But before Anya could speak for herself, Mikoto Misaka stepped forward and said calmly but firmly:
"Elder Ao, I'll take Anya's place in the next match. She's... not suited to this kind of sparring."
Her brown eyes met Ao's, and her tone left no room for argument.
Damian immediately backed her up. His expression was a little awkward, but he sounded just as certain.
"That's right. She doesn't need to fight. Mikoto can continue the exchange on behalf of Kumogakure."
For once, he didn't even call Anya "Dead Last."
Their swift, unanimous response surprised everyone else.
Kagura and Jade exchanged puzzled glances.
Boruto and Sarada looked at Anya too, unable to understand why her companions were so determined to keep her out of the match.
Only Damian and Mikoto knew why.
Before they left, Teacher Aizen had taken them aside and instructed them, "If the exchange involves combat, make sure Anya doesn't fight."
Damian loved mocking Anya, but he knew what mattered.
If Anya's dreadful fighting was exposed in front of everyone, the entire younger generation of Kumogakure would lose face.
So he had no choice but to grit his teeth and help Mikoto cover for that troublesome "Dead Last."
Ao narrowed his one eye, his searching gaze settling on Anya like a spotlight.
His intelligence network had thorough assessments of both Mikoto and Damian. Mikoto, in particular, had been marked as "a top fighter of Kumogakure's younger generation, with immense potential."
Yet the information on this pink-haired girl named Anya Forger was almost nonexistent. It only vaguely mentioned that she was a ninja from a civilian family, earned average grades, and got along reasonably well with Damian and Mikoto.
Now that two of Kumogakure's elite were going out of their way to protect her, even offering to fight in