"Impossible! How could an imperfect creature like a human possibly nullify my strike?!" Mikihiko's sanity seemed to fray as he clawed at his hair, leaving it a disheveled mess in his frenzy.
Tatsuya observed him with a chilling composure, his gaze locked onto Mikihiko's face without flickering.
'I have to force that Black Mist out of his body. But how? This won't be easy.'
Time was a luxury Tatsuya didn't have, yet he was forced to contend with such a troublesome opponent.
"It seems I have no other choice."
Tatsuya extended his hand, his palm enveloped in the pale blue glow of pure psions.
"Tatsuya... you aren't planning to use that on Miki, are you?"
"...I have no alternative. Don't worry; I can guarantee his safety, though he'll have to endure a fair share of pain."
Erika stood there, her jaw dropping in silent shock.
At that moment, Mikihiko sensed the freezing shadow of death looming over him. In a panicked frenzy, he conjured a flurry of black chains, but Tatsuya dismantled them instantly with his Super Decomposition.
Mikihiko's panic surged. Tatsuya showed no signs of relenting; instead, he aimed his next strike directly at his target.
Bang!
A surge of Super Decomposition tore through the air, slamming into Mikihiko's frame and forcibly ejecting the Black Mist. Before it could even react, Tatsuya unleashed a second, even more powerful wave.
Bang!
The Black Mist vanished into nothingness, stripped of even the chance to scream.
Mikihiko collapsed on the spot, his consciousness snuffed out. His eyes rolled back, showing only white, as his body lay drenched in a mixture of sweat and blood.
"Miki!"
Erika sprinted to his side to check his condition.
"Tatsuya, please! Do something... save him!" Erika pleaded, tears as clear as crystalline jewels trickling down her cheeks.
With a solemn nod, Tatsuya raised his other hand and released a pulse of Super Regrowth. In an instant, every fatal wound on Mikihiko's body was perfectly restored.
Mikihiko's eyes fluttered open. Stunned by the sight of Erika and Tatsuya hovering so close to him, he jolted upright.
"Argh!"
Seeing him awake, Erika's tears ceased instantly. Suppressing the joy swelling in her heart, she swung her hand and delivered a stinging slap to his cheek.
Slap!
The sound of the impact was sharp enough to echo through the surroundings.
Tatsuya blinked in surprise, while Mikihiko simply clutched his burning cheek, his expression one of pure bewilderment.
"What was that for?! How could you let yourself be manipulated by some unknown entity like that?!" Erika's voice cracked with a mix of fury and helplessness.
Mikihiko offered a rueful smile and spoke in a dejected tone, "I'm sorry, Erika. And... thank you for saving me."
Erika huffed, wiping away the remnants of her tears. "I only saved you because I felt guilty, okay? It's not like I actually care about you or anything!"
Despite her sharp words, Mikihiko kept his gentle smile and nodded softly. He then turned his attention to Tatsuya.
"Thank you for saving me. If it weren't for you, my soul would have likely shattered within a month."
Tatsuya offered a faint, soft smile and extended his hand.
"Can you stand?"
Startled for a moment, Mikihiko took the offered hand and pulled himself up with Tatsuya's help. Despite this being their first proper meeting, an inexplicable sense of camaraderie began to form between them.
From the sidelines, Erika watched them with a sour pout. Perhaps she felt ignored, or perhaps she was dealing with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
She stepped forward and delivered a sharp kick to Mikihiko's shin.
"Ow! What was that for, Erika?!"
"Hmph! That's the karma you owe for making me worry for all those years!"
"Eh...?" Mikihiko looked utterly dumbfounded.
Tatsuya couldn't help but crack a smile at the interaction between them.
'Strange. They're clearly so close, yet they aren't together. Right now, it might be because of my presence, but what about before? Is Erika simply too busy for romance? Or is there another reason I'm unaware of?'
As Tatsuya mused, Erika cast a fleeting, "tsundere" glance his way—a look filled with hidden gratitude. Tatsuya noticed the gaze, of course, but he chose to feign ignorance, focusing instead on checking Mikihiko's condition.
Just then, Watanabe Mari arrived with the rest of the Disciplinary Committee. Her first move was to have her team surround the trio.
"Tatsuya-kun, mind explaining what's going on here?" Mari asked, crossing her arms beneath her chest. Her expression was stern, every bit the formidable chairwoman of the Public Morals Committee.
"Wait! I'm the one who asked for Tatsuya's help. Don't you dare drag him into this!" Erika snapped, stepping in front of Tatsuya with a glare directed at Mari.
"You..." Mari naturally recognized her; after all, her boyfriend was Erika's older brother.
"Erika, calm down."
"But—"
"No 'buts.' Leave things here to me. You take Mikihiko to the clinic."
"...Fine." Erika relented, her shoulders slumping in a display of uncharacteristic helplessness.
Mari stood there, her mouth hanging open in utter disbelief. She couldn't fathom why the notoriously headstrong Erika was being so obedient toward Tatsuya.
After standing there in a daze for a moment, Mari finally understood the reason.
To be continued...Anvanced Chapter p*tre*n.com/AgamYupi02