PinkSnake - Jujutsu High’s Playboy - 106/107

Chapter 106: No Holding Back, No Cheating

The moment he heard those words, Kenichi Kamo slumped into his chair as though all the strength had drained from his body.

It was understandable. He had spent a long time preparing for today’s matches and poured a great deal of effort into them.

He had thought the second match was practically guaranteed, yet even after Shō Zenin revealed his trump card, he still failed to defeat Suguru Geto.

Combined with the point they had already given away in the first match, the overall result of the individual competition was now decided. Tokyo Jujutsu High had already secured two victories.

That meant one painful truth. Their sister-school exchange event had been a complete disaster.

They had scored nothing in the team competition and had failed to win the individual competition as well.

Even if Ranko Kanzaki defeated Tokyo’s third fighter, it would make no real difference. At most, it would make their loss look slightly less embarrassing.

Yoshinobu Gakuganji tightened his grip on his cane until it creaked ominously, making everyone wonder whether he might snap it in half at any moment.

Before the competition began, he had considered all kinds of outcomes, including the possibility of losing.

But he had never imagined they would lose this badly.

The other underclassmen and assistant managers from Kyoto Campus exchanged awkward looks. Makoto Kamo, meanwhile, watched Shō Zenin being carried toward the infirmary with undisguised contempt.

As far as he was concerned, these upperclassmen had spent an entire year longer at the school than he had, yet this was all they could manage against their opponents. It was disgraceful.

Their very presence was an embarrassment to Kyoto.

He had no chance to compete this year, but next year would be different. Once he finished developing his Cursed Technique, he would defeat Satoru Gojo and restore Kyoto Campus’s glory himself.

Tokyo Jujutsu High, on the other hand, was in a completely different mood.

Nearly everyone there was smiling. Kyoto Campus had won the sister-school exchange event for the past two years, and if Tokyo lost again this year, Kyoto would have claimed three consecutive victories.

They had always believed in the strength of their own students, but only now that the outcome was settled could they finally relax.

Even Masamichi Yaga wore a rare look of satisfaction.

At this point, the outcome of the sister-school exchange event was essentially decided. Tokyo had won decisively, which also meant he had a respectable result to present to the old men at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Perhaps the matter of his own position would finally be put on the agenda as well.

Still, there was one thing left to consider.

What should they do about the third match?

Since they had already won, should they ease off a little and concede a point so Kyoto Campus could save some face?

The thought had barely surfaced before Yaga dismissed it himself.

The entire point of the exchange event was for the students to learn from one another and improve. There was no need to complicate things with social niceties.

Besides, the students had their own ideas. As their teacher, he had no reason to interfere with or change their decisions. His role was simply to support them from behind.

With that in mind, he glanced at Tōru Azuma beside him.

Although Tōru looked pleased with the result, he had not relaxed in the slightest.

Seeing that, Masamichi Yaga understood what he intended to do and gave him a nod.

Give it your all, kid. Whatever you want to do, whatever you want to show them, put everything you have into it.

Tōru Azuma, however, had no idea what Yaga’s look was supposed to mean. He only found it strangely unsettling, and goosebumps rose across his skin.

He knew Masamichi Yaga cared about his students, but this was the first time he had ever seen him give someone such an embarrassingly sentimental look.

Just then, Suguru Geto sat down with a smile.

“So? I did pretty well, didn’t I?”

Seeing his smug expression, Satoru Gojo immediately responded with obvious jealousy.

“Quit looking so pleased with yourself. If I’d fought that Shikigami, a few attacks would’ve been enough to wipe it out. You had to summon the Rainbow Dragon just to keep it occupied, then run over and knock that guy unconscious yourself to end the match. What exactly are you so proud of?”

Suguru Geto merely gave him a sly smile.

He knew Satoru Gojo was only saying that because he was a little jealous. After all, Gojo had been stuck with such a boring opponent.

But Suguru had already won, so there was no point worrying about what he thought. Instead, he turned curiously toward Tōru Azuma.

“It’ll probably take them a while to clean up and level the field. What do you think, Azuma? What are you planning to do in the next match?”

He was thinking about the same question Masamichi Yaga had just considered.

Since their victory was already guaranteed, should they give Kyoto Campus a point?

In Suguru Geto’s eyes, though, that would not be generosity or weakness. It would be an even more humiliating slap in the face.

We can beat you. We’ve already beaten you. So now we’ll give you a point out of pity.

To the people from Kyoto, that might be more insulting than simply defeating them outright.

Imagining scenes that would probably never be spoken about openly, Suguru Geto found himself growing oddly excited.

