Mokoto's teammates watched in shock from above the battlefield as silence filled the arena.
"Mokoto hit him. I saw it… but I still can't believe what I saw," Rin said.
Miwafe nodded in disbelief. "The leader of the Seven was mopping the floor with Mokoto the entire fight, but all of a sudden, Mokoto could see the future somehow and knew what was going to happen before it happened."
Takumi added, "Saito is way faster than Mokoto, even without boosting his speed with his Standz pressure. So if an attack is coming, Mokoto wouldn't be able to dodge, deflect, or block it. He dodged before Saito could even think of throwing the attack — to make up for the gap in speed."
Haruko took a deep breath, about to shout motivational words, but Raito quickly covered his mouth before he could say anything.
"Hold it," Raito said. "Look at Mokoto — his eyes are still closed."
They turned to the battlefield and saw Mokoto in his fighting stance, eyes shut, breathing slowly through his mouth.
"He's trying to concentrate on this fight," Raito continued. "It's best if we don't interrupt or distract him. We might cost him the match."
Haruko nodded quietly and whispered softly, "You got this, Mokoto."
Yana looked confused, staring down at Saito and Mokoto. "During Mokoto's moment of defense, he said some numbers in the fight — barely audible — but those numbers were what his mind was echoing with. I can still hear those numbers in his thoughts. What are they?"
Raito looked at her with a shocked expression. "You noticed that too, huh? Yeah, I swear I heard him say numbers, but I'm not sure since we're so high up."
"They're called Number Techniques," Ninda said.
Everyone turned to her in confusion as she continued, "At least that's what he calls it. Number Techniques — that's something Mokoto Katsuragi invented himself. It's not a Standz ability — it's pure genius. He built it from observation, calculation, and rhythm.
He tells me about it a lot during our sparring sessions. I should know — I am his teacher.
You see, every fighter moves with a pattern, even when they think they're unpredictable. Their breathing, their muscle contractions, the space between footsteps — all of it forms a rhythm. Katsuragi learned to translate that rhythm into numbers.
Each number he mutters corresponds to a data point — distance, timing, angle, momentum. When you hear him say something like '6… 7… 5… 9,' he's not chanting nonsense; he's reading the flow of battle, frame by frame, predicting the next movement before it happens.
He studies opponents mid-fight, converts their habits into equations, and then moves based on the results. That's why it looks like he's learning as he fights — because he literally is. Every attack teaches him new data, and every second, his calculations refine themselves.
The Number Techniques let him match an opponent's rhythm perfectly — even surpass it — without relying on raw Standz energy. It's the reason someone like him, completely Standzless, can stand toe-to-toe with monsters like Saito.
But it's not easy. His brain runs at impossible speeds when he uses it.
In short…"
"…Number Techniques are Katsuragi's way of turning combat into math. He doesn't fight with power — he fights with precision. Every number he speaks is a calculation, and every calculation brings him one move closer to victory."
Ninda said, remembering her conversations with Mokoto.
Miwafe frowned. "If that's the case, Mokoto's gonna win! All he needs to do is use that weird technique and show that bastard, sea-turtle-brained, fart-looking leader who's boss!"
Haruko laughed and cheered for her. "Yeah, you tell him! … (comes closer and whispers) But that's not very nice."
Rin, still observing Saito, said, "With the way things are going, if Mokoto pushes Saito to use his Standz ability, this fight will be over. Mokoto has to knock him out before he starts using it."
The rest of the team stared down silently.
(On the battlefield)
Mokoto finally dropped his fighting stance, staring at Saito with a dead-calm expression.
Saito looked at him in confusion. "What? Are you gonna attack me now or what? Don't think—"
Mokoto cut him off. "Don't think you can beat me without your Standz ability."
Everyone in the arena stared in confusion.
"He wants to fight against Saito's ability?" Rin said.
Miwafe frowned. "That bastard… what is he thinking?"
Mokoto continued, eyes sharp as blades. "Me being Standzless doesn't mean I'm weak, you get that? Normally I get excited when my opponent is handicapped or too cocky… but right now, I have a point to prove. And if I can't beat you at a hundred percent, this fight doesn't couuuuuuuuuuunt!!!"
He shouted, breathing heavily.
From the side, Renzo giggled to himself. "The kid's got guts."
Akari looked at him in confusion. "Kid? You know he's older than you, right?" Akari Said.
"Mr. Two?" Hotaru called out to Akari. Akari looked at her as she continued,
"My observations confirm that Mokoto's survival is not due to inherent strength or speed, but accelerated, real-time pattern recognition. Knowing he is severely outmatched in kinetic power, he has pivoted to a strategic advantage: successfully predicting Saito's sequence of attacks. His ability to evade with closed eyes confirms he's treating Saito's movements as a quantifiable, predictable algorithm.
"This brings us to a critical vulnerability: does Saito's restriction to pure, unaugmented hand-to-hand combat create a systemic weakness?
Mr. Two, given your established familiarity with Saito's combat profile, do you believe his limited attack variables—imposed by forgoing his Standz abilities—render his fighting pattern susceptible to consistent pre-emption? In short, is his current level of predictability a flaw that could lead to his defeat, even by a Standz-less opponent?"
Hotaru asked as the rest stared at her.
