Just like that, Ichinose and Takahashi Rin-sensei soon led the students of Class B to the swimming pool, planning to discuss the details of the assessment with Yasuda-sensei.
However, when they arrived at the swimming pool, Yasuda-sensei was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they saw Ryuen Kakeru surrounded by ten Water People.
He was being beaten from all sides, completely unable to fight back. Yet he showed no sign of anger, getting knocked down again and again, only to stand up each time.
"What's going on? Where's Yasuda-sensei?" Ichinose asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
Ryuen Kakeru glanced at them, a taunting smile on his face.
"Yasuda-sensei? If you want to find him, you'll have to get past me first. If anyone can beat me, I'll tell you where he is."
His gaze swept over the students of Class B before finally settling on Itozawa. "Well, Itozawa, want to try again? Or does anyone else here have the guts?"
Itozawa hesitated over whether to accept the challenge. He knew Ryuen Kakeru was no pushover. Now that he was familiar with Ryuen Kakeru's attacks, his Ability should work better, but he still wasn't sure he could win.
Takahashi Rin-sensei had already lost patience. She coldly uttered a single word: "Purify."
The word seemed to hold magical power. In an instant, the ten Water People vanished as if they had evaporated.
Ryuen Kakeru felt a transparent barrier suddenly form around him. He was trapped in a clean, enclosed space; nothing could enter, and he couldn't get out.
What shocked him even more was that he could feel his power slowly being purified by the circle.
"What is this..." A trace of panic flashed in Ryuen Kakeru's eyes. His power was suppressed and his body was bound—he had never encountered anything like this before.
Takahashi Rin-sensei's voice was calm and firm. "Ryuen Kakeru, I don't want to fight you, but I need to find Yasuda-sensei.
"If you won't tell us where he is, I don't mind keeping you here a little longer, until you change your mind."
Ryuen Kakeru could feel his Ability being severely suppressed. He knew Takahashi Rin-sensei's power far exceeded anything he had imagined.
But his panic lasted only a moment. Soon, a feral grin curled across his lips.
He looked around. The transparent barrier shimmered faintly in the sunlight, as if challenging him.
He took a deep breath, seeming to relish the feeling of being challenged.
"Teacher... You think a little trick like this can hold me?"
Ryuen Kakeru's voice carried a hint of mockery as an indomitable aura began to emanate from him.
"I, Ryuen Kakeru, am not so easily defeated."
His gaze grew sharper, as though searching for a weakness in the barrier.
He raised his hands slightly, and faint light began to gather at his fingertips.
"A challenge like this will only make me more excited."
His feral grin revealed his arrogance. An even stronger energy fluctuation radiated from his body. Though the barrier restrained it, the power lying dormant within him was still palpable.
"The harder you try to suppress me, the more I'll prove that no one can control me, Ryuen Kakeru."
He began to batter the barrier with his power. Each strike came with a low roar, and soon his body was leaving afterimages all across its surface.
Though every impact drained some of his strength, there was not the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes.
A trace of surprise flashed in Takahashi-sensei's eyes. Though this Word Spirit was quite effective against Object-type Abilities, someone with his level of Ability shouldn't have been able to resist at all.
She hadn't expected him to still be able to muster energy. A hint of appreciation appeared in her eyes, and her voice softened.
"We only want to know where Yasuda-sensei is. Just tell us, and I'll release you right away."
Ryuen Kakeru ignored her goodwill and sneered. "If I just agree, it'll look like I'm afraid of you. If you've got what it takes to subdue me, then I'll tell you."
Then he continued his assault. Within the barrier, his body was like a raging gale, constantly testing it and searching for a way through.
Yasuda-sensei sensed that his water had been purified and immediately realized that Takahashi Rin-sensei had arrived.
Yasuda-sensei suddenly appeared like a ghost, his arrival accompanied by a ripple of water, like the ocean calling out.
The moment he saw Takahashi Rin-sensei, a delighted gleam flashed in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, as though he wanted to ask why she had come.
But when his gaze swept over the others and he noticed that Ryuen Kakeru was still standing conscious inside the barrier, his delighted expression quickly disappeared, replaced by one of anger and surprise.
He paused, halting the step he had been about to take.
Then he moved a finger slightly. Under his control, the scattered streams of water gathered like obedient servants, swiftly forming sturdy walls of water that crashed into Takahashi Rin's domain.
The water walls were powerful enough to smash through any obstacle. Under their assault, the barrier quickly crumbled, and water scattered in all directions.
Amid the chaos, the water that should have struck Takahashi-sensei "happened" to curve around her, heading straight for the other students.
Takahashi-sensei frowned, her lips moving as she softly uttered a single word: "Burn."
The word seemed to carry a mysterious power. Even the surrounding air seemed to tremble slightly.
The other students sensed nothing unusual. They cried out and prepared to scatter, dodging the droplets.
Only Itozawa, with his keen senses, noticed the brief rise in temperature around them, as if an invisible wave of heat had swept past.
The mist about to splash onto the students evaporated instantly upon touching the wave of heat.
The mist turned into wisps of thin white smoke, then quickly dissipated, leaving no trace.
Though the other students were somewhat puzzled, they soon calmed down.
Yasuda-sensei saw the darkened look in her eyes as she glared at him. He shrank his neck, realizing she had seen through his act of taking out his frustration on others.
At a crucial moment, Ichinose came through. She immediately sensed the tension and stepped between them, cutting off Takahashi-sensei's line of sight.
"Yasuda-sensei, we need to talk to you about the assessment."
Yasuda-sensei nodded quickly, gratitude showing in his eyes. "The assessment? All right, let's talk."
He led Ichinose and the students toward his office to hear their plan. Takahashi was a little displeased, but followed them anyway.
Before you continue