Tōru Azuma, however, simply shook his head.

“There’s nothing to think about. I already talked to Kanzaki about it. Neither of us is going to hold anything back. We’re going to show everything we have and take this fight seriously.”

“This has nothing to do with the school’s honor or the outcome of the competition. It’s simply something the two of us agreed on.”

Satoru Gojo glanced sideways at him when he heard that.

Suguru Geto, meanwhile, stared at him with a complicated expression, seemingly lost in thought. Then, remembering something, he deliberately emphasized his next words.

“All right. That attitude is fine, but don’t forget what I told you before. Until you figure out those relationships, it’d probably be better if you...”

“Relax. I know where to draw the line.”

Knowing exactly what he was referring to, Tōru Azuma rolled his eyes helplessly.

Suguru Geto found his reaction amusing.

Only Satoru Gojo looked back and forth between them in confusion, immediately demanding to know what had happened.

But neither of them was willing to say a word about their conversation that night, which only made him even more curious.

...

On the other side, although the mood between them remained subdued, Kenichi Kamo and Yoshinobu Gakuganji had finally recovered from the shock of knowing the competition was already lost.

There was no point dwelling on it now.

They were better off thinking about the final match. Losing was one thing, but being completely shut out would be even more humiliating.

After discussing it briefly, the two went to find Ranko Kanzaki, who was warming up and preparing herself for the match.

“Ranko Kanzaki, this final match is very important. We may have already lost overall, but you still need to do everything you can to win us a point.”

“I know what’s been troubling you lately. If you win, we’ll find a way to help you resolve that problem.”

Hearing Kenichi Kamo’s promise, the girl waved dismissively.

“You don’t need to tell me that, Kamo-sensei. Even if you hadn’t said anything, I’d still give everything I have when I fight him.”

Kenichi Kamo and Yoshinobu Gakuganji exchanged a glance at her response, then sighed helplessly.

Neither said anything more about it. Instead, Kenichi Kamo reached into his clothes and took something out.

“Even so, to make your victory more certain, I want you to take this.”

Ranko Kanzaki looked curiously at the box in his hand.

“What is it?”

At her question, Kenichi Kamo felt a pang of reluctance, but he opened the box anyway.

Inside lay a dark red pill.

He had specifically taken it from his family’s storehouse. The medicine worked by imitating Flowing Red Scale to enhance the user’s physical abilities, and it was made from a number of extremely rare ingredients.

He had originally planned to keep it in reserve for an emergency.

He had not expected that he would actually need it.

“This is a secret medicine of the Kamo family. It can help you control your power more effectively.”

Looking at the student he liked least, Kenichi Kamo spoke with unusual sincerity.

“We truly need this next victory, so we need you to bring out one hundred percent of your potential. This pill will help you do that. All you have to do is swallow it.”

He had phrased it indirectly, but the implication was obvious.

Ranko Kanzaki fell silent for a moment before asking what was really on her mind.

“Kamo-sensei, wouldn’t that count as cheating?”

It was phrased as a question, but there was absolute certainty behind it.

Kenichi Kamo’s gaze flickered.

He knew perfectly well what this student cared about most, but now was not the time for her to get hung up on something like that.

“Of course it isn’t cheating. It simply helps you draw out and control your full potential. Besides, only by taking it can you be completely certain of victory.”

His explanation sounded convincing enough, but the girl merely looked at him with faint disappointment before firmly shaking her head.

“No. I’m not taking it. I’ll fight him with my own strength. Even if I lose, I won’t regret it.”

“You...”

“Sorry, Kamo-sensei. I need to get ready for my match.”

With that, Ranko Kanzaki turned and walked away without looking back.

Kenichi Kamo’s expression darkened as he stared after her, his teeth clenching slightly while he held the pill in his hand.

Easy for her to say she’ll give it everything she has. What happens if she loses?

But she was already gone, and he could hardly chase after her and force the pill into her mouth.

With a grim expression, he returned to his seat.

“Someone this difficult to control... No matter how this match turns out, I’ll have to tell her family to speed things up.”

Yoshinobu Gakuganji heard his muttering but said nothing, simply remaining seated in silence.

...

After some time, the field damaged during Suguru Geto and Shō Zenin’s battle had finally been repaired well enough for another match.

The lawn looked rather ugly, with patches of grass missing here and there, but it was still better than making them fight inside a crater.

“All right. I’m heading out.”

Tōru Azuma fastened Fudōmaru back at his waist and checked that the arm guard on his left arm was securely locked in place. Then he rose from the spectator stands, ready for the final battle of the day.

