After returning to Reikosha Academy, Kairo finally had the chance to meet all of Griffin's students as well as Judas' students.
Judas' Students: Reji Kuroda, Dracula Kage, Tatsuo Ito, and Seiyan Kazehara.
The academy was more lively than usual. Conversations echoed throughout the courtyard as students greeted one another after a long time apart.
"Oy, Kairo!"
Oko casually wrapped an arm around Kairo's neck with a wide grin.
"I heard you've gotten stronger than Tyouro. Is that true?"
Kairo scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Y-Yeah... I guess."
"Hahaha! That's what I like to hear."
Before they could continue talking, Griffin suddenly stepped forward and clapped his hands loudly.
"Everyone!"
Every student looked toward him.
"Today's a friendly sparring day! Don't hold back too much, but don't kill each other either! Good luck, everyone!"
The students laughed.
Shougo rubbed his forehead before letting out a tired sigh.
"...Griffin."
"Hm?"
"They're not children anymore."
Griffin blinked innocently.
"What?"
Shougo simply shook his head.
"...Never mind."
His gaze shifted toward Kairo.
He's changed...
The Kairo standing there was nothing like the frightened transfer student who had first entered Reikosha Academy.
His physique had become noticeably stronger.
His muscles were more defined.
His movements were sharper.
His speed had improved dramatically.
Most importantly...
He had learned how to think during battle.
He no longer relied only on instinct.
He calculated.
He predicted.
He adapted.
And if Kairo ever mastered the full potential of his Reikou...
Even Shougo believed he could eventually stand among the academy's strongest.
The training court buzzed with excitement.
Students gathered around the arena while Griffin stood proudly in the center.
"Our first match!"
He raised one hand dramatically.
"Tyouro versus Aoi!"
Cheers erupted from the audience.
Aoi calmly continued drinking from her bottle of milk as if nothing important was happening. After finishing the last sip, she casually tossed the empty bottle aside.
Tyouro pointed at her dramatically.
"Hey, Aoi! It's been a while! I've gotten way stronger since the last time we met!"
Aoi glanced at him with an expressionless face.
"...You're still loud."
"START!"
The instant Griffin gave the signal—
Aoi disappeared.
"Wha—"
Before Tyouro could react—
BAM!
Her fist slammed into his face.
The impact launched him several meters across the arena before he skidded across the ground.
Dust exploded around him.
"...Ow."
Tyouro slowly stood up, rubbing his cheek before flashing his usual grin.
"That's all? You know, I'm a gentleman. I don't hit girls because—"
SMACK!
Aoi punched him square in the face before he could finish.
"UGHH!"
He stumbled backward.
"Hey! That's unfair! At least let me finish talking!"
Aoi slowly walked toward him.
"I don't have time to listen to someone who talks more than he fights."
Tyouro laughed.
"I actually like that attitude."
His right hand suddenly ignited with crimson Blast Energy.
"Let's see how you deal with this!"
BOOM!
A compressed sphere of explosive energy shot toward Aoi.
She effortlessly sidestepped it.
But—
"Got you!"
Another Blast Sphere exploded beside her.
She had unknowingly stepped into his trap.
The explosion sent her flying into the arena wall.
Smoke covered the battlefield.
Aoi slowly stepped out of the dust with only a few scratches on her uniform.
She smirked.
"So... you actually want me to fight seriously."
Tyouro laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! That's the spirit! Actually... why don't you go out with me instead?"
Silence.
A faint blush appeared on Aoi's face.
"...Idiot."
She vanished.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
A barrage of punches crashed into Tyouro before ending with a powerful kick that launched him across the arena.
"I would NEVER date someone like you!"
She folded her arms.
Shougo sighed.
"...Enough."
Both students stopped.
"It's a friendly spar."
Tyouro lay on the ground with bruises all over his face.
"...Damn..."
Kairo suddenly jumped up.
"LET'S GOOO! MY BROTHER TYOURO WON!"
Everyone looked at him.
Aoi glared.
"I'M THE WINNER."
Kairo instantly bowed.
"S-Sorry..."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Kimimaru silently stood up.
"I'm leaving."
