Chapter 80: Special Grade Sorcerer.
Sensing the technique had been dispelled, Aoi Todo released the dog in his hands, rolled his neck, and walked towards the two.
He had already made contact with No. 2 (Shura). Even if the technique were reactivated later, he would still be able to touch them. What he needed to do now was defeat them and await the final battle with his best friend.
Yesterday's disappointment couldn't be left as a regret. He said, "If you don't come at me, then I'm coming!"
With that, cursed energy instantly enveloped his entire body. He clapped his hands, directly swapping places with Okkotsu Yuta, and threw a punch at Kirara Hoshi.
Kirara Hoshi, as if knowing this would happen, instantly covered their slender body with cursed energy, crossing their arms to block. Watching the incoming fist, they lamented internally, "Perhaps... I should also train my body usually."
Bang!
The blow landed. Kirara Hoshi clenched their jaw tightly. Their crossed arms felt as if they were about to break, making "crack, crack" sounds. In an instant, they were sent flying by the immense force.
Their back slammed hard against the wall, and they coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Senior!!" Okkotsu Yuta's pupils constricted. Although he knew killing wasn't allowed in the competition, he couldn't help but lament his own weakness at this moment. If only I could become as strong as Zenin Maki, Panda, Inumaki Toge, and Tatsuro.
No... I must surpass them. Only then can I protect them all.
"Let's go all out, Yuta...!" Rika Orimoto's voice, her shadow emerging from the ring, echoed beside Okkotsu Yuta's ear.
"Yeah! Let's go all out! I won't be timid anymore!" Okkotsu Yuta seemed like a changed person now. The immense cursed energy within his body poured out in all directions, blanketing the area. The air itself became exceptionally oppressive.
Shura, lying unconscious nearby, seemed to sense the aura of death. Its fur bristled, and it instantly jolted awake.
Kinji Hakari, who had just managed to catch a 'rat,' also felt that overwhelming cursed energy. The words 'Special Grade' instantly flashed in his mind. Fearing an accident, he rushed directly towards the source.
Tatsuro, sitting on the ground meditating to recover his cursed energy, also opened his eyes and looked into the distance, remarking with emotion, "Rika's out, huh... Looks like Todo is in for a tough time."
"What the hell is this terrifying amount of cursed energy? Special Grade!" Noritoshi Kamo, who was hunting 'rats,' looked up at Momo Nishimiya in the sky and shouted, "Go see what's happening!"
"Got it!" Momo Nishimiya glanced at the source of the cursed energy in the distance and swallowed hard. It was the first time she had seen such a vast amount of cursed energy; it felt even stronger than the principal's.
"Notify all semi-first grade and above sorcerers in the school to mobilize immediately! Surround and kill the Special Grade Vengeful Spirit, Rika Orimoto's host, Okkotsu Yuta!"
In the principal's office, Yoshinobu Gakuganji, watching the screen, crushed the cane in his hand and shouted at the teachers.
Hearing it was a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, the expressions of the group turned grim, and they left the principal's office directly.
Yoshinobu Gakuganji looked at Okkotsu Yuta on the screen and said, "Rules are rules. Not killing him poses too great a threat to future society."
"Oh dear, this is not going to end well. That old geezer will probably try to take out Yuta, right?" Gojo Satoru swung his legs off the table, moved the bound Utahime Iori to his seat, and said, "I'm going out for a bit. Sit tight here and don't move. I'll be right back."
"Do you know what you're doing? So what if you save him once? If the higher-ups want to hunt him down, you can't protect him forever."
Facing Utahime Iori's question, Gojo Satoru responded with a smile, "If those old geezers really dare to do that, I'll make their heads live in a different place. This is my student; whether to deal with him or not is my problem."
With that, Gojo Satoru opened the window and flew out directly.
Inside the maze.
Aoi Todo looked at the immense cursed energy, feeling the pressure multiply. He also began to curse himself internally for not looking at their profiles. This was on a completely different level from him.
"Thank you, Rika. I will defeat him."
Okkotsu Yuta, gripping his long sword, walked towards Aoi Todo. Under the pressure of the cursed energy, the space itself became silent, his footsteps echoing in the dead end.
Oppression, oppression, oppression!
It felt as if the sky itself had turned dark. Aoi Todo watched Okkotsu Yuta approach, his heart pounding. He didn't know if it was fear or excitement. The strong enemy he craved had appeared!
So much so that he couldn't help but burst into wild laughter, "Hahaha, you're just my type, Okkotsu Yuta! From this day forward, you are my rival!"
With that, Aoi Todo clapped his hands, instantly swapping places with the terrified, trembling Shura beside him, and threw a punch!
Okkotsu Yuta didn't turn to look, but his dispersed cursed energy had already sensed Aoi Todo's incoming punch. Like a cunning rabbit, he instantly ducked, spun, and swung his sword.
His speed was so fast that his sword had already struck, yet an afterimage of him still lingered where he had stood.
"So fast!" Aoi Todo was greatly alarmed but still managed to dodge the slash with his exceptional reflexes. Touching the cut on his waist, he began to pant with excitement.
So close... so close to being cut in half at the waist.
This feeling, it seemed he hadn't experienced it for a very long time. That feeling of fear mixed with excitement, ah... so thrilling!
"Conti—"
Having regained his senses, Todo was just about to counterattack when he saw Okkotsu Yuta already slashing at him with his sword.
Beside them, Rika Orimoto cackled, "Kill... kill him! Yuta!"
Hearing the word "kill," Okkotsu Yuta instantly reacted. He realized he was being swept away by this intense curse and immediately retracted his swung sword, flashing past Aoi Todo.
He said to Rika Orimoto, "We can't kill anyone. What we need to do is defeat him."
"Can't kill...?"
"No!"
"Alright... Yuta, don't be angry."
"No, I'm not angry." Okkotsu Yuta shook his head and said, "With you here, how could I be angry? Let's defeat him together."
As he spoke, he tightened his grip on his sword, and cursed energy once again enveloped the blade.
Aoi Todo didn't dare to be careless anymore. Just now, he had been distracted for a mere moment, less than 0.2 seconds, and his head was almost separated from his neck. This speed was as if he were a completely different person.
However... truly a worthy rival. To maintain his sanity amidst such powerful resentment. He had thought he was going to die.
"Sorry, I lost my composure a bit just now. Let's continue with our second round."
Facing Okkotsu Yuta's apology, Aoi Todo reassumed his attack stance and said, "It's alright, it was my carelessness. Let's begin our second round, rival!"
With that, Aoi Todo's cursed energy violently erupted. His eyes were fixed intently on Okkotsu Yuta before him. After taking a deep breath, he took a step forward.
The ground cracked. He covered a distance of ten meters in an instant, punching directly at Okkotsu Yuta's chest.
"He's faster!"
Okkotsu Yuta subconsciously blocked, but the moment the fist made contact, the cursed energy erupted in black, as if space itself had distorted, forcibly breaking through the defense of his arms.
It smashed directly onto his chest!
Black Flash!
Aoi Todo threw this punch; this move was his acknowledgment of a rival. After all, even against his best friend, he wouldn't dare use this move. It wasn't that he looked down on him, but that it was too destructive and could lead to an accident.
But against him, it was perfectly fine!