“Hey, fight properly. Don’t embarrass us.”

“Don’t listen to this idiot. Just fight the way you normally do.”

“Make sure you don’t hold back, okay?”

“Pay attention to your tactics. She’s probably not someone you can beat with brute force alone.”

“Good luck...”

Hearing the different words of encouragement from his friends, Tōru Azuma smiled.

His eyes met Masamichi Yaga’s reassuring, encouraging gaze. Tōru nodded, then jumped down from the stands and headed toward the field.

Ranko Kanzaki appeared at the far end of the arena as well.

The moment their eyes met, each saw something completely different from before in the other’s gaze.

Burning fighting spirit.

There was nothing left for either of them to say.

They silently walked toward the center of the field and took their respective positions.

Once both were in place, the assistant manager raised his voice once more.

“The final match, Tōru Azuma versus Ranko Kanzaki. Begin!”

...

Chapter 107: A Fierce Battle, Another Black Flash?!

The moment the announcement ended, two explosive cracks rang out across the arena.

From the spectators’ perspective, the two figures that had been standing motionless were suddenly racing toward each other at incredible speed. Surprisingly, there was barely any difference between them.

The next instant, they collided head-on.

Their first exchange was only a probe, so neither immediately launched a real attack. As if by mutual agreement, they simply locked forearms and tested each other’s strength.

Seeing the excitement and fighting spirit burning on Ranko Kanzaki’s face at such close range, Tōru Azuma found the corners of his mouth curling upward.

The sight reminded him of a certain iconic scene.

But the thought vanished as quickly as it came.

With their arms locked together, each could clearly feel the force the other was exerting. Perhaps their physical strength combined with Cursed Energy reinforcement just happened to be evenly matched, because neither seemed stronger than the other.

“What are the odds? Azuma, you really are an opponent worth fighting!”

“You’re not bad either, Kanzaki-senpai.”

Seeing the two of them suddenly start chatting while locked together, someone watching from the sidelines muttered unhappily.

“What are those two doing? If they’re going to fight, then fight. Why are they chatting?”

Before she could say anything else, however, the situation in the arena changed.

Realizing there was no point in maintaining the stalemate, Tōru Azuma was the first to disengage. He planted one foot heavily against the ground, used the recoil to pull back his right fist, then drove it straight toward Ranko Kanzaki’s chest.

He had deliberately chosen that target.

It was not because he wanted to take advantage of her or cop a feel. That area simply had more cushioning, which would reduce the damage as much as possible.

Not that he expected the punch to land in the first place.

Sure enough, faced with the sudden and tricky strike, Ranko Kanzaki smiled faintly. With a slight twist of her upper body, she slipped past his fist, then used her forward momentum to throw a punch straight at his face.

Tōru Azuma could only follow her example and lean aside to evade the counterattack.

That brief first exchange had served as a warm-up and given both of them a basic understanding of the other’s strength.

What came next was the real storm.

Tōru Azuma had been the one to attack first, yet he had failed to gain anything from it. That left his movements just a fraction slower, allowing Ranko Kanzaki to seize the initiative with her counterattack.

Unlike Tōru Azuma, whose self-taught style had been built entirely from prediction and habit, Ranko Kanzaki appeared to have learned a proper, systematic form of martial arts.

Her punches came faster and faster.

Before long, she was no longer relying on punches alone. Knee strikes, roundhouse kicks, and sweeping kicks were all woven seamlessly into her offensive rhythm.

One attack flowed into the next, wave after wave, surging relentlessly like a storm-tossed sea.

Against such an assault, Tōru Azuma could avoid some attacks through prediction, but most of the time he had no choice but to actively block with his arms and body while protecting his vital areas.

The pressure was almost suffocating.

After several exchanges, however, he noticed something.

Ranko Kanzaki’s attacks might come like a violent storm, but there were brief gaps between them.

Perhaps she had not fully mastered the style, or perhaps she simply had not practiced it enough. After completing one particular move, she would fall into a brief pause lasting almost a full second.

Under normal circumstances, it would hardly matter.

But in a fight like this, even the smallest flaw was enough to give him an opportunity to turn things around.

So when Ranko Kanzaki launched another knee strike and he slipped out of its path, Tōru Azuma finally counterattacked.

As his fist shot toward her, Ranko Kanzaki, who had only just finished recovering from her previous movement, instinctively crossed both arms in front of herself to block.

But when his fist struck her forearms, she realized there was almost no force behind it. It was so light that it barely felt stronger than a tap.

Realizing something was wrong, she immediately tried to press her arms downward.