Without waiting for a response, he walked away.
Shougo watched him disappear before looking toward Kairo.
"Kairo."
"Yes, Sensei."
Shougo tossed something toward him.
Black Spartan.
Kairo caught the sword with both hands.
"Your opponent..."
He looked toward the opposite side.
"...is Oko."
Oko stepped into the arena with a relaxed smile.
"So..."
He rolled his shoulders.
"Ready?"
Kairo tightened his grip.
"...Let's begin."
The signal sounded.
Oko disappeared.
Kairo's instincts screamed.
Too late.
BOOM!
A fist crashed into his jaw.
A loud crack echoed through the arena.
The sheer strength behind the punch nearly knocked him unconscious.
Before Kairo could recover—
Oko appeared behind him.
Then another punch.
Another.
Another.
Another.
A relentless storm of fists rained across Kairo's back.
There wasn't even a moment to breathe.
Oko's signature combat style—
Millions Punch.
Instead of giving his opponent room to recover, he overwhelmed them with an endless barrage of perfectly chained strikes.
Every hit flowed into the next.
No openings.
No hesitation.
Only pressure.
Kairo's body trembled under the assault.
His ribs screamed.
His muscles burned.
His vision blurred.
Yet...
He smiled.
Oko frowned.
"...Still smiling?"
A surge of white Reikou erupted around Kairo.
"RAAAAHHH!"
A violent shockwave exploded outward.
Oko was blasted backward, sliding across the arena before stopping himself.
"...Impossible."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"How did you escape Millions Punch?"
Kairo slowly raised Black Spartan.
"...I adapted."
Without another word—
He vanished.
The spectators gasped.
"So fast!"
Even experienced students momentarily lost sight of him.
Kairo reappeared beside Oko.
SLASH!
The black blade sliced across Oko's arm before he could completely evade.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Oko looked at the cut.
Then smiled.
"...Good."
His eyes sharpened.
"You've improved."
His reaction speed was extraordinary, allowing him to avoid what should have been a direct hit.
He could already tell something else.
Kairo adapts frighteningly fast...
Almost instantly.
Without warning—
Oko leaped high into the air before diving straight toward Kairo like a meteor.
Kairo froze for the briefest moment.
He couldn't predict the exact timing.
He couldn't escape.
BOOM!
Millions Punch activated again.
Countless fists crashed into Kairo from every direction.
Each strike came so quickly that time itself seemed frozen.
There was no room to dodge.
No room to counter.
Only endless impact.
Kairo gritted his teeth.
Think.
Don't panic.
Observe.
His eyes tracked every shoulder movement...
Every shift in Oko's hips...
Every tiny change in rhythm.
Then—
He understood.
His body moved before his thoughts finished.
THUD!
A sudden kick forced Oko backward.
"...!"
For the first time...
Oko looked shocked.
"When..."
He hadn't even noticed the moment Kairo adapted.
Kairo dashed forward again.
Black Spartan cut through the air.
Oko effortlessly avoided the slash—
But something felt wrong.
Kairo isn't aiming where I am...
His pupils shrank.
He's predicting where I'll dodge.
Time seemed to slow.
Kairo watched Oko's eyes.
His breathing.
His center of gravity.
He's going to jump.
Just before Oko left the ground—
Kairo changed the direction of his slash.
SLASH!
The blade caught Oko midair.
He crashed onto one knee, breathing heavily.
Silence filled the arena.
Everyone stared.
Oko slowly lifted his head.
Then...
He laughed.
"...You're incredible, Kairo."
He stood up while wiping the blood from his arm.
"I've defeated Yura."
"Reji."
"Dracula."
"Aka."
"Chihiro."
"I thought you'd be the easiest opponent here."
He looked directly into Kairo's eyes.
"...But you're becoming the hardest battle I've ever had."
Kairo slowly lifted Black Spartan once more.
His breathing had become calm.
The exhaustion...
Was gone.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"I told you..."
He pointed his blade toward Oko.
"I'd show everyone how much stronger I've become."
The air around both fighters grew heavy.
Neither moved.
Neither blinked.
Everyone watching knew one thing.
The real fight...
Had only just begun.