After a flurry of exchanges, Shuo took a half-step back, catching his breath. He flashed a rakish smile at Tsubaki Shinra.
"Looks like we're matched in swordsmanship, Shinra-san. Why not skip the warm-up and go all out?"
Tsubaki sighed, the hint of a smile touching her lips as she drew her Sacred Gear. "No need to be so modest, Nangong-kun. You've already bested me in pure swordplay. So now, I'll show you my trump card. Brace yourself."
"Mirror Alice!"
Her voice rang out clear and sharp. Instantly, the courtyard shimmered—a host of monstrous reflections spilled forth, summoned from the depths of her Sacred Gear.
The Shinra family was one of Japan's five great exorcist clans, and Tsubaki's unique ability to call forth monsters from mirrors had always set her apart—and, for years, kept her at arm's length from others. Sona had taken her in, made her Queen, and given her a place beside Akeno Himejima herself.
Now, Tsubaki unleashed her army, monsters encircling Shuo as she circled, searching for an opening—a single, decisive strike.
But her tactics were no mystery to Shuo. He watched the creatures close in, then, with a flicker of intent, sheathed Zangetsu and let his power surge.
Blue lightning erupted from his skin, flooding the courtyard in a storm of energy. The air crackled. Shadows danced. And then, looming above them, a colossal skeletal figure began to materialize—Susanoo, half-formed but still awe-inspiring.
He held back, refusing to summon the complete avatar—no need to terrify the whole city. Even so, the sight of Susanoo sent a shockwave through the Student Council. Every girl stared, wide-eyed, at the monstrous apparition.
Tsubaki faced the skeletal titan head-on, her breath caught in her throat. The pressure was suffocating—an overwhelming force that seemed to crush the air itself.
Is this… his true strength?
The question echoed silently through every mind present.
Shuo didn't hesitate. Susanoo's arms swung out, conjuring two massive blades crackling with concentrated lightning. The courtyard trembled.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Careful, Shinra-san. If you're not, you might get hurt."
With that, Susanoo raised both swords high, demonic power surging through them, and brought them crashing down in a diagonal arc.
Tsubaki didn't flinch. She raised Mirror Alice, ready to absorb the impact, and commanded her monsters to intercept the blades—hoping to blunt the assault and counterattack.
It was a solid plan—on paper.
But reality was merciless.
The moment Susanoo's blades met the summoned monsters, there was no clang of steel. Only the sickening sound of bodies cleaved in two—her creatures cut down like shadows before the dawn.
Tsubaki's pupils shrank. The shockwave hit her like a hurricane, sending her flying backward. She skidded across the ground, barely managing to halt after more than ten meters.
"Impossible!" she gasped. "My Sacred Gear's monsters… wiped out in an instant?!"
But Shuo wasn't finished. Susanoo's swords flashed again.
BOOM.
The force slammed into Mirror Alice, the impact reverberating through the barrier. Tsubaki tried to brace herself, but the blow was overwhelming—she was hurled through the air, crashing hard against the edge of the magical barrier.
CRASH.
The protective walls, painstakingly woven from demonic energy, shattered like glass. Silence fell, broken only by the distant rumble of thunder.
When the dust settled, the devastation was clear—the barrier was gone, the courtyard a wreck.
And Shuo… had pulled his punches.
He knew the risk: Mirror Alice, when shattered, could reflect double the damage back at the attacker. But for him, that was a trivial concern. Still, he'd held back, not wanting to destroy Tsubaki's Sacred Gear or put her in real danger.
Tsubaki clutched her chest, pain blooming beneath her ribs. She stared at Shuo, disbelief and awe warring in her eyes.
"So this… this is your real trump card?"
Shuo dismissed Susanoo with a thought, pausing before he answered. "More or less."
More or less? Did he have even stronger cards left to play? Tsubaki could only smile, defeated but not bitter.
"I've lost. In swordsmanship, in overall strength—you surpassed every expectation. I'm completely convinced."
Shuo grinned, then strode over and offered his hand. He helped her up, channeling a gentle pulse of demonic energy to ease her wounds. Tsubaki's cheeks flushed, her posture stiff with embarrassment.
Just then, the system chimed in:
Ding! Mission complete! Congratulations, host—Red Tier sign-in reward obtained.
The Student Council girls were shell-shocked. Their Queen, Tsubaki Shinra, had surrendered.
"Someone pinch me—I must be dreaming!"
"He's not just a swordmaster, he's got Sacred Gears, magic… and he barely breaks a sweat!"
"This wasn't a match—it was a massacre. Is Nangong-kun really human?"
Even Sona, usually the picture of composure, struggled to keep her cool. Tsubaki was her Queen, a high-class devil with a powerful Sacred Gear. She'd never imagined losing was even possible—especially not so quickly, and with Shuo holding back.
After Shuo finished channeling energy to Tsubaki, Sona hesitated, then stepped forward.
"Nangong-kun, may I ask—why did you hold back on your final attack against Tsubaki's Sacred Gear? Did you know Mirror Alice's ability, or were you afraid of hurting her?"
Tsubaki and the others watched him expectantly.
Of course he knew—he was a transmigrator, after all. But Shuo paused, choosing his words carefully.
"A bit of both, honestly. I have a short-term precognition ability. Even against someone stronger, I can glimpse the immediate future."
"But more importantly, even if Mirror Alice shattered and reflected double damage, it wouldn't bother me. But Shinra-san might have been seriously hurt. So, I held back—for her sake."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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