Battle

Ryuen Kakeru's gaze locked onto Itozawa, a cruel glint in his sneer. He showed no intention of slowing down, charging directly at Itozawa as if to run him through. His body was like a speeding war chariot, unstoppable.

At this critical moment, Itozawa felt the world around him slow down.

His eyes caught Ryuen Kakeru's every movement, even the nodes of his energy flow and the direction of his force. Everything became exceptionally clear, as if time had slowed in his perception.

Itozawa didn't choose to meet the attack head-on; he knew that would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Instead, he twisted his waist sharply, his body nimbly evading the momentum of Ryuen Kakeru's charge.

He stepped back with his right foot, stabilizing himself, and simultaneously threw a punch towards the intersection of the muscles in Ryuen Kakeru's forearm.

His fist was like a fired bullet, hitting the target accurately and without error. Ryuen Kakeru felt his forearm suddenly go numb. His forward momentum halted abruptly, and a stinging pain shot up his arm.

Ryuen Kakeru's expression changed drastically, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected Itozawa to be able to stop him. His gaze sharpened, and he finally became serious.

He threw out his right fist with a whistling sound, aiming straight for Itozawa's face.

Itozawa quickly ducked, evading the blow, while simultaneously raising his left arm to block Ryuen Kakeru's follow-up left hook.

He leaned back slightly, dodging Ryuen Kakeru's knee strike, then quickly counterattacked with a straight punch to Ryuen Kakeru's abdomen.

Ryuen Kakeru's reaction was equally swift. His abdominal muscles tensed instantly, enduring Itozawa's blow head-on. At the same time, he thrust his right elbow back, attempting to strike Itozawa's head.

Itozawa rapidly retreated a step, dodging the elbow strike, but his right foot shot out like a viper from its hole, quickly and accurately kicking towards Ryuen Kakeru's lower leg.

Ryuen Kakeru was forced to jump, evading the kick. However, he quickly adjusted his posture in mid-air, launching a flying kick towards Itozawa's chest.

Itozawa crossed his arms, taking the kick head-on, but the immense impact force caused his feet to drag two marks on the ground.

The two exchanged blows and defenses as fast as lightning. Every attack was filled with power, and every defense was precise. The air by the pool became heated by their battle, and each clash of fists and feet produced a dull thud.

Itozawa's breathing began to quicken, but his gaze remained steady. Right now, only he could temporarily hold back Ryuen Kakeru. Only when Kanzaki recovered could the three of them, working together, possibly defeat him.

Itozawa's body weaved and dodged under Ryuen Kakeru's onslaught, his movements fluid and swift, each evasion perfectly timed.

His counterattacks, though not as ferocious as Ryuen Kakeru's, were incredibly precise, threatening Ryuen Kakeru with every strike.

The surrounding air grew hot from their fight, their figures moving rapidly by the pool, creating blurred afterimages. The pool water was affected by the ripples of their battle, creating waves.

Itozawa knew he couldn't let Ryuen Kakeru interfere with Amako Kura and Kanzaki's actions. He had to tie Ryuen Kakeru down here, buying his teammates time to recover.

Ryuen Kakeru's assault intensified, like a tsunami, wave after wave.

A cold light flashed in his eyes. His body suddenly lunged forward, a powerful sidekick aimed directly at Itozawa's ribs. If this kick landed, it would cause serious injury.

Itozawa reacted quickly, his body tilting slightly, skillfully evading Ryuen Kakeru's sidekick. While dodging the attack, his right hand shot out, grabbing Ryuen Kakeru's kicking leg, while his left leg swept towards Ryuen Kakeru's supporting leg.

Ryuen Kakeru felt his leg grabbed by Itozawa and immediately realized his attack had been turned against him.

His body lost balance instantly, but his reaction was extremely fast. He quickly landed his other leg, stabilizing himself.

However, Itozawa's sweep was already coming. Ryuen Kakeru had to release his grabbed leg and leap backward to avoid being swept off his feet.

Ryuen Kakeru retreated a few steps, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected Itozawa to counterattack so swiftly. He took a deep breath, adjusted his fighting rhythm, and began searching for new offensive opportunities.

Itozawa remained vigilant, knowing Ryuen Kakeru wouldn't give up. He crouched slightly, preparing to face Ryuen Kakeru's next wave of attacks.

The battle entered a white-hot stage, and Itozawa felt he was nearing his limit. Ryuen Kakeru's assault was like a tsunami, wave after wave, each attack more ferocious than the last. Although Itozawa's ability allowed him to predict Ryuen Kakeru's attacks, his stamina and reaction speed were starting to fall behind Ryuen Kakeru's pace.

In one exchange, Ryuen Kakeru's heavy punch aimed directly at Itozawa's chin. If this blow landed, it would end the fight.

Itozawa managed to turn his head, but Ryuen Kakeru's fist grazed his cheek, bringing a sharp pain. Stars flashed before Itozawa's eyes, and his steps faltered, nearly causing him to fall.

At this critical juncture, Kanzaki appeared like a ghost. His arm shot out, grabbing Itozawa's sleeve and yanking him backward forcefully.

He grabbed Amako Kura with his other hand, making her grab Watanabe, and pulled her and Watanabe away from the center of the battle as well.

Seeing this, Ryuen Kakeru immediately adjusted his attack, preparing to pursue. An unyielding light flashed in his eyes; he clearly had no intention of letting them go easily. Kanzaki's gaze was calm; he knew he had to act to stop Ryuen Kakeru.

She gave Amako Kura a look, and Amako immediately understood. She sharply struck his abdomen. Watanabe's ability, "Body Prison," was instantly released. The water within him surged out like a bursting dam, rushing straight towards Ryuen Kakeru.

Ryuen Kakeru was hit by the sudden surge of water, sent flying backward. His body tumbled in the water, making it almost impossible to breathe. The force of the water was immense, threatening to drown him. His face turned pale instantly, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

At this critical moment, Yasuda intervened swiftly. He waved his hands in the air, and the water immediately changed direction, being guided back into the pool. Ryuen Kakeru was impacted by the water's force and thrown towards the edge of the pool. His body slammed heavily against the tiles before sliding into the water, creating a huge splash.

Yasuda's expression was stern, his voice echoing within the pool: "Enough, Ryuen Kakeru. This assessment has exceeded its expected scope. Your actions are no longer just an assessment."

Ryuen Kakeru stood up from the water, resentment on his face, but more so, a thirst for power.

Meanwhile, Kanzaki had already seized the opportunity, grabbing the three of them and fleeing far from the natatorium until they returned to their class.

Back in his seat, Itozawa was gasping for breath, a look of relief on his face.

He knew that if Kanzaki hadn't pulled him back in time, he feared he would have been left there by Ryuen Kakeru. He might have already been defeated by Ryuen Kakeru.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of lingering fear. Fortunately, Ryuen Kakeru wasn't the only one with special abilities, and fortunately, he had trained diligently for three years. Otherwise, he might have been crippled here by Ryuen Kakeru today.