eyes, in short.
"Why don't we both take it seriously!"
While regaining strength, Asaga raised both hands to the sky. His sudden change of heart caught Angel off guard. She couldn't believe that he had just given up like that, and at the same time, she could sense the weight of exhaustion in his voice.
Angel furrowed her brows in confusion, wondering what he was trying to do.
"Huh? This is just for training. With all of your arms raised like that, you're going to surrender, Asaga?" she asked, puzzled.
Asaga's response surprised her. "Yeah, actually I wasn't interested in this in the first place. I've been in enough trouble these days so I just take it for granted and quit, just want to be left alone."
He was known for his passion and dedication to training, and to hear him speak in this manner was disheartening. She sighed and spoke in a serious tone:
"I give you two options: have the Uchire Student Council handle the crime of violating the principal's orders or be questioned by him?"
"If you say that, I think I'll fight a little bit longer."
Asaga grinned wryly as he lifted his blade. Angel, on the other hand, would not be content until she discovered Asaga's real power. Angel continued to put pressure on him, lifting her sword to the sky and shouting:
"Appear, Sun of Justice! This time, I won't go easy on you."
A series of light rays appeared and sliced through the darkness, Asaga instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes. The force of the attack sent him staggering backward, struggling to regain his balance.
"Kid! We have a problem," warned Dark Blood urgently, sensing the danger that lay ahead.
Asaga slowly lowered his arm, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him. A ball of light hovered over the tip of Angel's sword, growing larger and more intense with each passing moment.
"That's not good," Dark Blood muttered. "It's rumoured to be her strongest move!"
"Wait a minute, this isn't fun," Asaga said to Angel, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Stolen novel; please report.
"Come on, if you're not serious, I'll have to force you."
That little sun's strength was frightening. It is so brilliant that it illuminates the entire sky as if it were daylight, and the moon vanishes without a trace.
Asaga's heart was pounding in his chest, as he prepared himself for the incoming attack. The ball of light grew larger and larger until it was almost blindingly bright. Asaga felt a surge of panic rising within him, but he forced himself to remain calm. He had to block this, no matter what.
Asaga's eyes suddenly turned crimson, and a strange force surged through his body. It was as though he had discovered a secret reservoir of power. He clenched his jaws, resolved to maintain his position.
Asaga felt a surge of memories flooding back to him. He remembered the humiliation of being defeated by the Komodo and the shame he had felt at being unable to protect his family. Those memories were fueling his anger and his mutant power.
"Explode!"
"Oh crap! Watch out Asaga!"
The orb of light exploded in an instant at the master's order. It couldn’t reach him at the pace of a snail. This shortcoming was compensated for by the massive magnitude and range of the detonation.
Due to slight sun damage, Asaga would temporarily lose sight. Asaga had no option but to demonstrate her true strength.
With a roar, Asaga thrust his sword toward the overwhelmed field of light. The two forces collided with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.
For a moment, it seemed as though the two forces were evenly matched. Slowly but surely, Asaga began to push the wall of light back to Angel. He could feel his power growing stronger with every second, and he knew that he was on the brink of victory.
When Asaga shoved Angel back, her eyes expanded in astonishment and incredulity. She had not anticipated him to be so powerful. Even though she fought to maintain her position, she couldn't help but admire her opponent.
By one final surge of strength, he managed to send the light force falling back toward Angel. She had no choice but to raise her blade to block it, however, the force of the blow knocked her back.
Asaga stood there panting, his blade still elevated in triumph. He had completed the task. He had managed to block Angel's strongest attack. And, Asaga felt a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that he had never felt before at that instant.
Angel watched in awe as Asaga suddenly appeared in front of her in a blur of motion. She was startled by his speed because it was unlike anything she had ever seen before. She knew she had tapped into something deep inside of him because she could sense the strength coming from him.
"Asaga!?" Angel gasped, her voice barely audible over the sound of her pounding heart.
The night was shrouded in mystery, and the darkness seemed to amplify the intensity of the moment. Angel and Asaga stood there in silence, their eyes locked in a gaze. It was a battle of wills, and neither was willing to back down. The sound of their breathing was the only thing that broke the silence.
A sudden flash of light illuminated the surrounding area, causing both Angel and Asaga to halt their movements. Angel, perplexed, turned to Asaga with a curious expression:
"Did you feel that? Something's coming our way," she said.
Asaga nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the dark horizon for any sign of movement.
Without warning, Asaga lunged at Angel, pinning her to the ground. His face was so close to hers that Angel's heart skipped a beat. Asaga's eyes glimmered with a different kind of intensity, as though he was possessed by some unknown force.
Confused and slightly embarrassed by Asaga's sudden action, Angel kicked him in the stomach, sending him tumbling backward. She felt a twinge of shyness. Their practice match had come to an abrupt end, and Angel was left wanting more.
When contemplating their match, Angel realized something profound. Although Asaga was ranked last in their academy, his strength was on par with the top students. The way he had neutralized her Sun of Justice move with ease, and the way he had approached her afterwards, left Angel in no doubt that Asaga was a force to be reckoned with.