Her reaction was remarkably fast.

But it was already too late.

A second punch, loaded with far greater force, slammed directly into her liver.

The carefully prepared blow made her mind go blank for an instant, and darkness crept across her vision.

But she understood all too well that in close combat, even a single second of hesitation could trigger a disastrous chain reaction.

Especially when the opponent standing in front of her was every bit as strong as she was.

It looked like it was time to use her Cursed Technique.

The instant she made that decision, the Cursed Energy within her suddenly became unstable, swelling violently before erupting outward as an invisible shockwave.

The force was not enough to seriously injure Tōru Azuma, but it did push him several steps backward and forced him to abandon his follow-up attack.

With nearly two seconds to catch her breath, Ranko Kanzaki steadied herself and recovered from her momentary daze.

A dull ache had already begun spreading from her liver throughout her body, but rather than retreat, she smiled.

“Not bad. You actually forced me to use my Cursed Technique. In that case, I guess it’s time to get a little serious!”

After throwing down the challenge, she rushed forward once again.

This time, the Cursed Energy surrounding her fists was far more violent than before.

She had already realized something.

In their first contest, pure Taijutsu, she had lost. She had even been forced to use her Cursed Technique just to escape danger.

So now it was time for the second round.

This time, she would fight at full strength.

With anticipation in her eyes, she glanced at the Cursed Tools on Tōru Azuma’s body.

Noticing her gaze, Tōru Azuma could only smile helplessly.

“Then... let’s keep going!”

The two collided once more.

This time, however, Tōru Azuma could no longer handle her attacks as comfortably as before.

Ranko Kanzaki had been reinforcing herself with Cursed Energy earlier as well, but at that point, her fists had still been nothing more than ordinary punches.

Now, every punch and every movement carried an additional Cursed Energy explosion.

The only reason Tōru Azuma had not been injured when she blasted him away earlier was because that had been an instinctive reaction. She had been unable to control the output and had simply released a large amount of Cursed Energy all at once.

But now that she was deliberately incorporating her Cursed Technique into her punches, every blow carried both the physical force of the strike itself and a second impact from the Cursed Energy explosion.

Even through his blocks, the repeated impacts were beginning to make his arms ache.

That did not mean he was helpless.

Collapse Lock possessed an unusual characteristic.

Not only could it increase its damage through active charging, it could also accumulate energy whenever it was struck by Cursed Energy, accelerating the charging process.

Wait.

Wasn’t this starting to look more and more like Doomsday Fist?

Regardless, Tōru Azuma seized several openings and landed attacks with far more force than Ranko Kanzaki had expected, making her grimace from the pain.

Strangely enough, though, the more it hurt, the more excited she became.

And the faster her attacks grew.

Tōru Azuma slipped sideways past another punch.

The Cursed Energy detonating beside his ear produced a deafening blast, and his eyes sharpened for an instant before he immediately raised his arm guard in front of himself.

Sure enough, Ranko Kanzaki’s next punch slammed into it.

The impact forced him several steps backward.

But instead of immediately pressing the attack, she looked at him with dissatisfaction.

“Where’s your sword? Why aren’t you using it?”

Tōru Azuma fell silent for a moment.

The reason he had not drawn Fudōmaru was simple.

If he did, Ranko Kanzaki might lose even the last advantage she currently possessed.

Her current advantage was that she could deliberately detonate her Cursed Energy before her fists actually touched him, allowing her to attack and disrupt him from just outside normal striking range.

But once he drew Fudōmaru, his own attack range would increase, and he would gain access to a much more flexible array of offensive options.

His close-quarters combat had improved considerably, but after all this time, the thing he was still best at was his self-taught swordsmanship.

What he wanted to give her was a real fight.

Not a life-or-death clash that might leave her seriously injured.

Before he could explain, Ranko Kanzaki spoke again.

“Didn’t we agree that we’d give it everything we had? Are you planning to break your promise?!”

Tōru Azuma looked at her.

There was anger and dissatisfaction in her eyes, along with a faint sadness that even she herself did not seem to notice.

He sighed, then slowly drew Fudōmaru.

“If I use this, I can’t guarantee I won’t hurt you.”

After giving her one final warning, he raised the arm guard on his left arm and held the long sword in his right, assuming his stance once more.

The air around him immediately became several degrees more dangerous.

Ranko Kanzaki burst into laughter.

The fighting spirit blazing in her eyes completely burned away the anger and frustration from moments earlier.

“Yes! That’s it! That’s exactly what I wanted!”

The instant she finished speaking, she stomped hard against the ground.

