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As a gentle breeze brushed past, Zenin Maki's legs suddenly exerted a tremendous force, propelling her forward like an arrow.
Here she comes!
Natsubi Raku's inner alarm bells rang as his scarlet Sharingan gleamed in the eyes of those watching. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and swung it with all his might.
The techniques that Zenin Maki taught him yesterday had been reviewed hundreds of times in his mind, forming muscle memory.
When to swing the sword, what actions to take—all surfaced in his mind.
At this moment, he only needed to follow his instincts!
"Clang! Clang! Clang..."
The crisp sound of metal clashing resonated in the ears of those watching. The initial collision between the two surprised the onlookers.
They were evenly matched!
Zenin Maki's eyes were sharp, her strikes precise, yet none broke through his defense. Internally, she couldn't help but admire Natsubi Raku's talent—so many techniques couldn't just be learned at will.
Though she herself learned quickly…
Her extraordinary athletic talent and robust physique were innate abilities.
Despite his impressive learning, she still intended to suppress him fiercely!
"Clang!"
The force increased!
Facing this sudden pressure, Natsubi Raku was forced to one knee. At this moment, aside from using cursed energy to activate his Sharingan, he did not enhance his body.
The essence of combat lies here: only a strong physique can sustain high-intensity battles. After all, his body held too little cursed energy. Once it was depleted, he wouldn't even know how he died!
"This is it? Your body really is weak!"
Zenin Maki's voice echoed in his ears, her words like daggers to Natsubi Raku's pride.
Sorry for having a weak body…
If not for the system's enhancement, I'd already be rolling on the ground in pain.
No, maybe my arms would already be broken.
But this is just the beginning!
"I'm not done yet!"
Natsubi Raku's forehead veins bulged as he slowly rose under Zenin Maki's pressure.
Just as he stood up to prove his strength, a kick sent him flying. Zenin Maki quipped, "If you're not done, you're not done. Why shout so loudly?"
…
"Well, the atmosphere here is quite nice."
Standing at the dormitory building, Gojo Satoru commented with a smile.
"Yeah, but is this why you knocked on my door for two minutes? It's only 5:50 in the morning. If you don't sleep, don't disturb my sleep."
Fushiguro Megumi glared at Gojo Satoru with eyes full of resentment. Originally sleeping soundly, he was awakened by Gojo's incessant knocking and shouting. If he could beat him, he would've killed him!
"Oh, don't be so grumpy, young man. Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy. After all, I'm your future teacher."
"Aren't you teaching them? Won't you be too busy if you take over the first years next year?"
"Nope, once they become second years, it means they've learned everything they need. I'll just give them some curse removal missions to keep them busy, then I'll have time to teach you guys. Isn't that convenient?"
"…"
If I were a first-year, I might just bash your head in.
Fushiguro Megumi looked at the two in the training ground, who were evenly matched, and remained silent.
With the boast I made, there's no way I can lose tomorrow.
"I'm going back to sleep."
"Already?"
Gojo Satoru glanced at the departing Fushiguro Megumi and said, "Don't be so arrogant. Sometimes probing the waters can increase your chances of winning. After all, anyone can get tripped up unexpectedly."
"No, I will definitely win. Absolutely."
Gojo Satoru did not respond, merely watched him leave with a troubled expression, muttering, "Seems like a troublesome student. Why does this scene feel familiar?"
Meanwhile, the still-sleeping Yaga Masamichi sneezed and grumbled, "Why do I feel like someone is bad-mouthing me? Never mind, with the exchange event with Kyoto School in two months, it's time to select the participants. This time, we must win!"
…
In the training ground, Natsubi Raku lay on the ground, utterly dejected. His mind was filled with thoughts of, "I can't win, there's no way to win."
Without using cursed energy to enhance his body, he couldn't even get close, let alone dodge. His eyes could keep up, but his body couldn't.
He was continuously getting beaten.
Damn it, I'm lying down. Don't say I can't take it. Fushiguro Megumi, just wait until I hit you with a fire technique...
"Get up and continue!"
Zenin Maki's command was met with Natsubi Raku grabbing his sword tightly and shouting, "Here I come!"
Even if he couldn't win, he still had to fight…
The most pitiful thing is, despite his heart shouting to give up, he was more competitive than anyone else, never missing a chance to grow stronger.
As the old man once said, "Those who shout about giving up are the last meteors that will outlast everyone."
Natsubi Raku, like an unyielding cockroach, stood up after every defeat, gripping his sword tightly and launching another attack.
Zenin Maki did not go easy on him. She would knock him down and then urge him to "continue."
The two onlookers and a panda started betting on how many times Natsubi Raku would be defeated today.
Of course, the loser had to pay for the winner's meals for a month.
Specifically, Natsubi Raku's customized set meal, costing 50,000 yen a month.
None of the three wanted to lose, and Inumaki Toge even took out a pen and paper from his pocket to write down the bets, afraid that Panda, the translator, would cheat.
"Salmon!"
He wrote on the paper.
I bet Raku will be defeated thirty-five times.
"What! Thirty-five times?!"
Okkotsu Yuta was shocked. Thirty-five times seemed impossible. Although Natsubi Raku had already been knocked down twelve times, he was already out of breath!
Fifty thousand yen a month for a customized set meal! If I win, it's a total of two months' worth, a whole 100,000 yen! I need to consider this carefully. Losing means poverty for a month, but winning means wealth for two…
"Hiss…"
Panda shouted, "Then I bet thirty times. Yuta, it's your turn. If you don't hurry up, this bet is void."
"Let me think~"
Okkotsu Yuta scratched his head, looking at Natsubi Raku panting in the field. With a determined heart, he gritted his teeth and said, "Then I'll bet twenty-five times!"
"Alright! Bets are on!"
Panda stood up and shouted to Natsubi Raku in the field, "Raku, don't disgrace us men. Even if you get defeated, stand up every time. I'm proud of you!"
"Huh?"
Natsubi Raku looked confused at Panda in the distance, internally shouting, 'Why are you making this more complicated? If you're so strong, come down here and get beaten.'
"Don't get distracted!"
Zenin Maki's kick sent the distracted Natsubi Raku to the ground.
"Ugh, damn it! Panda, just wait for me!"