"You bastard... just what do you think you're doing?"
Tatsuya's voice was low, vibrating with a cold, sharp edge. His gaze, usually impassive, was now pierced with an unmistakable hint of animosity.
"Kukuku... I should have known you'd be the one to interfere, Tatsuya Yotsuba." Mikihiko smirked, his expression twisted into that of a man fated for villainy.
"...Mikihiko, I know you're still in there," Tatsuya muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Why don't you come out and wipe away the dark filth clinging to you?"
Mikihiko's frame stiffened for a fraction of a second. It was a minuscule reaction, but for someone like Tatsuya, it was more than enough.
A faint, confident smile played on Tatsuya's lips.
"Just as I thought. You're still conscious."
"Shut up! Die, Tatsuya Yotsuba!"
Mikihiko's scream erupted, echoing so loudly it reached the nearby school buildings.
Far off, the elite members of the Disciplinary Committee, led by Watanabe Mari, began sprinting toward the source of the commotion.
Sensing their approach, Tatsuya took a breath and stood his ground, firmly cradling Erika in his arms.
Erika was currently a hollow shell. Her eyes were clouded—dark and vacant, stripped of every ounce of their usual spark.
Tatsuya analyzed her condition in an instant. Her mind was being eroded by the 'Black Mist.' If left unchecked, her life force would be snuffed out.
The only way to save her was to eliminate the mist, but because the human brain was far too delicate, he couldn't simply risk using Super Decomposition directly on her head.
"Forgive me, Erika. I'm doing this to save you."
Tatsuya leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Her lips, once a vibrant red, now felt deathly pale.
Almost instantly, the light returned to Erika's eyes.
She stared blankly for a heartbeat before the sensation of Tatsuya's lips against her own finally registered.
Her face flushed a deep crimson.
She didn't pull away; instead, she accepted the kiss with a bashful, hesitant grace.
As Erika tentatively tried to deepen the contact, Tatsuya pulled back.
"Now isn't the time," he said calmly. "We have to deal with Mikihiko first."
"Eh?"
Erika blinked, dazed, before the reality of the situation crashed down on her.
"Tatsuya, I... I..."
She touched her lips, her expression a mix of distress and confusion.
"You didn't kiss Mikihiko," Tatsuya reassured her. "I stopped him just before your lips met."
"I see..."
Erika let out a long sigh of relief, but her face quickly turned as red as a cherry.
"N-not that I'm relieved because my first kiss was with you! Don't get the wrong idea!"
Tatsuya let out a soft, rare chuckle.
"I understand. Now, stop worrying about that and focus on Mikihiko."
Erika paused, then nodded, her expression turning somber and sharp.
"Miki! Come back to us!"
Mikihiko didn't answer, but his gaze wavered, flickering with internal conflict.
"I know you can hear me, Miki!"
Erika cried out, her voice filled with the raw sincerity of a lifelong friend.
Tatsuya sighed and gave Erika's shoulder a light, reassuring pat.
"It seems words won't reach him. I'll have to beat some sense into him by force."
A flash of worry crossed Erika's clear eyes.
"Don't worry," Tatsuya added. "I'll hold back."
Erika nodded softly.
"Be careful... and please, save Miki."
Tatsuya gave a brief wave and stepped forward with a gallant, unshakable stride.
"Vile human... how dare you interfere with the awakening of our race! You will not be forgiven!"
BOOM!
A dense, pitch-black aura exploded from Mikihiko's body.
In an instant, the afternoon glow was swallowed by a manufactured night.
Tatsuya squinted, his face set in a grim mask.
"What terrifying dark power... you're on a completely different level than the previous Black Mist."
Tatsuya held his breath as his body became shrouded in a thick veil of magic—a manifestation of psions that flickered like brilliant blue flames.
"Hahaha! I know you killed one of my kin, but he was a mere fragment! I am a complete vessel! Do not compare me to such trash!"
Mikihiko thrust his hand forward.
A jet-black magic circle manifested in his palm, firing jagged, obsidian chains toward Tatsuya.
Tatsuya immediately invoked Super Decomposition.
Initially, he intended to use only one percent of its output, but the chains held firm.
Realizing the strength of the construct, he surged his power to ten percent.
SHATTER!
The chains dissolved into a mist that was instantly swept away by the wind.
Mikihiko stood frozen in shock.
Erika gasped in surprise, while somewhere unseen, a certain group watched the scene with bated breath.
...
Interlude: The Chat Group
Makoto: "What a cinematic rescue! As expected of the most handsome guy in the group. Get 'em, Tatsuya!"
White: "How is he going to save her, though? One wrong move and her mind is toast."
Sword Princess: "..."
Time Eater: "A KISS?! He saved her with a kiss?!!! Is this a fairy tale?!"
White: "..."
Sword Princess: "A kiss... I wonder what that feels like."
Makoto: "Dammit, I'm not jealous. Not at all. Not even a little bit! (Sobbing internally)."
The chat fell silent for a moment as the "Live Stream" showed Tatsuya erasing the black chains with a single thought.
White: "I knew he was strong, but Tatsuya's abilities are honestly just broken."
Sword Princess: "Agreed. With that kind of power, he could conquer Orario without breaking a sweat."
Time Eater: "Hihihi! That's an Ex-tier skill for you!"
Makoto: "...I need to get stronger."
To be continued...Anvanced Chapter p*tre*n.com/AgamYupi02