Asaga's respiration became regular and deep, suggesting that he was fast slumber. Angel stood there for a moment longer, admiring his tranquil countenance, before shutting her eyes and sighing contentedly. The only sound heard that night was the rustling of foliage in the wind.
Angel had always been fascinated by the night sky, and tonight was no exception. The comet's trail of light seemed to dance across the sky, like a glowing ribbon. She couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder as she watched it move gracefully through the stars.
Lost in thought, Angel spoke softly to Asaga, not expecting a response.
"Isn't it amazing how something so beautiful can be so fleeting? The comet will pass and we'll never see it again."
Angel looked over Asaga's features, taking in every detail. She observed his hair falling over his brow, the form of his cheekbones, and the curve of his lips. She was curious as to what he was thinking about and whether he was pleased.
Her hand stretched out and gently stroked his hair, feeling the soft strands against her flesh. Angel let her palm linger on Asaga's face, tracing the outlines of his face as he stirred but didn't rouse up.
For a moment, Angel felt like she was in a dream, lost in a world where nothing else existed except for the two of them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, savouring the scent of the peaceful field and the warmth of Asaga's body.
Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and Angel drifted off to sleep, her head resting on Asaga's shoulder. At that moment, everything felt right, and she knew that she had found something special about him.
After a while, Dark Blood flew out of Asaga and wandered around.
"Man! This sandwich tastes so good!"
There was an unusual sound as if someone was eating something. When Dark Blood turned around, he saw only the young pair asleep outside. The shrub in front of it vibrated several times, and Dark Bloof neared, sighing when he discovered the source of the sound.
A middle-aged guy in a black suit stood opposite, holding a chicken sandwich. Two or three erotic mags were also in front of him. At first glimpse, it appears that the most powerful instructor at Uchire Academy went to observe his pupils' practice. Dark Blood inquired:
"What are you doing here, John?"
John looked up from his sandwich, a guilty look on his face. "I just wanted to see how the students were doing," he said, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth.
Dark Blood shook its head in disappointment. "You should know better than to invade their privacy like this. It's not right."
John shrugged his shoulders. "I know, I know. But I couldn't resist the temptation of this delicious sandwich. And these magazines are just a guilty pleasure."
Dark Blood settled down in the bushes, his sharp eyes darting between John and the slumbering couple. As he leaned in, the question burned on his lips, and he finally asked John:
"You must have witnessed the whole battle between Asaga and Angel, right? Is the Sun of Justice Angel's strongest move?"
The principal chuckled, his mouth still full of food:
"Well, well, well. It seems you have a curious mind, Dark Blood," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "But you already know the answer to that, don't you?"
Dark Blood raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I do?"
John nodded sagely. "Yes, my friend. Angel's sun-making skill is nothing but a clever ploy to goad Asaga into revealing his true power."
"She knew that?" Dark Blood's eyes widened in surprise.
John leaned back on the bush, a look of reminiscence on his face:
"You see, Asaga is a prodigious fighter. His power is beyond what anyone can imagine. But he has always held back, afraid of hurting those around him, until he met Angel."
Dark Blood listened intently while John continued, "Angel saw something in Asaga, something that no one else saw. And she made it her mission to help Asaga unleash his true potential. The Sun of Justice was just the trigger, the key to unlock Asaga's hidden power."
Dark Blood sat back, stunned. "So that whole sun thingy was just a set-up? A way to help Asaga find his true strength?"
John nodded, a knowing smile on his lips. "Indeed, my friend. And I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of a beautiful relationship between those two."
With a few outliers, most of the pupils at Uchire Academy fell asleep. Sazabu sat alone on a hardwood couch facing the open window in the Uchire Student Council office.
Sazabu lifted his head to see the full moon shining brilliantly amid the night. He sipped a cup of steaming copper tea while looking down at the scene of the school. It's peaceful and comfy, a good time for him to unwind after a long day at work.
The door behind him abruptly opened, interrupting his enjoyment.
"What do you want this time?" he gently asked.
The voice of the girl who seemed to be a sly, cunning one replied:
"Where's your pretty secretary, Buchou?"
"She went with the Royal Legion to deal with the rebels at the border, what's your point of looking for her?"
The female practitioner stood by the door thinking for a while before answering Sazabu's question:
"It's nothing, I just wanted to find her to ask her a few things, you know? It's a girl's private matter."
"I don't have time for this, you know that," he said, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance. "I have important matters to attend to, so if you don't have anything else to say, I suggest you leave."
The girl smirked, unfazed by Sazabu's intimidating demeanour. "Oh, I know you're a busy man, Buchou," she said, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers. "But I have a feeling you might be interested in what I have to offer."
Sazabu narrowed his eyes, his patience wearing thin. "And what might that be?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
The girl took a step forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Information," she said, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "About a certain someone you've been keeping tabs on."
Sazabu tensed, his curiosity piqued despite himself. "Whom are you talking about?" he asked, his voice low and guarded.
The girl leaned in closer, a sly smile playing on her lips. "The one and only, Asaga," she said, her voice dripping with honey. "I have some valuable information that I think might interest you."
Sazabu's pupils constrict, his thoughts racing with options. He knew he shouldn't trust her, but the allure of learning more about Asaga was too powerful to pass up.
"All right," he said emphatically.
"Tell me everything you know."