Chapter 7 – "Night of the Predators"
Darkness…
Only the moonlight filtering in from the roof fell into the center of the hall.
Raiga's golden eyes burned through the dust cloud.
Raiga (laughing): "What a faint scent… Are these the 'guardians' of Shinju Academy?"
Tensei Arata stepped forward, his eyes blazing like fire.
Tensei: "Tell me the reason for your attack, Raiga. Or I'll reduce you to ashes."
Raiga disappeared for a moment.
The next second, he appeared behind Tensei; with a single kick, he pinned Tensei to the wall.
The air trembled.
Ryūjin (angrily): "Tensei!"
Ryūjin charged forward with a lion's roar:
Ryūjin: "Shishi no Roar!"
The devastating sound wave shook the entire hall, but Raiga only smiled.
Raiga: "A sound wave? Too… slow."
In an instant, he leaped a hundred meters away, punching Ryūjin in the chest.
Raiga: "My speed… is as sharp as a cheetah's last breath!"
Tensei rose to his feet, spreading his wings amidst the flames.
Tensei: "The Phoenix's flame will stop you!"
Tensei: "Hi no Tsubasa! (Fire Wings!)"
The firestorm erupted, surrounding Raiga with fire.
But he appeared in six different places at once—like shadow clones, impressions of pure speed.
Ryūjin (surprised): "That… fast?"
Raiga: "You'd have to be in another dimension to even see my speed."
Raiga struck Tensei and Ryūjin simultaneously.
The flames extinguished, and they were both thrown back.
But they stood firm—the pride of Shinju Academy would not yield.
Tensei (clenching his teeth): "Ryūjin… the time has come. Let your roar merge with my flame!"
Ryūjin: "Heh, you finally agreed to fight together, huh?"
They both shouted simultaneously:
"Shinsei no Hōkō!" (Divine Roar!)
The sound wave combined with the flames knocked Raiga back a few meters.
Seriousness appeared on Raiga's face for the first time.
Raiga: "Interesting… so you still have some spirit."
🦂 Kabuto Front
On the other side, in the second section of the hall, Kabuto saw four students before him.
Riku, Ren, Taro, and Haru stood shoulder to shoulder.
Kabuto (laughing): "Are you going to stop me? Guys… this is going to cost you dearly."
Riku: "I won't miss you this time, Kabuto!"
Kabuto: "I'll watch you try."
Black energy radiated from Kabuto's back, forming a giant insect armor behind him.
He scraped the floor with his claws.
Kabuto: "Kōmori no Mure! (Insect Swarm!)"
Black insects erupted from the walls, filling the room.
Ren: "Everyone, be careful!"
Taro: "I'll stay on the front lines!"
Haru: "I'll clear the insects with my speed!"
Riku summoned Fenrir's power, his eyes glowing blue.
Riku: "Ōkami no Koe!"
A howl echoed, and the insect swarm shattered.
Riku lunged forward, slashing at Kabuto with his claw.
But Kabuto's armor was tough—the attack only produced sparks.
Kabuto: "Weak."
Kabuto slammed Riku into the wall with one blow.
Ren stepped forward, a brown light beginning to burn in his eyes.
Bear Spirit: "Don't be afraid anymore, Ren."
Ren's fist slammed into the ground:
Ren: "Kuma no Sakebi!"
The ground trembled, Kabuto retreated a few steps.
Taro: "Now!"
Taro and Haru attacked together—
Taro: "Kōgeki no Hōkō!"
Haru: "Nezumi no Nami!"
They struck Kabuto diagonally, but Kabuto laughed.
Kabuto: "Nice try… but I'm not the Kabuto I used to be."
A sudden burst of black energy sent Riku and Ren flying to the ground. Taro's arm bled, and Haru's shoulder erupted in sparks.
Riku (gritting his teeth): "No… it's not over!"
Fenrir (mentally): "Let yourself go. Let the wolf's instinct guide you."
Riku closed his eyes, a wave of energy spreading.
The howl engulfed the entire hall—the walls trembled.
Fenrir's silhouette appeared behind Riku.
Riku: "Fenrir no Senkō!"
He shot Kabuto in the chest, and Kabuto stumbled back.
He suffered his first wound.
Kabuto (angrily): "You... have become stronger!"
Ren (smiling): "And we're just getting started."
⚡ Two Fronts, One Darkness
Raiga vanished in an instant, appearing before Tensei.
Raiga: "Time's up. This was just a test."
Tensei: "A test?"
Raiga: "Soon... the very foundations of the Shinju will be shaken."
In a flash, Raiga and Kabuto vanished.
The walls of the hall collapsed, leaving the students exhausted and covered in dust.
Tensei kneeled on the ground and took a deep breath.
Tensei: "That… was just the beginning."
Riku (slowly): "Raiga… Kabuto… they will return."
Ren: "And we will be ready."