Outside the Dragon Fang Arena, a strange anxiety rippled through the crowd.
"The challenger from Aoblue Academy... has arrived."
The air seemed to freeze as the boy, dressed in a deep blue uniform coat, stepped into the arena.
His steps were steady but unnatural - veins glowing faintly with a bluish-purple hue, eyes empty and vacant like a beast sniffing for prey.
"Mikage Rei, Aoblue Academy's enhanced warrior, currently ranked tenth on their power rankings," Bai Lan murmured, eyes narrowing.
As if she heard him, Mikage Rei's lips twisted into an almost mechanical grin.
"I heard... over here in Tokigumo, the strongest is this so-called Nightmiya Sou, from the Magic Society? I've come to prove it."
Nightmiya Sou stood silently at the edge of the Dragon Fang Arena. But before he could speak, Saaya Hōdō stepped in front of him.
"You are in no condition to fight," she said softly, her eyes unwavering.
Nightmiya frowned, but did not push past her.
"Are you... going to keep shielding me like this?"
"If you fall, the Magic Society really won't be able to hold on."
"..."
As the tension hung between them, a new set of footsteps echoed quietly through the air.
"Can a loser fight instead of a winner?" Mikage Rei scoffed.
His answer came in the form of Kyōichi Tendō's footsteps.
"If strength could be decided by drugs alone, then this so-called power ranking means nothing," Kyōichi said and drew his sword.
The silver-white blade shimmered and trembled slightly in the sunlight.
"You are no match for me," Mikage said flatly.
"Is that so? Then let's find out."
[Battle: Kyōichi Tendō vs. Mikage Rei] As the drug "Vitamin A" took effect, Mikage Rei's body erupted with energy.
His muscles tensed like steel cables, nerves firing at blinding speeds, eerie blue light glowing in his eyes.
With an explosive step, the ground beneath him cracked as he surged forward like a raging beast!
"Iron Fist Break - Wind Rending Punch!"
His blow tore the air apart, distorting the pressure and literally exploding the moisture in the atmosphere!
Before anyone could react, the fist was already aimed at Kyōichi's throat!
But Kyōichi didn't flinch. He calmly raised his hand - "Heart Blade: Realm of No Thought."
An almost invisible blade of light sliced through the air - not hitting the fist, but cutting the flow of chemicals in Mikage Rei's body.
Mikage froze for a second, but his reflexes kicked in again, unleashing a second wave of power from his back.
"Rampage Chain: Bone-Crushing Style - Phase Two!"
His body twisted violently - six consecutive strikes with elbows, shoulders, and knees lashed out like a storm!
Each blow carried a wave of mental disturbance, roaring like a wild beast to disrupt Kyōichi's perception.
But Kyōichi only whispered:
"Heart Blade: Sever the Mind."
A silver light emerged from his fingertips, and in his mental realm, the artificially enhanced neural pathways lit up - and one by one, were severed by the blade of his inner will.
This was no battle of the flesh - this was a counterattack on the level of the soul!
Suddenly, Mikage trembled and fell to his knees, his gaze unfocused.
The effect of the drug faded. Like waking from a dream.
"Why... Why could you see through me?" he asked, his voice weak.
"Because I wasn't watching what you were doing," "I was watching what you were planning to do."
Kyōichi sheathed his sword, his face calm and unreadable.
"Those of you who chase strength through adrenaline... may soon realize - this is only the first shackle of the Saint-Edu Foundation."
[Infirmary - Night] Nightmiya Sou sat on a hospital bed, bandages wrapped around his shoulder.
Outside, clouds drifted across the night sky.
The door creaked open. Saaya Hōdō stepped in, carrying medicine.
"You're overdoing it again," she said, putting down the medicine - but her eyes never left him.
Sou didn't answer, just looked at the starless sky.
"If you had fought today... you would have lost."
"I know."
Do you really want to bear everyone's hatred and pressure all by yourself?"
He turned his face to her. "It's not for them. It's because this world... is still worth believing in."
Saaya lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly.
"If one day... you really disappear... could you at least tell me before?"
Sou looked into her eyes for a long moment - then nodded gently.
As she turned away, a faint glimmer appeared in the corner of her eyes.
And at that moment, the clouds rolled back outside the window.
Deep within the prison of the Saint-Edu Foundation, the Black God Blade opened his eyes.
-He had entered the first level of improvement.
-And the real storm from the other world was just beginning.