BOOM!
Without warning—
The battle exploded into motion.
Two figures vanished simultaneously.
Then collided mid-air like meteors.
Yagami Sora's black wings, condensed from compressed cursed energy, smashed against the katana of Yuta Okkotsu.
The impact shattered the already damaged overpass beneath their feet.
Concrete cracked.
Steel twisted.
A violent shockwave rippled through the ruins of Shibuya.
Fragments of cursed energy filled the air like sparks.
Every clash triggered microscopic detonations.
"Fast…!"
Yuta's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had already reinforced his body with cursed energy to the limit—
Yet Yagami Sora's movements still felt unnaturally fast.
"Vector Manipulation — Acceleration."
Yagami Sora's body blurred.
In an instant—
He appeared behind Yuta.
A whip kick tore through the air.
The strike carried enormous kinetic force, creating a sonic boom.
If it landed—
Even a Special Grade sorcerer's neck could snap.
"Rika!"
Yuta shouted.
A massive white arm materialized from the distortion of space.
The partially manifested form of
Rika Orimoto.
BANG!
The kick smashed into Rika's arm.
The impact shattered the cursed armor coating it.
But the momentary block allowed Yuta to leap backward and widen the distance.
"As expected of Rika."
Yagami Sora hovered in mid-air.
Looking down calmly.
"Her reaction speed is impressive."
"But Rika alone isn't enough to defeat me."
"I know."
Yuta steadied his breathing.
Then his cursed energy suddenly shifted.
"Cursed Speech."
He spoke a single command.
"Stop."
The air trembled.
An invisible command wrapped around Yagami Sora's body.
This was the inherited technique of the Toge Inumaki clan.
Words becoming law.
A forced binding placed upon the target.
For a brief moment—
Yagami Sora's body froze.
For ordinary sorcerers, that moment would mean death.
For Special Grades—
It was merely an opening.
"Got you."
Yuta lunged forward.
His blade thrust straight toward Sora's heart.
But just before the strike landed—
A faint smile appeared on Yagami Sora's face.
"Too naive."
"Vector Manipulation — Sound Reflection."
The pressure around his body distorted.
The vibrational wave of the command reversed direction.
Then—
From Yagami Sora's throat—
"STOP."
The command erupted.
Amplified tenfold.
PFFT!
Yuta coughed up blood instantly.
The backlash of his own cursed speech struck his throat.
His body locked in place for a split second.
"…Impossible."
Shock flashed across his eyes.
"You reflected Cursed Speech…?"
Yagami Sora shrugged slightly.
"Sound is just vibration."
"A wave traveling through air."
"And as long as it's a vector…"
"I can redirect it."
He didn't waste the opportunity.
The black wings behind him compressed instantly.
Forming a spear-like structure.
"Vector Manipulation — Black Spear."
The weapon plunged downward.
At that exact moment—
Rika roared.
"ROOOOOAR!!!"
Her full manifestation burst into existence.
The enormous cursed spirit lunged forward—
Throwing herself between Yuta and the attack.
BOOM!
The spear pierced through Rika's shoulder.
Pinning her massive body into the ground.
But Rika didn't retreat.
Even impaled—
She clawed wildly toward Yagami Sora.
Trying to grab him.
"Okkotsu-senpai."
Sora said calmly.
"Is this your limit?"
"If that's all you've got…"
"You can't protect Yuji."
"Let alone execute him."
Yuta wiped the blood from his lips.
Then slowly stood up.
His eyes changed.
The earlier restraint vanished.
What remained was a serious Special Grade sorcerer.
"Yagami…"
"You really are strong."
He placed his hand on Rika's head.
The raging cursed spirit gradually calmed.
"But I can't lose either."
Yuta's cursed energy shifted again.
Multiple unfamiliar signatures mixed together.
"Technique Copy."
Several techniques began manifesting at once.
Cursed Speech.
Shikigami manipulation.
Barrier control.
And then—
A crimson arrow formed in his palm.
"Piercing Blood."
Yagami Sora frowned slightly.
Recognizing the technique immediately.
"That's the Blood Manipulation technique…"
"The same one used by Choso."
"So you copied even that?"
Yuta gave a tired smile.
"When you fight long enough…"
"You pick up a few tricks."
He raised his sword again.
Rika loomed behind him.
"Round two."
"This time…"
"I'm going all out."
Their cursed energy surged outward.
Two massive pressures collided in the air.
Like ancient beasts confronting each other.
The ruins of Shibuya trembled beneath the weight of their presence.
This—
Was the power of Special Grade sorcerers.
Beings that stood outside normal logic.
The battle was about to escalate further—
Then suddenly—
Yuta sheathed his sword.
"…That's enough."
He dropped to one knee.
His katana stabbed into the rubble.
Breathing heavily.
"If we keep fighting…"
"The higher-ups will start to suspect something."
Yagami Sora slowly folded his wings away.
"You're surrendering?"
"…Yes."
Yuta stood up slowly.
Dusting off his uniform.
"You won."
"The execution failed."
"I'll report it honestly."
Yagami Sora extended his hand.
Yuta grabbed it.
Pulling himself back to his feet.
"Don't thank me."
Yuta said quietly.
Looking toward the distant ruins.
"Yuji is your responsibility now."
Then—
He closed his eyes.
Letting Yagami Sora drag him up by the collar.
Like a defeated opponent.
Because when performing a show—
You had to perform it all the way.
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