Cursed Energy exploded beneath her feet, propelling her forward even faster than before.

Her entire body nearly blurred from sight as she rushed straight at Tōru Azuma.

But after fighting her for several minutes, Tōru Azuma had already begun adapting to her style.

Without hesitation, he swung the arm guard he had been preparing in advance.

Collapse Lock had already been charged to Level 3.

At that instant, it unleashed tremendous force.

His strike crashed head-on into Ranko Kanzaki’s fist, which carried the explosive impact of her Cursed Energy.

BOOM—!!

The violent impact and the collision between their fists forced both of them to freeze for a split second.

Sensing danger, Ranko Kanzaki immediately tried to pull away.

But a brilliant flash suddenly appeared before her and swept toward her chest.

At the last possible moment, she used the recoil from their clash to retreat half a step, preventing the long blade from cutting deeply into her body.

Even so, a spray of blood burst from her chest.

Normally, an injury like that would already be enough to stop the match.

Ranko Kanzaki merely stepped back half a pace, glanced down at the wound, then smiled even wider than before.

“Yes. That’s the feeling! That’s exactly it, Azuma! Keep going! Keep fighting until one of us goes down!”

Without paying the slightest attention to her injury, she charged at Tōru Azuma again and resumed the fight.

Her punches were still powerful.

But an injury did not disappear simply because she refused to acknowledge it.

No matter how much her spirit and willpower allowed her to ignore the wound, blood continued flowing from it.

At the same time, her repeated, unrestrained use of her Cursed Technique was steadily draining her Cursed Energy.

Both were constantly affecting her awareness and judgment.

Even her movements gradually became slower.

As a result, Tōru Azuma began leaving more and more wounds across her body.

After several more exchanges, Ranko Kanzaki’s consciousness had already begun to fade.

Almost nothing remained except one final thought.

One final determination.

She had to fight until the very end.

She absolutely could not fall.

Her resolve was worthy of respect, but Tōru Azuma knew the first wound he had inflicted was neither especially deep nor especially shallow.

Unfortunately, it had landed in a dangerous place.

If they continued like this, she might genuinely bleed to death.

So after dodging another one of Ranko Kanzaki’s attacks, he stepped backward and shouted.

“Kanzaki, you know you can’t keep going much longer! Let’s settle this with one final strike!”

With that, he planted Fudōmaru into the grass beside him, took his stance, and raised his right arm.

Ranko Kanzaki, who was barely conscious by this point, also seemed to understand how dangerous her condition had become.

She stopped attacking.

Then she raised her right fist and began gathering her strength.

The spectators had watched the two exchange dozens of blows, only for them to suddenly separate.

Everyone could tell.

The fight was about to be decided.

Whatever thoughts had been running through their minds disappeared.

Everyone held their breath and stared at the arena.

The next instant, both fighters moved.

Just like at the very beginning of the match, they charged straight toward each other at their highest speed.

Then they swung their right fists.

Their fists collided violently.

At the exact moment of impact, a point of black and red light suddenly erupted between them.

It expanded like black lightning, raging outward as though tearing and twisting the very space around them.

Tōru Azuma’s pupils contracted sharply.

An instant later, an excruciating pain accompanied by the sensation of something breaking shot from his fist all the way through his right arm.

Before he could even process what had happened, a violent shockwave erupted from where their fists had collided.

Both of them were blasted backward and slammed into the ground several meters away.

The spectators erupted in astonishment.

“Black Flash!”

“Another Black Flash?!”

Most of those present knew what Black Flash was.

A few fortunate ones had even witnessed someone unleash it in person before.

But this was only an individual match in a sister-school exchange event.

Could a fight at this level really produce a Black Flash?

More importantly, who had actually landed it?

Who had won the match?

Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Tōru Azuma slowly pushed himself up from the ground.

The intense pain and the sensation tearing through his mind made him suck in a sharp breath.

But at the same time, he had entered that strange, profound state once again.

That feeling that everything inside his body was suddenly easy to understand and control.

But what was going on?

This was not like before, when he had barely even known how to control his Cursed Energy.

How could a Black Flash he had unleashed himself injure him?

Unless...

Had both of them unleashed Black Flash at the same time?

Still unable to make sense of it, Tōru Azuma quickly walked over to Ranko Kanzaki.

Only after confirming that her arm, like his own, was broken but that the injury was not fatal did he finally relax slightly.

It was only then that the assistant manager recovered from his shock.

Still sounding somewhat stunned and uncertain, he announced the result.

“The... third match goes to Tokyo Jujutsu High. Tōru Azuma wins!”