"Oh well, we enjoyed it while it lasted. I guess she's tuned up a bit," Hina said.
"To be honest, I'm not quite sure," Akari replied, gripping the head of his sword sheath nervously, his knuckles brushing against the hilt. "It's not like I'm saying Saito would lose to Mokoto. It's just—Saito tries to restrain himself in battle to give his opponent a clear handicap, to make things fun for him. And that's the problem—Mokoto isn't someone you can underestimate. He's the son of Kyoka. Either way, I can't imagine how this fight will end, so all we can do is watch."
Back on the battlefield, Mokoto was breathing heavily as Saito stared at him, shock flashing across his face before it turned into disappointment. He sighed, confusing Mokoto.
"Just because you got a hit on me doesn't mean you're on my level," Saito said. "I admit, you're strong—but if I used my Standz to fight you, this fight would be over before you could even think. But if you still want me to use my Standz on you, fine—then make me. Prove to me you're stronger than me without my Standz in the fight, and then I'll fight you with my ability."
Mokoto breathed in heavily, then exhaled and took his fighting stance.
"Okay then, enough talking. Let's go."
He dashed at the speed of sound, charging Saito with a kick. Saito, seeing him coming, evaded and jumped midair off Mokoto's momentum, twisting midair and throwing his leg for a kick at Mokoto's neck.
Mokoto, raising his hand right after his missed kick, caught Saito's leg in time and flung him away. Saito grinning flying through the air as Mokoto rushes him before he could land for a surprise attack.
"Yes! That's what I'm talking about—show me your rage!" Saito said as he backflipped into a safe landing, catching Mokoto's full-strength punch with his palm. The impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, cracking the ground beneath them.
Mokoto pulled his hand back and headbutted Saito, landing a clean hit.
"He got him!" Yana shouted in excitement as Mokoto smiled. But before he could move away, Saito grabbed him by the neck, gripping tightly. Mokoto struggled to breathe.
Mokoto's teammates went from relief to fear in an instant.
(Damn, he's got me. I have to escape—if not, I won't be able to dodge his next attacks!) Mokoto thought as he coughed.
Saito slowly raised his head and smiled. "My turn."
He returned the headbutt, shattering Mokoto's skull as he released him. The impact blasted Mokoto's body across the field.
Ryūjin jumped from his seat in excitement. "That's it! Tear him into a million pieces!"
Haruka, just waking up from his nap, muttered emotionlessly, "Can we just call it a draw so we can all go home?"
"You guys, look—Mokoto isn't getting up," Hina said, drawing everyone's attention. Mokoto lay on the ground, showing no sign of life.
"No, Mokoto!" Yana screamed. Miwafe clenched her fist, biting her lip until blood appeared.
"He's not moving," Rin said quietly.
The referee blew his whistle. "If Mokoto isn't able to move in the next ten seconds, that will be a forfeit by loss of consciousness, making Saito the winner."
Saito looked at Mokoto. "Come on, get up. You want to fight me at my best, don't you? Then get up."
"10... 9... 8..." the referee counted.
Mokoto's vision was fading. Everything around him seemed to move fast, though his body remained still.
(I can't move... after all I said about not being weak, this is where it ends. This is my limit. At least I tried... didn't I?)
"7... 6... 5..."
Everyone had already given up, certain that Saito had won.
Then an image flashed through Mokoto's mind—his father.
"I entrust the Seireis' protection to you. We are Katsuragi by name, not by heart. We exorcise to free, not to kill."
(Dad?... I don't remember hearing him say those words, when I was a baby?... perhaps—)
"4... 3..."
"It's all over," Saito said, turning away. "So this is the limit of your strength?"
"2..."
Mokoto's fingers twitched. (What am I doing? I promised Dad I'd fulfill his dream. I won't let him die in vain. I need to get revenge for him. I can move... I know I can. Just get up!)
His body slowly began to rise.
Everyone watched in shock.
"How is that even possible?" Ninda whispered as the rest stared in disbelief.
Saito noticed the stunned faces of The Seven and turned to see what had them so surprised.
"1—!"
Before the count could finish, Mokoto was already above Saito, his boot crashing into Saito's face. The impact sent Saito flying across the battlefield, the ground shattering beneath them.
Saito wiped his nose and saw blood on his hand.
(After I thought Mokoto lost, I let out a minimum amount of my Standz pressure, like usual... he couldn't have snuck up on me like that. Wait... That's right—Mokoto has no Standz pressure. If he moves that fast behind me, I wouldn't be able to sense him at all even if I wanted to use my standz pressure . I shouldn't take my eyes off him for even a moment until he's truly down.)
The referee declared, "Mokoto Katsuragi is still in the fight!"
Mokoto's team cheered from above, their hope reignited. Mokoto readied his stance.
"I will not lose—especially if you don't use your Standz. I still have many Seirei to protect, do you hear me?"
Saito smiled, staring down at Mokoto. "Fine then... bring it on."
Meanwhile, from the corner, Sakura and Belto watched quietly.
"You see what's happening, right?" Sakura asked.
Belto clenched his fists. "Yeah..."
"Are you losing faith? Relax," Sakura said. "We both know how strong Saito is. Mokoto won't be pulling an upset tonight."
But even as she said it, her words wavered after witnessing the fight.