"Impossible... no way... it's impossible! What did you do?!" Morisaki spiraled into a frenzy, clawing at his hair in desperation.
Zzt!
"Erased it? Honestly, I didn't expect the effect to be this potent. Remarkable."
"Huh?! Are you saying this is the first time you've used that freakish power?"
"Theoretically, yes. Because this power is far too dangerous, I kept it under seal. This is the first time I've used it without holding back."
Morisaki's face drained of all color.
"Are we done with the small talk? My apologies, but I need to head back soon, so I'll be ending this quickly."
"Hmph! You think you can?" Morisaki widened his stance, settling into a messy yet surprisingly sturdy guard.
Tatsuya exhaled a long breath, his voice turning ice-cold.
"Your physical strength has surged, but your technique is still subpar."
Whoosh!
Tatsuya blurred forward. He swept Morisaki's leg, seized him by the collar, and slammed him violently into the dirt.
It happened so fast that Morisaki couldn't even react; one moment he was standing, the next he was sprawled on the ground, a sharp, searing pain radiating through his back.
Tatsuya stood directly over him.
"I don't know where you came into contact with that black mist, but I'm putting an end to it now."
Morisaki gasped, a flicker of clarity returning to his eyes for a fleeting second before he squeezed them shut.
Bang!
Super Mist Dispersion surged through Morisaki's body, dismantling the black mist particles in a matter of seconds.
Tatsuya had exercised restraint, yet the process was still agonizing. Morisaki gritted his teeth, his body finally giving in to the pain as he slipped into unconsciousness.
[Mission Complete. 25,000 points have been awarded as a reward.]
"Only 25,000 points?"
[This mission was a cakewalk for you, so the rewards have been adjusted accordingly.]
Tatsuya was left speechless by the moderator's blunt explanation.
White: As expected from the strongest member of the group.
Time Eater: If it were me, it definitely would have taken much longer.
Sword Princess: I probably would have killed him by accident.
Makoto: I'm not great at holding back either, so I might have failed if I took a mission like that.
Tatsuya Yotsuba: I feel like you guys are focusing on the wrong thing.
White: Really? We had faith in you from the start. Although, you did make me panic for a second there.
Tatsuya Yotsuba: Thanks for worrying about me.
White: ...
Time Eater: Ara~ ara~ so, what are you going to do with that man? If you leave him like that, he'll die.
Kurumi's remark snapped Tatsuya back to reality.
"Right. Honestly, I'm reluctant to use this, but since he's a victim of the mist, I have no choice but to help."
Without further explanation, Tatsuya cast Super Regrowth on Morisaki.
In less than a second, Morisaki's skin knit back together and his injuries vanished. Despite the healing, he showed no signs of waking up anytime soon.
Suddenly, Tatsuya sensed someone approaching stealthily.
"I've already handled it, so there's no need to hesitate. Come out."
Gasp!
"Are you sure you don't have eyes in the back of your head?"
"Hahaha, if I did, would you still consider me human?"
"Ugh, no, that's too creepy to imagine." Erika stepped out from the bushes, taking her place beside Tatsuya.
Given the slight height difference between them, they made for a striking pair. For a moment, Tatsuya found himself momentarily dazed by the faint scent of shampoo wafting from Erika's short hair.
'Even if Erika's a tomboy, she's still a girl in the bloom of youth...'
Tatsuya's heart skipped a beat, but he managed to maintain his perfect poker face.
Busy observing Morisaki, Erika didn't notice Tatsuya's internal agitation.
"Incredible. Your magic is truly powerful."
"Mm. I get that a lot."
Erika continued to study Morisaki before glancing back at Tatsuya.
"Tatsuya, do you know something about that black mist?"
"You saw it?"
"Mm. I was curious, so I came here after hearing you were going to fight Morisaki. I arrived just after Saegusa-senpai left—right when that black mist started pouring out of his body."
"...All I know is that the black mist is an existence that shouldn't be in this world. The rest is still a gray area."
"Hmm..."
"Is there something about it that bothers you?"
"A little. Actually, a long time ago, a friend of mine protected me from a psychic attack. Until now, I couldn't quite remember what that attack looked like... until I saw the mist on that man."
Tatsuya's expression shifted. "Don't tell me—"
"Yeah. That psychic attack back then was also channeled through the black mist. Thinking back, my friend's personality started changing from that moment on." Erika's tone was laced with sorrow. Her usually sharp, confident gaze now looked fragile, as if she might break at any moment.
"How is your friend now?"
"He seems fine on the surface, but he's become so cold that I wonder if he's even the same friend I used to know."
"If you don't mind me asking, what is his name?"
"Yoshida Mikihiko. He's in Class E."
Tatsuya went silent, his mouth hanging slightly open in surprise.
"Ah! So, is it over?" Mayumi's voice broke the silence.
Tatsuya turned his gaze toward Mayumi and gave a soft nod.
Mayumi checked on Morisaki's condition before signaling the medical squad she had brought along to carry him away.
Then, Mayumi turned her attention to Erika. She scanned the girl from head to toe before shooting a sharp, piercing look at Tatsuya, as if silently demanding an explanation.
To be continued...
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